Ten years from now if I still remember this anime, it would be the built-in commercials...
Constructive Criticisms are welcomed via PM or comment, they will be appreciated greatly.
STORY (Concept 4/5, Developement 3/5)
In an age when all animes are set in a world where people from reality somehow fall into some sort of fantasy (shout out to SAO and No game no life), this show is brave enough to do the reverse. I like how the characters in the fantasy world love the human world and stay in it, which is quite cool.
Maybe I am a bit too harsh on this series. Demon? Hero? I can seriously name at least 10 other animes that have the similar stage from the top of my head. I mean, can they be slightly more creative?
So when these people run in to the human world, they quickly adapt the rules and orders. The Devil starts to find jobs, get a apartment just like a real person.
That said, as I constantly ask myself over the time I spent watching it, I just don't see the objective of the show. Alright it is all cool that these magical characters are living at the bottom of the human society, so... what? Why would I care? Where are they going? Are they gonna conquer the human world? I understand that this series is unfinished, but can they at least give us a little bit of clue?
On top of all, the story is funny. And for the pure sake, brainless entertainment this show does it pretty well. Unlike most other comedies I watched, the jokes in the show are actually "relatable" and funny. I guess that is the whole point of the series. (The pop cultural references are very very funny)
CHARACTERS (Design 4/5, Developement 4/5)
I'd say that the characters are unique and interesting. The demons are not so demonic, the hero is not so heroic and the angels are not so angelic. This idea is simply fun and entertaining.
Of course this series has pretty much all the characters we can find in a comedy series, A try-hard protagonist, he's BFF, the girl, the Moe and the others.
They characters really changed overtime. The The demon King, begins with a calm and ambitious nature, gradually becomes a characters with inner strength and justice. He decides to stay in the human world, cuz he found something good and worth living for. It is a little dramatic, but the development is pretty neat.
The hero wants to kill the demon, but slowly she realizes she doesn't have a reason to do so. She learns about her enemy gradually understand him as a person.
Other characters are less important, but they all have their comedic purpose and little stories.
Again, the problem stands, "so what?" This may not be as big of a problem for other people, but for me... yea I just don't like slice of life, not so objective-centred stories.
GRAPHIC (Art 4/5, Animation 2/5)
The art is very pleasant and fresh, which is part of the reason I watched it in the first place. The background captures the "past and present" feeling of Tokyo, and the characters all have distinct style and colors.
The problem that this kind of art is so lack of style. The art is just too typical and doesn't make the show memorable graphically.
Oh right I'm just gonna briefly mention the fan service. Alright that's it.
The animation... Let me just say that when the screen moves, they move smoothly. You guessed it, the screens barely move other than the talking mouths.
Come on, this was made in 2013, why are they still using 2-D clip art to represent fading dusts in the action scenes? And the laser beams combined with huge color balls appearing in the sky literally just summarizes the battles. They are not well done.
I can't believe the graphic is actually the largest weak point this series has, very disappointed. But hey, after all it is not a high-budget anime with a million action scenes. This will do.
SOUND (OP/ED 1/3, OST 2/3, Dub/Sub 4/4)
The opening isn't a bad song. But the distinct lack of recognizable melody truly destroys the overall feeling when I enter the show. It is just so not memorable to a point that I didn't even bother listen to it online. The ending, bad animation aside, is also a very generic song. Overall, the music really isn't well done. (you may like it, but certainly not above average)
OST are decent. In the "serious" scenes, the music is both intense and calm, so you really wouldn't feel worried or scared in anyway (it's a comedy, they are supposed to do that), and in the funny scenes, the music does fit the atmosphere nicely. After all that, the music wasn't memorable and symbolic.
This is one of the few comedy dubs that I actually laughed at. They really smoothed out the puns and languages so it doesn't feel awkward despite that fact that the jokes were targeting Japanese audience. It is actually so funny to watch. All the pop cultural stuff on top of the "MgRonald, Moonbucks, SFC" makes the journey one hell of a run.
The subs are also very well done. If you want to choose between the two, I'd say if you like westernized animes with good westernized dialogues and jokes, go watch dub; if you want pure Japanese (well at least pureer), watch the sub and it is very entertaining too.
ENJOYMENT (6/10)
This is a personal thing. I did laugh at some if not most jokes and I really thought it was a well done series, but as I said I don't like this kind of semi-serious shows. It really felt like I was wasting my time. Not that the jokes were bad, it's just, they aren't smart enough for me to spent 4 hours of time to watch it.
OVERALL (7/10)
After criticizing the show too seriously, I figured it is only fair to consider the comedic nature of the show. This show was never meant to be a masterpiece that makes people remember it for decades. It is simply a show that make you have this instant and short time of joy. It is a funny show, check it out if you have the time, but don't expect anything deep or meaningful in any way whatsoever, you aren't getting much out of it.
Yea, I'm too harsh.
Peace.
