The Devil is a Part-Timer! can be considered a reverse isekai. Most isekai stories involve an ordinary Japanese citizen being whisked off or reborn into another world and usually gains some extra powers or are otherwise high-ranking. In this series, this “other world” comes to Japan, and they meet an ordinary Japanese teen. But the series seems to be playing the isekai tropes straight with how special it’s making Chiho out to be.
Yes, this is another Chiho-heavy volume. Only one of the three chapters is titled after her, but she is a focus in all three. Even more annoying is the fact Emi is barely present in her chapter. I think she had said about 2 words by the time it was 80% complete, and her name was only mentioned a few more times than that. “The Hero Gets Her Act Together” — pfft, even Emeralda would have been a better choice for the titular character of the chapter.
The countdown to the assault on Heaven continues to tick, but a major wrench throws the gang’s plan into disarray. So the various teams and allies have to try to communicate all these changes without the Church or others finding out what’s going on. At the same time, Acieth’s appetite goes out-of-control, Maou feels like he’s not doing enough, and Suzuno faces her future. And, of course, lots of Chiho, with the next volume also looking like she’s again going to take a starring role.
Volume 19 is mostly about finishing the groundwork for the final battle. Other volumes felt like mostly stall tactics to continue The Devil is a Part-Timer! for as long as possible, but volume 19 strikes a good balance between “can’t do it yet” and “almost ready to go” that kept it at a lackadaisical but not dully slow pace. It includes some surprise preparations — organized by Chiho, of course, because this series has become The Teenager Who Met The Devil Part-Timer!. Personally, I don’t agree with her making such big decisions on her own, but I digress.
Even as Emeralda and others try to adjust plans, there are also other plans being worked out — namely, what do the Ente Islans like Suzuno want to do after it’s all over. Suzuno, with her personal struggles over her role in the Church and her eventual freedom, probably deserved an even more expanded role in the novel. But so much of her scenes are shared with Chiho that her personal development doesn’t feel like hers. I know I seem to be repeating myself, but everything truly comes back to Chiho. Bad situation in Ente Isla? Have Chiho send off a message. Maou worried he’s not doing enough? Chiho appears to scold him about how he treats Suzuno. Acieth hungry? Here comes Chiho as a pinch hitter baker. All great if you’re a Chiho fan, though.
So while much of this volume can be easily summarized, the last chapter really does shake up the situation and open up a whole new world for some characters (literally and figuratively) to cause me to, albeit tepidly, recommend this volume. I don’t know if the reactions and aftermath feel realistic, but I think it’s one of many debates fans will have about this volume — and heck, the direction of the series as a whole.