Hataraku Maou-sama! - Episode 8

Lunchboxgate continues as we begin this week's episode of Hataraku Maou-sama, with Chiho continuing to fret over the homemade lunch provided for Sadao by Suzuno - a concern not helped by the fact that she and Emi visit Sadao's home to find Suzuno cooking for them.

Chiho's mood isn't exactly helped by Sadao suggesting to Suzuno that she consider working with them both at McRonalds to make ends meet, seemingly oblivious to how his diminutive yet large-chested friend might feel about that.  Thankfully, Chiho at least has the guts to eventually set him straight and pour out her feelings about Sadao to him... although she perhaps wasn't intending to do so right in front of Suzuno.

It's Suzuno herself who becomes the focus of the second half of this week's episode - aside from her hilarious attempts to get used to life in modern Japan, we finally learn of her true name and purpose.  Needless to say, she's an inhabitant of Ente Isla, and with a real name of Christia Bell and a mission to ensure that Emilia the Hero isn't now working alongside the Overlord.  There's only one way to definitively prove that she hasn't defected of course; to work with Christia and kill Maou.  It's a request that Emi manages to brush off in the short-term, but it's an issue that will surely raise its head again - assuming that Sadao hasn't become too deeply embroiled in the escalating battle with Sentucky Fried Chicken, that is.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, once again this week's Hataraku Maou-sama was a huge amount of fun, blending its elements wonderfully to offer up plenty of comedy in some shape or form while still pushing forward the show's narrative substantially.  Suzuno's character has already managed to integrate into the rest of the cast's dynamic nicely, so the series shows no signs of losing its footing, and with some great potential for comedy and serious business on the horizon it looks like there's still plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.