I gotta be honest, I’d glad that’s over. I always feel like a heel every time I criticize Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, because this series is so endearing most of the time. But it does occasionally whiff with me. Not at all often – it’s admirably consistent, especially considering how long it’s been running. The whole Dem-Doll Games thing isn’t my favorite Iruma-kun construct, but it had a bit of charm for a while when it was content to just be as silly as possible. But it went on way too long and doesn’t have the chops to pull off the semi-serious climax it was going for here.

The problems for me are manyfold. I don’t think the Dem-Doll subculture is among the most effective elements of the series’ mythology. Kerori isn’t among the most interesting or appealing among the cast, or the Misfit Class specifically. And Gyari, don’t even get me started. She’s just an obnoxious and shrill creation and frankly one of the least appealing characters this series ever introduced, though to be fair that’s not a club with a lot of members in it (fortunately).

So yeah, the whole Gyari-Kuromu thing was a big yawn and this arc really dragged whenever it was in focus (which was increasingly most of the time). Irumi and Lindy being embarrassed was fun and Ameri even more so, and Irumi being GAR in the events was classic Iruma-kun. The stage performance section doesn’t get off to a great start as Gyari storms the stage and steals Beeber’s turn, then engages in a truly unpleasant attempt at a bit a grunge/metal thing with a twist of punk. Things only improve with Team Devimuse takes the stage, because Irumi has asked Ali-san to put him into his evil cycle given the rock theme.

Murase Ayumu is generally typecast as “Boku Alliance” sort of characters, but – as Yomi no Tsugai ably demonstrates – he’s a seiyuu with a great deal of range (and a very fine actor to boot). His singing as evil cycle Irumi is rather striking, and this of course is Kerori in her element. Devimuse does finally win the competition but to be honest I’d kind of forgotten why I was supposed to care. It’s all good, when a show is around as long as this one has been it’s entitled to the occasional stumble. At this point I just want to see the season end on a positive note.

Su…ki…ma