Hataraku Maou-sama! – 08-09

If looks could kill.

After a long break, we’re back with more Hataraku Maou-sama! But first, I should apologize for my lack of content lately. I was out of town last week during the Memorial Day weekend, so I was unable to cover my shows during that time. And since returning, I managed to catch a cold, from which I am only just recovering. I’m mostly over it now though, so expect me to get back on schedule with Maou-sama! and SNAFU this week.

Whoops~

Let’s kick this double episode feature off with Yusa and Suzuno’s hilarious exchange at the train station. As expected from last time, the misunderstanding between the two would undoubtedly lead to an entertaining conversation, and this is exactly what we get. It is confirmed that Suzuno’s primary objective is to eliminate Maou, but as the inquisitor, she has also been tasked with investigating Yusa’s allegience. Luckily for the hero, the constant quarreling between her and the demon lord actually pays off this time, as Suzuno concludes that the two are not conspiring against the church together. I have to wonder how long Suzuno will listen to Yusa, however, as the former has come to Japan dead set on killing Maou, while the latter has become much more tolerant of his existence than she would like to admit. While Yusa may not be outright colluding with the demon lord, she’s certainly not actively aiming to take him down either. And I would think that this will eventually put the hero at odds with the inquisitor, who might perceive inaction as a betrayal of the church.

Speaking of the inquisitor, I find it amusing how Suzuno’s knowledge of Japan comes from historical dramas and Showa era documentaries. This certainly explains her antiquated mannerisms and old-fashioned choice of dress, but consider the consequences of her misinformation. Suzuno is supposed to be the inquisitor; the elite agent of the church, chosen to seek out and eliminate those who would oppose the church’s doctrine. Yet this very elite agent has jumped into her job with outdated information, which should by all rights only draw all the more attention to her when stealth is of importance. She’s supposed to blend into modern-day Japan in order to approach Maou without any suspicions, right? And I guess technically she does succeed at this in the end, but I think it was mostly blind luck that the demons weren’t wary of such an eccentric girl moving in next door.

Plot Thickening

Last time, we were also introduced to a new, mysterious assailant, who can shoot beams from his eyes. Given his physical similarities to Lucifer, I speculated that the fallen angel might in fact be the culprit. But come these latest episodes, we are suddenly introduced to a new character, Saruue Mitsuki, who smells awfully fishy. In his first appearance, the mysterious assailant wore a ski mask that hid his entire face save his eyes. On the other hand, Mitsuki constantly wears shades, even when he’s indoors. Coincidence? I think not. After all, the only identifying characteristic we have of the assailant so far is his eye color. And guess whose eye color we can’t tell? The assailant was also hit with a paintball during the scuffle, which Yusa claims would have left a distinctive smell. And it just so happens that Mitsuki is said to use way too much cologne. Sounds like someone is covering up a certain smell? Also notable is the fact that Mitsuki is the manager of the brand new “Sentucky Fried Chicken” which opened across the street from Maou’s MgRonald’s. This puts him in a position to keep an eye on the demon lord without seeming too out of place. Of course, he certainly stands out as MgRonald’s main competitor, but any further suspicions would be dispelled by exactly that; he’s just a competitor and nothing more. If he’s some sort of assassin, he’s done a pretty good job of blending in.

That said, I’m a little skeptical that Mitsuki might end up actually being the assailant. It just seems all too easy. A new enemy is introduced, followed shortly by a new character? Seems legit. Granted, it also felt too simple to peg the blame onto Lucifer yet again. And Lucifer definitely looks to be mostly declawed after his previous conflict with Maou. So maybe it really will turn out to be Mitsuki. Who knows? I wouldn’t object to Maou teaching him a lesson anyway. The guy is such a sleazeball. Even Yusa’s busybody coworker Rika can’t stand him. The only question now is what his motives would be and what faction he belongs to. We know the assailant was able to dispell Yusa’s sacred sword, which Yusa claims as proof that he cannot be a demon. This would suggest that if anything, Mitsuki is not another power hungry demon. But what is he really? Maybe an angel? I dunno what kind of angel wields a scythe though.

Extras

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So as you can probably tell, Maou-sama! is stepping up its plot game again. We have the determined Suzuno, who was shooting Maou a rather dangerous gaze by the end of episode nine. I hope she doesn’t lose it and go after Maou’s life right then and there. And we also have the unpleasant Mitsuki, who fits the bill too easily for the identity of the mysterious assailant. I don’t know what he has in store for Maou, but if he truly is the assailant, he’s already made a move against Yusa. And speaking of these two, I wonder what the deal is with the mysterious purple glowing around the bamboo? Suzuno certainly noticed it (and Yusa, for that matter), and she didn’t exactly look too pleased about it. Perhaps she thought Maou was manipulating the people somehow? And maybe I’m reading into it too much, but the glow reminds me strongly of the assailant’s eye beam and Lucifer’s own attacks. All are purple in hue, and we know for a fact that Lucifer is a fallen angel. Does this further suggest that Mitsuki is an angel (again, assuming he is the assailant)? What about the glow though? I doubt Mitsuki was responsible for that, and it’s also interesting that it seems to emanate from the wishes that the people have written. I’m really going out on a limb here, but could it be a sort of power derived from positive emotions? We already know that it’s possible to draw power from negative emotions, so what’s to say the same can’t be done for positive ones?

Finally, I should leave off with some good ‘ol romance to stay true to the show’s advertised genre. Episode eight sees an outright confession from Chi-chan to Maou. I would think that this will get the ball rolling between the two, but then it all seems to be forgotten completely in episode nine. Admittedly, there was a bit of interruption in the form of Suzuno, but I still feel really sorry for Chi-chan. If you think about it, the poor girl’s being friend-zoned very badly. What more could she possibly do to get Maou to return her feelings? If anything, he should at least give her a proper response to make it clear if he will ever see her as more than just a colleage. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

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