Impressions so Far: Niehime to Kemono no Ou

Synopsis

The Demon King is a feared figure amongst the humans and for their safety, a sacrifice is chosen for the Demon King. Saliphie is the 99th sacrifice but she is the first to discover that not is all that it seems for it the demon king holds two secrets. One, he does not in fact kill his sacrifices, and second, he is only half demon. In getting to know him better Saliphie hopes to become the King’s pillar of support and thus begins the tale of a half demon king and a young girl who was meant to be a sacrifice.

The Good

The little details go a long way in terms of the monster characters and the softness of certain scenes throughout the series even though the art is not very different compared to other shoujo works. The plot while not entirely different, is interesting in terms of development and flow. The characters as well are endearing and hold a good development especially in terms of the main leads’ relationship. Mixed in with well placed drama, slips of comedy and little bits of history; it altogether brings a well developed and interesting story involving supernatural beasts and a young girl.

The Bad

As stated, the plot is not entirely new in terms of concept and the art is not so unique when compared to other shoujo works that are being released these days. Certain characters are quite predictable as well as some chapters as well. In terms of the romance in this story, it may come off as a bit slow to some readers so depending on the viewpoint, the slow burn may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Overall, the concept is generic along with the art and in certain points it comes off rather predictable as well.

Conclusion

It’s a cute series with a well done slow burn romance between the main leads and good looking details in the monster art design. The story is also well done with a good flow and the slips of comedy keeps things amusing in some parts. Though the general art is not much and the theme itself is no standout, the overall story is refreshing in terms of the character’s relationships and is paced with well-placed drama mixed in with hints of mystery and behind the curtain plots. To put things simply, it’s a cute series that has its moments and an interesting read to pass the time.

Rating: 7/10