Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4

Episode 19

I've always liked Ameri, and I'm torn between wanting Iruma to end up with her and a poly ending with Azz and Clara. But I've never really empathized with her until this week. She doesn't have a lot to do – she sort of bursts in on the scene at the opportune moment to be roped into performing with Kuromu, Irumi, and Lindy – but that one shot of her standing in a revealing outfit trying to cover as much of her bare skin as possible…wow. Girl, I have been there. Choreographers have absolutely put me into costumes I wasn't comfortable with, and Ameri's discomfort (which she'll have to put aside for the sake of the games, and she will because there's no way she's letting Iruma down) is one hundred percent relatable. I see you, Ameri, and I get it.

It's also not surprising that she'd become the fourth member of the Dem-dol Games team. Even if the options weren't limited, Clara just isn't a good fit for this situation, and Naphula would be even more uncomfortable than Ameri. Elizabetta would have worked, but we've already seen her perform, so according to the ending theme, that leaves us with Ameri. And besides, if “athletic” is what they need, she's a perfect bet; the only way to top her would be to have Sabro cross-dress, and then we'd basically be in the third Fushigi Yugi OVA.

But perhaps more importantly for this particular episode, Iruma is learning that no good deed goes unpunished. Back during the Harvest Festival, he made a promise to Keroli about repaying her help, which he may or may not have realized would involve the return of Irumi and Lindy, his and Lead's alter egos. Well, he knows now, because his bold declarations of being a stronger, manlier demon are immediately undermined by Keroli coming to cash in her reward: she desperately needs two more people to join her team for the New Moon Eve Dem-dol Games, and the boys have been nominated. And now that they've seen her take charge of the Music Festival performance, they know better than to think they're getting out of this.

What's interesting is how Gyari, a rival idol determined to marry Kuromu and make her retire while not letting go of her dream of a lesbian harem, serves as motivation for both boys. Lead is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a big fan of Gyari, so when Kuromu says that he can meet her, he's willing to go frilly and fluffy again. (I love Lindy's design, so I'm good with it.) But Iruma is motivated by his strong, perhaps undemonic sense of justice. What Gyari is doing to Kuromu isn't necessarily something he's had experience with, but he recognizes the wrongness of it, and he's going to stand up to her no matter what.

I've struggled with how to frame Gyari since I watched the episode. She's clearly meant to be funny, and her ability to charm herself a harem is entertaining. But she's also treading close to the predatory lesbian trope (which I despise) – she's actively pursuing someone who has no interest in her. At the same time, she's not nearly as handsy as the trope typically is, which makes her less the specific predatory lesbian trope and more plain old persistent suitor who won't listen trope. Both are bad, to be clear, but it's interesting to see the former be eschewed for the latter in this situation. It's a way to support women's wrongs without making them specifically gendered, and I appreciate that even as I want Irumi to wipe the floor with Gyari.

And boy, is he ready to. Irumi burning with rage in a literal way from the moment he learns what Gyari's up to (and that she's sniped their original fourth team member) isn't quite Evil Cycle Iruma, but it's getting there. And more importantly for the story's overarching themes, it's not that he's mad; it's why he's mad: Gyari isn't playing fair. Arguably, she's living up to her demonic heritage, but that's not how Iruma sees it. She's being mean to his friend, and that is one thing he can't let go.

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