(L) Hataraku Maou-sama!

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

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Rabu Rabu

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You know, going by the fanarts I've seen and found myself, I'm starting to wonder if people even need to worry about this turning into a harem romcom when there's a clear and present danger of something else...

[GundamZZ]

Even ambushed by magic bullets, the two rivals still fight who should be on top...literately.

[Somnus]

Oh man. Seeing Emi stymied by a door is the most horribly-cruel-yet-incomparably-adorable thing I've ever seen in my life. I was laughing and D'aawwwwing the whole time. Especially with her little sniffles after they let her in. That's anime gold, right there.

Love this show.

[jeroz]

The timing of the underling's reaction during the assaulted scene, priceless

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by Traece

Honestly, considering her background and her situation I'd say that Emi is actually pretty human.

Huh? Isn't Emi supposed to be human from the beginning?

The surprise is on Maou, who seems to become a model citizen faster than even the local human. Going from someone who leads an army massacring humans with impunity to voluntarily giving one's own umbrella to a human stranger for no apparent reason is a huge leap. Even Alsiel still somewhat holds to his demonic values. The show treats this change in a comedic way, but I would like it if the show shows something behind this.

[Clarste]

Saying a character seems human is basically a way to compliment the writing. She seems like she could be a real person, instead of just an anime archetype.

As Maou, I think it's simple enough as long as you step back from any prejudice you have against demon lords. The way I see it, he's just not a racist. He wants to conquer the world, sure, but he has nothing against humanity in particular. He led an army of demons because demons obeyed him, not because he believed in demon-superiority. He probably never thought about humans very much one way or the other. To him, there's no difference between conquering the world through demonic force and running a corporation. Both of them are just "power".

[Traece]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

Huh? Isn't Emi supposed to be human from the beginning?

The surprise is on Maou, who seems to become a model citizen faster than even the local human. Going from someone who leads an army massacring humans with impunity to voluntarily giving one's own umbrella to a human stranger for no apparent reason is a huge leap. Even Alsiel still somewhat holds to his demonic values. The show treats this change in a comedic way, but I would like it if the show shows something behind this.

Originally Posted by Clarste

Saying a character seems human is basically a way to compliment the writing. She seems like she could be a real person, instead of just an anime archetype.

You're also right in that there's no real indication that Maou was particularly at a personal level. In fact, Alsiel seems to be far more prejudiced than he ever was. One of Maou's first lines when he crosses to the human world is him pointing out that humanity seems to be the root of everything, and he says it quite plainly.

This is ultimately what I was saying. Emi and Maou are very human-like characters. Maou is doing his best to infiltrate society and reaching for the peak of wealth and control, while Emi is doing the same with less evil ambition (although, in some respects she's the most wicked of the three ). The characterization is very good here, and despite all their strangeness and fictional qualities they're still relatable.

[GundamZZ]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

Huh? Isn't Emi supposed to be human from the beginning?

What does it mean?
The statement is vague. It can mean a fictional character has the humanity. I can also mean a fictional character is a fictional race. For example, Gandalf is introduced as a guy with a humble birth. His occupation is Wizard. Then, the writer ate the book(?) Wizard becomes Gandalf's ethnic group.
Maybe the statement is implying Emi is a normal human. The ideology of justice and heroism is not her only value.

[justinstrife]

Originally Posted by Somnus

Oh man. Seeing Emi stymied by a door is the most horribly-cruel-yet-incomparably-adorable thing I've ever seen in my life. I was laughing and D'aawwwwing the whole time. Especially with her little sniffles after they let her in. That's anime gold, right there.

Love this show.

I agree with all of this. Have watched that scene at least 10 times since the episode came out.

[Random Wanderer]

Originally Posted by Somnus

Oh man. Seeing Emi stymied by a door is the most horribly-cruel-yet-incomparably-adorable thing I've ever seen in my life. I was laughing and D'aawwwwing the whole time. Especially with her little sniffles after they let her in. That's anime gold, right there.

Love this show.

I love that scene. I hate making a girl cry, but it's somehow incredibly adorable hearing her get reduced to tears after beating at the door for a while. Emilia was utterly adorable over the course of this episode. I want to keep her.

[Master Assassin]

Originally Posted by justinstrife

I agree with all of this. Have watched that scene at least 10 times since the episode came out.

I'm trying very, very hard to not watch that scene over and over. Else I'd spend a whole day listening to that alone.

[Xacual]

The best part is at the end, with the "Open...Please" and then sobbing and Maou and Alsiel inside just listening to it for a little bit before Maou tells him to open the door. Of course and her sniffling and whining when she enters.

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by Clarste

As Maou, I think it's simple enough as long as you step back from any prejudice you have against demon lords. The way I see it, he's just not a racist. He wants to conquer the world, sure, but he has nothing against humanity in particular. He led an army of demons because demons obeyed him, not because he believed in demon-superiority. He probably never thought about humans very much one way or the other. To him, there's no difference between conquering the world through demonic force and running a corporation. Both of them are just "power".

Based on what has been shown so far, I'm not really convinced with this idea.
As of currently, I'm thinking the only reason Maou and Alsia doesn't deal with the shadier business of the world is because of the genre of this series. This same premise could easily be about a show where Maou and Alsia took over some crime syndicate and aims for world domination through all kinds of shady business from there.

Originally Posted by Xacual

The best part is at the end, with the "Open...Please" and then sobbing and Maou and Alsiel inside just listening to it for a little bit before Maou tells him to open the door. Of course and her sniffling and whining when she enters.

放置プレイばんざあ～い！It's nice to see there are this many S comrade.

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

Based on what has been shown so far, I'm not really convinced with this idea.
As of currently, I'm thinking the only reason Maou and Alsia doesn't deal with the shadier business of the world is because of the genre of this series. This same premise could easily be about a show where Maou and Alsia took over some crime syndicate and aims for world domination through all kinds of shady business from there.

Do tell what abilities and powers they have to be able to take over a crime syndicate.

[erneiz_hyde]

There're many ways that can be done in fiction. It's not like taking over the world by climbing through McDonald is any more feasible of a plan.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

I love that scene. I hate making a girl cry, but it's somehow incredibly adorable hearing her get reduced to tears after beating at the door for a while. Emilia was utterly adorable over the course of this episode. I want to keep her.

Depends- there are different meaning to the tears.

This particular kind should be embraced and encouraged.

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

There're many ways that can be done in fiction. It's not like taking over the world by climbing through McDonald is any more feasible of a plan.

Yes, but let's stick to the characters we have at had. How do you expect them to do so?

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

Yes, but let's stick to the characters we have at had. How do you expect them to do so?

They can do it Tony Montana style. Start small and gradually climb the ladder. Basically the same thing to what they're doing now, only less legal.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Hitenma

Um no, there is no actually hints showing one of them is interested in the other.
We have expectation just because of our experience thanks to other anime. With a main character and a main heroine like those they must become a couple.

Which is why I said foreshadowing.

It's very clear from the narrative that they're blatantly teasing us with this relationship what with the story making three different characters mistake the two as a couple in just one episode and having Maou and Yusa put in pretty suggestive positions. The characters don't necessarily have to have any interest in each other for the narrative to make it clear. I'm sure you've seen plenty of anime where the story makes it obvious that two characters are going to become a couple way before the characters themselves even realise it and this has all the hallmarks of being one of those types.

[Traece]

Originally Posted by Haak

Which is why I said foreshadowing.
*snip*

I agree that the foreshadowing is clearly there. It's obvious that there's an intention for there to be a growing relationship here and there's no doubt about that.

The issue is looking for love where it isn't. Attributing her tsundere qualities to some senseless romantic feelings for Maou is just silly, and in no way makes any sense. I also don't think that the sexual tension jokes really make for foreshadowing insomuch as comedy, as it being a foreshadowing device really doesn't make sense in this context. Keep in mind, she's spent years trying to kill him and it's taking the most extreme of extreme situation to cause a divergence from that.

Actually, now that I've said that I kind of want some background and motivation on Emi because her willingness to throw away her desire to kill him is starting to seem a bit forced. Hm...