I really enjoyed the twist this spin-off bring adding a fresh backstory while staying true to the heart and humor of the original Iruma-kun series.

I would definitely want to read Volume 2 and see how the story unfolds as more familiar faces join the cast.

If you’ve read or watched the original, this is a fun side trip into a “soft-core mafia” world more charm than crime, it's still Iruma-Kun afterall.

Super witzig und cute, haha. Eine Mafia-Story mal etwas anders 😄
Zu Beginn begegnen wir Iruma, der 5 ist und alleine in den Slums lebt. Eines Tages liegt ein älterer Mann schwer verwundet vor seinem Zuhause (ein Zelt) - da er stets hilfsbereit ist und anderen sein Essen, Geld und co überlasst, kümmert er sich um ihn. Er gibt ihm Brot, Medizin und verarztet ihn. Eines Tages ist der Mann weg und Iruma glücklich, dass es ihm gut zu gehen scheint. Doch dann taucht er plötzlich wieder auf und entführt Iruma kurzerhand - um dann zu verkünden, dass er der Boss einer Mafia-Familie ist und Iruma adoptieren möchte! Und so beginnt der große Spaß.. 😄

Es ist einfach super funny, wie alles erzählt wird - gleichermaßen in Wort und Bild. Das Artwork ist weich und detailliert, an einigen Stellen gibt's aber auch kantige Zeichnungen, die zur Situation wunderbar passen. Der Plot ist im ersten Moment relativ normal und wirkt nicht ganz so tiefgründig, doch mit der Zeit merkt man, dass da wohl doch etwas mehr dahintersteckt. Das Pacing ist angenehm und man lernt die einzelnen Charaktere schnell besser kennen - und auch lieben 🫶

Scheinbar gibt's den Titel leider noch nicht auf deutsch, würd ich mir aber sehr wünschen! 😍💖

⋆˚࿔ 4 stars⋆˚࿔

I was so happy to be able to receive this ARC, as I have watched a bit of the original anime. This was just a sign to pick up the anime again and to read the original manga.

Anyway, I really liked this manga. I love the idea that instead of the demon world it was set in the mafia. Iruma is adopted by Lord Sullivan who is the Don of the Mafia (I think Lord Sullivan is one of my favorite characters, he is just so cute and funny). I loved how we are introduced to some of the og characters were introduced, aka Opera and Kalego (Love their banter). Not to mention our little cliffhanger with Admodeus popping up, can’t wait to see how he meets Iruma. I am very excited to see how this spin-off series will continue, and I will be reading the original series!.

⋆˚࿔ Thank you to NetGalley, Osamu Nishi; Hiroja
and Kodansha Comics | Vertical Comics for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ⋆˚࿔

ARC Review
Overall rating: 5

How can I not give this a 5 star. I absolutely love the main series and these are truly some of my favorite comfort characters ever. This spin-off is so fun and I’m so curious to see what they do moving forward. I love that they stayed authentic to the main core of each of the characters and their relationships/dynamics with one another. Although, I also really enjoyed some of the creative liberty that was taken with the smaller details to make them better fit in with the spin-off storyline. Overall, I truly could not have loved this more than I did, and am so excited to continue this spin-off series!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an early copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

I love this graphic novel!
Iru-kun is trying to be a good person even if he lives in the worst place to do so all the time. Yes, his situation changes when the mafia adopts him, but it is still hostile territory.
I can't wait to read how he makes the mafia world better in the next volume!

This was a fun story. I actually haven't read the other series but find it intriguing enough to do so. Well paced and read through it in one sitting. I am excited for the next one to come out.

As someone who had watched Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun, I definitely love this mafia version as well and couldn't have thought of anything better than this version.

I really love how the story goes on. Although it is super similar to how it was in the original version, this version also had some alterations and add ons that really fit and made their characters more interesting.

Also, can I just say how fine they made Kaelgo and Opera in this version 🫦 BECAUSE THEY WERE SO DAMN FINE, not to mention Alice as well at the very end 😫

I have yet to read the manga of Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun, but hopefully, soon ✨️

Overall, super love this 🩷

Thank you, Kodansha Comics | Vertical Comics, for advance copy 🩷

First of all, I need not know this was a spin off of a established series when I picked out the ARC, regardless I didn't feel lost and thought this is fun! What could sweeter and more awesome then an innocent but sweet street urchin being adopted into a supernatural crime family and managed to do a solid job for and within the family with their sweet touch too.

I loved the original version of this story, and this retelling was such a fun and creative twist! Instead of being transported to a demon world, the main character ends up becoming part of a crime family. It was such a treat to see all the familiar characters reimagined as members of a crime syndicate, while still keeping their core personalities intact. The fresh setting added a new layer of excitement, and I can’t wait to read the rest and see how the other characters are portrayed in this version!

Ngl this had me hooked.

The plot and characters were so random but funny.

The plot was strangely endearing and I actually would recommend it.

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun is Osamu Nishi’s surprisingly wholesome series about a boy adopted by a high-ranking demon. As he attends demon school, he inadvertently teaches the underworld about the power of friendship. But in a new spinoff series, Iruma descends into a very different kind of underworld. Get ready to meet the IruMafia!



New But Familiar

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun: IruMafia Edition hails from writer and artist Hiroja. The spinoff runs alongside and in collaboration with Nishi’s main series, but there are some differences right within the first few pages. Iruma is still down on his luck, but we meet him at five years old in a really bad part of town. Rather than being adopted by a demon while he’s in his teens, he’s adopted as a child by a mafia boss. But you may recognize him. Yep, it’s Sullivan again!

Don Sullivan is the boss of the Babel family, and he desperately wants a grandkid. (Some things just don’t change across universes.) On the same day, he welcomes Opera into the family as little Iruma’s bodyguard. It’s a festive occasion to be sure. But things really kick off when Iruma turns 14, becoming the Underboss of the Babel family.



Vibe Check

IruMafia Edition is, as one might expect, different in many ways from the original manga tonally. There’s a lot more violence, but never from anyone you wouldn’t expect to be violent. Like Iruma himself, for instance. This mafia-verse version of our protagonist is excellent at dodging danger thanks to his rough upbringing. That means he generally doesn’t have to get his hands dirty. Nor does he want to. He has one goal: make sure nobody ever feels hungry.

There’s plenty of talk of demons, but not literal demons. The underworld is a nasty place, full of people who care only about money and power. These sorts of “demons” also need winning over. And while there is a bit of a darker edge to this series, the whimsy and heart of the original is still threaded throughout.



What Remains

Just because IruMafia Edition tends toward a slightly darker tone doesn’t mean there’s no silliness. Kalego Naberius is his usual uptight self, but fans will be thrilled to learn that his cuddly familiar form does live on in this non-magical world. How? You’ll just have to wait and see.

Hiroja has done a truly brilliant job in this first volume of casting familiar characters in appropriate roles. Even with major differences in rank, role, and background, everyone just feels right. And we’re happy to see Iruma’s wholesomeness transcend dimensions.

4.5 stars
I loved the first 2 seasons of Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, so I was really curious to see how this mafia take on the series would go. I loved this first volume.

The first chapter was so adorable! I loved seeing little 5 year old Iruma interact with people and get adopted by Sullivan. The next chapters, now with Iruma at age 14, were very fun too. Opera is a favorite of mine in the anime, so I love how prominent of a character he was in this volume. While he and Kalego both seemed different than they are in the anime of the original series, I still felt like they were in character, if that makes sense. And I'm so excited for Asmodeus' introduction in volume 2.

I received access to an eARC of volume 1 in exchange for my honest review, and now I want to purchase a physical copy when it's available. I've very excited to continue this series.

This is an alternate-universe take on the Iruma-kun franchise that swaps out the supernatural Underworld for the crime-based underworld of the Mafia. The artwork is strong, and a few of your favorite characters (most of whom have yet to make their appearance) are dressed to the nines in stylish suits.

I was already sold on the premise before I started reading, so I didn’t need quite as much setup as the book delivered. I just wanted to jump right in and see Iruma meet all the Mafioso versions of the characters we know and love. Volume 1 is mostly focused on laying the groundwork for this alternate universe, so I can see the series gaining momentum in future volumes.

I was first introduced to Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun through the anime, fell in love with the characters and read the manga. When I saw that there was a spinoff putting these characters I love into a different world I was quickly interested. Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun IruMafia does an excellent job at considering how these characters would behave when placed into a new setting. Obviously Iruma remains the star of this manga and he continues to be his ball of sunshine self. The most interesting change is the character of Opera who comes to care for Iruma in a different way then in the original manga. Sullivan remains his lovable, a bit too much self. I’m looking forward to future volumes of this manga and get to see more of these characters within this new setting. Overall, if you too love the characters of Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun and are interested in seeing them being themselves in new settings I highly recommend picking up this book. Thank you NetGalley and Kondasha Comics for an advanced digital review copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

IruMafia Edition takes our lovely wacky tale of Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun's story and gives it a contemporary mafia twist to it. Iruma is still a lovely character who has a heart of gold! The story unfolds similarly to the og: where Iruma gets adopted by his new grandpa, and then crazy hijinks ensue and continue throughout the story, but with good morals and heartwarming moments. This is just as fun as the original story, and I love this twist to the plot!

I absolutely enjoy anime manga comic books all of that Asian in Japanese culture. Plus I absolutely love an anime called the Demon King so when I saw a demon school, I knew I needed to read it and let me tell you Irma and the babyl mafia is just the greatest thing ever to go from. Nothing to everything would be amazing but to go from super nice into a mafia Irma is a sweet little boy who lives on the streets and happened to help the head of the babyl mafia. I don’t wanna spoil it, but man was this actually a very good manga and I would absolutely finish all 17 episodes.

This is a really solid example of a spin-off series/ Alternate Universe take on the main series' concept. Instead of being demons, everyone is a member of a crime syndicate, and it actually works really well! The core of the characters remain consistent, but there are fun alterations to the new setting, Opera is still very much Opera, just a little more feral. Whereas characters like Sullivan and Iruma haven't changed a bit. It still holds the main series' charm points and fun vibes, it's just everyone is packing a little more heat now, and the clothes are snazzy!

Out of all of the good boys in anime and manga, no one reaches the top tier quite like Iruma-kun. The star of Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun has the biggest of hearts, the best of friends, and the strongest of wills. (In fact, he’s the only protagonist that I’m okay with having all of the women that are smitten by him; he’s that nice!) But would Iruma-kun act the same if — instead of the Underworld — he found himself in the middle of the mafia? Yes, it’s an odd thing to ponder, but the spinoff IruMafia is here to answer that question!

Instead of his teenage years, IruMafia starts off with Iruma at the age of five. He’s homeless, parentless, and goes day-to-day to find his grub. Yet even when he absolutely needs to eat, he often gives what he finds to other less-fortunate people. One day, Iruma finds an older man passed out near his sleeping quarters. True to his nature, Iruma nurses the man back to health, even giving him his lone loaf of bread.

If you’ve ever read or watched the original Iruma-kun series, you can probably guess who the old man is. Days later, Don Sullivan picks Iruma up and sweeps him into a life of luxury. Although he’s free to refuse this kind offer, the boy has never once said “no” to, well, anything. As such, Iruma quickly finds himself with a new grandson in Don Sullivan, as well as a new right-hand man in Opera. But when it comes to the latter, Opera doesn’t exactly go for the job right off the bat.

The first chapter introduces our main “family”, so to speak, with Opera becoming a part of the Sullivans after a fun little chase sequence. But even as the big scary Don, Sullivan still is the eggy happy grandpa that we all know and love. That warmth naturally helps Iruma and even Opera agree to living with him, as a nine-year jump shows how much the two of them grow as people. Of course, these aren’t the only familiar faces you’ll run into in this first volume of IruMafia.

Chapter Two brings in Kalego, who is now the treasurer of the Babel Family and Iruma’s tutor. What appears to be a lesson on making honest money is revealed to be Kalego showing just how evil and greedy he is. Naturally, as anyone will certainly figure out, Iruma is just too darn lucky to have Kalego succeed in making a mockery of him. In fact, not only does the kindhearted Iruma add more to his debt, but also finds a sneaky way to repay it, and it involves Kalego wearing something quite familiar.

Surprisingly, it’s not Clara or Asmodeus that make their entrance in the premiere volume, but Camu Camu. While his chapter is an interesting look at Iruma’s first time in the big city, it’s definitely the weakest in the story department. With that being said, it does have some of the best-looking action in the volume, whether it’s Kalego going chain crazy or Iruma being sent flying via a massive sign. Still, it would’ve been nice to see the two folks who’d become Iruma’s best friends outside of a teaser cameo.

Nobody asked for IruMafia, but one wouldn’t say “no” to any spinoff of Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun. It has its bright moments, and it does deliver two stellar chapters out of the three. If only a couple more familiar faces came out of the shadows and entered Iruma’s life, then it could’ve been a stronger premiere. Instead, in the world of pastas, IruMafia is SpaghettiO’s: tasty, filling, but not as great as the real thing.

3.5/5

GET IT NOW! You are on the fence, its in your cart. Just do it. Iruma-kun, is one of the best Manga/anime to come out in the past several decades. 1 CHAPTER IN and its an instant buy. Even if just the first chapter was all I got for my money I would still buy the next and the next. Its got the action, comedy and Heart, that Iruma-kun has made its defining golden seal on the industry and on the culture of manga and Anime itself.

(This is a what if instead of a demon school he was taken in by the Mafia) Think Spy X Family.
Its just a perfect same difference. I would pay most anything to see this animated as well. IRUMA-KUN IS RETURNING THIS FALL TOO just fyi ;)

Iruma is living in the streets when he is adopted by Don Sullivan head of the Babel Family Mafia. As the Don's grandson Iruma lives a pretty spoiled life surrounded by his teacher Kalego and bodyguard Opera. Now, at 14 though Iruma has been appointed second in command of the whole family and he's realizing he's got a lot to learn still!

Omg I am not sure how Hiroja managed to make Iruma more adorable than it already was but he did and I am in absolute love! Hiroja managed to take everything wonderful about the original and drop it into a completely different world without disrupting really anything. Honestly, if I didn't know it I wouldn't have realized this was written by someone else.

I am definitely going to be continuing this series!

As always thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the eArc!