First Impressions / Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu

「魔主復活」 (Ma-nushi Fukkatsu)
“The Demon Lord’s Resurrection”

This episode is a tale of two cities, as far as ecchi goes. In the first half, of course the demon lord summoning ceremony had to turn perverted, even if it had all the sexual allure of a gynecological exam. In that instance, it struck me as almost a self-imposed requirement on the author’s part, like how a Marvel movie can never go six lines of dialogue without some kind of quip. Sometimes that can be good! Those quips are fun. But here, shoehorning ecchi into what should have been a serious moment soured it. Really, they just went too far. Rem groaning and saying suggestive lines before was fine, and just silly enough to work. Diablo becoming her OBGYN was silly in the dumb way.

Whereas, on the other hand, the two girls refilling Diablo’s MP at the end was the right kind of silly. Does it makes sense? No. Is it necessary? No. Is it funny? Yes, and there’s no non-consensual subtext (primarily because we can hear Diablo’s thoughts, and he very much wishes he could be confident in this situation instead of freaking out), so there’s no squick involved. Well, other’n how Krebskulm/Klem-chan (Tanezaki Atsumi) is somewhere between 3 hours and several decades old, but it’s magic, y’all. I’m not going to try to parse that one. The point is, it was silly and harmless and didn’t detract from anything, which made it fun. That’s the ticket.

As for the actual summoning of Klem-chan, the anti-climax had its funny moments, though the real intrigue is undoubtedly in Alicia’s true feelings. She’s become so damaged by her rotten parents and her corrupt superiors as to wish the destruction of the mortal races, becoming the very demon worshiper that Saddler seeks to root out. Are we actually in a position where that self-righteous knight templar sonofabitch might accidentally do something good? That’s intriguing if so. I’m not sure Isekai Maou will realize that opportunity, since getting rid of a haremette feels unlikely to say the least, but at least it’s an area of note. I just wish there was more mystique around the next episode. But nooooo, the spoiler previews keep killing us. Leave something to the imagination Ajia-Do, jeez!

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Preview

32 Comments

  2. The first part was so disgusting that it made Yuuna-san as a decent anime in comparison, you know? while some animes still repeat the same ecchi scenes with foolish and innocent misunderstandings, others try to be more striking and go beyond invented any magic method bullshit to have a kind of “pseudo-coition” or “pseudo oral sex” anything without getting to a real penetration, is this good or bad? I only know that the birth rate in Japan will decrease more and more.

    Fede 5000
    Reply

  3. In that instance, it struck me as almost a self-imposed requirement on the author’s part, like how a Marvel movie can never go six lines of dialogue without some kind of quip.

    You know, the series has reached a point where I’m actually bothered by the fanservice.

    Forget about ecchi, give me more nakama, secret conspiracies and subtle deconstruction of Isekai power fantasies, dammit! (Surely not the selling point the author and publisher had in mind). Heck, what I enjoyed most about the first scene was the hilarity of it. The deadpan Edelgard suggesting more outrageous things and the reactions were gold.

    I also appreciate the little details. The whole “learn how to take the collar off” episode now seems all to prepare Diablo for Krem’s rebirth (still think it should have been used at a different point in the plot, but now I see the narrative reason behind it). And now we see more of what makes a true “demon lord”.

    Diablo is incredibly powerful, and keeps boasting about being a “Demon Lord”, yet nobody treats him in the same way as Krebskulm and company. Why? Now we have a better insight: it’s not just that his race is wrong (ironic that “Demon” is one of the main races and has nothing to do with being a “Demon Lord”), but the fact that he has to rest to restore his mana reserves and that there seems to be a unique list of possible Demon Lords (rebirth included), means that he can’t be a true one in the eyes of the world inhabitants. It also suggests that there are limits not even the best player character can break.

    Good, good, limitations are good (looking at you, Overlord).

    Alicia at this point seems a better candidate for the Fallen than Edelgard. Although something tells me she would be fine with any walking calamity: she was disappointed by Krebskulm’s innocence, but also by Diablo’s mercy. Had Diablo been a psycho trying to bring chaos to the world, I suspect she would have followed him gladly.

    Mistic
    Reply

  4. I kinda liked this episode — it did have it’s over-the-top ecchi, and I think the
    author could have done better (I’m looking at you Mia with telling Satou “Back” —
    clever, funny, and solved the problem) as a way out without the “gynecological exam.”
    It’s a shame as the story line does have decent complexity and doesn’t need things
    like that to sell it.

    I’m surprised that nobody noticed Alicia’s drooling over the Demon Lord’s appearance —
    but I really felt some tenderness when Diablo princess-carried Rem after her ordeal.

    Which brings me to another point – the random appearance of the flying fallen. I’m not
    sure how that fits the plot this late in the game or what it was supposed to show us
    (other than there are dissenters even among the fallen).

    We learned nothing in particular other than how Diablo got the ring, but, who cares?
    I was a little disappointed in that Edelgard is kind of an ally now (this is what I
    meant about decent complexity in the story line – same objectives but different reasons),
    but Diablo did not offer her a healing potion.

    I think this Anime, while it has it moments, could have been a much stronger series
    with just a little more plot-effort…

    mac65
    Reply

  5. IMO ecchi inclusion is a necessary evil in the current LN industry, especially if the books are targeted to male readers. Competition means writers keep trying to outdo their rivals in appealing to that pandered core demographic, especially in fanservice.

    Some writers have (jokingly) refer to their ecchi-writing skills as the pinnacle of their literary skills, but still believe strong plotting is key to making the ecchi work – like Kuji Masamune, Masou Gakuen’s author.

    (I’ve heard of)…Masou Gakuen being alluded as adult-oriented/erotic…, but I interpreted them positively like ‘Those are (praises) for the height of my writing ability!’ (lol)

    However as much as I was highlighting the eros, the drama and (worldbuilding) became even more important than that…I think a solid setting and drama is necessary to become a firm foundation(…to support the erotic stuff). Without that, the persuasiveness about the necessity of the characters doing the erotic act won’t be created. Without that it won’t be possible to support the story unless the ero scene’s density and elaborateness are increased by many times over.

    https://bakapervert.wordpress.com/hxh-vol-13-afterword/

    zztop
    Reply

    1. Amen. It’s kind of funny, because it’s exactly like porn/one night stands vs sex in a real, adult relationship: the former is empty and hollow, while the latter is nourished by real connections and hard work. Doesn’t mean the former can’t be fun on occasion, it just doesn’t enrich the soul. Same dealio.

      Stilts
      Reply

  7. https://randomc.net/image/Isekai%20Maou%20to%20Shoukan%20Shoujo%20no%20Dorei%20Majutsu/Isekai%20Maou%20to%20Shoukan%20Shoujo%20no%20Dorei%20Majutsu%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2011.jpg
    This is the first time I have seen such a cute demon lord. If Diablo makes a child with Klem-chan, I wonder how strong the kid would be.

    https://randomc.net/image/Isekai%20Maou%20to%20Shoukan%20Shoujo%20no%20Dorei%20Majutsu/Isekai%20Maou%20to%20Shoukan%20Shoujo%20no%20Dorei%20Majutsu%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2029.jpg
    Notably, i am wondering if this was Klem’s true form or this is just the product of imagination by the game makers of Diablo’s world.

    As for Alicia, she obviously had a miserable childhood, no wonder she wants genocide on mortals; the first people she wants dead is probably her family. I do wonder what books her parents threw away. I do hate parents that destroy a child’s possessions while giving the cheap excuse like “this is for your own good”. Notably her parents sound like racists since they said “when danger occurs, protect Humans first, demi-humans come after.” Racists parents obviously deserve a rebellious child that would one day overthrow them.

    As for that crazy Paladin, Diablo obviously should have killed him was he was still in stone.

    Greed
    Reply

  8. Did anyone else think that having Diablo transfer a substantial portion of his magic into Krebskulm in order to revive her and then immediately challenge her to a battle might not have been the greatest tactical planning? Of course he lucked out of having to fight her, but still…

    Kling Klang
    Reply

    2. The anime skipped a fairly large number of details in this episode, including Diablo using one of the only mana potions he has on him in preparation as Krebskrem was just starting to manifest.

      Wanderer
      Reply

      2. I just snuck a peek at the manga. Strange that the anime cut out the mana potion use. It only took about three panels in the manga and could have been inserted in the anime in about ten seconds.

        Kling Klang
        Reply

  9. I guess the show’s title make even more sense right now. Anytime a “Demon Lord” is summoned, things backfire in some way. At first I tought it was only about Diablo’s summon, but it makes more sense this way.

    ruicarlov
    Reply

  10. One thing I don’t understand is how Diablo, a sorcerer class who is supposed to have only magic attacks, even managed to beat the demon lord Envkaros, someone who has the OP magic reflection

    Atsu
    Reply

    2. I had thought the same thing, but as Enan84 said, Diablo was concerned about effects that could bypass his magic reflection even in this episode. Thought it’s still crazy he beat the demon lord first with that handicap.

      Stilts
      Reply

  13. well, I didn’t expect Krebskulm to be… well being herself. more Overloli than Overlord…
    join the light side, we have biscuits
    biscuits >>>>> killing mortals
    even more suprising was Alicia and her true face…
    Imperial Knight, exemplar of law and goodness, wishing for destruction of all mortals?

    ewok40k
    Reply

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