Shanghai Youma Kikai

Shanghai Youma Kikai was a humourous, short-lived manga series (only four chapters long as-of-yet) published in 2000 by Hiromu Arakawa. It's about a group of demon-hunters in in Shanghai, year 2050, struggling financially (only because they can't manage to do a job without destroying half the city.) A young boy, supposedly a prodigy on the subject, begs to join the team. Initially, he is turned down. However, that doesn't stop him from tagging along. He soon learns exactly why they rejected him.


 * Author Appeal: Miss Arakawa mentions in the forward that it's filled with things she likes.
 * Beethoven Was an Alien Spy
 * Cute Shotaro Boy
 * Expy: Jack and Kuo (even Su-An if you squint) managed to make their way into Miss Arakawa's breakout hit; Fullmetal Alchemist.
 * It Got Worse
 * Meaningful Name
 * One-Winged Angel
 * Oral Fixation Fixation : Jack is never (ever) seen without a cigarrette.
 * Orphaned Series: Though prehaps not for long, since Fullmetal Alchemist has ended Arakawa is discussing bringing it back as a serialization.
 * Shout-Out: To (what else?) Fullmetal Alchemist in chapter 3. Does the shirt detail in the bottom panel look familiar?
 * Tomato Surprise
 * Twenty Minutes Into the Future