Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer is a manga that is close to my heart because it was introduced to me by a friend a long time ago. It was for this reason that I was really excited when I saw that it was getting an anime adaptation.

Watching it now I can really understand how childish the desire to destroy the world is and how it is a coming of age story for the protagonist. Yuhi had a tragic past, after his father was murdered and his mother ran away, he received no comfort from his grandfather who was his new guardian. Instead he was abused for 10 years by his grandfather who was also traumatized by the event, being chained up whenever he opened up to others. I can only imagine what kind of twisted personality that would bring about. In Yuhi’s case he is affected by a kind of PTSD trained response which leaves him unable to open up to others, and also the inability to act without some sort of binding placed upon him.

In order to break the chains upon himself, he dedicates himself to Samidare, whom the story is named after in its Japanese title. Samidare was a sickly child, who only recovered from her illness because of the fate that had befallen the world. Because of a game between Gods, Anima and her beast knights battle Animus and his Golems as Animus attempts to drop a hammer that will crush the Earth in to crumbs like a biscuit. Samidare who knows that her time is only temporary and her health will decline after the game has ended, plans to destroy the world after the game ends with her destroying the hammer, thereby ensuring that time will not go on without her. She is deeply pained by the thought that she will never live to adulthood which is indeed a terrifying and depressing thought. All the same, as the Noi, the Lizard Knight Yuhi’s Lizard puts it, their desire to destroy the world is akin to a child throwing a tantrum and destroying their toys. Its definitely a cruel and pitiable fate that awaits Samidare, but she is truly a Demon Lord which must be stopped if that is her plan. I don’t quite remember the details of the manga and how her plan goes, if she decides against it in the end, but I sure hope she reconsiders.

Through the meeting with the other knights, Yuhi experiences new friendships, loss and a desire to improve himself. Theres a lot to recap so I’d advice you to read the manga if you’re interested (and also Spirit Circle by the same author which I really enjoyed).

I’m a bit disappointed by the animation quality with quite a few awkward movements and mediocre fighting sequences, but I suppose not all adaptations can be of that high quality. Nevertheless, I’ll be watching it to the end to refresh myself on the story and how it plays out.