Overall Review: Hataraku Maou-sama!

I have one thing to say... KHATSUDUM!

Hataraku Maou-sama! is one of the series this season that no one expected anything substantial of, and it surprised with the force of an oncoming truck for those of us interested enough to give it a go. At most, we were ready for a cheap laugh, perhaps some silliness of the sort a part-time Demon Lord might offer elsewhere, but no one expected one of the best series of the season. Personally I've found that it's risen to second place, replacing the long-time top resident of Suisei no Gargantia, and deservedly so. Though the premise is nothing mind-blowing, and the series isn't really anything new to the anime world as a whole, it excels at one very important thing: execution. Everything that Maou-sama! does it does well, whether it be voice acting, storytelling, comedy, art, fanservice, or anything else that tickles your fancy.

The characters especially are hugely likeable and perfectly wonderful to watch interact. Whenever Ashiya revels in his housewife role or Emi’s goes about with her loveable tsundere-ing and facial expressions, I can't help but crack a smile and want to laugh. The seiyuu of course play a huge part in making the character interactions such a treat to watch, and I especially loved Ohsaka Ryouta's performance as Maou (in fact, this season was all around great for Ohsaka-san), though each and every actor contributed hugely to the entertainment factor. After all, it's not every day you get to hear a perfectly outraged stalker-hero and a great-guy Demon Lord bicker it out quite that entertainingly.

As it is, this is a show that doesn’t half-ass anything; it sets out to do something and it does it, and that’s what makes it so endearing. Then there’s the fact that there is no single category the series really fits comfortably into, and even for a comedy it constantly has some way of making the tried better, making it one of the best balanced series I’ve had the pleasure of watching for a long time. Whether pure fun or half-serious, the show never stopped delighting, and I think we can solidly commend White Fox for this excellent adaptation. I’ll be waiting with bated breath for that second season.