Hataraku Maou-sama! (The Devil is a Part-timer!) – 05

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Hataraku Maou-sama! continues to be one of my favourite anime this season.

I’d first like to point out that the opening is always changing.  I don’t think we've had a single opening that’s been the same yet.  That’s really intriguing, actually.  It keeps the audience engaged, even throughout the opening song (not that we don’t always love openings and endings of anime, anyway!)

Holy crap, it turns out Orba, the guy who followed Emilia into the gate in the second episode (who we thought was left behind) has teamed up with Lucifer to take out Maou and Emilia!  Of course, his purpose is completely selfish.

I’m glad they’ve explained how Lucifer has so much power in this world, when Maou, Ashiya, and Emilia don’t.  I was also anticipating that the string of robberies and all the other problems occurring throughout the city would tie back into whoever was after Satan and the Hero, as there was little reason to otherwise point it out.

However, Maou mentions that the reason he regained his powers briefly was that he was surrounded by fear and despair, which is also the source of his magic.  He reveals that this world has been good to him, so he didn’t want to get back to Ente Isla by creating fear and despair.  “That’s not the way I want to do things.”  What exactly does this mean for his future?  Will he ever want to get back to Ente Isla?  At this point, it seems like he cares more for the world he's currently living in than for Ente Isla.

Just when it seems like this episode is getting way too dark (Ashiya getting shot with magic bullets, Chiho getting kidnapped by Lucifer and used for her fear, Maou getting shot three times and seemingly dying at Lucifer’s hand, Lucifer destroying a bridge to cause fear, destruction, and death), the good guys get the upper hand.  Emilia, Alsiel, and Maou show us just how awesome they can be when they don’t mind using their magic power.  And an awesome fight scene ensues!  I've been waiting for this for a while, basically since the first episode when we got a brief look at a fight scene back on Ente Isla.  Afterward, Emilia’s comrades finally show up (too late for the fight, but we’ve got to assume that they’ll come back later).

Some questions for future episodes include: what exactly will Lucifer do now?  The previews from the next episode reveal that he’ll still be sticking around.  What’s going on with the Church back on Ente Isla?  Now that we know the robberies, earthquakes, and attempts on Maou and Emilia’s lives are done with, what sort of drama will this anime cook up for us in the future?  It's likely that the other two of Maou’s generals from Ente Isla will appear and try something.  The Church from Ente Isla is likely to play more of a role, as well, since Emerada and Albert (Emilia’s comrades) mentioned it as a problem.

While this episode doesn’t end with a cliffhanger like the previous ones, the questions I’ve listed clearly need answers.  As usual, Hataraku Maou-sama! keeps us interested and wanting more!