WARNING!! If you haven't seen these series yet, and you do not wish to spoil it for yourself, don't read the review until you've seen it! This is a spoiler nest!

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Akuma de Soro manga Series

The Review

Overall Impression

If I were to sum up the entire series, I would say it began as a typical shoujo manga - confession and confusion, blackmail and truces - gradually changing to forbidden romance between two step-siblings, not unlike the scenario seen in the manga Marmalade Boy. Cute, sweet, but nothing particularly unique or new.

As the series moves further along, there is a noticeable pattern that Takanashi seems to follow - there is a recurring sequence of roles being redefined. The story focuses a lot on family relationships by constantly referring to each character's role in society - for example, a sibling must act as a sibling, nothing more; the proper conduct parents must have in order to serve as good role models for their children; and the growth period which bridges the gap between childhood and adulthood. The author tends to break many of these societal roles by applauding rebellious behavior: step-siblings who, since they are not related by blood, can happily fall in love; parents who can be open-minded enough to accept the fact that their respective stepchildren have become more than just friends (or siblings); and prospects for a college-bound, successful future which still allows room for a strong relationship to grow into marriage.


All in all, Akuma de Soro is a story written from a very optimistic point of view. If you like these kinds of themes, with little dramatic twists here and there, this will be a good read.

The Artwork

There were times when I was ready to reject the artwork altogether, and times when I simply stared at all the inhumanly handsome hunks and laughed.

If there was one thing I liked about the art, it was the lack of anorexic-bodied females; if there was one thing I didn't like, it was the wild hair style that made the characters look like they had rampant tulips growing from their heads.

Other than that though, fairly average.

Breaking It Down