I'm excited to discover more of this series! The concept of a school dedicated to being the best demon is super interesting.

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.

Dark academia manga? Yes, please! DEAD ROCK 1 was a great intro into a world where young demons battle it out for a (slim) chance to become "god" of the human world. As lofty as that may sound, readers immediately learn just how dangerous being at the demon academy is. The fight scenes are bloody, the body count rises fast, and trust isn't exactly commonplace. I loved it!

The humor added to the story, which doesn't always work out (previous reading experiences, I'm looking at you). The gallows humor fits with the setting; a demon realm is not filled with butterflies (unless they're trying to eat you). All of the Class F students were easy to connect with. Yes, their all demons, but their personalities are very different. They have goals and secrets that this volume only touches on, leaving readers desperate for more details. Yet layering in a bit of backstory was subtle and did not have the story veer off.

I'll need to grab the next book when it's published. I loved the artwork and the writing. The story has a great foundation to expand on!

What a premise. A dragon child wants to kill God, his principal, for pretending to be the real leader of Hell. This series is incredible in how much it attempts to fit in every chapter. It is juvenile, funny, action-packed, relationship-focused, and emotional. I can see the grand flourishes that would make for a great anime.

I don’t think this manga is bad, it’s just not for me. After reading the first novel, I don’t have the desire to read anymore. I feel like the story is very cliche.

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.

I'll give points to Dead Rock for what starts out as a well-worn intro turning itself on it's own head by the end of the first chapter. Seriously, we went from, "Gotta make it as an applicant by passing this life or death test!" to screaming to the third disk of an RPG. That's right, they gotta kill the principle, who is named, god." Like, that sure is a narrative choice! I will also give points to the fact that Hiro Mashima makes fun monster designs. This was dumb fun, and sometimes that's all a story needs to be.

***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.

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.

Oh Hiro Mashima, you’ve never ceased to entertain me! From his early days doing Rave Master to his current hits like Fairy Tail and Edens Zero, Mashima has stuck close to his formula. His latest work, Dead Rock — a possible nod to Guitar Wolf’s 2007 album — is no exception. Spiky-haired protagonist? Check. Characters who explain the ways of the world, even though they all know it already? Check. Barely disguised fetishes? Triple check! And I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Run by God himself, Dead Rock is a place where demons can learn to be the best of the best. Graduate, and they’ll get to rule a human’s domain. Our pointy-follicle protagonist this time is Yakuto, who has entered an exam to gain entry to Hell’s school. At first, he doesn’t seem like much, what with him being squashed to death before the manga reached its tenth page. However, after showing that he’s not quite dead, Yakuto demonstrates that he’s no mere demon. In fact, he’s part of a race that was believed to be wiped out generations ago: the dragon roots.

After going through the trial, Yakuto is placed in Class F with the other six competitors: Hani the Thor Root, Hien the Fenrir, Frey the Ifrit, Raizen the Orochi, Chako the Yatagarasu, and Mikoto the Lich. But before the first class can get underway, Yakuto does the unthinkable: he kills the teacher in front of his class. The reason: Yakuto wants to kill God, whom he claims to be an imposter. While some of the classmates aren’t down to slaughter the Creator of All Things, they don’t exactly want to stop him either.

Right off the bat, readers get a good feel for Dead Rock’s gang. Yes, some of these folks might as well have been recycled from Mashima’s past works. With that being said, if the formula ain’t broken, why bother fixing it! The likes of Hani and Chako are practically the Happy and Plue of this manga, and the ladies of this series are designed with fan-service intentions. Yakuto also fits well with Natsu and Shiki, as he’s also loud, energetic, and powerful as all Hell!

Where Dead Rock differs is in its narrative. Fairy Tail and Edens Zero were all about adventures, while this series is keen on keeping the crew to one setting. Considering the amount of world building Mashima has done in many of his past series, maybe it’s good that he’s keeping his setting more simple. After all, Hell can be whatever cesspool of evils you want it to be; you just gotta use your imagination!

As for the power system, not too much has been revealed. We all know what most of these students’ deals are concerning their skills (save for Chako…for the time being), and none of Yakuto’s classmates are pushovers in the slightest. Quite the contrary, I wouldn’t be surprised if this new batch of students wind up being the strongest in Dead Rock’s existence. The action scenes are showcased with exciting detail, with Mashima even going to gory lengths to demonstrate just how terrifying these school chums can be.

I do mention that this manga tends to explain things these characters should already know. Thankfully, even after reading through the entirety of Volume One, there are still some things that are carefully hidden from readers. A good example of that is the school rules, with only the one involving murdering students and teachers being revealed. Then there’s how God took over a school for demons, with Yakuto’s flashback showing a mere hint of what got Him there in the first place.

Thus far, Dead Rock has all the things that make for a trademark Hiro Mashima series. With that being said, reading it is as fun as a barrel of monkeys on fire! While you’ll certainly traverse through familiar characters and situations, you’ll no doubt have a blast experiencing these hallowed halls of the underworld with these powerful classmates. Dead Rock will satisfy you like a Sex Napoleon, thanks in part to its violent action, side-splitting comedy, and visuals you’ll want to chomp on like a Tokyo Zombie!

Dead Rock is a school for demons in the deepest level of hell. Thousands want to attend; only a handful survive the entrance exam. Even fewer will graduate, as the students are free to kill anyone they want, but the reward is worth it: they’re given a human realm to rule. So promises the god who is the school’s principal.

One hopeful attendant is Yakuto, who comes across as timid and apologetic at first, but that’s only the surface. He’s firece and blood-thirsty, with the blood of a black dragon. But his goal isn’t to graduate. He wants to kill the god. Or that’s what he claims.

This was a fast-paced story with many deaths, but not very much gore, and there’s some humour too. The characters were all angry and blood-thirsty, but the first volume didn’t really reveal much about them. Yakuto definitely has a secret. What it is, we’ll learn later.

Art was good, but I had trouble keeping some characters apart. I’m not sure I’d continue with this.

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.

I initially thought this was going to be another fighting-type school story, but I was not prepared for the twist. While there is fighting and killing in this story, it’s set in a school but differs from many others in the genre. The art is really well done and captures the darkness of some of the scenes. I can't wait to read more of this series.

Hiro Mashima is back in this new Kodansha manga release! DEAD ROCK takes readers to the world of demons, where students are vying for the role of demon lord at a new school. Whoever becomes the next demon lord will be given control of the human world by… well, by God. After passing the rigorous (and deadly) entrance exam, young demon Yakuto starts working on his goal; but it’s not at the same as everyone else’s.

Yakuto sees all sorts of flaws in the way things work. Rather than ruling over humans, he plans to kill God. And considering he’s wielding a source of power believed to be extinct, he might just have a chance. How will he fare? Why is his goal so lofty? Start reading and find out!

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.

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.

I’d like to thank Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for having this title available to read in advance instantly on the NetGalley site. Dead Rock 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.

This has potential to be fun and interesting. I really enjoyed the first chapter and the amount of world building smashed into it that made sense. However I was constantly distracted by all of the recycled character designs from either Rave Master or Fairy Tale. It's basically Natsu in a demon academy fighting Achnologia with Minerva who uses necromancy and Gajeel minus the piercings fighting with the sword from Rave Master. And as usual with Hiro Mashima and shounen manga in general, any female character who isn't 12 has tits the size of her face.

A fun blend of Fourth Wing, Soul Eater, and My Hero Academia in story and tone. The jokes were a pleasant surprise; I wasn't expecting it to be so funny. The fan service shots brought that back down a bit for me, but I know that's me wanting the genre to be something it isn't. Not sure if I'll keep pursuing the manga personally, but I will be pulling it into the store. I also would tune in if it does well enough to get an anime adaption.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dead Rock is Hell's top educational institution where many students die just trying to get in and even fewer make it to graduation. The prize if you graduate though is ruling Earth.

Initially I was super excited to read this as I'm a huge fan of both Fairy Tail and Edens Zero, Hiro Mashima's previous works. Dead Rock is different as rather than taking place within a guild in a magical world or in outer space, the setting is academic and in Hell. The story follows Yakuto a young demon who all he has ever wanted is a spot at this institution and all of the chaos that ensues when he does get in.

This first volume set up the world and each character, but it will be interesting to see how the story progresses in the volumes to come. Fans will also recognize similar character styles and attributes to favorites from previous works and that only helps to build a connection to these new characters!