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Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Dark Schneider (right) and Tia Noto Yoko (center)
BASTARD!! -暗黒の破壊神-
(Basutādo!! Ankoku no Hakaishin)
Genre
Manga
Written byKazushi Hagiwara
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics
Magazine
  • Weekly Shōnen Jump (1988–1989, 1997–2000)
  • Weekly Shōnen Jump Specials (1990–1996)
  • Ultra Jump (2000–2010)
Original runMarch 14, 1988 – present[a]
Volumes27
Original video animation
Directed byKatsuhito Akiyama
Produced by
  • Tetsuo Daitoku
  • Toru Miura
Written byHiroshi Yamaguchi
Music byKohei Tanaka
StudioAIC
Licensed by
Released August 25, 1992 – June 25, 1993
Runtime30 minutes (each)
Episodes6
Original net animation
Directed byTakaharu Ozaki
Produced by
  • Toshiyasu Hayashi
  • Shinya Tsuruoka
  • Souji Miyagi (S1)
  • Fumihiro Ozawa (S2)
Written byYōsuke Kuroda
Music byYasuharu Takanashi
StudioLiden Films
Licensed byNetflix
Released June 30, 2022 – July 31, 2023
Episodes39 (List of episodes)
icon Anime and manga portal

Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy (Japanese: BASTARD!! -暗黒の破壊神-, Hepburn: Basutādo!! Ankoku no Hakaishin; lit. 'Bastard!! The Dark God of Destruction') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazushi Hagiwara. It began its serialization in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1988, after debuting with a pilot one-shot in that magazine in 1987, and has continued irregularly in the seinen manga magazine Ultra Jump since 2000, with its latest chapter released in 2010. As of 2012, 27 collected tankōbon volumes have been released. The pilot one-shot was remade by Tatsuya Shihara and published in Ultra Jump in July 2023. The manga was formerly licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media; only the first 19 volumes were released.

Hagiwara is an enthusiastic fan of heavy metal music and Dungeons & Dragons,[5] using ideas from both of these in the Bastard!! story. Many characters and places in the story, for instance, are named after members of Hagiwara's favorite bands.

The manga was adapted into a six-episode original video animation (OVA) series by AIC, released from 1992 to 1993. The OVA was released in North America by Pioneer in 1998. An original net animation (ONA) adaptation of the same name, by Liden Films, premiered on Netflix worldwide in June 2022. The second season premiered in July 2023.

Bastard!! is one of Shueisha's best-selling manga series of all time, with over 30 million copies in circulation.

Overview

[edit]
Main article: List of Bastard!! characters

Four centuries ago, Earth suffered a cataclysm caused by the demon Anthrasax before she was slain by the Dragon Knight, plunging the world into a new Dark Age. In the present, the Kingdom of Metallicana is attacked by the Dark Rebel Army who seek to resurrect Anthrasax. This prompts the high priest to ask his daughter to awaken Dark Schneider, a dark wizard and founding leader of the Dark Rebel Army who reincarnated himself within the body of 15-year-old Lucien Renlen. In time, Dark's allies learn of his true nature and ties to the calamity that befell the Old World.

Bastard!!'s history is about sorcery, revenge, and other power struggles in a Dungeons & Dragons–like world. It is a dystopian world where people need magic to survive against wild beasts and evil monsters. There are four kingdoms, each one the protector of one of the four seals that keep the God of Destruction in stasis.

Production

[edit]

Kazushi Hagiwara aspired to become a manga artist after reading Go Nagai's Devilman and popular shōnen manga magazines during his youth. Following his departure from high school, he served as an assistant to Izumi Matsumoto on the Weekly Shōnen Jump series Kimagure Orange Road at Shueisha, concurrently developing his own one-shot stories.[4] In 1987, Hagiwara contributed to a Shueisha initiative designed to showcase new artists. His dark fantasy one-shot Wizard!! Bakuen no Seifukusha (WIZARD!!〜爆炎の征服者〜; "Wizard: Conqueror of Explosive Flames") was selected, performed favorably in reader surveys, and earned a weekly serialization. Hagiwara subsequently adapted the sword and sorcery setting and characters from Wizard!! for the newly titled Bastard!!, which debuted in Shōnen Jump in 1988.[6][7]

From the manga's inception, Hagiwara integrated scriptwriting, storyboarding, and artwork into a single process. He estimated dividing his time equally between illustrations and dialogue, completing up to three pages daily.[7] The initial chapters, which comprised the first few tankōbon volumes, were produced solely by Hagiwara on a demanding weekly schedule. He concluded that while he could work faster to complete more volumes, the perceived artistic quality would decline under strict deadlines.[6][8] A team of up to six assistants at his studio aided with backgrounds, inking, and screentone application.[6][7] The series later transitioned to a less frequent publication schedule in other Shueisha magazines.[9] With more time between chapters, Hagiwara assumed greater responsibility for the artwork rather than delegating it to assistants.[7] Beginning during his tenure as an assistant, Hagiwara employed extensive screentone for character shadows, background shading, and effects to create a three-dimensional appearance. He instructed his assistants in this technique and increased its use after the magazine transition.[8] Hagiwara also referenced cosplay photographs and his extensive figurine collection to achieve a more realistic aesthetic.[6][9] He experimented with digital coloring for the series but predominantly used analog methods with Pantone and Copic markers.[8]

In addition to the significant influence of Devilman, Hagiwara derived inspiration for the fantasy setting of Bastard!! from role-playing video games such as the Dragon Quest series and gamebooks, particularly the Fighting Fantasy series by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone.[6][8] As an avid anime enthusiast, he attempted to emulate the styles of contemporary artists and animators he admired.[8] Primary influences on the character designs included Naoyuki Onda [ja], Hiroyuki Kitatsumi, Tomonori Kogawa, and Mutsumi Inomata. Kitatsumi later contributed to the character designs for the Bastard!! anime OVA, while Onda illustrated the adaptation's DVD covers.[7] Hagiwara had studied and replicated Kogawa's distinctive cel art style for years; the character Princess Sheila was conceived due to his appreciation for Ciela from Aura Battler Dunbine, a series on which Kogawa worked.[8] Locations, spells, and certain characters in Bastard!! are directly named after hard rock and heavy metal bands, including Bon Jovi, Accept, Stryper, Metallica, Judas Priest, Whitesnake, Anthrax, Megadeth, Venom, Guns N' Roses, Black Sabbath, and Helloween.[10][11][2][12][13][14]

Media

[edit]

Manga

[edit]

Bastard!! is written and illustrated by Kazushi Hagiwara. A pilot chapter, titled Wizard!! Bakuen no Seifukusha, was published in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1987.[15] Bastard!! began serialization in the same magazine on March 14, 1988, and ran on a regular basis in the magazine until August 21, 1989.[16] The first tankōbon volume was published on August 10, 1988.[17] The series was then switched to the Weekly Shōnen Jump Specials quarterly magazine, where it ran on an irregular basis.[11] It was later published again in Weekly Shōnen Jump, on an irregular "monthly" basis, from 1997 to 2000.[16] The series was transferred to the seinen manga magazine Ultra Jump, starting on December 19, 2000.[18][19] The manga is published in the magazine on an irregular schedule.[20] Its latest chapter was published on May 19, 2010.[21][22][23] Twenty-seven volumes have been released as of March 2012.[24] Shueisha re-released the series in a new kanzenban-like edition, titled Bastard!! Complete Edition. The first volume updates Hagiwara's art style, improving backgrounds, screentones and includes redrawing of some characters. The second volume is fully redrawn and includes a graphic sex scene not included in the original release. Further volumes are unchanged.[11] Volumes were released from December 2000 to December 2009.[25][26] In 2014, Shueisha released a nine-volume bunkoban edition from May to September.[27][28]

In North America, Viz Media announced the license of Bastard!! in July 2001.[29] The Viz edition is based on Bastard!! Complete Edition.[30] Viz edition differs in a few ways from Japan release. Including graphic sexual scenes being censored, the major differences are the changing of location named after real-life bands. Viz Media (and Pioneer for the OVA adaptation) took the Japanese transliterations of these band names and changed them somewhat, then transliterating them back to English, e.g., Anthrax became "Anthrasax", Iron Maiden into "Aian Meide", and the main city in which the story takes place, Metallicana, was changed to "Meta-Rikana".[11][31] Viz Media published the first five volumes in a left-to-right edition from August 2002 to December 2003.[32][33] The volumes were later republished in its original right-to-left version starting from November 2003.[34] The manga stopped its publication after the release of volume 19 in September 2009.[35]

A 51-page reboot of the pilot chapter, Wizard!! Bakuen no Seifukusha, illustrated by Tatsuya Shihara, was published in Ultra Jump on July 29, 2023.[15][36]

Volumes

[edit]
No. Title Original release date English release date
1The Dark Rebel Armies—Part IAugust 10, 1988[17]
978-4-08-871063-1		August 5, 2002 (LR)[32]
November 5, 2003 (RL)[34]
978-1-59116-002-1 (LR)
978-1-56931-952-9 (RL)
2The Dark Rebel Armies—Part IINovember 10, 1988[37]
978-4-08-871064-8		November 5, 2002 (LR)[38]
December 1, 2003 (RL)[39]
978-1-56931-769-3 (LR)
978-1-56931-968-0 (RL)
3The Dark Rebel Armies—Part IIIJanuary 10, 1989[40]
978-4-08-871065-5		March 1, 2003 (LR)[41]
March 1, 2004 (RL)[42]
978-1-56931-861-4 (LR)
978-1-59116-247-6 (RL)
4The Dark Rebel Armies—Part IVMarch 10, 1989[43]
978-4-08-871066-2		September 5, 2003 (LR)[44]
July 7, 2004 (RL)[45]
978-1-56931-826-3 (LR)
978-1-59116-326-8 (RL)
5The Dark Rebel Armies—Part VMay 10, 1989[46]
978-4-08-871067-9		December 11, 2003 (LR)[33]
October 12, 2004 (RL)[47]
978-1-59116-092-2 (LR)
978-1-59116-506-4 (RL)
6The Dark Rebel Armies—Part VISeptember 8, 1989[48]
978-4-08-871068-6		January 11, 2005[49]
978-1-59116-134-9
7The Dark Rebel Armies—Part VIINovember 10, 1989[50]
978-4-08-871069-3		April 12, 2005[51]
978-1-59116-742-6
8Hell's Requiem—Part IJune 8, 1990[52]
978-4-08-871070-9		July 12, 2005[53]
978-1-59116-837-9
9Hell's Requiem—Part IINovember 9, 1990[54]
978-4-08-871831-6		October 11, 2005[55]
978-1-4215-0050-8
10Hell's Requiem—Part IIIJuly 10, 1991[56]
978-4-08-871832-3		January 10, 2006[57]
978-1-4215-0219-9
11Hell's Requiem—Part IVFebruary 10, 1992[58]
978-4-08-871833-0		April 11, 2006[59]
978-1-4215-0379-0
12Hell's Requiem—Part VJuly 3, 1992[60]
978-4-08-871834-7		July 11, 2006[61]
978-1-4215-0434-6
13Crimes & Punishment—Part IMarch 4, 1993[62]
978-4-08-871835-4		October 10, 2006[63]
978-1-4215-0435-3
14Crimes & Punishment—Part IIOctober 4, 1993[64]
978-4-08-871836-1		January 9, 2007[65]
978-1-4215-0436-0
15Crimes & Punishment—Part IIIJune 3, 1994[66]
978-4-08-871837-8		July 10, 2007[67]
978-1-4215-0878-8
16Crimes & Punishment—Part IVMarch 3, 1995[68]
978-4-08-871838-5		January 8, 2008[69]
978-1-4215-0879-5
17Crimes & Punishment—Part VMay 10, 1996[70]
978-4-08-872241-2		July 8, 2008[71]
978-1-4215-0880-1
18Crimes & Punishment—Part VINovember 1, 1996[72]
978-4-08-872242-9		January 13, 2009[73]
978-1-4215-1600-4
19Immoral Laws—Part IMarch 4, 1998[74]
978-4-08-872243-6		September 8, 2009[35]
978-1-4215-2195-4
20Immoral Laws—Part IIDecember 3, 1998[75]
978-4-08-872651-9		January 12, 2010 (canceled)[76]
978-1-4215-2883-0
21Immoral Laws—Part IIISeptember 3, 1999[77]
978-4-08-872759-2		—
22Immoral Laws—Part IVJune 4, 2001[78]
978-4-08-873131-5		—
23Immoral Laws—Part VApril 30, 2004[79]
978-4-08-873563-4		—
24Immoral Laws—Part VIJuly 4, 2006[80]
978-4-08-873877-2		—
25Immoral Laws—Part VIIApril 4, 2008[81]
978-4-08-874492-6		—
26Immoral Laws—Part VIIIJune 4, 2009[82]
978-4-08-874672-2		—
27The Tomb of Spells—Part IMarch 19, 2012[24]
978-4-08-870171-4		—

Original video animation

[edit]

A six-episode original video animation (OVA) series by AIC was released between August 25, 1992, and June 25, 1993.[83] The OVA cover the story up through the Four Lords of Havoc's battle against Abigail (volumes 6–7 of the manga).[2]

In North America, Pioneer Entertainment released the series on three VHS set tapes with an English dub between August 28 and December 8, 1998.[84][85][86] Pioneer re-released the OVA on DVD on June 5, 2001.[87][88]

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"The Explosive Wizard"
Transliteration: "Bakuen no Majutsu-shi" (Japanese: 爆炎の魔術師)		August 25, 1992 (1992-08-25)
The Lords of Havoc (Arshes Nei, Abigail, Gara, and Kall-Su) seek four seals to awaken Anthrasax, the God of Destruction, to wipe out the world and create a new one to rule and have already acquired one. The wizard Kevidubu attacks the kingdom of Metallicana with his army and his pet Hydra. While taking shelter in the castle, the High Priest Geo explains to his daughter Tia Noto Yoko that the spirit of the evil wizard Dark Schneider is sealed inside her adoptive brother Lucien and he can be awoken with a virgin's kiss. To save everyone, Yoko kisses Lucien despite her embarrassment and he transforms into Dark Schneider. He refuses to help and attacks Geo to seek revenge for Geo helping to kill him 15 years ago. Kevidubu and the Hydra break into the castle. DS is furious that the debris almost hit Yoko and easily kills the two, then wipes out his army. DS then resumes his attack on Geo, making Yoko cry and beg him to stop. To soothe her, he declares his love for her and kisses her, but this makes him revert to Lucien, who has no memory of what happened. Gara senses DS' return.
2"Efreet the Fire Elemental"
Transliteration: "Kaen Majin Ifurīto" (Japanese: 火炎魔神イーフリート)		October 25, 1992 (1992-10-25)
Gara infiltrates the castle to abduct Yoko. Dark Schneider possesses Lucien's body while he is asleep and tries to intervene, but Lucien wakes up, allowing Gara to escape with Yoko. Since only DS knows where Gara's fortress is, Princess Sheila kisses Lucien to transform him. DS and Sheila lead her knights on a rescue mission, but DS makes Sheila remove her armor when it slows her down, leaving her in a skimpy outfit. Gara interrogates Yoko on how to awaken DS and taunts her by saying DS is over 400 years old and has been with hundreds of women, so she is not special. He then uses a clothes-eating slime creature to strip her naked. The knights distract a Minotaur guard while DS and Sheila move ahead. She is embarrassed at having to climb a ladder in her short skirt, so DS carries her on his shoulders. DS kills a monster called a Suzuki Dogezaemon. Sheila touches a cursed sword that makes her slash DS with its poisoned blade, forcing her to suck out the poison. The sword then turns into Efreet the Fire Elemental and attacks them. Gara boasts Efreet is the counter to DS' fire spells, but DS kills him with a fire spell as hot as the sun. Efreet reverts to a sword and DS claims it.
3"Ninja Master Gara"
Transliteration: "Ninja Masutā Gara" (Japanese: ニンジャマスター・ガラ)		December 10, 1992 (1992-12-10)
Dark Schneider and Sheila arrive in the main room. DS is furious that Yoko is suspended from the ceiling naked and Gara boasts that he will make her his woman and attacks Gara, but he is still tired from fighting Efreet and Gara gets the advantage. Sheila gets to Yoko and covers her with a blanket. Gara recalls how DS invaded his country. Gara tried to assassinate him while he was sleeping with Arshes but failed. He asked why DS conquers and he answered that he wanted to eliminate any threats and rule the world so he could claim any woman he wants. Impressed by his strength, Gara joined him. In the present, Gara is disgusted with how weak DS is and slices off his hand, but DS blasts off his in return. Gara then slices him in half and gloats, but DS heals himself and collapses the entire fortress, protecting everyone with forcefields. DS then heals Gara's hand and a grateful Gara rejoins his side. Yoko chastises DS for taking so long and making her worry, while Sheila is amazed that he protected everyone and thinks he is not so evil.
4"The Immortal King Di-Amon"
Transliteration: "Fushi-ō Dai-Amon" (Japanese: 不死王 ダイ・アモン)		February 25, 1993 (1993-02-25)
Dark Schneider left Metallicana accompanied by Gara's pet baby dragon, the reincarnation of Prince Lars, who fought DS to a mutual kill 15 years ago. Yoko and a squad of female knights pursue him. Arshes' troops attack Metallicana. DS enters her dream and seduces her as they recall how he adopted her and they became lovers when she came of age. However, she attacks him and DS is weakened enough to revert to Lucien. It is revealed Abigail and Kall-Su cursed Arshes to force her to attack DS. Yoko's entourage is attacked by a werewolf and she is chased off a cliff, lands in a river, and meets Lucien. The vampire Di-Amon, who owns the werewolf, captures them and her entourage and takes them to his castle. He locks Lucien and Lars in a cage and dresses the girls in skimpy outfits to prepare to drain their blood. After he drains the knights and goes after Yoko, DS is angered enough to transform. He tricks Di-Amon into killing the werewolf, then breaks the wall to let the sunlight in. Di-Amon survives by turning into a bat, but DS curses him to obey him or else he will turn into a toad. Geo visits a fortune teller who sees a vision of DS with his heart ripped out of his chest. DS returns to Metallicana and blasts Arshes' troops.
5"Thunder Empress Arshes Nei"
Transliteration: "Kaminari Mikado Āshesu Nei" (Japanese: 雷帝アーシェス・ネイ)		April 25, 1993 (1993-04-25)
Arshes blasts the castle with lightning and Dark Schneider rescues Yoko and Sheila. Angered at seeing him with other women and wary of the curse, Arshes challenges him to a duel. She temporarily negates his magic, but the spirit of Efreet sacrifices himself and his sword form to destroy her lightning sword. DS tries to remind her of their love, but she attacks again. Abigail gloats that either she kills DS or the curse kills her. Arshes boasts she will create a new world without poverty where no one will be orphaned like she was, which he dismisses as a childish fantasy. When she threatens Yoko, an enraged DS attacks her full force. However, Lucien's consciousness alerts him to the curse on Arshes. Now realizing she was forced to attack him, DS sacrifices himself by ripping his own heart out of his chest, nullifying the curse. As he collapses, everyone cries over him.
6"The Return of Dark Schneider"
Transliteration: "Fukkatsu no Dāku Shunaidā" (Japanese: 復活のダーク・シュナイダー)		June 25, 1993 (1993-06-25)
Dark Schneider is laid to rest in a church. Abigail and Kall-Su conquer other kingdoms and get the other two seals and the last one is in Metallicana, so they send their troops to attack it. The king reveals the final seal is inside Sheila's body and Geo must kill her if they lose. Abigail breaks the other three seals to partially awaken Anthrasax, causing Sheila great pain. Arshes defends the kingdom to honor DS, learning that Abigail only wanted to destroy the world without making it a paradise. Abigail summons a powerful Cyclops from Anthrasax's flesh and Arshes is no match until Gara and his troops show up to help. However, the Cyclops wipes out his troops and regenerates from their attacks. DS' heart regenerates, but he does not revive until Yoko slaps him awake. He joins the battle and quickly obliterates the Cyclops and Abigail. Yoko and Arshes happily reunite with him and Sheila is feeling better. Dark Schneider declares that with Arshes and Gara at his side, he cannot lose. As Anthrasax goes back to sleep, Kall-Su swears revenge.

Original net animation

[edit]
Main article: List of Bastard!! episodes

An original net animation (ONA) adaptation by Liden Films was announced on February 3, 2022. The 24-episode ONA is directed by Takaharu Ozaki, with scripts written by Yōsuke Kuroda, character designs by Sayaka Ono, and music composed by Yasuharu Takanashi. The first 13 episodes were released worldwide on Netflix on June 30, 2022, while the remaining 11 episodes were released on September 15 of the same year.[89][90][91] The opening theme is "Bloody Power Fame" by Coldrain, while the ending theme is "Blessless" by Tielle.[92][93] In Japan, the ONA series began a televised broadcast on BS11 on January 11, 2023.[94][b]

A second season was announced on January 9, 2023.[96] It premiered on Netflix on July 31, 2023, consisting 15 episodes. The opening theme is "New Dawn" by Coldrain, while the ending theme is "La Muse Perdue" by Tielle.[97] The second season began broadcasting on BS11 and other networks on January 3, 2024;[c] the first three episodes aired as a 90-minute special.[98]

The series' first season was released on a Blu-ray Disc set in North America by Sentai Filmworks on January 21, 2025.[99][100]

Video games

[edit]

A 1994 Bastard!! 3D fighting game was released for Super Famicom.[101] A role-playing video game with turn-based fighting elements, titled Bastard!! -Utsuro Naru Kamigami no Utsuwa- (BASTARD!! -虚ろなる神々の器-), was released for PlayStation on December 27, 1996.[102]

A MMOG platformer called Bastard!! Online was also in development by the Japanese publisher Tecmo and software developer Shaft. A beta test was released in 2006;[103][104] however, Tecmo announced that they had canceled its development in December 2009.[105]

Reception and legacy

[edit]

Bastard!! is one of Shueisha's best-selling manga series of all time, with over 30 million copies in circulation.[106][93]

Video game designer and producer Daisuke Ishiwatari said Bastard!!'s fantasy setting was a major influence on creating Guilty Gear.[107]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Bastard!!

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Bastard!! Heavy Metal, (Japanese: BASTARD!! -暗黒の破壊神-, Bastard!! Ankoku no Hakaishin) is a Japanese series written and illustrated by Kazushi Hagiwara. It has been serialized irregularly in Shueisha's since 1988, following a popular one-shot titled Wizard!! published in the magazine in 1987, and remains on hiatus after 27 volumes as of 2010. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic medieval world where modern civilization was destroyed 400 years earlier by the God of Destruction, Anthrasax, who was subsequently sealed away. In this era dominated by magic and swordplay, the Dark Rebel Army seeks to resurrect Anthrasax to conquer the world and eradicate goodness, prompting the Kingdom of Metallicana to revive the infamous wizard Dark Schneider—a misogynistic, overpowered anti-hero sealed centuries ago for his tyrannical ways—by having him possess the body of a young boy named Renlen through a . Alongside allies like the sorceress Tia Noto Yoko and Dark Schneider's adopted daughter Arshes Nei, Dark Schneider battles demonic forces, former comrades from his villainous past, and escalating threats in a narrative blending , heavy metal aesthetics, graphic violence, and elements. The series is renowned for its elaborate, detailed artwork and over-the-top action sequences, which have influenced subsequent manga, though its provocative themes—including explicit , , and crude humor—have drawn and in some publications. Originally aimed at a shōnen audience, Bastard!! evolved into a for its unapologetic indulgence in power fantasies and heavy metal-inspired motifs, such as band-name puns for spells and characters. Adaptations include a six-episode original video animation (OVA) produced by AIC and released from 1992 to 1993, which covers early arcs with toned-down explicit content for broader appeal. In 2022, Netflix premiered a 24-episode original net animation (ONA) titled BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-, directed by Takahiro Kikura and produced by Liden Films, dividing its release into two batches (episodes 1–13 in June and 14–24 in September) to faithfully adapt the manga's initial storyline while updating visuals for modern audiences. A second season consisting of 15 episodes premiered worldwide on Netflix on July 31, 2023. The Netflix series features Japanese voice acting led by Takashi Kondo as Dark Schneider and has been praised for recapturing the manga's chaotic energy, though it faced delays in international subtitling.

Overview

Premise

In a post-apocalyptic world 400 years after the catastrophic destruction caused by the God of Destruction Anthrasax that obliterated modern civilization, the medieval kingdom of Metallicana stands as one of the last bastions of humanity, blending remnants of advanced technology with resurgent magic. The peace is shattered when the Four Divine Kings—Abigail, Gara, Arshes Nei, and Kall-Su—of the Dark Rebel Army launch a devastating invasion, aiming to break the ancient seals binding Anthrasax, who nearly annihilated the world centuries earlier. To repel the assault, High Priest Geo Noto Soto dispatches his daughter Yoko, a young sorceress, to revive the only force capable of matching the invaders' power. The protagonist, Dark Schneider (often abbreviated as D.S.), is a 400-year-old archwizard renowned for his unparalleled magical prowess, hedonistic lifestyle, and ruthless demeanor; he was sealed within the body of 12-year-old Renlen, Yoko's childhood friend, after a previous defeat 400 years ago. Yoko performs a forbidden —kissing —to awaken D.S., who emerges in a burst of dark energy, possessing the boy's form while retaining his adult consciousness and abilities. Though initially reluctant and demanding favors from Yoko, D.S. agrees to defend Metallicana, unleashing devastating spells against the Divine Kings' forces. Key allies include Yoko, who wields holy magic and serves as the group's moral anchor, and Arshes Nei, a vampiress and former member of the Four Divine Kings who shares a complex romantic history with D.S. and eventually aids the heroes. The core conflict revolves around D.S.'s battles against the chaotic forces, particularly the Dragon Knight Gara, a transformed beast warrior whose power is essential to the villains' plan to fully resurrect Anthrasax and plunge the world into . As D.S. confronts the Divine Kings one by one, dismantling their armies and unraveling their schemes, the narrative explores his internal struggles between his villainous past and the necessity of heroism to prevent . The story draws brief inspiration from heavy metal aesthetics in its over-the-top character designs and bombastic tone.

Themes and style

Bastard!! fuses with elements, drawing heavily from the aesthetics and nomenclature of 1980s bands to create a distinctive narrative and visual language. Creator Kazushi Hagiwara, an avid heavy metal enthusiast, incorporates references to groups such as , , , , and into character names, spell incantations, locations, and overall motifs, infusing the story with a rebellious, high-energy rock ethos that mirrors the genre's themes of defiance and excess. This integration serves as a stylistic backbone, transforming traditional fantasy tropes into a bombastic, metal-inspired spectacle where sorcery and battles evoke the intensity of a live . Central themes revolve around power, redemption, and anti-heroism, exemplified through the Dark Schneider (D.S.), whose arrogant and hedonistic demeanor starkly contrasts with his ultimately protective and sacrificial deeds. D.S. embodies unchecked power as the self-proclaimed greatest wizard, yet his journey highlights redemption arcs where selfish impulses give way to unselfish acts of heroism, aligning with shonen qualities of growth amid chaos. This anti-heroic portrayal underscores a narrative tension between personal vice and communal salvation, set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop that amplifies struggles for dominance and moral reckoning. Stylistically, the series employs elements and graphic violence as deliberate choices to amplify its heavy metal vibe, featuring exaggerated fanservice through provocative character designs and scenarios alongside visceral gore in combat sequences. These aspects—prominent from the manga's —enhance the raw, unapologetic energy, blending sexualized humor with brutal depictions of destruction to evoke the provocative edge of metal culture. Hagiwara's art style has evolved significantly since the debut, characterized by intricate linework, hyper-muscular character designs, and dynamic action panels that capture explosive magical confrontations with fluid motion and dramatic shading. Early volumes showcase a rougher, high-contrast approach suited to Weekly Shōnen Jump's fast-paced serialization, progressing to more refined details, realistic proportions, and elaborate backgrounds in later releases, reflecting Hagiwara's maturation as an artist while maintaining the series' bold, imposing aesthetic.

Manga

Publication history

_Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy was created by Kazushi Hagiwara, who debuted the series with a one-shot pilot titled Wizard!! Conqueror of Explosive Flames in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1987. Following positive reception, the full manga began serialization in the same magazine in 1988, running regularly until 1991 and compiling into the first seven tankōbon volumes. After this initial run, the series shifted to irregular releases in various Shueisha publications, including quarterly appearances in Weekly Shōnen Jump specials starting in 1990. In 2000, serialization resumed irregularly in Shueisha's magazine, targeting a seinen audience, with chapters appearing sporadically over the following decade. The reached 27 volumes by March 2012, but it entered an indefinite hiatus after its final chapter in 2010, with the series comprising approximately 141 chapters and no new chapters confirmed as of 2025. began releasing a revised 'Complete Edition' in 2020, which includes redrawn chapters and new content; as of November 2025, 9 volumes have been published in this format. For English-language publication, Viz Media acquired the license in 2001 and released the first 19 volumes in print from 2002 to 2009, covering up to the early Ultra Jump arc but halting before the series' later developments. No further physical or official digital re-releases have been issued in North America since then.

Volumes and content

The manga Bastard!! is compiled into 27 tankōbon volumes, with the series spanning over 140 chapters as of its most recent releases. The first seven volumes, published from 1988 to 1989, focus on the invasion of the kingdom of Metallicana by the Four Lords of Havoc—ninja master Gara, thunder empress Nei Arshes Nei, beast king Uriel, and vampire lord Dio Scard—prompting the resurrection of the ancient wizard Dark Schneider to defend against this demonic onslaught. These early volumes establish the core conflict through epic battles and introduce key elements of the post-apocalyptic world, where magic and heavy metal-inspired nomenclature blend in a dark fantasy setting. Volumes 8 through 27, released irregularly from 1990 onward across various magazines after departing , broaden the narrative to encompass global and cosmic threats, delving into the Demon World, revelations about Dark Schneider's (D.S.) tormented past as a former conqueror, and escalating confrontations with ancient deities. Major story arcs in this phase include the "Hell's " saga (volumes 8–12), where survivors navigate a hellish post-cataclysm; the mid-series Anthrasax arc (roughly volumes 13–20), centering on the unleashing of the world-destroying entity Anthrasax and its ties to divine and infernal forces; and later installments (volumes 21–27) involving multi-dimensional wars, interdimensional travel, and alliances against existential perils like the Seven Angels of Destruction. The series' content progresses from straightforward revenge-driven skirmishes in the initial volumes to intricate, lore-heavy epics in later ones, with deepening explorations of magic systems—such as spells invoking song titles like "Exciter" or "Painkiller"—and expansive world-building that incorporates mythological lore, rune-based sorcery, and side narratives like the "Evil Runes" vignettes featuring ancillary characters and artifacts. This evolution emphasizes thematic layers of redemption, power corruption, and apocalyptic , though prolonged hiatuses since 2010 have left ongoing arcs, including D.S.'s ultimate confrontation with higher powers, on unresolved cliffhangers.

Adaptations

Original video animation

The (OVA) adaptation of Bastard!! is a six-episode series produced by the studio AIC. Directed by Katsuhito Akiyama, it aired from August 25, 1992, to June 25, 1993, in Japan. The series adapts the manga's early volumes, centering on the resurrection of the powerful wizard Dark Schneider to combat the dark god Anthrasax and his generals, the Four Lords of Chaos. Kazuki Yao provided the voice for the protagonist Dark Schneider, with Yuka Koyama as Tia Noto Yoko, Yuriko Fuchizaki as Lucien Renlen, and as the King of Metallicana. The music, composed by Kōhei Tanaka, incorporates heavy metal elements to match the manga's thematic style, including the ending theme "Monochrome Trouble" performed by Toshinori Kako. These tracks emphasize the series' tone and high-energy action sequences. Compared to the source material, the OVA condenses the narrative to focus primarily on the conflict with the Four Lords of Chaos, streamlining events from the manga's initial arcs for a tighter pacing across its runtime. It amplifies elements, such as fanservice scenes involving female characters, which were present but less emphasized in the early manga volumes. The concludes on a following the major battles, roughly aligning with the events up to volume 7 of the . Initially released on and formats in by Pioneer LDC, the OVA saw a DVD compilation release in on June 5, 2001, by Pioneer Entertainment, including an English dub produced by ADV Films. International distribution remained limited, with no widespread modern re-licensing beyond occasional region-free compilations.

Original net animation

The (ONA) adaptation of Bastard!!, titled BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-, was produced by and directed by Takaharu Ozaki, with series composition handled by . The series consists of 39 episodes across two seasons: Season 1 comprises 24 episodes, with the first 13 released globally on on June 30, 2022, and the remaining 11 on September 15, 2022; Season 2 features 15 episodes, premiering on July 31, 2023. This ONA serves as a modern successor to the 1990s , updating the story for streaming audiences with enhanced production values. The voice cast includes as the protagonist Dark Schneider, alongside as Tia Noto Yoko and Kenshō Ono as Kall-Su. An English dub, produced by Studiopolis, features as Dark Schneider. The soundtrack, composed by , emphasizes a heavy metal style to match the manga's tone, featuring intense orchestral and rock elements in tracks like "BASTARD!!" and "Dark Schneider." Distribution is Netflix-exclusive worldwide, with a Japanese television broadcast beginning on BS11 on January 11, 2023, airing the full series in two consecutive cours. The ONA adapts the early volumes of Kazushi Hagiwara's , covering approximately the first eight volumes across both seasons, including key battles against the Four Divine Kings and expanded backstories for characters like Dark Schneider and his allies. Modern CGI is incorporated for dynamic action sequences, such as monstrous transformations and large-scale destruction, enhancing the visual spectacle of magical confrontations while retaining the source material's explicit content and heavy metal aesthetic. As of 2025, no additional seasons have been announced.

Video games

The Bastard!! manga has been adapted into two official video games, both released exclusively in Japan during the 1990s, with a third project canceled before launch. These titles feature characters from the source material, such as the wizard Dark Schneider and his allies, as playable fighters or protagonists in combat scenarios drawn from the manga's dark fantasy setting. The first adaptation, BASTARD!! Ankoku no Hakaishin, is a 2D fighting game developed and published by Cobra Team (with Bandai handling distribution) for the Super Famicom on January 28, 1994. It emphasizes versus-style battles where players control Dark Schneider and other heroes against antagonists like the Four Divine Kings, using special moves and combos inspired by the manga's magic and swordplay. The gameplay supports one-on-one or two-player modes, focusing on fast-paced arena fights with a roster of eight characters, each with unique abilities faithful to their original depictions. In 1996, published BASTARD!! Utsuro Naru Kamigami no Utsuwa, an RPG developed by Opus for the PlayStation. This turn-based title follows Dark Schneider through early arcs, including explorations of the Metallicana kingdom and battles against demonic forces, with players managing a party of allies in strategic combat encounters. The game incorporates dungeon crawling, spell-casting mechanics, and branching story paths that adapt elements from the source material, such as resurrection rituals and epic confrontations, while emphasizing resource management and character progression. A third project, Bastard!! Online, was announced as a by , intended to feature real-time battles in the Metallicana setting with player-versus-player and modes based on the manga's world. Development began around 2007 but was canceled on December 18, 2009, due to prolonged timelines and unfavorable market projections. As of November 2025, no additional official video games based on Bastard!! have been released, though the existing titles remain available via emulation or second-hand markets in .

Reception

Commercial performance

The manga series has achieved significant commercial success in Japan, with over 30 million copies in circulation as of 2023. Its English-language release by Viz Media in the 1990s was discontinued after 19 volumes. The 1992–1993 original video animation (OVA) adaptation had a DVD release through Pioneer's Complete Collection in 2001. International distribution was limited due to the series' explicit content, restricting its reach beyond niche markets. The 2022 original net animation (ONA) on Netflix garnered substantial viewership, entering the top 10 charts in multiple countries shortly after its premiere and contributing to renewed interest in the franchise. The release of Season 2 in 2023 further boosted demand, prompting reprints of the manga volumes to meet increased sales. In October 2024, Sentai Filmworks announced a Blu-ray release of the first season for 2025. Video game adaptations have had modest commercial outcomes. The 1996 PlayStation RPG, Bastard!! Utsuro Naru Kamigami no Utsuwa, sold approximately 200,000 units in Japan according to estimates. Extended hiatuses in the manga series occasionally impacted sustained sales momentum across adaptations.

Critical response and legacy

Bastard!! has received mixed over its long run, with reviewers frequently praising its dynamic artwork and high-energy action sequences while critiquing its heavy reliance on fanservice and uneven pacing, particularly during the manga's extended hiatuses. Kazushi Hagiwara's intricate linework and evolving art style, which draws from heavy metal aesthetics and fantasy tropes, have been highlighted as standout elements that elevate the series' visual impact. However, the narrative's frequent indulgences in explicit content and prolonged story arcs have drawn complaints for disrupting momentum and alienating some audiences. The 2022 original net animation (ONA) adaptation amplified these divides, earning acclaim for its faithful recreation of the manga's bombastic battles and upgraded animation quality compared to the 1990s OVAs, yet facing backlash for inconsistent pacing and overemphasis on elements that felt dated in modern contexts. Reviewers noted the series' unapologetic embrace of its trashy, horny charm as a strength, allowing it to stand out amid contemporary trends, though some argued it prioritized spectacle over deeper character development. The second season, released in 2023, attempted a more serious tone with tragic backstories for its antagonists but was critiqued for tonal clashes between its over-the-top action and somber moments, resulting in an overall B+ grade. Controversies surrounding Bastard!! have centered on its explicit content, leading to in English releases of the OVA series by , where nudity and violence were toned down to comply with distribution standards. The 2022 ONA also sparked debate over animation quality and adaptation choices, with some fans decrying the English dub's edits to gendered insults and , which altered the series' irreverent dialogue. In terms of legacy, Bastard!! is recognized as a pioneer of the heavy metal manga subgenre, blending post-apocalyptic fantasy with rock music references and Dungeons & Dragons-inspired elements in a way that influenced subsequent works. Hagiwara's distinctive style, characterized by dramatic panel shifts and detailed monster designs, shares thematic similarities with Kentaro Miura's Berserk, such as brutal sorcery and anti-heroic wizards, as noted by fans. The series' enduring appeal is evidenced by its over 30 million copies in circulation, establishing it as one of Shueisha's top-selling titles. Culturally, the 2022 ONA revived interest in the franchise, drawing in new fans through Netflix's global platform and reigniting discussions among longtime readers about its blend of humor, horror, and heavy metal homage. This resurgence underscores Bastard!!'s role in bridging shonen excess with modern adaptations, maintaining a dedicated fanbase despite its hiatuses.

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