Mairimashita! Iruma-kun (Welcome to Demon School!) is a bright and peppy comedy anime featuring a 12-year-old human Suzuki Iruma, who is unfortunately sold to a demon by his deadbeat parents. His buyer: an elite demon who happens to be the chairman of the demon school Babylys! Finding himself being treated better than he ever was in the human world, Iruma ends up attending Babylys but he is forced to keep his human identity a secret from the other students. Does this ring a bell? Well, if you’re a fan of the 2008 anime Rosario + Vampire, you have yourself a treat!
For those who can’t remember, Rosario + Vampire is an anime about a young man named Tsukune Aono who finds himself attending a school for monsters and demons because he doesn’t have the grades to attend anywhere else. The school aims to teach these creatures to coexist with humans; however, Tsukune is in a precarious position because the school has one major rule concerning humans: if they are found on the school premises, they are to be executed! The two shows are extremely similar, let’s get to the reasons why!
1.Similar Main Premise
Rosario + Vampire and Mairimashita! Iruma-kun (Welcome to Demon School!) are similar on a basic level because they present the same kind of central plot: a human protagonist finds himself attending a school for supernatural creatures while also having to keep his humanity a secret from the student body and the staff at the school. Despite this, there is always someone who comes to realize the protagonists’ true identity!
2.Similar Main Characters
One thing that stands out to the monster characters in both series is the main character. While many go the entire duration of their respective series not realizing that the main character is a human, the main character’s good-natured personality does not go unnoticed and becomes the very reason why they’re able to befriend monsters and demons alike. Both Tsukune and Iruma end up being taken care of by monsters – Iruma’s demonic caretaker being his new grandfather Sullivan, while Tsukune’s initially taken care of by the vampire Akashiya Moka, before other characters appear. Both Tsukune and Iruma have powerful love interests in their respective titles, with Tsukune having a group of close friends and powerful monsters serving under this banner; and Iruma having someone like the student council president Ameri filling this role!
3.Both Shows Humanize Monsters and Demons
While they introduce their respective main characters’ new environments as something to be feared, both Mairimashita! Iruma-kun (Welcome to Demon School!) and Rosario + Vampire show a less monstrous, evil temperament to the demon societies that they illustrate, rather painting these creatures as beings with feelings and communities as vibrant and varied as what one would find in the human world. The main character is hence able to assimilate because they can engage with each character from a more emotional standpoint beyond the initial premise of fear and horror!
Final Thoughts
To wrap things up, there are some clear major similarities between both Mairimashita! Iruma-kun (Welcome to Demon School!) and Rosario + Vampire that would make fans of either title shiver in excitement at the chance to watch the other. While there are similarities, there are also major differences; like how Mairimashit!a Iruma-kun (Welcome to Demon School!) seems to continue to tease the protagonist’s untapped potential, while Rosario + Vampire is focused on building a harem for the romance inclined Tsukune! What do you think about these shows? Drop a comment below and let’s get talking!
Author: Hoshi-kun
