“As if learning that he may be both the hero and the demon lord wasn't enough for Yuuma Tsugari to handle, beauties from another world keep popping up out of nowhere, throwing his normal life into chaos! The fight over him only gets worse when Princess Alfin's little sister and one of the demon generals join the fray—and with an exhibitionist and a masochist now added to the mix, the number of erotic high jinks are sure to skyrocket as well. Yuuma's life certainly isn't ordinary anymore …In fact, he might be the (un)luckiest man alive!” (Yen Press)
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The first volume of “I'm the Hero…” introduced the young and awkward Yuuma Tsugari, a student who learns about being born into the precarious title of both being a hero for good and a champion of demon-kind (thanks to his father's scandalous romp with a demon). The first volume acted as a quick crash course into the lore and what could be expected going forward, bountiful nudity and comedic charm. Now with the intro to the perplexed hero out of the way, the second volume is free to explore and indulge in its rudeness and lewdness in riotous fashion.
Notably, the series hits full stride in introducing a slew of new characters – effectively having the series embrace the harem genre. Any villain, once defeated, is likely to transform into a ‘bountiful' woman and join young Yuuma on his quest to become a hero. Formulaic and lacking originality? Certainly, but Endo and Ota still bring the best out of the genre by leaning on their comedic wit to garner many ‘laugh out loud' moments. The punchline always comes in the form of an accidental (sometimes purposeful) reveal, yet, the comedic timing of Akiyoshi Ota is impeccable, ensuring none of the jokes fall flat. In addition, the work navigates a large cast of a ‘harem' title with skill, presenting personas diverse in both visuals and mannerisms – making it easy to pick up where volume one left off.
Tatsuya Endo's art is wonderfully indulgent and titillating, with a heavy focus on anatomical incorrectness. It is not just all big breasts, however, as the art in the second volume deviates into action heavy sequences that capture wide motions and magic with skill. Combine this with the story from Ota, and the title never leaves a dull moment by embracing comedy, action and nudity in equal measure. Fans of non-stop absurd stories are certain to enjoy the pacing here as Endo's art is able to tie together a lot of action in a coherent manner – guided chaos.
When you get a manga in that protective plastic cling, you already have an idea of what you are in for and “I'm the Hero” is no exception. As such, most will know if they are the audience for this type of material before even turning the first page (even more so when getting a full reveal on the first turn). Furthermore a heavy emphasis on fantasy further drives adds to this being a niche title – though it would be an obvious misstep to approach the work as, predominately, fantasy. Essentially, the title is solely suited for fans of (or interested in) adult themed harem stories; it won't appeal to a general readership.
Stylish, comedic, and provocative, “I'm the Hero, but the Demon Lord's Also Me” is pure unbridled fun. It is a title that asks you not to take it too seriously and indulge in the silliness of the scenario. For fans who already checked out the first volume and were uncertain whether to continue, rest assured the series does improve in all aspects. Conversely, those looking to give the genre a shot (as long as they don't mind fantasy) the title is an idyllic intro into the crowded genre – easily one of the breast.
