Blood Lad

Blood Lad
Company type	Manga series
Industry	Manga, Anime
Founder	Yuuki Kodama
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Manga, light novel, anime television series
Parent	Kadokawa Shoten (publisher)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Blood Lad, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 10 August 2025

is a Japanese manga created by Yuuki Kodama, serialized in the magazine Young Ace. The narrative follows Staz, a vampire residing in the Demon World, who crosses paths with Fuyumi Yanagi, a Japanese high school student inadvertently transported to the Demon World. After Fuyumi dies and becomes a spirit, Staz pledges to bring her back to life.

The franchise consists of a 17-volume manga series alongside a light novel issued by Kadokawa Shoten. Additionally, there is a spin-off manga named Bloody Brat, which appeals to both shōjo and seinen readers. The anime adaptation was broadcast from July through September 2013.

In North America, Yen Press holds the rights for the English manga publication. Viz Media manages the anime's licensing for streaming on VizAnime and distributes it on home video formats since 2014. The series is also available on Neon Alley.

Plot

Staz is a dominant vampire leader within the Demon World who, diverging from his predecessors, enjoys immersing himself in the Japanese otaku culture—engaging with manga, anime, and video games—instead of hunting humans. His tranquil lifestyle shifts when Fuyumi Yanagi, an ordinary Japanese high school girl, accidentally steps into the Demon World via a portal. Their encounter is disrupted by a demon contesting Staz’s domain. During this altercation, Fuyumi is killed by a carnivorous plant and becomes a ghost. Feeling responsible, Staz vows to resurrect her. They soon learn that Fuyumi must consume Staz’s blood to prevent her from vanishing completely. Along their journey, they meet Hydra Bell, a treasure hunter who reveals her stolen power to manipulate the portal and informs them that the Book of Resurrection is essential for saving Fuyumi.

After confronting his ally Wolf, leader of Demon World West, Staz discovers that Bell possesses the Book but requires his brother Braz's assistance to translate it. Braz consents on the condition that Staz halts Papradon Akim, a creature who strengthens himself by absorbing body parts from defeated foes. Meanwhile, Wolf and scientist Franken Stein—Akim’s creator—search for alternative methods to stabilize Fuyumi. Following battles against Akim, Braz enlists Franken Stein for covert experiments.

Fuyumi is seized by Bell’s brother Knell and handed over to their mother Neyn, who reveals she embodies the fusion of Bell’s and Fuyumi’s mothers, making the girls siblings. Neyn tests Staz’s dedication to caring for Fuyumi; after he commits, she releases him but subsequently dispatches assassins known as Team Fearless after him. Concurrently, Demon World officers Beros and Goyle apprehend Braz for conspiring against King Wolf Daddy. Though Braz escapes custody, he offers Wolf Daddy a rival for the throne by resurrecting their deceased father Richarz using Akim’s heart—however, Richarz resists engaging in conflict.

Braz and Staz uncover that Richarz and Wolf Daddy sealed away the demon king Herrschaft Grimm’s essence behind a portal due to its overwhelming power. Akim revives himself by killing Richarz and absorbing Grimm’s essence, ascending as the new ruler of the Demon World. Wolf Daddy and his allies retreat while Braz pledges allegiance to Akim. Staz and Wolf commence training under White Step—a longtime friend of Wolf Daddy—to reclaim leadership. Meanwhile, Akim gathers minions to harvest additional body parts to increase his strength. To curb Akim’s expansion, Wolf Daddy proposes combating blacklisted demons—dangerous criminals erased from records—and organizes their arrival for training purposes.

Primary Characters

Staz Blood: Serving as the territorial leader of Demon World East and a direct descendant of Dracula, Staz defies conventional vampire stereotypes by embracing Japanese culture rather than typical vampiric customs. He possesses no common vulnerabilities associated with vampires, exhibits accelerated healing abilities, and can alter human memories through his saliva. Following Fuyumi's transformation into a ghost, he commits himself to restoring her life, utilizing his blood as a crucial element in this endeavor. His powers were previously sealed by his brother Braz due to instability but were later reinstated.

Fuyumi Yanagi: A Japanese high school student who inadvertently crosses into the Demon World via a portal and becomes a ghost after being devoured by a carnivorous demon. She collaborates closely with Staz in the mission to bring her back to life, depending on his blood to sustain her ghostly form. Her family background includes living with her father and an unknown mother. Subsequent revelations disclose a sisterly connection with Bell, stemming from their mothers' merged counterparts.

Bell Hydra: A treasure hunter capable of traversing dimensions using the Black Curtain, Bell pursues a magic thief who has stolen her ability to manipulate this power. Initially misidentifying Staz as the culprit, she eventually develops romantic feelings toward him. Bell can teleport others through picture frames and conduct surveillance using framing gestures. Her network includes influential figures such as Bill Gates, and she shares a familial bond with Fuyumi through their mothers' merged counterparts.

Wolf: Ruler of Demon World West and both friend and rival to Staz, Wolf is a lycanthrope hybrid who combines physical strength with magical enhancements during combat. Born into nobility but abandoned due to his mixed heritage, he describes himself as "a mix of lycanthrope and nobody." His complete transformation lasts approximately three minutes, with partial shifts posing risks if not properly managed.

Demon World East

Fuyumi's Partner: Serving as Staz’s trusted lieutenant, this character often leads the gang on patrols when Staz is preoccupied with Japanese media.

Saty: The clairvoyant manager of the Third Eye Cafe alongside Mamejirou, Saty communicates nonverbally and can diffuse tensions through an intimidating gaze.

Mamejirou: A talkative three-eyed demon employed at the Third Eye Cafe alongside Saty, sharing similar clairvoyant abilities.

Doppelganger: Acts as Staz’s political double during his absences, representing him in official matters.

Demon World West

Wolf’s Subordinate 1: Recognizable by light-colored hair and a black turtleneck, this character serves under Wolf’s command.

Wolf’s Subordinate 2: Another subordinate distinguished by wearing a knit cap and having dark hair.

Franken Stein: A demon scientist specializing in physiology and experimental procedures, including creating Papradon Akim by assembling demon body parts. His research centers on augmenting demon physiology and conducting experiments on key individuals like Fuyumi.

Demon World Acropolis

Braz Blood: Older brother to Staz and Liz, author of the resurrection tome believed capable of reviving Fuyumi. Braz conducted experiments on Staz to unlock his abilities but later sealed them with a magical bullet. His ambitions include overthrowing Wolf Daddy; he orchestrated Papradon Akim’s creation and wields blood manipulation powers.

Liz T. Blood: Younger sister of Braz and Staz, Liz acts as the jailer of Acropolis with the ability to imprison demons within her personal dungeon known as "Liz's Toy Box." Initially dismissive of Staz, she gains respect for him after witnessing his sealed power and forms a bond with Fuyumi due to her courage and sincerity.

Pati Blood: Officer of the Acropolis Police recognized by her visor cap and snake-headed tail. She restricts magic use via an Underdog Choker collar and performs as a bass guitarist in a band outside her police duties.

Wolf Daddy: Monarch of Demon World Acropolis and father to Wolf, responsible for killing Richarz—the Blood siblings’ father—to claim the throne. Later developments reveal complex alliances involving Grimm’s magical essence and a covert task force called Demon Colors where he operated under the codename Red Wolf.

Doji: Captain in Acropolis specializing in computer operations with abilities such as summoning a demon pet named "Angry Spear," powered by anger, and freezing adversaries through "Cool Decision." Identifiable by glasses and a barbed tail.

Papradon Akim: A demon monstrosity assembled from stitched demon parts by Franken Stein under Braz’s direction using a spy corpse from Wolf Daddy’s faction as its core vessel. Akim hunts demons for stronger limbs and controls his disjointed body parts magically. His heart contains the resurrected Richarz but later detaches to absorb Grimm’s magic aiming for dominion over Acropolis.

Neyn Assassins: Elite operatives dispatched by Neyn to capture Staz in order to elevate their Acropolis status despite lacking experience in vampire kills. The team includes Shamkid (leader), Sam (veteran), Jasmine (combat expert), Roy (navigator with telepathic communication), and Rando (a mummy capable of imprisoning Fuyumi). After Akim takes control, they serve as his elite staff while secretly plotting his downfall.

Richarz Blood: Father of the Blood siblings who lost his throne after being killed by Wolf Daddy but was resurrected using Akim’s heart through Braz’s efforts. His history involves prior conflicts with Wolf Daddy and Grimm’s magic essence that culminated in his death at Wolf Daddy’s hands upon request due to corruption from Grimm’s influence.

Kelly & Burgundy: Female demon servants created by Akim infused with Grimm magic and harvested organs tasked with collecting prime demon organs across territories for Akim’s use—Kelly is notable for light hair and dark skin attire; Burgundy wears a rabbit-featured mask along with revealing clothing.

{{Graphic novel list

  VolumeNumber=13     
  OriginalRelDate=March 4, 2015     
  OriginalISBN=978‑4‑04‑101676‑3     
  LicensedRelDate=February 23, 2016     
  LicensedISBN=978‑0‑31‑626912‑4     
  ChapterList={{Numbered list start=61     
    The Moment of Confrontation     
    The World Is Full of Monsters     
    Choosing Their Own Paths     
    The World of the Weak     
    The Enchanted Bass, Dead Resort     
  }}     
  Summary=

Bell clarifies that her feelings for Staz stem from admiration for his dedication to protecting Fuyumi; Jack and Doji prepare for battles against Akim; Pati advocates friendship over conflict while Team Fearless supports Akim. }} {{Graphic novel list

  VolumeNumber=14      
  OriginalRelDate=August 4, 2015      
  OriginalISBN=978‑4‑04‑103327‑2      
  LicensedRelDate=February 23, 2016      
  LicensedISBN=978‑0‑31‑626912‑4      
  ChapterList={{Numbered list start=66      
    Time to Unite      
    Freed      
    The Fourth Blacklisted      
    Evil Potato Reborn!      
    Showdown      
  }}      
  Summary=

Shamkid analyzes Akim’s hair revealing Grimm’s influence; Braz informs Akim but notes that Akim has lost identity due to Grimm's control; preparations escalate for decisive confrontations involving poison deployment. }} {{Graphic novel list

  VolumeNumber=15       
  OriginalRelDate=December 29, 2015       
  OriginalISBN=978‑4‑04‑103328‑9       
  LicensedRelDate=March 21, 2017       
  LicensedISBN=978‑0‑31‑646922‑7       
  ChapterList={{Numbered list start=71       
    Don't Stop "We" Now!       
    Sing in the "Pain"       
    "Dead" It Be       
    "Fake" on Me       
    Yes "Daddy," Once More       
  }}       
  Summary=

}} {{Graphic novel list

  VolumeNumber=16        
  OriginalRelDate=July 4, 2016        
  OriginalISBN=978‑4‑04‑104423‑0        
  LicensedRelDate=March 21, 2017        
  LicensedISBN=978‑0‑31‑646922‑7        
  ChapterList={{Numbered list start=76        
    Confusion, Chaos, Contamination        
    She Could Taste Blood        
    The Giant Robot He Always Wanted        
    Fuyumi Yanagi the Demon        
    The Most Selfish Guy in the Demon World        
  }}        
  Summary=

}} {{Graphic novel list

  VolumeNumber=17         
  OriginalRelDate=December 31, 2016         
  OriginalISBN=978‑4‑04‑104424‑7         
  LicensedRelDate=August 22, 2017         
  LicensedISBN=978‑0‑31‑647392‑7         
  ChapterList={{Numbered list start=81         
    The Demon World Rocks         
    Adrift         
    True Feelings         
    Blood Lad         
    The Human World         
  }}         
  Summary=

}}

Anime

The Blood Lad anime, consisting of 10 episodes, was produced by Brain's Base and directed by Shigeyuki Miya. It premiered on July 7, 2013, on tvk and subsequently aired on Tokyo MX, Sun TV, and BS11. The series composition was handled by Takeshi Konuta, with character designs by Kenji Fujisaki. Art direction was overseen by Masaki Mayuzumi and Toshiyuki Sakae, while Satoki Iida managed sound direction. Viz Media secured the licensing rights for North American streaming through Viz Anime and Neon Alley, followed by a home video release in 2014. The opening theme song is "ViViD" performed by May'n, and the ending theme is "Bloody Holic," sung by Yuuka Nanri.

Reception

By March 2015, the Blood Lad manga had surpassed 1.8 million copies sold. Reviewing the German edition, Spick Mich from Spickmich observed similarities in the artwork to Soul Eater, emphasizing its attraction for enthusiasts of action and horror genres. Bamboo Dong from Anime News Network commended the anime adaptation for its comedic elements and the captivating characterization of Staz.

Works cited

"Ch." and "Vol." indicate chapters and volumes of the compiled Blood Lad manga as per Japanese numbering conventions.
"Ep." denotes episode numbers within the Blood Lad anime series.

External links

Official anime website (archived)
Blood Lad at Kadokawa Shoten