Fast food gets funny in fantasy anime with violence, curses.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Frequent slapstick and fantasy violence. Characters hit, fall on top of, or otherwise injure each other during petty bickering for comedic effect. Sword fights, guns, torture, scary monsters, and destructive beams of magical power. Mild blood and frequent screaming, but it's more cartoonish than graphic. Flashbacks show gritty war violence in Ente Isla. War continues in real world Tokyo with occasional magical combat. Protagonists try to keep civilians out of danger. One episode includes a haunted house scene with jump scares. One character makes women uncomfortable with frequent flirty comments (e.g. "sexy princess," "would be honored if you used your sensual hands to prepare my meal") and unwanted casual touching.
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A high school students has a crush on her older coworker. Characters regularly talk romance and dating, but feelings are one-sided or not acted on. Characters joke about breast size. Infrequent partial nudity includes characters in underwear, revealing swimsuits, or censored bath scenes.
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Moderate cursing like "heck," "dang," "load of bull," "shut up," "damn." Frequent coarse language (e.g. "tiny t--s," "pervert," "douchebag") when for humor or when characters bicker.
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Characters work at recognizable fast food chains with the names changed by a letter ("MgRonalds," "Sentucky Fried Chicken"). Other notable brands and real-world Tokyo locations are referenced in a similar way (e.g."Moonbucks Coffee," "UNISLO," "Hushimaen Amusement Park" instead of Toshimaen). The demon crew struggles with finances. Ashiya obsesses over discounts, deals, and saving money. Lucifer spends most of his time playing video games and online shopping with no regard for the household budget.
Positive Messages
a lot
Themes include perseverance, adaptability, trust, and cooperation. Characters struggle to define "good" versus "evil." They talk about sacrifices, happiness, peace, trauma, violence, and the possibility of change. Important values are protecting your team, helping others in danger, and making a world where everyone has peace.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Maou is hard-working, practical, and a strong leader. He inspires friends and coworkers because he is loyal, protective, and honorable. Although he is a demon, he often does things for the good of others instead of himself. Chiho is strong-willed and friendly. Emi always does what is helpful and kind, even if it is inconvenient or something she doesn't like. Characters use critical thinking skills to question old beliefs and make informed decisions.
Diverse Representations
a little
The show takes place in real-world modern day Tokyo. Some characters are Japanese; others are from the fantasy world of Ente Isla which has demons, angels, and regular humans. Male and female characters are pretty evenly matched in power, skill, and social status. However, Maou's usually the one to "save the day" and help the heroines even though the women are famously skilled warriors.
Parents need to know that The Devil is a Part-Timer is a comedy fantasy anime series with a fair amount of violence and some romance. Characters from the fictional land of Ente Isla get transported to modern day Japan. They learn a lot about trust, cooperation, peace, and "good" versus "evil." Violent magic battles get dark but not graphic with weapons, kidnapping, torture, and destructive beams of power. Blood and injuries are cartoonish and mild. Some imagery of demons, war, natural disasters, public panic, and haunted houses could be scary for younger viewers. Language includes profanity (e.g. ""heck," "damn") and crude insults (e.g. "douche bag," "tiny t--s"). There are frequent references to well-known brands with their names and logos altered but still obvious. Characters have crushes and go on dates, but romantic relationships are not the main plot point. There are jokes about body parts and some partial nudity (characters in underwear, bath scenes).
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What's the Story?
THE DEVIL IS A PART-TIMER follows the everyday hijinks of Satan's (voiced by Jessie James Grelle) new life as a fast food employee in modern day Japan. Meanwhile, a war still rages back home at Ente Isla, but battles are being fought on the Tokyo frontline!
This silly reverse portal fantasy has surprising depth and does a good job balancing comedy and drama. The Devil is a Part-Timer knows how to include important lessons about the inherent violence and injustice of hierarchical power structures without losing the fun of the plot. The humor is successful because it offers relatable and timeless insights on the drama of mundane jobs. Plus, the characters are likable because they're complex and challenge their hero/villain archetypes instead of just falling into stereotypes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence and peace. What do different characters believe about the violence they experience and commit? How do the characters find peace for themselves and their communities?
Families can talk about war and propaganda. Emi and Maou were enemies in the Ente Isla war between demons and the church. What do they and their friends learn about each other, the war, and their beliefs about "good" versus "evil?"
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
