What’s the show? How NOT To Summon A Demon Lord, Episode 3.
So it’s been two straight reviews of you defending the fan-service and non-consensual touching shown in this show—are we going to get a third this week? Ha! No such luck, that’s right it’s a rant free-week as How Not To Summon A Demon Lord scales back on most of the things that made it problematic and just delivers a solid episode of plotting, humour, character development and action!
And how’s it fare for that? It’s a really good episode that introduces us to a new and powerful enemy in the form of ‘The Fallen’ who kinda just look like a bunch of roid-raging furries who got lost on a way to a yiff. And also their sexy and fearsome leader Edelgard who’s ready to throw down against Diablo even in spite of seeing his over-powered abilities decimating her minions!
Any interesting new antagonist perhaps? Eh, I give it an episode before she joins in on Diablo’s harem shenanigans.
Wow, not holding out much confidence for this series are we? What are you talking about?! That’s a good thing—this is a harem anime after all!
Trust you to say that! Listen, I know a lot of people watch these kinds of shows for the actual plot and characters—which is fine, sometimes they have good ones, sometime they have a gimmick that lends itself to entertainment value, sometimes they have characters you root for and care about. I’d say this show has all of these factors in a decent amount—but I just want to say for the people who are watching this show and don’t care too much for the sexual content, things are going to get… deeper.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy with the spoilers! Hold your horses I didn’t spoil anything! I haven’t read the Light Novel source material—even Volume 1 of the manga I bought recently has already been surpassed by the anime. But I did seesome things tweeted out by the Animate (it’s an anime/manga and merch retail chain in Japan) twitter account that made me do a little ~digging~ and it seems we might have a bit more controversy before the season is out—assuming the anime adaptation gets to the moment in question.
Alright, but why even bring that up? Because I kinda feel bad if after convincing people to watch this show after the ~events~ of the earlier episodes and then after a relatively ‘normal’ episode like this it ends up upending expectations later on.
That’s not of your concern though… that’s on the show, and if people decided to drop it or even deride it later on that’s fine too. It’s all part of the process is it not? Hmm, when did you get so smart…
I’ll take that as a compliment (I guess). So what else happens in this episode? Well we’re also introduced to Emile of the Adventurer’s Guild, who immediately proclaims himself to be a defender of all women and is here to protect the virtue of Rem and Shera from Diablo. The guy’s just a fedora and a neckbeard away from calling them both ‘milday’ and proceeds to completely misread the situation in addition to not listen to the girls protests that Diablo is actually a good guy and is trying to find a way to remove the slave collars too—well at least not at first. I thought it was a smart bit of writing having a guy like him show up because it shows that not only are these women capable of looking after themselves and aren’t in need of a ‘hero’ to ‘save’ them but also that sometimes hollow proclamations serve the person saying them rather than the people they are supposedly defending. Sometimes it’s better to listen to individual persons genuine concerns and address them in turn rather than rush in and proclaim yourself a defender of an entire gender just for the sake of your own image.
So much for no rants in this review… Shut it!
Anything else of note happen? Well earlier in the episode Sylvie gives them a super easy quest with a big reward to make up for last episode’s ‘trap’ but Rem doesn’t feel right about going on the quest because she thinks the reward is too generous and doesn’t want to be indebted to the quest giver—Celestine, the head of the Mage’s association. Staying back in town proves a dangerous decision as Galluk—the douche who tried to challenge Diablo to a fight in the first episode has gone postal and stabs himself with a knife which turns him into one of the swol furry-esque The Fallen. This is especially bad because as you (might) remember, Rem has the soul of the Demon King Krebskrem inside her and if she dies it comes out!
Yikes!And of course the episode ends on a cliffhanger with Rem in her predicament and Diablo about to face off against the fearsome Edelgard! Argh, I wish more episodes were out now—the more I recalled this episode writing this review the more I enjoyed it. Also an unexpected benefit of Diablo being from ourworld is that he can fantasize about the characters in non-fantasy attire: Shera in a bikini ftw! Okay, now that I’m done undermining my authority with that bit of drooling fan-service adoration I’ll stop.
Previous How NOT To Summon A Demon Lord Reviews:
Is It Wrong To Suck A Cat Girl’s Ear In Another World? – Episode 1 Review
The Grope Debate – Episode 2 Review
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Anime QandA 
nice post
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I really enjoyed this episode though I couldn’t help but think they are trying to have their cake and eat it too. They’ve already got the fan-service crowd hooked with episodes 1 and 2, but to make sure those of us after a story stick around after episode three they hit us with some actual character and plot development during the episode and end it on a cliff hanger. Of course that doesn’t mean I won’t drop it later, but for now I have to say ‘well played’ and stick around because episode 3 was pretty fun.
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So a show that has “boobs” turned up to 9 most of the time, with periods of 11, dials it back to a 6.5-7 for an episode. How does anyone think “Oh, this is how it’s going to be from now on…” No, it’s gonna go back to 9 with periods of 11. Maybe a 13 to make up for the 6.5. I can understand “Yeah, I don’t really want to watch that.” when it comes up. I can’t understand “What?!?!?! How could they do this when episode 3 was like that?!?!?!?! This is an outrage!”
I liked the split party thing in this ep. I am hoping that means it results in Rem and Celestine taking care of their problem, and Diablo taking care of his, because it certainly gives a chance for Rem and Celestine to not be saved by Diablo, which is always a good character building idea. I also really liked Shera realizing just how far out of her depth she was with The Fallen advancing on the bridge. No “I want to help!” petulance, no “I’m just as strong!” posturing. Just “I will get out of your way, and I’m glad you’re trying to help these people.” That’s some good characterization too.
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Well seasonal reviewers tend to be very reactionary and take things as they come rather than look at the big picture—I try not to be too much like that, hence looking ahead at what’s to come (no pun intended).
I also liked the split, and yeah it’d be good if Rem and Celestine handle their fight on their own and not just have Diablo waltz in and save the day.
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