Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom

Nora is a demon who has an attitude problem. Unruly, loud and defiant, he crosses his Dark Liege one time too many, leading him to be sent to Human School. Forced into a body of servitude, Nora becomes the familiar to aloof star student Kazuma Makkari. Mayhem swiftly ensues after Nora discovers he can only use magic with permission from Kazuma, and the two butt heads both literally and figuratively. Packed with action at every turn, the two are forced to work together, although not necessarily get along, as the Dark Liege wants them to fight renegade demons. The story is less compelling than other stories of a similar vein and relies too heavily on violence and slapstick humor. There is a general lack of character development, and both Nora and Kazuma are highly predictable. Kakei's art is comical; the characters often wear exaggerated expressions and frequently appear angry or distressed. Nora isn't bad, but falls short in many ways. (Oct.)