WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD. For the The Devil is a Part-Timer Episode 8, it wasn’t the funniest episode in the series. However, it had plenty of positives and had many nice emotional scenes that were great. In addition, we also got to see the deep-down feelings of many characters.
Looking at the humor, it was definitely a step down from some of the previous episodes. In fairness though, this is largely because previous episodes have been so hilarious that they set a high bar that’s hard to meet regularly. Though not as laugh-out-loud hilarious as earlier episodes in the series, much of it was still pretty funny nonetheless. In particular, Suzuno’s antics and naivety as well as her interactions with Emilia were quite entertaining. The shouting scene was especially funny. The fiasco with Sentucky Fried Chicken was also very humorous.
Looking at the more serious scenes, there were quite a few. The scene where Chi finds out the terrible things Satan did but still loves him anyway was very beautiful. The show had been leaving this hanging whether Chi knew about his actions. The fact that she still loves him even after having her reservations about his actions and him being a demon shows how much she cares for him. This strengthens their relationship given she’s able to still love him even after finding out his dirty little secrets. It’s very touching, and definitely makes the love between them feel deeper.
This scene also demonstrated Satan’s character development. One thing that we haven’t seen much of is how Satan actually feels about his past actions. We only got a brief look at this when Emilia confronted him about her father’s death. So far, Satan has generally avoided talking about his past. This reference to his past actions reminds us that Satan is still a redeemed villain character who wasn’t always this caring. It’s easy to forget he’s a redeemed villain given he’s acted caring for almost the entire anime.
There was also something suspicious about this, and that’s the fact that Satan acted hesitant when Chi said he clearly doesn’t want to conquer the whole world. It made it seem like he hasn’t totally given up on that plan. Another thing that keeps nagging me here is that in the first episode, Satan was trying to help out the monsters in Entei Isla who felt persecuted. This makes me wonder how he feels about all these monsters he represented now and if he regrets his actions in Entei Isla. I’m wondering if the anime will ever explain this or if it’ll be left up to the viewer to wonder about.
We got lots of nice character development for Suzuno. In particular, we found out the truth about Suzuno’s nature. Up to this point, the show did a good job concealing her true colors. She’s now coming across in a very suspicious manner. It’s unclear what direction she’ll go for the rest of the show. Her development as a character has clearly increased the stakes and complicated the plot in the anime, which is very nice. In addition, she has developed into a humorous character as well, which ties in with this show’s comedic focus. Her personality is humorous, but still unique from the other characters. This helps provide more opportunities for humorous interactions, which is a nice addition.
The manager of Sentucky Fried Chicken is another major character addition. This is actually a pretty big deal. So far in this show, we’ve had very little focus on clear villains, though whether Suzuno is more of a villain or a hero character at this point is still unclear. The fact that we now get a significant villain to work against feels like something this show has been missing and desperately needs. As for his personality, he comes across cocky, but with a right to be. He’s also smart, perverted, seems on top of things, and seems rather dangerous. It feels like he has some tricks up his sleeve and isn’t one who should be underestimated. I’m looking forward to seeing how the confrontation with him plays out.
The Devil is a Part-Timer Episode 8 also did a lot for plot development. Chi’s and Satan’s relationship is now deeper. We also found out what Suzuno is up to. In addition, the whole fiasco with Sentucky Fried Chicken is becoming a major part of the plot. It’s also becoming very entertaining and humorous. The whole showdown with SFC is actually very exciting as well. With so many different events ongoing and being mixed together, the anime’s getting very thrilling. There’s clearly plenty of action left in this show.
The Devil is a Part-Timer. Funimation, 2013. Web.