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デッドロック [Dead Rock] #1
Dead Rock T01
DEAD ROCK、それは魔界の深層にそびえたつ魔王養成機関。魔界人の若者であるヤクトは、DEAD ROCKの門戸をたたくため、過酷な入学試験に挑む！
176 pages
First published November 16, 2023
8 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Hiro Mashima
1,505 books1,926 followersHiro Mashima (Jap: 真島ヒロ) is a Japanese manga artist.
He gained success with his first serial Rave, published in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1999 to 2005. His best-selling work, Fairy Tail, published in the same magazine from 2006 to 2017, became one of the best-selling manga series with over 72 million copies in print. Mashima began the currently ongoing Edens Zero in 2018.
Fairy Tail won the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen manga in 2009, and Mashima was given the Harvey Awards International Spotlight award in 2017 and the Fauve Special Award at the 2018 Angoulême International Comics Festival.
He gained success with his first serial Rave, published in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1999 to 2005. His best-selling work, Fairy Tail, published in the same magazine from 2006 to 2017, became one of the best-selling manga series with over 72 million copies in print. Mashima began the currently ongoing Edens Zero in 2018.
Fairy Tail won the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen manga in 2009, and Mashima was given the Harvey Awards International Spotlight award in 2017 and the Fauve Special Award at the 2018 Angoulême International Comics Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 29, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
this was an interesting first volume and had all of the character/plot cliches, art style, and unfortunately the fanservice that hiro mashima is known for.
i know that this is the first volume, but waaay too many things occurred and the overarching plot appears murky. i am interested to see where this series will go, so i'll definitely read the next volume
this was an interesting first volume and had all of the character/plot cliches, art style, and unfortunately the fanservice that hiro mashima is known for.
i know that this is the first volume, but waaay too many things occurred and the overarching plot appears murky. i am interested to see where this series will go, so i'll definitely read the next volume
November 1, 2025
The cook at my local dive bar let me borrow this. Its my first Manga, it seems promising!
February 12, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the English arc of this manga.
This stars out a bit like a cross of sword art online with the concept of the levels to get to the prize and MHA with it being a school based systems. Characters have “roots” powers with a huge range of abilities. Demons, Gods, Imposter Gods it’s got a little of everything. Immediately loved the side characters lots of dark humor and quirky personalities. Very intrigued to see where this story goes in the later installments. As always hiro killed it with the art work.
This stars out a bit like a cross of sword art online with the concept of the levels to get to the prize and MHA with it being a school based systems. Characters have “roots” powers with a huge range of abilities. Demons, Gods, Imposter Gods it’s got a little of everything. Immediately loved the side characters lots of dark humor and quirky personalities. Very intrigued to see where this story goes in the later installments. As always hiro killed it with the art work.
March 3, 2025
Special thanks to the author(s), publisher, Goodreads and/or NetGalley for the review copy. All views and opinions expressed are honest and my own.
Volume one follows Yakuto joining Dead Rock Academy in the Demon World, a school to become God and gain a fraction of the human world. However, Yakuto has other intentions as he’s determined to kill the school’s current “God” alongside his classmates he’s strung along.
This volume lays the foundation of this story and the main premise for the story. The setting and character personalities are easily evident and understandable. Yakuto is blessed with gifted classmates varying in different abilities, who became his accomplices towards his end goal. His reasoning as well as some of his classmates’ backgrounds are also explained. There’s a lot to digest in this volume but also a lot of questions and sudden changes. Death is a predominant theme including vicious attacks or disembodiment.
The characters use a unique power based on the concept of a “root”. I found it interesting yet lacking in details. Hopefully later volumes will expand on its description and explain the various types. Also, I’m not well versed in many devils, demons or mythological antagonists, so it was sometimes hard to perceive the characters fighting capabilities.
Yakuto is an interesting character. He’s calculative, strong and conveniently an airhead when needed. I liked how he is protective of his new friends but also trusts them to handle their own battles. However, my favorite character would be Hani because he has a charm that just makes him stand out in the volume. He’s also a very funny character which provides the comedic relief needed in this somewhat dark story.
The artwork is pointed and sharp, reminiscent of action manga. I like how it used a variety of panel sizes and kept backgrounds simple, yet descriptive. The comedic scenes have a somewhat softer feel to them, and action scenes are quick and short. The characters are expressive and the character designs are all different. Also, there is quite a bit of fan-service in this series.
Overall, I liked reading this volume. I think it has an interesting concept regarding abilities, and a revenge story is always likeable if done right. I’ll definitely be continuing this story to see where it goes.
Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf
Volume one follows Yakuto joining Dead Rock Academy in the Demon World, a school to become God and gain a fraction of the human world. However, Yakuto has other intentions as he’s determined to kill the school’s current “God” alongside his classmates he’s strung along.
This volume lays the foundation of this story and the main premise for the story. The setting and character personalities are easily evident and understandable. Yakuto is blessed with gifted classmates varying in different abilities, who became his accomplices towards his end goal. His reasoning as well as some of his classmates’ backgrounds are also explained. There’s a lot to digest in this volume but also a lot of questions and sudden changes. Death is a predominant theme including vicious attacks or disembodiment.
The characters use a unique power based on the concept of a “root”. I found it interesting yet lacking in details. Hopefully later volumes will expand on its description and explain the various types. Also, I’m not well versed in many devils, demons or mythological antagonists, so it was sometimes hard to perceive the characters fighting capabilities.
Yakuto is an interesting character. He’s calculative, strong and conveniently an airhead when needed. I liked how he is protective of his new friends but also trusts them to handle their own battles. However, my favorite character would be Hani because he has a charm that just makes him stand out in the volume. He’s also a very funny character which provides the comedic relief needed in this somewhat dark story.
The artwork is pointed and sharp, reminiscent of action manga. I like how it used a variety of panel sizes and kept backgrounds simple, yet descriptive. The comedic scenes have a somewhat softer feel to them, and action scenes are quick and short. The characters are expressive and the character designs are all different. Also, there is quite a bit of fan-service in this series.
Overall, I liked reading this volume. I think it has an interesting concept regarding abilities, and a revenge story is always likeable if done right. I’ll definitely be continuing this story to see where it goes.
Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf
May 16, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC.
Fairy Tail is Fairy Tail. Eden's Zero is Fairy Tail in space. Dead Rock is Fairy Tail in hell. Get it? Mashima has one story, one set of characters pasted into each new setting. He doesn't do a bad job of it, but we're not getting anything new here. Just another overpowered guy planning to take on whatever counts as god in their world -in this case it's literally God- and roping in a bunch of outcasts with his extreme sense of confidence. Add some boobily fan service here and there, and you have yourself a 'new' series.
Fairy Tail is Fairy Tail. Eden's Zero is Fairy Tail in space. Dead Rock is Fairy Tail in hell. Get it? Mashima has one story, one set of characters pasted into each new setting. He doesn't do a bad job of it, but we're not getting anything new here. Just another overpowered guy planning to take on whatever counts as god in their world -in this case it's literally God- and roping in a bunch of outcasts with his extreme sense of confidence. Add some boobily fan service here and there, and you have yourself a 'new' series.
July 1, 2024
Surprisingly really fun, pretty absurd but has good shounen energy, and I'm curious to see how far it'll go !
March 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you NetGalley for the copy that I read ✨✨✨
This was such a fun read and exciting way to start a manga. I have been a fan of Mashima’s work for a majority of my life so to be excited for another one of his works is fun. I also love the concept of killing god. I also love the characters, I feel like Hein is going to be my favorite character besides Hani! I can’t wait to read more from Dead Rock and find out what happens!
Thank you NetGalley for the copy that I read ✨✨✨
This was such a fun read and exciting way to start a manga. I have been a fan of Mashima’s work for a majority of my life so to be excited for another one of his works is fun. I also love the concept of killing god. I also love the characters, I feel like Hein is going to be my favorite character besides Hani! I can’t wait to read more from Dead Rock and find out what happens!
June 25, 2024
On reconnaît bien Mashima hé hé
May 24, 2024
Après Fairy Tail et Edens Zero, Hiro Mashima nous offre Dead Rock.
On retrouve la patte artistique du mangaka que l'on connaît bien, mais cette fois, pas de mages ni de voyages dans l'espace. Nous descendons dans les enfers, dans la 666è strates et nous rejoignons Yakuto aux portes de l'examen d'entrée de l'académie Dead Rock, un établissement scolaire pour démons.
Au fil des planches, on découvre peu à peu l'univers et le joyeux bordel dans lequel les personnages évoluent et vivent leurs péripéties. Chacun devra tout mettre en œuvre pour survivre.
Chaque personnage est haut en couleurs et nous offre des dons différents, des racines venant des mythologies grecque, nordique et japonaise.
Ce premier tome est pour moi un tome prometteur et je lirai volontiers la suite.
On retrouve la patte artistique du mangaka que l'on connaît bien, mais cette fois, pas de mages ni de voyages dans l'espace. Nous descendons dans les enfers, dans la 666è strates et nous rejoignons Yakuto aux portes de l'examen d'entrée de l'académie Dead Rock, un établissement scolaire pour démons.
Au fil des planches, on découvre peu à peu l'univers et le joyeux bordel dans lequel les personnages évoluent et vivent leurs péripéties. Chacun devra tout mettre en œuvre pour survivre.
Chaque personnage est haut en couleurs et nous offre des dons différents, des racines venant des mythologies grecque, nordique et japonaise.
Ce premier tome est pour moi un tome prometteur et je lirai volontiers la suite.
July 28, 2024
5$ que le directeur/ dieu c’est son père
September 2, 2024
Le côté mythologie japonaise/grecque/nordique, nice
Le côté persos féminins tous introduits par leurs seins et leurs fesses, on pourrait peut être s'en passer pour un manga dont la première date de publication débute en 2023 ? Fairy Tail avait au moins l'excuse d'être publié en 2006.
J'ai eu du mal à rentrer dans l'histoire, le côté "quel est ton but, ah non ne me dit pas en fait je m'en fiche" pour créer une attente et un trait d'humour absurde m'ont plus agacée qu'intriguée/amusée. J'ai aussi eu du mal à me faire à l'humour absurde/de répétition, alors que je suis plutôt bon public d'ordinaire.
Sinon, la vibe est assez classique pour un shonen. J'ai commencé à presque apprécier à partir de la seconde moitié du tome, à partir du retournement de situation avec un professeur, pour ne pas spoiler. Potentiellement à voir dans les prochains tomes, mais il y a peu de chances que je lise la suite.
Le côté persos féminins tous introduits par leurs seins et leurs fesses, on pourrait peut être s'en passer pour un manga dont la première date de publication débute en 2023 ? Fairy Tail avait au moins l'excuse d'être publié en 2006.
J'ai eu du mal à rentrer dans l'histoire, le côté "quel est ton but, ah non ne me dit pas en fait je m'en fiche" pour créer une attente et un trait d'humour absurde m'ont plus agacée qu'intriguée/amusée. J'ai aussi eu du mal à me faire à l'humour absurde/de répétition, alors que je suis plutôt bon public d'ordinaire.
Sinon, la vibe est assez classique pour un shonen. J'ai commencé à presque apprécier à partir de la seconde moitié du tome, à partir du retournement de situation avec un professeur, pour ne pas spoiler. Potentiellement à voir dans les prochains tomes, mais il y a peu de chances que je lise la suite.
February 19, 2025
The plot seems like it could be fun, but there are so many recycled character designs from either Fairy Tale or Rave Master it's just distracting. As usual any female not 12 has tits bigger than her face 🙃
June 25, 2024
3.5
fun 🙏🏻🙏🏻
fun 🙏🏻🙏🏻
July 9, 2024
Mucho mejor que Eden's Zero, le veo potencial a lo nuevo de Mashima. Buen paneleo pero me la baja que sea mensual.
March 2, 2025
DeadRock
March 4
The creator of Fairy Tail and Eden Zero is back with DeadRock. The series is set in an academy setting, which is different from his past works, but there is a goal to destroy their “God”. This academy is set in the underworld and is difficult to be admitted in, where the students undergo a dangerous and potentially deadly test. This first volume seems to have started to lay the foundation for the series to a point. We see how Yakuto entered DeadRock and his intentions moving forward, as well as why he might think he does with glimpses of what “God” has been doing in the human world. You will probably be left with questions at the end of volume 1- I know I was.
The artwork is similar to that of his previous work and can see some similarities worked into the series. It is a bit darker than his previous works, which was slightly surprising and I am thinking that I shouldn’t get too attached to some of the characters. The characters have different roots which also means they all have different types of abilities. Right now I am loving the character Hani.
It definitely will follow the whole “power of friendship” trope I feel, so do be aware of that if you are not a huge fan of that trope. Also, like previous works there is fan service. There is violence and killing- why I feel you can’t get attached to characters. We do get to see some humor worked in too. Personally, the fan service and violence doesn’t bother me, but I do know not everyone is ok with it. Moving on… Overall, it is a series that I will enjoy reading more and I am interested to see the journey Hiro Mashima takes us on once again. I think what grabbed my attention was that it gave me darker vibes compared to his previous works, which made me want to continue to see what happens next even though it doesn’t necessarily bring something new to the genre. There are aspects that make you think oh that is sorta similar to blank series (like instead of finding Mother, Yakuto plans to defeat their God or how they have to survive and complete a test in order to enter the academy) or so and so has similarities to a certain character from say Fairy Tail.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley had the opportunity to read this ARC.
March 4
The creator of Fairy Tail and Eden Zero is back with DeadRock. The series is set in an academy setting, which is different from his past works, but there is a goal to destroy their “God”. This academy is set in the underworld and is difficult to be admitted in, where the students undergo a dangerous and potentially deadly test. This first volume seems to have started to lay the foundation for the series to a point. We see how Yakuto entered DeadRock and his intentions moving forward, as well as why he might think he does with glimpses of what “God” has been doing in the human world. You will probably be left with questions at the end of volume 1- I know I was.
The artwork is similar to that of his previous work and can see some similarities worked into the series. It is a bit darker than his previous works, which was slightly surprising and I am thinking that I shouldn’t get too attached to some of the characters. The characters have different roots which also means they all have different types of abilities. Right now I am loving the character Hani.
It definitely will follow the whole “power of friendship” trope I feel, so do be aware of that if you are not a huge fan of that trope. Also, like previous works there is fan service. There is violence and killing- why I feel you can’t get attached to characters. We do get to see some humor worked in too. Personally, the fan service and violence doesn’t bother me, but I do know not everyone is ok with it. Moving on… Overall, it is a series that I will enjoy reading more and I am interested to see the journey Hiro Mashima takes us on once again. I think what grabbed my attention was that it gave me darker vibes compared to his previous works, which made me want to continue to see what happens next even though it doesn’t necessarily bring something new to the genre. There are aspects that make you think oh that is sorta similar to blank series (like instead of finding Mother, Yakuto plans to defeat their God or how they have to survive and complete a test in order to enter the academy) or so and so has similarities to a certain character from say Fairy Tail.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley had the opportunity to read this ARC.
April 6, 2025
The cover looked pretty boring, but after taking a look inside on the publisher’s site, it did seem quite cool actually, so I checked it out.
I was gonna say the style reminds me a lot of Fairy Tail and One Piece, but Hiro Mashima is literally the mangaka of Fairy Tail, so yeah...
If you like FT or OP, you’ll love this too, probably. I, on the other hand, have never been intrigued by those 2 franchises, and this manga shows why. The art is great and I love how diverse everyone’s appearance is, but that’s about it.
Personalities of everyone are incredibly flat, there’s no real plot except constant fighting, and the main goal is something as basic as killing the ruler/god of the world. Protagonist has the most plain MC-energy, someone who would’ve died in the first page if he were a side character. But he’s not. So while the side characters are all more interesting (my favs are Chako, Frey and Mikoto (these two're unhinged, I love them)), he steals the focus with his lameness. Or may get a harem because he’s from a rare species. Nothing intriguing.
I was so bored most of the time. Wanted to give it a chance tho, trying to figure out where exactly the hype comes from, but again shows that I don’t understand mainstream hype.
But of course – it ends on a cliffhanger. I’m not really interested in following this story, though I do wanna know what happens... ugh. Although it’s quite self-explainable how it’ll continue and end.
Maybe I’ll check out volume 2 someday, maybe not. It’s definitely not in my priority list, though. If you’re gonna do the most basic dungeon academy plot for the perverted male gaze, at least give it some originality. Like a queer twist or a disability rep or something. Not chewing the same old heteronormative & neurotypical gum over and over again. (Well, I guess perverted men don't need more than that.)
~
Thanks to Kodansha for offering an eARC on Netgalley.
-06.04.25
I was gonna say the style reminds me a lot of Fairy Tail and One Piece, but Hiro Mashima is literally the mangaka of Fairy Tail, so yeah...
If you like FT or OP, you’ll love this too, probably. I, on the other hand, have never been intrigued by those 2 franchises, and this manga shows why. The art is great and I love how diverse everyone’s appearance is, but that’s about it.
Personalities of everyone are incredibly flat, there’s no real plot except constant fighting, and the main goal is something as basic as killing the ruler/god of the world. Protagonist has the most plain MC-energy, someone who would’ve died in the first page if he were a side character. But he’s not. So while the side characters are all more interesting (my favs are Chako, Frey and Mikoto (these two're unhinged, I love them)), he steals the focus with his lameness. Or may get a harem because he’s from a rare species. Nothing intriguing.
I was so bored most of the time. Wanted to give it a chance tho, trying to figure out where exactly the hype comes from, but again shows that I don’t understand mainstream hype.
But of course – it ends on a cliffhanger. I’m not really interested in following this story, though I do wanna know what happens... ugh. Although it’s quite self-explainable how it’ll continue and end.
Maybe I’ll check out volume 2 someday, maybe not. It’s definitely not in my priority list, though. If you’re gonna do the most basic dungeon academy plot for the perverted male gaze, at least give it some originality. Like a queer twist or a disability rep or something. Not chewing the same old heteronormative & neurotypical gum over and over again. (Well, I guess perverted men don't need more than that.)
~
Thanks to Kodansha for offering an eARC on Netgalley.
-06.04.25
March 6, 2025
Publishing date: 04.03.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR: A school for demons to gain access to the human world with absolutely no rules. 4 stars
In this manga we follow an aspiring student during his entrance exam to a high school for demons. We also get to meet a bunch of other characters that will be relevant (hopefully) in later entries for the manga. The school itself is a no-rules, dog eat dog kind of environment.
All of these characters got the same amount of depth in the first installment, none. You get introduced to them, name, what powers they have, and the "branch" of their powers. Hopefully they get explored further in the future.
Story wise has the same thing going for it, it is all introductory. We get to know the current happenings, our goal, and what needs to be done asap to do that. No more depth, just an introduction.
Pacing is a little all over the place, I am not sure how fast time is moving or when we were left off.
I really liked the artstyle of this manga. It is illustrated by the person who made "Fairy Tail", so if you like that style this will fit in. This manga also carries the same vibes, a lot of the same tropes, and the same hot-headed and "loud" characters. Really, if you like Hiro Mashima's work you will like this work too.
Audience could be anything between teen and adult. it isn't too graphic for teens, and it isn't too childish for adults either. Anyone who enjoys an action centric plot will like this.
I am giving this 4 stars. So far it has checked all my boxes for a manga I will enjoy, and I am looking forward to more. Will be reading the next installment ASAP.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR: A school for demons to gain access to the human world with absolutely no rules. 4 stars
In this manga we follow an aspiring student during his entrance exam to a high school for demons. We also get to meet a bunch of other characters that will be relevant (hopefully) in later entries for the manga. The school itself is a no-rules, dog eat dog kind of environment.
All of these characters got the same amount of depth in the first installment, none. You get introduced to them, name, what powers they have, and the "branch" of their powers. Hopefully they get explored further in the future.
Story wise has the same thing going for it, it is all introductory. We get to know the current happenings, our goal, and what needs to be done asap to do that. No more depth, just an introduction.
Pacing is a little all over the place, I am not sure how fast time is moving or when we were left off.
I really liked the artstyle of this manga. It is illustrated by the person who made "Fairy Tail", so if you like that style this will fit in. This manga also carries the same vibes, a lot of the same tropes, and the same hot-headed and "loud" characters. Really, if you like Hiro Mashima's work you will like this work too.
Audience could be anything between teen and adult. it isn't too graphic for teens, and it isn't too childish for adults either. Anyone who enjoys an action centric plot will like this.
I am giving this 4 stars. So far it has checked all my boxes for a manga I will enjoy, and I am looking forward to more. Will be reading the next installment ASAP.
March 12, 2025
NEW MANGA SERIES!
When it comes to manga, Hiro Mashima can school any manga artist. The originator of Rave Master, Fairy tale and Eden Zero has created a new Shoen series. I started watching the Fairy Tail anime ten years ago, when my teenage kids got me hooked on anime and manga. So when this old lady, who once cosplayed the character Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail, saw an advanced reader copy for a new Mashima series, I jumped at the chance to read this new series.
Hiro Mashima has turned his talents to the dark academy trope. Based in the depths of Hell. Dead Rock is one of those schools where very few even survive the entrance exam let alone survive until graduation. If you do graduate, you get to rule a slice of Earth. The protagonist, Yakuto, has entered the school with a different agenda and he is going to need the help of his classmates to pull it off. This is where we add in the "power of friendship trope". In this school, everyone has a root, or power that is based on varying mythologies. This concept is not very well explained yet, nor is the world building very developed. I am assuming this will be addressed in future issues. This first issue concentrates on setting up the premise and introducing all the characters, all of which are fantastic. Of course Mashima does tend to recycle is favorites, but fans enjoy it, and if you change the Kashima's hair color, you may recognize Natsu Dragneel. The side characters add a lot of much needed comic relief. There is a certain amount of fan service, with scantily clad women, but that is also typical of the artist. If you are a fan of Hiro Mashima or simply love manga with a dark twist, you will defiantly want to read this series.
When it comes to manga, Hiro Mashima can school any manga artist. The originator of Rave Master, Fairy tale and Eden Zero has created a new Shoen series. I started watching the Fairy Tail anime ten years ago, when my teenage kids got me hooked on anime and manga. So when this old lady, who once cosplayed the character Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail, saw an advanced reader copy for a new Mashima series, I jumped at the chance to read this new series.
Hiro Mashima has turned his talents to the dark academy trope. Based in the depths of Hell. Dead Rock is one of those schools where very few even survive the entrance exam let alone survive until graduation. If you do graduate, you get to rule a slice of Earth. The protagonist, Yakuto, has entered the school with a different agenda and he is going to need the help of his classmates to pull it off. This is where we add in the "power of friendship trope". In this school, everyone has a root, or power that is based on varying mythologies. This concept is not very well explained yet, nor is the world building very developed. I am assuming this will be addressed in future issues. This first issue concentrates on setting up the premise and introducing all the characters, all of which are fantastic. Of course Mashima does tend to recycle is favorites, but fans enjoy it, and if you change the Kashima's hair color, you may recognize Natsu Dragneel. The side characters add a lot of much needed comic relief. There is a certain amount of fan service, with scantily clad women, but that is also typical of the artist. If you are a fan of Hiro Mashima or simply love manga with a dark twist, you will defiantly want to read this series.
February 14, 2025
First of all, thanks NetGalley for the eARC copy!
This is one of the first mangas I've read. I did watch the entire Fairy Tail anime before so I am aware of his work. (Yes, I did enjoy the anime a lot!)
As for DEAD ROCK 1, I've read through the first volume in one go! The comedy is still there (and the fan-service), despite being set in the world of demons, divided in many, many, many levels. Many students are fighting over who's to receive a part of the human world.
So far, there's little world-building and more focus on introducing, what I assume is, the main cast. The reason why the MC has joined Dead Rock Academy is clear, to a certain extend and I'm curious to see what the full reason is in later volumes.
I do hope later volumes would also focus on the world-building as there's several locations introduced, but little info given surrounding them.
I definitely recommend trying this out if you're a fan of his other work.
#DEADROCK #NetGalley
This is one of the first mangas I've read. I did watch the entire Fairy Tail anime before so I am aware of his work. (Yes, I did enjoy the anime a lot!)
As for DEAD ROCK 1, I've read through the first volume in one go! The comedy is still there (and the fan-service), despite being set in the world of demons, divided in many, many, many levels. Many students are fighting over who's to receive a part of the human world.
So far, there's little world-building and more focus on introducing, what I assume is, the main cast. The reason why the MC has joined Dead Rock Academy is clear, to a certain extend and I'm curious to see what the full reason is in later volumes.
I do hope later volumes would also focus on the world-building as there's several locations introduced, but little info given surrounding them.
I definitely recommend trying this out if you're a fan of his other work.
#DEADROCK #NetGalley
February 12, 2025
It's okay. I like the author from his Fairy Tale anime/manga, but I won't say this one particularly gripped me. The first volume moves blazingly fast with little world building and instead opts to just throw the characters at you and shove why our main protagonist (Yakuto) is doing what he's doing in our faces. Also in the opening act, . Confusing as heck. Is this a translation issue or is this actually what the author intended??
The art-work is fine. Lots of fan-service for those who want it. I feel like I wouldn't really try this series until I got a few more volumes out and can see a more fleshed-out world/characters.
Received as a ARC from NetGalley.
The art-work is fine. Lots of fan-service for those who want it. I feel like I wouldn't really try this series until I got a few more volumes out and can see a more fleshed-out world/characters.
Received as a ARC from NetGalley.
March 23, 2025
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics and Hiro Mashima for providing me with an ARC of Dead Rock in exchange for my honest review.
Dead Rock 1 is an action-packed fantasy manga set in the demon world, where young demons compete for a coveted spot at Dead Rock, the demon realm’s most prestigious educational institution. The competition is a brutal battle royale, and the grand prize? The chance to claim dominion over the human world.
This manga delivers exactly what I love in anime and manga—intense battles, magical powers, and high-stakes action. The world-building is intriguing, and the characters are quickly established in this high-energy environment. It’s a thrilling start to what promises to be an exciting series.
I’m beyond excited for the next installment and can definitely see this series making an incredible anime adaptation.
Dead Rock 1 is an action-packed fantasy manga set in the demon world, where young demons compete for a coveted spot at Dead Rock, the demon realm’s most prestigious educational institution. The competition is a brutal battle royale, and the grand prize? The chance to claim dominion over the human world.
This manga delivers exactly what I love in anime and manga—intense battles, magical powers, and high-stakes action. The world-building is intriguing, and the characters are quickly established in this high-energy environment. It’s a thrilling start to what promises to be an exciting series.
I’m beyond excited for the next installment and can definitely see this series making an incredible anime adaptation.
February 10, 2025
This first volume sets the world up nicely. Where seven students had to go through an entrance exam in order to get into ‘Dead Rock’. Now they’re in and already causing havoc. Yakuto reveals that his purpose for being at the academy is to kill God; he’s hoping to get his classmates help in order to make it happen. The story is a bit absurd yet it has the heard of Mashima’s banter and silliness to the characters that you can’t help but enjoy. While the first volume doesn’t give us much it does tease us with a bit of backstory to some characters and leaves on n a cliffhanger of what might happen to Yakuto. I think I’ll definitely be reading the next volume when it’s released.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
February 20, 2025
I’d like to thank Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for having this title available to read in advance instantly on the NetGalley site. This is actually a pretty great manga. This is the first in a series about a group of students who are attending Dead Rock, a school in Hell where whoever graduates and survives gets to rule the world. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding the main character, Yakuto, but the end leaves you ready to read more. I like the other characters, but I’m on the fence with one kid, Haniwa, who says, ‘Are you stupid’ way too much. It’s hilarious the first couple of times, but after that it’s redundant. That being said I’m excited to read the rest of the series when I’m able to.
March 18, 2025
Thanks to netgalley for the ARC
It's too soon to tell. But I'll give it 3 stars for now
The Pros:
I'm a sucker for a fantasy manga set against a school backdrop. I'm lookin' at you: Mashle, Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-kun, Soul Eater, etc
Characters could be interesting
Cliffhanger did make me want to read more
The Cons:
Tone. I liked the blending of humor with dark elements, but I think the author needs to go further. Right now it's reading middle of the road, like he's not sure where he wants to take it.
Pace is rather breakneck. I fear this could lead to prolonged story arcs that get more nonsensical just to keep the story going in the future. It also doesn't give us the opportunity to really latch onto anyone and root for them.
It's too soon to tell. But I'll give it 3 stars for now
The Pros:
I'm a sucker for a fantasy manga set against a school backdrop. I'm lookin' at you: Mashle, Welcome To Demon School, Iruma-kun, Soul Eater, etc
Characters could be interesting
Cliffhanger did make me want to read more
The Cons:
Tone. I liked the blending of humor with dark elements, but I think the author needs to go further. Right now it's reading middle of the road, like he's not sure where he wants to take it.
Pace is rather breakneck. I fear this could lead to prolonged story arcs that get more nonsensical just to keep the story going in the future. It also doesn't give us the opportunity to really latch onto anyone and root for them.
August 8, 2025
A fun manga taking place at an academy in a demon world. I love fantastical stories with magic, and this one definitely had its share of it!
The main character wants to join the academy for a reason that's not fully explained yet, so it kept the intrigue going throughout the volume and got me really curious to know why he wants to do what he went there for!
The characters each have their own quirks and special powers and there is also humour in the story, which brings a little something extra to the story. It was also well paced and had a good flow.
The illustrations were well drawn, the story was intriguing and I enjoyed the story very much! It's a series I would continue reading and that I recommend!
The main character wants to join the academy for a reason that's not fully explained yet, so it kept the intrigue going throughout the volume and got me really curious to know why he wants to do what he went there for!
The characters each have their own quirks and special powers and there is also humour in the story, which brings a little something extra to the story. It was also well paced and had a good flow.
The illustrations were well drawn, the story was intriguing and I enjoyed the story very much! It's a series I would continue reading and that I recommend!
May 27, 2025
3.5 stars.
Publisher's recommended age: 13+.
The story feels like it's meant for the hands of a fourth grader who has no outlet to work out their aggression -- lots of unnecessary death, plenty of stylized violence and (bloodless) gore. However, the language ("asshole" is used early on) and fanservice (female characters introduced by panels with extreme close-ups of their cleavage or skirts) nudge this into teen territory.
There are plenty of tropes and cliches. The storytelling is rather thin, but there's lots of action on the page, and if you're looking for something quick without depth, it can be kinda fun.
Publisher's recommended age: 13+.
The story feels like it's meant for the hands of a fourth grader who has no outlet to work out their aggression -- lots of unnecessary death, plenty of stylized violence and (bloodless) gore. However, the language ("asshole" is used early on) and fanservice (female characters introduced by panels with extreme close-ups of their cleavage or skirts) nudge this into teen territory.
There are plenty of tropes and cliches. The storytelling is rather thin, but there's lots of action on the page, and if you're looking for something quick without depth, it can be kinda fun.
August 18, 2025
Level 666 of the demon world contains the School of Dead Rock. Everyone in the demon world comes to Dead Rock to improve their power and knowledge.1,000 different creatures battle it out during the special entrance exam for the chance of admittance to Dead Rock. An unlikely gaggle of recruits emerges from this special test. They have passed the initial test, can this class get through the rest of the day at Dead Rock...without being killed? I guess we will see.
The characters in this manga did not resonate enough with me. I know it is only the first volume, but the characters lacked intrigue. I’d be willing to read the next installment.
#ThxNetGalley #HiroMashima #DEADROCK
The characters in this manga did not resonate enough with me. I know it is only the first volume, but the characters lacked intrigue. I’d be willing to read the next installment.
#ThxNetGalley #HiroMashima #DEADROCK
February 25, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC!
I'm a big fan of Hiro Mashima's previous works, and was exited to see that this was another new series from him. The plot easily hooks the reader as you wonder exactly why the main protagonist wants t0 defeat god and he drags along his classmates for the ride. While it is slightly info dump, I think it all was pretty well done and left at a cliffhanger that got me wanting more.
I'm a big fan of Hiro Mashima's previous works, and was exited to see that this was another new series from him. The plot easily hooks the reader as you wonder exactly why the main protagonist wants t0 defeat god and he drags along his classmates for the ride. While it is slightly info dump, I think it all was pretty well done and left at a cliffhanger that got me wanting more.
March 3, 2025
***ARC from NetGalley***
This is the first English translation for this manga that began in 2023. This is the first volume of at least 4 and I cannot wait for the remaining translations.
The concept is a school for demons where there are no rules and no real consequences. Thinks Hogwarts meets Mortal Kombat.
I love the artwork and Hani might be my favorite (are you stupid?). Highly recommend.
This is the first English translation for this manga that began in 2023. This is the first volume of at least 4 and I cannot wait for the remaining translations.
The concept is a school for demons where there are no rules and no real consequences. Thinks Hogwarts meets Mortal Kombat.
I love the artwork and Hani might be my favorite (are you stupid?). Highly recommend.
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