Defense Devil

Plot

Kucabara was recently banished and stripped of his powers. In order to regain his powers, he needs Dark Matter (ダークマター, Daaku Mataa) which is found from human sinners. He decides to become a Defense Devil in order to get dark matter. A Defense Devil's duty is to prove the innocence of human sinner of his or her crime; once that is done, a Defense Devil shall be allowed to take the sinner's dark matter. Kucabara then must prove the sinner's innocence before a Shinigami (死神^?, lit. Death God) takes the sinner to hell. One day, Kucabara's friend Funi arrives and tells him the demon world is in dishevel and Kucabara must return to save it. Kucabara, with the aid of his friends, Bichula the dragon demon and a female exorcist named Idamaria, infiltrates the demon world; they discover the source of the chaos to be Kucabara's younger brother, Legato, and set out to confront him. Eventually, they realize Legato was gathering energy to destroy the angels who reign control over Hell. After confronting Elimona and the angels, Kucabara is called by God and is taken to heaven. Kucabara returns to his friends and the series ends with him recruiting his friends to defend God who has been betrayed by his angels.

Production

Yang Kyung-Il and Youn In-Wan first created a one-shot of Defense Devil titled "Akuma Bengoshi Kukabara" (悪魔弁護士 Kukabara^?, lit. "Devil Advocate Kukabara") for a 2008 issue of Sunday GX. After the release of the first tankōbon volume, the authors began a blog on the Shōnen Sunday website about their progress with the series. A contest was held in celebration of the second tankōbon volume where 100 winners are given autographed artwork by the authors.

Characters

Mephisto Barto Dertov Reffertlark Kucabara (メフィスト・バルト・デルトフ・レファート・ラルク・クカバラ, Mefusuto Baruto Derutofu Refāto Raruku Kukabara)

Kucabara is the protagonist of Defense Devil and the third son of the great demon king. After being stripped of his powers, Kucabara becomes a lawyer in order to make a living. His duty as hell's lawyer is to prove an unknown soul's innocence to prevent them from going to hell. Before he was stripped of his powers Kucabara was said to have the strongest dark matter in the demon world. Also Kucabara has openly expressed his feelings for Idamaria by proclaiming his love to her.

Bichula (ビチュラ)

Bichula is the formerly strongest warrior of the famous dragon family, which was massacred by the kingdom of the underworld. He was stripped of his powers and banished from the demon world along with Kucabara.

Elimona (エリモナー, Erimonā)

Elimona is a fallen angel from heaven who runs a store in Event Horizon, a land between the real and demon worlds. She frequently cosplays and tries to seduce Bchuler and Kucabara, much to their chagrin. However, she is often turned to for help or advice by the protagonists. In chapter 85 she revealed to Idamaria that she is an angel and wanted to destroy the demon world by releasing the goddess Lilith.

Idamaria (イダマリア)

Idamaria is a nun who specializes in demon exorcism and is romantically interested in Kucabara. It is later revealed that Idamaria is able to produce dark matter from her body. In chapter 72 it is said that her name before entering the church was Catherine.

Selma (セルマ, Seruma)

Selma is a priest in charge of the institution where Idamaria lives. He is the one who trained Idamaria and Kucabara to cooperate with each other in order for them to open a portal to the demon world. A powerful exorcist, he is acquainted with Elimona and obtains information about the demon world through her. His name before dying was Kanto.

Garypeter Sugal (ゲーリーピーター・シュガル, Gērīpītā Shugaru)

A proud, apathetic, and analytic shinigami-ranked demon whose attacks are based on mathematical formulas. He hates underlying schemes and would even revolt against Legato for his ethics. During his stay in the orphanage, he grew fond of a young girl named Jupiter and seeks to free her parents from hell.

Legato (レガート, Regāto)

Legato is the primary antagonist of the series and the fourth son of the great demon king, Kucabara's younger brother. After plotting Kucabara's banishment, he received all of Kucabara's power.

Samus (サムス, Samusu)

The newest member of Kucabara and the others. She was betrayed so many times that she despised relationships and settled out to destroy them. Her original plan was to ruin Kucabara's and Bchuler's relationship and kill them, but she ends up joining their cause. She wields a rifle.

Jupiter (ジュピター, Jupitā)

A little girl taken in by the institution run by Father Seruma when her parents were killed in an accident. She was abducted by the many shinigami who were working for Legato in order to lure Kucabara into going to the demon world. She becomes attached to Sugal after he saves her.

Manga

Defense Devil, written by Youn In-Wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung-Il, premiered in Shōnen Sunday on April 22, 2009 and ended June 10, 2011. The first tankōbon volume was released by Shogakukan August 18, 2009 and the final tenth on September 16, 2011.

Reception

Defense Devil has been reviewed in French by staff of Manga Sanctuary, and by Planetebd, and by Manga-News. It has also been reviewed in German by SplashComics.