Is Ayashimon Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read
Quick Answer
Worth a quick read if you want a fast, scrappy shonen action comic that leans into its own absurdity, but go in knowing its short run means the premise never gets to fully develop.
Quick Verdict
“Three volumes is barely enough time to get the joke going before the story has to wrap it up.”
Best for: Readers who want a fast, punchy shonen action-comedy they can finish in an afternoon.
Not for: Readers who want a long-running series with room for its world and side characters to develop.
- Type
- Manga
- Genres
- Action, Supernatural
- Status
- Completed
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- Yuji Kaku
- Publisher
- Shueisha
- Platform
- VIZ Media
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Manga (shōnen), 25 chapters, 3 volumes |
| Run | 2021–2022 · completed |
| Community score | AniList 6.3 · MangaUpdates 6.3 |
| Content | Violence |
| Where to read | VIZ Media — official |
Overview
Maruo Kaido spent his childhood copying the special training arcs from his favorite manga so thoroughly that he became inhumanly strong — strong enough to break rocks by age seven, and strong enough to easily flatten a gang of thugs who turn out to be ayashimon, shapeshifting yokai, when he steps in to save a girl named Urara. Impressed that a mere human could beat her pursuers so easily, Urara recruits Maruo as the first human member of her yakuza group, and the two get pulled into a turf war set off by the death of the supernatural underworld's chairman. Written and illustrated by Yuji Kaku — creator of Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku — Ayashimon ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from late 2021 to mid-2022 and is licensed in English by VIZ Media.
What it does well
The central joke here works because it commits to itself: Maruo isn't just strong, he's strong specifically because he trained like a manga protagonist, and now he gets to actually live inside a manga-style yakuza story. That self-aware framing gives even straightforward fight scenes an extra layer of fun, since Maruo keeps approaching mortal danger with the genre-savvy enthusiasm of someone getting to do the thing he always dreamed about.
The Maruo/Urara pairing is the other strong element. He has zero criminal instincts and no interest in actually running a gang; she's a sharp, capable yakuza heir with real stakes in the turf war. That mismatch generates easy, reliable comedy without needing to lean on either character being incompetent.
Kaku's action art is a clear strength too — fights stay legible even when the chaos ramps up, which tracks with the sharper, more acclaimed choreography in his other work.
Where it falls short
The biggest issue is simply how short the run is. At three volumes, Ayashimon barely has time to establish its yokai-yakuza world before it has to start wrapping up, and several side characters who look like they're being set up for bigger roles don't get the space to pay off. The rival gangs and the wider supernatural underworld stay mostly a backdrop rather than becoming a fully realized setting.
The central irony that powers the comedy — a human treating a life-or-death gang war like his favorite manga — is also strongest in the opening chapters and starts to repeat rather than deepen as the story goes on, since there simply isn't enough runway for it to evolve into something new.
Verdict
This is a fast, enthusiastic shonen action-comedy that gets real mileage out of its self-aware premise, even if its short three-volume run means it ends just as the world and cast start to feel like they could go somewhere bigger. Worth a quick read for the central gag and Kaku's action art, but don't expect it to build into anything more than that.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- The core joke — a kid who trained himself absurdly strong by copying manga training arcs, then gets to actually live out a manga premise — is a genuinely fun hook that the story leans into with enthusiasm.
- Maruo's total lack of yakuza instincts next to Urara's actual criminal competence gives their partnership an easy, likable comic rhythm.
- Kaku's action choreography is clean and easy to follow even when fights get chaotic, which is consistent with his stronger work elsewhere.
- The pacing never drags — every chapter moves the turf-war plot forward instead of stalling on filler.
Weaknesses
- At just three volumes, the series ends before the yokai-yakuza world or its rival gangs get much room to become more than a backdrop.
- Several side characters are introduced with clear potential and then don't get enough page time to pay off before the story wraps.
- The premise's central irony — a human thriving in a world of monsters by treating it like his favorite manga — starts to repeat itself rather than evolve as the volumes go on.
Similar Titles
An earlier series by the same creator, with sharper action and a much longer runway to develop its premise.
Another shonen series mixing yokai and gang/clan politics, for readers who want more room for that world to breathe.
Shares a similar fast, gag-driven shonen energy and a lead whose bizarre power set drives the comedy.
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIZ Media | Print & digital volumes | Paid | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ayashimon licensed in English?
Yes — VIZ Media publishes the full three-volume series in print and digital.
Is the series finished?
Yes, it ran a short run in Weekly Shonen Jump from late 2021 to mid-2022.
Is it connected to the creator's other manga?
No, it's a standalone story from the creator of Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, with no shared characters or setting.
