The first season of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun not only introduces us to a world full of magic and dangerous creatures but also to a deeply human journey: a child marked by neglect who, for the first time, experiences what it means to be loved unconditionally. It is in this place, among demons who care for him more than his own parents did, that Iruma begins to heal.
At the beginning, we are introduced to our protagonist, Iruma, a human who was sold by his parents to a demon who takes him to the Netherworld to become his grandson.
During his childhood, Iruma developed various traumas due to his parents’ negligence:
Iruma arrives at his new home with Sullivan and Opera. Beings who, despite being demons, show genuine and selfless concern for him. Iruma, a human who has spent his whole life running from dangers, without food, shelter, or even a bed to sleep in, now seemingly has it all. But how does this affect him emotionally? He quickly becomes hopeful and idealizes the situation, along with an expected sense of disbelief.
Later, Iruma enters his first school, Babyls, since his parents never gave him the opportunity to study; he was always forced to work to support them. At Babyls, he meets Asmodeus. Surrounded by demons and being the only human in the Netherworld, he feels fear and uncertainty, wanting to hide to avoid attention, not knowing when he might be discovered. And what happens to humans who are there? They get eaten... or at least that’s what they say.
Iruma forms a curious relationship with Asmodeus; a model student, extremely competitive, and obsessed with being the best. This can be interpreted as a way of self-regulating his self-esteem through performance. Azz never had a genuine friendship, only people who admired and followed him because of his great strength and intelligence, but no one who was truly interested in how he felt or personal interests. When he meets Iruma, he connects for the first time through equality and emotional closeness. This may reflect a previous emotional void and highlights how valuable healthy emotional bonds are during childhood.
Asmodeus quickly develops an intense loyalty toward Iruma, which can be seen as a form of secure attachment. At certain moments, however, it also resembles compensatory emotional dependence, something typical in people who feel truly seen or valued for the first time. He wants to protect and support Iruma by any means necessary. This becomes his personal mission: to become "Iruma’s indestructible spear." Initially, he doesn't pursue this role for his own sake, but over time, it leads to personal growth. He ends up involved in situations he would have never experienced on his own, due to his previous emotional distance from others. It may seem hierarchical, since Azz treats him with great respect and admiration, but to Iruma, despite their differences, they are equals. Could it be that Iruma and Asmodeus has finally made a friend?
Then, they both meet Clara, another interesting character. She is presented as a fun, extroverted, and lively girl, but also demanding or hypervigilant to signs of disinterest, whether real or not. This is because demons approach her out of self-interest, leading her to overanalyze others’ behavior.
And here we can already see the similarities between Clara and Iruma, despite having completely different lives. They share traits in their personalities and ways of acting, such as:
The above points foreshadow what is to come.
Iruma was never interested in the benefits Clara could offer him, and he never took advantage of her. On the contrary, from the very beginning, he made it clear that he didn’t need anything from her. Her company was more than enough. They play and have fun like true friends; something neither Iruma nor Clara had experienced before. They help each other, because sometimes, having someone to share with is more than enough to ease the weight on your heart.
Little by little, Iruma develops social and emotional skills. We have figures like Sullivan and Opera, who break the pattern of previous neglect: they protect him, care for him, and accept him unconditionally. This relationship can be understood as a late secure attachment, which works as a reparative event for the traumatized child. Here, Iruma does not need to please others to be loved, opening the door to an emotional healing process that will unfold throughout the series.
We have Asmodeus and Clara, bonds that show opportunities to experience relationships based on trust, respect, and acceptance, far from the demands and abuse he endured. Receiving selfless affection and realizing you are loved just for being yourself, far from the need to please.
Throughout the first season, we see gradual growth in Iruma. He goes from wanting to simply stay unnoticed to seeking to shine and make his own decisions. This change is fundamental in rebuilding his identity and developing healthy self-esteem, showing how environment and relationships can transform the impact of trauma.
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