The English release of Clevatess: The King of Dark Beasts, the Baby, and the Undead Hero has finally given international readers a chance to experience Yuji Iwahara’s original manga in full. Yen Press released Volume 1 on August 25, 2026, several weeks after the anime adaptation had already introduced audiences to its unusual dark-fantasy premise.
While the anime serves as an accessible introduction to the world, the manga stands out because of how effectively Iwahara controls its tone and character perspectives. Rather than presenting Clevatess as a straightforward villain, the story places readers inside the mind of a powerful Dark Beast who has very little reason to trust humanity.
CLEVATESS IS THE VILLAIN, BUT THE MANGA MAKES HIS ACTIONS UNDERSTANDABLE
The story begins after thirteen human heroes are sent to defeat Clevatess, one of the world’s most powerful Dark Beasts. Their attack leads to the destruction of his territory, prompting Clevatess to retaliate against the kingdom responsible. However, everything changes when he encounters a crying human baby named Luna.
Yen Press describes Volume 1 as the story of a Beast King who intends to destroy humanity but instead becomes responsible for a newborn child. Yen Press
That setup allows the manga to explore Clevatess from an unusual perspective. His enormous strength and inhuman worldview make his treatment of humans frightening, yet his decisions often follow a surprisingly logical internal code. The contrast creates much of the series’ dark humor.
Clevatess has no understanding of ordinary human childcare, either. His attempts to look after Luna produce some of the manga’s strangest comedic moments while gradually forcing him to understand the people he once viewed as disposable.
ALICIA ADDS ANOTHER LAYER TO CLEVATESS’ DEVELOPMENT
Luna is not the only character capable of changing Clevatess. Alicia, a hero who is brought back to life after being killed by the Dark Beast, becomes another crucial part of his journey.
Her resurrection creates an unusual relationship between the former enemies and gives the story another perspective on humanity. Instead of relying entirely on the baby to humanize Clevatess, Iwahara uses Alicia to challenge his assumptions and push the narrative forward.
The manga’s combination of dark fantasy, comedy, violence, and character-driven storytelling is one reason its English release has attracted attention after the anime adaptation.
Yen Press released the first English volume in August, with Volume 2 scheduled for November 24, 2026. The second volume expands the story beyond the initial Clevatess-Luna-Alicia dynamic, with Alicia pursuing the legendary Waterfall Splitter while new conflicts emerge across Edosea. Yen Press
For readers who discovered Clevatess through its anime adaptation, the manga provides another way to experience Iwahara’s story while highlighting the unusual perspective and pacing that make the series stand apart from more conventional fantasy adventures.
