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The Devil is a Part-Timer! Light Novel #1
The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 1
Do you want fries with your hellfire?
Being soundly thrashed by the hero Emilia, the Devil King and his general beat a hasty retreat to a parallel universe...only to land smack in the middle of bustling, modern-day Tokyo! Lacking the magic necessary to return home, the two are forced to assume human identities and live average human lives until they can find a better solution. And to make ends meet, Satan finds gainful employment at a nearby fast food joint! With his devilish mind set on working his way up the management food chain, what will become of his thirst for conquest?!
Being soundly thrashed by the hero Emilia, the Devil King and his general beat a hasty retreat to a parallel universe...only to land smack in the middle of bustling, modern-day Tokyo! Lacking the magic necessary to return home, the two are forced to assume human identities and live average human lives until they can find a better solution. And to make ends meet, Satan finds gainful employment at a nearby fast food joint! With his devilish mind set on working his way up the management food chain, what will become of his thirst for conquest?!
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2011
218 people are currently reading
1622 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 20, 2016
Reading Satoshi Wagahara’s The Devil is a Part-Timer Volume #1 reminded me how much I enjoyed the anime series. In the book/anime, the Devil King (Sadou Mao) gets stuck on earth and, because he’s lost his powers, is forced to get a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant. He doesn’t abandoned his goal of reconquering the world he’s left behind (Ente Isla). He sees each rung in the ladder, from his position as fry cook to assistant shift manager, as a step toward greater power (aka reconquering Ente Isla and reclaiming his rightful position as Devil King!). This makes for some hilarious commentary. So I had fun with it! I guess the novel didn’t provide much beyond what I’d seen in the show or really add any extra depth. I’ll probably still read some of the book sequels. After all, I will be dressing as Sadou Mao (when I’m not Doctor Who) at the upcoming GenCon!
November 29, 2017
After being thwarted by Emilia Justina, known around Ente Isla as The Hero, the Devil King Satan and demon General Alciel were thrust through the Gate, a portal connecting the demon and mortal realms.
The travel, miraculously, didn't kill them.
What it did do was turn them into humans, weaker ones at that, and plunk them down in the middle of modern day Tokyo.
Left to their own devices as immigrants in Japan, the former demon lord and his right arm are forced to day-labor their way into an apartment, a small one-occupant in a rundown neighborhood, and register less conspicuous names; Maou and Ashiya.
But, luckily for them, the Devil King can be surprisingly... Personable at times. His shocker of a winning personality lands him a job at a popular restaurant.
No, seriously, guess which one. I'll wait.
.
.
.
Eh. Close enough.
The Devil King's part-time job at 'MgRonalds' has given him the opportunity to rebuild his demonic empire, this time on earth. This is just the first step in re-conquering the demon realm, his last remaining demon general at his side.
"Devilish."
"Your point being?"
But, a year after their sudden transplant to Japan, who should appear but
Emi Yusa, AKA: Emilia Justina.
AKA: The Hero.
When the Devil King and a feared Holy warrior do battle in human form in the Tokyo metro, awakening magic lines that followed them and potential foes to the Asian continent, dragging mortal MgRonalds employee Chiho Sasaki into the battle that could be Armageddon, the two enemies will have to make the choice between ending their feud, or saving the mortal world.
"Who the hell ever heard of a dirt-poor, junk-food-eating, rising-star-in-the-workplace, loved-by-teenage-girls Devil King?!"
Heh.
That was pretty fun.
Full disclosure: this was my first light novel. I've watched anime since I was a wee slayerling, and I've been reading manga since I was fifteen.
This new medium was fun. A novel with a handful of illustrations and all the overdone, dramatic, overexcited dialogue of a manga.
Grand!
The story, a little stiff here and there, was actually a decent telling of good vs. evil in a semi-cutesy, slapsticky way.
Characterizations were better than I was expecting. Maou fits the slacker trope, Emi the action girl, Ashiya the sassy mom friend, (I am so not making this shit up, he calls himself a househusband) and Chiho the wide-eyed normal who has absolutely no idea what's going on.
Tropey characters to say the least, but they were more thought-out than you'd get in the first volume of a manga.
I'm guessing, like with some manga, the translation is to blame for some of the dialogue coming off so poorly. It was extremely stiff and over-descriptive at several points, and it was hard to follow some characters' trains of thought.
Eh.
Happens.
Overall, I liked this. It was (I'm fairly certain?) the first novel set in Japan I've read, and definitely the first full-length novel I've read that was originally in another language.
I like the light novel medium, and the story was outlandish and fun.
I'll be back for volume 2!
The travel, miraculously, didn't kill them.
What it did do was turn them into humans, weaker ones at that, and plunk them down in the middle of modern day Tokyo.
Left to their own devices as immigrants in Japan, the former demon lord and his right arm are forced to day-labor their way into an apartment, a small one-occupant in a rundown neighborhood, and register less conspicuous names; Maou and Ashiya.
But, luckily for them, the Devil King can be surprisingly... Personable at times. His shocker of a winning personality lands him a job at a popular restaurant.
No, seriously, guess which one. I'll wait.
.
.
.
Eh. Close enough.
The Devil King's part-time job at 'MgRonalds' has given him the opportunity to rebuild his demonic empire, this time on earth. This is just the first step in re-conquering the demon realm, his last remaining demon general at his side.
"Devilish."
"Your point being?"
But, a year after their sudden transplant to Japan, who should appear but
Emi Yusa, AKA: Emilia Justina.
AKA: The Hero.
When the Devil King and a feared Holy warrior do battle in human form in the Tokyo metro, awakening magic lines that followed them and potential foes to the Asian continent, dragging mortal MgRonalds employee Chiho Sasaki into the battle that could be Armageddon, the two enemies will have to make the choice between ending their feud, or saving the mortal world.
"Who the hell ever heard of a dirt-poor, junk-food-eating, rising-star-in-the-workplace, loved-by-teenage-girls Devil King?!"
Heh.
That was pretty fun.
Full disclosure: this was my first light novel. I've watched anime since I was a wee slayerling, and I've been reading manga since I was fifteen.
This new medium was fun. A novel with a handful of illustrations and all the overdone, dramatic, overexcited dialogue of a manga.
Grand!
The story, a little stiff here and there, was actually a decent telling of good vs. evil in a semi-cutesy, slapsticky way.
Characterizations were better than I was expecting. Maou fits the slacker trope, Emi the action girl, Ashiya the sassy mom friend, (I am so not making this shit up, he calls himself a househusband) and Chiho the wide-eyed normal who has absolutely no idea what's going on.
Tropey characters to say the least, but they were more thought-out than you'd get in the first volume of a manga.
I'm guessing, like with some manga, the translation is to blame for some of the dialogue coming off so poorly. It was extremely stiff and over-descriptive at several points, and it was hard to follow some characters' trains of thought.
Eh.
Happens.
Overall, I liked this. It was (I'm fairly certain?) the first novel set in Japan I've read, and definitely the first full-length novel I've read that was originally in another language.
I like the light novel medium, and the story was outlandish and fun.
I'll be back for volume 2!
December 25, 2015
Oh, I love the premise of this thing.
A demon lord and his commander get stuck on Earth after a failed attempt to conquer another world, and they have to play human until they find a way to gather enough magic to open a portal back home.
Their plan involves cunning, research into the history of angels and demons in Japan...and working part-time at a parody of McDonald's.
True evil knows exactly how long to heat up baby food in an industrial strength microwave.
Rather than relying on the "fish out of water" trope for the demons and the holy knight chasing them, the story focuses on the absurdity of their interactions in a modern setting. Emi, the holy knight, is still determined to finish her job and kill the two demons, even though she knows that where she is now, it's against the law. Seeing the conflict between what they know to be reality in their situation, and how the normal world perceives their actions makes for some incredibly funny moments.
Ashiya is just pure awesome. The poor guy tries so hard to keep everything running smoothly for Maou, but fails. Miserably.
My only real gripe with the story is that it seems to be setting up a love triangle between Emi, Maou, and Chi, Maou's coworker. Why does a romantic sub-plot have to be forced in? The story was interesting enough without it. Sighs.
A demon lord and his commander get stuck on Earth after a failed attempt to conquer another world, and they have to play human until they find a way to gather enough magic to open a portal back home.
Their plan involves cunning, research into the history of angels and demons in Japan...and working part-time at a parody of McDonald's.
True evil knows exactly how long to heat up baby food in an industrial strength microwave.
Rather than relying on the "fish out of water" trope for the demons and the holy knight chasing them, the story focuses on the absurdity of their interactions in a modern setting. Emi, the holy knight, is still determined to finish her job and kill the two demons, even though she knows that where she is now, it's against the law. Seeing the conflict between what they know to be reality in their situation, and how the normal world perceives their actions makes for some incredibly funny moments.
Ashiya is just pure awesome. The poor guy tries so hard to keep everything running smoothly for Maou, but fails. Miserably.
My only real gripe with the story is that it seems to be setting up a love triangle between Emi, Maou, and Chi, Maou's coworker. Why does a romantic sub-plot have to be forced in? The story was interesting enough without it. Sighs.
May 18, 2015
I'm honestly torn in regards to Devil Is a Part-Timer. There are a lot of things that this novel does really well. The outlandish characters are very well written, the depiction of mundane modern life is spot-on, and, when the two are combined, it's really funny and entertaining to see stock fantasy characters working at call centers and fast food places. The supporting characters get the same amount of respect as the two leads, too, which is really fantastic. If the everyday stuff was the entire book, I'd recommend it in a second. The problem with this novel is that the second half of the book gets bogged down in action stuff that's outclassed by almost every other light novel fight scene I've read. There are still some funny touches in the action parts, but the combination of consistently un-tagged dialogue in group shouting matches and a battle that's just kind of dull really sinks it.
I'll probably continue reading this series, but after a first-half that actually made me laugh out loud, I feel like The Devil is a Part-Timer loses track of what was making the story work.
I'll probably continue reading this series, but after a first-half that actually made me laugh out loud, I feel like The Devil is a Part-Timer loses track of what was making the story work.
June 6, 2017
I watched the anime. I read the manga. And now, at long last, I have read the first volume of the light novel!
If you've seen the anime or read the manga, you know exactly what to expect from Devil is a Part-Timer by now. For those familiar with the anime, this volume covers the first half or so, with all the earthquakes.
For those unfamiliar with the series, this is a good place to start, since it is the source material and all.
This is the story of Sadao Maou, former devil king and conqueror, as he struggles with everyday life on Earth. He's got a job at a fast-food place, he lives in a crummy apartment, and he wants to get enough magic to get back to his magical home. Well, we think he wants to get home, since that's what he's always saying. But he's also always saying how they're going to have record sales at his fast food joint, so...
This is also the story of "Emi Yusa," legendary hero straight out of an RPG. She has a decent job, decent apartment, and wants nothing more than to kill the devil king. Or so she says. She seems to be berating him more than beating him.
Other characters include Ashiya, Maou's roommate and former strategist turned house-husband, and Chiho, Regular Human Girl (TM) who somehow got herself involved in all this.
"The Devil is a Part-Timer" is just as silly as it sounds, and it's a fun, quick read. :)
If you've seen the anime or read the manga, you know exactly what to expect from Devil is a Part-Timer by now. For those familiar with the anime, this volume covers the first half or so, with all the earthquakes.
For those unfamiliar with the series, this is a good place to start, since it is the source material and all.
This is the story of Sadao Maou, former devil king and conqueror, as he struggles with everyday life on Earth. He's got a job at a fast-food place, he lives in a crummy apartment, and he wants to get enough magic to get back to his magical home. Well, we think he wants to get home, since that's what he's always saying. But he's also always saying how they're going to have record sales at his fast food joint, so...
This is also the story of "Emi Yusa," legendary hero straight out of an RPG. She has a decent job, decent apartment, and wants nothing more than to kill the devil king. Or so she says. She seems to be berating him more than beating him.
Other characters include Ashiya, Maou's roommate and former strategist turned house-husband, and Chiho, Regular Human Girl (TM) who somehow got herself involved in all this.
"The Devil is a Part-Timer" is just as silly as it sounds, and it's a fun, quick read. :)
December 28, 2015
I enjoyed it surprisingly a lot. Did not expect that.
December 8, 2018
I promised myself I would shelve the books I had left out on my last A-Z run before starting on "A" again. I lied. (Though I did finally shelve them, and I'm only up to "D".) But then, the whole point of this project was to read the hundreds of books I had accumulated over the years but not yet read.
So, having plucked this book to read before I go on to my L.P. Davies novel—that's another kind of lie.
Heh.
On the other hand, these are called "light novels" for a reason. Despite clocking in at 240 pages, the pages are dialog-heavy and it was no strain to breeze through this in a couple days. So, it's minor sin, or perhaps a little white lie. But it's also a breeze because it's cute and funny, and a nice little send-up of a lot of popular Japanese tropes.
Last year, to try to connect with "the younger generation" (my kids, really), I started watching some anime on their recommendation. My previous attempts at watching anime (going back to before they were born) had been a decidedly mixed bag, as Japanese tropes can seem as dumb to Westerners as I imagine Western tropes seem to the Japanese. But with my kids making suggestions, I had found some series to watch that were quite good. (Doubly challenging, as I find TV series increasingly hard to bear.)
But I saw this whimsical show titled "The Devil is a Part Timer" and watched it, and then turned them on to it. And it became something we all enjoyed for a variety of reasons.
The typical story of this type has a super-powered teen learning how to control his or her powers at a school in preparation for some horrible situation that exists, or is about to arise. Being teens (and more importantly, being aimed at a teen audience) this means that teen angst and melodrama is given a backdrop of epic magnitude.
TDIAPT, on the other hand, begins at the end of an epic battle, when a defeated Satan flees to earth to escape The Hero, and finds himself a powerless human teen, struggling to make ends meet with his sole minion, and being pursued by the Hero, similarly reduced in condition.
It's not really a "fish out of water" scenario in the usual sense of humor coming from people misunderstanding the little things that are common knowledge in modern life; our other-worldly characters seem to have a good grasp on the events and trends of the day. But where a more typical anime might have an existential struggle punctuated with melodrama on the level of who takes whom to the prom, TDIAPT imposes the epic drama of its back story on the banalities of everyday life.
So, instead of two warrioresses fighting for their lives against some kaiju (giant monster) and one suddenly crying out "Why wouldn't you let me borrow that dress?"—and I swear I've seen something very much like this—the Devil will celebrate the $1/hour raise he gets as taking him another step toward full-time employment which is just another stepping stone to conquer the world!
The bombast coming from such events as making the rent, buying a refrigerator, or the betrayal when the demon's general discovers that he has been sneaking out to the occasional movie—which occurs when they are locked in an epic, existential battle, come to think of it—provides a lot of laughs.
But one of the other reasons it's so popular around here is that the Devil loves his job, and does it very well, much to the surprise of those who know him. My son, on viewing the series, said it had given him a new perspective on employment. If the Devil can work a job like MgRonald's with enthusiasm and see his path to world domination from it, my son figured he could, too. He's highly technically skilled, so he doesn't have to, but it's always a good thing to remember that honest work is honest work, and there's no shame in it.
It's not a bad reminder for anyone.
The series hews to the book remarkably closely, making some condensations and allowances for things, but that should tell you again how "light" this is: The 240 pages are effectively shrunk into about six episodes, or about 144 minutes, from the Devil's arrival in Japan to the big reveal of Things Aren't Quite What They Seem Back Home in episode six.
A few jokes have been added to the series that are not in the book, and some exposition—things that make you shrug and say "Huh...well, that's anime for ya" in the series—is provided so that the book actually makes a whole lot more sense, conventionally, then the series. There's also a little more insight into the Devil's (and Hero's) psychology, which is somewhat murky in the series. It's clearer that his plans for world domination are sincere, but not all that menacing.
Anyway, I did enjoy it. And I can see why all these Japanese kids (in anime and movies) have bookshelves full of these light novels. You could literally read all eighteen books in the series in a month, I'm guessing, without breaking a sweat.
----
On re-read, it's not as "unwritten" as I recalled, and there is a kind of meticulousness to the plotting. It's not (at least in its English translation) something you'd read for the density of its craftsmanship, though. I re-read it as a prelude to reading volume 2.
So, having plucked this book to read before I go on to my L.P. Davies novel—that's another kind of lie.
Heh.
On the other hand, these are called "light novels" for a reason. Despite clocking in at 240 pages, the pages are dialog-heavy and it was no strain to breeze through this in a couple days. So, it's minor sin, or perhaps a little white lie. But it's also a breeze because it's cute and funny, and a nice little send-up of a lot of popular Japanese tropes.
Last year, to try to connect with "the younger generation" (my kids, really), I started watching some anime on their recommendation. My previous attempts at watching anime (going back to before they were born) had been a decidedly mixed bag, as Japanese tropes can seem as dumb to Westerners as I imagine Western tropes seem to the Japanese. But with my kids making suggestions, I had found some series to watch that were quite good. (Doubly challenging, as I find TV series increasingly hard to bear.)
But I saw this whimsical show titled "The Devil is a Part Timer" and watched it, and then turned them on to it. And it became something we all enjoyed for a variety of reasons.
The typical story of this type has a super-powered teen learning how to control his or her powers at a school in preparation for some horrible situation that exists, or is about to arise. Being teens (and more importantly, being aimed at a teen audience) this means that teen angst and melodrama is given a backdrop of epic magnitude.
TDIAPT, on the other hand, begins at the end of an epic battle, when a defeated Satan flees to earth to escape The Hero, and finds himself a powerless human teen, struggling to make ends meet with his sole minion, and being pursued by the Hero, similarly reduced in condition.
It's not really a "fish out of water" scenario in the usual sense of humor coming from people misunderstanding the little things that are common knowledge in modern life; our other-worldly characters seem to have a good grasp on the events and trends of the day. But where a more typical anime might have an existential struggle punctuated with melodrama on the level of who takes whom to the prom, TDIAPT imposes the epic drama of its back story on the banalities of everyday life.
So, instead of two warrioresses fighting for their lives against some kaiju (giant monster) and one suddenly crying out "Why wouldn't you let me borrow that dress?"—and I swear I've seen something very much like this—the Devil will celebrate the $1/hour raise he gets as taking him another step toward full-time employment which is just another stepping stone to conquer the world!
The bombast coming from such events as making the rent, buying a refrigerator, or the betrayal when the demon's general discovers that he has been sneaking out to the occasional movie—which occurs when they are locked in an epic, existential battle, come to think of it—provides a lot of laughs.
But one of the other reasons it's so popular around here is that the Devil loves his job, and does it very well, much to the surprise of those who know him. My son, on viewing the series, said it had given him a new perspective on employment. If the Devil can work a job like MgRonald's with enthusiasm and see his path to world domination from it, my son figured he could, too. He's highly technically skilled, so he doesn't have to, but it's always a good thing to remember that honest work is honest work, and there's no shame in it.
It's not a bad reminder for anyone.
The series hews to the book remarkably closely, making some condensations and allowances for things, but that should tell you again how "light" this is: The 240 pages are effectively shrunk into about six episodes, or about 144 minutes, from the Devil's arrival in Japan to the big reveal of Things Aren't Quite What They Seem Back Home in episode six.
A few jokes have been added to the series that are not in the book, and some exposition—things that make you shrug and say "Huh...well, that's anime for ya" in the series—is provided so that the book actually makes a whole lot more sense, conventionally, then the series. There's also a little more insight into the Devil's (and Hero's) psychology, which is somewhat murky in the series. It's clearer that his plans for world domination are sincere, but not all that menacing.
Anyway, I did enjoy it. And I can see why all these Japanese kids (in anime and movies) have bookshelves full of these light novels. You could literally read all eighteen books in the series in a month, I'm guessing, without breaking a sweat.
----
On re-read, it's not as "unwritten" as I recalled, and there is a kind of meticulousness to the plotting. It's not (at least in its English translation) something you'd read for the density of its craftsmanship, though. I re-read it as a prelude to reading volume 2.
August 28, 2023
I have been wanting to read this light novel series for a little while now, and I was recently able to get my hands on the first few volumes!
I love the premise of this series, and I think Satoshi Wagahara done an amazing job bringing the characters and the environment to life.
My only problems with this LN is there are some translation errors throughout, with 'she' and 'he' frequently being misused, oftentimes in the same sentence. There are also a few sections of heavy dialogue between multiple characters where it is not clear who is actually speaking.
However, aside from the above I really enjoyed reading this and I can't wait to see what the other volumes have in store!
I love the premise of this series, and I think Satoshi Wagahara done an amazing job bringing the characters and the environment to life.
My only problems with this LN is there are some translation errors throughout, with 'she' and 'he' frequently being misused, oftentimes in the same sentence. There are also a few sections of heavy dialogue between multiple characters where it is not clear who is actually speaking.
However, aside from the above I really enjoyed reading this and I can't wait to see what the other volumes have in store!
April 19, 2016
I gave an overview of the plot in my review of the manga adaptation last month. Therefore, I am not giving much detail here. Instead what I am going to do is to comment on what I liked so much about this work and what I hope I find changed in future volumes of the series when they are translated.
As I noted in the earlier said review, I noted how it is closer to the source material presumably, well, it is. In that way, we can see a few things that the anime changed. Maou is much more evil initially and not just some "misunderstood" guy, and Emi is brutal at times, but still very heroic and principled. Also, her anger at Maou is justified.
The plot is the three of them, Emi, Maou, and Alciel, adapting to life in Japan and "going native" as it were. You see, Maou is evil at first, as is Alciel. But while Alciel mellows a bit, Maou does so a lot and this can frustrate Alciel somewhat.
This sets up later stories, I presume, and Maou is not a good guy at first, but becomes one. This interplay with Emi that his change of heart, and her inability to harm him as helpless or powered up but good, is at the heart of the story.
I just wish we had more Emi scenes from her own point of view. Maybe it's because Yoko Hikasa, the voice actress of Emi, is one of my favorite female seiyuu, but I just adore Emi. Well, that and her principles, which even with the more tsunderish, unfair portrayal in the anime, still came through. She is not willing to get along with the (former) bad guys as easily as the anime, but is generally far more reasonable and kind to them nonetheless.
Really this is an example of how the original novels for something, showing you the characters intended portrayals, and their thoughts, can be far more illuminating than the adaptation, which has to make certain changes for story, comedy, so on. Or chooses to change things. It's up for debate if they have to do so or not.
Great series.
As I noted in the earlier said review, I noted how it is closer to the source material presumably, well, it is. In that way, we can see a few things that the anime changed. Maou is much more evil initially and not just some "misunderstood" guy, and Emi is brutal at times, but still very heroic and principled. Also, her anger at Maou is justified.
The plot is the three of them, Emi, Maou, and Alciel, adapting to life in Japan and "going native" as it were. You see, Maou is evil at first, as is Alciel. But while Alciel mellows a bit, Maou does so a lot and this can frustrate Alciel somewhat.
This sets up later stories, I presume, and Maou is not a good guy at first, but becomes one. This interplay with Emi that his change of heart, and her inability to harm him as helpless or powered up but good, is at the heart of the story.
I just wish we had more Emi scenes from her own point of view. Maybe it's because Yoko Hikasa, the voice actress of Emi, is one of my favorite female seiyuu, but I just adore Emi. Well, that and her principles, which even with the more tsunderish, unfair portrayal in the anime, still came through. She is not willing to get along with the (former) bad guys as easily as the anime, but is generally far more reasonable and kind to them nonetheless.
Really this is an example of how the original novels for something, showing you the characters intended portrayals, and their thoughts, can be far more illuminating than the adaptation, which has to make certain changes for story, comedy, so on. Or chooses to change things. It's up for debate if they have to do so or not.
Great series.
May 4, 2015
Remember that old Joan Obsorne song? You know, the one that goes,
This book is like that, only replace God with the Devil.
You see the Demon Lord Satan has been trying to take over the realm of Ente Isla, but just as he was on the verge of victory, a hero appeared amongst the humans of the Western Continent, a woman named Emiliana who vanquished Satan's general Lucifer and drove his forces back to their homeland. Faced with defeat, Satan and his general Alciel escaped through a portal to another world.
But they miscalculated and landed in modern Tokyo. With no money and cut off from the source of their magic, the two have few options available. Satan gets a job at McDonalds -- er, I'm sorry, "MgRonalds," where he hopes to work his way up from lowly part-time stooge to a shift supervisor, manager, and eventually district manager. With careful planning, he's certain he can someday rise high enough in the company to take over the world. Bwa-ha-ha-ha!
As evil plans go, I've heard worse.
But unfortunately for him, the Hero Emiliana has also found her way to this world, and she's managed to get a job in a tech support call center, thus proving that in whatever world they're in, she is better than him.
The story isn't exactly Lord of the Rings -- it's not even The Wheel of Time -- but it's entertaining enough to pass a few hours. Truthfully it'd be a lot better if it focused on the slice of life elements, but the author throws in some fantasy action that takes up way too much of the story without being that compelling. Satan taking orders from customers -- awesome. Satan fighting a wizard -- I might as well be reading Jim Butcher.
What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
This book is like that, only replace God with the Devil.
You see the Demon Lord Satan has been trying to take over the realm of Ente Isla, but just as he was on the verge of victory, a hero appeared amongst the humans of the Western Continent, a woman named Emiliana who vanquished Satan's general Lucifer and drove his forces back to their homeland. Faced with defeat, Satan and his general Alciel escaped through a portal to another world.
But they miscalculated and landed in modern Tokyo. With no money and cut off from the source of their magic, the two have few options available. Satan gets a job at McDonalds -- er, I'm sorry, "MgRonalds," where he hopes to work his way up from lowly part-time stooge to a shift supervisor, manager, and eventually district manager. With careful planning, he's certain he can someday rise high enough in the company to take over the world. Bwa-ha-ha-ha!
As evil plans go, I've heard worse.
But unfortunately for him, the Hero Emiliana has also found her way to this world, and she's managed to get a job in a tech support call center, thus proving that in whatever world they're in, she is better than him.
The story isn't exactly Lord of the Rings -- it's not even The Wheel of Time -- but it's entertaining enough to pass a few hours. Truthfully it'd be a lot better if it focused on the slice of life elements, but the author throws in some fantasy action that takes up way too much of the story without being that compelling. Satan taking orders from customers -- awesome. Satan fighting a wizard -- I might as well be reading Jim Butcher.
July 13, 2015
I love it when my expectations are surpassed.
I absolutely loved the anime, so my expectations for the novel were fairly high, although my minimal experience with other light novels tempered them a bit. This is actually the first light novel I've read, but I've flipped through a few others and the writing certainly wasn't anything I'd celebrate. The Devil is Part-Timer, however, was an enjoyable read.
The comedy was spot-on and and it did a good job of delving into what each of the characters was thinking without giving me that too-many-POVs whiplash feeling.
I'm really looking forward to the future volumes and seeing how Maou and Emi progress in their relationship. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of Maou's growth and understanding of humans.
My only complaint is that I just can't see Maou and Chiho together, but the story seems to be heading straight in that direction. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, though.
I absolutely loved the anime, so my expectations for the novel were fairly high, although my minimal experience with other light novels tempered them a bit. This is actually the first light novel I've read, but I've flipped through a few others and the writing certainly wasn't anything I'd celebrate. The Devil is Part-Timer, however, was an enjoyable read.
The comedy was spot-on and and it did a good job of delving into what each of the characters was thinking without giving me that too-many-POVs whiplash feeling.
I'm really looking forward to the future volumes and seeing how Maou and Emi progress in their relationship. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of Maou's growth and understanding of humans.
My only complaint is that I just can't see Maou and Chiho together, but the story seems to be heading straight in that direction. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, though.
August 21, 2016
For those who want to watch my YouTube review, please click on the link The Devil is a Part-Timer!
Demons. Heroes. A classic story of good versus evil—well, that's how most of these stories go. The Devil is a Part-timer isn't exactly what I would call your typical tale.
This story is about Sadou Maou, once a demon lord from another world, now a part-time employee at MgRonalds.
Yes, I am perfectly aware that MgRonalds is a not-so-obscure reference to McDonalds. What can do you?
The first thing you need to know to understand this light novel is how a demon lord end up in such a situation. The story goes back to six months, in a world known as Ente Isla. It all happened during the final climactic battle between Emilia the Hero and the Demon Lord—or what would have been the climactic battle had the demon lord not opened a gate to another world and retreated through it.
Thrown into Tokyo, Japan—because, let's face it, everything supernatural that happens only happens in Japan—the demon lord and his most trusted general, Alciel, begin their new life, which is about the crappiest life I've ever heard of.
So, after having their asses handed to them and retreating through the gate to arrive in Japan, Maou and Alciel forge false identities. The demon lord assumes the name Sadaou Maou, which, if you know your Japanese, Maou is a play on the word devil. Alciel becomes Ashiya, and together, the two of them find a really cheap apartment that looks like it might collapse at the slightest provocation.
Here they forge ahead with their new lives while trying to regain their magical energy. Here's an interesting fact. Because gods and demons don't exist on Earth, Maou and Ashiya are unable to regain their magical force. In either event, Ashiya has assumed the role of househusband. Meanwhile, Maou works part-time at MgRonalds. His goal? Become a manager to help him in his conquest of taking over the world... or something like that.
On his way to work one day, Maou comes across a young woman stuck in the rain, and, being the helpful demon lord that he is, he offers the woman his umbrella. Of course, little did he know that this woman was, in fact, his nemesis, Emilia the Hero. Later on, after a good day at work in which he gets to spend time with his cute co-worker, Chiho, who he just calls Chi, Maou is confronted by Emilia, who tries to kill him with a knife.
I suppose it's a good thing that killing in broad daylight is illegal in Japan. Emilia and Maou are caught by the police, who are under the impression that this was some kind of marital dispute. Emilia doesn't seem to take this well, and she lashes out at Maou, who seems to care very little about what happened. The two of them part ways on bad terms, and after that, Emilia, who goes by the name Emi Yusa, begins to stalk Maou everywhere he goes.
You know what I really like about this series? It's how the story deals with mundane, every day life. I know, that sounds really weird, but you have to consider the other factors. First, this is about a demon lord, his henchmen, and the hero who wants to kill him, living an ordinary life in Japan. The mere idea of these three figures living like regular humans is unfathomably ridiculous. Who the hell has ever heard of a demon lord working part time at a fast food restaurant?
Another great aspect of this series is the witty banter. Now, I'm a great fan of witticism. I enjoy stories when they have dialogue that can keep me entertained, and The Devil is a Part-Timer has some of the best dialogue I've read in a light novel. I think it might even be better than Spice and Wolf in terms of comedy if not intelligence.
Outside of the humor, this story manages to adequately convey the feelings and emotional connections of its characters. Of course, some of those connections are outright hatred, such as the bond between Emilia and Maou. It's probably a good thing we've got Chi, the cute high school girl who works at MgRonalds with Maou.
Chi serves as an excellent contrast to Emilia. Both of them are about the same age. However, where Emilia's actions and emotions are in line with those of a young woman who's undergone numerous hardships, Chi is your average 16 year old girl. These two form an interesting juxtaposition, and they make an excellent counterbalance for each other.
While the first half of volume 1 dealt with the struggles of Maou and Ashiya conforming to Japanese society, the second half becomes a lot more action packed. An unknown assailant attacks Emi and Maou. What's more, this unknown assailant can use magic. Who is the mysterious attacker? What does this person want with Maou and Emi? You'll have to read the light novel to find out...
… or you could, you know, watch the anime, which is actually pretty good.
Demons. Heroes. A classic story of good versus evil—well, that's how most of these stories go. The Devil is a Part-timer isn't exactly what I would call your typical tale.
This story is about Sadou Maou, once a demon lord from another world, now a part-time employee at MgRonalds.
Yes, I am perfectly aware that MgRonalds is a not-so-obscure reference to McDonalds. What can do you?
The first thing you need to know to understand this light novel is how a demon lord end up in such a situation. The story goes back to six months, in a world known as Ente Isla. It all happened during the final climactic battle between Emilia the Hero and the Demon Lord—or what would have been the climactic battle had the demon lord not opened a gate to another world and retreated through it.
Thrown into Tokyo, Japan—because, let's face it, everything supernatural that happens only happens in Japan—the demon lord and his most trusted general, Alciel, begin their new life, which is about the crappiest life I've ever heard of.
So, after having their asses handed to them and retreating through the gate to arrive in Japan, Maou and Alciel forge false identities. The demon lord assumes the name Sadaou Maou, which, if you know your Japanese, Maou is a play on the word devil. Alciel becomes Ashiya, and together, the two of them find a really cheap apartment that looks like it might collapse at the slightest provocation.
Here they forge ahead with their new lives while trying to regain their magical energy. Here's an interesting fact. Because gods and demons don't exist on Earth, Maou and Ashiya are unable to regain their magical force. In either event, Ashiya has assumed the role of househusband. Meanwhile, Maou works part-time at MgRonalds. His goal? Become a manager to help him in his conquest of taking over the world... or something like that.
On his way to work one day, Maou comes across a young woman stuck in the rain, and, being the helpful demon lord that he is, he offers the woman his umbrella. Of course, little did he know that this woman was, in fact, his nemesis, Emilia the Hero. Later on, after a good day at work in which he gets to spend time with his cute co-worker, Chiho, who he just calls Chi, Maou is confronted by Emilia, who tries to kill him with a knife.
I suppose it's a good thing that killing in broad daylight is illegal in Japan. Emilia and Maou are caught by the police, who are under the impression that this was some kind of marital dispute. Emilia doesn't seem to take this well, and she lashes out at Maou, who seems to care very little about what happened. The two of them part ways on bad terms, and after that, Emilia, who goes by the name Emi Yusa, begins to stalk Maou everywhere he goes.
You know what I really like about this series? It's how the story deals with mundane, every day life. I know, that sounds really weird, but you have to consider the other factors. First, this is about a demon lord, his henchmen, and the hero who wants to kill him, living an ordinary life in Japan. The mere idea of these three figures living like regular humans is unfathomably ridiculous. Who the hell has ever heard of a demon lord working part time at a fast food restaurant?
Another great aspect of this series is the witty banter. Now, I'm a great fan of witticism. I enjoy stories when they have dialogue that can keep me entertained, and The Devil is a Part-Timer has some of the best dialogue I've read in a light novel. I think it might even be better than Spice and Wolf in terms of comedy if not intelligence.
Outside of the humor, this story manages to adequately convey the feelings and emotional connections of its characters. Of course, some of those connections are outright hatred, such as the bond between Emilia and Maou. It's probably a good thing we've got Chi, the cute high school girl who works at MgRonalds with Maou.
Chi serves as an excellent contrast to Emilia. Both of them are about the same age. However, where Emilia's actions and emotions are in line with those of a young woman who's undergone numerous hardships, Chi is your average 16 year old girl. These two form an interesting juxtaposition, and they make an excellent counterbalance for each other.
While the first half of volume 1 dealt with the struggles of Maou and Ashiya conforming to Japanese society, the second half becomes a lot more action packed. An unknown assailant attacks Emi and Maou. What's more, this unknown assailant can use magic. Who is the mysterious attacker? What does this person want with Maou and Emi? You'll have to read the light novel to find out...
… or you could, you know, watch the anime, which is actually pretty good.
February 14, 2023
More please!
July 14, 2015
The all-powerful and very evil Devil King (Satan) has been chased out of Ente Isla by the clever and tenacious Emilia The Hero. Escaping through a Gate, Satan and his Great Demon General, Alciel, find themselves powerless and penniless in Japan. Recognizing that they will need to regroup and rebuild their otherworldly power, Satan takes on the task of earning some money to support Alciel and himself. In the body of a seventeen year old he works at MgRonald and meets Chiho, who instantaneously has a crush on Satan. All is seemingly going well until Emilia tracks down Satan and tries once again to annihilate him. Unfortunately and quite embarrassingly to Emilia, her trip through the Gate has also stripped her powers. These arch-enemies are at a stand-still, neither being able to destroy the other and oddly beginning to see each other in a new light. When Lucifer, another Great Demon General, comes to attack Satan and Emilia, they partner up to defeat their now common enemy and to protect Japan. The fantastical and slapstick story will draw in readers though the author has a confusing way of never specifically stating who is speaking. In a novel with a tremendous amount of dialogue, readers will find this at times hard to follow. The story seems much better suited as a manga or graphic novel.
Grades 7 and up.
Grades 7 and up.
August 9, 2016
I really really love it!!! <3 I enjoyed every second I spent on this book. It's fun to read and surpassed my expectation of my favourite anime as the light novel adaptation. I watched the anime based on this light novel 3 years ago and always wanted a season 2. This is my very first light novel which I bought a copy of it, read it till the end and fell in love with it. (I've read some light novels online before, but failed to finish till the end. xD) I love how this novel makes my heart warm again, brings back the nostalgic feeling of my late teenage year the time when I absolutely enjoyed watching it. ^.^
I really like how this novel illustrates Maou and Emi first met in Japan at a pedestrian crossing, the ending at the same location. <3 I wanna see more characters and story development between Maou and Emi in the next volumes. Currently I'm reading the vol 2 and looking forward to read the vol 3 which will be the continuation of the anime. I can't wait for the new story!!!
I'd strongly recommend you to read it!!!
If you're totally new to this story, you should try! <3
If you've already watched the anime, you would love it! <3
I really like how this novel illustrates Maou and Emi first met in Japan at a pedestrian crossing, the ending at the same location. <3 I wanna see more characters and story development between Maou and Emi in the next volumes. Currently I'm reading the vol 2 and looking forward to read the vol 3 which will be the continuation of the anime. I can't wait for the new story!!!
I'd strongly recommend you to read it!!!
If you're totally new to this story, you should try! <3
If you've already watched the anime, you would love it! <3
January 4, 2016
When I got into serious anime watching back in 2014, The Devil is a Part Timer was one of the my favorite anime series. It still is to this day in fact. So when I found out that the light novels were going to come out in the US, I was really interested to check them out. It took a while though, since I bought this on Black Friday, and I had other books to read.
This was nice to finish up my Winter Break with. I enjoyed all of the main characters from the anime, and I still liked them here. I was also interested that some of the side characters were explored a little bit, as well as Emi's background of becoming the Hero. I can see why they were cut out of the anime though.
Besides the light novel dragging at some parts, this was still pretty awesome to read. I'm happy this series has made this much of an impact on me.
This was nice to finish up my Winter Break with. I enjoyed all of the main characters from the anime, and I still liked them here. I was also interested that some of the side characters were explored a little bit, as well as Emi's background of becoming the Hero. I can see why they were cut out of the anime though.
Besides the light novel dragging at some parts, this was still pretty awesome to read. I'm happy this series has made this much of an impact on me.
February 1, 2016
I watched the anime based on this light novel a couple years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the basic premise. When a friend of mine suggested that he owns them and could lend it to me, I jumped on it. I think I'm starting to like light novels. They are like YA, but also a lot like japanese Anime and Manga in general story flow and characterization.
I liked this book as it mostly told the story from the anime, although contained some new details the show skipped. It also told things in a different order or skipped things entirely. I'm interested to see how the books continue past the show, and plan to keep reading as these light novels, really are light. It probably only took me 2.5 hours to read the whole thing (spread out across a couple days).
I liked this book as it mostly told the story from the anime, although contained some new details the show skipped. It also told things in a different order or skipped things entirely. I'm interested to see how the books continue past the show, and plan to keep reading as these light novels, really are light. It probably only took me 2.5 hours to read the whole thing (spread out across a couple days).
July 9, 2018
If you're into light novels with lots of fun and laughter. I recommend you to read this.
The devil is a part-timer is truly an entertainment. I didn't even realized that its already morning when I finished reading the book! That's how captivating it is. I mean, where can you actually find the lord of hell who once conquered an island to conquer the MgRonalds ladder to be a full time employee?
I really love how the writer makes me feel like I am actually in there. It makes me go to the places where they're actually are. Fufufu...Truth be told, since I was already hooked on it. I ended up buying volumes 2-5.
Anyways, can't get enough of it and totally excited to read the second volume. As for the first volume, hands down!
The devil is a part-timer is truly an entertainment. I didn't even realized that its already morning when I finished reading the book! That's how captivating it is. I mean, where can you actually find the lord of hell who once conquered an island to conquer the MgRonalds ladder to be a full time employee?
I really love how the writer makes me feel like I am actually in there. It makes me go to the places where they're actually are. Fufufu...Truth be told, since I was already hooked on it. I ended up buying volumes 2-5.
Anyways, can't get enough of it and totally excited to read the second volume. As for the first volume, hands down!
February 11, 2021
really loved this thing it was freaking awesome!
loved how the characters are portrayed and the whole artwork was really good. the characters themselves were quite amazing, funny and entertaining. the whole mythology was also something fresh and original twist to the whole thing with satan and the such. i really enjoyed how the main characters were really deep and sometimes just plain stupid. I was laughing and just enjoying the story like i never expected. Maou was definitely my favorite.
I cant wait to get the next one!
loved how the characters are portrayed and the whole artwork was really good. the characters themselves were quite amazing, funny and entertaining. the whole mythology was also something fresh and original twist to the whole thing with satan and the such. i really enjoyed how the main characters were really deep and sometimes just plain stupid. I was laughing and just enjoying the story like i never expected. Maou was definitely my favorite.
I cant wait to get the next one!
December 14, 2016
en una lucha encarnizada de humanos y demonios, el rey demonio y su ejercito queda atrapado, al parecer es su fin pero como medida desesperada decide abrir un portal, lo que no sabe es que ese portal lo llevara al japon actual, es asi como el rey demonio Satan acompañado de uno de sus generales y perseguidos por la heroina tendran que adaptarse a este nuevo estilo de vida mientras que se hallan con conplicaciones en el camino tanto de la vida diaria como de su mundo.
May 3, 2015
I first found out about The Devil is a Part-Timer on Netflix. Even though it was only 13 episodes long I really enjoyed it. I tried to find the light novel online to read but no luck so when I saw the first volume for sale at my local bookstore I had to buy it. I can't wait for volume two to come out
July 15, 2015
The story is well written and the characters are fun. Only negative I'd say is the dialogue has to be reread to figure out who is saying what and there are two pronouns that are wrong when referring to those speaking which doesn't help.
September 4, 2018
A different take on good and evil where it's not black and white, they characters are all pretty much gray. I was excepting a normal light novel with cheap humor but this was a great story.
December 26, 2024
I had seen the anime series (Season 1) of this ages ago and seeing the first volume in a half price books i decided to give it a shot. To be completely honest, i forgot most of what happened in the series (i probably have to watch it again) so i went into it pretty fresh. And, yeah, it was fine.
I think i'd put this at the same level of fine as like the Spice and Wolf light novel. Definitely fine, will read the second volume, but not RUSHING off to read volume 2 immediately.
This series is basically about a demon lord and his general who escape to japan before losing a battle in their homeworld which they were trying to take over. He's followed by the Hero was going to defeat him but since none of them have their magical powers in this world, to make money, the demon lord needs a job, and ends up working part time at a Mcdonalds. (sorry, MgRonalds as they call it. subtle)
it's a slice of life series with some magic attached to it, but overall it's a comedy. Is it funny? I mean...it's fine. there's no moment where i was either bursting out loud laughing or feeling the warm and fuzzies like in Tearmoon empire or My next life as a villainess, but overall it was fine for what it was. There's no death to speak of in this volume which is nice, and the main characters are fine enough, if not a little stereotypical at times with some annoying miscommunications.
There's not a whole lot to say about this one. Not really a huge fan of the hero girl. the side girl Chiho is okay, and i really love hero girl's friend Rika. she's adorable and i wish she was one of the main characters rather than a side one. Hero girl is one of those situations where a hack writer would probably pair the demon king with her just because like "oh my! she's a hero and he's a villain. Man wouldn't it be wAcKy if we paired them up? but they don't get along!" kind of garbage. However, i'm assuming this guy will be a hack. because i'm right like 9/10 times on predicting pairings when it comes to these things. and if he DOES end up with her, i'll think far less of this series.
There's some action towards the end with a villain, but it's a comedy slice of life, so you know things don't end too intensely even without spoilers. The demon king is super obsessed with being the best MgRonald's employee and.. taking over the world that way somehow? yeah it doesn't make a lot of sense and obviously played for laughs.
That being said, it's fine, i'll probably read volume 2 and yeah....not much else to say. good, not great but good. 3.5 out of 5 rounded down to a 3.
I think i'd put this at the same level of fine as like the Spice and Wolf light novel. Definitely fine, will read the second volume, but not RUSHING off to read volume 2 immediately.
This series is basically about a demon lord and his general who escape to japan before losing a battle in their homeworld which they were trying to take over. He's followed by the Hero was going to defeat him but since none of them have their magical powers in this world, to make money, the demon lord needs a job, and ends up working part time at a Mcdonalds. (sorry, MgRonalds as they call it. subtle)
it's a slice of life series with some magic attached to it, but overall it's a comedy. Is it funny? I mean...it's fine. there's no moment where i was either bursting out loud laughing or feeling the warm and fuzzies like in Tearmoon empire or My next life as a villainess, but overall it was fine for what it was. There's no death to speak of in this volume which is nice, and the main characters are fine enough, if not a little stereotypical at times with some annoying miscommunications.
There's not a whole lot to say about this one. Not really a huge fan of the hero girl. the side girl Chiho is okay, and i really love hero girl's friend Rika. she's adorable and i wish she was one of the main characters rather than a side one. Hero girl is one of those situations where a hack writer would probably pair the demon king with her just because like "oh my! she's a hero and he's a villain. Man wouldn't it be wAcKy if we paired them up? but they don't get along!" kind of garbage. However, i'm assuming this guy will be a hack. because i'm right like 9/10 times on predicting pairings when it comes to these things. and if he DOES end up with her, i'll think far less of this series.
There's some action towards the end with a villain, but it's a comedy slice of life, so you know things don't end too intensely even without spoilers. The demon king is super obsessed with being the best MgRonald's employee and.. taking over the world that way somehow? yeah it doesn't make a lot of sense and obviously played for laughs.
That being said, it's fine, i'll probably read volume 2 and yeah....not much else to say. good, not great but good. 3.5 out of 5 rounded down to a 3.
October 26, 2021
Satoshi Wagahara's The Devil Is a Part-Timer is a light fantasy comedy with a lot of heart and a goofy premise. Wagahara's Devil King is one of the most well-meaning bad guys I've run across, and his supporting cast, all built on familiar archetypes from manga and other light novels, may not break any molds but definitely add to some of the fun of the series.
In this first volume, Wagahara introduces Sadao Mao and his compatriots in three chapters that act as "episodes," each of which explores the relationships Mao has with his compatriots and the world in which they all live. Although the novel's plot ultimately settles on a confrontation between Mao and one of his former demon lieutenants, the story's emotional core rests on the antagonism between Mao and Emi Yusa, the girl hero from his previous life as Devil King. That relationship, of mortal enemies gradually letting go of their prejudices to become friends, completes the emotional arc of the story, opening up a promising future of stories of the Devil King learning to act with greater human empathy.
Although I enjoyed the novel overall, it still isn't without its faults. The novel's prose, for example, is dreadfully plain and unimaginative, although it's hard to tell how much of that is the fault of Wagahara and how much of it is the fault of Yen Press's translators. The dialogue, especially, is hard to track with five or six characters in a scene, as few of them have any kind of linguistic tell to identify who is speaking and the translation doesn't offer narrative tags to clarify any speakers. The story, too, often gets bogged down by dense passages of exposition. The plot takes two episodes to finally heat up, and then the action is pretty clumsily presented.
In spite of its flaws, though, The Devil Is a Part-Timer is light-hearted enough to make for an enjoyable weekend read, although mileage is likely to vary based on personal preference. I don't believe it will be a book I reread heavily in the future, but it was nice to pick up a few pages before going to sleep each night. Whether or not light novels will become a regular part of my reading diet remains to be seen, but for the time being, I'm likely to keep one around.
In this first volume, Wagahara introduces Sadao Mao and his compatriots in three chapters that act as "episodes," each of which explores the relationships Mao has with his compatriots and the world in which they all live. Although the novel's plot ultimately settles on a confrontation between Mao and one of his former demon lieutenants, the story's emotional core rests on the antagonism between Mao and Emi Yusa, the girl hero from his previous life as Devil King. That relationship, of mortal enemies gradually letting go of their prejudices to become friends, completes the emotional arc of the story, opening up a promising future of stories of the Devil King learning to act with greater human empathy.
Although I enjoyed the novel overall, it still isn't without its faults. The novel's prose, for example, is dreadfully plain and unimaginative, although it's hard to tell how much of that is the fault of Wagahara and how much of it is the fault of Yen Press's translators. The dialogue, especially, is hard to track with five or six characters in a scene, as few of them have any kind of linguistic tell to identify who is speaking and the translation doesn't offer narrative tags to clarify any speakers. The story, too, often gets bogged down by dense passages of exposition. The plot takes two episodes to finally heat up, and then the action is pretty clumsily presented.
In spite of its flaws, though, The Devil Is a Part-Timer is light-hearted enough to make for an enjoyable weekend read, although mileage is likely to vary based on personal preference. I don't believe it will be a book I reread heavily in the future, but it was nice to pick up a few pages before going to sleep each night. Whether or not light novels will become a regular part of my reading diet remains to be seen, but for the time being, I'm likely to keep one around.
February 8, 2017
Review originally found on Looking Glass Reads.
The Devil Is A Part-Timer!, Vol. 1 by Satoshi Wagahara is a light novel (and anime, and manga) I've had my eye on for a long time. I watched the anime and when it became apparent there wasn't another season coming out, at least nothing any time soon, I grabbed a copy of the original light novel. This is the first light novel in a still ongoing series about a half angel hero turned call-center employee, the literal devil working as a part-time fast food employee, his top general as acting house-husband for lack of an army (or magic).
And it is tons of fun.
First, a better look at the plot.
In this story the Hero Emilia has turned the tables in the Devil King’s long, protracted war to rule the world of Ente Isla. Cornered and exhausted, the Devil King and Alciel, his last remaining general, open a portal, fleeing their world entirely as they seek refuge in a parallel world – our world. Tokyo to be exact, not that they were particularly aiming for there. Any port in a storm, after all. They were supposed to wait out the immediate threat, go back, and wage war anew, but this new world has no magic, reducing the pair to two thoroughly magicless humans with no foreseeable way to replenish their magic instead of the terrifying demons they truly are. Reduced to a part-time employee of McRonalds, times are tough on the former Devil King. But it’s alright. He will take over the world, both of them now that he comes to think of it, even if the Hero Emilia is still hot on his trail and intent on killing him once and for all.
The story is written in third person point of view. There is some switching between characters, most often between Maou and Emi. Now, something about the writing style to note is the lack of character names attached to dialogue lines. More often than not this is used during conversations between two characters such as Maou and Ashiya. The characters personalities are very well reflected in their patterns of speech. This usually makes it easy to tell which character is speaking, especially if there are only two characters talking.
However, I can see this as being frustrating for some people, especially near the end during battle scenes. There are times where there are no ‘Maou said’ or ‘Emi said’ for half a page or more. A few times I was a bit confused – not often and not for long – but it did happen. If you don’t like this literary approach or if dialogue done this way is difficult for you to follow, do be warned.
So, is the light novel different than the anime? No, not really. The plot is the same. There aren’t any major changes. But, as with all adaptations, there are things that didn’t make it into the anime. Some scenes are extended further than we see in the anime. We’re given more details about characters, the world, and the Devil King’s life in our world before the meat of the story really begins. There are humorous lines and sections which we didn’t see in the anime. The plot, though, remains largely unchanged.
As with many light novels, there is some artwork included within The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 1. All of these are single page images featuring the characters in black and white with minimalist backgrounds. They are simple in style with minimalist backgrounds spread at odd intervals throughout the novel.
I really liked reading about Maou and Ashiya, formerly the Devil King and General Alciel. Maou excels to be the best at whatever he sets his mind to. Except, perhaps, things like budgeting, which is something he's never had to worry about. Enter Ashiya. The former general has now been reduced to what is essentially a house-husband, cleaning their 100 square foot apartment, cooking healthy food so Maou doesn't only eat fast-food at work, all while searching for a way to regain their lost powers so they can finally go home. The pair play off each other wonderfully.
Maou does come off as a little more oblivious towards Chiho’s affections in the book as opposed to the anime, though. Even though he’s a several hundred years old demon king this doesn’t come off as a naïve where it easily could have. Because, well, he’s a several hundred year old demon king. He didn’t understand humans at all back when he was living in Ente Isla, something he admits to Emi. Even though he’s living amongst humans he’s still learning about them. In many ways Chiho’s stories about voices and earthquake warnings are more normal to Maou than buying a new outfit for a date and flirting are.
Emi, formerly Emilia the Hero. Now, I didn’t immediately like Emi’s character. Her fears about what Mao and Ashiya are possibly plotting isn’t unfounded. Maou is the Devil King who sent his armies to murder lots of innocent villagers and conquer the world, after all. While he might come off as innocent at times he is really anything but. I get that part. And she isn't really whiny, but an awful lot of her dialogue ended with an exclamation point, at least in the first half of the book. It took me until about halfway through to really appreciate Emi as a character. And it took a full flashback to her childhood and time as the Hero to understand just how bizarre everything looked from her perspective. Everything she's seen of the Devil King, everything she has been taught and every conclusion she's drawn aren’t completely true because, while enemies, she never knew Maou as a person. What's in front of her now is not what she was trained to fight against back in Ente Isla. Especially since Maou's time in Tokyo has changed him.
But you know what I really loved about the book? The resumes of the four main characters found in the back. Those were amazingly done. From the Ente Isla qualifications like Ashiya's wyvern wrangling liscense to the scribbled notes back and forth to one another. They were pretty perfect and gave a very good overview of the characters, their abilities, pasts, and personalities. There's also some handy info on ages, birthdays, and whatnot.
In the end, I'm very happy I read The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 1. I enjoyed it a lot. It's funny, it's heartfelt, and it has some great moments in the last fight scene. If you like humorous fantasy stories, stories about demons, or watched the anime you'll want to pick up a copy of this. If you have difficulties following the text when no character names are included within the dialogue this may not be the book for you.
The Devil Is A Part-Timer!, Vol. 1 by Satoshi Wagahara is a light novel (and anime, and manga) I've had my eye on for a long time. I watched the anime and when it became apparent there wasn't another season coming out, at least nothing any time soon, I grabbed a copy of the original light novel. This is the first light novel in a still ongoing series about a half angel hero turned call-center employee, the literal devil working as a part-time fast food employee, his top general as acting house-husband for lack of an army (or magic).
And it is tons of fun.
First, a better look at the plot.
In this story the Hero Emilia has turned the tables in the Devil King’s long, protracted war to rule the world of Ente Isla. Cornered and exhausted, the Devil King and Alciel, his last remaining general, open a portal, fleeing their world entirely as they seek refuge in a parallel world – our world. Tokyo to be exact, not that they were particularly aiming for there. Any port in a storm, after all. They were supposed to wait out the immediate threat, go back, and wage war anew, but this new world has no magic, reducing the pair to two thoroughly magicless humans with no foreseeable way to replenish their magic instead of the terrifying demons they truly are. Reduced to a part-time employee of McRonalds, times are tough on the former Devil King. But it’s alright. He will take over the world, both of them now that he comes to think of it, even if the Hero Emilia is still hot on his trail and intent on killing him once and for all.
The story is written in third person point of view. There is some switching between characters, most often between Maou and Emi. Now, something about the writing style to note is the lack of character names attached to dialogue lines. More often than not this is used during conversations between two characters such as Maou and Ashiya. The characters personalities are very well reflected in their patterns of speech. This usually makes it easy to tell which character is speaking, especially if there are only two characters talking.
However, I can see this as being frustrating for some people, especially near the end during battle scenes. There are times where there are no ‘Maou said’ or ‘Emi said’ for half a page or more. A few times I was a bit confused – not often and not for long – but it did happen. If you don’t like this literary approach or if dialogue done this way is difficult for you to follow, do be warned.
So, is the light novel different than the anime? No, not really. The plot is the same. There aren’t any major changes. But, as with all adaptations, there are things that didn’t make it into the anime. Some scenes are extended further than we see in the anime. We’re given more details about characters, the world, and the Devil King’s life in our world before the meat of the story really begins. There are humorous lines and sections which we didn’t see in the anime. The plot, though, remains largely unchanged.
As with many light novels, there is some artwork included within The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 1. All of these are single page images featuring the characters in black and white with minimalist backgrounds. They are simple in style with minimalist backgrounds spread at odd intervals throughout the novel.
I really liked reading about Maou and Ashiya, formerly the Devil King and General Alciel. Maou excels to be the best at whatever he sets his mind to. Except, perhaps, things like budgeting, which is something he's never had to worry about. Enter Ashiya. The former general has now been reduced to what is essentially a house-husband, cleaning their 100 square foot apartment, cooking healthy food so Maou doesn't only eat fast-food at work, all while searching for a way to regain their lost powers so they can finally go home. The pair play off each other wonderfully.
Maou does come off as a little more oblivious towards Chiho’s affections in the book as opposed to the anime, though. Even though he’s a several hundred years old demon king this doesn’t come off as a naïve where it easily could have. Because, well, he’s a several hundred year old demon king. He didn’t understand humans at all back when he was living in Ente Isla, something he admits to Emi. Even though he’s living amongst humans he’s still learning about them. In many ways Chiho’s stories about voices and earthquake warnings are more normal to Maou than buying a new outfit for a date and flirting are.
Emi, formerly Emilia the Hero. Now, I didn’t immediately like Emi’s character. Her fears about what Mao and Ashiya are possibly plotting isn’t unfounded. Maou is the Devil King who sent his armies to murder lots of innocent villagers and conquer the world, after all. While he might come off as innocent at times he is really anything but. I get that part. And she isn't really whiny, but an awful lot of her dialogue ended with an exclamation point, at least in the first half of the book. It took me until about halfway through to really appreciate Emi as a character. And it took a full flashback to her childhood and time as the Hero to understand just how bizarre everything looked from her perspective. Everything she's seen of the Devil King, everything she has been taught and every conclusion she's drawn aren’t completely true because, while enemies, she never knew Maou as a person. What's in front of her now is not what she was trained to fight against back in Ente Isla. Especially since Maou's time in Tokyo has changed him.
But you know what I really loved about the book? The resumes of the four main characters found in the back. Those were amazingly done. From the Ente Isla qualifications like Ashiya's wyvern wrangling liscense to the scribbled notes back and forth to one another. They were pretty perfect and gave a very good overview of the characters, their abilities, pasts, and personalities. There's also some handy info on ages, birthdays, and whatnot.
In the end, I'm very happy I read The Devil is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 1. I enjoyed it a lot. It's funny, it's heartfelt, and it has some great moments in the last fight scene. If you like humorous fantasy stories, stories about demons, or watched the anime you'll want to pick up a copy of this. If you have difficulties following the text when no character names are included within the dialogue this may not be the book for you.
July 9, 2019
Not perfect, but highly entertaining.
The short -- the Devil King flees his homeland and ends up without most of his magic looking like a teen in Japan. In order to survive there he takes a job as a part-timer at a burger joint. One of his four generals came with him, the other 3 assumed dead. Of course the Hero who caused him to flee also ends up making it through the gateway and hasn't entirely given up her goal to take down the Devil King... but only in a fair fight.
It is almost a slice of life story with the over-the-top drama and comedy typically found there but is more than just that. It is perfectly readable without having read the manga or seen the anime. If you have done one or the other it still seems to me a good way to spend more time in this world and get a bit more into who the characters really are. Not to mention there are more than dozen books (translated) and even more in Japanese so far so there is a LOT more to the story than the anime/manga.
Verdict: If you want something that is humorous but still shows some potential for character growth, this is a good series to go with.
The short -- the Devil King flees his homeland and ends up without most of his magic looking like a teen in Japan. In order to survive there he takes a job as a part-timer at a burger joint. One of his four generals came with him, the other 3 assumed dead. Of course the Hero who caused him to flee also ends up making it through the gateway and hasn't entirely given up her goal to take down the Devil King... but only in a fair fight.
It is almost a slice of life story with the over-the-top drama and comedy typically found there but is more than just that. It is perfectly readable without having read the manga or seen the anime. If you have done one or the other it still seems to me a good way to spend more time in this world and get a bit more into who the characters really are. Not to mention there are more than dozen books (translated) and even more in Japanese so far so there is a LOT more to the story than the anime/manga.
Verdict: If you want something that is humorous but still shows some potential for character growth, this is a good series to go with.
June 3, 2020
Imagine this situation. You are an emperor in a fantasy world with multiple branches of servants on your side. You go ahead to conquer the human world to create your dream empire with you being inches away from your goal when suddenly everything crumbles. One single human, a female warrior named Emilia had stopped your conquest. After she had stopped you, you open a gate to another dimension to escape. But when you wake up from your sleep, you find yourself in modern Japan with nothing in your possession. This is what Maou Sadao had to deal with as he started his new life as a fast-food worker. This story is his quest to go back to his previous world. But in order to do that, the emperor must work for his life.
February 12, 2018
The premise is simple if the Lord of Mordor and his top Lieutenant escaped to our world and were largely stripped of magic what kind of life would they lead? The humor is all about the Japanese working class and juxtaposing it with sword and sorcery characters. The Devil turns out to be not so evil when he isn't omnipotent and learns to love the struggle of his dead end earth life. The translation is highly readable with a slight british tone. The story tends to have a hard time with the larger plot but the first book is very readable and will appeal to people who like the absurd plot.
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