- Episodes : 12
- Genre : Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Airing Date : July 2019 – September 2019
- Producers : EKACHI EPILKA
Contains Spoilers
Contains Spoilers
Oono Akira is a Game Manager for Infinity Game. While logged in one day, Akira is transported to the world of the game and dons the body of his in-game persona, Demon Lord Kunai Hakuto. He then meets Aku, a girl with a troubled past and they begin travelling together; however, the incredible strength of the Demon Lord attracts many enemies and so Akira must thwart the attempts of entire countries looking to defeat the Demon Lord!
We’ve seen this concept several times in the past, so it doesn’t feel all that new or unfamiliar in any way. A regular guy finds himself trapped in a videogame or in a world akin to one and must find out how exactly their new world works. In that regard, it greatly reflects certain base tropes concerned with the Isekai concept and can therefore be compared to other shows.
1. Adventure
While the plot isn’t necessarily anything new or special, Maou-sama, Retry! is a decent adventure – we’re thrown into the mix the same way Oono Akira is thrown into the new world. A lot of moderately interesting things happen and new characters important to the plot do not waste much time in making their appearance. It is a bona fide adventure series and from that perspective, it is worth the watch.
2. Action-packed
Being a series primarily concerned with the adventures of the main character and his side-kick, Maou-sama, Retry! is not shy when it comes to bringing in the action! With so many people baying for the blood of the Demon Lord, we are almost guaranteed some juicy conflict in every episode.
1. It’s Really Nothing New
Being an Isekai anime, Maou-sama, Retry! is admittedly already under heavy scrutiny from many viewers; however, it is the fact that it uses the Isekai trope and various other related tropes and does nothing particularly different. In that case, it feels like one could’ve been better off watching something with the same tropes – Overlord, or even How Not to Summon a Demon Lord come up almost immediately when following that thought.
2. Dull Protagonist
Unfortunately, Oono Akira’s revival as the Demon Lord isn’t all that interesting as he seems to lack something many other protagonists of Isekai shows have. There is very little about Akira that leaves viewers wanting to know more; he’s a straight-forward regular dude caught in a game world he knows very well; like many other Isekai protagonists.
Final Thoughts
Perhaps the Isekai trope receives much more criticism than it deserves. However, the trope itself is highly self-referential and so it makes sense that certain things can’t be done the same way each time. Demon Lord, Retry! is a decent watch, but only if one isn’t too familiar with what the show is trying to do. We’re probably better off watching similar to Demon Lord, Retry! than watching the show itself and that’s the most disappointing aspect.
Author: Hoshi-kun
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