|
Demon King Daimao
Anime Review
Fanservice. Anyone who has been around the animated block knows that even the most erudite shows aren't immune to the impossible body shapes and compromising positions. Of course, there's a inverse where even the most fanservice laden work aren't immune to the occasional plot or enjoyable nuances. We'll be the first to admit to some guilty pleasures, but Demon King Daimao is, in fact, funny.
Abandoned as a baby, protagonist Atuko Sai grew up in a monastery, and devoted himself to a life of service. Upon coming of age, he left for the Costant Academy for Magick Arts, where he hopes to further his goals of becoming the magic Pope. Yep, Sai is so selfless that he wants to become his magical based religion's version of the Pope. All of this is to pursue his objectives of bringing sunshine, happiness, and kittens to the world.
Well, that's the plan anyway. Upon showing up and Magician U., Sai submits to a medical inspection and presentation by the school's "Sorting hat." An oracle in the shape of a cigar smoking black crow, each student is told (with 100% accuracy) what they will grow up to become. While each comes hoping to hear one thing or another, Sai was entirely flabbergasted to hear the oracle proclaim he will grow up to become a "Demon lord."
A dreaded figure, the last demon lord brought a terror so strong the modern world still hasn't recovered. Yep, according to the never wrong oracle, orphan loving do-gooder is destined to become the next terrible blight on the world. Miscommunications fly, as people devote their time to protecting/assassinating him, all the while Sai tries to prove he's a nice guy.
That's pretty much the meat and potatoes of the plot. The cast is a primarily female ensemble, of various fanservice tropes, whom against their best interests, are slowly clumped into a harem around the would-be dark overlord. With plots that involve trying to make him fall in love with one so she can take over the world, to finding the android's off button (a bunny tail right above her butt) to escape government observation, each plot takes us deeper and deeper into the kind of show you feel inexplicably guilty for watching. Take out the mammary glands and there is a really fun concept here. Come on, who doesn't enjoy the idea of an all powerful do-gooder who just can't get out of the plot shadow that he's supposed to be the all powerful bad guy? The room for miscommunications, plus good and evil companions is a recipe for success.
Ultimately, Demon King Daimao is a 12 episode "fun" series, if you can get past the rampant fanservice. At the end of the day, the show is relatively average, hiding a truly fun concept behind rampant hyper sexuality. While there are plenty of worse offenders, I think Demon King Daimao actually rises slightly above the generic trash of its brothers and sisters, though not by much.
Though, you could always just check it out for yourself at either Crunchy Roll or The Anime Network, where the entire series is hosted for free.
Reviewed by John Martone, February 2011
Below: Scenes from Demon King Daimao.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|