One To Watch: Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi

Who knew demons could be so funny?

I do enjoy a good demon story. I think in a past life, I was a demonologist, or some form of rock ‘n’ roll exorcist, but in this life, I just admire stories based around them from afar. Needless to say, they’re a pretty heavy subject, but in manga, there’s quite a bit of wiggle room for originality. Blue Exorcist stands out, and I’ve made steady progress into it, but it hasn’t fully gripped me the way I want it to.

Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi has.

I knew this series was going to be a favorite from the first chapter. Kiyoshi Hara, the greatest exorcist in his class, is facing a demon who’s been possessing a young girl. That sets a certain expectation for the reader. But before we get too deep into this confrontation, it’s made clear that Kiyoshi is terrified, and the demon isn’t such a bad guy. Er… bad demon?

In fact, Kiyoshi is so scared that the demon pities and consoles him. They start talking about life, and how the demon has a family, and he agrees to leave the girl on his own volition, solely to help out poor Kiyoshi and his crippling fear.

Another wrench. Was Kiyoshi doing this on purpose, to coax the demon out, or was this just hilarious happenstance? It seems that it’s the latter, but it’s still too early to know for sure. And it is pretty set that Kiyoshi genuinely cared about this demon, which is another sub-wrench in the situation.

Aside from the opening scene, there are just so many fun dynamics that I can’t wait to see play out over the coming chapters, so much so that it’s the first time I’ve found myself counting down the days until the next chapter.

For instance, the dynamics of a kid being top of his class while having no friends because he’s this wonderful combination of overpowered and socially awkward is funny and compelling, a great foundation to build a character from. We often get stories of people at the bottom struggling to find their community. The outcasts, if you will, but Kiyoshi is both the best in his class and the least socially capable.

Not just that, but the humanizing of the demons, or rather, the clown-izing (not a word, I know) of them creates really unique humor that I’ve not encountered before. It’s not all that rare to see a series make light of demonic creatures, or at least give them a lighter side, but Ultimate Exorcise Kiyoshi makes so light of them they become the clowns of the story.

And it’s not just the working-class demons, but the demon lords who have hilarious moments of humanity. They make them immediately sympathetic even as Kiyoshi pulverizes.

But wait! There’s more! I gushed about the art style of Gachiakuta previously—the thick lines, the unique character design, etc. Well, Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi is much the same. With thick lines and a defined style that emphasizes One Piece-esque character design, the art is truly standout, and makes the experience even better.

I mean, look at this guy…

There are some hesitancies I have about the series, but such is the case for essentially any series that’s just starting out. I want to see how they navigate an overcooked exorcist trope, as well as how the supporting cast builds out. Kiyoshi is an enjoyable vessel for the story to be couched in, but so much will depend on the characters around him. To again reference Gachiakuta, they had such stellar characters right from the start and I haven’t found many to match Kiyoshi yet.

If you’re also reading, let me know your thoughts! And if you’re not, try it out, it’s on the Shonen Jump app.