The appeal and evaluation of the first season of "Kyou Kara Maou!": The beginning of a new demon king legend

Today is Maou! [First Season] - Kyokara Maou! Daiikki

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Light novel

■ Broadcast period

April 3, 2004 - February 12, 2005
NHKBS2 April 3, 2004 to February 12, 2005 (Episodes 1 to 39) Every Saturday 9:00 to 9:25

■Broadcasting station

NHK ETV

■Frequencies

25 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 39

■Original Story

From "Today I'm a freelancer starting with the letter (M)!" by Tomo Takabayashi

■ Director

Junji Nishimura

■ Production

Produced by Studio Deen Produced and written by NHK Co-produced by Sogo Vision

■Works

©Tomo Qiaobayashi/KADOKAWA/NHK/NEP

■ Story

Occupation: Demon King. I, Shibuya Yuuri, was born into this world like any other, grew up as a normal baseball player, and became a normal high school student, but there was one thing that made me different... I was the Demon King.

■Explanation

・What is the original work "Freelance Work Starting Today!"?
The "Start a Freelance Job Today!" series, currently being published by Kadokawa Beans Bunko, has garnered enthusiastic fans among elementary and junior high school girls, but the protagonist, Shibuya Yuuri, a "normal, energetic and straightforward boy," and the other main characters surrounding him are also appealing to elementary and junior high school boys and people in their 20s and 30s. The series has gained support from a wide range of readers as a fantasy that is "conventional yet unique." The original author, Takabayashi Tomo, is a powerful newcomer who made his paperback debut with this work. He continues to captivate readers with his outstanding writing sense and stories that are focused on entertainment.

・What is the anime "Kyou Kara Maou!?"
A lively and light-hearted story, many famous lines that will make you laugh, a cast of good-for-nothing characters, and the cathartic story of rewarding good and punishing evil - in the midst of all this, the protagonist, Demon King Yuri, delves into his own sense of justice and steadily grows by involving the people around him. He overcomes every major incident one after another with his flexible thinking and natural cheerfulness.
You'll laugh and get excited along with Yuri, but there will also be heart-wrenching moments in each episode, making this a feel-good, high-tension fantasy!

Yuri's perspective exposes the injustice of the world. The protagonist Yuri feels intense anger at such injustices as war, which results in many casualties, a world where those in power oppress the socially weak, and cowardly acts such as betrayal and breaking the rules.
In fact, Yuri has experienced very little in his 15 years of life. However, he thinks hard and tries to determine his own sense of justice based on the knowledge and morals he has learned at school, in club activities, and at home.
"I wonder how many people I can make smile."
That is the guiding principle of the protagonist, Shibuya Yuuri.

・Demon Lord Yuri, invincible lord mode!
When the rage gauge reaches its maximum, Demon King Yuri will change drastically.
Yuri's personality has changed and his tone has become more period drama-like - Yuri, the "Your Lord" who follows the "hate the sin, not the sinner" approach, is invincible.
Yuri has great potential as a demon king, so he defeats villains using powerful magic that others cannot imitate.

・Handsome yet quirky characters!
One of the characteristics of the series is that it features many main characters who are "good-looking but a little strange."
For example, Gunther, the lieutenant general, writes a diary full of delusions because of his love for His Majesty Yuri, the eldest son Gwendal loves cute things and his hobby is making crocheted dolls, the third son Wolfram has such a clear-spoken prince-like temperament that his brothers call him "Selfish Poo," and even the second son Conrad, who seems normal at first glance, sometimes cracks lame old man jokes that freeze those around him.
The "common sense" of True Demon Kingdom is strange to the Japanese, Shibuya Yuuri, so Yuri often finds himself "pointing it out" to them because of this gap.

■Cast

・Yuri/Takahiro Sakurai ・Conrad/Tomoyuki Morikawa ・Wolfram/Mitsuki Saiga ・Gwendal/Akio Otsuka ・Günther/Kazuhiko Inoue ・Tseri/Masako Katsuo ・Anissina/Minami Takayama ・Yozak/Masanobu Takeda ・Ken Murata/Yuki Miyata

■ Main staff

・Original work / Takabayashi Satoshi・Character concept / Matsumoto Temari・Director / Nishimura Junji・Series composition / Mende Akemi・Character design / Kudo Yuka・Concept design / Aoki Tomoyuki, Kosaka Satoshi, Okazaki Tomogai, Miyawaki Kenshi・Art director / Koyama Toshihisa・Color design / Matsumoto Shinji・Directors of photography / Kondo Shinyo, Shimozaki Akira・Music / Yoshikawa Yoichiro・Sound directors / Nakano Toru, Takadera Yu・Sound effects / Kurahashi Shizuo・Animation producers / Noguchi Kazunori, Urasaki Norimitsu・Producer / Shibata Yuji・Animation production / Studio Deen・Co-production / Sogo Vision・Copyright / NHK

■ Main Characters

・Yuri (Shibuya advantage)
The protagonist. Almost 16 years old. A high school student who was flushed down a toilet and became the 27th Demon King. He has a strong competitive spirit and a strong sense of justice. His father is a banker, his mother has girlish tastes, and his older brother is a talented person.
・Conrad (Lord Weller)
The second son of the previous king. Although he is the son of the Demon King, he is not included in the Ten Nobles of True Demon Kingdom because his father is human. A good young man with a light-hearted personality and flexible thinking. When he went to Earth, he met Yuri's mother and became Yuri's godfather.
・Wolfram (Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld)
The third son of the former king. A nagging, selfish, beautiful boy, his pride as a demon is higher than a mountain. Through an unexpected turn of events, he becomes Yuri's fiance.
・Gwendal (Gwendal, Lord von Voltaire)
The eldest son of the former king. He cares about the demons and True Demon Kingdom more than anyone else. He has a stern appearance and is a cold-hearted sarcastic person. His secret hobby is making crocheted dolls. He likes small and cute things.
・Günther (Lord von Kleist Günther)
He is the king's assistant, meaning he is the prime minister and tutor to the king. He excels in both the arts and martial arts, and has the highest level of magical power. He is also the most beautiful person in the True Demon Kingdom, so he is a perfect person, but when it comes to Yuri, he tends to lose his mind.
・Celi (Lord von Spitzweg Cecilie)
The former Demon King and current High King. A sexy beauty who is hard to believe is the mother of three demon brothers, she calls herself the "Hunter of Love." Her dream is to travel freely and for love.
・Anisina (Lord von Karbelnikov Anisina)
Nicknamed the "Red Devil," she is a mad magicalist who conducts troublesome experiments every day in order to improve the status of women and apply magic to everyday life. She is strong-willed and doesn't listen to others.
・Yozak (Grillet Yozak)
A childhood friend of Conrad's and a veteran soldier. He also likes to cross-dress as an intelligence agent. He feels frustrated by the demons' contempt for humans.
- Ken Murata Yuri's classmate in junior high school. When he first tried to help Yuri after he was harassed by delinquents, that was the beginning of Yuri's troubles.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Drifted to another world (2004/04/03)
Episode 2: Duel! Beautiful Boy vs. Baseball Boy (2004/04/10)
・Episode 3: Shibuya Yuuri! I am the Demon King (2004/04/17)
Episode 4: The ultimate weapon this time!? (2004/04/24)
・Episode 5: Sailor Suit and the Angry Boy (2004/05/01)
Episode 6: The Terror of the Man-Eating Demon Sword, Morgif? (2004/05/08)
Episode 7: Out of Control? Lost? Magic Sword Activated! (2004/05/15)
Episode 8: Conspiracy Under the Moon (2004/05/22)
Episode 9: Stolen Treasure (2004/05/29)
Episode 10: The Approaching Hand of Evil! (2004/06/05)
Episode 11: A War Begins Beyond the Dimension (2004/06/12)
Episode 12: Chains of Love and Fate (2004/06/26)
Episode 13: The Bride, Yuuri, and Gwendal (2004/07/03)
Episode 14: Advantages, Hard Work (2004/07/10)
Episode 15: Rain in the Desert (2004/07/17)
・Episode 16/Demon King's Hunt! (2004/07/24)
Episode 17: I'm getting remarried (2004/08/28)
・Episode 18: For That Love (2004/09/04)
・Episode 19: Hero vs. Demon King Part 1 (2004/09/11)
・Episode 20: Hero vs. Demon King, Part 2 (2004/09/18)
・Episode 21: Dangerous Visitor (2004/09/25)
Episode 22: The Man of Destiny (2004/10/02)
Episode 23: Race of Fire (2004/10/09)
Episode 24: The Unforgiven (2004/10/16)
Episode 25: Past and Future (2004/10/23)
Episode 26: At the End of Life (2004/10/30)
Episode 27: Conrad's Arm (2004/11/06)
Episode 28: A Violent Reunion (2004/11/13)
Episode 29: The Horror Prologue (2004/11/20)
Episode 30: The Forbidden Box (2004/11/27)
Episode 31: The Ends of the Earth (2004/12/04)
Episode 32: Locked Memories (2004/12/11)
Episode 33: Fast and Furious! Snow Sled Race (2004/12/18)
Episode 34: Hot Battle at the Coliseum!? (2005/01/08)
Episode 35: Snowy Land (2005/01/15)
・Episode 36: Farewell Conrad (2005/01/22)
Episode 37: The Whereabouts of the Box (2005/01/29)
Episode 38: Gunther vs. Conrad (2005/02/05)
・Episode 39: Your Name is the Demon King (2005/02/12)

■ Related works

・Today, Maou! Season 2 ・Today, Maou! Season 3 ・Today, Maou! R

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・In the Endless Faraway Sky ・Lyrics by Takanori Sakamoto ・Music by Takehiro Ota ・Singer by THE STAND UP

・ED1
・Sweet Happiness・Lyrics by Takanori Sakamoto・Music by Takehiro Ota・Singer by THE STAND UP

Today, King Maou! [First Season] - Kyokara Maou! Daiikki Review

"Kyou Kara Maou!" is an anime series that aired from 2004 to 2005, and is based on the light novel "Kyou Kara Maou!" by Takabayashi Tomo. The story is about Shibuya Yuuri, an ordinary high school student who is suddenly summoned to another world one day and becomes the 27th Demon King. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and characteristics of this anime, as well as its evaluation.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Kyou Kara Maou!" is a perfect blend of humor and fantasy. The protagonist, Shibuya Yuuri, is an ordinary high school student who becomes a demon king in another world. His sense of justice, competitive spirit, and humorous personality draw viewers in. The culture and customs of the other world, as well as his interactions with the unique characters he meets there, add depth to the story.

Of particular note is Yuri's attitude of pursuing "his own justice." He feels strong anger toward unreasonable events such as war, the tyranny of those in power, and betrayal, and tries to resolve them. This theme forces viewers to think deeply, while Yuri's cheerfulness and flexible thinking keep the story light-hearted. Furthermore, scenes in which he enters "Lord mode" provide catharsis for the viewer and heighten the tension of the story.

Character Appeal

The characters in "Kyou Kara Maou!" are beautiful yet unique, making a strong impression on viewers. In particular, the main characters of Shinmakoku who support Yuri each have their own unique charms. For example, the king's assistant Gunther has a strong love for Yuri and is sometimes seen to indulge in comical delusions. Gwendal also has a charming contrast to his strict appearance, as he enjoys making crocheted dolls as a hobby. Wolfram's selfish prince-like temperament and Conrad's light-hearted personality also add color to the story.

These characters grow through their interactions with Yuri and impress the viewers. Their "good-looking but slightly odd" personalities, combined with Yuri's tsukkomi, make the viewers laugh.

Animation and Music

The animation for "Kyou Kara Maou!" is produced by Studio Deen, and features beautiful character designs and background art. The otherworldly landscapes and magic scenes are particularly visually enjoyable. Additionally, the music by Yoshikawa Yoichiro is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story. The opening theme "Hatenashi Naku Toi Sora ni" and the ending theme "Suteki na Shiawase" are a perfect match of THE STAND UP's powerful vocals, Takanori Sakamoto's lyrics, and Takehiro Ota's composition, capturing the hearts of viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Kyou Kara Maou!" has been highly praised as a work that combines fantasy and humor. In particular, the growth of the main character Yuri, the individuality of the characters, and the otherworldly setting are appealing. Furthermore, the entertainment value of the original light novel is faithfully reproduced in the anime, so fans of the original will be satisfied with the content.

This work is highly recommended for fans of fantasy and humor, as well as those who enjoy stories set in alternate worlds and character development. Furthermore, even those who have not read the original light novel can enjoy the content, making it a work that will appeal to a wide range of people.

Related works and sequels

In addition to the first season, "Kyou Kara Maou!" has sequels, the second and third seasons, and "Kyou Kara Maou! R". These sequels depict Yuri's further adventures and new developments for the characters, making them a must-read for fans. The original light novel is also still being published, so you can enjoy the rest of the story.

"Kyou Kara Maou!" is a fascinating work that combines fantasy and humor, providing viewers with excitement and laughter. The story, woven together by the growth of the main character Yuri, the unique characters, and the setting of another world, is sure to be loved by a wide range of people. Please watch this work and experience its charm for yourself.