Dropkick on My Devil!

Dropkick on My Devil! (Japanese: 邪神ちゃんドロップキック, Hepburn: Jashin-chan Doroppukikku) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yukiwo. The series began serialization in Flex Comix's Comic Meteor web magazine in April 2012. Twenty-three volumes have been released as of June 2024. An anime television series adaptation by Nomad aired from July to September 2018, with an additional episode streamed online in October 2018. A second season aired from April to June 2020, and a third season aired from July to September 2022. An anime television special, titled Dropkick on My Devil! Apocalypse Arc premiered in December 2023.

Plot

A human witch and college student named Yurine Hanazono summons the lamia Jashin ("Evil God") from Hell. Unable to go back to Hell by herself, Jashin spends each day unsuccessfully trying to kill Yurine while simultaneously spending time with her and various acquaintances from Heaven and Hell.

Characters

Yurine Hanazono (花園 ゆりね, Hanazono Yurine)

Voiced by: Nichika Ōmori

A human who summoned Jashin to Earth. She is relentless in brutally attacking Jashin as penance for her actions, but is generally kind to others. As the only human among the main characters, Yurine often acts as the voice of reason and avatar of the audience, sarcastically commenting on the silly antics of the characters surrounding her.

Jashin-chan (邪神ちゃん)

Voiced by: Aina Suzuki

A self-centered lamia who was summoned from Hell by Yurine. She possesses regenerative abilities, which allows her to recover from whatever bloody punishment Yurine inflicts. Although it seems that Jashin is an absolutely immoral girl who manipulates Medusa or mocks Pekola without any regrets, at heart she is capable of good deeds and appreciates her close friends. However, as Yurine notes, Jashin is embarrassed by this and tries to hide the good traits of her personality because of her tsundere nature.

Medusa (メデューサ, Medyūsa)

Voiced by: Miyu Kubota

A gorgon from Hell who is close friends with Jashin, despite the latter seeing her more as a walking cash machine. She and Jashin are pretty close, to such a level that their relationship leaves Yurine a feel of a "boy-girl relationship", with Jashin often behaving like an immoral husband who constantly manipulates her "wife" Medusa for the sake of monetary gain. At the same time, the tender side of Medusa allows her to discover the hidden good side of Jashin, which allows them to remain closest persons and regularly emphasize their strong bonds and interdependence. While outdoors, she wears a paper bag on her head to avoid accidentally turning people into stone.

Pekola (ぺこら, Pekora)

Voiced by: Yurie Kozakai

An angel who lost her halo and became stranded on Earth. She is often starved due to not having any money, but is also somewhat defiant in accepting kindness from Yurine, as she believes her to be a witch. She is later on teased, often being called "Tajiri" with people assuming that as her last name, as it is the name on the swimsuit she borrows from her coworker.

Minos (ミノス, Minosu)

Voiced by: Chiaki Omigawa

A minotaur who is friends with Jashin and lives next to Yurie's apartment. Despite being based on a cow, she has no qualms about eating beef.

Poporon (ぽぽろん)

Voiced by: Rico Sasaki

Pekola's former subordinate, who seeks to kill Pekola so she can take her place as a fully-fledged angel. However, she loses her powers after Jashin eats her halo, taking up jobs as both a ramen shop worker and an idol.

Persephone II (ペルセポネ2世, Perusepone Ni-sei)

Voiced by: Riho Iida

A devil who descended to the earth in order to search for Jashin-chan. A running gag is that she and Jashin-chan had been nearby each other several times but never noticed each other's presence. She is the daughter of the Underworld God, Hades and Persephone. She later lives with Minos.

Persephone (ペルセポネ, Perusepone)

Voiced by: Misae Komori

Jashin-chan's teacher and mother of Persephone II who stays on Earth to study human culture. She currently works at an orphanage.

Mei Tachibana (橘 芽依, Tachibana Mei)

Voiced by: Natsuko Hara

A ditzy police officer who falls for Jashin on sight and tries to take her for herself. She refers to Jashin as "Orochimaru" and often brings anything she considers cute to her home.

Yusa (遊佐)

Voiced by: Kazusa Aranami

A yuki-onna who looks after her younger sister, Koji, and sells shaved ice.

Kōji (浩二)

Voiced by: Miko Terada

Yusa's little sister, who Jashin nicknames Kōri-chan (氷ちゃん). Her blood produces strawberry flavored syrup while her urine produces lemon flavored syrup. She has the face of a mole, can't speak and has been abducted by Mei multiple times.

Beth (ベート, Bēto)

Voiced by: M.A.O

A Beast of Gévaudan that Yurine keeps as a pet outside of her apartment.

Pino (ぴの)

Voiced by: Marina Yamada

Another of Pekola's former subordinates, who seeks to kill Pekola and Poporon due to their acquaintance with demons. However, she loses her powers after Poporon breaks her halo. She takes up a job as the custodian outside Yurine's apartment since the demon residents would prevent the Heaven from pursuing her. She is extremely paranoid.

Kyon-Kyon (キョンキョン, Kyonkyon)

Voiced by: Nanami Yamashita

A Jiangshi girl from Hell China who wishes to become a human. She works at a bookstore.

Ran-Ran (ランラン, Ranran)

Voiced by: Minami Tanaka

Kyon-Kyon's sister who was turned into a panda and now resides in Kyon-Kyon's dress, though she's able to leave it.

Lierre (リエール, Riēru)

Voiced by: Miharu Hanai

Pekola, Poporon and Pino's superior who arrives at Earth in order to destroy the human civilization after a meeting with other gods. She takes the form of a child and resides in the orphanage where her old friend Persephone works. She also expresses some childlike traits, such as being obsessed with cartoons or interested in a panda-shaped spring rider.

Devil A (悪魔A, Akuma A)

Voiced by: Kōji Yusa

A Baphomet and the narrator in the anime.

Ecute (エキュート)

Voiced by: Ruri Asano

A vampire and the spoiled princess of Hell Transylvania.

Atre (アトレ, Atore)

Voiced by: Rena Hasegawa

Ecute's educator who becomes very aggressive when enraged.

Hatsune Miku (初音ミク)

Voiced by: Saki Fujita

A guest character which appears regularly during the third season.

Patra-chan (パトラちゃん, Patora-chan)

Within the universe of Dropkick on My Devil!, Patra-chan is a popular fictional character who appears in form of various merchandise items, like collectible figurines depicting her in distress. Lierre, among other characters, is very fond of her. Patra-chan (full name Cleopatra) is the young princess of the planet Ptolemy, who is trying her best to conquer planet earth. At her side is her always faithful and motivating companion Horus, a small round bird, wearing a sash with changing slogans. Patra's world conquering ambitions, however, have been thwarted by the sisters Noah and Reah, who, out of pity, took Patra in. Patra's clothes are inspired by ancient Egyptian attire. Patra-chan received her own two-volume spin-off manga, titled Uchū Pharaoh Patra-chan (宇宙ファラオ☆パトラちゃん, Uchū Farao Patora-chan, lit. 'Space Pharao Patra-chan').

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Yukiwo, Dropkick on My Devil! began serialization in Flex Comix's Comic Meteor web magazine on April 25, 2012. Twenty-three volumes have been released as of June 12, 2024. The 148th chapter of the manga was removed from Comic Meteor on May 29, 2019, due to a knife attack on a train that happened in Japan a day earlier. A spin-off manga by Shushu Yuki, titled Minos no Beef 100% (ミノスのビーフ100%), was published as a one-shot manga on August 29, 2018 and later received a serialization from May 15, 2019. The series was compiled into one tankobon volume on April 9, 2020.

Volumes

Anime

An anime television series adaptation by Nomad aired for 11 episodes on BS Fuji from July 9 to September 17, 2018, and was streamed internationally on Amazon Prime Video. It became available on Crunchyroll on June 13, 2023. A bonus episode was streamed exclusively on Prime Video on October 1, 2018. Hikaru Sato directed the series, Kazuyuki Fudeyasu oversaw the series scripts, and also wrote the scripts alongside Momoko Murakami. Makoto Koga served as both character designer and chief animation director, and Yuki Kurihara and Yuzuru Jinma composed the music. The opening theme song "Ano Ko ni Dropkick" (あの娘にドロップキック, "Dropkick to that Girl") was performed by Aina Suzuki, Nichika Ōmori, Miyu Kubota, Yurie Kozakai, Chiaki Omigawa, Rico Sasaki, and Riho Iida as their respective characters, while the ending theme song "Home Sweet Home" was performed by Yutaro Miura. A twelfth episode premiered in mid-November 2019.

A second season was greenlit for production after the first season managed to sell over 2,000 Blu-ray and DVD copies. The second season, titled Dropkick on My Devil!! Dash, premiered on April 6, 2020, with Amazon Prime Video releasing all 11 episodes in Japan on the same day, while AT-X, Tokyo MX, Tochigi TV, Sun TV, and Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting aired the episodes weekly until June 22 of the same year. Crunchyroll streamed the second season worldwide excluding Asia. The opening theme song "Toki Toshite Violence" (時としてバイオレンス, "Violence on Occasion") was performed by Halca, while the ending theme song "Love Satisfaction" was performed by Zamb.

A crowdfunding event for a third season started on September 30, 2020. It was announced that if the fundraising goal was met, the third season "will take more than a year to produce" and the production committee "aimed to broadcast the third season in 2022". The crowdfunding goal was reached in 33 hours, so the production of the third season was officially greenlit. The season, titled Dropkick on My Devil! X, aired from July 6 to September 21, 2022. Taku Yamada joined Hikaru Sato as director, while Supa Love composed the music. The opening theme song "Are Kore Drastic" (あれこれドラスティック) was performed by Halca featuring Aina Suzuki. VTuber KAF and virtual singer Kafu performed the ending theme "Ryūsenkei May Day" (流線形メーデー).

An anime television special, titled Dropkick on My Devil!: Apocalypse Day was announced on May 5, 2023. The special is animated by Makaria and premiered on BS NTV on December 26, 2023. Crunchyroll streamed the special.

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Controversy

On November 16, 2022, the Furano City Council's Special Committee for the Examination of Settlement of Accounts voted to deny the release of funds raised through the hometown tax system for the production of the ninth episode of season three. The episode, which is set in Furano and promotes various local landmarks, businesses, and goods, was criticized by committee members for its plot involving Jashin-chan planning to sell her organs to pay her debts, with one member calling the episode's content "socially unacceptable". The committee had voted 7 to 7 on whether to settle the funding account, with the chairman having the deciding vote, thus denying to hand over the JP¥33 million (US$236,116) in funds to the production committee. On November 30, the committee reversed its decision in a regular session, allowing the funds to be paid out.

Notes

References

External links

• Manga official website (in Japanese)
• Anime official website (in Japanese)
• Dropkick on My Devil! (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia