Alright, friends. We’ve covered a lot of ground since we started this journey into second-tier heroes, from lesser known members of the galaxy spanning Green Lantern Corps to the permanent gift that keeps on giving that Swampy left John Constantine to the librarians and smugglers of the far far away. We’ve even profiled loyal fire ferrets and long suffering cabbage merchants.
I think it’s time to really stretch and take on some personalities from non-Western comics, don’t you?
Good, glad you agree.
Next up from The Devil is a Part Timer! manga by Satoshi Wagahara (who also wrote the light novel series from which the manga is adapted) and artist Akio Hiiragi:
Hanzō Urushihara, AKA Lucifer
One of the important things to establish right away here is that Satan (Sadaō) and Lucifer are separate characters in this mythos. There’s plenty of precedent for the two being distinct individuals, some of it mythological, some literary, and some linguistic, but the important thing to know for Part Timer! purposes is that back on Ente Isla, Satan was the head honcho and Lucifer, like Alciel, as one of the Demon Generals.
This Lucifer, once an archangel, didn’t fall so much as he got bored and went AWOL because…fair enough, clouds and harps don’t really sound that great. As a mark of his corruption, Lucifer’s white wings turned black, which fit his goth aesthetic better anyway, and his powers became demonic. Though this gave him a certain cachet among his new demonic companions, it also meant most of them never trusted him fully which, it turned out, was a good call because he stabbed Satan, one of the few who did, in the back something fierce as soon as it became evident his own butt was in the fire. As it were.
After his defeat at the hands of the Hero Emilia, Lucifer was reported dead and used the much exaggerated news of his demise to go into hiding until he was able to secure a deal with Archbishop Olba Meyer, once Emilia’s trusted companions. Unwilling to let the Hero take all the credit for Satan’s defeat (I mean, a girl, ew) Olba decided to track Emilia through the portal and dispatch her, then return to Ente Isla and take his ill begotten place as head of the Heavenly Host; in return for Lucifer’s assistance, he would let the demon live and thrive. Eventually finding their prey in modern day Tokyo, Lucifer and Olba catch up to Satan, Alciel, and Emilia to find their old enemies and allies much changed. Drastically transformed. Completely different.
Well. Mostly.
One of those differences: the Devil isn’t going to let anyone interfere with his perfect attendance record at MgRonald.
Also worthy of an ass kicking? The fact Lucifer, “poked around inside a girl’s wallet,” which is “simply disgraceful” and possibly “grounds for a lawsuit.”
And yet…when it turns out he has no where else to go, and he’s a decent hacker who might be able to help them get their powers back more quickly, Alciel and Shadao let Lucifer move in. More proof that maybe, just maybe even demons can learn some new tricks.
Total disaster for their household budget though. Turns out someone has an online shopping problem and zero respect for how hard the househusband works to keep himself and his demonic lord under their extremely crappy roof.
Lucifer is a brat but even Alciel will, if you hold him down and threaten him with holy water, admit that he’s their brat and he always comes through in the end, even if he does so kicking and screaming the whole way.
Appearance and Abilities
Let’s be honest; Lucifer is adorable. In his slightly scrawny teenage body, the anime and occasional color splash page suggest his longer-than-regulation hair is purple and he’s got the essential anime-boy bangs that typically cover one of his violet eyes. Usually seen in a T-shirt, jeans, and Chucks, he has two purple piercings in each ear.
Unlike Alciel, whose form changes completely when he’s powered up, Lucifer keeps the same basic shape but gains a pair of black, feathered wings when he goes demonic (interestingly, they don’t seem to do any damage to his clothes). Lucifer gains energy by feeding off the negative emotions of humans; that energy allows him to fly, fire energy projectiles, and makes his feathers explosive. He’s near (but not entirely) indestructible, and despite being Fallen, can access his Holy Powers for a period of time after eating Holy Food.
I am having way too much fun with these demons. And there are plenty more where they came from! Who’s next?
Source : B-List Bonanza: Hanzō Urushihara
