Devils and Realist Vol. 12

Devils and Realist, at first glance, could be written off as just another generic fantasy manga about attractive guys and the homoerotic undertones of their ambiguous relationships. This is a fairly popular niche among fantasy manga, and they're usually a dime a dozen. But If you give Devils and Realist a chance and keep reading past the first couple of volumes, you'll find a series rich with historical, political, and mythological trappings that make it stand out from the crowd. The art is stylish, filled with beautiful male characters and stunning costumes. The plot is interesting. The very concept of a protagonist who is such a staunch realist being surrounded by supernatural beings makes for some hilarious moments, as the various demons and angels are practically forced into casual domesticity after their incredible powers fail to impress him.Volume twelve has less humor than past volumes, as we (and William) get a chance to see Dantalion on the battlefield, waging bloody and brutal warfare in a way that's hard to reconcile with the funny, relaxed persona he often displays around William. We also get to see what Camio has been planning in regards to his aging and near-death human lover. Finally, we get some disturbing hints about what's going on with Sytry (and if the cover of the next volume is any indication, we might be seeing a story arc focusing on him, which would be very welcome as he's one of the more compelling characters). This volume felt like more of a "setting things up" volume, but it did a good job of building excitement for what's sure to be an intense storyline in the next few books.

A lot happens in this volume. Exciting read.