“For centuries, the demon Seere has prided himself on his work—granting the wishes of those he contracts with. Whether it's slaughtering their enemies or obtaining wealth beyond measure, anything is possible with his powerful magic. But Seere's latest summoner, Sakura Masuda, is unlike any he's dealt with before. Namely, she's only in fourth grade, and her wish is…for Seere to become her mama! Well, if that's what she desires, then that's what he will deliver—by becoming the greatest mama ever!” (Yen Press)
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Playing off of familiar tropes, “Mama Akuma” sees an all powerful demon tasked to play the role of surrogate mother to a young girl who lost her mom. As a result, the demon Seere must learn to do tasks without his powers in addition to adapting to the landscape and expectations of the modern Japanese family. One of the new releases to kick off 2021 from Yen Press, “Mama Akuma” has potential to be one of the defining comedic series of the year.
Keeping a consistent comedic tone, Kuzushiro creates a back and forth struggle between the demon Seere and his new family, turning every task and interaction into a battle of wits. Seere is both all-powerful but also bound by wishes he grants with a deep pride in his ability to succeed. Consequently, his innate reaction to murder enemies or use magic to do any tasks is subverted by the request and desire of his summoner to have the most authentic real ‘mom experience'. Ultimately, the series is great at making every joke land in exploring the absurd contract and each characters desires.
Complimenting the perfect comedic timing of the story, Kuzushiro's art style is wonderfully expressive in capturing drastic personality shifts. This is particularly true with Seere, who is prone to flashes of demonic expressions when it comes to the idea of murder. The mix of over-the-top expressions and quirky dialogue ensures there is never a dull moment, with every page containing something to chuckle over or admire. Consequently, even mundane activities tasked to the all powerful demon, like doing the laundry or taking out the trash, has a comedic and visual flair that makes the book a constant treat. Ultimately, Kuzushiro proves he can balance a sharp visual approach and humor in exemplary fashion.
Admittedly it is not often that I find myself audibly laughing when reading something, but with impeccably timed comedic stings, “Mama Akuma” had me in constant good spirits and chuckling throughout. Adding the endearing nature of the determined demon Seere, the release also works as a heartwarming ‘fish out of water' tale. I am excited to see how the series advances off of such a strong first volume, and fans of comedy should be equally excited to see how this series grows.
