Because 2013 needed another demon-king/hero show.

Also known by its English title The Devil is a Part-Timer, Hataraku Maou-Sama! is a currently airing anime from the spring 2013 season, adapted from a light novel and manga and produced by White Fox (whose other anime works include Katanagatari, Steins;Gate, and Jormungand)

So Hataraku starts off with our main character The Demon King and his trusty general Alsiel retreating from a battle against his enemy Hero Emilia by transporting to a different dimension. This lands the two in modern-day Tokyo, and thus they have absolutely no knowledge whatsoever of Earth. After pulling some strings and adapting to the Japanese language and culture, our Demon King (who by then has changed his name to Maou Sadao and Alsiel's to Shirou Ashiya) starts working part-time at his local MgRonalds.

Yeah, it's not a crazy shounen action show. It's a silly comedy about Satan serving fast-food.

Towards the end of the first episode, it's revealed that the hero Emilia has also made it through the portal to Earth, and while she initially threatens to kill Maou, he talks her out of it...making it lulsy that the hero of the show is the crazy one out for blood. Well, to be fair, Maou has declared he would try and take over Japan or something while he's stuck on Earth. Rounding out the main cast is obligatory moe girl Chiho Sasaki who co-works with Maou and obviously has a crush on him.

There's not too much of a plot for Hataraku thus far other than Maou and Emi bickering and the situational comedy of these crazed other-dimensional people getting used to Earth as they try to find a way back to their homeland. There's hints now (as of episode 3) that a third-party may get involved, but either way it decides to go, be it continuing the silliness it's shown so far or shifting to an adventurous tone, it looks fantastic. This is top-class comedy material, well-paced, and it flawlessly executes its entertaining premise. Hataraku may just be the underdog of the spring 2013 season, and it's certainly well worth checking out.

Just trust the Yatabro. /o/

Apologize to all the BBS's of the world for letting this drop so low, peeps.

This show is comedy gold, it'll keep you laughing the second, or third time through.

I love this anime..really something else and the comedy is quite good actually.

Fahk I love this anime soo muucchhh <3

I suffered through episode one.

By the end of it, I wondered if it would be possible that the show would ever end. Maybe I could be happy again if it ended. I hadn't been happy in so long. Ever since this show started, I could feel happiness die.

Maybe my dismay was because I watched episode one of this after watching episode 12 of Maou Yuusha.

I found nothing funny about the pilot episode, and contemplated the greater meaning of life, the universe, and everything, for nearly 30 minutes as I waited for this piece of trash to end.

Whether it gets better or not is something I can't fathom bringing myself to find out until I've emotionally recovered from the trauma of watching episode one.

All of my trust in yatabro has been shattered. This is probably even worse than that time he tried to convince me that Djente was music.

>>5
If you didn't like episode one then you probably won't like the rest, but out of the four people I showed this to irl and the other three that commented here, you're the first one I know who's voiced disdain for it.

Also were you implying that Maoyuu was better or worse than this? I couldn't really tell from the wording.

Either way, tastes differ. As you pointed out, we don't have similar tastes as far as nearly anything goes, so this doesn't surprise me one bit. Care to elaborate (if there are any other reasons) on why you dislike it other than the humor not really striking your fancy?

MaoYuu was superior in every possible aspect, to me. This isn't to start a "this show was better/worse" discussion though - This show isn't made to be even remotely similar aside from the fact it's got maou in it's title. So which was better is kind of a moot point, apples and oranges and what not.

My primary reason for disliking it is the type of humor you pointed out as great. For me, the jokes fall flat - At least with bad jokes, you can laugh at how bad they are.

In this case, I felt myself multiple times starting to laugh... and then reaching this equilibrium of complete neutrality, like "oh".

The series in general seems to revolve around the primary humor coming from the demon king and the rest of his ilk trying to adjust to the world. To that end, most of the humor in episode one was derived from them trying to do things they couldn't or expecting respect that wasn't there, or just not realizing that some things had requirements to them (like eating).

When it came down to it, rather than being funny - The entire experience was just sad, in a number of ways.

"Oh, look at the ignorant people trying to do magic. Magic doesn't exist, so now he just did silly poses!"

"Oh, look at the foolish person demanding respect when no one knows him and his claim to power is moot, so now he just made a big deal about nothing!"

"Oh, look at the foreigner who can't understand the local language. How funny, they can't communicate!"

"Oh, look at him forgetting that he needs to eat, these demons are so quaint."

Then there was just blatant stupidity. After explaining what Katsudon was, the general seemed to nod in understanding and throw away the explanation of the fact that it was a common every day meal, and respond with how its name reeked with power.

Except he was just told it was normal food.

I couldn't find anything actually funny in the series. Almost all of it was like following around a foreigner who had been dumped in a strange land without preparation and then filmed.

Special mention goes out to the portrayal of the characters themselves. The Demon King at least kept a level head, but his first reaction to "magic is a scarce, unreliable resource" is "let me hypnotize this guard and this cashier". He's so utterly incapable of being diplomatic as a bloody king that he immediately dips into an unrenewable resource?

The general is like a clueless buttmonkey who literally seems unable to adapt. "Magic is gone", so he repeatedly tries to use it. Walk in on him at the police station? hunched over food - Please note that the derpy general understood food was needed, but the king didn't. What. - Most jokes from the general's side isn't even "I can't adapt", it's "I refuse to adapt". Not even out of any pride for his country, but because he's apparently too stupid to think beyond instinctual reaction and examine circumstances.

There wasn't situational comedy, there wasn't humor in the interactions between the main characters, there wasn't witty banter, and the plot felt tacked on as a "oh, and they're trying to find a way back!"

Except who wouldn't? They have no idea where they are, have no clue what the customs are, and struggle to even communicate.

Who wouldn't want to go back? That's your plot? That the characters realize how sucky the situation is, and even they want to leave?

Ignorant/culture shock humor is funny when presented in a certain way - This series fails at that.

And even when it is funny, it is only funny for a brief stretch of time before that runs out. An entire episode, no, an entire series about it? That flies way past the expiration date.

I could probably continue detailing different points of this series I dislike - Some for execution, others for personal taste, and some just on principle - but you get the idea.

Fair enough points but for nearly all the reasons you find the humor pitiful or forced I find it funny. It's not like Hataraku is trying to be a bold show about Maou really taking the world over. It presents the characters as pathetically as possible on Earth on purpose because that's where the humor lies. As a comedy, it wouldn't be funny if Maou and Alsiel were strategic and thought through how they were going to use their limited magic. I'm sure you'd argue back that "it's just not funny anyway," but I guess we'll just agree to disagree here.

As far as your claim of "almost all of it was like following around a foreigner who had been dumped in a strange land without preparation and then filmed" goes...

...that was the point, wasn't it?

I also note that you used the term "derpy" to describe Alsiel.
Frankly, I think the whole show relies on "derpy." I don't particularly mind when shows go all derpy, and Hataraku is all the better for it since it doesn't try to present itself in any other way from the get-go. I was led into this show promised that I could get some chuckles each Thursday, and that's precisely what I've received so far.

I suppose every offering of entertainment out there will have people that enjoy it and people that don't, and I don't plan to criticize you for having a different opinion than I, since if you don't enjoy it...that's simply all there is to it. I just feel that all the cons you've listed worked as pros or affected me neutrally in this specific case. To each their own.

At least I'm not watching Flowers of Evil.



...oh wait, I am.

Well shit.

>>8

It's really saying something when, in a series where everyone exists based on derpy comedy, that Alsiel alone was the one who deserved the honor of being described as such.

Also, shame on you for Flower of Evil.

This show is so consistently good and hardly anyone's watching it.
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the shows just so fun!

I can definitely find comedic value in this show, I have enjoyed the episodes as they came out. but I am not rushing to hit the link each week. I think what I like is the over-the-top fantasy setting characters, basically, being forced to live my life and struggle to make money to get by. Also, It's nice to have a different setting. It seems like 90% of anime has to take place in a school

First of all, I have to say that I've never been a fan of comedy anime, it's just my personal taste. But I have to say that I enjoyed this one in particular.

I started watching this anime a couple of days ago, and in every episode, I smiled and laughed, at least once. Well, it's not the best show ever made, nor does it have a deep plot, and it has flaws, but I found it good to pass time and to laugh without asking for much more.

I think I liked this show because it didn't have retarded jokes, and there were some drama and adventure mixed up on the whole thing. I get why some people don't like it, but I think it's worth checking out at least the first episode. It's good to enjoy it in your free time. :)

this is the best action ever in 4 minute ep 01 :D
I'm very like this :D

I just started, and it looks really good :) i haven't been watching a comedy anime in a loong time :D

what's the genre??

>>16
Read the posts above yours.
Seriously, come on.

Hello, I don't know if this thread is still very active since no one has posted in 2 months, but I just wanted to contribute to the discussion.

I think that Hataraku Maou-sama! is a great show, and although the humour wasn't completely original, it was executed well and made me actually laugh out load. Also, as Rea_04 said early, it does have some good action. Although I haven't seen much action in the series (I'm currently on episode 10), there is some and I find it superb to watch. I recommend to keep watching past episode one, as the additions of new characters spices up the show and adds a different style of humour. I'm not saying everyone will enjoy it, but I certainly did.

Hataraku Maou-sama! is a refreshingly different anime to the ones I've been watching recently and I think that anyone who is open-minded and not super critical will definitely enjoy this show.

Also, enjoy the picture, it's from the opening and I hope it entices you to watch.

Hiromi-san

>>18
Thanks for posting, and don't worry about the thread activity. A 2 month gap is nothing compared to some of these threads.

Episodes 11 and 12 will sate your desire for more action. Hope you enjoy the end of it. /o/

Thanks Yata! I just watched episode 10 and 11 and it leaves itself on a cliffhanger! I can't wait to watch the rest, and I hope the ending is good.

Hiromi-san

I absolutely love this show. I'm a bit late but it's still amazing. Interesting, funny, and great animation. I've heard people say season 2 confirmed, but I'm unsure.

Hey...I just realized....couldn't they have just left Maou to just go through that gate by himself?

hey we should make a huge anime list

>>23
I agree