This Surprising Fantasy Anime Could Be One of 2024's Biggest Hits (2024)

Anime’s Fall 2024 dark horse may have arrived in the form of Demon Lord 2099, a sci-fi-fantasy anime based on Daigo Murasaki’s light novel series of the same name. It follows the story of a fallen immortal ruler who, after centuries of lying dormant, wakes up to find the kingdom and the world that he once knew completely overtaken by the mortals he sought to conquer and their confusing technological advancements.

The anime melds together the beloved genres of science-fiction and fantasy, showing extraordinary promise with just its first episode alone. With the series directed by Ryo Ando (who was also an episode director for 86 and co-directed Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury), Demon Lord 2099 reverse-isekai’s the all-powerful Veltol into a setting where he is forced to humble himself to a life of mediocrity in order to survive, making his way toward world-domination one live-stream at a time in cyberpunk dystopia.

What is Demon Lord 2099 About?

The Proud Demon Lord Veltol is in for a Rude Re-Awakening

Long ago, in the world of Alnaeth, the proud Demon Lord Veltol was defeated by a sword-wielding hero named Gram. In his dying breath, he foretold his eventual return, claiming that as long as there is light, then there will always be the shadows that oppose it. 500 years later, in the year 2099 of the “Fused Era," Veltol reawakens to find that the world he had once sought to rule is gone. The remnants of his kingdom have scattered. His most trusted and powerful underlings, the Six Dark Pillars, are in tatters. And, in the face of all the "magitech," his powers are no longer what they used to be.

Demon Lord 2099 throws an ancient, powerful being into the jarringly technologically advanced setting of a cyberpunk version of Shinjuku, where magic and science have become one. Now Veltol, who once had entire armies at his disposal, has been rendered penniless, jobless, and has very few connections that would help him thrive in this capitalistic dystopian world. His solution? He plans to regain his leadership status through a career in online streaming.

Who are the Main Characters of Demon Lord 2099?

It's the Daunting Cyberpunk World Against Veltol and Machina

Demon Lord Veltol Velvet Velsvalt reigned over the world of Alnaeth before his defeat 500 years prior. He was once feared for his immense magical power and the six immortal mages who were loyal to him, but time has rendered him powerless, and he must learn to adapt to a foreign world built from the ashes of the one he once knew. While he is one to acknowledge others’ strengths in combat, the pride he has in his own abilities causes him to underestimate his opponents, becoming confused when he loses not once but twice to those that he had once perceived as weak. Hopefully, Veltol will be able to overcome his own arrogance to properly take on the challenges of cyberpunk Shinjuku and tackle the new threats that have risen against him and his immortal allies.

Machina Soleige, once known as “Machina of the Dazzling Blaze,” was one of the Six Dark Pillars that helped Veltol rule Alnaeth. In the 500 years following her precious Lord's defeat, she witnessed a catastrophic event that led to the downfall of the immortal race. Machina, being an immortal being herself, was forced into hiding and had to endure the suffering of her kind in silence. Since then, she had to live a meager, lonely life until the king whom she pledged her undying loyalty to finally returned. Machina is extremely devoted to Veltol and cares deeply for him, becoming distressed to the point of tears when she finds him beaten and ragged after an altercation with a traitorous ally.

The Anime's First Episode is Packed With Excellent World Building

Demon Lord 2099 Flawlessly Sets Up its Story with an Enthralling Pilot

The first episode of Demon Lord 2099blew anime fans away with J.C. Staff’s stunning animation of its cinematic opening scene, successfully hooking fans with a gorgeous introduction that details the battle that was fought prior to Veltol’s epic defeat by Gram. Narrated by Machina, who is voiced by Miku Ito, the introduction tells the story of the Immortal War, where Immortals and Mortals became the two sides fighting for dominance in the magical world of Alnaeth. The conflict eventually came down to a fight between two men, Gram, who wielded the Holy Sword Ixasorde, and Veltol, the ruler of all immortal beings.

The battle between Gram and Veltol ends with the demon lord ruminating on his defeat, asking Gram why he, an all-powerful entity who cannot die, was overcome by a mere mortal. Gram proceeds to explain to Veltol that it's because of his own mortality that he became strong enough to overcome the threats to his life and that the rest of the mortal populace is the same. Gram claims that he, along with other mortals, have a better understanding of life than those supposedly blessed with longevity, a sentiment that Veltol scoffs before he dissipates into nothingness.

After Veltol’s rebirth, Machina becomes the mouthpiece for exposition, giving Veltol (and, by extension, the viewers) a rundown of what happened during the past 500 years. She explains the catastrophic fusion of Alnaeth and a world called Earth, referred to as the “Fantasion,” which caused the demise of 90% of the population and the formation of city-states. Earth’s industrial advancement coupled with Alnaeth’s feats of magical technology resulted in the rapid development of the futuristic world that Veltol is met with.

Despite all the wonders of the brightly lit and exciting world full of "magitech," a darker truth about the new society is revealed. The Fantasion caused the remnants of the Immortal Kingdom to scatter to the city-states, which later led to the rise of prejudice against the immortal race. Those within power painted immortals as an evil threat that needed to be wiped out, and so weaponry that was capable of destroying immortal beings was developed and used to oppress the immortal race and force them into hiding.

One of Veltol's Most Trusted Allies Becomes the Series Antagonist

Veltol meets a young woman named Takahashi, who uses aether magic to hack into the digital billboards in the area and display a reel of inappropriate videos, seemingly for laughs. However, Veltol is more curious about the process and the technology than amused by her antics, and so she begins explaining concepts of aether magic and computer science before eventually pointing him towards the whereabouts of Marcus, one of Veltol's Six Dark Pillars, who happens to be the CEO of Shinjuku's largest technological company.

At the headquarters of Ishimaru Heavy Magic Industries (IHMI), Veltol discovers that Marcus has turned traitor. In the process of becoming enlightened to the “Familia” implant, a feat of “magineering” that allows anyone to skip the 3 out of the 5 steps of magic casting, Marcus reveals to have always hated Veltol. He harbors a personal grudge and jealousy against the demon lord and refuses to bow to him. With the use of his Familia implant, Marcus is able to cast magic at an overwhelmingly faster rate than Veltol can handle and manages to knock him out a window using his blood-based spells.

Why Might Demon Lord Become Fall 2024’s Dark Horse?

The Anime's Pilot Episode is an Extremely Strong Start to a Clearly Captivating Story

With more popular series like Dandadan, Uzumaki, and the many sequels of already beloved anime airing simultaneously, Demon Lord 2099 was pushed back from the limelight. However, its first episode has garnered high ratings and plenty of praise for the superb pacing and flawlessly executed worldbuilding. Episode 1 of Demon Lord 2099 is both informative and exciting, giving the viewers enough knowledge about an intricate, cyber-fantastical setting to understand what they're diving into without sacrificing entertainment value. The exposition flows naturally as the episode unfolds, immersing the audience in a uniquely built world as well as introducing them to a pair of, so far, interesting and likable characters trying to survive in a society where the odds are stacked against them.

Demon Lord 2099 is sure to bring a myriad of delightful shenanigans as Veltol finds his footing in his new life. But it also promises some compelling drama concerning the racial conflicts surrounding the prejudices against Immortals and a highly regulated magic system, along with a load of breathtaking action as Veltol fights the enemies that he is sure to face as a being who once ruled over a kind that is so currently hated. Overall, if the rest of Demon Lord 2099 looks anything like its fantastic pilot, then it certainly will become a memorable series worthy of running in the same league as Dandadan.