Devil’s Line is a manga series by Ryo Hanada which takes place in a world of vampires and devils. This series has now been released in English, starting with Devil’s line 1. This collects the first six ‘lines’ in the series. At over 200 pages in length, there is much to love about this series, but it needs to be original in order to distinguish itself from other Manga series located on UK shelves.

Manga has become increasingly popular in the UK, and whilst Devils’ Line does have some stereotypical elements, it is largely a new and inventive tale of heartbreak and the supernatural. The story follows Tsukasa, a student who is rescued from an attack by a vampire. She is saved by Anzai, a half-devil. Anzai uses his supernatural gifts as a member of a secret police force that focuses specifically in vampire related crime. As the story unfolds, the two forge a bond. However, Anzai has a strict rule of not drinking human blood, and this friendship will be the ultimate test of his ability to resist.

As far as manga goes, this is a pretty straight forward story. Rather than an adventure tale like many manga, this tale is highly character driven, and is more focused on the development of Tsukasa’s and Anzai’s relationship. This first collection in particular is focused on setting up the boundaries and the characters for the development of story arcs for the future of the series. However, with its black and white drawings and its simple storyline, it is a quick and thrilling read which will lead into a character fuelled story. Whilst maybe not for all fans of manga, it could certainly be a success with teenagers who still like the vampire romance stories which are still proving increasingly popular. A manga series for people wanting action, romance and vampires.

DEVIL’S LINE / AUTHOR & ARTIST: RYO HANADA / PUBLISHER: KODANASHA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW