Hosszú út áll még az ifjú Raenef, a kiképzés alatt álló démonnagyúr előtt. Ő aranyos, szelíd, gondoskodó,… és az általános vélekedés szerint teljességgel méltatlan démoni szolgája és tanítója, Eclipse segítségére.
Az öt legidősebb démon egyike, Krayon démonnagyúr próba elé állítja Raenefet, hogy megszerezze tőle Eclipse-et. Ha Raenef sikerrel jár, megtarthatja tanítóját. Ha elbukik, az akár az életébe is kerülhet!
I'm having trouble doing even short reviews for this series. Basically it continues to be a completely ridiculous yet fairly amusing mess. This volume does introduce some new antagonists and raises the stakes a bit so that's nice. Definitely a nice quick read to take a break from some heavier stuff.
Raenef is an orphan and part of a thieving guild that steal to get by. He himself doesn't have much of a talent for theft, nor in anything much else. The renowned demon Eclipse is surprised to find that this naive street boy is destined to become his new master and Demon Lord. Although Raenef does seem to hold the powers of a Demon Lord, he is proving as inept at being one as he is at everything else. Soon, his new domain starts to attract visitors who sense a weak demon has taken up residence.
Firstly, I have always found it baffling and incredibly misleading that people mark this as LGBT/BL. While one could interpret Reanef and Eclipse's relationship as romantic, there is nothing specific enough to suggest things one way or another. Their relationship could just as well be platonic or even fatherly. And while I would be perfectly happy to see these two as a romantic couple, the fact remains that there is not enough to suggest so, especially considering that this is a comedy that is almost completely free of romance.
Demon Diary is from my favourite Korean manga (or manhwa) artist duo. I'm not overly fond of manhwa as the art often doesn't appeal to me, however, Kara's art has always reminded me more of the Japanese manga style. Demon Diary isn't their strongest work in terms of art - don't get me wrong, I like Kara's art, but it isn't quite as pretty and refined yet as in their later works.
However, it is, one of the funniest I have ever read. Do you know that kind of comedy that is so over the top that it's not actually funny anymore? Demon Diary pushes to the next boundary and is just so ridiculous that it's funny again. Raenef is adorable but hopelessly dense and naive. His complete inability to read situations or people has him walking from one witless act to the next, and that's really not the image anyone expects of a great Demon Lord.
Eclipse is a perfectly dignified demon who has a reputation to think of. Rather than a servant, he becomes more of a babysitter and protector of Raenef and is usually the one who feels the embarrassment the most. As Eclipse tries to push Raenef onto the right track of being a good - by that, I mean evil - Demon Lord, various other characters venture through their castle and the one thing they all have in common is their belief that Raenef is completely unsuitable for this role.
Among these characters are Erutis and Kiris - both of who didn't initially stay in the castle voluntarily but ended up being a fixed part of the residents. Erutis is a female swordmaster who doesn't quite know how to act ladylike yet throws a fit if anyone mistakes her for a man. Kiris is a cleric in training and thus a sworn enemy of demons. Somehow, these four end up co-living and even building friendships in which they are willing to take life-threatening risks for each other.
So yes, there is also a slightly darker plotline running in the background, and there are some meaningful relationships between the characters. But when it comes down to it, this is and remains a comedy - and an absolutely hilarious one at that. It was among my first manga (manhwa) and it's one that I have been pleasantly surprised to find that even non-manga-loving friends of mine have had laughing fits when flipping the pages of Demon Diary.
Götter und Dämonen befinden sich in einem unendlichen Krieg; das Reich der Toten ist ihr Schlachtfeld. Die Gründe für diesen Krieg sind bereits längst vergessen, und es regiert nur noch der Hass. Die Orakel sagen voraus, dass eines Tages jemand kommen wird, der den Frieden wieder herstellt: Der junge Lord Raenef! Doch dieser ist so unangemessen herzensgut und nett, dass die Dämonen ihre berechtigten Zweifel an seinen diplomatischen Fähigkeiten haben…
Cover:
Das Cover ist eigentlich recht hübsch anzusehen. Hier sehen wir den kindlichen und so gar nicht dämonischen Dämonenlord Raenef, welcher dem Betrachter frech entgegenblickt. Das passt gut zur Reihe, hat für mich aber irgendwie keinen weiteren Anreiz.
Eigener Eindruck:
Als der Dämonenlord Kleyon auftaucht, kann er nicht glauben, dass Raenef in seiner kindlichen und naiven Art wirklich der neue Dämonenlord sein soll. Aus diesem Grund schickt er diesen in die Traumwelt. Mit Raenef landen dort seine Begleiter Kiris und die Schwertkämpferin Erntis. Der Dämon Eclipse macht sich auf den Weg, um seinen Herren zu retten und kommt genau richtig, als es zu einem unfairen Kampf kommen soll…
Der nun schon vierte Teil der Reihe „Demon Diaries“ aus der Feder der Mangaka „Kara“ und „Yunhee Lee“ ist leider genauso sprunghaft wie seine Vorgänger. In gewohnter Manier hetzen die beiden den Leser durch die Geschichte, werfen einige Brocken hin und das war es dann auch schon. So muss Raenef sich nicht nur in einem unfairen Kampf schlagen, sondern es kommt auch noch zu einer Versammlung der Dämonenlords, plötzlich taucht auch noch der Vorgänger-Raenef auf und ein Buch verhext Raenef, sodass dieser plötzlich wie ausgewechselt scheint. Warum, das erschließt sich dem Leser kaum. Die Zeichnungen des Mangas sind ebenfalls mittelmäßiger Qualität und hätten meiner Meinung nach mehr Details beinhalten können, zumal man an einigen Stellen sieht, welch Möglichkeiten die Zeichner wirklich haben. Für mich jedenfalls war das Lesen dieses Bandes wie eine kleine Qual, denn es wollte einfach nicht flutschen, da die Storyline so wirr ist. Schade, denn die Grundidee hat wirklich so viel Potential.
Fazit:
Weiterhin ist die Story recht sprunghaft und man hat seine liebe Mühe der Story ernsthaft folgen zu können. Von mir gibt es weiterhin keine Leseempfehlung.
Conflict knocks on Raenef’s door when the Demon Lord Krayon comes calling, wanting Eclipse’s services for himself. He transports Raenef, Erutis, and Chris elsewhere, forcing the three to pool their wits together. Chris shows he’s more resourceful than he appears, Erutis reveals considerable skill and temper (which begin to charm their demonic captor) and Raenef becomes increasingly frustrated at how little he measures up to a demon lord’s standards, especially when Krayon endangers Eclipse with his little games. Raenef ends up making a dramatic choice to change himself, one which could destroy the new existence he’s created in the castle.
This felt like the turning point in this series. The plot got darker, more intense, even though there was still a lot of humour. Eclipse displays just how much he cares about his soft-hearted master, a sentiment far greater than usual for a devoted minion to his demon lord. Chris and Erutis showcase their skills and give the first signs of actually being friends with Raenef. All of these developing subplots came to an abrupt halt with the choice Raenef made, leaving the reader with bated breath for what will happen next. For doing all of this in an attractive art style consistent with the previous volumes, I give this four stars.
*Read as part of the 25 Days of Manga challenge for December 2020.*
WHAT. WHAT JUST HAPPENED. WHAT.
Okay, so while this volume does have its gag moments for the LOLZ, I will say that I expected it to be a little more serious in tone, given how the previous volume ended. I was not expecting it to stay largely serious throughout the entire volume, let alone giving us the two twists that occurred during the story. Things have amped up so much from where they were before, and I'm LIVING for this! I cannot believe that I slept on this series for so long.
The last thing I'll throw out there before I go?
Mm yes, because we all know that to be absolutely true, right?
This was a fun volume, which is something that can probably be said for most volumes of this manga.
I really enjoy the silly chibi moments, and the random fourth wall breaks talking about previous volumes - even showing a previous volume at one point (in a 'yeah, look this happened' *character holds up the manga and shows other characters that weren't there for that bit of the story*) It's very charming and shows Demon Diary doesn't take itself too seriously.
In volume 4 the main gang get transported into a dream, to show whether Raenef is worthy of being the Demon Lord. I feel like this volume moved the story on quite a bit more than some others have, the ending has a clear point of what to expect in volume 5, and other parts of the story seem to have bubbled up and are on the way to being solved.
WELCOME to the Fourth volume of what is sure to bring my heart soon.
Mild correction we had wrapped up how Eclipse and Raenef met (ew blood, ew gross) as well as met a new Demon Lord (Krayon) at the end of volume 3. Volume 4 is basically devoted to Krayon being a poor loser and Raenef getting his Edgelord in.
We get a good inkling of just how... dangerous Raenef is as he turns Edgelord, with a great deal of confusion since...why I'd the puppy so mean now?
Also I feel like Eclipse list the battle to make Raenef a great and terrible demon lord when they adopted two humans who constantly belittle their efforts.
AND BOOKS DON'T MAKE YOU DEADLY FOR NO REASON. even if it did warn Raenef first.
And then this series took enother turn I don't remember from my first reading. I also don't quite understand the plot, but that's something I've noted in all my reviews of the previous volumes. The problem with the tone wasn't as bad in this volume compared to volume 3, so it was a bit easier to take the story a bit more serious. That said the tone improvement still isn't enough for me to really care all that much for the plot.
I still liked it but not as much as the others because of the new character. I really like all of the characters from the first 3 and I feel like we don’t need any more. The dynamic between all of the characters is nice and makes me laugh when their expressions are so dramatic. I’m hoping the next volume will be better and like the others.
Volume Four follows Raenef and his friends as they try to escape out of Krayon's world. It's full of adventure and suspense, and so far is the fastest page-turner of the series. There are upsets and Raenef, of course, acts rashly, but this volume really feels like forward motion.
This volume is kind of all over the place. The plot strings are pulling in a couple of different directions and it's not the most compelling story. The characters continue to be just as one note as in previous volumes.
I love this manga sooooooooooooo much! How can someone not like this manga!? It's just so good not to like! With each new volume, you get drawn in even more to the story, characters, setting. I can go on and on! Whoever was the first person who came up with the idea to start this series was and is an absolute genius. I really hope me gushing about this manga will convince you guys to go out and buy it! It's so worth your time.
Lee Yun Hee, once again, outdid herself! She continued off from introducing us to Krayon (more on him later) and moved on to exploring more of Demon Diary. This is where the story really starts to take off! You get to know more about the characters and there's plenty of foreshadowing happening. Seriously, if this is your first read-through you're going to be like, "Huh? What's going on?" She really took the time out to develop both the story and her characters a lot more. I was really enjoying myself with how the plot is really thickening! Kara... marry me. Just... marry me. You have such a beautiful art style that I just cannot get enough of! Oh, the pigtails were a very nice touch... just wanted to let you know~ *Winks*
WAH! CHARACTERS WA KAKKOII DESU!!! I just love them sooo much! Okay, listen to me! Raenef and Eclipse is one of my favorite pairings! I know that's not shocking but I just had to tell you. X3 Rae starts to realize and express his feelings for Eclipse in this volume. He makes a decision in the end that... well, I understand why he did it but... it doesn't make anyone happy. Least of all Eclipse. That demon is so devoted to Rae and will do anything for him. These two share a very special moment in this volume that makes a rabid fangirl, like me, squee with delight. But you also feel a little helpless when you see these two struggling. It makes my heart hurt in a way that... I just wish I could put myself into the manga and hug them and say, "Everything's going to be alright, babies!" Then again... I'm just soft when it comes to yaoi~ XD
Erutis gets a lot more action in this one! You see her fight and you get a glimpse as to what her powers are. She is one of the main focuses in this volume because of the events that play out and because of a certain new demon lord that comes into the mix. *Smirks* Chris actually proves he's not as stupid as he appears to be. He is quite knowledgeable about demons and their customs. This young cleric heir is slowly proving he is worthy of his title... though he's still a dunce. XD Meruhesae, the seer, gets more screen time as well. She shows off her personality in a very charming way. Her and Eclipse are very hilarious with each other. Plus, she's the only one with the balls to do something unorthodox when it comes to Mr. Grumpy himself! God, I love this woman! We do have a new character in this one. (Well... two but I can't even HINT to who he is because that is a HUGE SPOILER and I don't want to ruin it for you. I'll talk more about him in the next review for it won't be a spoiler anymore! ^_^) Krayon is one of the five eldest demon lords in existence! He's so cunning, manipulative, and a little transfixed on getting Eclipse to serve him... makes one wonder, doesn't it? *Smirks* I love this demon! Everything about him. He does things his way and doesn't care what others have to say about it. I really think he's a great addition to the cast of characters of this manga!
My God... I can't believe I'm done with this book already. I'm so close to finishing the series... I don't really want it to end. *Pouts* It's getting so good! I can read this so many times and not get tired of it. You will do the same once you start with this series! I don't care what you have to do: Buy it, borrow it, check out from the library, whatever! Do whatever you can to get this ENTIRE manga series! It's so worth the read! You will not be disappointed. Especially now that it's getting good! Plus, don't you want to see more of the Raenef and Eclipse? They are cute, ne? Besides, yaoi is good for the soul! Okay, so it's shounen-ai but you get the idea, right? ... READ IT!
Demon Lord Krayon arrives and asks Eclipse to serve him. When Eclipse refuses, Krayon transports Raenef, Erutis and Chris into a dream dimension to test what exactly makes Raenef so special that Eclipse refuses to leave him.
Another fun instalment with gorgeous artwork - particularly like the depiction of Raenef IV apparently back from the dead! and the very androgynous page art of Krayon in the belted shirt. There are some really fun scenes in this one, like Meruhesae trying to get Eclipse to pay for information with a kiss - his reaction is priceless. Do have volume 5 on hand as this does again end on a cliff hanger with Renef turning into a proper demon lord (ie evil) because he thinks its what Eclipse wants.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Krayon puts Raenef to the test-- but in testing Raenef, he's also testing Eclipse and Raenef's other friends. We get some more, very welcome, insight into Erutis' powers. Then, a magic book promises to make raenef a true demon lord, but warns that the consequences might be somewhat unexpected. Demon Diary is really starting to fall into place here. Good stuff. ****
This is quickly becoming the series that I look most forward to reading. The story is enough to keep me interested, and the LOL-worthy one liners keep me entertained. I'm sad to see that there are only seven volumes.
Not as good as the previous volumes, the whole nightmare/dream world story was boring and it didn't go anywhere. But the twist at the end! Poor Eclipse, he likes Raenef the way he is, he doesn't really want to change him.
Fourth book of Demo Diaries. THis book introduces the newst character, a very powerful demon lord, come to see how strong Eclipe's new lord really is! Can he prove himself and not be laughed at?
New challenges appear in this book. Eclipse is forced to prove his allegiance and Raenef determines to prove his worth. New mysteries also appear and there's some really dramatic moments.