Daemons of the Shadow Realm
Japanese manga series by Hiromu Arakawa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Daemons of the Shadow Realm (Japanese: 黄泉のツガイ, Hepburn: Yomi no Tsugai; lit. 'Pairs from the Underworld') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It has been serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga anthology magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan since December 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by Bones Film premiered in April 2026.
| Daemons of the Shadow Realm | |
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Yuru (center) and Daemons Left and Right in their statue form | |
| 黄泉のツガイ (Yomi no Tsugai) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiromu Arakawa |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| English publisher |
|
| Imprint | Gangan Comics |
| Magazine | Monthly Shōnen Gangan |
| Original run | December 10, 2021 – present |
| Volumes | 12 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Masahiro Andō |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Noboru Takagi |
| Music by | Kenichiro Suehiro |
| Studio | Bones Film |
| Licensed by | Crunchyroll |
| Original network | Tokyo MX, BS11, GTV, GYT, HTB, RAB, Miyatele, SAY, TUF, TeNY, SBC, TeleShizu, CBC TV, MBS, RNC, RNB, NKT, HTV, tys, RKB, kkt, KKB, QAB |
| Original run | April 4, 2026 – present |
| Episodes | 12 |
Synopsis
Set in a world where certain humans can control a duo of supernatural creatures called Daemons, the twins "born between day and night" in a premodern Higashi village, Yuru and Asa, are prophesied to wield great power. As a teenager, Yuru learns that he was separated from his sister at a young age, and that the Higashi village has been cut off from the now modern world (called "Lowlands" by the villagers) for centuries, where Asa grew up. Along the way to find each other, the twins learn of their abilities to control all Daemons and eventually discover they must unite to save the world from destruction.
Characters
Character shots of the various humans (top) and Daemons (bottom) from the first opening sequence of the anime adaptation
Main characters
- Yuru (ユル)
- Voiced by: Kensho Ono,[4] Kaede Hondo[5] (young) (Japanese); Ben Stegmair,[6] Molly Searcy (young)[7] (English)
- The elder twin. A blond-haired boy who embodies the Night and commands the Left and Right Daemons, which resemble powerful female and male oni warriors, respectively. Rescued from the village by Dera and Hana during the massacre, his primary goal is to find his younger sister and parents, and uncover the cause of the conflict unfolding around them. Including finding out why his sister's comrades killed adults in his village and taking revenge on them. As someone who has spent his entire life in a village preserving the Edo-period way of life, Yuru acts like a traveler from the past, unprepared for modern life, yet quickly navigating complex situations thanks to his advanced hunting skills.
- Asa (アサ)
- Voiced by: Yume Miyamoto[4] (Japanese); Molly Zhang[6] (English)
- The younger of the twins. A masculine, tall girl who embodies the Day and whose Daemon is currently unknown. Although, in critical situations or matters, she displays a very tough character and a readiness for violence, in her personal life, she is also a reliable friend to Jin and Gabby, and has a pronounced brother complex towards Yuru due to their long separation. Although she actually left the village at a young age with her parents, a complete double of her with a more idealized personality and the ability to regenerate lived in the settlement in her place, who, after the events of the beginning of the story, is called "False Asa" (later revealed to be Kiri).
Danno Household
- Dera (デラ) / Ryu Tadera (田寺 リュウ, Tadera Ryū)
- Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura[4] (Japanese); Jarrod Greene[6] (English)
- A middle-aged man with slightly gray hair, initially portrayed as a traveling merchant, who serves as a link between the villagers and the outside world. In reality, he is a member of a long line of skilled warriors, capable of defeating a group of soldiers unarmed, and sent by his family to rescue and protect Yuru from hostile or dangerous individuals seeking to exploit him. He works in tandem with Hanna, and occasionally flirts with her, half-jokingly convincing her to marry him as part of the cover story of his new young wife and stepmother to Yuru.
- Hana Danno (段野 ハナ, Danno Hana)
- Voiced by: Miyuri Shimabukuro[8] (Japanese); Meggie-Elise[7] (English)
- A young woman who helps Dera protect Yuri and wields two Daemons named Kodetsu and Jiro. Although she sincerely helps protect the boy, she reluctantly accepts the cover story of being Dera's young, new wife, even though she actually dreams of Jason Statham as her ideal man.
- Azami (アザミ)
- Voiced by: Yukari Anzai[5] (Japanese); Caitlin Martelle[6] (English)
- Azami is a shy little girl from Higashi Village and one of the few survivors of Gabby's attack on the village. She later resides on the Danno household after being kidnapped out of the village as a hostage along with Kiri, fearing of what consequences the village would do to her for secrecy.
- Ken Tadera (田寺 ケン, Tadera Ken)
- Voiced by: Natsumi Fujiwara[9]
- Ken is Ryu's Ethiopian 13-year-old half-brother. He is sensitive, shy and inexperienced with Daemons. His Daemons are the pair Tenaga-Ashinaga.
- Roei Tadera (田寺 ロウエイ, Tadera Rouei)
- Roei is Ryu and Ken's father and previous head of Tadera Family, known for his great strength and skills as protector of the village. Despite his reputation, he is also an otaku fan, especially of Hikaru's work. He regularly uses a scarf and glasses to mask his face after being disfigured by an unknown assailant from the ruins of Nishino Village.
Kagemori Clan
- Jin Kagemori (影森 ジン, Kagemori Jin)
- Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe[8] (Japanese); Jerry Jewell[7] (English)
- Jin is a reliable senior member of the Kagemori family, whose Daemons are Ai and Makoto. He is the youngest child of the family.
- Gabby (ガブちゃん, Gabu-chan)
- Voiced by: Misaki Kuno[4] (Japanese); Mikaela Krantz[6] (English)
- A blonde teenage girl with a Daemon shaped like a floating forehead with eyes named Gabriel. Although she is initially introduced as a cynical and cruel killer who murders people regardless of gender or threat, she is also shown as convincingly not harming children, and acting like a normal teenager when interacting with her friends.
- Gonzo Kagemori (影森 ゴンゾウ, Kagemori Gonzō)
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Iwasaki[5] (Japanese); Kent Williams[7] (English)
- Gonzo is the head of the Kagemori clan, whose kind appearance hides his authoritarian and self-serving nature; however, he actually cares about his clan and the people who work with the clan. He has several Daemons, the pair called The Monster Parade (百鬼夜行, Hyakkiyakō), the Centimanus and the Uyamuya.
- Asuma Kagemori (影森 アスマ, Kagemori Asuma)
- Voiced by: Akira Ishida[10] (Japanese); Austin Tindle[7] (English)
- Asuma is Jin's older half-brother, whose Daemons are Yozakura and Asagiri. Asuma is an ominous person who usually gives the wrong impression since he acts suspiciously and attracts a lot of attention.
- Hikaru Kagemori (影森 ヒカル, Kagemori Hikaru)
- Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi[11] (Japanese); Aaron Campbell[7] (English)
- Hikaru is Gonzo's kind and overweight oldest son and heir of the clan, who spends most of his time as a manga artist under the pen name Hikaru Hagure (波久礼 ヒカル, Hagure Hikaru). His main Daemons are Black and White (黒白, Kokubyaku), as well as the Centimanus and the Uyamuya. He later becomes the head of the Kagemori clan after Gonzo's death at the hands of Misasagi.
- Hayato Shingo (新郷 ハヤト, Shingō Hayato)
- Voiced by: Setsuji Satō[5]
- Hayato is Asuma's maternal uncle. He is highly intellectual and self-centered, believing himself to be superior to others. He commands the Daemons Fujin and Raijin.
- Iori Shingo (新郷 イオリ, Shingō Iori)
- Iori was a member of the Shingo family until she met Gonzo who invited her to be part of his family and they eventually had a son, Asuma. She was the previous master of Yozakura and Asagiri.
- Haruo Kuroya (黒谷 ハルオ, Kuroya Haruo)
- Voiced by: Kazuki Ura[5] (Japanese); Brandon Loera[7] (English)
- Haruo is the youngest of the Kuroya foster siblings. He is kind, but fiercely loyal. His Daemons are Torty and Bunbun.
- Natsuki Kuroya (黒谷 ナツキ, Kuroya Natsuki)
- Voiced by: Yū Shimamura[5] (Japanese); Kelsey Cruz[7] (English)
- Natsuki is the oldest of the Kuroya bodyguards. She is very diligent and serious about her job, but loving to her family. Her Daemons are the traditional Japanese demon-looking Jijimaru and Babamaru, who form the pair Namomihagi (なもみはぎ).
- Fuyuki Kuroya (黒谷 フユキ, Kuroya Fuyuki)
- Voiced by: Hayato Fujii[5] (Japanese); Peyton Howard[7] (English)
- Fuyuki is the second child of the Kuroya family, a calm and quiet person. His Daemons are Whisper and Embrace, who form the pair Blacklist (閻魔帳, Burakku Risuto). Whisper is a manuscript-shaped tsugai, that can obtain all the information about a person through their tsugai once it is held by Embrace.
- Sakurazawa (桜沢)
- Voiced by: Yumi Uchiyama[5] (Japanese); Rowan Gilvie[7] (English)
- Sakurazawa is the head doctor for the Kagemori clan, who dislikes treating wounded, despite her uncompromising professionalism.
- Makoto Tachikawa (立川 マコト, Tachikawa Makoto)
- Voiced by: Reina Kondō[5] (Japanese); Ali Macaulay[7] (English)
- Makoto is one of the mercenary Daemon wielders, who was hired to attack the Kagemori estate to retrieve the twins. Following their defeat, Gonzo recruits her to the family and offers to pay for her sick mother's treatment. Her Daemons are the pair Transforming Foxes (狐狸変化, Korihenge), comprised of Akai, a yellow fox spirit that can extend its tail and turn it into a net; and Midori, a brown raccoon spirit that can shapeshift into anyone.
- Keiichi Hamura (羽村 圭一, Hamura Keiichi)
- Voiced by: Hayata Okawa[5] (Japanese); Brad Foster[7] (English)
- Keiichi is a negligent Daemone wielder and mercenary, who took the job to attack the Kagemori estate in order to square off his debt. Following his defeat, Asa uses Break to liberate his Daemons and he is recruited as a foot soldier.
Higashi Village
- Yamaha Ono (小野 ヤマハ, Ono Yamaha)
- Voiced by: Mizuka Arima[5] (Japanese); Wendy Powell[6] (English)
- Yamaha is the elder leader of Higashi Village. While she cares about her village, she is opportunistic and desires to use Yuru and Asa.
- Kyoka (キョウカ)
- Voiced by: Arisa Sakuraba[5] (Japanese); Brianna Roberts[6] (English)
- Kyoka is a Higashi Village retainer and serves the village leader, Yamaha and Nagisa's childhood friend. Unlike other residents who wish to exploit the twins' powers, she sympathizes with them and wants them to live normal lives. Her Daemons are the pair called Zashiki-Warashi.
- Mine (ミネ)
- Voiced by: Yūya Uchida[5] (Japanese); Seth Magill[6] (English)
- Mine is originally Higashi Village resident and the father of Yuru and Asa. He is a kind man and a great hunter.
- Nagisa Kinjo (金城 ナギサ, Kinjō Nagisa)
- Voiced by: Saori Ōnishi[5] (Japanese); Jordan Chantha Weir[6] (English)
- Nagisa is an outsider from Okinawa Island who accidentally discovered Higashi Village, where she fell in love with Mine and gave birth to Yuru and Asa.
- Yama (ヤマ)
- Voiced by: Hidenobu Kiuchi[5]
- Yama is a radical shaman connected to the Higashi village network on the Lowlands, and Dera's supplier. His Daemons are Lady (レディー, Redī) and Gentleman (ジェントルマン, Jentoruman).
Nishino Village
- Misasagi (御陵)
- Misasagi is the owner of a Chinese restaurant called West Wind and a resident of Nishino Village, who seeks to obtain Yuru and Asa's power. He is a carefree, but calculating man with several red tattoos on his body. His Daemons are the formless Heaven and Earth (天と地, Ten to Chi). Heaven manifests as a star, that can make things rise or its targets receive an upward blow. Earth manifests in shadows on the ground and can make a target touch the ground or strike them downwards.
- Hidekatsu Daigo (醍醐 ヒデカツ, Daigo Hidekatsu)
- Daigo is a broad, burly and bearded resident of Nishino Village, who prides himself in his great physical strength. His Daemons are the pair Sadomasochist (サドマゾ, Sadomazo), composed of Masochist and Sadist. Masochist is a deformed mass with eyes and a mouth, but only says things to get hit more (due to its masochistic nature). Sadist is a small humanoid figure, with greater fluency, even capable of saying hurtful things.
- Nagitsuji (椥辻)
- Nagitsuji is an apathetic resident of Nishino Village, who has a childlike appearance. His parasitic Daemons are the pair Judgment Day (裁きの日, Jajjimento Dei), composed of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom is placed in the user's heart, while Gomorra is placed in the user's hand, allowing one to listen through the parasites deposited by them.
- Minase Ono (小野 ミナセ, Ono Minase)
- Minase is a manipulative former priestess from Nishino Village and Yamaha's older twin, as well as Akio's biological mother. She possesses part of the "Seal" ability, which she used to prevent herself, her sister, and Akio from aging and to block Akio's pain senses. She has a Daemon that takes the form of a one-eyed bird.
- Ivan Yosano (与謝野 イワン, Yosano Iwan)
- Voiced by: Shin-ichiro Miki[12] (Japanese); Alejandro Saab[7] (English)
- Ivan is a bloodthirsty assassin affiliated with Nishino Village and the alleged murderer of Mine and Nagisa. He proficiently uses his Daemons in battle, the pair called Magatsuhi (マガツヒ, Magatsuhi), composed of Daikyo and Shokyo. Shokyo is a short sword-shaped Daemon, that can cut out a space and change it, allowing its user to teleport depending on its use. Daikyo is a long sword-shaped Daemon, that has the ability to steal vital energy from any being and transfer it to another.
- Akio Kuroya (黒谷 アキオ, Kuroya Akio)
- Voiced by: Ryunosuke Watanuki[5] (Japanese); Zac Loera[7] (English)
- Akio is an expressionless member of the Kuroya family, who serve as bodyguards to the Kagemori clan. However, he is actually a spy from Nishino Village, tasked with killing Yuru and Asa once they are reunited. Akio was born unable to feel pain, though it is implied that his mother sealed his ability to feel pain. His Daemons are the giants Yamakaze and Tanikaze, who compose the pair Mountain God (ヤマノカミ, Yama no Kami).
- Anna Mineyama (峰山 アンナ, Mineyama Anna)
- Anna is a seemingly normal high-school student working for Ivan as a cleaner, but she is actually a jealous woman with a crush on him. Her Daemons are the pair Soul Roller (魂タマコロガシ, Tama Korogashi), composed of the beetle-shaped Taro and Hime. Taro has the ability to roll corpses into meat-balls, while Hime has the ability to lay eggs in the balls that Taro creates.
Daemons
- Left (左, Hidari)
- Voiced by: Takako Honda[8] (Japanese); Colleen Clinkenbeard[6] (English)
- Formerly the left statue in the settlement, she now takes the form of a muscular, tall woman reminiscent of an oni. Like Right, she values strength and communicates in an old-fashioned manner, but in contrast, she has a more phlegmatic personality.
- Right (右, Migi)
- Voiced by: Rikiya Koyama[8] (Japanese); Bill Butts[6] (English)
- Formerly the right statue in the settlement, he now takes the form of a large, very muscular man reminiscent of an oni. He possesses the mentality of an old-fashioned, communicative warrior who relishes battle, but is completely devoted to his master's commands.
- Gabriel (ガブリエル, Gaburieru)
- Voiced by: Ayumu Murase[13] (Japanese); Nic Hamill and Amanda Gael[6] (English)
- The Daemon pair serving Gabby-chan, which take the appearance of one circular flying upper and lower jaws with eyes, respectively. They can expand and bite off chunks of flesh from enemies, or shield their owner.
- Zashiki-Warashi (ザシキワラシ, Zashikiwarashi)
- Voiced by: Yume Miyamoto[9] (Japanese); Molly Zhang[7] (English) (Kiri)
- Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka[5] (Japanese); Abi Kumar[6] (English) (Danji)
- Kiri (キリ) and Danji (ダンジ) are Kyoka's Daemons who form the pair Zashiki-Warashi. They both use shadows of their surroundings, being able to change appearance thanks to this as well as being able to manipulate it to attack others.
- Kodetsu (虎鉄) and Jiro (虎鉄)
- Voiced by: Ayumu Murase[5] (Japanese); Ciarán Strange[7] (English)
- Kodetsu and Jiro are two Daemons serving Hana, with Kodetsu serving the form of a striped orange cat and Jiro of a pure white dog. Kodetsu is very tech-savvy due to them living among humans for a long time and Jiro has exceptional tracking skills.
- Scavenger (掃除屋, Sukabenjā)
- Voiced by: Ayumu Murase[14] (Japanese); Abigail Blythe[7] (English)
- Ai (愛) and Makoto (誠) are Jin's Daemons who form the pair Scavenger. Ai has the ability to slip through walls and swallow anything she is asked to, so she is often used for cleaning. Makoto can reproduce an unlimited number of objects of any kind that Ai swallows beforehand.
- Oshira (オシラ)
- Voiced by: Saori Hayami[5] (Japanese); Mia Azuaje[7] (English)
- Oshira are an ancient pair of Daemons and old acquaintances of Left and Right, considered to be gods. The pair consists of an entirely light-blue young woman riding a scarred horse of the same color.
- Tortoise (亀, Kame) and Hare (兎, Usagi)
- Voiced by: Kamiri Matsuda[5] (Japanese); Tia Ballard[7] (English) (Bunbun)
- Torty (夜桜) and Bunbun (朝霧) are Haruo's Daemons who form the pair Tortoise and Hare. Torty appears to be a common tortoise, with two red flames on his back. He can crush targets beneath him with his weight, which can be adjusted by his owner. Bunbun is a white mischievous bipedal hare, wearing a red vest and an orange collar. He can run at great speed, making it impossible for slow enemies to catch him.
- Yin and Yang (陰陽, Inyō)
- Voiced by: Ayumu Murase[9] (Japanese); Ryan Seale[7] (English) (Daifuku)
- Voiced by: Ayumu Murase[9] (Japanese); Leo Matthews[7] (English) (Ohagi)
- Daifuku (だいふく) and Ohagi (おはぎ) are the Daemons who form the white and black pair called Yin and Yang, respectively. By combining together, Daifuku and Ohagi can create a giant beast whose body contains a seemingly infinite storage space, which can be used to trap or transport beings and objects safely. Initially, they are contracted to a member of the group attacking the Kagemori clan, before Asa recruits them as her own.
- Tenaga-Ashinaga (手長足長)
- Voiced by: Ako Mayama[9] (Japanese); Emily Fajardo[7] (English) (Long Arms)
- Voiced by: Shigeru Chiba[9] (Japanese); Marcus Stimac[7] (English) (Long Legs)
- Long Arms (手長, Tenaga) and Long Legs (足長, Ashinaga) are Ken's Daemons, called the pair Tenaga-Ashinaga, with their respective appendages being especially long.
- Kin'ugyokuto (金烏玉兎)
- Voiced by: Ayumu Murase[9] (Asagiri)
- Yozakura (夜桜) and Asagiri (朝霧) are Asuma's Daemons, the pair called Kin'ugyokuto. A fire-breathing skull with horns and a cluster of moths form Yozakura's appearance. He can only be in dark environments or at night. Asagiri is composed of a cluster of butterflies, which take the appearance of a completely white woman with wings. She is the other half of Yozakura which can only be in bright or daytime environments.
- Fujin-Raijin (風神雷神, Fūjin-Raijin)
- Fujin (風神, Fūjin) and Raijin (雷神), also known as Fujin-Raijin, are Hayato's pair of white and black bipedal Daemons, who command wind and lightning, respectively.
- Break (解, Kai)
- Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara[11] (Japanese); Mallorie Rodak[15] (English)
- Break is one half of the Daemon pair that resides in Yomotsu Hirasaka, the border realm between the living and the dead. This realm is accessible only by the twins after they have died once. Break has a vaguely humanoid appearance, clad in white drapes. Break allows its master to break anything, physical or conceptual, that they point to.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa, Daemons of the Shadow Realm was officially announced in the August 2021 issue of Square Enix's shōnen manga anthology magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Arakawa's previous work, Fullmetal Alchemist (2001–10).[16] The series started serialization in the same magazine on December 10, 2021.[17][18] Square Enix has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on June 10, 2022.[19] As of March 12, 2026, 12 volumes have been released.[20]
In July 2022, Square Enix Manga & Books announced that they licensed the series for English publication, with the first volume released on April 25, 2023.[21]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 10, 2022[19] | 978-4-7575-7962-0 | April 25, 2023[22] | 978-1-64609-186-7 | ||
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| 2 | September 12, 2022[23] | 978-4-7575-8100-5 | September 12, 2023[24] | 978-1-64609-222-2 | ||
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| 3 | February 10, 2023[25] | 978-4-7575-8401-3 | December 12, 2023[26] | 978-1-64609-244-4 | ||
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| 4 | June 12, 2023[27] | 978-4-7575-8608-6 | April 6, 2024[28] | 978-1-64609-259-8 | ||
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| 5 | September 12, 2023[29] | 978-4-7575-8786-1 | August 6, 2024[30] | 978-1-64609-299-4 | ||
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| 6 | January 12, 2024[31][32] | 978-4-7575-8877-6 978-4-7575-8878-3 (SE) | November 5, 2024[33] | 978-1-64609-310-6 | ||
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| 7 | May 11, 2024[34] | 978-4-7575-9184-4 | March 4, 2025[35] | 978-1-64609-382-3 | ||
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| 8 | September 12, 2024[36] | 978-4-7575-9412-8 | July 1, 2025[37] | 978-1-64609-383-0 | ||
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| 9 | March 12, 2025[38] | 978-4-7575-9733-4 | December 9, 2025[39] | 978-1-64609-428-8 | ||
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| 10 | July 11, 2025[40] | 978-4-7575-9950-5 | April 7, 2026[41] | 978-1-64609-498-1 | ||
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| 11 | November 12, 2025[42] | 978-4-301-00162-1 | — | — | ||
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| 12 | March 12, 2026[20] | 978-4-301-00381-6 | — | — | ||
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Chapters not yet in tankōbon format
These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume.
- "Grudge and Resentment" (怨みとつらみ, Urami to Tsurami)
- "Cleanup and Farewell Letter" (後片付けと置き手紙, Atokatazuke to Okitegami)
- "Departure and Escape" (家出と逃亡, Iede to Tōbō)
- "Night and Sea" (夜と海, Yoru to Umi)
- "Hunting and Fishing" (猟と漁, Ryō to Ryō)
- "Funadamasama and Umibozu" (船だま様と海坊主, Funadama-sama to Umibōzu)
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced during Crunchyroll's panel at Anime Expo in July 2025. The series is produced by Bones Film and directed by Masahiro Andō, with Noboru Takagi handling series composition, Nobuhiro Arai designing the characters, and Kenichiro Suehiro composing the music.[43] It premiered on April 4, 2026, on Tokyo MX and other networks, and is scheduled to run for two consecutive cours.[44] The opening theme song is "Tobu Toki" (飛ぶ時; 'Time to Fly'), performed by Vaundy, while the ending theme song is "Tobō yo" (飛ぼうよ; 'Let's Fly'), performed by Yama.[8] Crunchyroll streams the series.[45] Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[46]
Episodes
| No. | Title [47][48] | Directed by [47] | Written by [47] | Storyboarded by [47] | Animation directed by [47] | Original release date [49] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Asa and Yuru" Transliteration: "Asa to Yuru" (Japanese: アサとユル) | Koji Nagatomi | Noboru Takagi | Masahiro Andō | Yoshiyuki Itō | April 4, 2026[50] | |
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A woman gives birth to twin babies, the children are born divided day and night have the power to control Daemons. Yuru trains himself to be a hunter for his remote mountain village, while his twin sister Asa lives in captivity due to village tradition. Despite the village struggling financially, Yuru refuses to leave the village like his parents did in order to stay with Asa. However, one day, the magical barrier protecting the village is suddenly shattered as a military force attacks, slaughtering many of the villagers as a young girl with supernatural powers named Gabby leads the charge to capture Yuru. Yuru takes a secret passage to the village keep to protect Asa, only to see her killed by a woman who claims that she is the real Asa. A traveling merchant, Dera, kills most of the soldiers and evades Gabby, whose powers stem from a Daemon she controls. Upon reaching the keep, Dera is ordered by the village elder to escape with Yuru. Dera complies and takes Yuru to the statues of the village's twin guardian deities, Left and Right. Using a special medallion and Yuru's blood, Dera awakens Left and Right, who are both Daemons. They destroy the two military helicopters attacking the village, and pledge their fealty to Yuru. | |||||||
| 2 | "Right and Left" Transliteration: "Migi to Hidari" (Japanese: 右と左) | Shōji Ikeno | Noboru Takagi | Masahiro Andō | Hiroki Kanno, Mio Araki & Maho Satsuki | April 11, 2026 | |
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Yuru orders Left and Right to help him and the village. Right leaves to save the surviving villagers while Left battles Gabby's Daemon, giving Yuru the opportunity to wound Gabby with his bow. The second Asa catches up with them and saves Gabby, while Right arrives and confirms this Asa is the real one. Asa explains that she escaped the village with their parents ten years ago, and the villagers created an imposter Asa in a bid to keep Yuru from leaving the village as well. Happy to see that Yuru is actually alive, Asa agrees to a truce and withdraws with Gabby. They are evacuated by their associate Jin, who is concerned when he hears Dera is involved. Dera leads Yuru away from the village and links up with his partner Hana, explaining they are both Daemon retainers and the forces that attacked them were likely from the rival Kagemori clan. After a rare encounter with the Daemon Oshirasama, Yuru is taken to a modern city at the foot of the mountain. | |||||||
| 3 | "Dera and Hana" Transliteration: "Dera to Hana" (Japanese: デラとハナ) | Kōsuke Shimotori | Noboru Takagi | Jong Heo | Ayumi Abe & Tsubasa Hatashima | April 18, 2026 | |
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The group stops at a rest stop to catch their breath. Since his cover has been blown, Dera suggests to Hana that they pose as a married couple with Yuru as their child to make it easier to hide. Yuru privately asks Left and Right if Asa's story is true, and they confirm they witnessed his parents flee the village with Asa while standing guard at the village entrance. As the group leaves the rest stop, Dera explains the Kagemori clan consists of villagers who split off to live in the modern world. Furthermore, Left and Right explain that Yuru and Asa are twins who "divide day and night", meaning they are prophesized to bring great upheaval to the world. As one of the twins, Asa has apparently already mastered the power of "Break", the ability to destroy any object she wishes, while Yuru's power has yet to manifest. Dera also points out Yuru's mother was a hiker who got lost and accidentally wandered into the village. Eventually, the group decides to settle down in Guntama Prefecture. As they get accustomed to life in the modern world, Yuru declares to Left and Right that he will find Asa so he can get answers about what happened to their parents. | |||||||
| 4 | "Jin and Yuru" Transliteration: "Jin to Yuru" (Japanese: ジンとユル) | Koji Nagatomi | Shingo Irie | Koji Nagatomi | Kana Miyai | April 25, 2026 | |
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Dera and Hana rent out an apartment and Hana introduces her own Daemons, Kotetsu and Jiro. At the Kagemori mansion, Gabby is still recovering from her wounds while Asa is ordered to stay put for her own protection. Jin is assigned to search for Yuru and uses a sample of Asa's blood to draw Left and Right's attention. He also uses a body double created by his Daemon, Scavenger, to lure Yuru into a trap. Realizing Yuru is missing, Dera and Hana have Kotetsu and Jiro track him down and are shocked that he has gone all the way to Tokyo. Despite Yuru being taken prisoner, Left and Right attack Jin and his men, who fight back with a combination of conventional weapons and their own Daemons. Yuru takes advantage of the distraction to take Jin hostage, and asks him if the Kagemori were really responsible for the attack on the village. Jin claims responsibility, and Yuru barely manages to maintain self control not to kill him, instead demanding that he meet face to face with Asa. | |||||||
| 5 | "Hare and Tortoise" Transliteration: "Usagi to Kame" (Japanese: 兎と亀) | Shōji Ikeno & Ai Hasegawa | Chiaki Konaka | Hideyo Yamamoto | Mio Araki, Maho Satsuki, Hiroki Kanno & Kana Miyai | May 2, 2026 | |
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Jin agrees to Yuru's demands and convinces him to come to the Kagemori manor. Dera and Hana track Yuru's location to the manor, and Dera heads out to retrieve him. Asa gladly greets Yuru, who still tries to maintain his distance and asks her what happened to their parents. Asa and Jin explain that after leaving the village, their parents left Asa in the Kagemori Clan's care while they decided to travel to Okinawa. However, during the flight, both parents along with their bodyguard disappeared without a trace. Yuru suspects betrayal from the Kagemori, but Asa declares she trusts them because they have protected her against assassins sent from the village. Suddenly, two unknown Daemons attack the manor, targeting both Yuru and Asa. Determined to stand and fight, Yuru obtains a bow and arrows from Jin and fires at the attacking Daemons. | |||||||
| 6 | "The Kagemori Clan and the Unknown Assailants" Transliteration: "Kagemori-ke to Nazo no Shūgeki-sha" (Japanese: 影森家と謎の襲撃者) | Shō Kitamura | Daishirō Tanimura | Koji Nagatomi | Yoshiyuki Itō | May 9, 2026 | |
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Yuru's shot misses due to his inexperience with the new bow. When he and Asa team up to fight the pair of Daemons, it combines into a single one and seals them in separate barriers. Asa finds herself in a realm of complete darkness and begins succumbing to her fear of the dark until Right arrives and reassures her. He reveals that he and Left were chosen specifically by the village to control the twins, since Right can neutralize Break while Left can neutralize Seal, making him and Left Asa and Yuru's natural enemies, respectively. Asa uses Break to destroy the barrier holding her, and then breaks the unknown Daemon's contract with its master and takes their place, taming the Daemon. It releases Yuru, who works together with the Kagemori guards to round up all of the attackers. Unfortunately, none of the attackers know the identity of the group that hired them, leaving Yuru and Asa with no leads on what happened to their parents. Yuru then asks Asa why she wears an eyepatch over her right eye, and she admits that she was resurrected after having been killed by an assassin sent by the village. | |||||||
| 7 | "Asa and Break" Transliteration: "Asa to "Kai"" (Japanese: アサと｢解｣) | Katsuya Yamamoto & Masahiro Andō | Noboru Takagi | Jong Heo | Ayumi Abe, Kyōko Kotani & Mami Horimoto | May 16, 2026 | |
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Yuru recalls a time from his childhood where a bandit attempted to murder him during a hunting trip. His father instructed him not to tell anybody about the attack, and later that night, his parents fled with Asa. Asa meanwhile explains that shortly after she joined the Kagemori Clan, she was captured by assassins from the village who killed her by slitting her throat. She then found herself in a realm between life and death, where the Daemon Break gave Asa a choice: either accept her death, or choose life and gain the power of Break. Despite warnings that people will try to exploit her as a tool, Asa decided to keep living so she could find Yuru. She then revived herself and used Break to kill her captors. Dera arrives with the Kagemori patriarch, Gonzo, and Yuru asks them if he can gain Seal if he were to die. Dera confirms it, but warns that resurrection is not guaranteed, as one of the previous twins who died did not come back. Gonzo then suggests that they all have breakfast first before continuing further. | |||||||
| 8 | "Suspicion and Conviction" Transliteration: "Ginen to Kakushin" (Japanese: 疑念と確信) | Daigo Yamagishi | Noboru Takagi | Junichi Sakata | Takashi Yokoyama, Kana Miyai & Yoshiyuki Itō | May 23, 2026 | |
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Yuru and Dera are introduced to Gonzo's sons, Hagure, Asuma, and Jin. As they eat breakfast, both Gonzo and Dera try to blame the attack on the mansion on each other's clans. When asked about his intentions for the twins, Gonzo explains he wishes to completely destroy the village so no more twins will be born and end the village's ambition to dominate the world. However, Asuma expresses interest in wielding the power of the twins for the greater good. Determined not to live in hiding, Yuru declares that he will gladly challenge anybody that tries to come after him, whether they be from the village, the Kagemori clan, or anybody else. Asa is concerned since Yuru has not experienced being constantly hunted, and entrusts his safety to Dera, Right, and Left. The Kagemori agree to collaborate with Yuru to find his parents. As Yuru takes his leave, Asa assures him that their parents felt guilty they were unable to bring him with them, and she bids him farewell. Yuru finally comes to accept that this Asa is his real sister as he heads home to an uncertain future. | |||||||
| 9 | "Embrace and Whisper" Transliteration: "Hōyō to Sasayaki" (Japanese: 抱擁と囁き) | Haruka Yoshinaga | Shingo Irie | Jong Heo | Takashi Yokoyama, Maho Satsuki, Shō Chikaraishi & Momoka Miyagawa | May 30, 2026 | |
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Dera takes the opportunity to show Yuru more of the modern world while buying supplies for him at a department store. Yuru recalls that he had to kill several "bandits" that attacked him back when he lived in the village, and he now realizes they were assassins from the outside world. He and Dera then notice that they are being followed. Back at the Kagemori manor, the Kagemoris continue to investigate the attack by questioning their prisoners, who explain that they were let inside the manor through a secret entrance. Determining that the prisoners are just freelance mercenaries that do not have any ties to the mastermind, Gonzo decides to induct them into the clan as low level soldiers to keep an eye on them. Asa decides to keep her new Daemons, Yin-Yang, after they refuse to return to their old master. Outside, Dera leads Yuru to his old hideout where they stock up on weapons and ambush the three agents following them. Before they can question the agents, a pair of demons called Tenaga-Ashinaga attack and kill two of the agents before Right and Left step forward to battle them. | |||||||
| 10 | "Long-Arm and Long-Leg" Transliteration: "Tenaga to Ashinaga" (Japanese: 手長と足長) | Shō Kitamura | Chiaki Konaka | Masahiro Andō | Ayumi Abe, Mio Araki, Kana Miyai, Seina Koizumi, Kyōko Kotani, Takashi Yokoyama & Mami Horimoto | June 6, 2026 | |
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Tenaga and Ashinaga recognize Right and Left as being the Daemons responsible for sealing them away one thousand years ago, with the help of a Seal user. Realizing Tenaga and Ashinga seek revenge, Dera claims he is their master to keep their attention off of Yuru. As Right and Left battle the Daeomons, Yuru and Dera interrogate the last remaining agent, who admits that she is following them on the orders of Asuma. Yuru and the agent then split up to try and find Tenaga and Ashinaga's master while Dera uses a high powered rifle to shoot out Ashinaga's eyes. Tenaga and Ashinaga combine into a single form and capture the agent, who blurts out that Yuru is Right and Left's true master. Tenaga-Ashinaga then focus their attacks on Yuru, but he bluffs them by faking the hand sign to cast Seal, which causes them to hesitate long enough for Right and Left to separate and destroy them with Dera's assistance. Left then catches a butterfly that has been following them, and the agent confirms that it is a part of Asuma's Daemon that had been secretly following them. | |||||||
| 11 | "Big Brother and Little Brother" Transliteration: "Ani to Otōto" (Japanese: 兄と弟) | Ikurō Satō | Daishirō Tanimura | Shinji Ishihira | Hiroki Kanno, Tsubasa Hatashima & Kyōko Takeuchi | June 13, 2026 | |
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Yuru is able to find Tenaga-Ashinaga's master who is hiding underneath Dera's hideout. The master identifies himself as Tadera Ken, the son of Dera's father Tadera Roei which makes them half brothers. Ken reveals that Roei was the person who taught Yuru and Asa's parents how to escape the village's barrier, after being blackmailed by their mother, Nagisa. However, Ken does not know the location of their parents, and Roei also disappeared after they escaped the village. With his mother having passed away and nowhere else to go, Ken contracted with Tenaga-Ashinaga to have strong Daemons at his disposal, but could not control them so his only option was to trap them in Dera's Lost House. With Ken having nowhere else to go, Dera takes him in and he and Hana find out Roei is still making deposits into Ken's bank account, meaning he is still alive. As Yuru and Ken rest for the night, Dera and Hana make arrangements to have Ken's mother's ashes buried. | |||||||
| 12 | "Retainer and Shaman" Transliteration: "Tsugaikomono to Kitōshi" (Japanese: 番小者と祈祷師) | Koji Nagatomi | Noboru Takagi | Koji Nagatomi | Shō Chikaraishi, Maho Satsuki, Tsubasa Hatashima, Tsunenori Saitō, Arisa Ozaki & Momoka Miyagawa | June 20, 2026 | |
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As Yuru crafts arrows for his bow, Ken asks him to teach him how to use weapons so he can grow stronger. Jin investigates reports that the intruders entered the manor through the west gate, which should not exist. He does not find the gate, but finds a pair of fine cuts in the wall. Elsewhere, Asuma meets with his uncle Shingo, who wants to take control of the twins and was behind the attack on the Kagemori manor. He has also hired swordsman Ivan Yosano, who wields a pair of Daemon katanas. Yuru continues the search for his parents and suggests finding his maternal grandparents in Okinawa, but Dera advises against it. Asa has a phone call with her grandmother and confirms the latter is being mind controlled by a Daemon. With no other leads, Dera visits one of his contacts, the Shaman, but he does not know Roei's location. The Shaman then transports a shipment of medicine to the village. The villagers wonder if they should have awakened Seal earlier, but the Shaman reminds them that the "bandits" that were sent after Yuru were all killed. Suddenly, Ivan cuts himself out of the Shaman's body using his Daemon katanas, and begins slaughtering the villagers. | |||||||
| 13 | "Daikyo and Shokyo" Transliteration: "Daikyō to Shōkyō" (Japanese: 大凶と小凶) | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | June 27, 2026 | |
Reception
By March 2026, the manga had over six million copies in circulation.[51] The series ranked 19th on the 2022 "Book of the Year" list by Da Vinci magazine.[52] It ranked 15th in the 2023 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga for male readers;[53] it ranked second on the 2024 edition.[54] It ranked second in the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2023 list;[55] it was ranked third in the 2024 list.[56] It won Rakuten Kobo's first ever E-book Manga Award in the "I Want to Read it Now! Featured Manga" category in 2023.[57][58] It ranked second in the 2023 Next Manga Award in the print manga category.[59] The series won the seventh Tsutaya Comic Award's grand prize in 2023.[60] It was nominated for the 17th Manga Taishō in 2024, and placed second with 73 points.[61][62] It was nominated for the 48th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2024.[63]
Francesco Cacciatore of Screen Rant named Daemons of the Shadow Realm as one of the best new manga titles to debut in 2021, highlighting the potential the manga shows despite only having one chapter released by the end of the year. Additionally, Cacciatore likened Daemons of the Shadow Realm to Koyoharu Gotouge's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba due to both series featuring a brother and sister pair as protagonists.[64] Carlyle Edmundson of Screen Rant compared the concept of Tsugai present in the manga to that of Stands seen in Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series.[65]