Rooster Fighter

Rooster Fighter (Japanese: ニワトリ・ファイター, Hepburn: Niwatori Faitā) is a Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Shū Sakuratani. It has been serialized on Hero's Inc.'s Comiplex manga website since December 2020. An anime television series adaptation produced by Sanzigen and Sola Entertainment has been announced.

Rooster Fighter
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Keiji
ニワトリ・ファイター (Niwatori Faitā)
Genre	Action[1] Comedy[2] Parody[2]
Manga
Written by	Shū Sakuratani
Published by	Hero's Inc.
English publisher	NA: Viz Media
Magazine	Comiplex
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	December 18, 2020 – present
Volumes	9
Anime television series
Directed by	Daisuke Suzuki
Produced by	Joseph Chou
Written by	Hiroshi Seko
Studio	Sanzigen (animation) Sola Entertainment (production)
Licensed by	Viz Media
English network	US: Adult Swim

Plot

Three years ago, mutant demons began appearing in Japan. While some are harmless or helpful towards humans, others are troublesome. Created from humans suffering from extreme emotional distress or unresolved trauma, these mutant demons began to wreak havoc as they began to evolve to be more intelligent and dangerous.

A lone rooster named Keiji wanders around various cities of Japan while defeating mutant demons he encounters. His ultimate goal is to find and kill the mutant dubbed "The White Demon" who killed his sister in order to avenge her death.

Characters

Main characters

Keiji (ケイジ)

Voiced by: Kenta Miyake^[3]

A self-described "migratory bird" who vows to defeat the demon that killed his sister. He wanders around Japan and has a policy to never stay longer than necessary. Keiji has a strict code of conduct that he follows regarding respect and appreciation. Despite despising children or any youngsters that he deemed disrespectful or annoying, he has a soft spot for some of them, like Piyoko. His abilities include resonance and having great aim when throwing items with his beak.

Piyoko (ピヨコ)

Voiced by: Shiori Izawa^[3]

Raised by a yakuza to initially be sold with other chicks, Piyoko became a beloved pet instead before witnessing her owner turn into a mutant demon. Witnessing Keiji defeat and save her owner, she decides to follow him on his journey to defeat the White Demon and Keiji reluctantly let her join him after she helped nurse him back to health. She is attached to him, believing that she will marry him once she is older, and was given the name Piyoko by him after asking for a name. She has the word "Duty" (仁義, Jingi) written on her back after asking her former owner to give her a tattoo similar to his.

Elizabeth (エリザベス, Erizabesu)

Voiced by: Mariko Honda^[3]

Adopted into a wealthy family shortly after her birth, Elizabeth lived a luxurious yet dissatisfying life when she witnessed a demon wreak havoc on her city and nearly killed her and her family. It was Keiji that rescued them and she immediately fell in love with him, only to be abandoned right after their short affair. She ended up resenting Keiji for abandoning her and initially trained herself to get revenge against him; however, as she witnessed more mutant demons kill off her loved ones after Keiji's departure, she began training to defeat them for the next six months. After reuniting with Keiji, she decides to join his efforts in fighting against the White Demon. Elizabeth fights with a lightning staff and is shown to be tech savvy.

Keisuke (ケイスケ)

Keiji's younger, crested half-brother who matches him in strength. He joins Keiji on his quest in order to rescue their father after he is captured by demons.

Other characters

One-Eyed Silver (片目の銀, Katame no Gin)

A one-eyed sea turtle with a personal vendetta against birds after witnessing a flock of gulls eat his siblings after hatching, he is initially hostile towards Keiji. However, he helps him defeat a demon at sea after realizing that Keiji was not like the seagulls he despised. He lets Keiji off to go avenge his sister but makes him promise that they will have a proper battle once he returns.

Zena (ゼナ)

An elderly toucan taken from his home in Brazil and now overseeing the Southern Birds exhibit in the zoo, he took Keiji into the exhibit after finding him unconscious in the rain. He was a beloved member of the community and protected his bird family from a demon attack before succumbing to his injuries. Keiji took one of his feathers, hoping to return it to Zena's sisters one day.

Lisa (リサ, Risa) and Sara (サラ)

Lisa and Sara are both sisters of Keiji. It is Lisa's death that led Keiji to avenge her; however, Keiji noted that the bird used by the White Demon resembles Sara, who was missing prior to Lisa's death.

Gakuma (がくま)

A white-skinned and four-horned demon. The mutant is responsible for killing Keiji's sister Lisa. Known as the White Demon, he is a giant that also has a fire-like bird that it uses to burn what it wants. He also has a circular mark on its neck, which Keiji uses to identify it. He is later revealed to be the leader of all demons, and to have the human form of a young man.

Kugone (クゴネ)

Gakuma's right-hand woman who is creating demons all over Japan on his orders.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Shū Sakuratani, Rooster Fighter started on Hero's Inc.'s Comiplex manga website on December 18, 2020.^[4][1] The series' first tankōbon volume was released on May 1, 2021.^[5] As of January 6, 2025, nine volumes have been released.^[6]

The manga is licensed in North America by Viz Media, with the first volume released on August 16, 2022.^[7][8]

Volumes

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
1	May 1, 2021[9]	978-4-86468-801-7	August 16, 2022[8]	978-1-9747-2984-5
1. "The Bird Who Fights Demons" (獣聚鳥散, Yūshūchōsan) 2. "Death From a Bird" (雲散鳥没, Unsanchōbotsu) 3. "The Homesick Bird" (越鳥南枝, Enchōnanshin) 4. "The Bird and the Sea Turtle" (窮鳥入懐, Kyūchōnyūkai) 5. "A Bird Leaves the Nest" (四鳥別離, Shichōbetsuri)
2	October 5, 2021[10]	978-4-86468-835-2	November 15, 2022[11]	978-1-9747-3388-0
6. "As Thin as a Bird" (鵠面鳥形, Kokumenchōkei) 7. "The Caged Bird" (籠鳥檻猿, Rōchōkanen) 8. "Birds in Spring" (鳥語花香, Chōgōkakō) 9. "Bird Breath, Bird Vision" (禽息鳥視, Kinsokuchōshi) 10. "The Wounded Bird" (傷弓之鳥, Shōkyūnotori)
3	March 4, 2022[12]	978-4-86468-872-7	February 21, 2023[13]	978-1-9747-3651-5
11. "To Hunt a Bird" (鳥尽弓蔵, Chōjinkyūzō) 12. "Big Bird in a Small Pond" (池魚籠鳥, Chigyorōchō) 13. "Nature's Songbird" (花鳥諷詠, Kachōfūei) 14. "Brave as a Bird" (鳥革翬飛, Chōkakukihi) 15. "The Mountain Bird's Song" (落花啼鳥, Rakkateichō)
4	August 5, 2022[14]	978-4-86468-119-3	August 15, 2023[15]	978-1-9747-3891-5
16. "A Rooster Among Cranes" (群鶏一鶴, Gunkeinoistukaku) 17. "One-Trick Rooster" (鶏鳴狗盗, Keimeikutō) 18. "Scaredy-Bird" (鶏犬不寧, Keikenfunei) 19. "Deadbeat Rooster" (家鶏野鶩, Kakeiyaboku) 20. "My Only Bird" (鶏皮鶴髪, Keihikakuhatu)
5	January 26, 2023[16]	978-4-86468-146-9	December 19, 2023[17]	978-1-9747-4112-0
21. "More Than One Way to Skin a Bird" (割鶏牛刀, Katsukeigyūtō) 22. "Long Live the Hen" (牝鶏牡鳴, Hinkeibomei) 23. "Behind Every Rooster" (鶏鳴之助, Keimeinojyō) 24. "Birds of a Feather Fight Together" (鶏尸牛従, Keishigyōsyō)
6	August 29, 2023[18]	978-4-86468-193-3	June 18, 2024[19]	978-1-9747-4687-3
25. "The View from the Bird Cage" (甕裡醯鶏, Ourikeikei) 26. "The Unfinished Bird" (陶犬瓦鶏, Toukengakei) 27. "To Back a Bird into a Corner" (禽困覆車, Kinkonfukusha) 28. "The Egg Doesn't Fall Far from the Three" (良禽択木, Ryoukintakuboku)
7	January 29, 2024[20]	978-4-86468-229-9	February 18, 2025[21]	978-1-9747-5226-3
29. "What Birds, Beasts, and Trees Share" (禽獣草木, Kinjūsōmoku) 30. "The Beast in Bird's Clothing" (衣冠禽獣, Ikankinjū) 31. "Stay Golden, Pony Bird" (竜駒鳳雛, Tatsukomahōsū) 32. "The Bird's Hidden Potential" (麟子鳳雛, Linkohōsū)
8	August 5, 2024[22]	978-4-86468-274-9	—	—
33. "Beak Like a Dragon" (麟角鳳嘴, Rinkakuhōsu) 34. "Not Runt in the Flock" (河東三鳳, Kawatō sanpō) 35. "Clutching Chick, Hidden Dragon" (伏竜鳳雛, Fukuryū hōchū) 36. "Grace Under Phoenix Fire" (景星鳳凰, Keisei hōō)
9	January 6, 2025[6]	978-4-86805-028-5	—	—
37. "The Rooster of Good News" (鳳凰銜書, Hōō kan sho) 38. "Feather in the Quiver" (羽翼已成, Uiyoku issei) 39. "Lost in Migration" (鴻雁哀鳴, Kōgan ainmei) 40. "The Tortoise and the Leopard" (曳尾塗中, Eibi tochū) 41. "It's Hard for One Wing to Flap Alone" (孤掌難鳴, Koshō nanmei)

Anime

In July 2024, at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation in collaboration with Hero's Inc. The series will be produced by Sanzigen and Sola Entertainment, with Daisuke Suzuki directing and Hiroshi Seko handling series composition. Sola Entertainment CEO Joseph Chou will serve as producer. The anime is licensed by Viz Media and confirmed to be broadcasting in the United States on Adult Swim.^[23]

Reception

Since its premiere, Rooster Fighter has been popular abroad, especially in Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico, Spain and Argentina. The manga has received translation publication offers from more than 12 countries and regions.^[5]