Overview
is a manga series written and illustrated by Shigeru Mizuki. Several versions of the manga exist, one of which was adapted into a live-action TV show, and another into an anime television series. In addition, two movies were spawned from the anime TV series: Akuma-kun: The Movie released in 1989 and Akuma-kun: Yōkoso Akuma Land e!! released in 1990.
An original net anime series has been announced with Toei Animation and director Junichi Sato returning from the previous series. Sato will serve as the chief director with Fumitoshi Oizaki serving as the series director. Hiroshi Ōnogi will oversee the scripts. The series is set to be released worldwide on Netflix on November 9, 2023.
Basic setting
In this series, the contents vary from version to version. The common plot points of every adaptation are listed below.
The protagonist is a child prodigy who appears once every 10,000 years. The protagonist is always nicknamed “Akuma-kun”.
Akuma-kun wants to create a world where all human beings can live happily, and he believes that harnessing the power of demons is necessary for him to achieve that goal. Additionally, the entities referred to as demons in the series are not limited to that of Christian origins, rather the series features various monsters described in myths and folk stories from all around the world.
At the beginning of the story, Akuma-kun has not yet succeeded in the summoning of demons, and has repeatedly conducted magical research and experiments. However Dr. Faust appears and teaches the secrets of summoning demons to Akuma-kun, and as a result he finally succeeds in invoking demons.
In addition, Dr. Faust gives Akuma-kun the Solomon Flute. This flute gives Akuma-kun the power to bend demons to his will. The flute was used by King Solomon.
Akuma-kun has multiple subordinates who follow him. They are often referred to as the “twelve apostles”. The twelve apostles also differ from series to series.- To summon demons, Shingo, standing in front of a magic circle casts a spell, ”エロイムエッサイム、我は求め訴えたり”. (Eloim, Essaim, frugativi et appelavi.) This is a spell written in a grimoire spread in France during the 18th and 19th century.
1989 anime series
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).