Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun: IruMafia Edition Volume 2 Review

Street child Iruma has been adopted by Don Sullivan, the leader of the Babel mafia family, and now at fourteen, he’s become the underboss. With ruthless Opera at his side (and Babel accountant Kalego as his tutor) he’s looking for new blood to enrol. But what to make of a mysterious young man, recently released from prison? Is he suitable Babel material? Alice Asmodeus brings a gift: a packet of information that stands to profit Babel financially which Kalego takes away to examine – but above all, it’s his declaration about his staunch belief in justice that wins Iruma over. However, Opera is not so easily persuaded and launches an attack on Alice, calling it a ‘second round’.  In the ensuing chaos, Iruma intervenes…

And so Alice Asmodeus joins Babel, but is he all that he seems? We’re shown him secretly contacting someone on the outside and the conversation suggests he’s gone undercover to infiltrate the family. Is he really as admirable as Iruma thinks? It seems as if he’s working for the police to take Babel down.

Iruma’s grandfather has a gift for his grandson on becoming underboss: the golden ring of Solomon “In which the very soul of our clan resides.” But it comes with a warning: “The path you walk is built on a foundation of blood.” And sure, enough, Iruma’s next mission is at the Wonder Brothers Circus which has opened in Ghostland, an abandoned amusement park in Walter City, which just so happens to be Babel’s turf. No dues have been paid. But the shady ringmaster offers to let them see the show (which, naturally, Iruma is very excited about) – and that’s when they’re amazed by the dazzling performance of one clown. She dominates the ring with her acrobatic antics but her smile is more of a malevolent grin. When Iruma gets to meet her – she’s called Clara – after the show, she’s being kept in a cage where she declares, “Makin’ people smile’s my job! As long as ya keep smiling, ya can do anything!” Iruma returns to see her performance again and determines to do something about her situation. “The people here are always smiling,” he says, “but there’s no light in their eyes. It’s just like the look people get when they’re starving.” What can he do to set Clara and her fellow performers free?

In this engaging and eye-catchingly drawn spin-off/alternate world version of Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun! mangaka Osamu Nishi hands the baton over to Hiroja and, as noted in our review of Volume 1, her characters are in very safe hands. And even if the mafia setting necessitates an OT Older Teen rating, the core of the series (Iruma’s pure and innocent heart) is still intact. And the mafia vibe with the sharp suits and hats works really well in these alternate versions of characters we know and love (yes, even Kalego). Part of the attraction, of course, comes from looking out for familiar characters from the main series and wondering how they’ll be represented in this version: the two main additions are Iruma’s BFFs at Demon School in the original story, Alice Asmodeus and green-haired Clara Valac. Readers of the main series will already be wondering whether that classic confrontation between Alice and Iruma will appear here in one form or another and they need not worry! And if you’re a newcomer to the series, prior knowledge is far from essential; you can just settle down and enjoy the story as it unfolds.

The Vertical edition is ably translated by JM Iitomi Crandall with lettering by Eve Grandt and comes with a generous helping of colour pages at the start, as well as a quick guide to the main characters and story. At the end of the volume, we have a couple of 4-koma gag manga and an afterword each from Osamu Nishi and Hiroja. The next volume is due out in February – and we catch a glimpse of the next confrontation that Iruma’s going to have to face with a certain flame-haired female gang boss who’s spoiling for fight!

Our review copy from Vertical was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).