I started watching this anime after a friend on the RadioSEGA forums recommended some anime to people and this was on the list. The others on the list I watched the first episode and didn't get anything out of it, but the moment that this one started, I knew I wanted to follow this one until the end.
I've heard the manga is better, but being british, manga here is a rarity and online. I've
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I started watching this anime after a friend on the RadioSEGA forums recommended some anime to people and this was on the list. The others on the list I watched the first episode and didn't get anything out of it, but the moment that this one started, I knew I wanted to follow this one until the end.
I've heard the manga is better, but being british, manga here is a rarity and online. I've heard this one's never been licensed in english which is a real shame. But this is about the anime, the best way to describe this show in short is a comedy with fighting sections at some points. This anime is quite honestly my second favourite anime ever, while I may fail at justifying the reasons I love this show so much, I will attempt to encourage you to watch as it is worth a go.
Though they aren't action in every episode, when it is used, it is used to its full potential and the battles look smooth in animation and are often fast paced. The fact this is a comedy makes it hard to encourage people to watch it since everyone's idea of comedy is different, but abridging it, it's classic japanese over the top (particularly Oga's father) and there are so many jokes put into this show, yet none of them seem forced in because it's a comedy, the situations just fit the world so perfectly.
Speaking of the world of Beelzebub, the characters are the absolute highlight of the show. There are many different characters who act differently and despite them being delinquents and claiming to hate each other, they all have strong moments of connection where it makes the characters less than just two dimensional people.
The fact is, the characters and the way they are designed is what creates the humour in the first place. I grew so attached to these characters throughout the series and they are so iconic and funny that when certain characters turn up on the screen, you know things are about to get even better.
The highlight moment of the show for me was the volleyball episode, definitely the funniest thing I've seen in anime and one of the funniest things I have seen or heard in my general life. There are far more memorable moments than this, but this one stands out the most to many of the people I see review this show.
Though this show is my second favourite, it has it's downfalls. The first thing is that the anime is 60 episodes long along with a OVA. I understand this may be too long for many anime fans (my limit to how long a show I will watch is 80, unless I'm up to date and it's good enough), but time honestly does fly by with this one, not to mention it's very rewatchable, especially for a comedy since some you've seen once you find the jokes not as funny, but with Beelzebub, there are some jokes I laugh at every time.
The second point is the ending. The manga continues and the anime instead of following at the end and making it end on a cliffhanger, they decided to go out with a different route and change the way the manga was heading. To me, the last episode may have been anticlimactic, but it was still funny and made it end on a nice light note. However, before then (after episode 54) the anime decides to end mostly on filler, but I ask you not to be disheartened.
I think the filler is actually good in this anime because the humour is on par and sometimes even better than some of the humour in the regular episodes following the manga. The writing and clever laughs made the filler episodes not only enjoyable, but some of them making the best episodes of the series.
The third problem you may have is that the baby is naked the whole time. This didn't bother me as it exemplified Oga's bad parenting, but some people are bothered by this, so be warned if you don't like seeing a naked baby demon lord.
Here are the final pros and cons...
Pros:
Great fight scenes that are fast paced.
Great well executed comedy (though it may not be for everyone)
Very well made and memorable characters that are the life and soul of the show
Fantastic filler episodes on par/surpassing regular episodes based off the movie
Cons:
Fantastic filler, but filler none the less
60 episodes long, short for big fans and too long for some people starting off if they don't watch long anime
Ending that steers away from the manga, encouraging viewers to read the manga in a humorous end joke
A naked baby through the whole series.
10/10 from me, to me it is a masterpiece of a show that won't fade from my memory for a long time.
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