Despite all its good points however, it suffers from a single, major flaw, from which all its weaknesses stem: this story is far too ambitious for 12 episodes.
All the problems of this show could have been solved if it extended the same story to two seasons. There would have been more time to develop the characters and learn the motivations behind the various factions. It would also give more room for a few filler episodes so that it would feel like there's a middle to this story and not just a beginning and end.
Story: 3
Honestly, it's way too confusing. Again, this has to do with the fact that there's not enough time in 12 episodes to develop the plot. Also, there are too many factions with various goals. It's not a simple good-guys-vs-bad-guys show (which, admittedly, is to be expected from a show where the hero is a demon lord). Instead, you have various groups vying for power. When they all come to a head in the final episodes, it's hard to know who to root for because you don't know their motivations. Heck, they even introduce some new factions right in the final battle who show up just to add confusion to an already confusing plot.
It all gets sorted out in the end, though. I must admit, I really like the resolution to the show. The hero fulfills his role as Demon Lord better than anyone could have hoped and worse than anyone could have feared, while somehow still managing to remain a good guy. The final resolution is good enough to counter a lot of the problems of the show. Not quite enough to break even though, so I give the whole thing a 3.
Art: 6
Nothing spectacular, but I can't really complain about anything. The character designs are fine. It has a great looking dragon.
Notes on fanservice: There's a little nudity, but too often they employ convenient censorship. I mean, how can you have a girl (Keena) whose magic depends upon her being nude, yet somehow limit her frontal nudity to one brief scene?
Sound: 10
I score it this high because of the theme song. This is the one thing the show does perfectly. Normally it takes me three or four times listening to the theme song of an anime show before I really like it, but this one hooked me right from the very first time.
Speaking of which, let me take just a moment to comment on the opening credits. Totally badass! Easily my favorite opening of any anime. The theme song is great, right from the beginning with the electric guitar introduction and especially where the mana gauge cranks up to max just as the bass starts playing. I like the nightmarish imagery of Akuto running through the city and encountering all the different characters in the show. I get chills when the dragon bursts out of the ground and at the brief closeup of Akuto's red eyes. This is the perfect opening credits for an action anime.
Characters: 5
There's no time to really develop the characters enough to make them particularly interesting. The result is some canned characters that don't have enough time to establish themselves before they're forced to make life-changing decisions in the final episodes. The result is that we don't really understand them, therefore we can't empathise with them, therefore their motivations are confusing. That's not to say the characters aren't likable; they are. They're just not developed.
One other note: Personally, if I were the hero, I would just run away with Keena (after investing in the world's biggest rice cooker). Forget destiny. I know she's a bit of an airhead, but she's the only one who accepts him just for who he is, and doesn't care that he's a demon lord. Can you tell who my favorite character is?
Enjoyment: 5
The show has some strengths and weaknesses. There are some great moments, like the battle between the dragon and the flying battleship, the most absurdly comical resolution to a battle I've ever seen in Episode 3, and "I'm going to betray you all" in Episode 11. If only these scenes were fit into a cohesive plot... sigh.
Overall: 4
Honestly, the confusing subplots ruined this for me. There were some great parts, but not enough to overcome its weaknesses.
