Daemons of the Shadow Realm Volume 13 PV Goes Viral for Its 'Gap,' Fans Laugh at Asuma's 'Help Me, Mr. Tadera...' Being Called a Cute Moment

Square Enix's official YouTube channel has released a special PV celebrating the release of Volume 13 of the manga Daemons of the Shadow Realm, and it's generating buzz. The official X (Twitter) account posted, "The theme is 'gap'! Don't miss the cool and cute sides," with a warning that the video contains content up through Volume 12, so viewers are advised to watch with caution.

Set to EDM, the released video rhythmically alternates between the series' dark fantasy coolness and its surreal comedic gags. The video opens with a stylish black-and-white title logo, followed by a scene of protagonist Yuru drawing his bow with a serious expression, declaring, "Whoever wants my head can come and take it!" This is followed by panels of his supposedly cool and formidable sister Asa spiraling out of control shouting "Can I hug you?!", filling the screen and showing off her extreme brother complex.

Additionally, Asuma Kagemori, who's usually shown with a huge scheming grin, is seen breaking into a cold sweat with a blade held to his throat, pathetically muttering "Help me, Mr. Tadera..." At the end, in a group shot with everyone together, he suddenly flashes an innocent, wonderful smile instead — surreal scenes that highlight the characters' striking gaps.

The manga Daemons of the Shadow Realm is a dark fantasy series by Hiromu Arakawa, known for works like Fullmetal Alchemist, and has also been adapted into an anime. Yuru, a boy who lives a peaceful life hunting in a small mountain village, has his village suddenly destroyed one day by mysterious attackers. He becomes swept up in a harsh fate involving the village's secrets, the mystery of his twin sister Asa — who had been locked away in a cell — and the otherworldly supernatural beings known as "Tsugai." The series' greatest appeal lies in the perfect balance between its intense battles and the gags woven in as naturally as breathing.

On social media, the PV's depiction of this delicate gap has drawn attention to Asuma's range, with comments like, "Um, does the official account seriously think Asuma's 'Help me, Mr. Tadera...' is a cute scene...?" and "They keep showing off Asuma's big scheming face, but his smile in the final group shot is such a genuinely great, cute smile." The comedic scenes have also gotten reactions, such as, "I can't stop laughing at the part with Asa going on and on about 'big bro, big bro.'" Others have praised the PV's masterful construction, saying things like, "This latest volume's PV raises expectations so much, yet it barely gives away any major spoilers for anime-only fans. It's amazing — I can feel the love, grit, and determination of whoever made it, and it's giving me chills."

(C)Hiromu Arakawa/SQUARE ENIX, Project TSUGAI