Maoyuu Maou Yuusha [Archive]

Archangel

Fri, 01-04-2013, 01:34 PM

http://www.bitsmania.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/3112.jpg

Alternative Title: まおゆう魔王勇者

Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Source: Light Novel
Producers: Arms
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis: After a long and treacherous journey, our Hero finally arrives at the Dark Lady'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 Dark Lady, agrees to help with her plans!

Resources: ANN (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14425) | AniDB (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9287) | MyAnimeList (http://myanimelist.net/anime/14833/Maoyuu_Maou_Yuusha)

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[Horrible Subs] - 720p (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=torrentinfo&tid=389582)

From the same director of Spice and Wolf with the same main VAs as Spice and Wolf and with a similar premise to Spice and Wolf.

I liked Spice and Wolf so i'll be watching this.

Kraco

Fri, 01-04-2013, 02:32 PM

Surprinsingly superficial, so far, with my expectations set so high by mentioning Spice and Wolf (and having the same VAs voice the main characters). Still, I reckon it should get more under the surface in later episodes. Spice and Wolf had those very nice scenes that had really plausible sounding economic situations, schemes, results, and plans. I hope the author of the novel also did their homework and this story will offer reasonable sounding ways of ending the long war and solving the biggest problems.

Still, I liked this, no small thanks to how aggressively Maou approached the Hero, despite being almost as silly as he is. I like destined couples and this if anything looks like one. Poor virgin Hero just couldn't say no to those boobs...

The detachable horns were great. It was obvious she could hide them somehow, but I didn't foresee this way.

Ryllharu

Fri, 01-04-2013, 04:38 PM

The detachable horns were great. It was obvious she could hide them somehow, but I didn't foresee this way.I suspect that "demons" don't look that demonic after all. One might say that the humans...demonized them. She wore fake horns because that was what is expected a demon lord would look like.

I'm definitely a sucker for series where the demon lord tries to seduce the hero. What surprised me was how effective she was at it! Her pitch to the hero was so overwhelmingly straightforward. He also doesn't seem all that bright compared to her, so I guess it should not come to that much of a surprise that she is that much more persuasive.

But what I really loved is that the names of the characters...aren't names. They're just descriptive titles. Demon Lord, Hero, Woman Knight, woman magician, little sister maid, older sister maid, chief maid, young man merchant, apprentice merchant, middle-aged merchant, prince of winter [country], etc.

vejita613

Fri, 01-04-2013, 05:50 PM

I appreciate bringing Ami Koshimizu and Jun Fukuyama together again, but Jun sounds a bit too mature for the character. Also, the OP shows alot of scenes that go deep into the story, but the series is only 12 episodes? That has me a bit worried.

Still, I did find this episode enjoyable. I was initially put off by the character designs when this was first announced. But, I don't seem to mind as much anymore, especially with the beautiful background. The comedy seemed pretty evenly mixed with the serious side of the story. I suppose this is as close as we will get to S&W season 3.

Archangel

Fri, 01-04-2013, 05:54 PM

Kraco

Fri, 01-04-2013, 06:48 PM

but Jun sounds a bit too mature for the character.

Isn't it just the character design? Though I'm not previously familiar with this story, but I assumed the Hero is an adult (just like the Maou, and likely most other central characters).

David75

Sat, 01-05-2013, 02:05 AM

Regarding Horns, watching the OP spoiled me of the surprise. Then, minutes before it was possible to see the lines on her head hinting at false horns.
Regarding the ep, I have mixed feelings, felt like a melting pot of stereotypes from anime and your average fantasy war stories. At the end of the ep, without the more mature age of the protagonist, some details hinting at some kind of quality, I'd just drop it even before watching the second ep.
But somehow they really quickly droped the demon vs hero setting quickly and dealt with the stereotypical love parade too. Also, that image with the hero and demon symbol left there was a strong one enticing me to watch a little more.
Count me in for ep 2

vejita613

Sat, 01-05-2013, 12:04 PM

Isn't it just the character design? Though I'm not previously familiar with this story, but I assumed the Hero is an adult (just like the Maou, and likely most other central characters).Possibly, I can't find an official age for him. It's kind of hard to tell in the manga as well.

Dark Dragon

Sat, 01-05-2013, 12:37 PM

David75

Sat, 01-05-2013, 12:50 PM

I'm not a fan of the design they decided to go with for the anime, the demon queen in particular seems really off.

It also looks like they decided to adapt straight from the light novels rather than from the manga. I really like the choice for voice acting though, it's pretty much what i expected with the Spice and Wolf vibe this story is giving.

The flaby comments, her attire and roundness suggest she above 20/maybe even over 25 years of age. She even commented she's a late bloomer.
But maybe I'm interpreting things towards my preferences, women need to age a bit to suit my tastes.

Archangel

Sat, 01-05-2013, 06:01 PM

The demon queen is actually 150+ years old i think.

David75

Sun, 01-06-2013, 01:51 AM

The demon queen is actually 150+ years old i think.

I was thinking of the age you'd give her as a human being ;)

Inazuma

Sun, 01-06-2013, 12:19 PM

I follow this for the boobs, also for the voices seem perfect.

Buffalobiian

Sun, 01-06-2013, 12:37 PM

I follow this for the boobs,

Pretty sure Hero does too. :p

Regarding the voices, I had my suspicions (didn't read up prior to this).. it's good to know it's our S+W pair being at it again.

Kraco

Mon, 01-07-2013, 05:20 PM

This was only a matter of time, right?

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4874/horomaou.jpg

Archangel

Mon, 01-07-2013, 05:37 PM

This was only a matter of time, right?

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4874/horomaou.jpg
Gross, Horo with big boobs.

MFauli

Mon, 01-07-2013, 05:57 PM

Um, what makes demons demons in this anime? Ya know, when they look just like humans ...

Ryllharu

Mon, 01-07-2013, 06:00 PM

Um, what makes demons demons in this anime? Ya know, when they look just like humans ...
I would guess that is a bit of the point. They probably don't. Maybe they just live longer?

vejita613

Mon, 01-07-2013, 07:15 PM

This was only a matter of time, right?

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4874/horomaou.jpg

S-saved...

Buffalobiian

Fri, 01-11-2013, 01:15 PM

HS - Episode 02 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=391928)

Kraco

Fri, 01-11-2013, 02:27 PM

This episode worked better than the first one. Perhaps it was due to the focus being reduced from saving the whole world to raising the standard of living in one village, which is a lot more concrete, less ambiguous, and far more reachable as a goal. Of course the very solid handling of the big and little sisters didn't hurt at all, either. All in all I found myself simply enjoying the exceedingly smooth interaction of the couple, made possible by Koshimizu and Fukuyama's impressive skills.

The head maid got the perfect voice actor for lecturing people.

David75

Fri, 01-11-2013, 05:05 PM

Smirked at "Everyone loves maids"

Ryllharu

Fri, 01-11-2013, 08:51 PM

The lap pillow request, but furthermore the "Okay, done!" line delivered so enthusiastically such that it surprised her caused an involuntary bark of laughter from me.

I thought that the demon lord's specific focus was in macroeconomics, but she appears to be skilled at education as a whole, with a passion for economics, the same way the chief maid is skilled at a number of things (such as leading armies!!), but focuses her passions on etiquette and the maid profession.

Of course I liked the fact that the maid made a point from the start that a serf will always be a serf, unless they want to better themselves and rebel against the fate laid out before them.
With apologies to Bioshock, "A lady choses, a serf obeys."
Amusing that Tomatsu Haruka plays that role twice in currently airing series (Older Sister Maid and Morgiana from Magi). I also appreciate that the demon lord opted to give her a crash course in literacy before throwing her into her main instruction group. Is she grooming a suitable successor/backup to the chief maid?

What I think stood out for me the most was the scene in the forest with the little sister maid and the hero, with him lamenting on how useless he felt compared to the demon lord. For all his talents of magic (the latter teleport was all him, was it not?), sword fighting, and personal physical aptitude, he already realized that his particular focus and passion is purely martial, and good for killing, not saving anything. He did not dwell on it.

I look forward to seeing how he intends to become a match in the realm of peace for his 'contracted partner for eternity'.

Dark Dragon

Sat, 01-12-2013, 04:52 AM

This episode touched on many interesting subjects.

The first was resistance to change, no matter how potentially beneficial. The village elder refused the Maou suggestion and prefer to stick with the old way. It's a sort of "while it's bad, i don't want to risk it becoming worse" sort of mentality. It wasn't until the Maou gained some leverage by becoming the teachers of the village's "nobility" that her suggestions was heeded. This touch on the need of playing political games in order to achieve your goals. I expect for this particular subject to come back many times in the series.

I agree that the sister maids scene was done very well. While people like Hero see a distinction between slaves and serfs, the head maid offers an outsider perspective when she doesn't feel the need to distinguish the two. When it comes down to it, Serfs doesn't have any freedom to choose. The head maid ultimatum to the sisters did two things in my opinion. First, it establish the ability to choose as the thing that separate human from lower life forms. Second is that she told the sisters to apologize after chastising them for their action. They did what they need to in desperation, but that still doesn't make it right. The older sister ability to recognize when a choice is given and the willingness to accept the consequences of their action made that a powerful scene for me.

I also agree that the hero scene is good. It's pretty much established that the hero is not very smart, but he is definitely perceptive. He's rational enough to admit fault in logic he believed all his life and practical enough to simply move on.

Kraco

Sat, 01-12-2013, 08:46 AM

I also agree that the hero scene is good. It's pretty much established that the hero is not very smart, but he is definitely perceptive. He's rational enough to admit fault in logic he believed all his life and practical enough to simply move on.

Surely half of the reason he continues to go along is the fact Maou enchanted him. But the other half is what you said, plus the simple fact he really is a hero and wants to do good, even if he's not right now sure how.

Yukimura

Mon, 01-14-2013, 04:36 PM

The head maid ultimatum to the sisters did two things in my opinion. First, it establish the ability to choose as the thing that separate human from lower life forms. Second is that she told the sisters to apologize after chastising them for their action. They did what they need to in desperation, but that still doesn't make it right. The older sister ability to recognize when a choice is given and the willingness to accept the consequences of their action made that a powerful scene for me.

Reading this made me chuckle a bit as I don't feel that stealing food to survive is 'wrong' but after some introspection it struck me that what the maid was saying was that difference between humans and 'lower' life forms is that humans have the ability to choose to suffer and die for an abstract concept while animals never make the choice to suffer or die except for pragmatic reasons.

The same force at work in making starving people feel guilty about stealing food to survive is the one at work when honoring people who sacrifice something of themselves, up to and including their life, for the sake of something outside themselves. Thinking about it in that context it becomes a lot harder to hold the position that stealing is okay when you're starving even if the person you're taking from won't miss what you're taking, but at the same time it seems like a pretty hard sell that every individual should feel willing to give up their life in the service of an ideal when that ideal doesn't necessarily enhance their life at all.

The maid's logic seems to deny any fundamental value to humanity beyond our capacity to choose to die for an ideal. However, this makes the assertion that we are 'superior' to animals spurious Only humans have the abstract thinking capabilities necessary to conjure up an abstract principle and assign it a 'value' above the 'value' of being alive. Since only humans can conceive of and judge behaviors using this value system it seems circular to assume that non-human behaviors are 'inferior' because they don't seem to adhere to a human spawned value system.

Kraco

Mon, 01-14-2013, 04:59 PM

They were insects because they sneaked into the mansion's barn and stole food, just like vermin, and then didn't choose to face the consequences but like animals wanted to flee. The head maid is clearly the kind of person who only helps those who help themselves. Plus she's honourable, as expected of Maou's servant, so she won't count criminal activity as one helping oneself. Of course you can read however much you want into it, but is she really such a complicated person, even if this ought to be a semi-complicated series if it's about reforming the societies of the whole world?

Buffalobiian

Mon, 01-14-2013, 07:52 PM

I thought Head Maid explained herself already. She dislikes people who can't or don't choose their own fate. The serfs didn't want to be serfs, but also didn't take any initiative to step up from their social class.

Dark Dragon

Mon, 01-14-2013, 08:09 PM

Reading this made me chuckle a bit as I don't feel that stealing food to survive is 'wrong' but after some introspection it struck me that what the maid was saying was that difference between humans and 'lower' life forms is that humans have the ability to choose to suffer and die for an abstract concept while animals never make the choice to suffer or die except for pragmatic reasons.

I feel that stealing food to survive is definitely wrong. It is something done out of necessity, but you are still taking something that belong to another. I ask myself if i would take such a course of action if face with such a situation, and the answer is yes. I would still however have to accept that my action is out of self-interest and will deprive someone else of whatever i am stealing.

It is arrogant to assume that an actions is justified just because it stem from desperation. In a situation where you're stealing from another person who is also starving and the choice is between your survival or theirs, can that also be seen as right? Is it only "right" if you're stealing from those who "won't miss" whatever you're taking? Is it right then to steal from those who have no relation to your situation, but is an acceptable target because they are successful?

Abstract ideals are precisely why human are above animal. Things like Ethics, Rationality and Compassion can all be considered abstract ideals. We have a greater capacity and potential for impact in this world. Whether that impact can be seen as negative or positive depends on the person actions and who you ask in regard to the impact of those actions.

Your capacity as a human being to understand abstract concepts is precisely what enable you to have a certain amount of understanding for animals and denounce these abstract concepts. If you were like an animal and think precisely on the basis of pragmatism then there is absolutely no reason to feel sympathy for any other species besides our own unless they somehow directly support our need for survival.

Yukimura

Tue, 01-15-2013, 03:10 AM

@Dark Dragon: I'm sorry if I offended any human supremacist feelings you might have but the primary thrust of my argument was not meant to take a position on the issue of whether humans are or are not superior to everything else in the universe in any objective or even subjective sense, but to say that the concept that humans are superior (and thus are subject to expectations that animals aren't ) is itself an abstract concept which humans came up with and kept around because it was useful to humanity as a species to give individuals a reason to put the community above themselves. While I think this is a useful abstraction for human interactions I don't think it's necessarily meaningful outside of the scope human interactions and thus universal.

For example, I would agree that stealing, even when desperate, warrants an apology or some other expression of remorse in the abstract morality that most of humanity can mostly agree on (thanks to the expansion of Western ideology throughout the world). However at the same time I think that what truly matters is not that a thief apologizes to the person they stole from but that the victim, and perhaps the greater community as well, have their feelings of disquiet about the theft assuaged in some way, however that needs to happen. It seems to me that the maid lives by a similarly flexible morality system considering she only cared about the 'serious crime' of runaway serfs until she decided to philosophy bomb the uneducated serfs into trading their freedom for the hope that the the demon queen would be a better master than their former landlord. Of course from our perspective we know the demon queen will be a gracious and wonderful employer who will enrich the lives of the children but if you step back from what we know about the demon queen and take a more cynical stance it looks like the maid just convinced the children that it was in their best interest to exchange their dubious freedom for a new master and the maid and picked up two cheap laborers to help her with chores for very little effort.

Dark Dragon

Tue, 01-15-2013, 05:04 AM

Sorry if that last post came off as aggressive, it wasn't meant to be. I'm not offended at all by what you saying, i was merely stating a fact that human in general have a greater capacity than animals to accomplish things if they wish to do so. I'm not saying that human are superior in any sense, simply that we have the ability to impact this world in a much greater scope than any animal can. A large a part of this is due to our ability to recognize and understand abstract concepts.

In that sense then, the ability to choose to suffer and die for an abstract idea has certain merits.

Which goes back to what i feel the maid really presented them with, a choice. Before her proposal, their only course of action was to continue stealing and hiding out until they reach the capital and somehow create a life for themselves. This course of action is solely for the purpose of survival with little regards for anything else, so in a sense this is the same line of thought an animal would use. I'm pretty sure that the older sister had no idea they would be treated so well. I think they she must've had a fairly good opinion of them after how well they were treated up to that point. The older sister choice then become an unstable future on the run or what could be a fairly stable life as maids. Up to this point, they lived as serfs so a life as servant is a step up (from what i know of medieval culture anyways). The important thing i took away from that scene wasn't so much the job offer at the end. What stood out was when the maid admonish them for their actions. This created a choice for the two to choose between accepting abstract concept such as wrong and right (the human thing to do) or continue focusing on surviving (the life of an insect).

Kraco

Tue, 01-15-2013, 05:14 AM

You are looking at it from a little too far away, Yuki. It was not some wandering knight who was spending a night at a local lord's mansion and happened to apprehend two runaway serfs. And then, thinking everybody has their preset place in the great feudal system, felt pity for them and suggested their join the random lord's service staff instead of return to their original lord who must have been horrible for them to run away in the first place.

She has been Maou's head maid for who knows how many years. Of course she knows Maou will be a good master. And since she's proud to be the head maid, she obviously considers maid a fine profession. This is what she thought and planned immediately when she saw the girls, I bet. But she was spartan enough to want to see if there's any spirit and decency in them or if they are through and through escaped slaves and will never be anything more.

Yukimura

Wed, 01-16-2013, 04:43 PM

@Dark Dragon the biggest beef I have with the position that the show, and I think you as well, seem to be advocating is that it is trying to say that accepting stability and predictability even if you're a slave or have no opportunity in life makes one superior to those who pursue freedom even if it brings uncertainty. It's saying that being a cog in a machine that you know is going somewhere is better than being your own machine and not knowing where you're going to end up but deciding for yourself where you're heading. I don't think it's necessarily an incorrect view, but I also actively reject the notion that it's necessarily the correct view. I don't think it's good to encourage people to content themselves with being mere cogs in someone else's machine to the extent that I feel the maid and queen are doing because they think their 'machine' is superior to anything the humans could possibly come up with.

@Kraco: I think you are giving the queen/maid more credit than they deserve just because they're the next best thing to tautologically 'good' because they're the protagonists. The queen and maid seem to be chock full of their own moral superiority to the entirety of humanity and they are playing the role of the noble white man stretching out his hand to the poor savage to destroy everything that he is and remake him in the white man's image. While the circumstances of the show will undoubtedly make it seem like the demons are always in the right and the humans are always in the wrong it still rings hollow to me because it's based on the same sort of colonial era European arrogance that the morality of a technologically superior culture is inherently better than that of more primitive culture. It may be dressed up nicely by eliminating any indications of failings or shortcomings within the technologically superior culture but that doesn't mean we have to choose not to see it for what it really is.

The maid shit all over the older girl's hope and pride by insulting her for running away from her life as a serf without a concrete and well thought out plan, but she doesn't acknowledge the fact that if the girl and boy hadn't worked up the courage to leave their serf life in the first place they never would have chanced upon the wonderful and benevolent queen and her stuck up maid. They probably would have lived out their lives as meaningless serfs on whatever random fief they came from and never had a chance to make something of themselves, but according to to the maid they're still insects until they beg her to make them what she considers human.

In my view the kids demonstrated plenty of agency by leaving a life that was probably quite survivable but had no chance for a meaningful future and they earned their human dignity by refusing to be pigeonholed into servitude just because society said that was their only option.

Also, the maid coughed disdain all over them for their plan to go to the capital and beg and scrape to make a living, then turns around and more or less demands that they beg the demon queen for assistance instead or else they'll be turned in. I'll grant that it was nice and unnecessary for the demon queen to accept the kids request to serve in exchange for help becoming more self sufficient but the only real difference between what they were planning to do and what actually happened is that they ended up begging someone for help before they got to the city.

Kraco

Wed, 01-16-2013, 05:27 PM

They are living medieval times, apparently under a feudal system to boot. I don't know how virtuous you are expecting them to be, but clearly Maou and Hero are more so than most. You are also badmouthing Maou far too much; if her goal is to end the endless war and replace the war dependent economics, I don't know how that's as bad as you make it sound like by saying she's trying to cram her own values down everybody else's throats. Some feudal countries of the old had the famous system in place that if a serf escaped their fief to a citystate and managed to avoid trouble and capture for a year, they would become free citizens of the city. If this land Maou chose has such a law in place, those two might in fact become free people in addition to gaining education and experience in Maou's service. No matter how you look at it, it must be a better choice than walking heedlessly into a random big city they know nothing of and hope for the best.

Dark Dragon

Wed, 01-16-2013, 06:08 PM

You're reaching a little bit too hard, i'm not advocating anything.

You should reread your argument again since you're contradicting yourself. You're saying that the show is advocating stability and predictability over freedom, but also complain that the queen and maids are showing "white man superiority" by imposing their superiority.

The thing they're doing to "impose" their superiority is to convince the village to take up this new method of farming, which is completely foreign to the villagers. They're trying to convince the villagers to give up predictability and stability for a chance at a better life and more freedom. They're doing precisely the opposite of what you're suggesting the show is advocating, but then you're also suggesting what they're doing is wrong.

First of all, the children are girls. I think you would've notice that if you bother just watching the show instead of spending so much time being indignant of the "message" that you think an anime is trying to advocate.

You also completely missed the point of the scene involving the maid and children. She is admonishing them because their course of action essentially relies on the kindness of strangers. Their course of action was simple and without any forethought to what might be ahead. At no point during the conversation did she admonish them for running away, only their plan for what to do after escaping.

They have no belonging, no plan, and no skills. This isn't just "uncertain" future, because they're certainly guaranteed to end up as beggars unless some miracle happens. You can throw the world freedom around as much as you want, but beggars in the medieval period realistically have little more freedom than slaves.

Your earlier post also said that there's merits in pragmatism and it isn't necessarily inferior to abstract ideas like freedom. The maid presented the children with two choices. The head maid obviously thought she's presenting them a choice between a life where they give up immediate freedom for greater potential in the future or a path for an immediate false sense of freedom, but realistically give the children very little choices.

We can look at it from the older sister point of view and forgo any knowledge of these people except that 1) They were willing to help serfs (this is an era where serfs and slaves are treated little better than animals) 2) They seem to be fairly wealthy 3) The maid seem to have strict conducts for behavior. She is then given the choice of enter their employment (It must be noted that in this society, servants are considered to be above serfs) and give up her new-found freedom, which consist of leaving their home, cold, wet and hungry and not a particularly bright future to look forward to. It can then be argue that she made the practical choice by ensuring that the two of them will have shelter, food and clothing while giving up an abstract idea like freedom.

Kraco

Thu, 01-17-2013, 04:24 AM

It can then be argue that she made the practical choice by ensuring that the two of them will have shelter, food and clothing while giving up an abstract idea like freedom.

It would be quite an insult to all normally hired servants to suggest they lost their freedom by getting employed. It's a vastly different thing compared to a serf forced to serve in the landlord's manor, for example. It's just a job like any other. They are escaped serfs, that is, outlaws, who were offered respectable work on a silver platter.

shinta|hikari

Thu, 01-17-2013, 04:36 AM

And no one in this world dislikes maids.

Dark Dragon

Thu, 01-17-2013, 05:40 AM

It would be quite an insult to all normally hired servants to suggest they lost their freedom by getting employed. It's a vastly different thing compared to a serf forced to serve in the landlord's manor, for example. It's just a job like any other. They are escaped serfs, that is, outlaws, who were offered respectable work on a silver platter.

I put it in that manner in order to be consistent with Yukimura argument. I don't believe that they are giving up much freedom at all in the situation, but he certainly seems to think so. I already made note earlier in my post that a position as a servant is far superior than the life they had as serfs.

Yukimura

Thu, 01-17-2013, 12:21 PM

I will concede that my argument is stated in a contradictory way with respect the whole 'stability and order' issue and I think it's because I failed to properly grasp for myself let alone relate in my post the precise parameters my disquiet. I don't perceive the demons point of view to be 'we favor any stability and order over individual freedom and every other way of doing things is a dumb animal' instead I perceive it as something like 'we favor our way of doing things over anything any human has ever come up with, and we expect our ways to lead to prosperity, and those who don't agree with us are [insert passive mildly insulting word] , but we'll try to help the [insert passive mildly insulting word] people anyway because we're so noble and selfless'.

My problem with the demons stems primarily from the impression I've gotten that they think they have it all figured out and are incapable of being wrong in any debate with humans or human cultures. My hostility towards them and their positions stems from that sense of arrogance and self-righteousness rather than true disagreement with their stated goals and positions on their merits alone. I do not actually believe they are wrong about the benefits of their intended improvements to society or that the children would have been better off not taking the 'deal' in the objective sense, but the delivery method of their kindness sets off my warning bells for arrogant ivory tower idealist/holier than thou missionary types and I react rather vehemently to such.

Given time I am expectant that we'll see the demons simply living by their ideals and winning people over through demonstrations of the superiority of their way of thinking to everyday life without lectures or sermons and hopefully the sense of their arrogance will fade away and I can just accept that they are Lawful Good without any misgivings. That said I would be especially happy if we see something where the superiority of the demons positions is challenged in some meaningful way (i.e not just some obviously selfish lord trying to defend the status quo b/c it benefits him) and they have to actually struggle to come up with ways to convince people that theirs is a better way in the face of credible opposing ideology. I would also like to see the hero being something other than a passive observer at some point but as it stands now I'm not holding out too much hope for that.

Dark Dragon

Thu, 01-17-2013, 01:08 PM

While i do think that your view on the story is a bit too cynical, however i can see where you're coming from.

There are a few hints so far that might assuage your concerns. In the first episode, the demon queen mentions that the demon side is equally guilty as the human for the continuation of the war. This means that her action doesn't necessary stem from any innate sense of demon superiority. I think it's the same for the head maid, but in the sense that she consider it to be a profession to take pride in. In a way she feels insulted that people who are essentially doing the same job she is (faithfully serving a master) are so incapable of "grasping their fortune".

As far as the hero neutrality goes, the scene at the end of the second episode is simply him contemplating his usefulness in this situation. We have the demon queen doing her as much as she can to change the villager's mind and even the children are studying and training. He find himself incapable of doing much other than swinging a sword, which is a dilemma many warriors faces in time of peace. I would suggest that this mean the show is very aware of how insignificant the hero role is currently and we will probably see a shift to where he becomes a proactive force in changing the world.

Kraco

Thu, 01-17-2013, 02:58 PM

Yeah. Maou is just a single person. If a random demon was taken from the demon realm, it's possible that one could be a truly horrible individual. But if Maou has been Maou for pretty much all her life, what manner of a personality would you have her possess? If she's a monarch of an empire, it has to show in her character. Maybe she's preachy, has a holier than thou attitude, and she's always right, and is sure her vision for changing the world is ultimately the very best one, if not the only choice for ending the war. However, if she didn't have such an attitude, do you think she would have sent away all her guards and waited empty-handed for the hero to appear to try to win him over? No, she wouldn't have. It's precisely because she believes so strongly in her plan and views that she betted her life, and maybe her whole domain. In conjunction with that, one can deduce the head maid is somewhat akin or Maou wouldn't have dared to let her into the plan.

Ryllharu

Thu, 01-17-2013, 04:00 PM

As far as the hero neutrality goes, the scene at the end of the second episode is simply him contemplating his usefulness in this situation. We have the demon queen doing her as much as she can to change the villager's mind and even the children are studying and training. He find himself incapable of doing much other than swinging a sword, which is a dilemma many warriors faces in time of peace. I would suggest that this mean the show is very aware of how insignificant the hero role is currently and we will probably see a shift to where he becomes a proactive force in changing the world.
I felt this was the most important scene in the entire episode, out shadowing anything going on with the maids or the Maou.

The hero's problem is two-fold. He's only good at killing, and he wants to feel like he is a worthy match to Maou. Little sister maid tries to cheer him up by saying he's bringing food, so that solves the "just good for killing part," but on the other hand, he's only contributing to one household (a few at most), not helping the entire village, or in time, the entire world.

It's not that he feels inadequate to her superiority. It's that the two of them are attempting to better the entire world, and at present, he sees himself only helping a half-dozen, while Maou is already making headway on improving the entire village.

Yukimura

Thu, 01-17-2013, 07:24 PM

I don't think I have to like Maoh's or the maid's (who I meant specifically whenever I said 'the demons' for the sake of convenience, not to make assumptions on the nature of all demon kind in this universe) personalities to agree with, or at least not oppose, their overall viewpoints and goals. But since I have some cynical reservations about them based on their actions and my interpretations of them, I'm going to tell it like I see it and going forward I'm probably going to be less receptive to their messages than I might have been if I thought they were a grand couple of gals who could do no wrong. I will try to avoid beating the dead horse by jumping down their throats over every little thing they might do that irks me though.

Kraco

Fri, 01-18-2013, 05:05 PM

Episode 3 720p (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=394335) | 1080p (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=394336)

- - -- - - --

Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. That's taters! I guess it's kind of fitting timing wise. Though kind of hard to believe humans wouldn't have them already if demons have been eating them all along. Or perhaps it's because demons themselves haven't been preferring them and thus they remained as some minor outback food, not spreading to the human lands.

Hero haven't even held Maou's hand after six months? It's somewhat clear he's not gay, so there's something clearly wrong about him, considering Maou is more or less pushing herself on him.

KrayZ33

Sat, 01-19-2013, 07:50 AM

Please tell me he is going to wear that armor and wield that sword!!

So far I like this show, I would have prefered a more "realistic" setting but it's okay.... and smaller boobs would've been fine too, they are distracting and out of place because so far this show didn't really try to be ecchi in any kind of way imho.

NeoCybercoin

Sat, 01-19-2013, 09:07 AM

She just has those things and doesn't seem to be too happy with em anyway, since they are ' useless meat'. But yeah Hero will wear that armor and sword. At least I know bout the armor. Forgot bout the sword though.

Buffalobiian

Fri, 01-25-2013, 10:19 PM

HS - Episode 04 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=397029)

animus

Sat, 01-26-2013, 01:14 AM

I'm pretty disappointed they didn't animate any of the action scenes.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 01-26-2013, 02:06 AM

I'm pretty disappointed they didn't animate any of the action scenes.

I suppose being an economics show, the merchant trades take precedence. I'm not too bothered, but the armour's cool so I wouldn't have minded either.

I'm not entirely sure what's going on geographically. All I'm really gathering is that humans reside in the northern hemisphere while demons are in the south. Exactly what problems are required to be solved in the demon world are also yet to be discussed on. I've assumed that the crops Maou experiments with are all crops that either do well, or are known about in the Demon world, and that she's simply trialling things to make sure they work in human lands before giving it to them.

Ryllharu

Sat, 01-26-2013, 05:33 AM

From what I've gathered, humans live in the southern hemisphere entirely. Demons live in the demon realm, which is connected to the southernmost regions of the human realms by the huge teleportation gate of standing stones.

Until Maou appeared, humans seemed entirely dependent on wheat alone. Southern nations are poor and live in snowy, cold climates. Too cold for wheat, but ideal for potatoes and other hearty plants. Rye would probably work well too. The further north you go, it gets hotter. Maou mentioned that the corn needs to get to at least 30C (86F) to bud, so they seem to be concentrated in an area where the climate resembles northern Europe and southern Scandinavia, flipped into the southern hemisphere. The northern, more arid and hotter regions are wilderness, unsettled. The central areas are temperate and perfect for wheat.

Then the demon realms are depicted even further south on the maps, but their climate is far more arid in general. The demons entered through the gate and claimed one of the southernmost islands, snowy a large amount of the time. Yuusha said he could end the war by destroying that gate. That combination leads me to conclude the demons live in a separate world connected to the human one.

David75

Sat, 01-26-2013, 05:51 AM

I was a bit surprised at the corn low water requirements, then remembered that only a very small variety of corn is industrially priviledged in our civilisation and is grown with a large spill of water.
I then remembered I experienced growth of other varieties in Portugal, that needed far less water but ended in very poor ROI although that was enough for the families growing them and was integrating well in the rotations and other varieties they grew on those soils.

Kraco

Sat, 01-26-2013, 06:24 AM

The business deal was left a bit inconclusive in my opinion. Even though Maou got the businessmen to agree to it by reminding them of profits, they still left without knowing what she was going to gain from the deal. She did act like an inexperienced girl to a degree (somebody who could be ripped off), but considering she was offering the traders something novel that could generate huge profits, I doubt they could have bought that act entirely, especially with the compass and everything. I can't help but wonder if that was indeed exactly how Maou had planned: To leave the men partially in shadow and doubt, wondering what manner of a scheme she would later use to realise her own gains, or if it was just a flaw in the script.

Ryllharu

Sat, 01-26-2013, 06:50 AM

Buffalobiian

Sat, 01-26-2013, 08:12 AM

David75

Sat, 01-26-2013, 09:24 AM

I don't know about that. She essentially promised them an entirely new market with an enduring legacy of expansion. In return, all she asked was that they quit enabling the war effort, something they are uniquely suited to do. By reducing war profiteer revenue by say...10%, she is allowing them to expand their entire business empire by 25% into an area where they are assured zero competition.

The mystery is how she would enforce this. Little do they know that she really doesn't care. Her and the hero's long term goal is to make the human lands self-sustaining and raise the overall standard of living, no longer reliant on the war.

I idly wonder what her plans are for the demon realm as well. We're not even aware of what long-term issues it has been having.

The only qualms I have with the more food=no war idea is that it's wrong in the long term...
I mean more and easier food will either benefit the ones in control and/or create explosive birthrates.
In the end, either your population sees almost no effect, or in the long term you have that much more people to feed and they will likely accept wars if starved... as your new production schemes are at the limits again with the bigger number of people to feed.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 01-26-2013, 09:34 AM

The only qualms I have with the more food=no war idea is that it's wrong in the long term...
I mean more and easier food will either benefit the ones in control and/or create explosive birthrates.
In the end, either your population sees almost no effect, or in the long term you have that much more people to feed and they will likely accept wars if starved... as your new production schemes are at the limits again with the bigger number of people to feed.

The case is that the southern countries are reliant on funding from the central nations to feed their people. The segments so far suggest that the governments of these countries don't wish this to be so, but have no means of funding their country otherwise. Maou is providing that outlet for them, while at the same time providing something else for the Alliance to make money off besides the war.

As for explosive birth-rates... well it's kind of happened in real life already. I'm of the opinion that our current population is too large as it is, given our resources.

Kraco

Sat, 01-26-2013, 11:09 AM

I don't know about that. She essentially promised them an entirely new market with an enduring legacy of expansion. In return, all she asked was that they quit enabling the war effort, something they are uniquely suited to do. By reducing war profiteer revenue by say...10%, she is allowing them to expand their entire business empire by 25% into an area where they are assured zero competition.

The mystery is how she would enforce this. Little do they know that she really doesn't care. Her and the hero's long term goal is to make the human lands self-sustaining and raise the overall standard of living, no longer reliant on the war.

And what does she get out of it all? The end of the war? When she first mentioned that, the traders were about to call in their troops! But she calmed them down by starting to talk about profits. The merchants must believe that she's going to make money (or gain political power) out of it as well, one way or another, or otherwise they wouldn't trust her at all, because it would be too suspicious for them - unless they thought she's just a naive idealist, but I think she's offering too much to be considered a fool.

David75

Sat, 01-26-2013, 11:35 AM

Regarding my statement earlier, she can also be selfish and just want to see a world without war for some years while she's living. But only to have the problem coming back years later.
Unless they can create a society that can live without wars and take care of everyone, weak included, without having all that weight on the shoulders of the working force.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 01-26-2013, 11:53 AM

And what does she get out of it all? The end of the war? When she first mentioned that, the traders were about to call in their troops!

They were calling the troops because he must have felt it was some sort of trap, I think (or he forgot what the Alliance preaches). When she reminded him that they've got something to gain, and therefore should help each other out he no longer considers this act an act of treason.

It doesn't matter what Maou wants to do. The Alliance should help her because it's profitable. Period.

Kraco

Sat, 01-26-2013, 01:14 PM

Regarding my statement earlier, she can also be selfish and just want to see a world without war for some years while she's living. But only to have the problem coming back years later.

They were calling the troops because he must have felt it was some sort of trap, I think (or he forgot what the Alliance preaches). When she reminded him that they've got something to gain, and therefore should help each other out he no longer considers this act an act of treason.

It doesn't matter what Maou wants to do. The Alliance should help her because it's profitable. Period.

Of course the Alliance only cares about profits. And it's true they were about to call in the troops because they both feared a political trap and because they wouldn't have wanted to travel that far with nothing to show for it, so they would have used force to extract something out of it. However, what I'm talking about is what things look like and how those people think. A through and through merchant will only trust mutual greed. If the other side tells it's working for world peace or some other nonsense, a true merchant can't help but feel it's just empty talk to mask the true purpose. So, to get a deal with a merchant, you have to give an impression you are as well profiting normally from the deal - and everything will go smoothly. Of course you may get backstabbed later if you don't take care, but that's just business as usual.

It's like somebody unknown coming to you, Bill, to sell you a DAC worth 5000 dollars for 50 dollars. And when you ask why, the person would tell that since you seem to like high quality audio, they thought to give you a piece of awesome equipment practically for free. Sure, you might buy it, but you couldn't help thinking in reality it's a stolen device or perhaps it's irreversibly broken, or even dangerous to other electric appliances connected to it. However, if they asked, say 1500 dollars for it, you might consider it a normal deal, if you were into buying second-hand stuff.

Archangel

Sat, 01-26-2013, 03:23 PM

This is becoming in increasingly boring for me.

Skipping the action scenes is fine, it was obvious from the start that this wouldn't be that sort of show, but if they separate the main character's and their interaction than this is literally just a show about agriculture and basic economics and that's not enough for me.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 01-26-2013, 10:15 PM

However, what I'm talking about is what things look like and how those people think. A through and through merchant will only trust mutual greed. If the other side tells it's working for world peace or some other nonsense, a true merchant can't help but feel it's just empty talk to mask the true purpose. So, to get a deal with a merchant, you have to give an impression you are as well profiting normally from the deal - and everything will go smoothly. Of course you may get backstabbed later if you don't take care, but that's just business as usual.

That's true if you only see financial gain as the only drive possible, but what about something that one may find beneficial? They weren't doubting her conviction or her motives, they were calling it out to be treason. The conversation pretty much ended with:

Merchant: Your road is going to be red (bloodshed? Perhaps indicating Maou's because she'll attract enemies?)
Maou: Not if you help me.
Merchant: Why would I help you?
Maou: Because you'll have something to gain from it.

Maou only needed to remind him that having something to gain (and working with others because they have that common point) comes before everything else. The merchant sees the huge profits, and no contradiction in Maou's words. If their information network is as broad as befitting for such a large entity, they would already know that Maou is distributing potatoes via the Church, which confirms her motives.

It's like somebody unknown coming to you, Bill, to sell you a DAC worth 5000 dollars for 50 dollars. And when you ask why, the person would tell that since you seem to like high quality audio, they thought to give you a piece of awesome equipment practically for free.

How much is Maou selling the goods for? I'm not sure whether she was selling, or giving it away for free. I see what you're saying, but something like "I want to spread musical bliss" isn't in the same league if believability as "I want the war to end without anyone winning".

In Maou's case, it isn't all about her trying to do good (like with the DAC case), but giving the Alliance a new market so they can stop funding the war that she dislikes.

For me, a better analogy would be:

I am an audio equipment store owner. Someone wants me to stock this really awesome DAC for them, but the unit cost for me is ridiculously low. I ask them what they have to benefit from that, and they say that they simply want to raise the accessibility of Hi-Fi by providing an affordable cost. In return, they want me to start phasing out a competition's brand (say, Beats by Dr Dre), because while they're more commonly recognised they're also more expensive, and it's against their vision of cheaper audio for all. (Maou's conversation made it unclear whether she would force the phase-out, or whether it would simply happen via natural progression)

Ryllharu

Sun, 01-27-2013, 05:44 AM

You're both forgetting that the merchant was only pretending to be devout to the church and loyal to the central governments. In particular because they knew she has close ties to the church. She's using the convents to educate the masses, causing a mini-Renaissance. The merchants pretend to be loyal because it ingratiates them with the zealots who don't know better (i.e. not other merchants, and not the royals).

That's what his whole line about the motto of the Alliance, to be beyond human and be a profit seeking monster first, human second. That's what makes their line about how the two of them have so much in common is funny. They're both monsters first (one literal and one figuratively), pretending to be human.

Also, do not forget that she is giving them exclusive access to the gimbaled mariner's compass as well. Part of that was simply to have this meeting, but it is also a condition of their agreement. He brought mercenaries because he was afraid she was laying a trap for them. Her repeated insanely one-sided offers made them extremely suspicious.

Buffalobiian

Tue, 01-29-2013, 07:58 AM

[ASL]_Arai_Akino_-_Maoyuu_Maou_Yuusha_ED_-_Unknown_Vision_[MP3]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=398349)
[ASL]_Arai_Akino_-_Maoyuu_Maou_Yuusha_ED_-_Unknown_Vision_[FLAC]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=398348)

[ASL]_YOHKO_-_Maoyuu_Maou_Yuusha_OP_-_Mukaikaze_[MP3]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=398347)
[ASL]_YOHKO_-_Maoyuu_Maou_Yuusha_OP_-_Mukaikaze_[FLAC]_[w_Scans].rar (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=398346)

Archangel

Tue, 01-29-2013, 03:35 PM

We should have a music general thread so the normal ones don't get these useless updates.

Buffalobiian

Tue, 01-29-2013, 06:38 PM

We should have a music general thread so the normal ones don't get these useless updates.

Hey, I like the ED!

And yeah.. general music thread? (It's called nipponsei RSS :p )

In all seriousness though, a general music thread for anime wouldn't really work. The readers of that thread would be for people who want to download anime music regardless of the anime that it's attached to (which directs you back to the release groups anyway), while posting the releases in their respective anime threads makes sure only the relevant audience sees it. (assuming this "relevant audience" poses some interest in the songs as well).

Archangel

Tue, 01-29-2013, 06:46 PM

Then just add these to the episode posts, they're worthless by themselves and only result in disappointment ^^

Ryllharu

Tue, 01-29-2013, 07:38 PM

Then just add these to the episode posts, they're worthless by themselves and only result in disappointment ^^
Heartily concur.

I know the release schedule, so I realize they're not a new episode, but I see a Buff post, and there is a glimmer of hope that it will have some real content or discussion, but it is still just a torrent and nothing else, like much of his other posts.

:/

shinta|hikari

Tue, 01-29-2013, 07:56 PM

Let's just make a rule that whenever Buff posts a music torrent for a show, he has to say something substantial and interesting in the same post.

Archangel

Tue, 01-29-2013, 09:35 PM

Let's just make a rule that whenever Buff posts a music torrent for a show, he has to say something substantial and interesting in the same post.
Then he'd just be forcing a topic so he could post his music.

No, have him add that to edits of his previous posts.

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 07:28 AM

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4199/bokuwatomodachigasukunaw.jpg

.......................Music

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/6382/bokuwatomodachigasukunap.jpg
.................Useless update

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/405/bokuwatomodachigasukunac.jpg
.................Heartily concur.

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4199/bokuwatomodachigasukunaw.jpg
.................I like the music!

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/8186/bokuwatomodachigasukunaki.jpg
Let's just make Buff say something substantial
..........and interesting in the same post.

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/469/bokuwatomodachigasukunan.jpg
............................No.

........http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/3786/mazuibokuhatomodachigaso.jpg

........................... :'(

edit:
Also, do not forget that she is giving them exclusive access to the gimbaled mariner's compass as well.

I never quite understood the whole compass thing. The unique thing about it seemed to be the fact that it always stayed horizontal (so we're assume that the world already has compasses). How hard is it to keep a compass flat? In fact, it's the first time I've even seen a compass that bothers to stay level.

The market Maou was opening up involved expansion opportunities in the northern, more arid lands.. so it doesnt' even have anything to do with maritime exploration (the only real application I can think of). Even then, can't you float the compass in some water?

Archangel

Wed, 01-30-2013, 08:02 AM

It's cool how moderators get carte blanche to do whatever spamming they see fit.

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 08:12 AM

It's cool how moderators get carte blanche to do whatever spamming they see fit.

Nope. As per the usual rule, flag the post as you will, and a panel will deal with it as necessary.

Xelbair

Wed, 01-30-2013, 08:24 AM

if you have normal compass on ship - and ship is swaying - the reading won't be accurate and you can easily set the wrong course.

Archangel

Wed, 01-30-2013, 08:28 AM

Forced discussion is better than no discussion i guess

I never quite understood the whole compass thing. The unique thing about it seemed to be the fact that it always stayed horizontal (so we're assume that the world already has compasses). How hard is it to keep a compass flat? In fact, it's the first time I've even seen a compass that bothers to stay level.

The market Maou was opening up involved expansion opportunities in the northern, more arid lands.. so it doesnt' even have anything to do with maritime exploration (the only real application I can think of). Even then, can't you float the compass in some water?

It's amazing for them because of the gimbal, it allows for the compass to always lean perfectly north without worrying about the grounding of the needle while on a ship for example. It doesn't have to do with her immediate objectives but it's something the alliance can use, produce and sell for themselves for an hefty profit.

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 08:42 AM

Forced discussion is better than no discussion i guess

It's amazing for them because of the gimbal, it allows for the compass to always lean perfectly north without worrying about the grounding of the needle while on a ship for example. It doesn't have to do with her immediate objectives but it's something the alliance can use, produce and sell for themselves for an hefty profit.

Wouldn't it be better to sell them the plans then? Reverse engineering sounds like a bitch.

I'm still not fully engrossed in the story thus far due to the way Maou seems to be some sort of genius at everything except fighting and love. Inventing, farming, economics.. I'm with Hero here. Why does she even need him around to save the world? * see edit. As (Ryll?) mentioned before, we haven't covered the problems with the Demon world yet. If we're to assume that the farming and crops originated from there (to make Maou's execution a bit more grounded in reality), exactly what problems are being alleviated by having a war for them?

edit: Okay, just remembered he's going around kicking butt. So the humans need some brains to solve their problems while the Demon world needs some muscle to keep things in order? Well.. that makes things easy :s. If that's the case, Maou and Hero should just swap places.

edit2: Maybe I'm just taking things the wrong way due to my prior perception that Maou is here to solve economic/people problems, not technological ones.

Archangel

Wed, 01-30-2013, 10:21 AM

Do you not understand the concept of a bargaining chip...?

See here's the issue, you're forcing discussion by asking question that you'd have the answer to yourself if you thought about it for more that 10 seconds.

As (Ryll?) mentioned before, we haven't covered the problems with the Demon world yet.

Sounds to me it would be easier to solve the human's problems first, then without no enemies to fight the Demon Lord would have time to organize the Demon World before they turned on each other again.

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 10:25 AM

Do you not understand the concept of a bargaining chip...?

What bargaining chip?

Archangel

Wed, 01-30-2013, 10:30 AM

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 10:33 AM

I'll go by steps:

- Create bargaining chip ( compass )

- Send compass to obtain Alliance's attention

- Schedule meeting with promise of trade

- Propose plan ( the spread of corn as food )

- Reach agreement.

Yeah. I get all that.

The Alliance obviously likes their compass. My issue was that I didn't really see what was so good about it, or why something was so difficult for humans to make. Like I said in the boat scenario, I'd just float a compass in a bucket of water to deal with the rocking.

Archangel

Wed, 01-30-2013, 10:41 AM

Are you seriously questioning the importance of precision in naval travel?

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 10:54 AM

Are you seriously questioning the importance of precision in naval travel?

I was questioning 2 things:

1) the fact that precision wasn't available to them via maps and star-charts to a reasonable degree already.
2) the fact that if something like that was needed, that the Alliance wouldn't have built it already. It's called an investment, and unlike crops (that we're assuming came from Demon world), it should have been easily possible.

Kraco

Wed, 01-30-2013, 12:38 PM

Archangel

Wed, 01-30-2013, 12:47 PM

Ryllharu

Wed, 01-30-2013, 05:22 PM

I never quite understood the whole compass thing. The unique thing about it seemed to be the fact that it always stayed horizontal (so we're assume that the world already has compasses). How hard is it to keep a compass flat? In fact, it's the first time I've even seen a compass that bothers to stay level.

Even then, can't you float the compass in some water? As Ark mentioned, actually pretty damn hard. You don't want the needle to hit the casing, because if it bends, twists, or breaks, you're screwed. In heavy seas, it's really important that the needle isn't subject to impacts or inertia spinning it all about.

And you absolutely have, if you have ever been on any boat, or been in a car or RV that has also has one attached to the dash for some reason.
1456
This is the next logical step, modernized. You float your gimbaled compass in water. Invented like 300 years after the gimballed compass in our reality. Keeping the water in there is hard because stuff breaks, the high seas are rough on equipment, even today. The water also slows the needle down, so it doesn't twirl around as fast when jostled, and stays on North more steadily.

It's a pretty huge breakthrough in their world, just like it was in ours.

Buffalobiian

Wed, 01-30-2013, 11:56 PM

Man, Bill, you are insulting all the inventors out there. Sure, it looks very simple once you hold it in your hands, but it's not quite as simple before you have even imagined it. Anyway, like has been said, the compass was just a small treat to get their attention. And it managed to do that just fine

If we assume Wiki articles to be credible, the gimbal was first described in 280-220BC, while Medieval Europe started to flourish due to technological and agricultural advances in 1000AD. I had expected something like this to be around already if it was really required.

I wasn't aware about how fragile compasses were though (as Ryll pointed out), so I have to admit that I must have thought the task was simpler than it actually is.

Xelbair

Thu, 01-31-2013, 05:07 AM

Stick to the medicine Buff. Leave navigation and getting position to surveyors and navigators.

Archangel

Wed, 02-06-2013, 09:37 PM

Episode 5:

There's no fucking focus anywhere, the story's just jumping around randomly and from what i can tell there hasn't been any significant development anywhere.

The hero can teleport anywhere, why doesn't he just drop by for a visit? Why does everything have to be so godamn complicated with these people?

Yukimura

Fri, 02-08-2013, 02:47 AM

I get where you're coming from Ark, the story jumps around so much I'm finding it hard to get caught up in what little narrative there is between the main characters. Fortunately the fake history lessons and political/economic stuff is holding my interest, and works well on the broader time scale they're showing, however the flip side of it is that the spent developing that is spend developing the 'romance' side of the series ends up feeling wasted.

But what I find even more frustrating is that I don't understand why I should root for the demon king x hero romance. They don't seem like they need to be lovers for any reason other than fantasy stories with a main hero and heroine have to involve romance between them. They could just as easily be two friends/companions/'bros' who have a similar dream and complementary skills that could aid in the realization of that dream who are helping each other out in the pursuit of their common goal. The assumption that there needs to be romance, particularly passion and/or intimacy in their relationship feels rather tacked on.

Kraco

Fri, 02-08-2013, 03:01 AM

But what I find even more frustrating is that I don't understand why I should root for the demon king x hero romance. They don't seem like they need to be lovers for any reason other than fantasy stories with a main hero and heroine have to involve romance between them. They could just as easily be two friends/companions/'bros' who have a similar dream and complementary skills that could aid in the realization of that dream who are helping each other out in the pursuit of their common goal. The assumption that there needs to be romance, particularly passion and/or intimacy in their relationship feels rather tacked on.

Considering very little has happened romantically ever since the first episode, it does feel a bit tacked on. Although the initial reason for it still exist: Maou stopped Hero's sword by seducing the young man inexperienced with women. If that element hadn't existed, I reckon the author would have needed considerably more time and effort to explain why Hero would ever agree to work with Maou, and especially trust her (or him, as Maou could have been male as well, if no romance was to be expected). Making him fall in love with her solved that all very quickly indeed. Too bad it feels stupid and unnatural he would go out of his way to avoid the one person he supposedly loves so much that he was ready to throw away his previous life for her ideal and plans.

Ryllharu

Fri, 02-08-2013, 05:21 AM

For me, the only unrealistic part of their relationship is the fact that Maou was 100% bluster when she seduced him, and that they are both shy still. They haven't even gone beyond touching hands in a year. She might be older than he is (by possibly even a century...), which makes it harder to believe that they are both that naive and shy about the love they are supposed to share for each other.

You can see why the head maid is getting frustrated with the two of them.

I feel it would be much stronger if the romance was more one-sided. One could argue that it already is with the Maou keeping body pillows and going crazy while Yuusha is content to write letters picture diary entries (but come on, you can admit that was funny) to her in her own office. But I mean more substantially.

Now, had she seduced him with her body all the way after a bottle of "juice" that first episode, then maybe I could understand the way this series is.

KrayZ33

Fri, 02-08-2013, 12:59 PM

As long as I can see more of my blonde goddess in this show I'll keep watching, no matter what

http://i.imgur.com/ReCGehX.jpg

HNNNG!

Ryllharu

Fri, 02-08-2013, 02:26 PM

Look at the fine structure of those collarbones!

Archangel

Fri, 02-08-2013, 03:04 PM

Nah, it's all about the freckles. Not enough freckles in anime if you ask me.

Yukimura

Fri, 02-08-2013, 03:18 PM

THe collar bones and freckles are nice but I'm in primarily for the over the shoulder braid, though the voice helps plenty.

Dark Dragon

Sat, 02-09-2013, 05:42 AM

I am consistently underwhelmed by these light novel to manga to anime adaptation.

It's really annoying when they leave out important details which change the interpretation of certain scenes completely.

I don't know why a garbage studio like Arms got this and Hagure Yuusha, but the animation for both have manage to be subpar. The animation took a noticeable nose dive in this episode and it wasn't the first time either. I am also starting to feel like the episodic pacing nature of anime hurts more than help because it's really disrupting the flow of the story.

Kraco

Sat, 02-09-2013, 09:51 AM

This whole show has been underwhelming. Period. Six episodes in and there's still nothing remarkable at all, quite the contrary, it feels like every episode is wasting potential.

I'd like to learn what prevents the human armies from reoccupying the gate city now that the island is again under their control and demons killed or driven away. You'd think that'd be the first thing to do, considering they have now tasted the sweetness of victory and how they in general enjoyed oppressing the demons. Or was the island enough and they will now cease funding to the armies?

KrayZ33

Sat, 02-09-2013, 07:12 PM

This whole show has been underwhelming. Period.

nawww

its actually one of the few shows I enjoy watching this season. I hope to see hero fighting soon though and then its all fine by me

Buffalobiian

Sat, 02-09-2013, 09:44 PM

My favourite part this episode was hearing Lelouch's voice again.

Kraco

Sun, 02-10-2013, 04:10 AM

My favourite part was when the geezer stopped Maou, even though I guessed correctly what he was after the moment it happened, and it never crossed my mind he might have done it because she's a demon.

Buffalobiian

Fri, 02-15-2013, 08:12 PM

HS - Episode 07 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=404380)

--------------------------

Haha, Krayz33 should enjoy this episode. xD

KrayZ33

Sat, 02-16-2013, 05:30 AM

I like this

and I like the show too :D

Inazuma

Sat, 02-16-2013, 09:47 AM

1460

I like where this is going.

MFauli

Sat, 02-16-2013, 09:55 AM

Question: I´ve only watched the first two episodes so far. Is this anime worth following or should I drop it if I didnt really enjoy these two eps? thx

Ryllharu

Sat, 02-16-2013, 10:29 AM

If you didn't like the first two episodes, you should drop it.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 02-16-2013, 12:12 PM

<Buffalobiian> She's certainly the more motherly of the two
<Buffalobiian> no question that she's the wife
<Buffalobiian> Woman Knight is worthy Mistress material though. xD
<Buffalobiian> Also, I've accepted now that instead of fixing laws and political problems to enable economic trade, Maou's just going to invent shit to fix all of humanity's problems
<Buffalobiian> I thought the earthquakes may have something to do with her demon presence residing in human lands, but it probably involves Maou's license expiring - meaning that killing demons isn't very good for human welbeing
<%Ryllharu> I think she's lying.
<%Ryllharu> It's not just related to her "license"
<%Ryllharu> It probably has more to do with her actual powers and presence in the human world.
<%Ryllharu> Like she's been holding them back and they are about to spaz out.
<Buffalobiian> hmm, true
<Buffalobiian> before when she says "I only have a few days".. I immediately thought of her menstrual cycle
<%Ryllharu> She didn't just randomly inherit the Demon Lord title. If politics in the demon world are like she keeps saying...she has the power to back up her claim.
<Buffalobiian> >_>
<%Ryllharu> If the Hero is a monster in a way, she must be a bigger one.
<%Ryllharu> He's pretty much inhuman, according the the Knight
<%Ryllharu> So Maou must be closer to a true demon.
<Buffalobiian> he's closer to SUPERhero than a hero
<%Ryllharu> Not the adorable waitress kind.
<%Ryllharu> I should repost this convo in the thread for others to consider.
<Buffalobiian> including the menstrual cycle?
<%Ryllharu> maybe you should post it then

Archangel

Sat, 02-16-2013, 01:34 PM

I don't seem to see what everyone else does in this show.

It's a complete mess, how can it even be possible that over 2 years have passed in just these 7 episodes? Or maybe the better question is how so little of interest happened in all that time.

They skipped all action, Hero's adventures in the Demon world, how he decided to go back home to the Demon Lord, everyone else's education... there's no goddamn direction at all in this story.

Inazuma

Sat, 02-16-2013, 01:45 PM

<%Ryllharu> If the Hero is a monster in a way, she must be a bigger one.
<%Ryllharu> He's pretty much inhuman, according the the Knight

Knight makes me think of a non douche version of Suzaku (See Code Geass Suzaku spinning kick)

Overwhelmingly good in battle, shit in everything else.

Buffalobiian

Fri, 02-22-2013, 08:09 PM

HS - Episode 08 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=406652)

Kraco

Sat, 02-23-2013, 02:55 AM

It seems like something is finally happening. Other than that, I find it good Hero is also doing stuff on his own (other than bashing heads). He always has a very boyish atmosphere around him, so it's a bit hard to take him seriously all the time, but perhaps he does know what he's doing. Even if he failed, it would have been better than to do nothing.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 02-23-2013, 09:40 AM

I get a little annoyed when I see Older Sister Maid with her worries, but never does anything about them. Hopefully being treated with inequity again here will make her more passionate about what she wants to do with her life. I bet you she's wondering if she was ever "human" or could be an individual without Maou's care, and now's the perfect opportunity to help her discover that.

Knight is now officially Mistress. :3

shinta|hikari

Sun, 02-24-2013, 10:20 AM

Hero should just annihilate anything that stands in their way. It would eventually be detrimental, but awesome while it happens.

miyama_ryu

Sun, 02-24-2013, 09:03 PM

Was there anyone else surprised that Maou knew about electromagnetism?

Buffalobiian

Sun, 02-24-2013, 10:07 PM

Was there anyone else surprised that Maou knew about electromagnetism?

I would be if she hadn't already established herself as a Leonado Da Vinci.

KrayZ33

Mon, 02-25-2013, 01:13 AM

Was there anyone else surprised that Maou knew about electromagnetism?

that was *very* unbelievable, yeah...

NeoCybercoin

Mon, 02-25-2013, 10:43 AM

Kraco

Mon, 02-25-2013, 11:29 AM

Well for a Maou she doesn't seem to be very strong so her forte would be knowledge. Then again she asked the head maid to kill her if was no longer herself after her little trip so could she actually be very powerful?

Who? Head Maid? I reckon the danger Maou will be facing is personality contamination. She's probably conversing with her predecessors in the tomb. Maybe she needs to convince them that rather than wage war against humans, it's better to try to live in peace. It might not be an easy task (they are supposed to be demons) and they might try to convince her otherwise instead. In light of everything we have seen, there must be something special about being Maou, something that brute force can't necessarily replace. Maybe it's the ability to deal with the earlier Maous.

Ryllharu

Mon, 02-25-2013, 04:14 PM

It's quite a leap to say that Maou isn't strong in combat. We really don't know what she is capable of doing.

The Hero looks pretty scrawny, but he's the only human we've seen using magic at all, and he is considered a beast of a fighter, reportedly several magnitudes stronger than Lady Knight.

Head maid doesn't look suited for combat either, and not only is she a General (who presumably must keep the more...obviously strong monsters in line under her command), she uses summoned ghosts/spirits to attack.

I suspect Maou's magical abilities have been carefully hidden, because utilizing them doesn't serve her goal, and it was to her benefit to look powerless when convincing the Hero of her plan.

Kraco

Mon, 02-25-2013, 05:23 PM

I suspect Maou's magical abilities have been carefully hidden, because utilizing them doesn't serve her goal, and it was to her benefit to look powerless when convincing the Hero of her plan.

Well, it would certainly remind me of another story if the Maou had awesome battle magic while the Hero is a beast with a sword...

shinta|hikari

Mon, 02-25-2013, 08:48 PM

The Hero is a monster in everything, even in pheromones.

Buffalobiian

Mon, 02-25-2013, 11:50 PM

I sure hope the Dragon Princess continues to harass him instead of falling for the merchant or something. While I'm not terribly fond of her, I do like seeing that sparky, fire-breathing effect.

miyama_ryu

Tue, 02-26-2013, 02:48 AM

Now that lady knight has been defeated, the dragon princess will become new love rival for Maou. So I think she will be hounding Yuusha for a while fear not.

David75

Tue, 02-26-2013, 03:22 AM

My guess is that Maou is extremely powerful, just by being able to keep former Maou's spirit traped in their tooms.
And perhaps her power is so strong that it destroys everything in such a scale she'd rather not use her powers at all. I would even guess that her powers come at the price of losing her reason, transforming her in a real demon of destruction.

Why that guess?
Because we've never seen her use any powers. The mind sharing power in the first episode was it seems coming from a device.
Also because she's so clever that being very powerful and clever at the same time, would be far too much for any story. Even if by some plot twist she's so gifted she decides to actually change the world without doing it through sheer power.

Kraco

Tue, 02-26-2013, 04:37 AM

Isn't she a hundred years old? If there's magic she could have learned, surely she would have learned some, if only to kill time... Obviously she's keen on studying, seeing how much she knows and furthermore can even adapt, so it's not just book knowledge. Magic should be no different, including combat magic.

Buffalobiian

Tue, 02-26-2013, 05:23 AM

Now I really want to see what Maou does with the demon kings. (and it pisses me off more that I don't think they'll actually show it).

Does she battle them and beat them into submission for a while, or does she siphon away their power into herself while trying to maintain reason to walk out as herself again?

Perhaps the most interesting question (at least for myself), is whether the previous demon kings were all angry mofos, and whether Maou herself will become another power that could destroy the world when she inevitably dies? I doubt the story would cover this part at all.

Ryllharu

Tue, 02-26-2013, 05:07 PM

I would look to the OP. I'll bet they'll show the aftermath, if not the ceremony itself. They've shown everything else so far.

I'm most curious about why the mage has three personalities, or so it seems.

Kraco

Fri, 03-01-2013, 04:22 PM

Episode 9 - HS (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=408914)

- - - - - - - - -

This episode revived my hope that this show might yet turn out to be worth some of the hype. The trading in this show has been vastly inferior to Spice & Wolf, the military side has been... well, let's say it has left much to be desired, if I wanted to avoid the word pitiful. However, this ep had such a nice long scene of a speech that I felt like I was watching one of Chihayafuru's matches on the edge of my chair. I guess you can't have too many of those in a show, but this was sorely needed. Even the scene of Older Sister Maid crying and lamenting her own powerlessness contributed greatly in retrospect, even though I paid it little attention when it happened. However, clearly the most impressive aspect of it was how she borrowed Head Maid's insects and mixed it with her own grim experiences, hopes, wishes, fears, and desires. A single speech and she changed the whole country, possibly the whole continent. I'm so satisfied with this episode that I wouldn't change anything in it.

David75

Fri, 03-01-2013, 05:01 PM

Kraco

Fri, 03-01-2013, 05:30 PM

From the beginning, hero's plan was flawed from the fact the girl would be dead long before they departed the city...
So the stones and even the will to behead her were no surprises.

I'm not so sure. I think the messenger only wanted her to stoned and beheaded right then and there after she had converted all the people. Otherwise I think they intended to drag her to the capital alive, like he said earlier, and then torture her and whatnot. Hero's original plan, agfer all, didn't include any world changing speeches.

I guess we'll now have a war between central countries and winter contry?

Who knows. It's pretty clear the church is nothing but a tool for the central countries, so despite all speak of heretics, this ended up as nothing but a failed political move. I guess a war is a possibility, but let's not forget the central countries in fact aren't in a habit of warring; they like to extort the poorer countries to do the fighting in their stead. They would need to get down from their high horses to be able to fight seriously against the battle scarred nations.

Maybe we will see a protestant reformation first, a war later...

Buffalobiian

Fri, 03-01-2013, 11:00 PM

I guess we'll now have a war between central countries and winter contry?

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The church has a wide influence, but the central nations are nations in their own right as well. Given that there's one successful "rebellion" by the Winter Country, the other ones might take the opportunity (or at least consider it) to rid themselves of the Church's influence.

You've also got the merchant reorgainising things back home as well, so there may well be less bloodshed than expected.

There was a rather lengthy finishing segment after the ED this time (in case anyone missed it). The ominous monologue suggests that Maou has attempted to "save the world with the hero" many times in the past, most likely through various incarnations. Her speech gives the impression that she's an undying motherly spirit who wishes for world peace, but her presence somehow causes destruction (whether it be her demonic nationality that forces humans to fight demons, or her demonic powers which tears up the land and causes disasters upon the earth).

Ryllharu

Sat, 03-02-2013, 09:05 AM

Tomatsu Haruka, you are now my favorite VA. That was one hell of performance.

I guess a war is a possibility, but let's not forget the central countries in fact aren't in a habit of warring; they like to extort the poorer countries to do the fighting in their stead. They would need to get down from their high horses to be able to fight seriously against the battle scarred nations.

Maybe we will see a protestant reformation first, a war later...Not only are they out of practice, they are terrible at fighting. The military of the central nations is stuffed with the sons of nobles, used to only the cushiest of guard duty. When faced with the prospect of combat, they tend to desert.

There was a rather lengthy finishing segment after the ED this time (in case anyone missed it). The ominous monologue suggests that Maou has attempted to "save the world with the hero" many times in the past, most likely through various incarnations. Her speech gives the impression that she's an undying motherly spirit who wishes for world peace, but her presence somehow causes destruction (whether it be her demonic nationality that forces humans to fight demons, or her demonic powers which tears up the land and causes disasters upon the earth).That wasn't Maou. That was the Spirit of Light herself. She was lamenting that her existence is what led to the world being torn asunder. Her name used for Crusades, her name used to begin the war between humans and the demons in the first place. She sees the birth and death of everyone on all sides, and it hurts her. She feels pain from the death of each one. It pains her to see them using her as a reason to kill each other, when her true desire is the protection and well being of all.

The segment was included to make it clear that coming conflict is not a religious war. It is a political one. The Central Church is misusing the Spirit of Light's name to enact their own will on the people. Lady Knight's view of the Spirit is the correct one, she wants peace and prosperity.

The flashbacks of Maou were a bit misleading. Or perhaps she is influencing Maou a bit, allowing her to override the will of destruction from the preceding demon lords.

Kraco

Sat, 03-02-2013, 09:17 AM

The segment was included to make it clear that coming conflict is not a religious war. It is a political one. The Central Church is misusing the Spirit of Light's name to enact their own will on the people. Lady Knight's view of the Spirit is the correct one, she wants peace and prosperity.

For now I'm more willing to believe the Central Church is no Vatican, but rather it's deeply under the influence of the politics of the central nations. Or alternatively the politics of the nations and the church are one and the same. They simply tried to use religion to get rid of Crimson Scholar because using foreign politics directly would have backfired far more readily considering the new king isn't anymore bowing down so deeply in front of them and the political/economic dependency is lessening fast anyway. With the widening gap in politics and economics, religion was the one fully shared thing they thought they could easily rely on.

Buffalobiian

Sat, 03-02-2013, 09:25 AM

Tomatsu Haruka, you are now my favorite VA. That was one hell of performance.

Not only are they out of practice, they are terrible at fighting. The military of the central nations is stuffed with the sons of nobles, used to only the cushiest of guard duty. When faced with the prospect of combat, they tend to desert.

That wasn't Maou. That was the Spirit of Light herself. She was lamenting that her existence is what led to the world being torn asunder. Her name used for Crusades, her name used to begin the war between humans and the demons in the first place. She sees the birth and death of everyone on all sides, and it hurts her. She feels pain from the death of each one. It pains her to see them using her as a reason to kill each other, when her true desire is the protection and well being of all.

The segment was included to make it clear that coming conflict is not a religious war. It is a political one. The Central Church is misusing the Spirit of Light's name to enact their own will on the people. Lady Knight's view of the Spirit is the correct one, she wants peace and prosperity.

The flashbacks of Maou were a bit misleading. Or perhaps she is influencing Maou a bit, allowing her to override the will of destruction from the preceding demon lords.

But if the Spirit is talking instead of Maou, then what business does she have with stroking black hair, wishing for world peace with him and also wondering what she'd say when she meets "him" again?

I think it's definitely Maou speaking - or at least the existence that we know as Maou. That line of thinking lead to my reincarnation theory. Combining the two together.. perhaps Maou is the living incarnation of the Spirit of Light?

When Maou met Hero, she said she was waiting for him. That sense of "destiny" would make more sense if it's some sort of tradition or role that's been handed down to her (or she knows intuitively) due to her reincarnated, spiritual nature.

-------
Apparently the next episode will convince us that this show is about more than just useless flesh. :)

NeoCybercoin

Sat, 03-02-2013, 10:18 AM

Well the Maou was waiting for the Hero because that's what always happened. The Hero sets out to kill the Demon King and considering the power of a Hero they would always make it pretty far. She just wanted to walk a different path from all the other demons kings ( as far as I know )

But I found it intriguing that the Spirit of Light was green and that it slowly zoomed out to show the sun in the demon world. So would that mean that the Spirit is their Sun?

Buffalobiian

Fri, 03-29-2013, 11:48 PM

HorribleSubs:
-Episode 10 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=413590)
-Episode 11 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=415759)
-Episode 12 (http://www.nyaa.eu/?page=download&tid=417991)

------------------------------------------

The war spiced things up greatly and made these last 3 episodes the best in the series (aside from the slave speech I suppose.. along with the Woman Knight fanservice parts). The action speaks for itself, while the economy side was also carried a sense of purpose and tension thanks to the urgency sparked by the war. Ironically, but perhaps not surprisingly these happened while Maou was incapacitated. The main problems were solved by humans utilising their knowledge, be it economic manipulation or arts of war. It feels a lot more real.

<3 younger Maou, Head Maid and dragon princess even more now (Them horns!!! :3) I rather approve of the Merchant/Dragon Princess pairing. They're both snappy and smart enough that one side doesn't eat the other up (like what would have happened if Hero was paired instead).

Talking about Hero.. WTF?! Teleportation was a useful secondary skill, but Wide Area Thunderbolt? Plasma Annihilator? That guy's more OP than I thought. He doesn't even need his sword skills. The world's lucky he was born a Hero and not a Demon King. Maou's also lucky Hero decided to visit the Demon Lair in person instead of blasting it from afar.

Inazuma

Sat, 03-30-2013, 05:06 AM

I agree with Buff.
Also, I think I fell in love with Soldier, he is like vanilla ice cream, simple but adorable.

Ryllharu

Sat, 03-30-2013, 06:58 AM

There are only two things I'm really left wondering. First, what the hell is up with Mage? She has split personalities, or maybe even three people in one body, and she describes herself as a backup. Backup to whom? Hero, Maou, or Light Spirit? The second is what kind of demon Maou really is, or if she is a demon at all. Head Maid is pretty obvious, she's some kind of necromancer. But Maou doesn't really seem to have any powers at all, and it isn't clear that the powers she does possess (long life, red aura attacks) are anything but inherited from the demon lord grave. I'm starting to wonder if she actually started out as human (as the OP somewhat seems to hint at).

I did enjoy that there are people on the Demon side who are as greedy and shady as the Central Nations. Furthermore, the church itself is distinctly evil, they want the Light Spirit dead, while using her name to advance their political ambitions.

But the series needed way more Dragon Princess. She's too good of a character to only get three or four short appearances in the series.

Archangel

Sat, 03-30-2013, 02:38 PM

Terrible, terrible show. No direction or focus, cliché characters ( i don't care if that was the point ) with dull visuals and audio all together for one hell of a deuce.

The premise was interesting, as were some of the details involving the development of a world in the middle ages but the execution was lacking.

Kraco

Sat, 03-30-2013, 04:40 PM

Everything that happened so far should have taken twice as many eps, and then there should have been a second season. This was jumping from one place to another like some overly long trailer instead of the real thing.

Even though it's kind of beside the point since they were trying to reform the world through peaceful means, trade (mutual dependency for greater prosperity), and general development for greater quality of life, it's still true Hero is way too OP. With such a character the only choice left is to either keep him away (like he was now in the demon realm) or force the story to follow non-fighting solutions even when they would appear unlikely. That's clearly careless character designing considering this is a story where potential for wars is so huge (because the nations have been solving pretty much every problem with warring so far).

All in all, lots of wasted potential with some good individual scenes, or even eps.

Archangel

Sat, 03-30-2013, 04:44 PM

Even though it's kind of beside the point since they were trying to reform the world through peaceful means, trade (mutual dependency for greater prosperity), and general development for greater quality of life, it's still true Hero is way too OP. With such a character the only choice left is to either keep him away (like he was now in the demon realm) or force the story to follow non-fighting solutions even when they would appear unlikely. That's clearly careless character designing considering this is a story where potential for wars is so huge (because the nations have been solving pretty much every problem with warring so far).

That was kind of the point though, a lvl 100 Hero's power doesn't amount to much when striving for the peace they wanted.