Machikado Mazoku: 2-choume

Machikado Mazoku: 2-choume is a magical show, and not just because it focuses on Magical Girls. But rather because it is a top-tier CGDCT that manages to excel in both fun comedic moments but also strong storytelling and character writing.

Machikado has always excelled at it's comedy and the same comedy stylings that made it such a fun and unique watch in its first season are back in the second season. The same quick humor and attention to detail returns although this time with a slower speed outside of some of those comedic moments. There are still a lot of fun whimsical moments in the background ... and a lot of fun gags that interline with the anime quite well.

That said as good as the comedy and fun factors of the show are I think what really sets Machikado apart and make it shine are it's characters and the story. Both were already good in season 1 but it's nice to see the seeds of good writing be expounded upon in season 2 and have also see the growth of the characters as they bond with each other.

With Shamiko's character we get to see her grow into being a very dependable member of the group and while she still fails at times, she is far removed from her old role of struggling at everything and trying to best Momo. As Shamiko and Momo spend more time together and their bond grows closer Shamiko realizes what Momo means to her and rather than fight her she seems more interested in helping her and trying to aid her in her quest to find her missing sister. But this growth doesn't just extend to Momo but also extends to her other friends that she see's struggling, like Mikan. Despite her demonic nature she has morphed into a magical girl like role, where she puts herself on the line to help those close to her, whether it be taking the risks needed to go into her subconscious, or whether it be working herself too much in order to get information on Momo. Seeing the cheerful and supportive Shamiko grow and stop being much of a punchline is really wonderful to see and it's so satisfying seeing her blossom and become someone admirable and strong in her own way.

Momo has also grown a lot and I absolutely love her growth throughout the season. She was already fun as a kuudere who had an obvious preference and liking towards Shamiko but that seems to be even more clear in this season considering how jealous she gets when Shamiko does things without her, or when her friends are bonding together without her. Her complex mix of emotions from season one are back and are built on as she grows closer to others and her kuudere persona slowly fades away. It's also fun seeing that now that there are things that she really cares about and wants, she is no longer able to have the upper hand so often and sometimes gets bested. It's also fun seeing her accept her role of being a servant of Shamiko and the wonders of black Peach Momo.

The side cast is also really strong. Mikan gets more deserved screen time and her character gets a lot more fleshed out in the new season. We get to see her struggles and backstory on how her curse got to form and how the events around it effect her. Despite how pleasant and happy seeming she can be, there are issues that she has to deal with as well and I like how the show explores them. I like how the show was able to explore her loneliness due to her self-sacrificing nature and her curse.

Added to that the new characters that were added are quite fun. Lico is a great addition to the cast whose quirks and disregard for others is quite fun to watch. I also like how well her and Shirasawa's inclusion are able to flesh out the demon world and give examples of other demonic characters in the show, as well as give Shamiko an opportunity to see others like her.

Their existence is key in another way in that they showcase Sakura's plan for the city and the wonderful legacy that she left there. Demons were able to live there peacefully and happily and intermingle with the town without prejudice or negativity. Those that see a talking tapir aren't freaked out by him and just accept it as part of their day and move on. The conflicts of the light and dark clan don't span the city and they're both able to relax and be happy without having to worry about being attacked to much. And when they do meet they're able to share information and interact with each other peacefully and work together at times. Ultimately Sakura did a lot for the town sacrificing herself both to protect the town but also to help out the demons who lived there and keep them with a happy, stress-free life. And ultimately her vision is working out well and works out very well as a watcher. Seeing all of these different people with different backgrounds be able to enjoy life without strife is quite nice. And it's fun to see Shamiko herself have such a nice life now despite the curses that she had been under before. It's fun seeing all of the positivity she gets from friends, family, and all of those around her. And ultimately this creates one of those things I love to see from CGDCT shows. This wonderful world and community of everyone trying to help each other, root for each other, and just share wholesome and happy moments with each other. Even the scariest member of the cast, Shion is doing a lot to help the cast. It's such a supportive and nice environment and it's really nice to see how wonderful of a place they live in and how they're able to make things better.

I also have to mention I really love how the show looks. The art style is really rich and everything looks really nice in it. It's very colorful and looks very nice and fits the very cute manner of the show. It also knows to use other art styles when needed such as some psychedelic and wavy art style when dealing with Lico's amazing cooking. Overall it feels very shiny and it never feels like it's lacking in quality. The animation as well works well with being stylized and chopping working well with the fast paced humor that it has.

Overall Machikado is a top tier show that is able to have both a compelling story-line, fun and interesting characters, and a lot of humorous and cute comedy. It's a great show that's well worth the watch. I highly recommend it and at least in my opinion it's one of the peak shows in the CGDCT genre and one that any CGDCT fan should watch.

Have you ever been tired after work and wanted to watch a show that would help you forget about the stress and fatigue of the day's work? Then Machikado Mazoku is the show for you.

It is similar to watching Yuru Camp with a cozy feeling, but in the Magical Girl version, where the characters mostly just goof around and have fun with little to no plot happening in the show. The story, like in Season 1, revolves around Shamiko and Momo, their way of life, and how they came to be. I expected the story to be more intense, but based on how it ... is presented in the show, that is not the case, as they were able to keep the plot moving in a very lighthearted and humorous manner. The introduction of new characters was also quite nice, and overall, all of the characters appear to have a purpose and do not appear to be extraneous. Even the lady with a dog barking every time Shamiko and the gang appear makes us smile. Regarding animation, J.C. Staff never fails to bring in the best that fits the CGDCT (Cute girls doing cute things) and comedy style that the show employs.

Overall, if you just want to watch the Shamiko x Mami pair in their CGDCT moments, and you appreciate these type of anime, you will enjoy this one as well. This show managed to live up to the high standards it set for Season 1 while also exceeding them. Despite the major names this season has to offer, we can't and shouldn't ignore this show's potential. We can expect Season 3 to be similar (Please make a Season 3, J.C. Staff), but with a more intense plot as we learn more about the characters' pasts.

"Don't think this means you've won!" - Yuko a.k.a Shamiko

To this day, it's easily surprising how a show like Machikado Mazoku a.k.a The Demon Girl Next Door could even earn the sequel effect, I thought that J.C. Staff's Summer 2019 anime adaptation was a one-and-done deal that was the epitome of a TGIF comedy SoL that was just essentially "The Daily Lives of Highschool Boys" but turned on the affluent Mahou Shoujo a.k.a Magical Girl themes that mangaka Izumo Ito has managed to do well that's enough to stand out on its own, much less being a Houbunsha Manga Time Kirara property (which means that ... this is also a CGDCT-themed series). And that's what exactly happened 2.5 years later with Season 2, which is more or less the same as you'd expect of Season 1's (which you should've watched that before this, obviously) overall quality.

The concept (or shtick) of Magical Girls is absolutely nothing new, except how Izumi Ito managed to fill his series with a brush of a plot truly makes it stand out more than just your typical CGDCT series, and back in 2019 it definitely felt so for a refreshing change in the always stereotypical nonsense plot that so many CGDCT series just attempt to make a quick buck with characterization being the strongest suit given the theme, that it ends up being mediocre or decent at best. At least back then when shows like Doga Kobo's Winter 2017 anime Gabriel DropOut were the hot new trend and epitome of CGDCT series done right IMO, this show came in at just about the time to continue capitalizing on that trend (which was 2 years old at this point), and it definitely made waves, just not with a huge fanbase that demanded attention.

It's easy to see that the series was largely forgotten as a "here-nor-there" show, and with the good reason that it's a fairly niche show in its own right, that if you were a fan of 4-koma (panel) manga adaptations in general, this would naturally fall in the radar among so many others in the same crowded space that it's hard to pick and choose which one is the "best" amongst them all. And this is certainly the case with Machikado Mazoku with the Shadow Mistress Yuuko Yoshida, her immediate family with Ancestor Lilith, and the Magical Girls Momo Chiyoda and Mikan Hinatsuki, continuing on their corporate journey together. The sequel season adapts Volumes 3 and 4 of the manga, and the only new characters to grace Season 2 are the co-workers at Yuuko's workplace at the Asura cafe: the waitress, huli jing fox Lico, and her manager, the demon tapir Shirosawa. NGL, I actually like Lico's unkempt pervasiveness at being shameless about her cooking that is different trying than mentioning about food. Like, the food sounds dangerous, disgusting and lethal until you actually try it and let those mixed results seep in like the garbage that you're feeling, and whether it turns out good or bad, you're the fool, the guinea pig to actually try out her claims, because she's the wackiest character ever displayed so far. The tapir manager Shirosawa is a nice and kind demi-human no doubt, but it's his health that gets in the way of having a weak backbone that shows his age, making it his repetitive comedic act. Both characters add the splash of comedy into an already bare-bones comedy-cum-plot show, and for what it helps to add to Season 2, I'd think that it's decent enough, if not getting to the point of repetitious boredom.

At the end of the day, as already mentioned in the beginning, if you liked Season 1, then you'll definitely like Season 2 here as well as everything is kept the same as before with the "just enough" J.C. Staff quality and a somewhat meh OST this time. Don't get me wrong, Season 2 is decent, but the prequel had a much better offering that's musically more inclining and fitting of the series (a la Season 1's OP still being the best of the bunch that's still memorable to this day).

Still though, the only thing that I feel that Machikado Mazoku is strong in, is the character dynamics and wistful storytelling that's comforting comedy and makes you feel inclusive and in tune with the plot's movements. Make no mistake that Season 2 is just as enjoyable as the prequel, if not a tad less enjoyable being more of the same thing that honestly, doesn't add much for a sequel season that IMO honestly is not needed at all. But here it is, and I hope that it provided you with more Shamiko × Momo moments of fun.

"Don't give up, Shamiko! There's some fun to be had as your Shadow mistress journey prolongs a bit more!"