Yes, the setup sounds incredibly problematic, but that’s on purpose.
Summary:
- An Archdemon’s Dilemma surprised fans by being actually good, despite its problematic premise.
- The anime is a wholesome fantasy romance with comedy elements.
- It’s not the best anime ever, but fans like the two main characters and consider it pretty good overall.
Among the biggest surprises this season is An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride (Maou no Ore ga Dorei Elf wo Yome ni Shitanda ga, Dou Medereba Ii?). The anime managed to surprise viewers, and 5 episodes are already out. So, what is this, and is it worth watching?
Problematic Premise Is Bait — the Series Itself Is Very Wholesome
At first glance, An Archedemon’s Dilemma is questionable at best. The protagonist, a sorcerer Zagan, purchases an elf slave girl, Nephelia, and romance develops from there. Sounds very problematic? Well, yeah, it does, but that’s the point: the anime itself is a bait-and-switch, with the romance not being problematic at all.
The actual romance part of the anime is very wholesome. Zagan has fallen in love with Nephelia (or Nephy) at first sight, and he doesn’t treat her as a slave — more like a companion.
Unfortunately for both of them, they’re both socially inept: Zagan doesn’t know how to explain his feelings, and Nephy still considers herself a slave despite not being treated as such.
The anime is a good mix of wholesome romance and comedy based on heavy misunderstandings. It was actually a huge surprise this season. Most people expected it to be either problematic or simply generic — a long name and a generic fantasy world certainly don’t help.
It’s Not Amazing, but It’s Still Pretty Good
An Archdemon’s Dilemma might not be the best anime this season — the animation is definitely in a rough spot — but it’s definitely worth watching if you want some romance. The anime isn’t just about romance, though: there’s a more serious story as well, although it only supports the romantic development between the main couple.
Even if the story is whatever, fans seem to really like Nephy — she’s so cute and wholesome she’s definitely worth protecting.
Interestingly enough, they also find Zagan a good protagonist: while he’s not the best when it comes to telling his true feelings, he’s actually capable of doing something, and despite his “demon lord” title (which is not exactly accurate), he’s not evil at all.
Ultimately, if you want a fantasy series that is not a generic isekai, this might be a good watch. An Archedemon’s Dilemma isn’t as problematic as the title and premise might suggest, and it actually might be one of the better fantasy romance series we’ve had in recent years.
Therefore, you might consider it a hidden gem of this season — it’s available on Crunchyroll, with new episodes coming out every Thursday.