Hideaki Yoshikawa’s manga series, Kokuen no Ō Zelk (Zelk the Lord of Dark Flame), has concluded with the release of its second compiled book volume. This marks the end of the relatively short series, which began serialization earlier this year.
A Swift Conclusion to the Dark Flame
Retailers have confirmed that the second volume of Kokuen no Ō Zelk will be the final one, bringing the manga to a close after a brief run. The series launched on Square Enix’s Manga UP! website on February 26th, 2025, meaning it has concluded in under four months.
What is Kokuen no Ō Zelk About?
Kokuen no Ō Zelk centers around a young boy named Natsuki. Natsuki’s ordinary life takes a dramatic turn when he visits a technology park with his older neighbor, Nanaka. During their outing, the sky suddenly cracks open, and a black ball of flame descends upon Natsuki, causing him to lose consciousness.
Five years later, Natsuki awakens to a drastically changed world. Monsters now roam the land, and Nanaka is part of a small resistance group fighting for survival. Natsuki discovers that he possesses a dark power – the ability to conjure black flames. With this newfound ability, he embarks on a journey to restore the world.
Hideaki Yoshikawa’s Other Works
Hideaki Yoshikawa is a manga artist known for several works, including:
- Dungeon Builder: The Demon King’s Labyrinth is a Modern City! (Maō-sama no Machizukuri: Saikyō no Dungeon wa Kindai Toshi): This manga recently concluded with its 12th volume.
- The Other Side of Secret
- Me and the Impish Devil
- Kagaku no Yatsura: This manga inspired an original video anime (OVA).
Yoshikawa also launched the manga adaptation of Maō-sama no Machizukuri ~Mahō to Kagaku to Mamono ga Tsukuru Risō no Machi~ novel series on Overlap’s Comic Gardo website in March 2018.
Final Thoughts
While Kokuen no Ō Zelk‘s ending may come as a surprise to some due to its short length, fans of Hideaki Yoshikawa can look forward to his future projects. The manga offered a unique blend of fantasy and post-apocalyptic elements, and while its story is now complete in two volumes, it adds another interesting title to Yoshikawa’s diverse body of work.
