Definitely, I'm actually interested in what's going to happen. Something I did not feel for Persona 4's adaptation.
Also, apparently there's a shitstorm brewing over Aku no Hana's first episode. Might have to bump that up in the queue.
Introduction: WHITE FOX has a good track record. After six years in business; they've produced Tears to Tiara, Katanagatari, Jormungand, and the most acclaimed of them all, Steins;Gate. That's a damn solid list of titles. And while the key visuals for this new anime weren't exactly jaw-dropping, the trailers were a marked improvement. The visuals were crisp and the animation fluid; a few decent jokes were had too. Though I don't know if I'd call it a potential sleeper (since there is
some pedigree attached to it), it's certainly of a lower key than more hyped productions like Shingeki no Kyoujin, Ore no Imouto, and even Aku no Hana.
Summary: The first four or five minutes take place in a world separate from our own, during the final moments of the epic conflict between the classic struggle: Hero against Demon Lord. Overwhelmed, the king of darkness beats a tactical retreat, he and his only surviving general hiding out in an alternate dimension until they've recovered. The catch? Said alternate dimension is ours, a world with nary a drop of magic in sight. As magic is what sustains their powers, the two are completely at the worlds mercy, forced to make a living the traditional way as they figure out a way to restore their abilities and return home. They don't have time to sit on their feet though, as the Hero finds her way to their dimension in order to finish them off once and for all.
Premise: Good lord, this episode was amazing! This is a legitimately great premise. Typically, I would expect him to get amnesia or something; but no, this guy is fully aware that he is the supreme ruler of all evil as he takes customers' orders at the McDonald's knock-off. All the while his general has basically taken on the role of a housewife. That's hilarious! And awesome! Especially when juxtaposed against the first first five minutes, where they both look and act like extremely powerful beings. The comedy resulting from their new environment is strong and doesn't overstay its welcome, the second half's comedy mostly coming from the fact that two powerful forces of evil are now bickering like a married couple. Then you throw in the Hero at the end, and I just want the next episode as soon as possible.
Characters: I praised Majestic Prince's characters for being charming, but I praise Hataraku Maou-sama's for being charming and more. Maybe it's the dialog, maybe it's the acting, or maybe it's both; but with the exception of one of the Demon Lord's coworkers (who at least manages not to be annoying, despite herself), the entire cast gives the immediate impression that they're full, developed characters. The Demon Lord is a passionate leader who devotes himself to his task, even at the expense of his appearance. Meanwhile, his general offers him nothing but loyalty, even when frustrated by the state of things. This is a cast that I actually care about, and it takes real skill to do that in the first twenty-four minutes of a TV series.
Artwork: On a visual level, this series is stunning. Not as creative as Katanagatari (it does take place mostly in the real world), but with a level of polish unmatched by most studios. The fantasy world that occupies the first part of the episode is so lavishly realized that you might find yourself wishing that the whole series took place there. The Demon Lord's design is positively intimidating (in fact, a lot of the monsters/demons look like terrifying), and his castle is decidedly sleek and Gothic. Even when the cast adopts human form in the real world, the shine on the models remains in tact, and the scenery does its best to look sleek in the face of the fantasy designs from before.
Animation: The visuals aren't just for show though, they move great as well. The intro scene, while brief, holds its own against the myriad of great TV anime action sequences. And when the epic battle grinds to a halt for the rest of the episode, they pride themselves on keeping the characters moving and making sure that the right amount of detail is put into the characters' actions. There's some solid cinematography here on top of all that, pulling the camera around to just he right angle and making appropriate use of a fisheye lens. About the only thing I fear is that we won't get to see many more highbrow action segments like in the opening.
Music: Once again, the opening is a no, but the ending is performed by the latest person to join the ranks of veteran anime theme providers: nano.RIPE. Being an ending theme this time around, the song is much more subdued than most of what she offers the anime industry. If I'm honest, I prefer the faster, catchier tunes that they compose, so this slower acoustic number doesn't do much for me. I'm grateful for the rock used to score the intro scene. It would've been so easy to go with a simple orchestral number, but gambled on a heavy bass and it worked for them, not that some classical strings don't do a good job accompanying certain parts of it. Beyond that, I like the gut acoustic nature of the score in general, as that style's always been my favorite use of acoustic guitar. That said, it's very low key for the most part, so you're liable to miss it if you aren't listening for it.
Overall: I may just be five shows in, but I'm confident in saying that this is one of the best premieres of the season. It blows the other four away. In every regard, it works fantastically. From a genuinely interesting premise to honest-to-god real characters, this anime stands out in all the right ways. Obviously, there are a few big titles in the pipeline, ready to make their grand debut; but don't let those distract you from this great title, already available. This is one of the must-see premieres of the season, make no mistake about that.