Kyo Kara Maoh!

controlled using , being bullied, and gets his head dunked in a toilet by the bullies. When his head enters the water, he is sucked into the toilet, and ends up in another world. Waking on dry land, he initially assumes that he is at a theme park, because of the medieval-style clothes the inhabitants wear. He encounters Adelbert von Grantz, who uses some form of magic to unlock the local language hidden in Yuri's spirit. Conrart Weller and Günter von Christ then rescue Yuri and take him to Covenant Castle, where he is informed that he is the new heir to the throne of the Great Demon Kingdom. While spending his first night at the castle, Yuri encounters Wolfram von Bielefeld, who immediately marks Yuri as an unworthy heir to the throne, and claims that Yuri's mother was of poor breeding, as well as being human. Yuri reacts to the insult by slapping Wolfram across the left cheek, which, unbeknownst to Yuri, is the traditional way to propose marriage among the nobles of the Great Demon Kingdom. Though Yuri insists that he is not interested in men, Wolfram takes the proposal very seriously, becoming a jealous, critical fiancée, constantly complaining about how Yuri is a wimp of a fiancée, to great comic effect. Though initially hesitant to claim the throne of a nation he has never heard of at age 15, Yuri has a change of heart upon learning that the humans of the world are at odds with the Demon Tribe, and that the kingdom is on the brink of war with the humans. Yuri feels the bitterness of war firsthand when visiting a town that was burned by enemies, and he feels compelled to bring peace to the land. Just as Yuri is beginning to accept his responsibility as Demon King, another being within his soul manifests itself. This other being is known as "the Demon King" proper, and has longer hair, and more adult features as well as a deeper voice. He is extremely powerful with magic. He is brought forth when Yuri is angered, hurt, or otherwise distressed. The Demon King is always eloquent and direct when he appears, always promoting the idea of justice; in fact, whenever he punishes wrongdoers, he always creates an image of the kanji meaning nihongo|"justice"|正義|seigi somewhere within the scene. The Demon King often appears at crucial moments to help out and to ensure justice prevails. Yuri slowly becomes the champion of peace and justice, and becomes iconic of a new era of understanding as he rules with a strict policy of peace and negotiation. He even encounters Prince Heathcrife of Cavalcade on a ship, and inadvertently forms an alliance for the Great Demon Kingdom by helping out who he believes is just a stranger in need. On one instance, Ken Murata tries to save Yuri from drowning as he is "flushed" to the other world, and is accidentally brought along. After some initial awkward caution between the friends, Ken reveals to Yuri that he is the reincarnated soul of the nihongo|Great Wise Man|大賢者|daikenja, the close friend and adviser of the original Demon King, known as the nihongo|Great One|眞王|shin'ō|True King. The Great Wise Man always remembers his past lives. After this encounter, Ken usually travels with Yuri to and from the kingdom, and the boys become closer in both worlds. Later in the season, Yuri learns that in ancient times, the Great One sealed up his greatest enemy, the nihongo|Originator|宗主|sōshu, in four wooden boxes named "End of the Wind", "End of the Earth", "Hell's Fire on Frozen Tundra" and "Mirror at the Bottom of the Sea", collectively known as the "Four Forbidden Boxes". According to Ken, peace cannot prevail until all four boxes, which can be used as powerful weapons of destruction, are brought back into the control of the Demon Tribe. Yuri begins searching for the boxes, and subsequently clashes with King Belar of Big Cimarron, who is also seeking the boxes to use as weapons against his human enemies, as well as the Demon Tribe.

eason two

The second season begins with Yuri and his companions in Fransia with the box named "End of the Wind" in their possession. While traveling back to the Great Demon Kingdom, however, they are confronted by a group of soldiers lead by Conrad. He openly declares his new allegiance to Big Cimaron, and takes the group and the box into custody. When King Belar orders Conrad to execute Yuri, however, he reveals that he has always remained faithful to Yuri, and had been attempting to gain access to the boxes controlled by Big Cimaron. The companions escape when the armies of Cavalcade and of a newly-allied Fransia arrive and order Belar out of of Fransia, but not before Conrad is pierced by two arrows protecting Yuri. End of the Wind is successfully secured, but Yuri and Ken get pulled back to Japan before reaching the Great Demon Kingdom. Through a series of side stories, it becomes clear that Yuri's brother, nihongo|Shori Shibuya|渋谷 勝利|Shibuya Shōriis being trained to take over the role of Demon King for the small population of Demon Tribe living in secret in our world. Throughout the progression of the early second season, viewers are presented with a slow accumulation of information about a mysterious character who apparently died three years before Yuri's birth, named Suzanna Julia von Wincott. Conrad was very close to Julia, even though she was engaged to Adelbert. As the season continues, it is eventually revealed that Suzanna Julia volunteered to give her life to the Great One, and was subsequently reincarnated as Yuri. Julia was chosen to become the next Demon King because she was a gentle, caring soul, and she abhorred war in every sense. Like Yuri, she did not understand what she felt was the needless sacrifice of war. It is also later revealed that the soul of the Great Wise Man was deliberately brought to Earth along with Yuri's, so that Ken Murata could be raised with the future Demon King. It is difficult to draw a broad line across the plot progressions of the beginning of the second season, as most many episodes present isolated side-stories including chasing a baby around Covenant Castle, a villain attempting to take Yuri hostage but giving up when he tastes soup similar to a recipe made by his mother, and Yuri traveling to the past to encounter Suzanna Julia. Meanwhile, the fourth box, the Mirror at the Bottom of the Sea, becomes increasingly elusive, until the Great One informs Ulrike that the box was hidden away on Earth in ancient times. Yuri, Gwendal, Conrad, Wolfram, and Ken travel to Earth and meet Yuri's parents, then begin searching for the Demon King of Earth, Bob. Bob turns away the demons, telling them to return home, and setting various obstacles in their way, which the companions overcome to finally meet with Bob in Switzerland. Bob and Yuri (as the original Demon King) battle with magic, and Bob is eventually defeated, yielding the box to Yuri, and also explaining that his ancestors had made an oath never to allow the box to return to the Great Demon Kingdom. The obstacles had been a test of Yuri's strength and worthiness. Upon returning the Mirror at the Bottom of the Sea to the Great Demon Kingdom, and thus collecting all four boxes, strange things begin to happen, such as the Fly-Bone Tribe becoming uneasy and flocking en masse to Covenant Castle, and travel between worlds becoming more difficult and less predictable. Finally, Conrad and Shori discover that the Originator is beginning to leak out of the boxes as the seals weaken. Yuri comes forward to help reseal the boxes, but Wolfram, possessed by the spirit of the Originator, leaps forward and distracts Yuri, who releases his hold on the Originator. Suddenly, the spirit of the Great One appears and takes Gwendals's left eye, Conrad's left arm and Wolfram's heart, three of the four keys to the boxes, and releases the trapped parts of the Originator in those three boxes, but later gives back the original body parts. Ken reveals that, before his death, the Great One had accidentally absorbed part of the Originator, and that his spirit had now combined with the Originator. The Great One takes over Yuri's body, and Ken sits aside to see who will win out. Günter and Dakaskos take Morgif back to the island where he was found, and throw him into the volcano to renew his power. The Great One tries to use Yuri's blood as the key to the fourth box, but Julia's pendant reacts to the act and transmits a vision of Julia into Yuri's soul, where she tells him that he is strong and can save everyone. Just then, Günter, Dakaskos and Morgif arrive, and Morgif rips the Great One out of Yuri's body. In the crucial moment, Ken reveals the Great One's final plan to use his soul as a vessel in which to ultimately destroy the Originator. Yuri was chosen to be the only Demon King stronger than the Great One. Yuri finally defeated the Originator. Ken told Yuri that they can't travel again to Great Demon Kingdom because Great One had disappeared.The Great One opened one last portal. Yuri was left with an ultimatum: stay and live in the Great Demon Kingdom or return to his family on Earth. Yuri, Ken, and Shori decided to go back to Earth. Wolfram told him that he must go back, because his family was waiting for him. Then Wolfram cried, and since Yuri was gone, Great Demon Kingdom didn't have spirit. Everyone missed him. Wolfram painted Great One and Great Sage's picture, but apparently it was quite bad. On Earth, Yuri was worried about everyone at the Great Demon Kingdom. When he took his necklace close to the lake, it shone. So Murata pushed him into the lake and they suddenly ended up arriving in the Great Demon Kingdom. Conrad, Wolfram, Gwendal and Günter were all surprised and the final episode ended with Yuri being attacked by Wolfram for being a wimp that didn't go to the Great Demon Kingdom earlier.

eason three

The third season of the series, consisting of 39 episodes, began airing on April 3rd 2008 in Japan. Before Yuri returned to the Great Demon Kingdom at the end of Season 2, the Ten Noble families chooses Wolfram to become the next Demon King. Conflict arises when Yuri returns, and Wolfram is forced to call off their engagement due to Wolfram's proud "mazoku" uncle. In the end, Yuri becomes the "Maoh" to defend himself and Wolfram, and proves to the noble family that he is a responsible "Maoh". This is later followed by a few individual side stories, such as the episode about bear bees being sold in Shin Makoku, in which later are proven to be fakes; and the episode of Leila's wedding to Antoine, the king of the Francia kingdom. In this episode, Yuri and his companions encounter a group of bandits that have been stealing important swords from different kingdoms, it is later revealed that they have a deeper purpose. The story continues on as Conrad and Murata travel to Big Shimaron to fulfill some somewhat hidden agendas, who are later followed by Yuri and Wolfram. A new character is introduced, the new king of Small Shimaron- Saralegui, who seems to be interested in Yuri (or in his powers). In order to get information about the group White Crows, Yuri and Wolfram gets help from Lady Celi's suitor-"Fanfan". Yuri and Wolfram attend a baquet in Big Shimaron disguised as girls as when Yuri trips over and is helped by Saralegui or Sara. Sara later asks Yuri to dance and Yuri accepts (episode 7 of season 3). The Original King appears to be well as he appears to Yuri to give him advice, as well as threatened those who oppose Yuri's rule.There's also a dark organization of sorcerers to be introduced in the 3rd season; the White Crows, originally formed by the Great Sage Navon. They're on a quest of getting all the holy and spiritual swords they could find.

Some filler episodes are about Conrad's rebellious past with Günter, Anissina's betrothal to some noble family (with Gwendal taking her before meeting the groom), artificial bear bees, Shori's love for Yuri (episode 92), Greta's mother (episode 93) and the ancient Wincott's secret weapon (epi 94).

Themes

Throughout the series, Yuri is constantly confronted with the results of even the smallest choices he makes. With a strange power dwelling inside of him, Yuri becomes a deliverer of justice in the world of the Great Demon Kingdom. Yuri constantly makes friends who later on gives him big support and help, illustrating the theme of loyalty. He never abandons his personal ethics, even when doing the right thing is impractical, and people come to trust him.

Characters

*Yuri Shibuya
*Conrad/Conrart Weller
*Wolfram von Bielefeld
*Gwendal von Voltaire
*Günter von Christ
*Ken Murata
*Morgif
*Cecilie von Spitzberg
*Yozak Gurrier/Grie

Media

References

External links

* [http://www3.nhk.or.jp/anime/mao/ Official (NHK) website] ja icon
* [http://www.kyokaramaoh.com/ Official (Geneon) website]
* [http://www.maru-ma.com/ Official manga site] ja icon
* [http://blog.animate.tv/maoh/ Official Blog] ja icon
* [http://www.maruma-ova.jp/ Official Japanese OVA Website] ja icon