The following contains spoilers for Episode 1 of The Devil is a Part-Timer Season 2, “The Devil Screams in Sasazuka” now streaming onCrunchyroll.
After nine long yearsThe Devil is a Part-Timer!has finally returned to grace screens once again. The long-awaited second season picks up aftera short time skipfrom where the prior season left off. Despite this slight jump, the story largely continues uninterrupted and with the same level of humor and realism that fans grew to love in season one. However, the stakes are raised by the end of this episode and a whole new conflict is hinted at for the Hero and Demon King to deal with over the course of what promises to be an amazing new season.
The Devil is a Part-Timer!follows the story of Sadao, formerly known as Satan, as he attempts to take over Earth by climbing the ranks of a fast food chain after escaping from his home world through a dimensional gate. He is thwarted and aided by Emi, a hero from their shared homeland of Ente Isla as she believes that it is her sworn duty to deal with the devil. Throughout the show, various supporters of both factions are thrown into the midst, and the lines between good and evil are blurred by the complex realities of human (and demon) nature.
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What has Changed?
The first and most obvious difference between season one and season two is the animation style. Both Emi and Chi have their styles and looks altered for this opening episode. Though these changes are notso dramatic as a haircutor dye jobs, the subtle shapes of their faces have changed. Some of the more stern angles on Emi’s face are rounded out giving her a softer overall appearance. The girls are also given new outfits, although Suzuno seems to be exempt from the fashion alterations.
The most notable change; however, was the introduction of a wildcard character, Alas Ramus in the final few minutes. While she claims to be the child of Emi and Sadao, this has yet to be proven. Her introduction mayfurther blur the linesbetween good and evil as it is likely that the two will have to work together to co-parent the toddler. Or perhaps they will simply turn her over to Ashiya and Urushihara.
What is Still the Same?
The heartbeat of season one was a unique brand of fish-out-of-water humor as the beings from Ente Isla attempt to navigate the mundane world of Japan while stillmanaging the complex politicsand powers from their native lands. This delightfully has not changed at all in the second season. Suzuno retains her innocent charm, although it is now juxtaposed against the last season’s reveal of her background.
For example, Ashiya and Urushihara spend the entire episode bickering over household choresand their respective contributionsto the Devil’s Castle as they call their small apartment. Sadao chooses to leave in the midst of this conflict between the two and of course, knocks over Emi on his way out. Although they did choose to skip the running gag of her falling down the stairs, as this time she simply fell back into the hallway.
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Even the treatment of Sariel and the introduction of Alas Ramus fits wonderfully into the formula created in the first season. Sariel is arguably the only indication of a time skip in between seasons. Sadao attempted to send him back to Ente Isla but instead sent him into his place of work,effectively stranding the angelon Earth. He, like the rest of the main cast, has integrated nearly seamlessly with human society and has unfortunately gained quite a lot of weight. Each Ente Isla native has slotted themselves neatly into a different societal archetype so far as they grow accustomed to this world.
Alas Ramus for her part will serve to keep the group reminded about the struggles of Ente Isla and connected to their homeland. Each time so far thata threat from the homelandhas been neutralized they are adapted into the overarching goals of Sadao. Subsequently, they are replaced by another entity from Ente Isla. While it is unclear whether she will ultimately be on the side of the demons or with Emi, or even with the church, it is guaranteed that she will be the crux of conflict for at least a portion of this new season.
Overall Impressions
This new episode, although it shows some visual differences from the preceding season, still has the same heart that viewers grew to love. The humor was exactly on par with what viewers have come to expect, and the storylines seem like they will continue to subtly addressthe shades of grayin a black versus white conflict while more overtly creating awkward situations for magical beings to deal with in mundane fashions.
Hopefully, the new animation doesn’t indicate any other more deeply rooted changes in the characters, for example, the softening of Emi should stay just visual, as her harsh personality is what endeared so many viewers the first time around. In all this is shaping up to be a phenomenal addition to a well-liked anime series!
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