Yokai Doctor 1

妖怪のお医者さん [Youkai no Oisha-san] #1

by Yūki Satō

TIME FOR YOUR INJECTION

Yokai are mysterious, troublemaking spirits and demons that have tormented Japan for centuries. Kotoko’s grandfather exorcised them for a living, but Kotoko never thought that her family lineage was an asset. Then she meets Kuro, a yokai doctor. Yokai have doctors? Now Kotoko is learning firsthand that healing the yokai is a lot more challenging than getting rid of them!

Includes in-depth translation notes and a preview of the next volume!

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult, Supernatural

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2007

About the author

Librarian notes: There is more than one author using the same name.

Other mangaka with same romaji name:
1. Yūki^^^Satō (佐藤祐紀)
2. Yuuki Satou (さとうユーキ)

佐藤友生, Yūki Satō's works:
- 2007 - 妖怪のお医者さん [Youkai no Oisha-san]
- 2011 - うしろノしんでれさん [Ushiro no Shindere-san]
- 2012 - 探偵犬シャードック [Tanteiken Sherdock]
- 2014 - トモダチゲーム [Tomodachi Game]
- 2014 - 明智警部の事件簿 [Akechi Keibu no Jikenbo]
- 2018 - 恋ニ非ズ [Koi ni Arazu]

Reviews

[Cornerofmadness · Rating 3 out of 5]

My library had the first three of this manga so I figured, ‘why not?’ Yokai are spirits and Kotoko is a teenaged girl who comes from a long lineage of exorcists. She can see the yokai but has no real ability to exorcise them. However, her classmates think she can and she does put on a good show. Enter Kuro Gokokuji, a bespeckled young man. He’s an intermittent student that everyone else thinks is weird and pervy. Actually his character is a bit odd as he comes off as shy geek most of the time then he turns around and is pervy, not a combo you usually see.

Kotoko is conned into taking on a dangerous exorcism in the woods with all her classmates tagging along. She is over her head but Kuro is there to help. She offers him her friendship. We also get to see this same storyline from Kuro’s point of view later in the manga.

Also he helps her with another yokai but is distressed to realize she hates them. He does, however, show her another side to them by admitting he is a yokai doctor. Kotoko doesn’t understand why, having been raised to think yokai are evil.

It’s not a bad beginning, a bit confusing at first. It’s probably good for the younger teen reader though there are boob grabs and panty shots. I probably wouldn’t have bought this but I’ll at least read what the library has.

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just happened upon this series while I was browsing the graphic novel/manga section at the library. The title immediately caught my attention so I read the back. Sounded like something I'd like. And I did! It was great! Kuro is fabulous! A nice balance of silly and serious. I wonder if this series is only 3 volumes long, because it seems like it could be much longer? But I guess I'll find out as I read the other two volumes. I will welcome such a short series, but I'll be sad to see something like this end so quickly. It's cute and funny!

[Fenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a boy who connects more easily with yokai (Japanese fae / spirits) than with regular people. The tension is between a girl in his class who fears them, coming from a family of exorcists, and him, who tries to heal them as a profession. I'm curious about his origin story, but like the book mostly for its empathy.
Overall, this manga would have been better without the ecchi undertones.

[図書館屋 Sharon the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of yokai and saw this manga had been translated into English, so I wanted to see what the Japanese was like. Sweet story and interesting character development.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't until I saw this for like five bucks at Half-Price Books, that I knew Del Rey ever took a stab at publishing manga in the US. Sadly, if Yokai Doctor is indicative of the quality of the series they licensed, I can see why they got out of the game.

There's nothing inherently wrong with Yokai Doctor, but there's nothing that really makes it stand out, either. Kuro is a high school student by day, and a yokai doctor by night, who doesn't really fit into either of those two worlds. There's potential in the story of him treating yokai while trying to figure himself out as well as where he belongs, but so far none of his patients' ailments have been particularly deep or complicated, and his misadventures in trying to find himself tend to dip into uninspired ecchi territory.

The art ranges from passable to surprisingly good (a few dynamic panels of birds flying toward the reader are particularly striking), so it's clear Sato has talent. It just feels like that talent could be used someplace better than this very average story.

[Francine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm super into the topic (yokai). On the other hand, I'm not really into ecchi stuff, and I'm also not a big fan of the fact that the prologue chapters are re-told in chapter 1 (though I understand why they did that and it does add some depth).
All in all, these specific yokai are interesting enough for me to want to keep reading.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character is easy to become addicted to!!

[David Doel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is occasionally good. The story is neither clear nor interesting.

[kuristina- tabreez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kotoko Kasuga has been able to see youkai since she can remember, because she is the grandchild of a youkai exorcist! Since nobody else is able to see youkai, Kotoko has always been bullied and branded as a freak, but now that she's in high school, she can have a brand new start with brand new friends... including a youkai doctor, Kuro Gokokuji!


Ew. I can't stand the crude humor in this. I should have never started on this series, because I really don't want this to stick in my brain forever! URGHH! Besides, Del Rey was only able to publish three volumes before going out of business! >< Not only that but there is actually a total of fifteen volumes in Japan, AND I've only been able to find the first ten chapters online. Well, whatever. I'm sure I'll pick it up again if it ever gets licensed again, but... I really do hate this series, so far. Also, the characters are not even well-rounded or realistic! Why must it be so aggravating?! GRRR!
And for those of you that forgot, missed it, or skimmed through the book... The reason why the first two chapters are from Kotoko's point of view, and differ in some parts from Kuro's point of view in the last two chapters of this volume, is because the first two chapters (Yin and Yang) were a two-part one-shot sort of comic to see how Yokai Doctor would do before making it into a series. Although, I don't know why those two chapters were ever successful enough to create an entire series out of it, because through the whole original story I felt like I wanted to rip my hair out. It was so stupid, offensive, and gross! I can't wait until I finish these three volumes.

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seemed promising but I'll not be continuing this series. I liked the story and thus, I gave it 3 stars. Plus, the illustrations are good.But the way the writer repeats the story over and over and adds new info just annoyed me. I am not a fan of that kind of story telling in manga.
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Spoiler
Note to self:
Kotoko Kasuga(16yo,grandchild of exorcist,pal1)+Kuro Gokokuji(yokai doctor,15yo,pal),Mata-san(cat,yokai),Kyukan-bo(pal),Amanojaku(yokai,lightning),Tsuchikorobi(yokai),Ayumi(H.S. pal1).

[Biondy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baru baca sampai nomor 8 sih. Kesan sejauh ini:

1-3: oke. Ceritanya lumayan lucu dan menarik.

4-6: hah? Ini siapa? Kenapa tiba-tiba muncul? Kenapa mereka tiba-tiba bisa punya kekuatan? Kenapa bisa ngecek elemen pakai sejenis kembang api? Kenapa jadi kayak Hunter x Hunter gini?

7-8: ini kenapa jadi kayak Bleach, misi menyelamatkan Rukia begini? Kenapa genrenya jadi lain begini dengan ekspektasi awal habis baca 3 nomor pertamanya?

Sejauh ini 2,5 bintang sih.

[Yuiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good and interesting :) but sad they didnt translate all vols dont read unless ur ok with only reading 3 vols and never getting to end it :) thats the only reason its four outa five stars

[Muhammad Rajab Al-mukarrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Komik yang unik dan lucu. Semoga di volume selanjutnya bisa tetap menyenangkan untuk dibaca.

[Juan Sahetapy · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice

[Chu Rou]

くろのリアクションはいつも面白くて、この本を読むのは楽しいと思いました。妖怪もかわいくて、とても好きです。