Chained Soldier, known in Japan as Mato Seihei no Slave (Japanese: 魔都精兵のスレイブ, Hepburn: Mato Seihei no Sureibu, lit.'Slave of the Magic Capital's Elite Troops'), is a Japanese manga series written by Takahiro and illustrated by Yohei Takemura. It has been serialized on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ online platform since January 2019. The series follows a young man named Yuuki Wakura, who watches as destructive monsters from the Mato dimension threaten the Earth, while women gifted with special superpowers try to stop them as Yuuki begins to join forces with Chief Kyouka Uzen as her servant both on the battlefield and at home.
An anime television series adaptation, animated by Seven Arcs, aired from January to March 2024. A second season, animated by Passione, has been announced. The series is licensed for English release by Sentai Filmworks.
Plot
Gates to another dimension, called "Mato", begin opening across Japan, where monsters known as "Shuuki" begin attacking the inhabitants of the Earth. Inside these portals are a resource called a "Peach", which, when consumed by women, give them supernatural powers, leading to a matriarchal society. One day, Yuuki Wakura, a recent high school graduate, stumbles inside a gate and meets Kyouka Uzen, the commander of the 7th squad of the Demon Defense Force. Kyouka has the power to "enslave" Shuuki and mount them for combat, but cornered by an increasing number of Shuuki, she asks Yuuki if she can enslave him. He consents and turns into her "slave", and they defeat the Shuuki. However, in exchange for using his body, she must give him an appropriate reward, often sexual in nature. Yuuki is left disturbed by this "reward", but begrudgingly decides to go along with it. Yuuki decides to join Kyouka's squad as a caretaker and support her dream of becoming the Supreme Commander, while fighting the Shuuki and discovering the mystery behind Mato.
The protagonist who serves as the dorm manager. He was previously a third-year high school student, but enters the demon capital after entering a gate that appeared. When he is enslaved by either Kyouka or Himari copying Kyouka's ability, he transforms into a Shuuki-like form with enhanced physical abilities. If someone else holds his chain and commands him, his form changes and he gains different powers depending on the person. He was affected by the disappearance of his sister Aoba years earlier.
She rescued Yuuki after he arrived in the other dimension. She was the only survivor of an incident. Her power allows her to enslave any Shuuki or human and enhance their abilities in the process, but she and anyone else who commanded them must offer a reward in exchange, often against their will. She also wields a katana in battle.
She is prudish and initially hostile to Yuuki, but gradually warms up to him after he helps deal with her antagonistic sister. Her power lets her copy the powers of others, albeit at weaker levels.
Having grown up without a father or brothers, she latches on to Yuuki and constantly flirts with him. Her power lets her alter her size, gaining increased strength the larger she becomes.
An 11-year-old whose parents went missing after a Shuuki attack. Her power gives her clairvoyance, allowing her to detect anything in around a 5 km radius.
A female general who falls head-over-heels in love with Yuuki at first sight. She almost always makes sexual advances towards and tries to win his heart. She fantasizes about marrying Yuuki and starting a family with him. Her power allows her to create portals.
Yuuki's older sister who disappeared in a Shuuki attack five years ago, only to resurface having been converted to a humanoid Shuuki, becoming the leader of similar beings. She appears to have an incestuous interest in Yuuki and tries to get him away from the Demon Defense Force. She can control her hair and use it as a weapon and she can consume Peaches to temporarily enhance her strength, speed, and senses.
A girl turned into a humanoid Shuuki under Aoba's command who is obsessed with fighting. She can secrete a slippery fluid to make attacks slide off and her saliva has healing properties.
A girl turned into a humanoid Shuuki under Aoba's command who is obsessed with beauty. She can turn intangible.
Konomi Tatara (多々良 木乃実, Tatara Konomi)
One of the chiefs and the leader of the first division. She is a high school student and has a lively personality. She and Yuuki call each other by their first names due to their closeness in age. Her power allows her to mimic the traits of animals. For example, she can become agile like a monkey or have the strength and slashing power of a tiger.
Chained Soldier, written by Takahiro and illustrated by Yohei Takemura [ja], began on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ online platform on January 5, 2019.[9] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on March 4, 2019.[10] As of December 4, 2024, 17 volumes have been released.[11]
The manga has been licensed for English release in North America by Yen Press.[12]
In November 2021, it was announced that the series would be adapted into an anime television series by Seven Arcs.[3] The series is directed by Gorō Kuji, with Junji Nishimura serving as general director, Yasuhiro Nakanishi handling series composition, Ryota Kanō and Akira Kindaichi writing the scripts, Hiroyuki Yoshii designing the characters, and Kohta Yamamoto composing the music.[39][40] It was initially scheduled for 2023, but was later delayed,[41] which eventually aired from January 4 to March 21, 2024, on AT-X and other networks.[42] The opening theme song is "Yume no Ito" (夢の糸, "String of Dreams"), performed by Akari Kitō, while the ending theme song is "Chain", performed by Maaya Uchida.[43]
Sentai Filmworks licensed the series, streaming it uncensored on Hidive.[44][45] In June 2024, it was announced that the series will receive an English dub, set to premiere on Hidive on July 29 of the same year.[46][47]Muse Communication licensed the series in Asia-Pacific.[48]
A second season was announced on March 23, 2024, two days after the airing of the final episode.[49] The season will be animated by Passione and directed by Masafumi Tamura. Keiya Nakano will serve as character designer.[50]
Yuuki Wakura is a high school student who has had to live on his own after the mysterious disappearance of his sister many years ago. By sheer happenstance, he finds himself within the alternate dimension of Mato, where he is attacked by fearsome creatures called Shuuki. Yuuki is saved 7th squad of Demon Defense Force, led by Kyouka Eden. Kyouka tells her subordinates, Himari, Shushu and Nei, to look for other survivors while she protects Yuuki. Unfortunately, the Shuuki she had enslaved and used for combat dies, until Kyouka gets the idea of using her Peach ability on Yuuki, who is suddenly transformed into a Shuuki-like monster. In this new form, Yuuki is able to help the 7th squad rescue other survivors and while the 7th squad evacuates the survivors, Kyouka gives Yuuki sexual pleasure as a reward for turning him into her slave, for that is the toll her Peach ability takes on her. She offers Yuuki the opportunity to join her squad and Yuuki takes it, as he wants to become a hero and avenge his sister. Upon arriving at the 7th squad's dorm, however, Kyouka informs him that since men are not allowed to join the Demon Defense Force, he will only be able to contribute to the squad as a slave in the battlefield and as a caretaker within the dorm.
Despite his best efforts to keep the dorm clean, Yuuki feels unsatisfied with his current duties, especially because Himari keeps antagonizing him and Shushu keeps to take photos of him and wants to use them to blackmail him. Nei explains to Kei that Mato is actually as big as the entire city of Tokyo, and there are 8 squads patrolling Mato. She also says that she, Kyouka and Himari will have to attend to a meeting outside the dorm, so Yuuki and Shushu will be left in charge in their absence. Shushu, still showing some interest in Yuuki, challenges him to a video game. If she wins, he will become her slave; but if he wins, he will force her to delete the photos she took of him. Shushu wins and uses her Peach ability to take Yuuki's clothes off and take a look at penis. Suddenly, a group of Shuuki attack the dorm and Shushu can only fight them for a while before the effects of her ability wear off. To help her, Yuuki begins touching and licking Kyouka's clothes to trigger a partial transformation and he is able to destroy the largest Shuuki in the dorm and save Shushu. Sometime later, Kyouka penalizes Shushu for her recklessness and sentences her to helping Yuuki with housekeeping. Shushu, having developed feelings for Yuuki, continues teasing him and taking photos of him. Meanwhile, a mysterious female Shuuki attacks a squad of DDF forces soldiers and detects the presence of Yuuki within Mato.
After going to the human realm and doing paperwork at the DDF's headquarters, Kyouka tells Yuuki her reasons for joining the DDF. Back when she was a child, her family and entire hometown was destroyed by a mysterious one-horned Shuuki that Kyouka has called the "Unihorn". Since then, she has promised to hunt down the Unihorn and avenge the loved ones she loved. Before returning to Mato, Yuuki convinces Kyouka to visit a cafe and enjoy the chance to relax. Once they return to Mato, the 7th squad is deployed by intercept a group of Shuuki led by the mysterious female Shuuki that has been attacking DDF soldiers recently. She also happens to be in command of the Unihorn, the appearance of which enrages Kyouka. During the battle, Yuuki and the female Shuuki seem to recognize each other, but the female Shuuki is forced to retreat when Kyouka violently attacks the Unihorn. Upon watching Yuuki trying to save Himari and Shushu, Kyouka realizes that the lives of their comrades are more important than her own need for revenge and orders a retreat. Upon returning to the dorm, Yuuki and Kyouka begin to suspect that the female Shuuki must be Yuuki's sister, Aoba, but before they can investigate any further the 7th squad is visited by Tenka Izumo, commander of the 6th squad, and Yachiho, Himari's older sister.
Because Shuuki attacks have become more frequent, Tenka suggests an exhibition match between squad as a form of training. Himari, anxious to beat Yachiho, asks Kyouka for permission to use Yuuki as her slave for her match, despite the physical toll it will take on her, and explains that her ability allows her to copy other people's abilities, including that of Kyouka. With Himari as his master, Yuuki unlocks a new Slave form that enhances his speed but reduces his strength; while Himari learns that, whenever she uses Yuuki as her slave, she will have to give him pleasure the same way Kyouka does. As their training progresses, Yuuki and Himari grow closer together, with Himari revealing that her family, the Azumas, are filled with highly prestigious members and overachievers likes Yachiho. Himari constantly tried to live up to her family's reputation, but she came up short, something that Yachiho always teased her for. She also explains that Yachiho's ability allows her to stop and rewind time, which means that Himari and Yuuki will have to come up with a plan to get around Yachiho's ability. To make up for his reduced strength, Yuuki learns to concentrate his strength in a single body part whenever Himari is his master. Once the match begins, Yachiho immediately uses her ability to rewind time, but Yuuki and Himari had already planned for that.
Yuuki runs across the battlefield to trick Yachiho into constantly using her ability and exhausting herself. Once they are outside the range of Yachiho's ability, Himari tells Yuuki to attack her while Yachiho is vulnerable. Unfortunately, Yachiho stop time for 10 seconds and shoots Yuuki and Himari with special bullets modified for usage within Mato. Yuuki inspires Himari to keep fighting and, together, they trick Yachiho into leaving herself open to a gunshot from Himari, who is declared the winner. Once the combatants' injuries are healed, Yuuki and Himari go to their kitchen so they can drink water, but the price of using Yuuki as a slave causes Himari to kiss him, an event witnessed by Shushuu, who is about to begin her match with Sahara Wakasa. Meanwhile, mysterious figures watch the exhibition match from a distance.
The match between Shushuu and Sahara begins. Shushuu, wanting to impress Yuuki, attempts to beat Sahara without using her ability, but once the fight drags out, the combatants are forced to use their abilities. In her giant form, Shushuu is stronger but her attacks are easy to dodge; while Sahara uses her ability to increase her speed and agility. Shushuu stomps Sahara into the ground and knocks her unconscious, but this triggers a secondary ability of Sahara: if she gets knocked unconscious, her body will move on instinct and attack friends and foes alike. With this new power, Sahara beats Shushuu, who is heartbroken that she did not impress Yuuki like Himari did. Yuuki attempts to console her and Shushuu uses the opportunity to steal a kiss from her. After Shushuu and Sahara get their injuries treated, the 7th squad's dorm are attacked by an army of Shuuki, led by a humanoid known as Rairen. The DDF squads regroup and mount a defense. Kyouka and Himari enslave Yuuki at the same time and Yuuki unlocks a new Slave form, while Yachiho fights Rairen on her own. Yachiho is left severely injured, but Tenka, having already obliterated a huge portion of the Shuuki army, rescues her and prepares to fight Rairen on her own.
The 6th and 7th squadrons continue their fight against the Shuuki army, while Tenka faces Rairen on her own. Even without her ability, Tenka causes a small injury on Rairen's arm and opens a hole in the spacetime continuum to throw Rairen in it. With the Shuuki army defeated, the 6th and 7th squads agree to call off the exhibition match and investigate the humanoid Shuuki that led the attack. Having used Yuuki as their slave at the same time, Kyouka and Himari have to reward him. Sometime later, Yuuki, Kyouka and Himari visit the 6th squad's dorm so that Kyouka and Tenka can plan their next move. Yuuki does the 6th squad's laundry and sees that, in their own way, Himari and Yachiho have grown closer as sisters. As their meeting concludes, Tenka asks Kyouka if she can can keep Yuuki.
Meanwhile, Rairen is about to be consumed by the hole opened by Tenka until she is rescued by Shikoku, another humanoid Shuuki who has been attacking DDF squads to measure their strength. Since the 6th and 7th squads proved stronger than she anticipated, Shikoku believes she and other Shuuki should join forces to fight the DDF.
Tenka attempts to convince Kyouka to relinquish Yuuki to the 6th squad and says that she can recommend Kyouka to the position of supreme commander, but Kyouka declines the offer, both for her own feelings for Yuuki and because she wants to ascend to the position on her own merits. Tenka teleports into Yuuki's room and tries to seduce him, only to for 7th squad to catch her. Even with Kyouka rejecting her advances, Tenka refuses to give up on Yuuki, as she has fallen in love with him. The next day, Kyouka tries to test new transformations for Yuuki, with Nei and Shushuu serving as volunteers. With Nei as his master, Yuuki obtains X-ray vision and enhanced hearing, and Kyouka decides to reserve that form for scouting. With Shushuu as his master, Yuuki's strength increases at the cost of his speed and mobility, and Kyouka decides that form is impractical, much to Shushuu's disappointment. Later, as Nei prepares to go to school, Yuuki offers to go with her and Nei reveals she joined the DDF to find her parents, who disappeared in a Mato mishap. Kyouka and Tenka have a conversation about the recent attacks from humanoid Shuuki and receive news that the commanders are planning a gathering to discuss their next move. An army of modified Shuuki attacks the 7th squad's territory, but thanks to Tenka's ability, the 7th squad eliminates the enemy without too much trouble. Shikoku, having modified the Shuuki, has observe the battle from a distance and becomes more interested in humans.
Yuuki has become a respected member of the 7th squad, and Tenka's interest in him grows. Suddenly, Nei gets a vision of a human under attack by Shuuki and the 7th squad deploys to defend her. Once they reach the victim, she reveals herself to be part of a trio of humanoid Shuuki who attacks the 7th squad and kidnaps Yuuki. While Himari tends to Shushuu's injuries, Kyouka figures out that the ambush was simply a diversion to kidnap Yuuki, who is taken to a hidden village populated by humanoid Shuuki. There, Yuuki is attended by Aoba, who is finally revealed to be alive and a humanoid Shuuki, as well. She and her friends, Naon and Koko, reveal that despite their humanoid appearances, they still behave and think like humans. When Yuuki suggests the humanoid Shuuki appeal their case to the DDF, however, they refuse and tell Yuuki the DDF wouldn't only consider them enemies. Aoba does tell Yuuki that the Peaches from Mato and Yuuki insists on hearing the whole story. Meanwhile, Kyouka's body begins reacting to Yuuki's presence somewhere within Mato and she asks the 6th squad for help in saving Yuuki.
Aoba and her friends explain to Yuuki that they became humanoid Shuuki after consuming the Peaches of Mato and getting exposed to Mato's miasma. Koko and Naon were captured by a secret branch of the DDF that performed unethical experiments on humans mutated by the Peaches, but managed to escape and met Aoba, who had secluded herself to a cave and worked really hard to retain her human intellect for years. Their plan is to attack the DDF using wild Shuuki they had domesticated, including the Unihorn that had previously killed Kyouka's family. Suddenly, the 6th and 7th squads have tracked Yuuki down to the cave used by the humanoid Shuuki as a hideout and begin their rescue operation. They separate each other into multiple teams, with Shushuu and Sahara fighting Koko and Himari and Yachiho fighting Naon. Kyouka and Tenka catch up to Aoba but Yuuki attempts to defuse the situation by explaining what happened to Aoba and her friends. Although the DDF captains offer a peaceful solution, Aoba still wants revenge for her friends and a fight begins. Meanwhile, Shikoku and her faction of humanoid Shuuki become aware of the fight at the caves and prepare to move out.
While Kyouka fights the Unihorn, Tenka keeps Aoba distracted with her portals. Aoba consumes as many Peaches as she can, forcing Tenka to engage in a sustained battle. On the outside, Koko and her pet Shuuki keep Shushu and Sahara on the defensive. To beat them, Shushu shrinks down to a very small size and Shushu throws her into the Shuuki's mouth. Deep inside the beast's stomach, Shushu grows gigantic and tears the beast from the inside and Sahara uses one of the Shuuki's teeth to stab Koko. Meanwhile, deeper in the caves, Yachiho realizes that Naon and her Shuuki have been targeting Himari all along, so she exhausts her energy trying to protect Himari, until Himari realizes what Yachiho has been doing. To draw Naon out of hiding, Himari fires her guns in multiple directions and incapacitates the enemies while Yachiho shoots them with special bullets. Tenka baits Aoba into attacking the Unihorn and leaving herself exposed, but ultimately decides not to attack her, which allows Aoba to inflict damage on her. As the two enemy forces converge, they are ambushed by Shikoku's faction, the Eight Thunder Gods. Since they have no allegiance to other humanoid Shuuki, Shikoku brainwashes the Unihorn into attacking everyone present, but Yuuki and Kyouka step in to fight it.
The battle at the caverns continues and the Unihorn mutates into a second, even stronger form, but Yuuki breaks its horn with his mouth and restrains it with his chains, giving Kyouka enough time to kill it. With the Unihorn dead, Kyouka finally gets closure for the destruction of her hometown, but Shikoku and Jouryuu retreat, having kidnapped Koko and Naon. While Tenka evacuates the injured back to the DDF's headquarters, Kyouka promises Aoba that she will become Supreme Commander to the DDF so that victims like Aoba will no longer suffer prosecution from the Onmyou Bureau, the secret organization that conducted illegal experiments on Shuuki. Aoba decides that she and her fellow humanoid Shuuki will stay hidden and avoid detection from Yamashiro, the DDF's current Supreme Commander. Shikoku takes Koko and Naon to her fortress and feeds them to a mysterious beast. Back at the 7th squad's dorm, Yuuki and his friends celebrate their victory with a party and continue their fight against the Shuuki.
Reception
By November 2021, the manga had over 1 million copies in circulation.[54] By January 2024, it had over 2 million copies in circulation.[55]
Notes
^English translated titles are taken from Hidive.[52]
