What’s this?
The greatest demon lord in all of history, Varvatos has reigned for several millennia as the absolute ruler. Now, he only has one thing left to do: enjoy the life of an average commoner. When he is reincarnated as a villager in a nondescript town, everything seems to go as he expected, but there is only one small problem: even when he holds back, Varvatos is still too strong. Soon, rumors about him spread and all kinds of men, women, and assailants approach him.
The Great Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody is based on Myojin Katōsoap operas and broadcasts Crunchyroll.
How was the first episode?
Rebecca Silverman
Classification:
I remember about two things from reading the first light novel this series is based on: that it was so boring, and that the title was terribly misleading. While I don’t feel like this was as boring as I thought the book was, the title is still a problem, albeit a touchy one, because while Ard is absolutely a nobody, he is by no means at all. typical. I suppose that might be the point: that in his previous life as Varvatos, a human who earned the appellation “demon lord” for his prowess and scare factor, Ard was so out of touch with what was “normal” and ” typical”. that when he was reborn with intact memories of him, he remained blissfully ignorant. But I can’t help but feel that Ard’s absurd levels of power and his exaggerated way of speaking don’t help the series much, but instead give him permission to be the typical overpowered protagonist, albeit with the social skills of a radish.
There’s something a little sad about that, of course. Varvatos seems to have been in the same position as Leo since I’m quitting being a hero in that his ability only served to make people fear him. Varvatos came to rule while Leo was expelled from the kingdom, but both seem to be looking for a friendship and acceptance that does not come. Like Ard, the former demon lord at least has some very loving parents (even if they seem more interested in each other than in his child), but that doesn’t mean he has any luck making friends. In large part, that’s because he’s the least childish kid in the whole town; even Ireena (who is probably the reincarnation of Lydia, the queen of Varvatos) does a better job being a kid while he is ridiculously powerful; Ard is basically the animated incarnation of the old “hello, fellas” meme. Presumably this is meant to be fun, but I’m with the rest of the town’s kids that it seems a bit creepy, especially once Ard focuses his friendly ardor on Ireena. Of course, once they “grow up”, Ireena does the old “sneak into her bed when she comes to see him in the morning” routine, so my sense of creepiness may be skewed.
But hey, if you’re not happy about seeing a reborn adult continue to act like an adult in a child’s body while wielding a ridiculous amount of magical power, don’t worry! Because it looks like we’re heading into magic school territory pretty soon. Even if it looked better or had a better executed story, it’s hard not to compare it to a half-dozen or so other similar shows that had slightly better hooks, and while it’s not exactly a bad episode, it’s not really great either. . Since the story seems to be heading in a relatively different direction with episode two, it may be worth the three-episode test to see where the plot settles, but otherwise there really isn’t much here to recommend it, the entertaining scene from Ard despite snapping his fingers and frying hordes of monsters behind him.
Nicholas Dupree
Classification:
It’s always weird when a show manages to exceed your expectations, but still can’t turn out to be good. Come in The greatest demon lord blah blah blah expecting basically the same show as last season The strongest sage with the weakest crest, and that ended up being half true. There’s still a plain-faced OP Potato Boy at the center of things who has all his memories of being the biggest badass to ever wield a magic circle, and by the end of this episode he’s on his way to magic school and a harem. of worship. anime girls to impress But along the way there are at least a few sparks of charm that made it a more memorable watch overall than many of these types of shows.
Almost all of that comes down to Ard and his pre-teen demon lord gimmick. The guy talks like a total idiot, and seeing a grown man in the body of a completely bumbling kid go through basic conversation is pretty funny. Little gags like monsters attacking him in the background only to turn on with a snap of their fingers are goofy enough to complement the goofy tone of him seeking friendship without being overbearing. And there’s something genuinely funny about his first friend hating him to death for most of the premiere and running from him through the streets. It’s not laugh-out-loud fun, and if you start to think about it, you feel a little annoyed by a grown man chasing a little girl despite his constant protests, but on a basic level of comedy, at least he delivers this show. . some personality
That is something that is desperately missing everywhere else. The visuals are cheap and crude, failing to sell any of the action or even the basic image of Ard flying. The character designs are that particular kind of generic that would allow you to slot them into just about any LN fantasy world with no problem, and they basically leave no impression at all. Once the jokes stop and the show tries to be serious and emotional, it becomes hard work. Ard and Ireena are flat, boring archetypes, and despite the show’s best (?) efforts, their eventual friendship is weightless, especially once we jump into their teenage years and she’s clearly in love with him, like all the girls. anime must be in the presence of a potato.
So yes, “better than expected” is sadly not the same as “good” and this premiere is here to prove it. This wasn’t as heavy a chore as I thought going into it, but that just means it felt like taking out the trash instead of mowing the lawn.