Studio: Arms
Publisher: Enterbrain
Genre: Adventure, Demons, Fantasy, Romance
Release: S1 (2013)
“After a long and treacherous journey, our Hero finally arrives at the Demon King’s castle only to find himself being asked for help. The Hero explains how the war that the demons have brought upon the humans have killed thousands and put more in misery. The queen of demons however argues that this war has made the human society band together as one and showed empirical evidence how it has increased population, increased production, boosted economy and improved society overall.
Furthermore, she explains to the Hero that ending this war will result in a civil war that will produce more bloodshed than there ever was. The Hero, convinced that the only way to bring peace, relatively speaking, is to join forces with the Demon King, agrees to help with her plans!” This is Maoyuu Maou Yuusha!
The hero is just named Yuusha, which translates to ‘hero’ in Japanese, and he’s pretty strong. So ridiculously overpowered, in fact, that he left his party to forge on ahead alone. In the first episode, he is first seen reaching an empty Demon King’s Castle in the Demon Realm with the goal of finding and slaying him, thus ending the war between both races.
As he reaches the throne, he finds this beautiful bouncy female with horns who respectfully greets and welcomes him. She also claims she’s the Demon King, or Maou in Japanese.
Confused, the Hero still vows to slay her in her bouncy and female state, for the sake of all the humans who got killed by demons in the war. The Demon King persists, and still gives out a warming smile.
The Hero gets weirded out and finally talks to her. Maou explains she’s been waiting for him for a long time.
…that, and she literally wants to own him.
Considering it a ridiculous request, the Hero objects bluntly and enumerates the atrocities of the demons.
This is the part where I’ve been completely taken in by the show, and knew that this would be a favorite! Yuusha claims that ever since the demons came, the sky blackened and the people starved. Maou refutes that “If you start to chop down every tree you find to make charcoal, the pollution will ruin you eventually.” Funnily, Yuusha doesn’t know what pollution is. Yuusha confutes that it was demons that possessed the Tin Country’s minister. Maou refutes “Do evil, get caught, then claim demons were brainwashing you. A common ploy human politicians use to evade responsibility.”
Yuusha claims that demons have killed humans, and that’s why they are evil. Maou replies that humans as well have killed demons, and that who decided in the first place that demons are evil? If you have, then you might as well have been God. Just a reminder- humans and demons here are races, not necessarily like angels and demons, which are considered as symbolic embodiment of good and evil.
Maou explains that having the demons as enemies by the whole human race would greatly benefit the rich and noble Central Nations. It also gives funding to the struggling Southern Nations, who are paid by the former to support their fight. The war is pretty much a blooming business that literally propels humanity to prosperity. If the war were to end, also ending its merchandise and service trade, the exporters of the Central Nations would be ruined. There would be many unemployed, many without food. Hundreds and thousands will die.
Another problem is that the human world’s agricultural output hasn’t increased by any significant measure, even though due to the war, food is going to the nations who lack it. A lot of people are still starving to death.
These are Maou’s standpoints and they’re also what also fuels her passion for change. She does not want to lose the war, yet she doesn’t want to win it, either. If one side were to win, the other would suffer greatly. She wants both sides to win, and that’s why she needs the Hero to be her eyes, light and blade.
Finally convincing him after a long debate on humans and demons, economics, politics, trade and even environmentalism, the Hero and Demon King finally form a contract granting each other complete ownership of the other in mind, body and soul, with the goal of completely eradicating war while bringing prosperity to both humans and demons alike. Along the series, you will accompany them strategize skirmishes, help nations with their economy and food sustainability using improved methods and new kinds of crops, make negotiations to merchants, peace talks, etc. all for the sake of everyone, regardless of race or status.
This is what’s awesome in this anime– it just doesn’t deal with the war part where enemies fight endlessly and senselessly. It also deals with the back end and it goes back to the root of it all, the
