The Devil is a Part-Timer!
It’s very rare that a synopsis of a show will make me go: “This. I want to absorb this into my very essence.” I think The Devil is a Part-Timer gets me with its first line. The Devil, escaping a losing battle against a destined hero, lands in modern day Tokyo where, in order to survive, he must get a job flipping burgers. What starts as a drama quickly shifts gears into a comedy, and it’s actually pretty funny. The premise alone is worth a giggle, but they really sell it. When Satan comes over to Tokyo from Ente Island (the world they’re all from) his cohort and himself have lost almost all of their magic abilities. They use what little they have left to create false identities, but realize they still need a job since they’re now like humans and have to eat. The only job available is a part time job at MgRonalds selling shitty food.
What I appreciate is the fact that they don’t try to make jokes about the ultimate evil working in fast food. That’s just a part of life. Sure, when the Hero comes to Tokyo after the Devil, she pokes fun at the fact that he’s only a low-level employee. But that’s just because the Hero is kind of a bitch. That’s where a lot of the comedy comes from. The Devil is a genuinely pleasant guy. He doesn’t try and do anything evil; in fact he seems to go out of his way to be as polite and courteous as possible. He’s just content living life. The Hero, however, freaks the fuck out just because he’s the Devil and surely he’s up to something. Seriously, the first thing she does when she confirms she’s found him is to pull out a knife. Who does that? Honestly?
When the plot is revealed (and they’ve finished establishing the main characters) it turns out that the good guys on Ente Island are teaming up with the bad guys to try and kill the Devil and the Hero while they’re in Tokyo. But honestly it’s just a setup for more jokes about the tropes of this kind of action drama. It seems like every major plot point is just another chance to poke fun at storytelling in general. And I like it. The cast of characters is as ridiculous as it is endearing, the artwork is simply beautiful, and the faces they animate are worth watching alone. I’ve seen this said all over the place, but I swear 40% of the animation budget is spent on the Hero’s face alone.
The Devil is a Part-Timer is a seriously funny anime that I highly recommend to anyone who doesn’t mind a show that makes fun of itself. The first 7 episodes are available on Hulu and new episodes air every Thursday. Check it out!
About the Author
Greg Giannetti A king among men, this miraculous example of perfection graces us with his presence on the internets where he can write about his opinions on things that totally matter. Greg also knows the true secret to life - lots of naps.
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