The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows

The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows (Japanese: 一瞬で治療していたのに役立たずと追放された天才治癒師、闇ヒーラーとして楽しく生きる, Hepburn: Isshun de Chiryou shiteita no ni Yakudatazu to Tsuihousareta Tensai Chiyushi, Yami Healer to shite Tanoshiku Ikiru) is a Japanese light novel series written by Sakaku Hishikawa and illustrated by Daburyu. It originally began serialization online in November 2020 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was later acquired by SB Creative, who began publishing it in print under their GA Novel imprint in October 2021, with eight volumes released as of March 2025. A manga adaptation illustrated by Ten Jūnoichi began serialization online on the Piccoma website and app in January 2022, with four tankōbon volumes released by SB Creative under their GA Comic imprint as of November 2024. A webtoon adaptation illustrated by Minsam and RocketStaff Inc. began serialization on the same website and app in January 2025. An anime television series adaptation produced by Makaria premiered in April 2025.

The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows
First light novel volume cover
一瞬で治療していたのに役立たずと追放された天才治癒師、闇ヒーラーとして楽しく生きる (Isshun de Chiryou shiteita no ni Yakudatazu to Tsuihousareta Tensai Chiyushi, Yami Healer to shite Tanoshiku Ikiru)
Genre	Adventure[1] Fantasy[1] Harem[1]
Novel series
Written by	Sakaku Hishikawa
Published by	Shōsetsuka ni Narō
Original run	November 30, 2020 – present
Light novel
Written by	Sakaku Hishikawa
Illustrated by	Daburyu
Published by	SB Creative
English publisher	NA: J-Novel Club Yen Press (print)
Imprint	GA Novel
Demographic	Male
Original run	October 14, 2021 – present
Volumes	8
Manga
Written by	Sakaku Hishikawa
Illustrated by	Ten Jūnoichi
Published by	SB Creative
English publisher	NA: J-Novel Club Yen Press (print)
Imprint	GA Comic
Magazine	Piccoma
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	January 22, 2022 – present
Volumes	4
Manga
Written by	Sakaku Hishikawa
Illustrated by	Minsam RocketStaff Inc.
Published by	SB Creative
Imprint	GA Comic
Magazine	Piccoma
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	January 2, 2025 – present
Anime television series
Directed by	Joe Yoshizaki
Written by	Taika Miyagi
Music by	Toy's Factory Harumi Fuuki
Studio	Makaria
Licensed by	Crunchyroll SA/SEA: Medialink
Original network	Tokyo MX, BS11, SUN, KBS, AT-X, TVh
Original run	April 3, 2025 – present
Episodes	6

Plot

The Kingdom of Herzeth is dominated by the Healers, who use their power to enrich themselves rather than truly help those in need, and only those with official licenses can be recognized as Healers. However, Zenos, a powerful healer born in the slums, was never formally educated as a Healer and did not go through the official process (thereby not gaining a license) but instead learned his skills from a mysterious man. He eventually is asked to join an adventuring party, but is later brutally discarded when they fail to recognize his abilities and regard him as useless. Left without money and with few options, he finds a deserted building in the slum area and sets up an underground clinic with the help of Lily, a young elf-girl he rescued, and in time gains an incredible reputation as a healer, especially with the gangs that operate within the slums, as well as making friends with the female leaders of the gangs (as well as a female ghost that inhabits the upper floor of his building). However, as news quickly spreads about the exceptional healer performing remarkable magic and helping to maintain the peace in the city's hidden corners, the officials begin massing their forces to destroy his operation.

Characters

Zenos (ゼノス, Zenosu)

Voiced by: Shogo Sakata^[2] (Japanese); Eli Farmer^[3] (English)

A healer who learned his craft from a mysterious man, and recently kicked out of his adventurer group for being useless; however, he is able to perform healing feats that no other healer can do. Now operating an 'underground clinic' in the slums inhabited by three rival demi-human gangs.

Lily (リリ, Riri)

Voiced by: Miharu Hanai^[2] (Japanese); Nia Celeste^[3] (English)

A young elf girl rescued by Zenos from slavery, who becomes his assistant.

Carmilla (カーミラ, Kāmira)

Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa^[2] (Japanese); Molly Zhang^[3] (English)

A ghost who inhabits the upper floor of the abandoned mansion Zenos and Lily take over. She soon accepts them, and sometimes visits as well.

Zophia (ゾフィア, Zofia)

Voiced by: Anna Nagase^[4] (Japanese); Mallorie Rodak^[3] (English)

One of the slums 'big three' leaders of the demi-human gangs. She is a lizardkin, known as "Zophia the Tornado", known for robbing rich merchants and assisting the downtrodden, and runs the gang of lizardmen.

Lynga (リンガ, Ringa)

Voiced by: Mashiro Hitaka^[4] (Japanese); Mary Morgan^[3] (English)

One of the slums 'big three' leaders of the demi-human gangs. She is a wolf beastkin, known as "Lynga the Tyrant", and runs the gang of werewolves in charge of illegal gambling.

Loewe (レーヴェ, Rēve)

Voiced by: Sayaka Kikuchi^[4] (Japanese); Cassie Ewulu^[3] (English)

One of the slums 'big three' leaders of the demi-human gangs. She is an ogre, known as "Loewe the Mighty", and runs the gang of orcs dealing in the excavation of mana stones.

Krishna (クリシュナ, Kurishuna)

Voiced by: Yuki Nakashima^[5] (Japanese); Emily Lopez (English)

Nicknamed "Iron Rose", she is the Vice-Commander of the city's Royal Order of Knights. Among her self-professed bad habits are her short temper, a poor sense of direction and jumping to conclusions (although she originally claims each time that she has only "one fault"). She became a Knight after her mother, who visited the slums to do charity, was supposedly killed while being robbed. She is sent into the slums undercover to investigate the rumors surrounding the apparent peace between the three demi-human gangs and the mysterious mediator between them and wanders into Zenos' clinic after getting lost (and then, after seeing Lily, accusing him of being a trafficker in children). After Zenos and Zophia help her expose the aristocrat head of the child trafficking enterprise and rescue the children, she becomes an ally.

Zonde (ゾンデ)

Voiced by: Taku Yashiro^[5] (Japanese); Jessie Pinnick^[3] (English)

A lizardkin, Zophia's right-hand man.

Aston (アストン, Asuton)

Voiced by: Masaaki Mizunaka^[5] (Japanese); Nick Huber (English)

The leader of Zenos' former party.

Media

Light novel

Written by Sakaku Hishikawa, The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on November 30, 2020.^[6] It was later acquired by SB Creative who began publishing it with illustrations by Daburyu under their GA Novel imprint on October 14, 2021.^[7] Eight volumes have been released as of March 15, 2025.^[8] The light novels are licensed in English by J-Novel Club.^[9] In January 2025, J-Novel Club announced that a print version would begin publication in August 2025.^[10]

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	North American release date	North American ISBN
1	October 14, 2021[7]	978-4-8156-1020-3	December 7, 2023 (digital)[1] August 12, 2025 (print)[11]	978-1-7183-1954-7 (digital) 978-1-7183-3270-6 (print)
2	February 11, 2022[12]	978-4-8156-1193-4	February 29, 2024 (digital)[1] October 14, 2025 (print)[13]	978-1-7183-1956-1 (digital) 978-1-7183-3271-3 (print)
3	July 14, 2022[14]	978-4-8156-1611-3	May 28, 2024[1]	978-1-7183-1958-5
4	November 12, 2022[15]	978-4-8156-1612-0	September 13, 2024[1]	978-1-7183-1960-8
5	July 14, 2023[16]	978-4-8156-2257-2	December 20, 2024[1]	978-1-7183-1962-2
6	March 15, 2024[17]	978-4-8156-2465-1	June 2, 2025[1]	978-1-7183-1964-6
7	November 15, 2024[18]	978-4-8156-2720-1	—	—
8	March 15, 2025[8]	978-4-8156-2721-8	—	—

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Ten Jūnoichi began serialization on the Piccoma website and app on January 22, 2022.^[19][20] SB Creative has collected the manga's chapters into four tankōbon volumes under their GA Comic imprint as of November 2024.^[21] The manga adaptation is also licensed in English by J-Novel Club.^[9] In January 2025, J-Novel Club announced that a print version of the manga would begin publication in July 2025.^[10]

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	North American release date	North American ISBN
1	August 11, 2022[22]	978-4-8156-1052-4	December 6, 2023 (digital)[23] July 15, 2025 (print)[24]	978-1-7183-0766-7 (digital) 978-1-7183-3740-4 (print)
2	June 15, 2023[25]	978-4-8156-1310-5	March 20, 2024[23]	978-1-7183-0767-4
3	March 15, 2024[26]	978-4-8156-1876-6	—	—
4	November 15, 2024[21]	978-4-8156-1877-3	—	—
5	June 15, 2025[27]	978-4-8156-1878-0	—	—

Webtoon

A webtoon adaptation illustrated by Minsam and RocketStaff Inc. was announced during the "GA Fes 2024" livestream event on March 9, 2024. It was originally set to begin serialization on the same website and app in Q3 2024,^[28] but was delayed for unknown reasons. It later began serialization on January 2, 2025.^[29]

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	North American release date	North American ISBN
1	April 14, 2025[30]	978-4-8156-2834-5	—	—

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was also announced during the "GA Fes 2024" livestream event on March 9, 2024.^[31][28] It is produced by Makaria and directed by Joe Yoshizaki, with scripts written by Taika Miyagi, characters designed by denpuougi and Yoshihiro Sawada, and music composed by Harumi Fuuki. The series premiered on April 3, 2025, on Tokyo MX and other networks.^[2] The opening theme song is "Light Maker" (ライトメイカー), performed by bokula,^[5] while the ending theme song is "Tsuki ni Negau" (月に願う, To Wish Upon the Moon), performed by sorato.^[32] Crunchyroll streams the series.^[33] Medialink licensed the series in South, Southeast Asia and Oceania (except Australia and New Zealand) for streaming on Ani-One Asia's YouTube channel.^[34]

Episodes

No.	Title [35][36]	Directed by [a]	Written by [a]	Storyboarded by [a]	Original release date [37]
1	"An Equal Price" Transliteration: "Sōō no Taika" (Japanese: 相応の対価)	Hiroto Miyagi	Hiroto Miyagi	Parkji-seung, Eishin Fujita	April 3, 2025 (2025-04-03)
The illegal underground healer Zenos lives with his assistant Lily the elf and the ghost Carmilla in the slums of the Herzeth Kingdom. Herzeth is famous for its healers who train at colleges, yet Zenos is unique in that he taught himself healing magic ministering to the sick and injured of the slums. He is frequently visited by the three top gang-leaders Zophia, Lynga and Loewe, who respectively lead the Lizard-kin, Beast-kin and Ogre gangs. While on his rounds Zenos encounters an ill Beast-kin slave named Til being abused by her master into grave robbing the slum cemetery. The girl becomes possessed by a spirit and attacks her master. After curing the girl's possession Zenos also heals her master, but takes all his cash and the girl as payment. After the man flees, Zenos diagnoses Til with gallstones which he uses magic to remove painlessly. On the basis that all work deserves fair payment, Zenos has Til lead him to wild herbs needed for Lily's cooking, after which he sets her free as her payment. Til leaves to find her life's purpose and promises to visit Zenos one day to show him her success. Zenos returns home and finds Zophia, Lynga and Loewe cooking his dinner, having eaten the dinner Lily cooked earlier and bringing her masses of new ingredients as an apology.
2	"The Underground Healer in the Abandoned Part of Town" Transliteration: "Haikyo-gai no yami hīrā" (Japanese: 廃墟街の闇ヒーラー)	Yuri Hagiwara, Hiroto Miyagi	Hiroto Miyagi	Tatsu Yamamoto	April 10, 2025 (2025-04-10)
In the past, Zenos is kicked from his party Golden Phoenix by the leader, Aston, who claims employing an illegal healer will damage their reputation among the nobility. Immediately after leaving, Zenos encounters slavers murdering their slave girl, Lily, so Zenos buys and heals her. Zenos later heals the adventurer Zonde and is surprised when Zonde pays him, having never once been paid by Aston. Realising his skills have value Zenos decides to open an underground clinic, since slum dwellers like himself are forbidden from obtaining healer licences. By chance, the rundown house he chooses is inhabited by a wraith. Fortunately, Zenos is aware healing magic is fatal to undead, since Aston used to trap him in dungeons full of undead. The wraith, Carmilla, realises she cannot defeat Zenos and allows him to use the ground floor as a clinic. Zonde visits with his sister Zophia, suffering from a bullet wound in her arm. Despite knowing Zophia is a dangerous gang boss Zenos negotiates a high fee to amputate the arm then completely regenerate a brand new one. Everyone is astounded by his skill which far surpasses other healers, which Zenos is unaware of. Soon he is being visited by all three gang bosses and their men, providing plenty of business as the gangs are constantly fighting and injuring each other.
3	"Struggle" Transliteration: "Sōdatsu-sen" (Japanese: 争奪戦)	Toshihiro Nagao, Yuri Hagiwara	Hiroto Miyagi	Sakusan	April 17, 2025 (2025-04-17)
Continuing his flashback, Zenos meets Loewe and diagnoses her as having swallowed an explosive crystal. Loewe offers him her gang's wealth to fund treatments for poor people if she dies. Zenos removes the stone instantly and refuses her money, considering it too generous when the surgery lasted barely a second. Zophia, Lynga and Loewe visit the clinic regularly and Carmilla suggests they might be in love with him, which could escalate the conflict. Zenos assumes this is impossible, since he is just an unlicensed healer. That same afternoon, the three bosses declare war for the slums. Exasperated, Zenos attends and heals every fighter the moment they are injured so not one person dies. Realising fighting is pointless the three agree to peace, except for the fight over Zenos, which they keep secretly to themselves. Word of the truce reaches the Royal Knights, who fear peace might cause the slum dwellers to band together against normal citizens, maybe even against the aristocracy. To prevent this, Vice-Commander Krishna is sent to investigate. Interrogating gang members Krishna is surprised by their loyalty towards the anonymous mediator who ended the fighting. She also witnesses Zophia and Zonde healed of the magical bullet wounds she gave them earlier. Becoming lost in the unfamiliar slums she coincidentally asks for directions at Zenos' clinic, only to shoot him when she sees Lily is an elf.
4	"A Righteous Hero" Transliteration: "Seigi no hīrō" (Japanese: 正義のヒーロー)	Tobita Hiroki, Hon Tatsuyama	Hiroto Miyagi	Tatsu Yamamoto	April 24, 2025 (2025-04-24)
Krishna accuses Zenos of enslaving an elven child, until Lily explains how Zenos saved her. Krishna is surprised Zenos is unaffected by her bullet and decides he must be a grand sorcerer. She demands Zenos cooperate with her investigation into the "mediator", and the illegal slave trade in children. Zenos deduces Krishna hates the slums and she admits her mother would visit the slums to do charity work, until a thief killed her. Zophia visits and almost fights Krishna, only to end up arguing that Krishna is so brainwashed by the idea of noble superiority she hasn't even realised the slaver is Lord Calendor, common knowledge among the slum dwellers. To prevent a fight Zenos admits he is the healer and the "mediator". Krishna furiously leaves and visits Calendor's mansion, discovering a dungeon full of kidnapped children. Calendor shoots her with her own gun but Zenos and Zophia appear, rescue her and beat up Calendor. She is amazed when Zenos heals her bullet wounds and realises Zenos is the true hero of the slums. She finally understands why her mother would visit the slums despite the danger and decides to make her proud by seeking real justice. She asks why Zenos got there so quickly to rescue her and finds it funny when he claims it was because of her unpaid clinic fees, smiling for the first time since her mother died.
5	"A Place to Belong" Transliteration: "Ibasho" (Japanese: 居場所)	Kenyu Kimura, Ryuuta Nakano, Isao Otaki, Yuri Hagiwara	Hiroto Miyagi	Jiro Arimoto	May 1, 2025 (2025-05-01)
In the past, Aston takes a young Zenos as his party's servant. In their arrogance they never noticed Zenos healing their injuries and became overconfident in their average level abilities. On their first quest without Zenos they were all seriously injured: their archer Yuma is forced into retirement and mage Andres is almost burned to death. Aston is furious when temporary healer Umin insists the instant healing he is demanding from her is a Saint-level ability. Aston decides to rehire Zenos, hoping he can still impress his employer Lord Fennel. Aston and his only remaining mage Guile attempt to hire Zophia, Lynga and Loewe to find Zenos, but they threaten them to leave Zenos alone. Aston encounters Zenos by chance and is furious when Zenos only offers his assistance for a ridiculously high fee. He attempts to murder Zenos, but is stopped by Krishna, blames Guile, then flees. Zophia fears Aston might hire the Underground Guild to get revenge on Zenos. Zenos stays awake that night guarding the clinic, and admits to Carmilla that in his youth he tried to revive a corpse, which he was unaware was forbidden black magic. Carmilla tells him if he wants an obedient servant he could use demon sorcery to create a golem. By sheer unfortunate coincidence, a giant golem begins destroying the slums nearby.
6	"The End of Adventure" Transliteration: "Bōken no Owari" (Japanese: 冒険の終わり)	TBA	TBA	TBA	May 8, 2025 (2025-05-08)
Shortly before the golem attack Aston hires a member of the Underground Guild known as The Guide to get revenge on Zenos. Zenos heals hundreds of people hurt by the golem and is annoyed he can't keep track of everyone to know what fees to charge them. Zenos and the gangs battle the golem and Zenos notices the golem deliberately avoid hurting a young girl. Zenos determines the golem is powered by Aston's hatred. Guide is curious whether Zenos will kill Aston to stop the golem. Zenos feels sympathy for Aston, who lost his sister in childhood when he couldn't afford medicine. Rather than kill him Zenos takes the difficult route of slicing Aston out of the golem a piece at a time and healing his flesh before the stone can fuse to him again. Aston realises he let his grief over his sister turn him into a greedy bully and sincerely apologises to Zenos. Not willing to forgive him so easily Zenos knocks him unconscious then takes his legendary sword to pay for rebuilding the slums, leaving him only a single gold coin to start a new life after Krishna lets him out of prison. As Zenos is exhausted Zophia, Lynga and Loewe carry him home. Guide decides to go into hiding but is certain he and Zenos will meet again.
7	"Special Service" Transliteration: "Tokubetsu sābisu" (Japanese: 特別サービス)	TBA	TBA	TBA	May 15, 2025 (2025-05-15)

Reception

Sales

By March 2024, the series had 200,000 copies in circulation.^[28]

Critical response

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network gave the first five volumes of the light novel an overall B+ grade, writing, "The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows is, on the whole, a surprisingly good series. It doesn't break the mold, but it does stretch it in positive ways, and Zenos is easy to get behind as a protagonist. Add in a total lack of status screens and some interesting side characters and you have a series that feels better than it has any right to be."^[38]

Richard Eisenbeis of Anime News Network, in his review of the first two episodes of the anime adaptation, gave them an overall C+ grade. He wrote, "The interactions between Zenos and the demi-human girls are the focus of the show with action and intrigue being secondary. However, that said, there was a surprising amount of depth to both Zenos and the setting. This one most likely won't be topping any "best of the season" lists but if it carries on as is, it will be enjoyable to anyone who likes the non-revenge-focused "kicked out of the heroes' party" stories."^[39]

See also

• Now I'm a Demon Lord!, another light novel series illustrated by Daburyu

Notes

1. Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.