First Impressions / Maoyuu Maou Yuusha / Series Introduction

OP Sequence

OP: 「向かい風」 (Mukaikaze) by YOHKO

「｢この我のものとなれ、勇者よ｣｢断る！｣」 (｢Kono Ware Nomonotonare, Yuusha yo｣｢Kotowaru!｣)
“｢Be mine, Hero｣｢I refuse!｣”

A fantasy deconstruction and a love story, shot through with lessons on politics, economics, human nature, and war that are relevant to our world today. That’s what we have in Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, and if the first episode is any indication, this is going to be a very good show.

The first post-OP scene is indicative of the show overall, with the expected tropes presented, and then swiftly deconstructed in a thoughtful and elegant manner. Yuusha (Fukuyama Jun) charges in to slay the king of the demons and then the vile war that has been plaguing humanity. Yet not all is right. There are no guards, no monsters, no demons to bar his path. Instead, he finds that the king is a queen, and Maou (Koshimizu Ami) is not the evil war criminal that he expected him her to be.

“Be mine, Hero!” This show has a lot of talking to be sure, and that’s alright. It’s great, even! The action will come–for now, they’re giving us the intellectual background to fully appreciate the conflicts to come, and the Maou and Yuusha’s place in them. Did I say intellectual? Yes, dear reader, this is an anime that will make you think! It’s not abstract philosophy, which is to say it’s nothing that any of us can’t wrap our minds around, but it’s rife with thoughts you may not have considered before, and therein lies the benefit. What’s more, they focus on hefty matters (hur hur hur…sorry) that have piqued my interest quite thoroughly.

What are these matters of which I speak? Economics, human nature, and the profit in war. I hope you paid attention to what Maou said, because those are truths she uttered. To me, fiction is at its greatest when it’s used as a magnifying glass, to focus on aspects of our own reality that would never be thought of, or otherwise ignored. Fiction can speak truth about reality, even when it’s full of demon kings and sword-wielding heroes. That’s what happened here. Maou says that war is profitable, and she is right. I am a businessman in my non-blogging time, so let me repeat that, with (necessarily) little detail, but absolute conviction – this is true. Certain parties will say that a war is done for great reasons, because it is right and moral and just, and yet in the back of their mind they’re thinking “Well yes, maybe…but also, I’ll make a killing on selling weapons. Send in the troops!” Likewise with the Central Nations giving money to the Southern Nations. It might be that they do think it’s right to give them assistance…but the calculus of having a shield from Maou’s armies is there as well. All that is as true in our world as it is in theirs. Sadly enough.

And who decides who is evil? Such words are bandied about quite often, but I find the truth to be much more…flexible. So goes the saying, one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. Who is to say that Maou is more evil than the human lords who profit from the war? Or for that matter, who is to say that she’s less? (Though in this case I would agree that she is, having met her.) For a world full of demons, Maoyuu Maou Yuusha paints a much more realistic picture of our own world than many, with “evil” everywhere, and on the same sides as good – not a grand, terrifying evil, but the petty evils of greed and selfishness, of no empathy and allowing a bad situation to continue without working towards a way out of it. As it is in fiction, so it is in life.

But enough philosophy–there will be time enough for that later. What of the series’ bona fides? The animation and art are good. ARMS isn’t KyoAni or Ufotable, but the animation is as good as it needs to be, and the backgrounds are quite artistically fascinating. Call me weird, but in my advancing age I’ve come to appreciate those breaks from reality that convey its essence, rather than merely show what it is. The seiyuu? This is Amin and FukuJun we’re talking about, people. They’re fantastic, and anyone who says otherwise gets thrown in the Maou’s dungeons…if she had any, so I suppose I’ll have to find another punishment for blasphemers.

The direction, tone, and flow were also phenomenal; the episode moved naturally towards its conclusion, with each scene sucking my further into the atmosphere of Maou and Yuusha’s world. No big surprise there, considering that Spice and Wolf veteran director Takahashi Takeo is at the helm. The OP and ED? The OP did it’s job of pulling us into the mood of the series (also, hng~!), while the ED – always a personal sticking point of mine – was very…ephemeral? Fragile almost, like the quest upon which our two leads have embarked. Yet also grand, and ancient. It’s very fitting, a good feeling to end the episode on. Full marks. So far.

But if this is a story about economics and politics and war, it is also of characters, and love. Maou and Yuusha are two of the most relatable and likable leads I’ve seen in a long time. Those are grand claims, so let me explain. First of all, they are not dumb. Well, Yuusha is a little dumb, but it’s in an endearing way! But even he, once the situation is explained, uses his head and comes to the proper conclusion. These are not characters who will carry the idiot ball (trope!) like so many we see. Maou especially…she’s as sharp as Yuusha’s blade, if not more so, and seems to know more than a woman of her time should. I have a feeling the reason for that will become clear in time. Watch for it.

Then there’s simply them. Maou is so relaxed, pleasant, and earnest, how could he not fall for her? What’s more, there’s no hesitation in this from my, the viewer’s part. Mainly because she’s so wicked smart, but also because she’s flirty and pouty and yes, very bouncy. But Yuusha is not lacking either, for he is just while not being stupid (trope? Averted!), and I must admit, quite endearing himself when he gets all bashful or heroic. The comparisons with Spice and Wolf return in their interaction, and deservedly so, but it’s to a lesser degree. It’s a draw, but not the primary (and some would say, only) draw of this series. Besides, they’re different characters – they’re just dancing some of the same tunes.

Finally, there is love. Here we saw what amounted to a marriage proposal in the very first episode. As I like the characters, it’s no surprise that I quite liked that as well. There’s not a whole lot in addition to say, other than that Maou is such an ecchi otaku. I’m sorry Maou, I don’t think I’ll forget that anytime soon. Hng~!

Politics. Economics. Fantasy. Deconstruction. Love. War. This is a story filled with so many things I like, it’s no surprise that I’m enamored with it. Maoyuu Maou Yuusha provides us with a window into our own world through the lens of its own, speaking to truths as universal as they are ignored. Here’s one last one. Maou says “If it’s the army’s job to end a war, it’s a king’s job to find a place for it to end.” Replace “king” with “leader”, and this is as true now as it has ever has been. What their people need now is food, not weapons; jobs, not soldiers; to unite against poverty and death, not each other. I look forward to seeing if Maou and Yuusha can prepare the world for the peace that’s (hopefully) to come…and not lose themselves in the process. I wonder too, what’s beyond that hill.

Let’s find out, ne?

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Economics. Politics. War. A fantasy deconstruction that speaks to the real world, and with a little bit of love to boot. Superb! #maoyuu

Random thoughts:

  • In case you haven’t realized, their names are literally Demon King and Hero. I’m just using Maou and Yuusha because that makes them feel more “name-like” to me.
  • I will attempt to avoid political statements (that is, referring to current day political issues) whenever possible while blogging this show, but due to the subject matter, it may happen. I’ll try to at least confine them to the more inarguable realm of history, and let you guys extrapolate from there. Or just keep using big words so I hardly make sense. One of the two.
  • “I doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or bouncy!” I like my Yuushas ecchi-minded ^^
  • Watch it Yuusha, you’re going along with her pace. Lucky bastard!!
  • Pouty, self-conscious, and childish Maou is sooo cute, HNG~!
  • If there’s any single scene that may typify this show, it’s this one. Quiet, deft deconstruction, with a laugh to boot.
  • “There’s one thing I can give you all, not half, of. Myself.” I have a good feeling about this series. Economics, ho!

Full-length images: 01, 02, 06, 12, 13, 29.

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「Unknown Vision」 by 新居昭乃 (Arai Akino)

Preview

288 Comments

    1. Mmmm, you have a point. Unlike Horo, who only has those rather alluring female body curves, Maou has a rather NICE BIG bonus. I have to say, if I was Sanji (one piece) I would likley be an economic expert if I were to see all the episodes of this anime

      I am also curious how many anime/manga are there that has Maou in the title. Regardless, this is why I live the imagination of the Japanese authors, they give a Bigger picture with this sort of stuff.

      L002
      Reply

      1. sorry, I meant “love” not “live”,

        I am a bit curious dark the anime will be compared to the manga. For some rotten scum to burn women alive, without bothering calling a doctor, this is truly becoming dark.

        L002
        Reply

      2. She doesn’t have anything who point out that she’s a Maoh at all even horns are fake WTF!? she isn’t a fox(wolf) nor a Lamia so yeah her Bosom is her adventage even her dress is formal – What i want to point out is that Maoh and Yuusha look weak with these Cloth seem too plain for a yusha and Maoh ,his sword look like Link sword so it’s find shit clamp really should design these Charater to atone for Guilty crow

        pokpok
        Reply

  4. According to the preview, this novel came from a 2chan thread? Does that mean the author posted it there before publishing it or that the original concept was built on that thread?

    Da5id
    Reply

    1. I thiiiiink the later, but whenever Moomba wakes up I’m sure he’ll appear and verify or correct me on that. He’s the one that knows everything about this series; I’m just blogging it ’cause blogging unfamiliar/new material is way more fun 😀

      Stilts
      Reply

    3. From what I’ve heard, it was actually at least partially written in story format on 2channel (the text board, not 2chan the image board) originally rather than merely being a concept.

      Moomba
      Reply

  8. Ah, ever since a friend recommended this to me I have really come to like it.

    Can’t wait to see more of Young Merchant even though it’s only a cameo in this episode. Very likable character.

    Also…DARK FLAME MASTAHH!!!!!

    Netto
    Reply

  9. This is a show that is certainly more than what I had expected going in. Everything about Maoyuu Maou Yuusha is more intelligent than it initially appears which is wonderful. More than wonderful in fact. Beneath the all too conventional fantasy premise, there is a realm of higher thinking and it drew me in so much that by the time I noticed, the episode was over. Not only that but with aesthetically pleasing visuals, music and a demon king who really drove the episode home and you have the makings of what can be an excellent series.

    Yasuri
    Reply

    1. I know, right?? It takes the “normal” fantasy world (what a ridiculous idea that is) and uses it as a vehicle for some truly interesting intellectual theorizing and discourse. The world could do with more of this, in my humble opinion.

      Stilts
      Reply

    2. Dont get me wrong here, I liked the episode very much, but I dont think it is too original. Fantasy and politics? We had that already x times. And not being sure who is on the bad side? I can name dozens of fantasy-series/movies/novels etc. in which that was done as well.
      Like I said, the episode was good of course, because it goes for a more realistic fantasy scenario. And granted, they really threw all the implications at you already in episode ONE – and that is indeed original.
      BUT, altogether, the concept isnt new or anything special, so I wouldnt praise the series that much for it like Stilts is doing.

      Libelula
      Reply

      1. Thank-you. I felt the same — I wouldn’t praise it this much yet. Don’t get me wrong either — this is the best of all first episodes released so far. I am not familiar with MMY, so I don’t know how original it is. I do like the dialogue between the characters — the politics, the economics. However, the fanservice bothers me — why, why on earth did the creator destroy a female protagonist with those actions of showing off her boobs and the bouncing? Really?

        I am not impressed by the characterization yet — there is nothing special about Yuusha other than a teenager…simply another one, and Maou has some intelligence but is turned into a fanservice device. Well, this is only the first episode. Hope that the creator will turn the characters into better characters in later episodes.

        ronbb
        Reply

      2. Who ever said it was original? Or more correctly, who cares?

        Take it from someone who write fantasy himself – everything has been done before. There’s almost nothing truly new under the sun, and the only things that are almost always inventions, not radically new stories. (Almost always.) Who cares if it isn’t the most original thing in the world? All I care is if it’s good.

        As for the boobs, refer to my conversation with junglepenguin below. To be brief, there was a point…to focus not only our opinion on them, but Yuusha’s, who you’ll notice she was trying to woo. As for Yuusha himself, he must start out cliched. If he were already a deconstruction, he wouldn’t have blown in ready to kill Maou, only to be swayed by her arguments. If he was already a deconstruction, he would have either agreed with her immediately, thereby depriving us of the necessary exposition, or he would have killed her on the spot anyway, depriving us of the plot.

        Give it time, ladies and gents. There are reasons to criticize the first episode if you so desire (though I hardly do, since I consider them minor, and I’m a forgiving chap), but I don’t think those are it : )

        Stilts
        Reply

      3. You might wanna try out the manga! The first chapter delves into the actual economics of the situation more deeply than the anime, which is a plus. (The possible minus would be that Maou is nowhere near as adorable as she was in the anime; in the manga, while still friendly, she was more businesslike)

        ba dum tish
        Reply

      1. Yes, they’re using the light novel illustrations as basis for the art. Kind of a shame…when Moomba showed me the manga ones, I had to agree that they were prettier. However, I guess they went for the more “official” ones. Ah well, as long as the story is good!

        Stilts
        Reply

    3. I was also disappointed in that the character designs didn’t follow the manga ones which I think are much better. The anime ones seem more simple and Maou-sama looks less mature.

      JustSaying
      Reply

    1. Weak, weak, weak. 🙂
      Came for Ami Koshimizu, stayed for the boobs.
      Economics lecture? What economics lecture?

      But in all seriousness, I’ve been waiting for a good fantasy series. I hope this is it.

      celebrinen
      Reply

  12. “Politics. Economics. Fantasy. Deconstruction. Love. War.”
    “I doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or bouncy!”

    Yup, I’m going to LOVE this show if it keeps up like this.

    bakakubi
    Reply

      1. You people do realize that not all shows have to totally win people over on their first ep…unless you’re the kind that judges a show only by their first ep and not giving it the 3 ep test.

        marsh381
        Reply

    2. Read a whole book , play 6 hours of gameplay and listen to whole song and You can judge it!! from Sansein Nagi , Totalbiscuit and The Beatle well I agree that this confuse me a little so I will read Toistoi war and Pease , replay Monster girl quest , and read SpicexWolf in the mean time while waiting for Ep 2.

      pokpok
      Reply

      2. Ahaha, I don’t know Dango_Warrior, of any criticism of the first episode, that’s the one I agree with most. His decision would have made more sense with the more complete explanation given in the manga or light novel (I assume), but they didn’t have the time for that, so it did feel a bit quick. I merely think that if that’s the only thing we must accept, it’s a small price to pay!

        Stilts
        Reply

      3. Well, he did gave in too easily.
        I know I wasn’t clear at all with my previous comment. But what I was trying to say is that. in this episode, despite the seriousness of the plot in general, the whole thing about convincing him (not everything) felt like it was presented in a lighthearted, sometimes sorta comedic way. And since I took it that way, I didn’t take him giving up too easily as something negative, but rather as something that was intended.

        I liked everything about the 1st episode. I’m even expecting more seriousness later on (but still with the comedy). The thing in question just felt that way to me.

        Dango_Warrior
        Reply

    3. I agree as well. IMO, the manga version, Maoyuu Maou Yuusha – “Kono Watashi no Mono Tonare, Yuusha yo” “Kotowaru!” (vol 01, ch 01 – scanned by Extra Scans) did a much better job of depicting Hero’s “surrender” to the Maou. I was kind of disappointed the way it was presented in the anime. It didn’t seem so abrupt and the anime left out funny moments (ex. the economics “scroll” scene).

      I think someone explained in a comment somewhere below here so I’ll leave it at that. FWIW, there’s only the first two chapters of the LN translated (and no more for a long time evidently :<). Fom a QUICK comparison, the manga seems pretty much verbatim of the LN – at least close enough to be considered "source material" as far as I can tell.

      daikama
      Reply

  16. Useless meat animu is finally here! Time for love, war and macroeconomics!

    Man, I love the manga. I was surprised to find it the first time: Scholarly Demon Queen ask Hero to help her stop the war while improving the economy. And so starts the journey.

    Whole premise is just damn new. Plus this is the first time an economics anime tried it’s hand on something of a grander scale. It’s definitely one of the best seasons on the list this year.

    TheMoondoggie
    Reply

  17. Well, this show seems to be slightly different as far as premise goes from the average run-of-the-mills, so it could definitely turn out to be a good, decent show.

    However! What’s with the DD-cup boob jingling quite violently every time the Demon king girl moves an inch? It’s quite distracting~~. I kid you not, it’s every time she moves or gestures. It’s quite a dedication and obsession of these anime drawers to do this. And with jingling sound effect to make sure to remind me every time that they are bouncing ‘n jingling.

    This relentless jingling puts me off and prevents me from taking this girl seriously. I didn’t know I could get annoyed at jingling boobs until now. Thanks a lot! I blame that unnatural annoying jingling noise for this. Jingling boobs doesn’t make any noise, gosh darn it! It’s some weird slimy noise… I can’t believe that I’m complaining about boobs, but that’s what these writers made me! What have you done to me~~?

    I try real hard not to get distracted from the premise since as I mentioned, it has good potentials. It definitely has some funny gags -it does have the typical annoying japanese anime pansy boy who recoils in terror from a girl, but at this point, I give up on that trope. What’s the use of complaining about one thing that won’t change if I decide to continue to watch this medium? But seriously, they need to knock it off a notch with this constant jingling and sound effect. The plot and setting is interesting enough; why do they need to resort to that cheap trick every 20 sec? Moderation is direly needed.

    deathtogenericshows
    Reply

    1. Well in case, it’s a good start for the show since the relentless jiggling boob was my only complaint. (I do see that I might have some potentials issues with “some” of the supporting characters later on as they look very clichéd and full-bodied tropes from the initial glance. Hope that wouldn’t be the case and my initial impression would turn out to be wrong I can only hope).

      deathtogenericshows
      Reply

    2. “It’s just a show; [you] should really just relax.”

      This is my humble 2cp, but I’ve found that it’s much easier to enjoy fiction if you’re forgiving. Fiction, unlike most anything else we consume, is judged based not on value, but assumption and perfection. While a meal at a fast food place might be considered fine because it was cheap and tasted good enough, no matter how little we humans pay for a piece of fiction – even if it’s free! – we expect it to be perfect. We recoil in anger if it is less than so, blaming the artist who gave it to us for wasting our time, and flay it alive–even though we paid little to nothing for the hours upon days upon sometimes years of that creator’s hard work!

      Personally, I prefer to be a bit lenient. Maybe it’s because I fancy myself a content creator as well – I do have that book I need to finish editing – but what use is there in so heavily criticizing (to the point of anger / lack of enjoyment) something which was given for little to nothing? It’s not my vision, it’s theirs – they’re just allowing me to peek into their world. Thus, I enjoy it for what it is, and while I’ll criticize, it is always with a good heart. Those that create openly deserve at least that much respect; the well-meaning critique, not the ceaseless bashing of their dream made real.

      I know this isn’t liable to convince you of anything, but I say it anyway because I want you to enjoy the anime you appear to still find worthy more. If that’s your only major gripe, why not have a glass or wine (or beer, or whatever your spirit), sit back in a nice comfy chair, and let it go? Don’t ignore it necessarily, just shrug or shake your head and let it roll off you. Trust me; if you try to do this honestly and with your whole heart, you’ll enjoy these stories we watch so much more. I would know – I was a dire cynic before I became the relatively optimistic man I am today. And lemme tell you, I much prefer my present state.

      Ohandalso, before you judge Yuusha for recoiling in terror, remember that it is from the man woman he swore to kill, and who before today, he did not know. While he has decided to go along with her plan, that doesn’t mean they’re suddenly lovers who have known each other for years. Sure, it might be a bit silly for him to recoil so much, but it’ll only be groan-worthy if it continues for long. Those extra 2cp are free as well : )

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. Stilts, what are you talking about, man? I mean I know what you mean, so I’ll gladly accept your rebuke. However if my posting name suggest anything, it’s my self-appointed duty to trash stupid shows (or good shows with some silly nonsense aspects)-if they deserve trashing in my view, that is. I don’t know if your definition of fun post-show discussion is just fanboys praising the show endlessly in unison with some scattered mild-mannered criticism, thus everyone staying in warm, fuzzy feeling, but if so, I refuse to conform to that notion. The mere prospect of such horrid idea bores me to (pseudo-)tears.

        It was NOT “ceaseless” bashing. How the heck is that possible when the show only just started? Tell that to me if I were still watching this show in ep 11 and still complaining about the same old jiggling boobs. If you feel offended by my trashing of the show, I’m sorry I can’t help you there. All we can say is that It’s a matter of opinion and agree to disagree. Besides, trashing is only a point of view when it can equally be criticism without mincing words to many others.

        But don’t be mistaken that trashing is all I do, mind you. I like seinen shows (mostly because they are less susceptible to silly tropes) in general or any show that tries to be different, which is why I bothered to watch this show to be begin with. Yes, complaining do get old quick, but somebody has to point the glaring flaws out, if there is one -and why not me?? Besides, I write the complaint, I move on~! It’s in the past, pal. As far as that particular topic is concerned when I am still watching that particular show. In any case, if I get annoyed in some major way while I’m watching a show, I let it out immediately. And no siree bob, if I give up a portion of my limited time, the one and only, on earth to watch something, even if it were monetarily free, at the very least I expect that I can freely voice a displeasure whenever needed. It’s not free! Nothing is. My opportunity cost is not free. And while it’s fine if you don’t get worked up on stupid shit as I do (what are you, a zen Buddhist?), but it just means I still care, Stilts.

        deathtogenericshows
        Reply

      2. If I may add, that I wasn’t even trashing the show. I was trashing ONLY one aspect of the show. Big difference.

        And it may sound like I didn’t accept your rebuke at all after saying that I did in the post above (such prospect dawned on me with a sudden dread) as I proceed to hit some of your points back, but I did read your point and accepted it. Accepting a rebuke doesn’t mean changing mind immediately as you know, Stilts.

        deathtogenericshows
        Reply

      3. But of course! I gave it more because I have stood in your shoes before; I used to love being the devil’s advocate, the one to criticize the minor to improve. And yes, if I were to have the creator in front of me, I would likely still offer good-natured criticisms, in an effort to help him or her succeed better in the future.

        That said, your comment tends tend to come off as extremely displeased, so I was worried that you were letting these minor things get in the way of your enjoyment. If this is not so, that’s fine…it just does not come across in your comments, is all. Make sure that’s the case! Life is too short to be annoyed all the time.

        As for your self-proclaimed mission…well, you do as you like. As I’ve said before, I don’t consider myself much of a critic, preferring the jester’s role of a wry joke or a quirky turn of phrase to bashing a show that gave me enjoyment. I’d rather bask in that which is good than rage about that which is not, because that’s a lot more fun. And as for my being a zen Buddhist…well, I have been told I’m naturally a blunt or two high by default, so maybe that’s just how I am. That’s a lie though, because it takes effort and a decision. I just made it a while ago, and got good at it.

        P.S. your criticisms weren’t ceaseless…yet. That was more of an “in general” thing. I tend to write better with a little exaggeration as well, even if mine tends to be with a more positive tone ^^

        Stilts
        Reply

      4. 「I used to love being the devil’s advocate, the one to criticize the minor to improve.」
        「As I’ve said before, I don’t consider myself much of a critic, preferring the jester’s role of a wry joke.」

        Kumagawa Misogi
        Reply

      6. Too much of a good thing.

        I think, Stilts, that everyone speaking about excess in boobs are trying argue that a show can be destroyed by a single, minor aspect (or two major ones). Sure, she may be “trying to woo him” as you put it, but this is a character trait that they’re stuck with, and if they suddenly were to de-emphasize her assets, the show would lose more than it already has.

        I doubt that I will continue watching this series.

        Colentas
        Reply

      7. If you think a show can be destroyed by such a minor aspect – especially one that serves the story, that has an actual purpose in being there aside from straight fanservice – then I can only say that I am glad I disagree. I would rather be more forgiving, because it is much easier to enjoy fiction that way.

        Perhaps that’s why I enjoy so much, while others can only find a few series they can watch a season. I much prefer my way!

        Stilts
        Reply

      8. Personally I don’t particularly disagree with your manner of thinking that a show can be destroyed by a single, minor aspect if you allow it to. I’m not sure though that this is one such occasion. I think that there is a certain emphasis on her boobs because that was the intention. We were given such ample screen time of Maou’s boobs because they had a very specific role towards the episode in shock value to Yuusha. He was expecting a king but came face to face with this gorgeous girl and though it may not be the greatest thing, his focus shifted an awful lot much like many other male his age would. It’s not unreasonable in the slightest bit nor did Maou expect any less. That was the point here, was it not?

        There’s so much discord over this matter but we have no idea what direction the show will proceed in now that Hero and Demon King have come to their terms. Her boobs may not be such an important factor and thus may not be on such a display as they were this episode. Then again they might but for what reason, you have to ask yourself. Sure, it’s simple to call it simple fanservice and dismiss it as tacky and off putting but if there’s actual purpose then does that still apply?

        Yasuri
        Reply

    3. My thoughts exactly about the boobs. The excessive movement is distracting and unnecessarily, and all when it really mattered (or rather, when its presence didn’t matter at all). I would have enjoyed the conversation they had so much more without awkward boobs flying all over the place. I do remember her being slightly more covered up in the manga following this first meeting, so the next few episodes should be fine.

      I think the pansy boy thing works out because of the age they live in and the chivalrous character that Yuusha has. It was, with some purpose, mentioned in the manga that he was, while popular with the ladies, a virgin.

      junglepenguin
      Reply

      1. I disagree; there was actually a point to it. Maou was, after all, trying to woo Yuusha. Wouldn’t it be natural to emphasize that which you think makes you attractive, whatever your sex? Besides, the noises and movement were not only to draw our eyes, but also to make it clear that her twins were drawing Yuusha’s eyes as well…with corresponding embarrassment on his part. It’s all part of the dating dance, my friends

        Stilts
        Reply

      2. ARGH I WILL NOT SUCCUMB TO BOOBS

        You have a point. I think the issue for me lies in how strangely detailed the, umm, movement of her chest was. It felt like it was overdone, and rather than presenting the point you’ve made, the scenes just ended up looking like some indulgent service for viewers. I was just thinking about how the manga avoids this problem entirely because you don’t actually see her chest bouncing about, but you still get the idea that she is using her looks to catch Yuusha’s eye. I guess I was just caught off-guard.

        junglepenguin
        Reply

      3. You’re not necessarily wrong. I argued that there was a point, not necessarily that it wasn’t overdone. It didn’t bother me, mind you, but I’m apparently RandomC’s resident degenerate ecchi writer, so how could it? 😀

        But yeah, a camera pan to indicate Yuusha’s gaze + a flash to him shaking his head and blushing would have done the trick quite well…though that may have perhaps been even more egregiously “fanservicey”. I’m not sure.

        Stilts
        Reply

      4. Well, the way the scene was done made it clear that our lucky Yuusha had no place to hide from the bosom of our well-endowed Maou. If that was the idea, the producers did a good job showing it. It had me backing and turning away from my screen as well. It’d be disappointing if they give the same kind of focus to such scenes in future episodes though. Apart from that, everything else looks set to entertain!

        junglepenguin
        Reply

      5. True. A little fanservice is fine when it serves the story (as it did here), but making it a constant thing would be annoying. Besides, it’s unnecessary – Maou is quite pretty enough to unnerve Yuusha without flashing her considerable assets so openly, and it would detract from the economics. Plus, imagining what’s behind the cloth is half the fun, ya know? ; )

        Stilts
        Reply

      6. What I do hope to see is them teasing each other through words rather than just falling for each others’ looks, something like Lawrence and Horo. Sure, we don’t want their relationship to turn into an exact copy of what we see in SnW, but something of that nature would be nice. And the potential shows, with Maou’s secretly playful, almost child-like side complementing her intellect and Yuusha’s ability to learn (somewhat) quickly and think for himself a little (though he did get caught in Maou’s pace for the whole time).

        It would be a pity if this opportunity to marry education and entertainment together turns out to be lost potential because of misdirected focus, so here’s to hoping that things turn out right, whatever “right” may be.

        And lol, proudly living up to your title, aren’t you?

        junglepenguin
        Reply

      7. If you were reading the manga like you said,
        Show Spoiler ▼

        Kamui04
        Reply

      8. @Kamui04 – Nice catch.

        Also Show Spoiler ▼

        Yeah, the “boing” sound effect might have been a little over the top/annoying (didn’t really pay attention to it myself), but assuming the anime doesn’t deviate substantially from the manga (EP 01 loosely followed Vol. 01,Ch. 01), then there’s no “pointless” fan service. Franky, while the fan service was noticeable (hard not to LOL), it’s quite tame compared to a lot of recent ecchi shows. Maybe just me, but as someone who has read (multiple times – one of my favs) the manga, it just wasn’t a big deal (no pun intended :P).

        daikama
        Reply

      1. Very good point…this is ARMS that we are talking here. I just hope that they will tone down the flying boobs and fanservice in the coming episodes to let the potential explode and the characters shine. A great show relies on great writing and pacing, awesome story and plot, engaging characters, and beautiful animation and sound — it doesn’t need those fanservice scenes, and the creator knows the use of subtlety.

        We can be open-minded with the first few episodes, but MMY is really a good test to ARMS — will they stick to their old style with the horrible fanservice to satisfy the fetish and fantasy of some audience (that would destroy a great story in my opinion), or will they seriously try to make a good anime with the great source material on hand? Time can tell if this is really a great show as it is praised (which I am hoping) or simply another mediocre show packed with some fighting scenes, pseudo romance, forced actions and fully-loaded fanservice.

        ronbb
        Reply

      3. Fanservice isn’t fanservice when the lady in question is trying to woo the man who has caught her eye. That’s in the service of the story. The director and staff are far more important than the studio, and there’s a solid hand on the tiller. Worry not, my friend. Or at least, if it dives into pointless fanservice from here, you will be right to be disappointed!

        Stilts
        Reply

    5. “it does have the typical annoying japanese anime pansy boy who recoils in terror from a girl, but at this point, I give up on that trope. What’s the use of complaining about one thing that won’t change if I decide to continue to watch this medium?”

      not every show has this trope, there are exceptions like Hagure Yuusha no Estetica,Kaze no Stigma,etc.

      shadowalker
      Reply

      1. Ah…. Hagure Yuusha no Estetica, it’s bitter sweet to me cause that show had SO MUCH potential, I really liked how the main character was portrayed, and would’ve love more story and character progression from the story, but alas they focused on what sells dvds better (not that I mind ^_^)

        If only there would be a second season. Btw, was it base on a Light Novel?

        bakakubi
        Reply

      2. That’s not the only show that had potential to be much more interesting, but decided to go with fanservice and harem elements(atleast rather than lessening those elements they could have easily focused on other aspects of the show).And, yes, it is based on a LN by the same name, though I don’t know where you can read it(the entire LN wasn’t covered in the anime only about the first arc).

        shadowalker
        Reply

    6. 100% agreed. The gravity of what she was trying to impart was severely handicapped by the constant boobz jiggling. Not that I mind the boobz jiggling at all, but it could have been focused on at particular times she was teasing the hero instead of ocurring again and again, making serious moments seem silly and ridiculous instead.

      I am not sure I’d call this a deconstruction as much as a parody, given the lack of serious atmosphere so far .. but hopefully the balance will shift there. I like the premise and will keep watching in hope that the execution can be taken more seriously next time.

      I guess I was expecting a drama to comedy balance more like Scrapped Princess. The taking the horns off & the doll scenes were way more comedy than I was expecting, but they were definitely amusing .. at the cost of removing my ability to take her seriously. It might just be a case of “this wasn’t what I was expecting or wanting, but it’s still fun”.

      FarHorizon
      Reply

    7. Holy-long thread!

      Man, read some of the responses and I don’t really have something to contribute. But I’ll just say that I’ve watched anime for 22 out of the nearly 25 years of my life. To be bothered by animated boobs in my anime is like being bothered by the sky being so blue today in this sunny morning.

      Richard
      Reply

      1. This makes me wonder if these two were picked because of their roles as Holo and Lawrence and the similar economic focus OR because they just naturally play off each other.

        Have they been in roles like this in other series besides Geass and Spice and Wolf?

        Da5id
        Reply

      3. @Da5id

        Probably because this show has the same director as Spice & Wolf did, and he knew he could get a great performance out of these two. Why screw with someone else when you know the perfect people for the job, ne?

        Stilts
        Reply

      5. @Stilts Eh, I dunno. I think there are probably at least a handful of voice actors that could pull of these roles. I enjoy the two we have, but I wouldn’t say that they’re irreplaceable.

        Da5id
        Reply

      6. I never said no one else could do them, merely that the director knew these two could, and probably trusted them and liked working with them as well. It was the natural choice for him as an individual, regardless of who else could have filled the roles.

        Stilts
        Reply

  19. The music in this episode was stunning. From the opening, to the ending, and everything in between. The score may already be a frontrunner in the strongest soundtrack of the year. That’s how much I liked it.

    Honestly, it looks like a cheap show, but they made the best of it. The animation is *barely* serviceable, with a lot of wooden movement or none at all. I enjoyed the art direction in and of itself, but it’s not all that well implemented. The backgrounds/scenery feel very flat and look like they are tidied up versions of the concept art. It doesn’t look like a place, it looks like the painting of a place, especially when they zoom out and show the whole locale. And seriously, the area that the three mages were in looked like the battle area of a JRPG like Star Ocean or any 3D Tales of… game.

    Still, I adored Maou. She felt like a strong female character without being written as a man. Smart and confident, while simultaneously playful and self-conscious. I loved it.

    Yuusha, however, still needs a bit of work. I don’t feel that they’ve quite worked out the cliched kinks from his character with just this episode. He’s a bit too bland at the moment, though the ending scene with him acting like a take-charge leader shows a lot of promise.

    They’ve done a great job setting up the message. The basic, more obvious ideas were quickly laid as groundwork for the rest of the show, and I can’t wait to see how they expand on the ideas set forth. A little Spice & Wolf-esque romance never hurt anyone either, lol

    Honestly, I didn’t have the same confidence in the director/writer pair that most did. Most of it stemmed purely from the fact that not only was it adapting what many were calling a quality source, but also that it was similar to the only series they’ve done that I would consider strong. Glad to see they did a fine job here.

    Nyangoro
    Reply

    1. Good point on the soundtrack. I don’t tend to notice those things as much as others – I’m just not a musical type of guy by nature, I guess – but even just tabbing through it shows the truth to your statement. Some good work there, to be sure!

      As for Yuusha, sure he needs a little more fleshing out, but currently he mostly is the cliched “Hero” trope. He’s willing to use his head, so at least there he’s ahead of the game, but whereas Maou starts out genre savvy, he needs to move more into deconstruction…so that we might move along with him. That is to say, he’ll get there!

      Stilts
      Reply

    2. I wonder if it’s a coincidence that both of you have received the same number of downvotes (2), indicating that they’re the same stuck-up moralfags with no sense of humour.

      Anonymous
      Reply

  21. When they said that southern countries can`t grow food while permafrosted northeners can, I knew they are trying to feed me bullshit. VAs do a great job on this(lol Masazumi got typecasted), and the premise is not so bad, but the devil is indeed in details, and details do not instill much hope.

    And where is my fucking Blind Guardian song in OP.

    1
    Reply

      1. The distribution of the populations they have disproves that. How the fuck south has more people to fight if it is so malnourished? Or am I to believe that the conflict they have with demons is akin to some border skirmishes and nothing more substantial? Where demons live in that case and how do they feed themselves?

        1
        Reply

      2. @1
        You”ll find out soon how the south receives its food, but think along the lines of the north sustaining the south at the minimum that they require. Not too sure where exactly the demons come from, but they supposedly have their own agriculture as well, which Maou will bring up soon.

        junglepenguin
        Reply

    4. you are not getting the whole picture, they have a large population BECAUSE they have been receiving food, medicine, and supplies for the war effort for years! if you read the manga it tells you the conflict had been happening for a long time. The Southern nations have become dependent of those supplies, once the supplies are gone there will be chaos, war, and famine.

      EvilDevil
      Reply

  22. This is just a pet-peeve of mine since I’m an econ / finance major working in a related field, but the supposed “economics” part of this anime was just a complete head-banging-on-desk moment for me. The whole “war makes the world go around” thing was just broken window fallacy full-stop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window).

    I loved Spice & Wolf, but this was just completely painful to watch given just how much exposition they gave that side of the story. Shouldn’t have expected anything really researched or insightful, given that this was based on a 2ch thread, but wow. Its even worse since I caught the show on one of those Japanese streaming-comment sites and so much of the comments was stuff like “Just look at the US and how they need to keep going to war to make their economy work”. I guess when you’re collecting stream-of-consciousness from that sort of people, you’re probably not gonna end up with something useful.

    It sorta pains me that I’m probably gonna have to drop this show. I really dig the fantasy background to it all and the Maoh is adorable (also boobz). Unfortunately, its really something that irritates me (as ridiculous as it may sound), and I’ll probably be dropping this show unless something turns around in ep 2.

    Merctrack
    Reply

    1. The money spent on the war effort, for example, is money that cannot be spent on food, clothing, health care, consumer electronics or other areas. The stimulus felt in one sector of the economy comes at a direct—but hidden—cost to other sectors.

      -From the same page of the Parable of the broken window.

      But what if all sectors are in stagnant growth? This is the key reason backing the idea that “something like war is beneficial”. In fact, things like new technologies that sprout in the advent of war can eventually negate the value of the window.

      If all the wars in the past didn’t happen, the internet, ARPAnet, nuclear technologies won’t happen. We won’t be here arguing about this.

      TheMoondoggie
      Reply

      1. While its tempting to conclude that war (or the military in general) causes technological progress by pointing to specific technologies that they had a hand in developing, that’s a faulty conclusion because you can’t

        a. Conclude that they wouldn’t have come into being (even faster maybe) if there was no war

        The great discoveries of science are largely serendipitous. They are lucky coincidences (ex. a mold that got in the research coming up with penicillin) that lead to huge and unexpected breakthroughs. Sure ARPANET was the foundation of the internet, but it wasn’t created with the intention of having people blog about anime to strangers.

        Huge scientific discoveries usually aren’t the result of some big governmental project (military or otherwise) meant to get something huge done. While some economics schools (“Keynesian” ones) might argue that such projects have meaning (a matter of controversy I won’t get into), the fact is that they take resources and labor away from other pursuits that might have lead to other discoveries.

        b. See all the possible technological advances that war has wiped out because they don’t exist in our reality

        Consider the burning of the Alexandrian library or the destruction of learning in the aftermath of the fall of the Roman empire (save for choice religious and Eastern European enclaves, etc.). We don’t know how far ahead we would be if war didn’t set us back in those regards.

        Merctrack
        Reply

      2. @TheMoondoggie – I agree with regarding issues with the “Parable.” IMO, it’s flawed because it makes far to many assumptions. The entire premise is based upon the “hidden” cost with absolutely no way to measure that “cost” let alone decide whether it is greater or less than the resulting alternative. Even the fact that the money would have been spent on other things is an assumption.

        I also think you make a valid point about technology. How much economic value can’t be readily determined IMO, but I agree that key war related technologies certainly experience a period of abnormal growth during. Massive amounts of funding for research is provided along with a high priority compared to peace time. That such technology rapidly advances as a result is hardly surprising. FWIW, from WWII, you could add your list the computer (almost certain it was invented then for use in code breaking) along with invention and/or rapid advancement in radar, aviation (jet aircraft), rocket science, communications and even automotive (engine advances). Certainly such advances enable greater worker productivity – regardless of their original intended use.

        JMO, but I do not believe that “great discoveries of science are largely serendipitous” or “lucky coincidences” as suggested. Are some discoveries by chance? Certainly, but all or the vast majority? Hardly, IMO. Was it just by “chance” that Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb? Just had some stuff around, and one night on a whim randomly put said stuff together and BAM – electric light! Educated guesses, hypotheses, and consistent trial and error are hallmarks of invention. Luck plays a role, but serendipity is by no means the only actor on stage. As Edison himself said, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

        As for the burning of the Alexandrian library and fall of the Roman Empire, I find it intriguing that they are used to make a counter argument when neither one would not exist but for war. Alexandria was founded by it’s namesake, Alexander the Great, towards the end of his campaign. It’s library was founded either by Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander’s generals, or his son Ptolemy II. The Roman EMPIRE speaks for itself.

        Regardless of whatever technological or economic benefits war provides, they are far outweighed by the cost to humanity. Maou-chan’s right on that point.

        daikama
        Reply

    2. Honestly, the parable of the broken window is only a single viewpoint that only covers a single side of all the possibilities. It makes as many assumptions as the opposite viewpoint, and strictly adhering to is akin to a wild goose chase, if you ask me.

      As an economics major, you should know that there are so many things that govern economics that steadfast, general rules are hard to come by the more complex you get.

      As an aside, I never felt that the show states “war is good” in the general sense. Maou does accept the tragedies of war, and even mentions that they themselves will have to do “horrible things” during their journey. What she says during the shows is that, as things stand, the benefit of being at war is greater than the benefit of ending the war. The show isn’t saying that war is always good, it’s saying that war is the lesser of two evils in this particular case.

      Nyangoro
      Reply

      1. Oh, I think the parable is exactly correct. The parable says that the broken window is not good because the money would have gone towards something else. This is true. However, as I stated in my massive comment further down, it’s quite good for the glazier, and that’s a more important part when politics gets involved.

        Ohandalso, I don’t think the show is saying that war is good, not even economically. It’s saying that many demon and human lords and merchants think it’s good and profitable. That’s far more important, because they’ll act on that belief even if, for society as a whole, they’re deathly wrong.

        Stilts
        Reply

      2. But you have to remember that the parable itself is a very small example, which makes it difficult to expand it into something as broad as the economics of war. You see, the parable’s only real universal statement is that the benefit and the action/activity are inherently separate. However, that doesn’t mean that the activity doesn’t lead to said benefit when it does occur. I think this is an important distinction to make.

        And the fact that they think it true is the very reason that it *is* benefiting them. I’ve always believe that perception of truth is more important than truth itself, in the grand scheme of things. It isn’t not benefiting them. They are seeing real results and attributing it to the war effort, which is probably pretty accurate. What needs to happen for war (in this specific scenario) to stop having a greater benefit, is to find a means to replace one economic stimulus with another. I’m assuming that this is the purpose of the leads’ journey.

        Nyangoro
        Reply

      3. Exactly! Or, at least, to give enough benefit to other people so as to tilt the balance of power away from those who profit from the war. After all, what really matters is that society as a whole benefits, and that the deserving individuals aren’t unduly punished whenever possible. If a few industrialists and callous lords who started and prolonged a bloody war end up in the poorhouse because they wouldn’t give up…well, I shant be saddened, I’ll say that

        Stilts
        Reply

    3. The show isn’t saying “war makes the world go around” at all, it’s actually saying the complete opposite. War undeniably provide short term benefits for those with the intent to profit from it, but the point here is that it cannot sustain/improve society.

      Murakumo
      Reply

      1. Just to add onto that, the story is about idealism even moreso than economics. Their end goal is for perfect peace, not some kind of give and take equilibrium, and that isn’t something that economic theory will ever help us achieve.

        Murakumo
        Reply

    4. You’re not wrong. However, they’re not only talking about economics here; they’re talking about politics and human nature as well. Humans operate off of a lot of fallacies, especially when it comes to money, and this is one of them. So the money and resources that are spent on the war would presumably be spent elsewhere, whether to consume or invest. (Probably. In their kind of world, it could have just as well sat under a mattress, as I don’t know how much they trust their banks. But I digress.)

      That said, while that’s true to society in general, what matters to individuals is the individual. What matters to the glazier is that he makes money. To the glazier, the broken window is a good thing. Likewise, to the gunmaker or the miner or the lord who owns a lot of fields and would like his crops to be worth more – say, to soldiers whose governments become far less price sensitive – the war is a wonderful thing. Perhaps not to the fashion designer or the restaurateur or the artist who might not be starving if people weren’t spending their time getting killed – and perhaps, not for the economy as a whole – but those people who profit off of war are very powerful. That’s not economics, that’s politics.

      There’s also the matter of food. What they need are advancements in agriculture to feed a population that is larger than they can currently support. Without those, people die. So what do you do in the meantime? Soldiers have a way of getting killed. Dead civilians in the border countries don’t need dinner. It’s easier to steal people’s farms and ship them off somewhere (or worse) if you’re doing it for a “just and proper war against evil.” I’m not saying this is right, or even logical; I’m saying that it’s exactly the kind of mistake that humans would make. History has a few examples, especially of my third point.

      Besides, I think the underlying economic message would be quite encouraging to an economist. I’ve always seen economists as, on the whole, a great deal more idealistic than the cutthroat, ruthless financiers I more commonly deal with, and the underlying message of this is quite optimistic – to stop the war, make the economy of both human and demon realms able to function without it. Or rather, make this so obvious that the ill-thought out reasons why powerful but good-hearted people are perpetuating it are no longer defensible. Once those southern lords have food without the war, they will not support it; once good people are prosperous without those industries, they’ll turn against it. That sets the stage for diplomacy to make the final moves towards peace. That makes peace possible.

      Anyway, I think it would be a shame if you dropped this show, because I feel like there’s a lot here to enjoy. I would understand it if you did, though…were someone to infringe upon my “realm” and do so hamfistedly, I would be irked as well. Just, before you drop it, remember that this is not only about economics. It’s about politics, greed, human nature, and the fallacies of mortals. Of which, I think you’ll agree there are many, no matter how worthy our works sometimes are : )

      Disclaimer: I’m a marketer, not an economist, so if we go into a full-on, smack-down economics discussion, I expect to lose. Storytelling, however, is another matter entirely ; )

      P.S. good comments, everyone! I’m enjoying this little discussion almost as much as I did writing the post ^^

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. Thanks for your insight. I may have been a bit hasty and narrow-minded in my first take on the series. You bring up great points about how the greater conflict is driven by the incentives of the individuals, and I’ll keep that theme in mind when I rewatch this.

        One last thing though, and this is might be a bit unrelated, but I sorta got awkward 1984 vibes when they started talking about how the war against the big common enemy keeps the human & the monsters in relative peace. Hopefully, they work towards something more idealistic as you brought up. It is fiction after all, and some idealism would be much appreciated!

        Merctrack
        Reply

      2. Ahh, I can help with that! The war doesn’t keep humans and demons at relative peace; it keeps humans at relative peace with one another (and the same for the demons, I assume). It is said that people only truly unite against a common enemy, and that’s what the human lords are using the demons for (and vice versa). Fortunately, Maou and Yuusha are now out to disprove that little thought.

        For the record, I think the lords are probably right that people only unite against a common enemy. That said, who cares? I think our world – or at least the democracies in it – have proven that while we may not be united, at least we have peace – once again, among the democracies at least. No democracies have ever gone to war with one another, after all! United we may not be, but there is hope.

        Stilts
        Reply

    5. The manga version does a better job of explaining that it’s not just “war = demand = prosperity” but rather the various human kingdoms were embroiled in wars with each other before the conflict with the demons got started. The human kingdoms stopped their wars among themselves and began trading and exchanging technology with each other, which led to greater prosperity.

      In the manga, a little more focus was given to the fact that the southern kingdoms had an excess of military buildup and were reliant upon the central kingdoms, and that ending the war against the demons before they could support themselves would just trigger fighting between the central and southern kingdoms. In the anime the consequences of the war ending weren’t explained quite as well and it was mixed up with the usual whinging about reduced aggregate demand. It’s disappointing because the manga actually dodged that bullet and gave us a plausible explanation instead of this vaguely Keynesian nonsense.

      So far there seems to be a bit less focus on economics. Maou didn’t identify herself as an economist or give her little speech to brag about economics and entrepreneurship the way a typical hero would give speeches about friendship or justice. I also don’t much care for her new character design; she’s too bouncy in the chest and the new shape of her eyes and face makes her look like she’s got the head of a child on her bombshell body, which is just weird, but it matches up with the apparent Japanese aesthetic ideal of a woman who looks like an eight year old except for a stonking big rack. Go figure.

      Pax Empyrean
      Reply

      2. @ Pax Empyrean

        Good to know! I inferred most of that, but nice to have it verified. That said, I would council against being too disappointed. The pacing of this episode was spot on, but adding more exposition could have been very detrimental to the work they did, making it rushed and forced when, in fact, most viewers won’t notice the difference, and many that do will give them enough of a benefit of the doubt to keep watching until they have time to (hopefully) slip those items back in.

        Of course, that could never happen too…I’ve no idea how much material they plan to cover in this adaptation. However, it’s just a lot harder to throw out a lot of natural-sounding exposition in an anime than it is in a manga or light novel. I think they did a good job…though hopefully they will work more of that back in later on : )

        Stilts
        Reply

    6. I’m also an econ major, and I disagree with your analysis pursuant to the “Parable of the broken window” and resulting conclusion. Too off topic to go into the “Parable” itself in detail, but I see it mostly applicable in terms of efficient allocation of economic resources rather than effect on GDP. To assume that the Parable’s six Francs are rendered economically meaningless simply because they were spent on glass other than “intended” (the Parable ASSUMES that they would be spent regardless) books or shoes is incorrect IMO.

      For example, does it matter to the steel maker or its employees whether the steel is used for tanks, gun barrels or ships rather than cars? Money from steel sales no longer meaningfully impact the economy? To suggest that war (by which I mean a major conflict requiring government mobilization of the economy – fairly similar to what’s going on in Maoyuu Maou Yuusha) does not have have have a positive economic impact whatsoever it to deny history itself. During WWII, the US economy certainly benefited from huge (and I do mean huge – billions of dollars spent from 1940-1945 which would be multiplied significantly in terms of today’s dollar). In effect, the government and the consumer spending aspects of GDP effectively switched places, with government spending accounting for the majority of GDP. Using the Parable for analogy, it wasn’t six Francs spent on glass instead of shoes or books, it was fifteen Francs spent on glass, shoes and books.

      Furthermore, nationwide labor mobilization in WWII drastically reduced US unemployment from double digits to unnaturally low levels of less than two percent. One could also make a valid argument that the post WWII boom is directly attributable to the preceding war. The combination of forced saving and denial of consumer demand during war time created a powerful wave of pent-up consumer spending afterward. Of course, it goes without saying that winning goes a long way towards realizing any economic benefit. To be clear, I’m certainly NOT suggesting war is a valid economic model, but there are some, albeit perhaps temporary, economic benefits from major conflicts.

      I do think there’s a flaw in Maou’s economic analysis. The flaw has to do with what the Central Countries receive from the Southern Countries – “security”. For example, using Apple, Inc. represents the Central Countries and myself the Southern Countries, if Apple sends me $500 and I use the money to buy an iPhone5, does Apple really making any money? It’s no different than if Apple just sends me an iPhone5 for free. Apple still bears the entire cost of the product. Of course “security” has value, but it’s still an expense (perhaps a very necessary one) rather than profit generating revenue.

      It’s a different story if the Southern Countries were given loans (assuming they pay which historically isn’t always the case), but there’s no mention of that. Under the given scenario, the Central Countries are shouldering the entire economic burden for the war. Contrary to what Maoyuu Maou Yuusha suggests, IMO that type of economic model cannot be successfully maintained indefinitely.

      Regardless of one or two flaws in economic theory, while I can’t speak for the anime yet, I very much enjoy reading the manga. I encourage you to give the show at least another episode or two before deciding to drop. If nothing else, if you don’t mind spoilers for the anime, read a few chapters of the manga and then decide. As Pax Empyrean, stated, the manga does do a better job of explaining everything (FYI – EP 01 = chapter 01 manga). I know some people hate “The LN/Manga is better” type comments. Sorry, but for EP 01, that the case IMO.

      daikama
      Reply

      2. @Entrav: Yeah, I watched it, and was nor convinced. Since I, errr… needed to watch for clarification as you put it, I suppose I must explain why rather than leave it at that. Here are two of the reasons:

        (1) His first point is ludicrous IMO – suggesting that drafting people is the same as “making them disappear” (to use a polite phrase) in terms of reducing the unemployment rate. Those people didn’t vanish – they got PAID for a job. How they ended up in that “job” is irrelevant to the economic discussion as long as they get paid a fair amount – and they did. Soldiers earned enough money (when able) to dine out/buy drinks (a lot of that) and by personal items as well as send money back home. Draftees may not have wanted to enter such an occupation or paid less than what they wanted. However, there are some today who work at jobs they dislike (or even hate), and earning less than they desire in order to make a living. Those people are still considered employed for calculating unemployment figures.

        The fact that draftees are “working” overseas is also irreverent in terms of unemployment as long as they remain US citizens. I know people who have spent months or even years working overseas for US companies and they were never considered “unemployed” because of that. He states that low unemployment is the most common reason supporting the argument for GDP growth, and yet IMO, puts forth an argument which is noticeably and fatally flawed.

        (2) His second point deals with contesting the official GDP numbers (i.e they are overstated during the war and understated in 1946). His first argument is that the 1946 figures MUST be wrong because of the massive ramp in PRIVATE sector production in 1946. I already alluded to this event when discussing government vs. consumer spending (i.e. demand for private industry goods) of GDP during the war along with the resulting post war “pent-up” consumer demand. Nothing new or surprising here. The problem is that he deliberately omits the huge reduction in GOVERNMENT spending that same year which occurred for obvious reasons. All else being equal, if the resulting boom in private industry production in terms of GDP was less then the free fall drop in government spending in terms of GDP, then guess what? There may have been a contraction in GDP after all! He then goes on about (paraphrasing) “displacement of the best/brightest/most skilled workers via the draft” etc., but…

        Already tl:dr / OT / who cares/ etc. so I’m going to stop here. If you still disagree, that’s fine. Agree to disagree. Sorry, but already spent far too much time on something which is not critical to the story anyway.

        daikama
        Reply

  24. I seriously liked this episode, even though I went in wondering if the economics would bore the hell out of me. I also loved Maou as a character, despite all the blatant fanservice (nothing wrong with that, but it can get on your nerves as a female viewer sometimes); she’s smart and quirky in a fun way and I can’t wait to see how she and Yuusha get their plan in motion.

    Genesis
    Reply

  31. truly interesting intellectual theorizing and discourse… — Stilts

    I wonder if this is a trend of recent Anime. Consider Magi as another example of a social-political-fantasy show,
    Jormungand too, etc.

    Maou’s actions are established as pre-meditated, i.e., she planned the encounter with Yuusha for some time;
    her mind was already set to change the course of how the wars were/are fought. She’s (apparently) honest with
    Yuusha in so much as warning him of the blood on his hands that he may have to endure. In short, it was clear in
    this episode with her introduction, that she’s thought many of these things through and is aware of the consequences
    that are/may follow, however dark they may be.

    The broken plot device, IMHO, is Yuusha’s complete acceptance of everything she said. We really don’t know her real
    intent just yet (yeah, she wants to go over the hill to a “peace” — I heard that), but she did mention too, that she wants
    the stigma assigned to her people to change as well. Maou’s ability to win over Yuusha so quickly and completely was
    difficult to accept, but I guess you have to start a story somewhere.

    It’s an interesting premise, don’t forget that while we were distracted with Maou’s tales of the leaders’ reasons for
    continuing the war, Yuusha left three other heros behind as they were advancing through the Deamon Realm.
    How they’ll react to this sudden change and be on-board with it remains to be seen…

    Great ED theme – good music throughout.

    mac65
    Reply

    1. You’re right on Yuusha’s quick acceptance. To be honest, I really should have gone into that more, but I probably wrote enough already 😛

      Were I in his boots and heard something like that which I hadn’t heretofore considered but which makes a lot of sense – and from an “enemy” that is apparently earnest and let down her guards waaaay too much for it to seem like a trick, especially given the minimal benefit such a trick would seem to have on my, a lowly hero – I would have likely accepted the offer as well. That said, I wouldn’t have been exactly all on board with the plan quite yet. Watch and see if she’s serious about that which she says, that’d be my game…and if it turns out she’s up to ill, kill her on the spot.

      Of course, Yuusha is a lot more earnest, honest, and “just” guy than I am, seeing as my general role in such settings is either the shifty guy who stabs people what need stabbing, or the one standing in the back and cackling malevolently as I blow everything up. Not the sterotypically “heroic” type, is what I mean to say. So yeah, Yuusha’s acceptance was a bit quick, but if it turns out to be complete and that’s the only leap of faith I have to make, I’ll be okay with that. Time is limited, after all, and I’d rather get on with the fun economics, politics, and war!

      Oh, and love *swoon~*

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. I really should have gone into that more…

        To be honest with you, Stilts, when you write a piece (blog) and look
        back on what you’ve written and say that, it’s doesn’t reflect a lacking
        on your excellent impression, it shows that the writers did their job in
        providing an episode with a lot of good substance.

        <sarcasm>I sure hope we get an ecchi blogger at RC, ’cause I know
        you’re not RC’s ecchi blogger — and it looks like we need a qualified
        ecchi blogger for this series.        </sarcasm>

        Hoping you’ll be the one to cover this series!

        mac65
        Reply

  32. With some of the creative staff and cast from from Spice and Wolf, it’s no wonder why this show gives me those vibes. The show looks quirky and generic on the surface, but as pointed out already, is a lot deeper and intellectually concenctrated than your avarege show. The economics, the war, the fatigue, when tied together, gives the show that special depth that is worth craving for more. I know that the fan service is present in order to broaden the appeal for the show (And sell those BD’s), but I hope that the exposition aspect is further explored upn. Going by the first episode however, there’s no doubt in my mind that this will be a excellent show this season.

    kei
    Reply

  33. That was a great first episode. Putting the rather QUALITY OP animation aside, everything’s really great. The music is beautiful. Though character designs can be improved, few characters look really bland (I wonder if it’s meant to be like that since it deconstruct the usual RPG-ish fantasy genre).

    Bushido
    Reply

    1. I thought so too the animation and the art does look much like Romeo X Juliet.Also both shows, male lead seemed to be covered in blue and the female lead in red(the colors, I mean).

      shadowalker
      Reply

  36. I was wondering about the ones that are talking about the manga, which one are they talking about?

    The one done by ASAMI You (Maoyuu Maou Yuusha) Which the artstyle of the anime seems most similar to.
    http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=66523

    Or the one done by ISHIDA Akira (Maoyuu Maou Yuusha – “Kono Watashi no Mono Tonare, Yuusha yo” “Kotowaru!”) The one that doesn’t look like anything like the anime. (I was hoping that they went with this artstyle. But it make sense that went with the other one)
    http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=64917

    aly
    Reply

    1. Maoyuu Maou Yuusha – “Kono Watashi no Mono Tonare, Yuusha yo” “Kotowaru!” is almost definitely the manga adaptation most people are talking about/referencing. The first one you mentioned is I believe the “official” version but the delivery pales in comparison to the second as it truly takes advantage of the “look don’t tell” aspect manga brings to the table over a novel.

      KoroshiyaKi
      Reply

      1. It’s hard to say which manga version of Maoyuu is official. Or unofficial, for that matter.
        From what I heard, no one, not even the original author, claimed copyright for the original story that was posted on forums, so everyone was able to do what they want with it, leading to 5 different manga (one of them being a side-story and one a 4-koma) being published by 4 different publishers simultanously.

        Maoyuu Maou Yuusha by ASAMI You – published by Enterbrain – was the first to be published and is the second closest to being “official”, mainly because Enterbrain also publishes the novel. Enterbrain also publishes Maoyuu 4-Koma – Muitemasen yo, Maou-sama! by NANATSU Muronchi.

        Maoyuu Maou Yuusha – “Kono Watashi no Mono Tonare, Yuusha yo” “Kotowaru!” by ISHIDA Akira – published by Kadokawa Shoten – is seen as the “official” version, because it was selected by popular vote as such. It’s the one closest to the original source and has the best art so it became popular fast.

        Maoyuu Maou Yuusha – Oka no Mukou e by Touge Hiro – published by Akita Shoten – is the often forgotten and least popular third version of the manga.

        Maoyuu Maou Yuusha Gaiden – Madoromi no Onna Mahoutsukai by KAWAKAMI Taiki – published by Kodansha – is a side story of sorts with more focus on Female Mage.

        Zannafar
        Reply

  37. so um long war between humans & demons being going to one day the blue hero go charge in to slay demon king but surprise demon ruler is woman with big “meat”.

    give demon ruler/ruby eyes had waiting for hero to come give to explain all about the human vs demon war is like economics business to if go no matter who wins it will lead to everyone loses on this war.

    so showing memory lantern, reasons to side with ruby eyes, & deals talkings so blue hero agree to contract to side with ruby eyes so all set now team-up find safer way peaceful way to end the battles.

    all set give huh memory lantern show ruby eyes with blue hero pillow size & her horn were fake with that now the journey begins.

    (yea whole 3rd time of lelouch-kallen/kraft-holo now in this series oh my wonder will this be charm on it?)

    mao-moo-meat
    Reply

  38. Oh well, this show is really something.
    Maou fanservice aside, there is hefty dose of real world realpolitik (yay for worst pun ever!), and probably the most striking to me was resemblance between France financing Sweden’s intervention in 30 Years War to shield itself from Hapsburg power to the Central Nations policy of the show – as well as British financing of various anti-Bonaparte coalitions.
    I also have been reminded – by corrupt aristocrat claiming “demonic possession” – of how various regimes tend to put their failures to the “external influence” – in one of the most ridiculous cases, communist rulesrs in 1950’s Poland blamed poor potato crops on CIA dropping potato beetles as bio-weapon… You can definitely see the shades of various bogeymen all over the world even today.
    But what really got me was Maou getting all fangirlish to extreme with Hero dakimakura… I literally laughed myself to tears.

    ewok40k
    Reply

  41. Considering how Yuusha looks strikingly similar to Yuuta and having the same VA, there’s a part of me thinking that this is one big elaborate chuu2 fantasy.

    Also, put me in for the ones wishing that they had gone with Akira Ishida’s design.

    Asta
    Reply

  42. This was my most anticipated show of the season, considering the constant praise of the source material (which I have not read), but it still managed to surprise me with how well Maou explained the economic benefits of war to Hero, so that even I, having almost absolutely no interest in economics, understood the rough concepts (with some further help from the great comments posted here). The only series that sparked my interest in economics like this was Spice and Wolf and with that awesome duo being brought back together here, i can only look forward to this series.

    MikioBo
    Reply

    1. Ahaha, fantasy, economics, politics, deconstructions, dark worlds confronted by idealistic but realistic heroes…these are more the kinds of things I truly love, being that they’re the things I write about. Cute girls and fanservice? Fun stuff, but nothing I would ever put my name on myself, as I’m too much of a feminist for that. Trust me, this is way more my speed than Senran Kagura or Tamako Market ^^

      Stilts
      Reply

  45. I love how Maou is kinda lovey dovey with Yuusha right from the start in the first episode
    (and the cute bits >.<)
    https://randomc.net/image/Maoyuu%20Maou%20Yuusha/Maoyuu%20Maou%20Yuusha%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2034.jpg

    https://randomc.net/image/Maoyuu%20Maou%20Yuusha/Maoyuu%20Maou%20Yuusha%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2032.jpg

    and through out the the conversation in the dinning room it got causal between the two, i think im gonna really like this series

    MetaDrow
    Reply

  47. Oh yeah, and are you guys ever going to stream OP’s and ED’s again? I liked having the ones for each season on tab because it felt like a playlist that gave the general mood of that season.

    Da5id
    Reply

  48. A good first episode in my book.
    I wasn’t too sure how Fukuyama Jun would work for Hero but he turned out nice.

    @stilts:”In case you haven’t realized, their names are literally Demon King and Hero.”

    That is not entirely true. Their names aren’t Demon King and Hero, but their real names are never revealed.
    The author used an old japanese writing technique, where the characters are always referred to with their titles, special characteristics or relationships to other characters, instead of revealing their name, which was considered discourteous, especially when the written text was based on real events or Persons.
    The probably most famous example of this is Genji Monogatari, but for a more recent example you could look at Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita.
    The downside of this is that the “name” of a character can change several times over the course of the story, depending on their job or a change in relationship (for example a marriage). This can lead to some confusion on part of the reader, but as far as I remember, Maoyuu doesn’t go too crazy with this.

    Zannafar
    Reply

  49. To say the least, this show had quite a decent debut for introducing us to its plot. The synopsis is basically what this episode tells us about, only in a more elaborate and enthralling manner. Furthermore, the metaphor connecting their fictitious world to ours with the Human-Demon War as its medium is indeed something that provokes our senses to pour out extolments and of course, a high roof of expectations for what this series is able to do during its run.

    On another note, there’s a part of me that finds the bouncing of Maou’s breasts sort of enjoyable. However, its excessive use in this episode was quite annoying and definitely enshrouds my brain with the idea of the director being a legitimate perv. Notwithstanding, fan-services should be leashed with limitations before they catalyze the show’s dilapidation. Also, given this series’ pilot episode, it seems that its plot doesn’t really call for exuberant ecchi scenes.

    HystericalPenguin
    Reply

  50. I really enjoyed the fact they decided to make this into an anime. What I still have a little bit of reserve on is the choice of story and animation. From my knowledge, after the novel, there was several manga adaptations of this but each of them fairly close to the original but told with different pacing and art style. There was one that was particularly popular and still running strongly with both Maou and Yuusha equally (if not even more so) intelligent but also has a sarcastic humor to Maou. Personally I enjoyed that version the most, especially the art direction of it, so I’m a bit watchful on how this may turn out since I never read the original novel.

    However, I am greatly looking forward to this show and I’m glad they chose to go with the Spice and Wolf direction as well as picking the original seiyuu for this. I remember comparing this to Spice and Wolf when reading the manga 2 years ago.

    thenewhorde
    Reply

  51. So happy to see this animated.

    Regarding all the comments about the Maou’s bouncing, it may get toned down later, but I wouldn’t count on it. It’s a running gag about how they’re “useless meat.”

    Rasen
    Reply

  52. I already figured that this was one of the shows I was going to like in the new season, looking at the previews, and I’m glad it has proven me right.

    While Maou’s boobs can get distracting, and the animation does look kinda cheap at times, it pretty much does everything else right. Besides good stuff like the tone-setting music, there’s the simple fact that this is, well, an interesting show and not something you see every day. Quite frankly, to me it felt like they were turning an old videogame on its head. In those old games the plot was usually something like ‘oh the noes, the Demon Lord is attacking out fair human kingdom! Venture fort, -insert name here- Hero, and saaaave the wooooorld! – kind of like how this starts too (hell, Hero even looks like the hero from Dragon Quest III, that can’t be a coincidence) before the final boss suddenly stops him and points out that such a simplistic black and white view isn’t going to solve all the world’s problems.

    She’s a good talker, who brings up interesting points about the nature of war, human nature and politics, and is quite genre savvy as well (she points out that offering to rule together would get them nowhere, and the reason she’s trying to get him into it is obvious – because in a story, it’s the hero who saves the world. He’s the trumph card of ‘good’, hence his help is neccessary), not to mention hilarious (she seems to have a hero fetish, heh). And he, for his sake, is at least is willing to listen to reason and his naivete is kind of endearing.

    Now let’s hope the rest of the show can live up to its potential, because as far as I’m concerned, it set the bar high with this premise.

    Dvalinn
    Reply

  53. I was really enchanted by how beutifully the settings was enstablished in just one episode, and I was immersed in my thoughts about human nature, and wars and their backgrounds … then Maou just took off her horns with that “pop” sound and now I can’t stop laughing 😀

    How cute of a character can she be, on top of being sharp. And we already have our lovable couple also.
    On a further note, that scene is more than funny, and even more than a final deconstruction. The last frame before the splendid ending theme is Yuusha’s and Maou’s emblems abandoned on the table as they begin their journey to bring some good in their world. It’s like to say “we will do something for real, we are not going to play a fantasy game”.

    tl;dr: they are determined, they are lovable, she is bouncy … count me in!!

    Voyager
    Reply

  55. Well, I for one find it refreshing that the Hero isn’t a complete TIT and blind to reason.

    That said it was smart for the Demon Queen to make A CLEAN BREAST of the economic situation for the Hero’s (and our) understanding. Methinks her homemade DUMPLINGS helped convince the Hero too.

    I was also funny how she made a BOOB of herself in front of the Hero with the giant Hero FUNBAG.

    …ok, i’ll shut up now. -_-“

    zztop
    Reply

      1. Yeah, I deserve to be booed off the stage -_-”

        But in seriousness, the premise is extremely promising and one-of-a-kind(if I may say so.)

        That said, I wonder if the show will ever cover the histories of the main characters. ie. What motivated the Queen to radically reform their world’s society?

        And what inspired the Hero to take up heroing?

        PS. I wonder who the old man in white in the Hero’s childhood memory(the party scene)was. His grandfather?His adoptive guardian/mentor?

        zztop
        Reply

  57. Not even a day has gone by and this episode and Stilts’ impression by extension has created a number of excellent points for conversation (or debate if you prefer). It’s shows like these that are great; the ones that incite you to think and have something to say, whether it be good or bad. That’s just another reason why I find this episode to be a great start to the series.

    Yasuri
    Reply

    2. I’ve said it before I think so at the risk of sounding like a broken record, this season definitely seems to have a lot of potential. Granted it can take form in different ways but still it’s definitely something worth looking forward to when you consider it. : )

      Yasuri
      Reply

  61. Wow, well this is definitely a surprise for me. At first glance on reading the preview for this show I did not have much expectation nor plan to watch it. But after checking back at the preview, and seeing the expectation was high I have to wonder why. It was being compared to Spice and Wolf, and I love that series so if this is something similar, could not hurt to try. Boy was I shocked, definitely for me this show place first so far for the 2013, and probably hard to topple for now. I am expecting it to get better and better, but the impatient me here have went and spoiled myself through the light novel and manga shortly afterward, so any enjoyment from future episodes would be less. Maybe the anime will take a different route…

    Long
    Reply

  62. I really like the first episode. I like anime that make me think of relevant things, things that doesnt need a pretentious mind to figure out while explaining pretentious bulls**t (like most in recent times)
    So yeah, I hope it continues. A definite watch.

    asba1991
    Reply

  65. This kind of makes me think Spice and Wolf but with larger scale economics. Come too think of it, Maoyuu looks a bit like Holo. We’ll see where this goes. but as far as this first episode goes, it’s looking quite good if I may say so myself!

    Sankaku
    Reply

  66. Yessss! Something to finally satisfy the intellectual and the anime-lover in me again! I really loved Spice & Wolf, so I was super juiced to hear about this show and immediately went to find the manga to read up on before it aired. Ahhh super excited and loving it already. I can’t wait til next week! The thing about Maoyuu Maou Yuusha and Spice & Wolf is that they make economics and such supremely interesting, entertaining, and easy to understand. I mean, my sister was like 10 when she watched Spice & Wolf and she not only loved it but understood everything that they were talking about. She’s 12 now and she’s going to watch this one as well. I just wish I could’ve watched this instead of listening to my boringgggggg Global Economics professor. But the learning aspect aside… Demon Queen and Hero aren’t as cute as they are in the manga, but I still like the animation. And I really like the way they introduced us to more of the world outside of the Demon Palace and the coming characters that Hero and Demon Queen will end up interacting with.

    Axel
    Reply

    1. I know what you mean! Though one of my economics professors back in college was pretty awesome, so I enjoyed his class. The other one, though… *snoooooore*

      A good teacher makes all the difference, even if that teacher is a storyteller via the medium of anime. Knowledge is knowledge, after all!

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. Reminds me of an educational series that utilizes the manga concept and inserts subject lessons into the story. It was something like “The Manga guide to “. Learning economics and physics while reading manga. It’s absolutely brilliant.

        junglepenguin
        Reply

  67. Can’t say this first episode impressed me too much, but at the same time it wasn’t disappointing either.

    Unlike most people here, I don’t have that high a opinion of having economics,politics in anime – my stance on it is mostly neutral, unless they go overboard with it and make things too complicated.On the other hand, I like the fact that it paints a boarder picture of war.People suffer because of wars, everyone knows that, but there are also people(not just people – organizations,countries even) who become dependent on war,strive because of war then there’s the advantage of former enemies uniting against a common enemy and then there’s the aspect of a civilization’s growth because of war(like it or not conflict does help/force humans to advance/grow faster), these aspects of war are rarely addressed in anime.

    In my initial impressions of the lead characters,
    Yuusha’s character came off as a bit inconsistent, he was naive enough to believe that just going and killing the Demon Lord would end the war and bring peace, but when explained about the real situation he was a little too quick to understand and accept it(I would have expected him to be a little more experienced).And the fact he went alone to confront the Demon Lord also piques my curiosity, especially so since the narrator bothered to mention it in the beginning.
    Maou’s character came off as someone who was smart enough to understand that the world isn’t all unicorns and rainbows and that there are things she has done/does/will do that can be considered relatively evil even though her intentions were pure, but at the same-time possessing a strong heart that wasn’t broken/corrupted by her realization of that knowledge.

    Those were pretty much my initial thoughts on the show.Have to watch a few more episodes before saying anything solid.

    @Stilts
    Great job on the review, glad Stilts is covering this show – while your reviews have always been interesting, your preference in anime are usually different from mine.Btw, have to ask you’re using that avatar as a disarming tactic aren’t you?

    shadowalker
    Reply

  69. Upon rewatching the episode I became aware that the damn headband was visible the whole time.

    I found the manga rather dull, but this first episode surprised me very much. I liked it a lot more than I expected.

    Access
    Reply

  73. Fuku Jun’s voice as Yuuta from Chuu2 is still in my head, so I can’t help but not take Yuusha seriously, especially since Yuusha’s role is near identical to the Dark Flame Master.
    I laughed at the demon horn headband, although I’m really glad it really was just a headband. I also didn’t notice it was animated as a headband the entire time until I saw the screencaps.
    I really like the econ twist to the fantasy genre, and the two leads are likeable so far.

    As an interesting side note, WWII was one of the factors that helped Canada recover from the Great Depression. People were being employed to meet the demands of the war effort, which helped stimulate an economy which had ground to a halt after the Crash of 1929.

    Kentaiyoshimi
    Reply

  75. This is one of few series I really believe everyone should watch or read, not just us. Bypassing all the bouncing and fanservice scenes, there are lessons to be learned and stuff to be thought.

    Senseirei
    Reply

  77. Sun Tzu said: “There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.” It seems the it is certainly true here.

    Were it not for the central nations providing funding and supplies, the southern nations would be in a very bad way. What’s more more people are starving and dieing and the southern nations are trapped in a war with no way out. Also what sacrifices have the Cenrtal Nations made to be able to afford sending money to the southern nations? What have their own people had to endure to send money to the southern nations?

    Having a show that stimulates my mind like this feels good. Stilts you are perfect for this show :). I’m looking forward to the next episode.

    Roguespirit
    Reply

    1. World issues indeed. I’m getting my friends to watch this by saying its like Spice and Wolf written by Martin Luther king Jr with a Fire Emblem setting.
      And I think the hero being an ignorant and stupid character can’t be helped, if the setting is based on medieval times, most people never questioned the greater purpose behind their actions.
      People in those times actually ‘bought’ their place in heaven when the church was selling condolences for example.
      And if the hero starts off really intelligent and wise in addition to being super strong, how can you contrast his growth throughout the series?

      D
      Reply

      2. Indeed! Need to give him room to grow, and for him to be the “normal” guy (for his day in age) who gradually learns to be extraordinary.

        Well, more extraordinary. I guess he’s already a hero or some shit. That’s kind of impressive, I suppose.

        Stilts
        Reply

    1. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
      Typical RPGs in Japan like Dragon Quest didn’t give a name for the protagonist besides Hero.
      The idea that I think the author went for in the novels was to question the need for names to begin with, or maybe to emphasize the idea that people should be judged on their actions and not their social status or appearance?
      http://myanimelist.net/anime/14833/Maoyuu_Maou_Yuusha/characters
      I mean, the names are pretty literal as to what the characters do for a living.
      Young Merchant = A MERCHANT THAT’S YOUNG
      Perhaps, the characters are labelled as stereotypes for the viewer’s understanding and to question the idea that labels would in any way affect a character’s actions?

      D
      Reply

    3. Not naming the characters is an old (at least a 1000 years old) style of japanese writing.
      Back then it was seen as uncourtous to write the names of persons in stories/diaries/etc., especially because the majority of stories was based on real events. The stories that were written at that time also had a small audience (since only members of the court could read in the first place), so the readers always knew who the author referred to.

      Similar to this, in japanese news, whenever a child/juvenile is involved in a case, their names are replaced by things like Boy/Girl A,B,C,…

      Unlike a lot of stories set in modern times, a medival fantasy still allows this way of referring to characters without risking confusion, because every appearing character still has a unique job or appearance.

      Zannafar
      Reply

  82. This anime is awesome. As a person who doesn’t know much about economics, war and politics, my mind is blowing up as i watch this show’s thought provoking discourse. Definitely going to continue to watch this.

    pooop
    Reply

  83. Oh my, I started reading the manga today and was completely enthralled by it. So lest to say I forgot it is made into a series this season. However, the animation kind of reminds me of Romeo x Juliet…a bit disappointed ’cause I like the manga’s drawing style.

    bakanekokun
    Reply

    1. I am reading the Ishida adaptation too. Show Spoiler ▼

      .

      vrr4141
      Reply

  85. Interesting premise, with a focus on economics, trade, and similar stuff that you don’t normally notice in a “good vs evil” kinda story. Maou taking off her horns accessory took me completely off guard so it’s one of my favorite scenes in this episode. The opening already showed her without them, so when she was introduced I thought that perhaps Maou will just take the form of a human and conceal the horns. I guessed wrong. Second surprise comedy is definitely Maou’s dakimakura.

    @Stilts – I wonder what you thought about that scene when Maou claimed that she didn’t have the ideal body to attract males and pointed out her arm flabs. I just can’t tell if she’s honestly clueless of how gorgeous she is or is very much aware of her assets and is sarcastically just messing with Yuusha. Maou is definitely very smart and perceptive but if she isn’t aware of how pretty she is, I got the impression that she’s a little bit of an airhead too.

    Zhinvu
    Reply

    1. Rewatching the episode, I noticed the lines on Maou’s head do make it look like she’s wearing a headband with horns attached. It’s a given that the color is camouflage but I guess the episode did a good job of steering my attention away from hair color and horn details.

      Zhinvu
      Reply

    2. Show Spoiler ▼

      RE: the headband, I noticed that as well on a re-watch. I’ll have to re-read the manga/LN because I can’t recall a scene expressly stating that she’s wearing a head-band accessory. For some reason I thought she just used magic to alter her appearance in that regard.

      daikama
      Reply

      1. Thanks for the information! I haven’t found that manga chapter that mentioned it but if that’s the case I’d say Maou is more gullible and childish like Stilts said, rather than an airhead. Show Spoiler ▼

        Zhinvu
        Reply

      2. @Zhinvu: …I’d say Maou is more gullible and childish like Stilts said, rather than an airhead.

        That’s my primary complaint with EP 01 – significant deviation from the LN/manga. Among other things, by omitting scenes, adding new ones and making small, yet meaningful IMO, dialog changes, one gets a different impression of her character from the anime than from reading the source materials. Not sure if this needs a spoiler tag, but w/e.

        Show Spoiler ▼

        daikama
        Reply

    3. Bear in mind that most people are self-conscious about their appearances, at least until experience shows them they’re fuckin’ hot (if that be the case). This is especially true for women, since more emphasis is put on their appearance, as unfair as that may be. Maou is just a woman without a lot of experience…though as the above commenters pointed out, there may be other reasons for that as well, heh

      Stilts
      Reply

    2. Thanks for the link. I’ve read the manga which uses #3 and the art is simple but good. But I personally love toi8’s works. His style is like the style Redjuice used in Sayonara Memories art works. The drawings/paintings are so lighthearted and very warming. I hope I can draw like Redjuice and toi8 but I direly need a lot more practice to even get close. Not to mention I suck at painting, digital or not :3

      The Story You Don't Know
      Reply

  87. I guess the Japanese have never properly reflected on World War II, and still want to believe that they did the world a favor by starting the war, and even went so far as to suggest that the victim countries also welcomed the war because it helped unite their countries. Such belief is very explicitly expressed in this anime. In terms of its philosophy, I can’t disagree more. I think it is nothing more than right-wing propaganda.

    However, in terms of storytelling and artistic creativity, I think this anime is consistent with the new trend of questioning the legitimacy of heroism, as the plot tries to deny the main characters opportunity to fulfill their roles as heroes at every turn possible. Those characters are not anti-heroes in the sense that they still make an effort to play the good-versus-evil game. It is just that the story is tweaked to expose the flaws in the logic behind such a game.

    I think I will follow a couple more episodes to see how it goes.

    Matroid
    Reply

    1. Your first paragraph fall into the “over-think” category, with a high dose of biased against the general population of Japanese. If i would to follow the logic train of yours, will that means every single person that play violent games desire to kill fellow humans? That can’t be right.

      Furthermore, the material presented didn’t even come close relating to WWII, it can be inspired from any historical event.

      Bakaro
      Reply

    2. I would counsel against extrapolating the theme of a single story to that of an entire nation. What’s more, what this one is saying is that while people may think that’s the case, Maou (and now Yuusha) don’t agree. Even if what you said was true at a time (which I am most certainly not saying), this story is trying to refute it.

      Stilts
      Reply

  88. People also forgot that Fukuyama and Koshimizu both played in Star Driver as Sugata and Keito and had feelings for each other. Those two are some of my favorite seiyu and they bounce off perfectly well with each in ANYTHING they do. I think they will get like Kenichi Suzumura and Maya Sakamoto. I’m telling you.

    Corey Lucas
    Reply

  89. I totally fell for the Demon King(Queen). Such a great and character-appropriate voice-acting.
    I love me some deconstruction in anime. This show definitely starts strong bashing all the usual fantasy stereotypes.

    Also that must be the most efficient marriage proposal of all times.

    Vinchester
    Reply

  90. Yeah it’s Lulu and Kallen, but I think they were more planning on Horo/Lawrence pairing from Spices and Wolf, since this series heavily focuses on economy/government/etc. to move the story.

    drzero7
    Reply

  92. Hum… I’m sitting on the fence about this show. While the setup and premise are interesting, the show fell flat in a couple of ways. First, as has already been pointed out I kind of felt that Yuusha accepted Maou’s analysis which challenges his entire worldview far to quickly. The area that disappointed me the most was the meat of the economic discussion. While I’m no economist, I do have a decent understanding of history and economics, and their discussion failed to elucidate exactly what was going on with the war. From what I gathered, the war was beneficial because it 1) turned the human and demon realms into giant free trade zones and 2) made the central nations give aid to the southern kingdoms. I can see how the first would be economically beneficial, but how can people make a profit from foreign aid? Are the producers in the central nations compensated financially by their government? Even if so, why doesn’t the net drain of resources harm the central nations? And what is the “food shortage,” how did it develop, and how is the war keeping it at bay? Yes, war reduces the population, but it’s also pretty darn devastating to croplands. All I really took away from this episode was “war is bad” “demons and human elites are using it to enrich themselves… somehow” and “Yuusha and Maou are going to try and stop it… somehow” Compared to the economics recently shown in Magi the background plot of this story is just plan confusing. I’ll keep watching, for now, hopefully things will become clearer as the show progresses.

    Hochmeister
    Reply

    1. “The area that disappointed me the most was the meat of the economic discussion”

      I can’t seem to read these things without seeing the innuendos in them anymore. Help me!

      Anyway, allow the points to develop in time. This is but episode 1, an introduction to the world and landscape that our protagonists plan to save.

      junglepenguin
      Reply

    3. Your points are a bit off. Let me see if I can help:

      1) The war didn’t turn the human and demon realms into freed trade zones, it stopped them from fighting amongst each other (humans vs humans, demons vs demons) so they could fight between the two sides (humans vs demons). The benefit there is of scale. Sure, there’s still a war going on, but at least all the humans are cooperating and vice versa. Plus, it’s great for those nations that AREN’T being all fucked up by the demon’s troops.

      2) Yes, the Central Nations are giving aid to the Southern Nations, but it’s not that the Southern Nations are making a profit – it’s that they would have completely fallen into chaos without that aid. They’re not in good shape, but rather just barely staying afloat. They’re the regimes that the Central Nations are propping up to use as a shield against the demons.

      As for the producers, they’re undoubtedly being paid by their governments (save when those governments steal everything and burn their houses down, as seen in that one scene). And yes, it’s a drain on their resources, which is why it’s a fallacy that the war is beneficial. However, certain powerful people think it is, so that’s why they’re perpetuating it.

      The food shortage came about based on a growing human population and agricultural practices that cannot keep up with the demand. This is not without precedent. No matter what proponents of “organic” food will tell you, without certain genetically modified crops, millions of people would have starved in our world. Perhaps billions. Their problem is that they don’t have their era’s version of these agricultural advances, so they can’t feed all the mouths that need it. Unless they send off quite a lot of them to die in wars. In the cold Southern Nations, where there aren’t many crops anyway.

      As for how certain people are being enriched, that’s easy – merchants sell weapons and steel and food (at inflated prices) to the armies, as well as the Southern Nations getting their kingdoms propped up through aid. Maou and Yuusha’s plan is less defined, but of course, this is only Episode 1…with everything they already explained, give them some time to get to that : )

      Stick with it! This show is showing great promise, and I really think you’ll enjoy it if you keep watching.

      Stilts
      Reply

  93. Liked the first episode. It wasn’t amazing or exceptional per se..it provided a great start to a potentially entertaining and thought-provoking story revolving around war and its benefits in disguise. I wonder why people didn’t bring up the line “We’ll do a lot of horrible things” by the DK. They really are gonna do some villainous things u know…maybe they are all just blinded by the bouncy jellies of DK’s bosom (which is indeed gorgeous).

    i’m assuming their journey isn’t gonna end at the end of the series…and that we’ll get a 2nd season…(there’s a good indication this show is gonna be a success)

    KingofConquerors
    Reply

  97. is it just me, or this anime contains certain hidden messages that encourage people to

    – make pack with the demons (lady in red, demonic tribe, boobs,)
    – triangular with one eye in the middle
    – war is a good thing
    – kings knows the conspiracy of the world and conceal them away?
    – the yuusha (hero) is the one with innocent-heroic traits wearing something in the forehead assembling “one eyed” hero? of justice?

    a coincidence? yes!! they make you to defend their act….
    lets see how this will go in the next eps

    Light of Doramir
    Reply

  103. I disagree on many points:
    1) Yuusha, and his companions, have killed their way through demon-infested lands, with Yuusha being so impatient to kill their king that he abandons his own group.

    Then, in less than a half-hour, not only does Maou convince him not to kill her, but convinces him to marry her. This guy, who has killed many of her kind, suddenly does a complete 180 in the equivalent of 10-seconds based on nothing more than philosophical musings (which are unfortunately true, but he doesn’t know that for sure).

    2) Maou’s complete devotion to him comes from where? Afaik, they’ve never met before, since she doesn’t even know his name (calling him ‘Hero’), and he doesn’t even know she’s female.

    Love at first sight, although romantic, rarely happens, and isn’t what’s happening here. Yet Maou’s inexplicable love comes out of nowhere, her childishness/pouting/empty fortress are all out-of-place from the supposed Ruler of Darkness.

    Sad to say, but actual rulers tend to be cold reptiles that make the hard decisions, and are usually much, MUCH older and corrupted (and rarely female, at that). It makes me wonder if she’s even the actual Demon ‘King’.

    Red 4
    Reply

    1. A lot of your questions can be answered through the manga, and since it’s stuff we shouldn’t know yet, I’ll tag it:
      Well first, Maou does know Yuusha. She’s been watching him through a crystal ball for most of his life, in fact, but she actually fell in love with him like two seconds after he was born. I think she’s something like fifty years older than him… demons live into their 200s or so, so ya. She’s been waiting a long time to meet him, literally, and she doesn’t know his name because names aren’t really a thing in this world.

      And Yuusha killed everyone he did and was going to kill Maou to end the war, because he thought that would solve everything and everyone would be happy. He’s innocent and believes in the ideals he was fed. When Maou sweeps the rug out from under him, he goes with her to further the ideals he still holds. He wants to save people, no matter how he needs to do it.

      Aex
      Reply

    2. Female leaders are rare? That doesn’t ring very true, as Terra has had many in its long and storied history. This is not a flame. I just feel that you should reconsider the statement.

      SimounRules
      Reply

  104. Gee, thanks. Now there’s another series for Me to track down and watch. 😛 Offhand, the visuals are reminiscent of Spice and Wolf, eh wot? 🙂 Dude’s reaction when she took off her horns was hysterical. 😀

    SimounRules
    Reply

  106. Hey all, does anyone know where I can download the scenery background music (not OP/ED) for this anime (Maoyuu Maou Yuusha)? Specifically, I am really interested in the music played during the battle between the Knight (blonde girl with sword) and the Ice General(elephant seal with spear) in Episode 6 at 16:40 ~ 18:05. I need it for a project. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO KNOW WHERE I CAN GET THE SOUND TRACK FOR THIS.

    Music Man
    Reply

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