is a Japanese manga series created by Michiaki Watanabe. The manga revolves around a group of adventurers named Hamel, Flute, Raiel, Trom and Sizer. They set off on a perilous journey north to the demon continent, seeking to avert a catastrophic event. Hamel, armed only with his magical violin, uses his music to persuade his monstrous adversaries to atone for their misdeeds and meet their demise by killing themselves.
Manga
GanGan Comics ran the manga for approximately 10 years, publishing 37 volumes.
The manga combines a serious story with an irreverent tone, with the characters frequently alternating between heroic and pathetic depending on what the current situation calls for. The manga also contains a variety of unconventional running gags, such as Hamel repeatedly attempting to force other members of the group into costume. Each chapter is referred to as a set.
Setting
The setting is reminiscent of a medieval steampunk Europe, taking into consideration the world's architecture, clothing trends, technology, and local environments. The world in which the story is set is a steampunk universe that consists of a mixture of significant futuristic technological advances and medieval architecture.
The main characters live in a world called "Europe", named after real-world Europe. Although the world shares a name with the real-life continent, the geography of the two Europes is not the same and they bear little resemblance to each other on a map.
History
The world in which the story takes place is divided into two dominant races: humans and Mazoku. The Mazoku, a race of demonic creatures, ruled the world until 500 years ago when they were locked away by a heroic angel. This led to a period of prosperity and peace for humanity, resulting in the founding of cities and nations, as well as the development of science and magic.
However, this period came to an abrupt end when a woman named Pandora accidentally released the Mazoku from their imprisonment. The demons were freed, plunging the world back into darkness and chaos. In a desperate attempt to save humanity, the Demon King Chestra, who was also freed from Pandora's Box, was resealed inside.
Pandora's two children, who were fathered by Chestra, were separated as infants. One child was kidnapped by the Mazoku, and the other remained with Pandora. In order to protect the world, the box containing the Demon King, now known as Pandora's Box, and its key were sent far away.
The demons fled north, establishing their capital city of Hameln on the northernmost continent, and a never-ending war broke out between humans and Mazoku for survival. Pandora's children, one raised among humans and hated by all, and the other living with the Mazoku without ever feeling any affection, are destined to reunite and put an end to the war, one way or another.
Plot
The plot of the manga revolves around the hero Hamel, who travels north towards the continent of demons to avert a great catastrophe. With the help of his magical, oversized violin, he plays music that forces his enemies to repent of their sins and kill themselves - or at least that's how it should go. Instead, Hamel is a selfish, cowardly, heartless and immoral fiend who seeks to exploit those around him and extort money from those he saves. After saving the remote village of Staccato from nearby demons, he decides to kidnap an orphan girl named Flute as payment for his services. Hamel, Flute, and Oboe, a talking crow and Hamel's advisor set out on their long, arduous, and mockery-filled journey north. Along the way, they meet Raiel, the hero of love and Hamel's childhood friend, who plays beautiful and powerful melodies with a 500 kg golden piano that can summon spirits and manipulate people. Their first encounter ends with a not-so-deadly battle for revenge. They then meet Trombone, the young prince of a nation called Dal Segno, which is a warrior nation best known for its knights and swordsmanship. After his land is burned and his parents are murdered before his eyes, the young prince vows revenge and joins the group on their quest north. Adventure, comedy, and humiliation ensue as Hamel leads the motley band north while the street performers war with one another. Along the way, they face terrible enemies and eventually meet the Hell Hawk King Sizer, one of the Lords of Hell who are the guardians of the demon legions. In a rather one-sided battle, Hamel's violin breaks, and it is revealed that Hamel is actually the son of the demon king Chestra and that the reason he is traveling north is to defeat his father and save his mother Pandora.