Spoilers Ahead!
Imagine if Hataraku Maou-sama! (The Devil is a Part-Timer!) was about a demon girl who becomes a child who can transform into an adult, struggling to live in the human world. That explains the story of The Great Jahy, wherein a magical girl has destroyed the Dark Realm after shattering a giant mana crystal into thousands of pieces. Thanks to the magical girl, our titular Jahy and all the inhabitants of the Dark realm have been sent into the human world to live amongst mortals, some without their powers like Jahy.
Jahy is left in a world she does not understand at first, living in a run-down apartment and becoming a barmaid at the pub Izakaya Maou which her landlord’s sister owns. Having lost her powers, Jahy can only transform into her true adult form for short periods thanks to losing most of her powers and requiring mana crystals to maintain her form for extended periods, remaining as a child for most of the time.
Unique Characters
The biggest appeal of this show are the unique characters and the chaos that unfolds when the larger-than-life cast interacts. Comedy is this anime’s strong point, using jokes and jabs between the cast to entertain the audience during all the over-the-top situations. Besides Jahy, we are introduced to a number of Dark Realm exiles such as Druj, a former lieutenant to Jahy, that has a masochistic side when Jahy tells her what to do, and Saurva, a tomboyish girl that tries to underhand Jahy at every turn to gain Jahy’s second in command place in the Dark Realm. Outside of the Dark Realm characters, we get introduced to the blond sisters that take Jahy in, though we never learn their names, being the first humans to befriend her throughout the series. The siblings provide a lot of the comedy for the anime and the sweet moments when Jahy appears to be struggling with the melancholy of having to work to survive in the human world.
Magical Girls
Despite not being about magical girls, the main antagonist of the first half is the magical girl that destroyed the Dark Realm, Kyouko Jinguu, who tries to disrupt Jahy’s collection of mana crystals. However, by the end of the anime, things turn around, seeing the two become friends, with Jahy wanting to collect more subordinates in her quest to make a comfortable life in the human world. One of the best running jokes in the Great Jahy is a man that dresses as a magical girl that interrupts our ensemble of characters.
Final Thoughts
The Great Jahy is a fun anime for anyone, but the repetitiveness of the jokes can fall a bit flat for some people. However, in terms of art and music, the anime holds up with any other without falling behind. A fun watch for anyone but there is nothing that makes The Great Jahy stand out remarkably. Still, it makes for an enjoyable watch with exciting characters and designs. Have you watched The Great Jahy? What did you think of the anime? Let us know in the comments!
Author: Lewis Williamson
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