Man, don’t you just love the rival’s trope? I’m just very big on shipping and half the reason I even started watching anime is because I like the potential two characters can have when it comes to their relationship. Couples like Sadao Maou and Emi Yusa are bound to get together, like instantly. Like, there is no question that those two are the canonical couple because how can they not be? Like that’s literally one of the only reasons I started The Devil Is A Part-Timer, despite being so over Isekai anime.
This is why it was so jarring when Sadao Maou, our protagonist, doesn’t end up with Emilia Yusa. But instead, goes off to be with Chiho Sasaki, the other part-timer at his job in the regular world. And like, what? Satoshi Wagahara, the creator of The Devil Is A Part-Timer, built this entire narrative between Sadao Maou and Emi. They even got a pseudo-kid, became a found family situation and Maou ditches that to be with Chiho, of all people? Make it make sense!
Look, rare pairs are a thing, I won’t deny that. And, sure, plot twists are good. But when you’ve built up so much chemistry between two characters in your story, to the point that it’s basically following the ‘enemies-to-lovers’ formula? And it doesn’t pay off? It isn’t interesting or shocking in a way that keeps the reader invested.
At that point, it was just a bad writing decision on the writer of the story. You can’t just work on a relationship for multiple chapters, giving them exposure and back story that works as a slow burn, only to turn around and pull a ‘Gotcha!’ moment. While The Devil Is A Part-Timer is a decent Isekai, it’s the ending that really dragged it down. But how did Maou end up choosing Chiho over Emi in the first place? Let’s discuss!
Is Emi Yusa a Perfect Fit For Maou?
Emi Yusa and Sadao Maou dynamic is what pushed me to start The Devil is A Part-Timer in the first place. Their relationship and growth are what made the anime show interesting, taking it from fun Isekai to a genuinely witty story.
With their history, Emi was such a perfect fit for Maou. They were sworn enemies who got transported to a strange land, with only themselves who knew the truth. When Emi realized the Demon Overlord was not the Maou she got to know, it took their bond to the next level. I mean, they were still antagonistic towards one another, but it was much more subdued, reduced to being friendly banter.
It’s safe to say that Emi and Maou were written to be enemies-to-lovers, and so the time spent on their chemistry was paying off pretty well. Emi played off of Maou’s personality so well, and then the whole plot with Alas=Ramus happened, and it was going perfectly.
Like no one could’ve doubted the ship, Emi and Maou were going to get together and live happily ever after, right?
Is Chiho Sasaki In Love With Sadao Maou?
When Sadao Maou, or the literal embodiment of Satan, got transported to Modern-day Tokyo, he was pretty much on his own. This God-like being who was waging war to conquer Ente Isla had to retreat through some portals because the pushback from the ‘Chosen One’ was too much.
He starts working at MgRonald’s where he meets Chiho. Chiho is a polite and good natured teenager who falls irrevocably in love with Maou because he’s nice and kind to her. And genuinely, that’s it.
Yeah, she’s a human who ‘accepts Maou being Satan’ which is cool, I guess. But there is barely any connection between them beyond friendship. Like Maou would get actively annoyed at her for being clingy, and she’d pine after him and that was the extent of their relationship.
She’s fine for a love interest, maybe. But as the love interest? I’m not sure about that one.
Why Maou And Chiho Get Together:
There’s no ingenious loophole where Chiho becomes the one Maou falls in love with, especially with how much he deflected her advances before. There is no build-up about how and why Maou chooses to be with Chiho instead of Emi.
And that’s really the entire issue here. If Chiho’s relationship had gotten even a fraction of the exposition that Emi’s did, it would’ve made sense and been easier to digest. As it is, however, it’s no wonder so many fans were angry at the finale for the light novel.
Really, Maou thinks that they can’t grow together as a couple one moment and the next he’s appointing her as a general in his Demon Army? It just came out of so left field that fans couldn’t understand. It just seems like a bad decision on the writer’s part, and one that sadly dragged the entire story down.
True mann
I feel the same 😔
I’m very disappointed with the season 2’s ending……. not to mention that all of it was from the light novel, so it was bound to happen, although I expected something different……silly me 🙄😖😔😔💔………
Anyways, I was just curious, if by any chance there could be a romantic feelings b/t 2 of them, but alas, I was wrong, and thanks again for this discussion…I liked it…keep up the good work 👍💪✌️💯❤️☕🗿🕊️
thankls for the info and discuss this. I didnt know the LN even exist and I alrady falls in love with Emi and Maou in the anime series and then se 3 came makes me do some research. and the BIG dissapoinment was how the LN ended up Maou with the Big BOOBS, -so called kind-accept-bad-evil-man- and always have this selfish wish if she can make WHOLE WORLD happy – generous girl typical type where in the anime have no chems builded up in 2 season Unlike MAou and EMI?!
ii think my heart just shattered. i really hopes they change the ending but! this is japanese typical anime/LN genre. i stop reading LN a lot (espo when they make an animation from it) always end up BAD. Chrome Shelled Regious is one of my biggest regret to ever read the LN. i prefer the anime version.
Like talk about emotional damage 😭
We will never recover.
The Writer should remake the anime , and make Mauo and Emi happen and remake the whole series as well ! Who is with me ? If we get as many people to agree on this the creator can make it happen including the light novel version it will beThe devil is a part timer reboot ! I believe the writer should write his wrongs and make the anime better by remake it again, it was his the decision that made him look so dence on making the story make any sense so If the creator reads this with enough likes on this comment we can possibly have hope , then again season 3 might show the real truth and the writer was doing a trick making us think so and then it ends up happening, as we can see the writer tends too make things confusing to get us talking about it , I get the feeling madou and emi will be a thing after all , I know a certain creator who made black clover do this kinda thing and the characters similar to Maou and emi actually end up together, there is also hints now and again establishing a more possible romantic relationship, so who is with me on this are you all willing to make it happen or let the story flow then we will see the truth as to why and if it will actually be a thing ?
Why not make it so that he ends up with both ? A harem thing can patch the undoubtedly terrible writer who has no clue about relationships!
Will say it this way too : 彼が両方とも最終的に終わるようにしてはどうでしょうか？ハーレムものなら、何の手がかりも持たない間違いなくひどい作家にパッチを当てることができます。
During the entire anime, all maou cares for is Chihos wellbeing. In fact, he doesn’t even feel compelled to find Emi until Chiho cries and asks him to. He had always cared for her – her determination to be helpful, her kindness, and even her fragility as a human. Maou throughout the series tries to clarify situations to Chiho so she doesn’t misunderstand. I do think the author could have removed the family plot line between maou emi and Alas ramus, because it was unnecessary and could be misleading.