Hiromu Arakawa is one of the most respected manga creators working today. For readers unfamiliar with the name, she’s the writer and artist behind Fullmetal Alchemist — a dark fantasy adventure widely considered one of the greatest manga series ever made — and Silver Spoon, a slice-of-life story set on a farming school. Her latest work is Daemons of the Shadow Realm (黄泉のツガイ), a dark fantasy series that currently has 10 manga volumes available in English and 13 in Japanese. The series blends Japanese underworld mythology with supernatural action, twin siblings caught between worlds, and the kind of intricate storytelling that has defined Arakawa’s career.
If you’re here to find out how many Daemons of the Shadow Realm manga volumes are out and how to start collecting them, this guide covers everything you need.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm — How Many Volumes Are Out Right Now
Here’s the quick answer:
- Japanese volumes: 13 (and counting)
- English volumes: 10 available from Square Enix Manga & Books (the English-language publisher handling this series)
- Series status: Ongoing — new chapters are published regularly in Monthly Shonen Gangan, a manga magazine run by Square Enix in Japan
For anyone new to how manga publishing works: manga series typically start as individual chapters released in Japanese magazines. Those chapters are then collected into physical books called volumes — usually containing several chapters each. English-language publishers like Square Enix Manga & Books then translate and release those collected volumes for readers outside Japan. That’s why the English edition is still catching up to Japan — there’s a built-in delay between the Japanese publication and the English translation. Square Enix Manga & Books has been releasing new English volumes at a steady pace (roughly every two to three months), so the gap should continue to narrow over time.
The story follows twin siblings raised in an isolated mountain village who become entangled with supernatural beings called tsugai. Tsugai are paired entities — think of them as bonded supernatural creatures, always existing as a connected duo — rooted in Japanese underworld mythology. If that sounds like Arakawa blending folklore with dark action, you’re exactly right. The series leans harder into horror and supernatural elements than Fullmetal Alchemist did, while keeping a balance of sharp character work and dry humor. That humor is worth mentioning — even in the darkest moments, Arakawa drops deadpan reactions and absurd character interactions that cut through the tension without undermining it. If you’ve read her previous work, you know the tone. If you haven’t, expect a story that takes its mythology seriously but never forgets that its characters are human enough to be funny.
Hiromu Arakawa (荒川弘) is the sole creator — she handles both writing and art. That consistency shows in every volume. The world-building is layered, the action sequences are dynamic, and the mythology gets richer as the story progresses.
The Easiest Way to Start Collecting
The English editions from Square Enix Manga & Books come in standard manga paperback format — the same size and style you’d find on most manga shelves at a bookstore. There’s nothing unusual about the dimensions or format, which makes them easy to shelve alongside the rest of your collection. Each volume carries a typical retail price in line with other Square Enix Manga titles of the same format — comparable to what you’d pay for most standard manga paperbacks at major retailers.
Individual Volumes and a Collection Set
No publisher-official omnibus edition has been announced for the English release. An omnibus is a larger book that collects multiple volumes into one — they’re a common cost-saving option for manga, but they usually don’t appear until a series is further along or completed. That said, a bundled collection set — Daemons of the Shadow Realm Series 8-Book Collection Set (Vol. 1 to Vol. 8) — is currently available on Amazon US, offering a way to pick up the first eight volumes together. Individual volumes are also available separately.
Digital vs. Physical
Digital editions are generally available alongside the print releases through major digital manga storefronts and e-reader apps. If you prefer reading on a tablet or phone, you can start the series digitally without waiting for physical copies to ship. But if you’re building a shelf, the physical volumes are well-made and look great lined up.
Availability Is Good Right Now
Because the series is relatively new in English, all ten volumes remain in print and widely stocked at major retailers. “In print” means the publisher is still actively producing new copies — so you won’t need to hunt through secondhand markets or pay inflated prices. This is the easiest phase of collecting any manga series, so it’s a good time to jump in.
English Volume Guide — Volumes 1 Through 10
Here’s a walkthrough of all ten currently available English volumes so you know what you’re getting into. These are spoiler-light descriptions — enough to understand the shape and pacing of the story without ruining any reveals.
Volume 1 — The Mountain, the Twins, and the First Tsugai
Everything starts here. The story opens in a remote mountain village where the twin siblings — Yuru and Asa — have grown up in near-total isolation. That isolation shatters when the existence of tsugai is violently revealed, pulling the twins into a much larger and more dangerous world. Arakawa’s art immediately sets the tone: lush mountain landscapes giving way to something much darker lurking underneath. The pacing is fast — this volume wastes no time establishing the central conflict and ending on a hook that makes Volume 2 feel mandatory.
This is your entry point, no question.
Volume 2 — Descent Into the Shadow World
The supernatural stakes escalate fast. Volume 2 takes the twins deeper into the world of tsugai and the shadow realm that exists alongside the human world. Arakawa starts revealing the rules of this universe — how tsugai function as paired beings, what powers they hold, and why certain people can command them. The action picks up significantly, and the relationship between the siblings starts to develop real tension as they discover they may have been kept apart for reasons neither of them understood.
Volume 3 — Factions and Deeper Mythology
This is a world-building pivot point. Volume 3 introduces competing factions with their own agendas, their own tsugai, and their own interpretations of the mythology. The scope of the story expands considerably. Where the first two volumes focused tightly on the twins, this one pulls back to show a larger conflict with multiple sides and shifting loyalties.
For readers who want their dark fantasy layered with supernatural power systems and factional politics, Volume 3 is where the series locks into its full identity.
Volume 4 — Shifting Alliances
Alliances that seemed stable in earlier volumes get tested and broken. The conflict widens as new characters enter the picture and existing relationships are reframed. Arakawa is doing what she does best here — building a cast of characters who each have their own motivations, and letting those motivations collide in ways that feel earned rather than forced. This is a slower-burn volume compared to 3 and 5, but it’s doing important structural work.
Volume 5 — Major Battle Escalation
Volume 5 is a turning point. A major battle sequence reshapes the story’s trajectory, and the consequences ripple forward into everything that follows. The fight scenes here are some of the best in the series so far — Arakawa choreographs action with clarity and weight, making every clash feel like it matters to the characters involved rather than just filling pages.
If you’re buying selectively rather than grabbing every volume at once, Volume 5 is one to prioritize alongside Volumes 1 and 3.
Volume 6 — Consequences and New Threats
The fallout from Volume 5’s events drives Volume 6. New threats emerge, the stakes continue to rise, and the story makes clear that nobody — not even characters you’ve grown attached to — is safe from the consequences of the conflict. Arakawa’s ability to balance dark storytelling with moments of levity and humanity is on full display here. This volume also deepens the mythology around what tsugai actually are at a fundamental level.
Volume 7 — Expanding the World
Volume 7 broadens the story’s geographic and mythological scope. New locations and new tsugai enter the picture, and the twins’ understanding of the world they’ve been pulled into continues to evolve. The pacing stays tight — Arakawa doesn’t let the expanded scope slow down the forward momentum.
Volume 8 — Rising Pressure
The factional tensions that have been building since Volume 3 reach a new intensity in Volume 8. Character loyalties are tested in ways that carry real dramatic weight, and the story begins setting up what feels like a major narrative shift. This is a volume that rewards careful reading — details planted in earlier volumes start paying off here.
Volume 9 — Intensifying Mythology
Volume 9 continues building on everything the series has established. The layers of mythology and character conflict become more complex and more rewarding, and the story’s momentum shows no sign of slowing. Details planted in earlier volumes continue to pay off here as the scope of the conflict widens further.
Volume 10 — The Latest English Release
Volume 10 is the most recent English volume available, released in April 2026. The story pushes forward with the same intensity that has defined the series, layering new revelations on top of the mythology and factional tensions that have been building since the early volumes. If you’ve made it this far, Volume 10 delivers — and leaves plenty of threads to carry the story forward into future releases.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 10
If You’re Buying Selectively
Not everyone can grab all ten volumes at once. If you want to test the waters or spread out your purchases, here are the three volumes that give you the best sense of the series:
- Volume 1 — The essential starting point. No skipping this one.
- Volume 3 — Where the mythology and world-building truly open up.
- Volume 5 — The major escalation point that shows what the series is capable of at full intensity.
One important note: this is a tightly plotted series where every volume builds on the last. The three volumes above will give you the strongest first impression, but you’ll want to fill in Volumes 2 and 4 before moving past Volume 5 — the story relies on accumulated context, and skipping volumes means missing setup that pays off later.
Availability Pitfalls to Watch For
The good news: no English volumes of Daemons of the Shadow Realm are out of print. The series is new enough that Square Enix Manga & Books is keeping all volumes stocked, and you can find them at major retailers without difficulty.
Third-Party Price Gouging
The one thing to watch for is third-party sellers inflating prices during stock dips. This happens with almost every manga series — a volume temporarily goes out of stock at a major retailer, and resellers list it at well above the retail price. Don’t fall for it. If a volume is temporarily unavailable, wait a few weeks. Square Enix Manga & Books keeps this series in active production, so stock replenishes regularly.
The Japan-to-English Gap
Japan is ahead at 13 volumes compared to 10 in English. This is normal — manga originates in Japan, and English-language editions are translated and published afterward, which means there’s always a gap between what’s available in Japanese and what’s been released in English. That gap is actually reassuring for collectors: it means there’s more story confirmed and ready to be translated. You know more English volumes are coming, and Square Enix Manga & Books has plenty of material to work with.
No Panic Buying Necessary
Unlike older or niche series where volumes can become genuinely hard to find, Daemons of the Shadow Realm is in a comfortable spot. You can collect at your own pace without worrying about missing your chance. That could change if demand spikes suddenly (more on that below), but for now, the collecting landscape is very friendly.
Will Your Collection Stay Complete
This is the question every collector asks before committing to an ongoing series: am I going to end up with an incomplete set on my shelf?
The Series Is Ongoing and Healthy
Daemons of the Shadow Realm is actively publishing new chapters in Monthly Shonen Gangan with no interruptions. Hiromu Arakawa is one of the most consistent manga creators working today — her track record of completing series and maintaining regular output is strong. There’s no reason to expect the series to stop or be cancelled.
The Anime Question
An anime adaptation of Daemons of the Shadow Realm premiered in April 2026, produced by Bones Film and streaming on Crunchyroll with a same-day English dub. The adaptation is currently airing across two consecutive cours.
Why does this matter for collectors? Because anime premieres frequently cause a demand spike for the source manga — more people discover the story through the show and want to read ahead or own the physical volumes. That demand can temporarily strain supply and push prices up on the secondhand market. The anime is already airing, so that spike may already be underway. If you’ve been considering starting the series, securing your volumes now while all ten remain widely stocked at retail prices is a practical move.
Plan for a Growing Shelf
This series is not close to ending. With 13 Japanese volumes and the story still building, you should expect the final volume count to be significantly higher. Plan your shelf space accordingly. Arakawa’s previous long-running series, Fullmetal Alchemist, ran 27 volumes — a dark fantasy adventure about two brothers using alchemy in a richly constructed world. While there’s no guarantee Daemons of the Shadow Realm will reach that length, it’s clearly a story with ambition and room to grow.
The English releases will continue to trail Japan by several volumes, so you’ll be adding to your collection for a while. That’s part of the appeal of following an ongoing series — each new volume is something to look forward to.
Who Should Collect Daemons of the Shadow Realm
The Ideal Reader
This series is built for dark fantasy fans who want a mature take on supernatural mythology. If you love stories where folklore and the supernatural are woven into a larger conflict with real stakes, real consequences, and a cast of characters worth caring about — this is your kind of manga.
It blends dark action with sharp humor and intricate world-building. The tone is heavier than a typical action manga — the horror elements are genuine and the consequences feel permanent — but it never loses the warmth and humanity that makes Arakawa’s work so compelling. The supernatural elements draw from Japanese underworld mythology in ways that feel fresh and well-researched.
You Don’t Need to Read Anything Else First
Daemons of the Shadow Realm is a completely standalone series. You don’t need to have read Fullmetal Alchemist, Silver Spoon, or anything else by Arakawa to enjoy it. If this is your first encounter with her work, it’s a great starting point — and if you already love her other series, you’ll see a creator pushing into new territory while staying true to what makes her storytelling special.
The “I Only Collect Completed Series” Question
Fair enough — not everyone wants to commit to an ongoing series. If you strictly collect completed manga, Daemons of the Shadow Realm isn’t there yet and won’t be for a while.
But here’s the trade-off to consider: waiting until the series is complete means potentially paying more for early volumes if demand increases along the way. The anime adaptation is already airing, which drives new readers to the source material and can push prices up on earlier volumes. Award recognition or growing word-of-mouth can compound that effect. Collecting now, while everything is in print and readily available, is the lower-risk approach from a pure cost perspective.
And honestly? Ten volumes is enough to know whether you love this series. Grab Volume 1, see how it hits, and go from there. Arakawa’s storytelling speaks for itself.