VIZ Media is publishing the first volume of new manga series Detroit Metal City, created by Kiminori Wakasugi, on 9 June. The 200-page book ($12.99) comes with a limited-edition tattoo.
In the book, “Prepare to have your mortal soul devoured by the demonic Johannes Krauser II, front man for Detroit Metal City, the most outrageous death metal band on the Japanese indie rock scene! Soichi Negishi dreamed of moving to Tokyo and starting a bubblegum pop band, but now he’s fronting the most scandalous and demented death metal band in Japanese rock! Deep down, Soichi still dreams of acoustic guitars and trips to Paris, but when the makeup comes on and he transforms into his alter ego, Krauser II, not even the denizens of hell are safe from his soul-devouring death metal sound. Can Soichi reconcile his sensitive inner yearnings with his wild on-stage persona—the vilest hard rocker in Japanese (and possibly world) history?”
In addition to its manga beginnings, there is an animated counterpart, and recently, a live-action version of the film was recently released in Japan featuring cameos by Gene Simmons (KISS) and Marty Friedman (Megadeth).
VIZ’s Gonzalo Ferreyra says “The hilarious on- and off-stage antics of Soichi Negishi and his swaggering alter ego Johannes Krauser II promises to make Detroit Metal City the most over-the-top, profane, and funniest hard rock manga satire to ever hit North American shores.”