Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 ‒ Episode 6

It's appropriate that this episode aired on Mother's Day weekend, because Purson's mother is fantastic. We knew that before, of course, because she's the one who gave him his trumpet and encouraged/taught him to play. She deliberately provided him with an outlet for his feelings, unafraid that it went against the Purson Family Creed. And now that he's grappling with his father's mandate to leave Babylis and not participate in the Music Festival, she's making clear that she will support her younger son no matter what choice he makes. She's not doing it because she's angry at her husband or because she thinks he's wrong; she's doing it because she's a mother who loves her child and wants him to make the right choices for himself, even if that's not what she or her husband wants him to do. She loves her husband. She loves her son. It's as simple as that.

I can't help but think that Purson's missing older brother plays into all of this at least a little bit. Mrs. Purson specifically says that Soi's father has been relying on him more since his brother disappeared, and it's clear that he wants Soi to be the perfect heir of his dreams. In terms of family dynamics, it's not all that uncommon for remaining siblings to be burdened with their parents' wants after one leaves or rebels, and that's what's playing out here. But what Mr. Purson isn't considering is that his overwhelming expectations and demands are why his older son left in the first place, and by acting the same way with his younger son, he risks losing that child as well. As a lasagna-loving cartoon cat once said, heirlooms are just something no one's had the guts to throw out, and that goes for traditions that trample on children's own ambitions, too.

Purson's absence and his conflict are important this week, not because they take up a lot of screen time, but because without him, there's no guarantee that the Misfit Class will be able to perform at their best. It doesn't matter how much they've practiced; apart from Keroli, Purson's the only member with a history in music. His playing is integral to their show, both in terms of skill and of making the rest of the class feel confident. I don't doubt that they could pull off something good without him, but they need to be excellent, and that really does require a certain invisible bat demon.

That goes double because of Poro. I remember judges like him from my own performance days (dance, mostly, but cello too) – the ones who think they have to be super harsh because “kids need to learn that the real world is tough and they won't be handed anything without hard work.” This may be sort of true, but also, these are kids. They're the equivalent of eighth graders based on Iruma's age. You can't judge them like they're adults; it's patently ridiculous to do so, particularly at a school event. Poro takes himself and his position far too seriously, and it's clear that he's the only judge who doesn't get that this isn't a competition on the national stage.

It certainly doesn't help that he's also being a jerk about the whole Royal One thing. Charging into the classroom (Kalego under his arm) to confront the Misfit Class before the performance is a jerk move, although it does let them know what they're up against. His nitpicky judging style, amply demonstrated when he excoriates Orobas' class, only supports what the Misfits are already suspecting: that this is a deeply strange man who acts inappropriately. I am so, so proud of Elizabetta, who tends to keep herself in the background, for standing up to him; it not only shows how her confidence has grown during this arc, but it also demonstrates that the Misfit Class isn't going to be beaten down. They know this guy has it in for them. They're going to go on anyway, Derkila fanboys notwithstanding.

Rating:

Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.