Every season, we get too many shows delving into the serious space, and it feels that there aren't as many shows that are of the KonoSuba variety: a pure fantasy comedy that can allow breathing space of fun and excitement, just for the sake of comedy. And it's even MORE rare from a series that comes straight from the juggernauts of the Shonen genre: Shueisha themselves. Introducing to you, from said publisher's Shonen Jump+ (FYI, where the currently most popular series of Masaoki Shindo's Ruri Dragon is seralizing in): mangaka Robinson Haruhara's Hime-sama "Goumon" no Jikan desu a.k.a 'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess.
The story foretells of the old-age treachery between good and evil, and that involves humans and demons. From the human side, it's represented by the commander, the Third Order of the Imperial Army of the Human World's kingdom,the Princess a.k.a Hime-sama herself. She has a trusty companion of her legendary holy sword named Excalibur (or even nicknamed Ex) that together, gained widespread recognition for her duties of dealing with their enemy, the Hell-horde demons. But one day, she, along with Ex, got captured by the demons and have been taken prisoners of war by them, and with it, comes torture...but not in the way that you expect. Since there's a treaty between both humans and demons regarding torturing POWs, her main captor, the Hell-horde's Grand Inquisitor Torture Tortura, has to "torture" her in unusual ways, usually in terms of food and snacks that pique her interest into fighting against her temptations, only to give in and leak secrets about their kingdom, in the hopes that their leader, the Hell-Lord, would use that information against the humans...which he does not take that opportunity to do so.
First of all, let us remind ourselves that while this is pure fantasy, it's also a comedy show first and foremost. The relationship between Hime and Ex is quite the nonchalant comedy of back-and-forth antics, and if you've got the keen eye in you, look no further than the VAs behind their characters. Both Haruka Shiraishi and Chikahiro Kobayashi have actually performed their roles together in another very notable series, and if knowledge serves you best, they are also MCs in Golden Kamuy as both the Ainu girl Asirpa and the Immortal Commander Saichi Sugimoto. So for those of you who've watched the series, you'd already know that comedy is part-and-parcel of Golden Kamuy with the never-ending insanity of its comedic shticks. While both VAs have their comedic roles exchanged for the anime, they embraced it with all of the source material's many ways of enduring "torture", and it's one of the reasons why this show works so wonderfully as a comedy, hook, line and sinker.
As for the demons:
- Torture Tortura is Hime's main interrogator, the highest-ranking chief Inquisitor. She who looks stoic to assert her position, specializes in food-type torture, and will boast on her abilities to keep Hime invested and tempted in revealing all of the human kingdom's secrets through her careless word-of-mouth confessions through appetizing and irresistable aspects of food and snacks. She has her assistant Datama to help out with her dealings to Hime.
- The Oni sisters of Youki and Inki, holding the rank of Lieutorments, the intermediate-level torturers. They specialize in friendship-bonding "torture" and build bonds while "pretending" (but genuinely) wanting to be friends with Hime.
- The Beast Tamer Krall, a top combatant and senior torturer, she specializes in zoo-type "torture", employing many ferocious beasts and cute type animals in her possessions.
- Vanilla Peschutz, holding the rank of Harm-Marshal, the advanced-level torturers. A prideful, yet immature young noble vampire of her family, she boasts a lot in her ego, though like Youki and Inki, is touched by Hime in the friendship-bonding aspects as well.
But none can be as fearsome as the main group of Hell-hordes: the Hell-Lord himself, who prides in being an evil, devilish character who wishes to subjugate and conquer the human world with Hime's endless interrogations to prep his army for possible invasions. And as the saying goes: "Don't judge a book by its cover", the Hell-horde leader...is a very respectable villain (just like Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san's Warumono) who also prides himself in being a demon of culture in all things Japanese, as well as a family man, alongside his lovable, mature and beautiful wife Lulune (who also serves as the queen of Hell-holm) and their only daughter Mao-Mao, the cute and pure young daughter who subjugates Hime with her innocent and childish "torture" that it sends her flying into her arms each and every time thanks to her adorableness. I love families like the Hell-Lord, which adds to the already comfortable feeling of warmth, especially from a character who's supposed to be the image of evil.
The only person useless in the help for Hime's escape is Louch Brittan (a play on the Code Geass MC's name of Lelouch). Him being a holy white knight to save her from the Hellhorde's captivity, as capable as he is a powerful combatant, his unattractive looks as a fatso and an otaku only makes the save worse each and every time, so much that Hime feels right at home in the Hell-horde's 4 walls of her prison room, ready for whatever "tortures" she will be facing next.
For a comedy series, studio Pine Jam really hit it out of the park, both in execution and "intention". The reason for the air quotes is that they don't necessarily need to produce that greatly, but thanks to debut director Youko Kanamori, whose works claim from storyboarding to episode directorial duties for major high-profile series such asn Mob Psycho 100 and Mahoutsukai no Yome a.k.a The Ancient Magus Bride, the manga is given the extra length to be adapted further from his vision down to his staff team, perfectly executing what it means to be a comedy as the main objective. From unnecessary bombastic to the cutest and charming moments ever, this is one show where love and care is given the priority, and I feel that the staff team went above and beyond to deliver the tingles on the heartstrings.
The music is great and complements the show as a whole. Also, this too is also the areas of the J-Pop Anisong debuts: While shallm's catchy and sanguine OP song just speaks and fits the series to a T that I find myself just bopping and dancing to its tunes in joy, LEEVELLES's ED song...is just alright, being the stereotype of usual band-like rock songs that only sounds good, and nothing more.
If there's a torture session I would like to be in, it's this show and its approach to the "torture" content, even if the same gags are repetitive by large. Regardless, if you love comedy, you should not miss out this underappreciated show.
Now go, and make friends, demons or otherwise!
