What is the work?[]
Engage Kiss is a 2022 original anime that was released by A-1 Pictures. The series takes place on a fictional floating city known as Bayron City which is located in the Pacific Ocean close to Japan. The series runs on a source called Orgonium which has the side effect of being a draw for demons. To prevent their existence from being leaked to the public, Japan hires PMCs (Private Military Companies) to eradicate "D-Hazards" humans who had become powerful from the contracts they make with demons.
Our protagonist, Shu Ogata, runs a small PMC where his partner is Kisara. Despite looking like an ordinary high school student, Kisara is actually hundreds of years old and has a contract with Shu. A few years ago, Shu's family was mysteriously killed in a mine for Orgonium and he vows to avenge them. However, to this end, Shu has to kiss Kisara as part of the contract the downside being that he has his memories erased every time she does this.
Who is it? What has it done?[]
Asmodeus is an ancient, malevolent demon and the main antagonist of the series. Throughout its immortal life, Asmodeus has worn several "faces" making deals with humans to achieve its goal of creating a gate for demons to enter the earthly plane. Those that Asmodeus made deals with became "D Hazards," or Demonically Possessed, people who gain demon-like abilities from their deals.
One instance of Asmodeus making a deal was with private military officer Miles Morgan. When his daughter is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Miles, out of desperation, makes a deal with Asmodeus. His daughter is saved, but now he was permanently indebted to Asmodeus. Miles heads to the Hive Three Mine to perform a ritual to release the demon, but this is thwarted by Shu's father Isamu Ogata. During those 16 years, Asmodeus inserted itself into Ogata's life with the heavy implication that Asmodeus killed his real wife Sayori. While Miles survives due to his contract, the explosion kills Isamu and takes Asmodeus's physical form with it.
Asmodeus in the mean time conceived a baby girl named Kanna and attempts to use her to open the gate. Kanna would eventually be sealed away but she would become aware of Ayano, Sharon and other women that Shu would have relationships with and grew resentful.
During the fight with Kanna, Asmodeus creates several fleshy appendages to attack Sharon Holygrail and Ayano. When Shu arrives, Asmodeus takes on the form of his mother in an attempt to screw with him, but, due to him having just about all his memories sucked away by Kisara, Shu relentlessly slices through the visage. This would lead to Kanna becoming the final boss.
While Kanna is able to be beaten without the need of sealing her away again, Asmodeus is still at large by the time the series ends.
Freudian Excuse? Mitigating factors?[]
It is not a complex character, but we do see some of its personality when it is pretending to be Isamu's wife. It claims to be a well-intentioned extremist who is trying to open the gate so that mankind and demons could co-exist peacefully. But...demons up to that point were seen as chaotically evil and kill and cause serious collateral damage. So, I think the claim is about as truthful as saying that a sweater your grandmother gave you for Christmas was beautiful.
Heinous standard[]
As the big bad, Asmodeus is either directly or indirectly responsible for several demonic attacks that kill countless people along with having a prolific history of making Demonically Possessed people with its contract. The fact that it is in Bayron City in the first place is what draws the demons in.
Conclusion[]
Unsure. Can go either way here.