Review of "The Testament of Sister New Devil: Departures": A fascinating story and deep characters

The Testament of Sister New Devil DEPARTURES - Shinmai Maou no Testament Departures - Review and Recommendation

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Light novel

■ Release date

January 27, 2018 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Kadokawa Animation

■Frequencies

60 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Tsutomu Uesugi, Okuma Nekosuke

■ Director

Hisashi Saito

■ Production

Animation production: Production Iams

■Works

©2018 Tsutomu Uesugi, Nitroplus/KADOKAWA/"The Testament of Sister New Devil DEPARTURES" Production Committee

■ Story

Basara and his friends have finally settled the battle for supremacy that has engulfed the entire Demon World, and are back to a peaceful daily life. One day, Mio and the others start "naughty bath bubble indulgence," and at Maria's suggestion, the group goes to an indoor pool. However, Basara's sudden action activates Mio's aphrodisiac curse! Mio writhes in agony, and Basara makes up his mind to go into the pool...!? Meanwhile, Yuzuki and Kurumi receive an order from the Hero's Village, where disturbing movements are taking place. After a brief respite, the curtain rises on Basara and the others' exciting vacation!!

■Explanation

The original work is a light novel by Tsutomu Uesugi with illustrations by Nekosuke Okuma (Nitroplus). It has been published by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko since 2012, and six paperback volumes have been released to date. It has been called "the ultimate desire action that goes beyond the limits of light novels" and its classic, stylish action and extreme depictions of ecstasy have become a hot topic, leading to manga adaptations in the comic magazines "Monthly Shonen Ace" (manga by Miyako Kashiwa/KADOKAWA Kadokawa Shoten) and "Young Animal Arashi" (manga by Kiso Fumihiro/Hakusensha). The total number of copies of the paperback and comics has now exceeded 800,000. The momentum is unstoppable, and it has gone beyond the realm of light novels and comics, and it has finally been decided that it will be made into a TV anime in January 2015! A completely new OVA of a heaven-shattering ecstasy battle action!!

■Cast

・Tojo Basara/Nakamura Yuichi・Naruse Mio/Asai Ayaka・Nonaka Yuzuki/Bridcutt Sarah Emi・Naruse Maria/Fukuhara Kaori・Hasegawa Chisato/Asakawa Yu・Tojo Jin/Fujiwara Keiji・Takigawa Yahiro/Sugita Tomokazu・Nonaka Kurumi/Nomizu Iori・Hayase Takashi/Inoue Tsuyoshi・Shiba Kyoichi/Hirakawa Daisuke・Zest/Yoshida Seiko・Sakazaki Mamoru/Tsuda Kenjiro

■ Main staff

・Original illustrations by: Pandasuke Okuma (Nitroplus)
・Planning/Takeshi Yasuda・Director/Hisashi Saito・Series composition, scriptwriting/Takao Yoshioka・Character design/Yoshihiro Watanabe・Chief animation directors/Yoshihiro Watanabe, Hong Shen・Main animators/Masami Imai, Kazuya Morimae・Action animator/Eiji Ishimoto・Monster design/Shimpei Kobayashi・Design works/Masami Imai, Mina Otaka, Takehiro Ishimoto・Color design/Takao Kanakubo (TripleA)
・2D design, special effects/Tomoki Murakami ・Art director/Ryoka Kinoshita (Mimine)
・Art setting/Saya Kinjo (Mimine)
・Art/Miho ・Director of Photography/Yokoyama Tsubasa (T2 studio)
・Photography: T2 studio
Edited by Yoshiaki Kimura (IMAGICA)
・Executive Producer: Takeshi Yasuda ・Producer: Chiaki Kurakane ・Animation Producer: Niyuu Oki ・Production Producer: Naoto Awano ・Animation Production: Production Iams

■ Main Characters

Tojo Basara: "An older brother is someone who will protect his sister even if the whole world is against him!"
A male student who lives with his father. He is confused by his sudden new step-sister. His true identity is that of a former hero and he vows to use his powers to protect the sisters.
- Naruse Mio "Please, stay like this... If you move, I'll kill you a hundred times."
A stubborn, busty beauty who became Basara's step-sister. She is actually the daughter of the previous Demon King and has inherited his powers.
- Naruse Maria "What other use is there for a step-sister besides training her?"
Basara's step-sister. Her true identity is a succubus, and despite her loli appearance, she does naughty things to Basara and Mio.
Nonaka Yuuki: "Basara, I thought you were angry. Because... you didn't look happy even though I hugged you."
Basara's childhood friend. He has an emotional reunion with Basara, who has just transferred to the school, but...
・Tojo Jin "My little sister is great. She's cute, kind, and gentle. And she wakes me up in the morning."
Basara's father, a highly skilled photographer who travels the world. But what is his true identity...?
- Chisato Hasegawa "The problem isn't the number...it's the quality of your allies"
The beautiful school nurse at Seiseizaka Academy, where Basara and his friends attend.
- Takikawa Yahiro "Too bad for you, Basachi. You're very much mistaken if you think you can have it easy by yourself."
A classmate of Basara and friends. He is friendly with Basara, who feels out of place at school after transferring there, but...
Nonaka Kurumi: "You have no idea what my sister has been thinking these past five years!"
Yuzuki's younger sister. An assassin from the Hero Clan who is after Mio. She thinks Basara, who is trying to protect Mio, is a traitor.
Zest: "The scheme worked just as Your Excellency had planned."
A trusted subordinate of the demon Zolgia, who killed Mio's adoptive parents.

■ Theme songs and music

Theme song
Over The Testament"
Song: Metamorphose

Evaluation

"The Testament of Sister New Devil Departures" is a long-awaited OVA movie based on the original light novel, and is an important episode depicting a new development in the series. In just 60 minutes, it gets to the heart of the story and succeeds in bringing out the charm of the characters to the fullest.

The story depicts the new adventures of Basara and his friends, who have returned to a peaceful daily life after the end of the battle for supremacy in the demon world. The episode begins with Mio and the others having a naughty bath bubble feast, and while it is a familiar situation to fans, the new developments make it feel fresh. In particular, the scene in which Basara's sudden action causes Mio to activate an aphrodisiac curse is an exquisite blend of tension and comedy, drawing viewers in. The pool scene is also an important moment that deepens the relationships between the characters, and the depiction of Basara's determination and Mio's anguish adds depth to the story.

The character portrayals are also superb. In particular, Basara's line, "An older brother is someone who protects his sister even if the whole world is against him!", symbolizes his strong will and love for his step-sister, and strikes a chord with the viewers. Mio's line, "Please, stay like this... If you move, I'll kill you a hundred times," conveys her strength and vulnerability at the same time, enhancing the charm of her character. Maria's line, "What other use is there for a step-sister besides training her?", expresses her succubus traits and humor, entertaining the viewers.

The acting of the cast was also excellent, with Nakamura Yuichi as Basara, Asai Ayaka as Mio, and Fukuhara Kaori as Maria all expressing the individuality of each character. Mio's sad expression and Basara's determined voice in particular stir the emotions of the audience. Bridcutt Sarah Emi as Yuzuki and Nomizu Iori as Kurumi also portrayed the emotions of their characters realistically, adding depth to the story.

The work of the main staff should also not be overlooked. Director Saito Hisashi has succeeded in drawing out the charm of the original work to the fullest while depicting the story from a new perspective. Yoshioka Takao, who was in charge of series composition and scriptwriting, skillfully controls the development of the story within the short 60-minute time slot, ensuring that viewers do not tire of it. Additionally, character designer Watanabe Yoshihiro has provided designs that bring out the charm of the characters to the fullest, making for plenty of visual appeal. Production I.G.S., which was in charge of animation, has delivered high-quality animation that meets viewers' expectations.

The theme song "Over the Testament" also matches the atmosphere of the story, and Metamorphose's singing voice draws the audience in. The strength and beauty of the song symbolizes the theme of the story and elevates the emotions of the audience.

Recommendation

"The Testament of Sister New Devil: Departures" is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for viewers who want to enjoy a fusion of action and ecstasy. In particular, the scenes depicting the relationships and growth of the characters have the power to capture the hearts of viewers. Also, in the short 60 minutes, the story unfolds to the core, so viewers will not tire of it. The acting of the cast and the skill of the staff are also superb, making it a work that is both visually and aurally satisfying.

To enjoy this work, we recommend that you check out the original light novel and TV anime version beforehand. By doing so, you will be able to understand the background of the characters and the flow of the story more deeply, and you will be able to get the most out of the movie version. Also, since it contains some extreme depictions, such as the pool scene and Mio's aphrodisiac curse, you should take that into consideration when watching.

"The Testament of Sister New Devil: Departures" is a key episode that depicts new developments in the series, making it a must-watch for fans. Viewers who want to enjoy the charm of the characters and the development of the story should definitely check it out.