You know, while I love discussing characters from various anime and their strengths? I never thought I’d get to talk about one that is both literally the embodiment of Satan and also a minimum wage worker at a poorly disguised parody of McDonald’s. It’s wild how some Isekai can have protagonists as interesting as stale white bread and yet some outliers are doing really interesting things with theirs. And you know what? Sadao Maou is an interesting one.
Maou is a pretty strong lead when it comes to protagonists in Reverse-Isekai anime. I mean, he is leading an entire demon army right in the first episode so there’s no fanfare about it. Satan is strong enough to conquer distant lands, and that’s just how it’ll be. There is no build-up, nothing. But it’s when he gets reverse-isekai’d into our regular world that we get to see his strengths in full form. Mostly because of course, they’d stand out against the mundane of our reality.
But also, you could already discern that he’s a huge hot shot in his realm by his name alone. Someone named ‘Satan Jacob’ isn’t exactly going to be a lightweight now, will they? He owns a nearly infinite source of demonic power. And he still holds some of that demonic energy as a human, but it is not nearly even a fraction of his Devil Kingmoniker. Though, that doesn’t mean he still can’t harness it in the real world. Maybe not to its fullest potential, but there is a reason why Emi Yusa keeps a close eye on him!
But how powerful are we talking about here, exactly? That’s what we are here to figure out in another session of Character Analysis – where we take a look at the stars of some of the most popular manga and anime in the Otaku world. We break their character down to analyze whatever we can find and see where their arcs will take us. Today, let’s see if the Demon Lord Sadao Maou from The Devil is A Part-Timer lives up to his title.
Satan Jacob: The Demon King Reincarnated
When Maou becomes Satan, his powers are near inconceivably strong. His original form is formidable and one he could easily revert to once he has absorbed enough magic. But, again, that is to be expected.
Ente Isla, Maou’s original domain, is a resource full of magic which is enough to sustain his demonic form. And as a demon, Maou feeds off of the power of negative emotions, such as fear and despair, to strengthen himself. He is extremely powerful this way, easily decimating anyone he goes up against.
Aside from the physical abilities such as being able to crush an entire building with one punch, he can level entire continents with his blasts. He is intimidating, considering how a single glance rendered someone like Olba Meyer unconscious in defeat. And of course, then there is the fact that can go toe to toe with Lucifer, casting spells that warp dimensions while fighting him and his demon form can kill human beings through mere exposure.
Satan can transform inanimate objects into magical artifacts like swords, he can create inter-dimensional portals to different worlds and telekinesis, of all things? It’s amazing how much transformative power he holds, which is why he is so feared across the lands.
Sadao Maou: The Human
Of course, that doesn’t remain the case when he becomes human as Sadao Maou is more vulnerable. He has to keep this continuous stream of releasing magic going, but then time it so that he doesn’t run out. His control over his powers on Earth, where magic isn’t readily available, is his true asset.
But he doesn’t want to endanger the humans here, even if it means being able to replenish his powers. So, he tries to limit himself as much as he possibly can. But that doesn’t mean he is completely hopeless or powerless in a fight.
It’s his physical attributes such as speed and endurance that retain, being able to hold his own against powerful gales and avoiding accidents. And his dexterity is amazing, with his quick reflexes helping him out on more than one occasion. Like when Emi was being shot at by magical bullets and he protected her through quick thinking and fast action.
Also, hypnosis helps when you don’t want to explain magical punches to the police.
Does Power Even Matter, In The Devil Is A Part Timer?
I mean, the show is technically still an Isekai. Power is pretty important when it comes to getting your way. But what matters is how Sadao Maou uses his powers not to gain headway on conquest, but to blend in.
In the end, Maou is someone who went from commanding an army to flipping burgers at a fast-food joint. And you don’t need destructive powers for that. But hey, they’ll come in clutch once he gets back to Ente Isla!
