Hozuki's Coolheadedness

Hozuki's Coolheadedness
Company type	Manga series, Anime series
Industry	Entertainment, Publishing, Animation
Founded	2011
Founder	Natsumi Eguchi
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Manga volumes, Anime TV series, Original animation DVDs (OADs), OVAs
Parent	Kodansha (manga publisher)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Hozuki's Coolheadedness, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025

is a Japanese manga created and illustrated by . The narrative centers on Hozuki, a demon who serves the King and Chief Judge of Hell. The manga was serialized by Kodansha in Morning from March 2011 until January 2020, eventually being collected into thirty-one tankōbon volumes.

This manga inspired an anime adaptation; the first season was produced in 2014 by Wit Studio, while the second season aired from 2017 to 2018 under the direction of Studio Deen. In addition, Wit Studio released three original animation DVDs (OADs) in 2015, Studio Deen contributed one OAD in 2017, and Pine Jam created three further OVAs between 2019 and 2020. The initial season was streamed for English-speaking audiences on Crunchyroll, whereas Sentai Filmworks handled its DVD distribution and later secured rights for the second season, offering it through home media and the streaming platform Hidive.

By September 2020, the manga had surpassed 14 million copies printed within Japan. Both the manga and its anime adaptations have consistently appeared in Japan’s weekly top-ten sales charts. The first anime season garnered favorable international reviews and was recognized as one of the standout anime titles of 2014. In 2021, the manga earned the prestigious 52nd Seiun Sci-Fi Award for Best Comic.

Plot

The story follows , an ogre-like demon who was once human and now acts as Chief of Staff for , the Head Judge of Hell responsible for assigning punishments to souls. Hozuki efficiently handles and solves various peculiar problems within Japanese hell. Among his key aides are and . Other significant characters include , chief assistant of Mortal Hell; , a cunning rabbit from Kachi-kachi Yama folklore; , a well-known idol residing in Hell; and , commander of the Crow-Tengu Police. Hozuki’s primary adversary is , a Chinese medicine specialist based in Shangri-La, supported by samurai and his pets, who serve as torturers within Hell’s animal cruelty division. The second season introduces new figures such as the original Chief of Staff , , an idol affiliated with Maki’s agency, along with Hozuki's twin adopted daughters who are Zashiki-warashi.

Production

In 2010, Natsumi Eguchi earned an Honorable Mention at the 57th Chiba Tetsuya Awards for Hinichijōtekina Nanigenai Hanashi ("An unusual casual story"), whose character Oni served as inspiration for Hozuki’s design. The character first appeared in Morning magazine’s 32nd issue of 2010 within Jigoku no Sata to Are ya Kore ("The State of the Hell, and This and That"), which was later retitled Hōzuki no Reitetsu and began serialization.

Eguchi’s fascination with yōkai manga such as GeGeGe no Kitarō and Akuma-kun originated from her parents’ unique preferences, favoring supernatural narratives over conventional Shōjo manga or action genres. Her inspirations also include horror series like The Laughing Salesman and folklore-based works, shaped by her upbringing with access to mythology literature provided by her mother, a professor specializing in classical studies. She acknowledges Shigeru Mizuki’s compilation of 101 yōkai tales and the anime adaptation of Mizuki's GeGeGe, admiring its combination of eerie yet endearing characters. Furthermore, non-horror titles such as Doraemon, especially its more eccentric manga form, have influenced her artistic approach.

Manga

The manga titled Hozuki's Coolheadedness, created by Natsumi Eguchi as both author and illustrator, was featured in Kodansha's Morning seinen publication from March 3, 2011, until January 9, 2020. Kodansha gathered its 271 chapters into thirty-one tankōbon volumes, which were made available between May 23, 2011, and September 23, 2020. Certain volumes were reissued with updated cover designs and accompanying merchandise. The English digital version was released by Kodansha Comics through Kodansha Advanced Media, starting with the initial volume on March 21, 2017. After a short pause following the fourth volume’s February 2018 release, the fifth volume became available in December 2021. By September 20, 2022, ten English digital volumes had been published.

On February 3, 2014, Kodansha issued an official guidebook covering both the comic and anime adaptations, followed by an artbook released on November 20, 2015. A special chapter was published in Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine on December 27, 2014. From December 1, 2015, until April 3, 2020, the same magazine serialized a four-panel spin-off series authored by Monaka Shiba called , which centers on the character Shiro. This spin-off was compiled into five tankōbon volumes released between November 22, 2016, and September 23, 2020.

Anime

The anime adaptation of Hozuki's Coolheadedness was revealed in June 2013, with its first teaser trailer presented at both Japan Expo in Paris and Anime Expo in Los Angeles. The production was handled by Wit Studio, directed by Hiro Kaburaki. It aired within the Animeism programming block on Mainichi Broadcasting System from January through April 2014. King Records distributed the series on DVD and Blu-ray from April to August 2014 across various editions.

English-speaking audiences in regions such as the US, Canada, and the UK were able to watch the series via Crunchyroll’s simulcast service. The North American licensing rights were acquired by Sentai Filmworks, which released a complete DVD and Blu-ray collection in February 2015. For Australia and New Zealand, Madman Entertainment secured distribution rights and offered the show through AnimeLab streaming as well as DVD box sets. An English-subtitled version was broadcast across Southeast Asia by Aniplus Asia.

In June 2014, three original anime DVDs (OADs) were announced; these premiered in Japanese cinemas in December of that year and were included with manga volumes issued up to August 2015. A fresh anime project commenced with an OAD bundled alongside the manga’s 24th volume in March 2017, this time produced by Studio Deen, which took over from Wit Studio.

A second season was confirmed in March 2017 featuring the original voice cast returning to their roles; it debuted in October of that year. Sentai Filmworks licensed this season for North America and it was simulcast on Hidive across several English-speaking territories. After episode 13 aired, the season went on hiatus before resuming in April 2018 and concluding in July. Crunchyroll added this second season to its lineup in December 2018. In Japan, this season was distributed over four DVD and Blu-ray box sets between January and September of 2018. Sentai Filmworks released home media versions for North America in June 2019. Following Sony Pictures Television’s acquisition of Crunchyroll, Hozuki's Coolheadedness was removed from Crunchyroll’s platform in March 2022.

Three further OAD episodes were produced by Pine Jam, released alongside manga volumes numbered 29 through 31 from September 2019 to September 2020. Kazuhiro Yoneda and staff from the second season returned to oversee these productions.

Additional Information

The music for the Hozuki's Coolheadedness anime was composed by Tomisiro, affiliated with Starchild Records, while Sound Team Don Juan handled the sound production. The soundtrack for the initial season was made available on December 3, 2014, offered in two formats: a CD-only version and a combined CD/DVD edition. For the anime's second season, the soundtrack was included with the first cour's DVD and Blu-ray box sets released on January 17, 2018.

Animate TV broadcasted a thirteen-episode web radio show titled , which ran from December 28, 2013, through April 6, 2014. Hosted by Hiroki Yasumoto, the voice actor for Hōzuki, the program featured guest appearances from other members of the cast. To align with the anime's return in 2017, a second season of the radio show, , aired between September 15 and December 31. A concluding season followed from March 16 to July 1, 2018, supporting the second cour of the anime's second season.

In March 2018, a free mobile game for iOS and Android platforms was announced. Developed by Taito under the title , it officially launched on June 13, 2019.

Reception

Oricon manga rankings
Volume	Highest chart position	Duration on chart
1	20	1 week
2	22	2 weeks
3	29	2 weeks
4	12	2 weeks
5	6	1 week
6	7	3 weeks
7	8	3 weeks
8	6	3 weeks
9	6	3 weeks
10	10	2 weeks
11	7	3 weeks
12	6	3 weeks
13	3	4 weeks
14	5	4 weeks
15	2	3 weeks
16	5	4 weeks
17	5	3 weeks
18	3	4 weeks
19	4	4 weeks
20	6	3 weeks
21	3	3 weeks
22	2	4 weeks

Audience Reception

By September of 2020, cumulative circulation of Hozuki's Coolheadedness volumes—including digital copies—and related publications had surpassed fourteen million units. Starting from volume five, several editions consistently appeared within Oricon’s weekly top ten manga sales rankings. The series ranked among Japan’s best-selling manga titles in both the years of 2014 and 2015, with individual volumes also securing spots in mid-year sales charts between the years of 2014 and 2017. Additionally, its guidebook achieved a position within the top twenty-five weekly comic sales.

All six DVD and Blu-ray releases of the anime secured positions within Oricon’s top ten animation media charts. Notably, the first two volumes simultaneously occupied the number one and two spots in DVD rankings while also registering robust Blu-ray sales figures. The initial Blu-ray volume sold over six thousand seven hundred copies, whereas the final volume recorded sales exceeding four thousand seven hundred units. In a RecoChoku survey sampling five hundred participants aged between ten and fifty, Hozuki's Coolheadedness was selected as the best anime debuting in January of that year. Another poll conducted by Animeanime.jp with over two thousand eight hundred respondents placed it fourth overall and first among female voters.

The second season garnered significant anticipation; it ranked fifth in Charapedia’s poll for Fall of 2017 anime releases. Its second cour was ranked third most awaited for Spring of that year on Nijimen and achieved first place in Charapedia’s survey. The initial two DVD and Blu-ray box sets for this season reached fourth place on Oricon’s weekly animation media charts. Average DVD sales per box hovered around one thousand units, while Blu-ray discs surpassed two thousand copies sold per release. Subsequent volumes maintained strong chart placements with steady sales performance.

Critical response

In the 2012 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, which surveyed professionals within the manga industry, Hozuki's Coolheadedness secured the nineteenth position in the category for male readers. That same year, it earned a nomination for the 5th Manga Taishō and was recognized by a jury at the 16th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards. Additionally, it was shortlisted for the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in the Best General Manga category and achieved fifth place in Media Factory's Da Vinci "Book of the Year" list in 2014. The series also appeared on Da Vinci's rankings in subsequent years, placing 25th in 2018, 37th in 2019, and 47th in 2020. In 2021, it received the 52nd Seiun Sci-fi Award for Best Comic, sharing the honor with Toriko Gin's Kimi o Shinasenai tame no Storia.

Critics often cited the first season of Hozuki's Coolheadedness among their top anime picks for 2014 or specifically for that winter season. Notable mentions include Vichus Smith from Electronic Gaming Monthly, Seb Reid of UK Anime Network, Kelly Quinn from Tor.com, as well as Amy McNulty and Gabriella Ekens of Anime News Network. Despite its humor being deeply rooted in Japanese cultural references, it garnered widespread acclaim. Quinn emphasized its distinctiveness attributed to "sadistic humor and bizarre setting," while Ekens appreciated its fusion of charm and wit. Reid likened it to Polar Bear Cafe due to its "dry, sarcastic" comedic style and complimented its scriptwriting and deadpan voice performances. Josh Tolentino of Japanator compared its leisurely pacing to that of Lucky Star, describing it as "low-key" with a tone reminiscent of Dilbert. Similarly, Nicole MacLean from THEM Anime Reviews drew comparisons to both Dilbert and salaryman-themed manga, particularly highlighting the dynamic between Hozuki and Enma.

On the other hand, Carl Kimlinger from ANN provided a mostly critical review, pointing out weaknesses in the music, character development, and comedic timing; however, he acknowledged the series’ distinctive sumi-e-inspired visual style. Quinn and Tolentino also praised the animation’s incorporation of traditional Japanese artistic elements. Browne observed that combining contemporary character designs with classical art techniques results in a "unique and appealing look," noting that while the animation quality is generally solid, it remains understated. Kate O'Neil of The Fandom Post lauded the animation as "quite superb," describing the show as an artistic amalgamation akin to The Office, catering to niche audiences through its creative visuals and unique character portrayals.

External links