Anime

The Devil Is a Part-Timer Episode 8 Review: Chiho Makes Her Move

Quick Summary of The Devil Is a Part-Timer Episode 8

In The Devil is a Part-Timer episode 8, “The Hero Enters the Fray,” Chiho Sasaki tries to be more and more obvious about her feelings for Sadao MaouEmi Yusa even seems to support her! But Sadao remains steadfastly ignorant, until Chiho puts her cards on the table in a way that even Sadao can’t ignore. Suzuno Kamazuki asks for Emi’s help shopping, where they discover that they had participated in a Big Misunderstanding. Now what will the Hero and the Church Assassin do with each other? Finally, an existential threat to McRonalds enters the restaurant — and takes an unhealthy interest in Chiho! What will Sadao do to defend his friend as the newly appointed shift manager?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious. 

What’s in This Post

3 Favorite Moments in The Devil Is a Part-Timer Episode 8

Moment 1: Sadao Ignores the Obvious

Since Sadao’s skill at ignoring even obvious hints was so powerful, Chiho had to come right out and tell him how she felt. Just look at her little smile! I think even the Devil was moved… Capture from the Crunchyroll stream

For several episodes now, we’ve seen Chiho try to subtly communicate her feelings to Sadao. Everyone noticed her efforts — everyone except Sadao! Just take a look at everyone else’s expressions when Sadao was so insensitive as to suggest that Suzuno get a job at McRonalds (4:08).

Hanzou Urushihara did not mince words when he said, under his breath, “Anybody’d notice how the high school girls feels about this” (4:21). But never let it be said that Chiho gives up or doesn’t adjust her tactics based on battlefield experience. While Sadao walked Chiho to the station (at Shirou Ashiya’s insistence), she tried a few more obvious tactics, like saying her mom had given her blessing and she’d surprised her dad by finding a man she wanted to cook for so soon (6:56).

Now, he’s not a complete idiot and saw what she was doing, so he played the only card he could think of. He asked if him being a demon bothered her. She said she had read Emi’s texts about his “exploits,” so she she had an idea of his character. Then she put her cards on the table, saying “But I fell for you before I knew about that, Mr. Maou” (7:51). Her confession was beautiful, honest, and completely Chiho. When she was done, I could only marvel at Sadao’s response, which was “Jeez, this is what makes humans so scary” (8:30). Scary indeed!

Moment 2: Well, That Clarifies Things

Emi and Suzuno have the most entertaining expressions! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream

In my review of the previous episode, I mentioned how much I liked Emi and Suzuno’s Big Misunderstanding because it came together so naturally. This episode reminded me of another characteristic of a successful Big Misunderstanding: ending it gracefully so it doesn’t overstay its welcome!

Not surprisingly, The Devil is a Part-Timer knew exactly when to explode the Big Misunderstanding — and I do mean explode. In a recent post, Reasons to Anime said that this show does angry right, and this scene is a perfect example. Emi is going to help Suzuno go shopping, and as they talk about riding the train, Suzuno asks how they’ll get ahold of watermelons to pay for transit. Emi’s astounded and asked how she got to the city in the first place. “I came here directly through the Gate,” Suzuno says (10:38).

The conversation went downhill from there. What was so great about their ensuing argument is that it was so reasonable! Emi was furious that Suzuno hadn’t told her; Suzuno was furious Emi hadn’t known! Both voice actors — Yoko Hikasa for Emi and Kanae Itou for Suzuno — turned in naturally hilarious performances. 

Moment 3: Creeped Out Chiho

Chiho’s reaction is hilarious — and completely understandable! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream

Chiho is so good-hearted and naturally nice that we don’t give her the credit she deserves: she’s a bright, perceptive young woman. We got to see that front and center when a stranger in sunglasses and a fancy suit visited McRonalds.

He casually asked Sadao if he could see the manager, who wasn’t there. He then started heaping what was obviously false praise on Sadao before handing him his business card — which identified him as Mitsuki Sarue, the manger of Sentucky Fried Chicken, their arch rival, who had just opened a store across the street. Sadao’s response was a perfectly monotone and sarcastic wish that they both compete well for the good of the local community.

Then Mitsuki saw Chiho (19:26). He almost tripped over himself trying to stand in front of her, where he tried to sweet talk her. Chiho’s reaction started out as incredulous, then turned to revulsion as a shiver started at her shoulders and raced to the top of her head (19:40). Chiho may have fallen for the Devil, but there’s no way she’d fall for this pretentious bag of wind! At least Sadao had the good sense later to apologize for not stopping the “creeper!” He was the acting manager, after all, and keeping employees safe from harassment is one of his responsibilities!

Thoughts about The Devil Is a Part-Timer Episode 8

Memorable Details

Do you remember how, in the Thoughts section of my review of episode 7, I mentioned that I’d learned the orange balls that the convenience store clerk had thrown at the robber were real things? Emi accused Suzuno of attacking her in the convenience store, but she realized she was wrong when she noticed that a) Suzuno wasn’t bright orange and b) she didn’t smell terrible. Apparently, that little orange ball is nasty!

Sadao sent Shirou into Sentucky Fried Chicken as a spy? He was so subtle (and in this case, by subtle I mean obvious). I can’t wait for the next episode… 

I’ve lauded this series for its impeccable handling of the Big Misunderstanding. There’s another technique I love seeing in comedy, though I don’t see it very often. It, too, is hard to pull off, but this show made it look easy. The technique I’m talking about is overlapping dialogue. The first time I remember seeing it was in the original M*A*S*H movie. If the script bungles the execution, I feel irritated. When the script nails it, I can’t stop grinning through the scene! And this show did it effectively. 

Little details can bring out the humor in a common situation. Like “poor” Hanzou wondering if he was the only one not to get any fried fish. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream

For example, watch the scene that’s part of my second favorite moment. As Emi and Suzuno were arguing, Suzuno refers to herself as a “sweet young girl”, and as she continues the sentence, Emi demands in a shrill voice (11:45), “Who calls herself that?” It was a small example, but it gave the scene an added level of realism.

The Best Example of Overlapping Dialogue

The best example, though, was earlier in the episode, just after Chiho and Emi arrived at the Devil’s Castle (I still laugh at the thought that a one-room, run-down apartment has such an impressive title!). Hanzou woke up and emerged from his “room” (which was made up of several taped-together udon boxes). He’s initially annoyed that he doesn’t get to sit at the main table because they have guests. You can tell the poor devil’s seriously annoyed (see what I did there?), and he’s muttering under his breath.

At the main table, the others are carrying on a conversation when Hanzou says (3:48), “Wait, I thought we had some friend fish?” Even as the main conversation continues, he keeps asking about it — up to and including him wondering aloud if he had just imagined it. Yes, it was funny that they all ignored him, but it was even more funny that he kept it up. How often have we been at family meals when there are sub topics under discussion simultaneously with the main topics? To an outsider, I think it would look pretty much like this conversation did. It just felt right!

It’s details like this that help this series feel so special.

What did you think of this technique? What were your favorite moments? Let me know in the comments!

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4 thoughts on “The Devil Is a Part-Timer Episode 8 Review: Chiho Makes Her Move

  1. Wow man, you really have a good eye for detail. I didn’t even catch the search for the missing dried fish and figured that the “orange balls” were spoiled oranges or something. I look forward to the next few episode reviews.

    1. Once I saw Hanzou start his fish-finding mission, I had to rewatch the scene a couple of times. I love that kind of humor!

      I wish I could take credit for the orange balls, but a YouTube video I referenced in the previous episode’s review pointed it out.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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