Coming from someone who's watched the entirety of Smartphone, Death March, and is currently tormenting themselves withe the undeniable trash heap that is Master of Ragnarock this season, my expectations for this were fairly low. However, watching Demon Lord this season had me quite surprised. In my personal opinion, this is probably one of the best Isekai anime we've gotten.
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Story: 7/10
I will say, the story is similar to most isekai stories. NEET/Otaku/whoever the hell our protagonist is either dies, activates some kind of magical object, or grants some really cheesy wish to be in another world, and boom, there they are. It's the same rehashed plotline, but this time, the main heroine's this time are...get this, it's gonna be revolutionary...slaves to the protagonist!
At this point, I expect you to walk away and not even bother touching this anime, but I can assure you that it isn't as bad as it sounds. The tropes and cliches are obviously there, but they're actually managed fairly well, and while to some cliches and tropes degrade a show's overall quality, the execution of said chicles made it a pretty enjoyable watch for me.
And touching upon the subject of the show's fanservice (since this IS in the ecchi genre), I don't say this a lot but it was executed...well?
I mean, ecchi isn't a genre I particularly enjoy.. But the way they did it here didn't feel forced like most Ecchi shows do, and to me that's a pretty good thing. And a lot of those scenes were honestly to me, pretty hilarious. (There's one scene near the end of Episode 8...gotta have that good ass fabric.)
Art: 6/10
The animation in this show is fairly average. It's nothing impressive for the most part, but it's during battle sequences and fanservice scenes where the animators really step up their game.
The character designs are also nothing special, but they're still appealing to look at.
Sound: 6/10
Don't really have much to say about it, other than that it's also fairly average. The OP and ED are nice, but it doesn't really stand out.
Characters: 8/10
This is where the show really shines. The characters for the most part are fairly likable here, despite a lot of them pretty much being stereotypes. But the true standout here is the main character, Diablo.
THIS CHARACTER IS AN OP PROTAGONIST DONE RIGHT!
I'm not saying that all OP main charrcters have to be like him, but his character is just done so well. He's one of the main highlights of teh show itself. From him being a NEET, the staff clearly used that to their advantage, as there are so many hilarious moments with his awkward self trying to act as a bonafide 'Demon Lord'. If there's one comparison I can make, imagine a more awkward and comedic version of Ainz from Overlord. Not saying he doesn't have serious moments either, as he is shown to be quite the caring individual in some of the more dramatic scenes of this show. So if you asked me if you should watch it just for Diablo alone, I would absolutely sat yes. Besides Tanya Degurechaff and Kazuma, he without a doubt ranks as one of my favorite Isekai protagonists, PERIOD!
Enjoyment: 8/10
Whether you're watching this seriously or just watching this as your guilty pleasure anime of the season, this one's a hoot, and I enjoyed it much more than I expected I would.
Overall: 7/10
It's not a masterpiece, nor is it a huge trash heap. It's honestly a fun and enjoyable series to watch. Whether or not you forget about it as the new anime season arrives, this is an Isekai that you'll surely find some enjoyment in.
