Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun is thrilling fans with its fourth season, and a recent Anime NYC panel brought together Chief Director Makoto Moriwaki and Setsuo Itō, the voice actor for the intriguing new character Purson Soi, for an insightful Q&A session. They shared behind-the-scenes stories, character insights, and what makes this beloved anime so special.
Purson Soi's Unforgettable Debut
Purson Soi has been a background fixture since the very beginning, but Season 4 marks his dramatic emergence as a prominent character. Setsuo Itō admitted to feeling incredibly nervous joining a main cast full of veteran actors. However, Director Moriwaki was quick to praise Itō's performance, highlighting his exceptional ability to deliver Purson's rapid-fire lines with such clarity that his nervousness was imperceptible. Moriwaki pointed out that Itō's clear enunciation is one of his greatest strengths, ensuring every word is heard despite the character's fast talking style.
Itō shared his impression of Purson as being "a bit too earnest," especially in his quick speech, a trait he finds endearing and somewhat relatable, given his own tendency to talk a lot. He also loves the contrast in Purson's character: how he remained unnoticed for three seasons, only to erupt with overwhelming speed once he starts speaking. Despite his often unemotive face, Purson is deeply emotional, expressing himself through actions like rolling around or having tantrums, which Itō finds incredibly fun to play. Itō also mentioned that he heard his casting might have been influenced by his previous role in Mob Psycho 100 or even his physical resemblance to Purson.
One of the biggest difficulties Itō faced was mastering Purson's incredibly fast, lengthy lines. He described receiving scripts and footage and thinking, "this is literally impossible for any human to possibly say all that within that time." Joining in Season 4 meant intense practice at home, giving his all to deliver the lines as quickly and clearly as possible.
The Musical Spectacle of Lilith's Carpet
A major talking point from the panel was the ambitious "Lilith's Carpet" episode, which was presented entirely as a musical. Director Moriwaki revealed the immense challenge this posed, requiring extensive dancing animation and complex choreography. The production demanded double the usual staff and, astonishingly, took four times longer than a typical episode to create – a full two years. Moriwaki expressed immense pride in successfully pulling off such a daunting task, even showcasing side-by-side comparisons of the motion capture choreography used. She humorously urged fans to watch the episode at least four times, given the effort involved. Itō, despite Purson primarily playing the trumpet and not speaking in the episode, declared his love for it.
Beyond the Music: Season 4's Heartfelt Moments
Aside from "Lilith's Carpet," Moriwaki shared other favorite moments from the season. The elegant dance scene between Iruma and Ameri during the Deviculum stood out. Iruma's birthday party episode also deeply touched her heart, as seeing him surrounded by so many loved ones after starting the series devoid of familial affection was a truly moving experience. For future episodes, Moriwaki encouraged fans to look forward to the rest of the Demidoll arc, expressing particular excitement for the character Gyari. She emphasized that love is a strong theme for the season, seen in Ameri's affection for Iruma and Gyari's devotion to Kuromu.
Iruma's Magnetic Kindness and Demon World's Appeal
Both Moriwaki and Itō shared what initially drew them to Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun and what they enjoy most about the series. Itō was captivated by Iruma's journey into the Demon World, noting how human the drama feels despite the demonic setting. He admired Iruma's growth, especially during the Harvest Festival, and appreciated the series' balance of silly and serious moments.
Moriwaki found the premise "super interesting and super catchy" from the start. The idea of Iruma, one of the weakest humans without magic or special powers, being destined to become the Demon King was an irresistible draw for her. She highlighted Iruma's unique impact on the Demon World: his complete lack of hostility and inherent kindness. Moriwaki recalled a specific scene from Season 1, Episode 5, where Iruma intervened to make Sabnock apologize to a giant bird, leading to the bird's forgiveness. She believes Iruma's kind soul makes everyone around him comfortable, spreading warmth throughout the Demon World as the series progresses. She also noted that Nishi-sensei, the manga author, aimed to create a very kind world, and she believes he will ultimately succeed in creating a truly kind Demon World.
The Natural Flow of Storytelling
When asked about balancing the various elements like comedy, battles, and fantasy within the story, Moriwaki stated that she doesn't actively think about balancing them. She believes these incidents simply happen naturally within the story, and the characters overcome them organically. For her, the series possesses a very natural and seamless flow.
A Kind Demon World Awaits
As the panel concluded, Setsuo Itō treated the audience to a live recording, performing Purson's first meeting with Iruma and a poignant scene where Purson opens up to his mother. His final message was one of gratitude to the audience for their continued support and to his castmates for their welcoming nature during recordings.
Moriwaki concluded by thanking the fans, expressing her surprise at the series' immense popularity overseas. She spoke warmly about her love for Iruma-kun, revealing that after working on a show full of kind demons for four seasons, she's started seeing humans as kind demons themselves. Her heartfelt final wish for everyone was to "be a kind demon."
Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun is currently available for streaming, inviting more viewers to join the kind demons of Babyls. We extend our thanks to Moriwaki-san and Itō-san for sharing their incredible insights into this beloved series.
