Rasetsu Review: A Spirit Exorcist with a Curse That Will Kill Her at 20 Searches for True Love to Break It
by Chika Shiomi
Read the first volume. If it doesn't hook you, put it down. It'll hook you.
Buy Rasetsu on Amazon →*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Quick Take
- A supernatural romance with a built-in urgency mechanism — the curse deadline gives every volume's romantic development real stakes
- Shiomi's spirit-world content is more detailed here than in Yurara, giving the series more world-building alongside the romance
- 9 volumes complete; compact complete supernatural romance with effective tension management
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want supernatural romance with a ticking clock urgency
- Anyone who read Yurara and wants the continuation series
- Fans of curse-breaking romance where the curse has genuine stakes
- Readers looking for complete supernatural romance in a short format
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: T (Teen) Content Warnings: Curse with real death consequence; supernatural exorcism content; romantic tension with urgency; spirits and supernatural threats
T rating — supernatural romance within teen standards.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★☆☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★★☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★★ |
| Reread Value | ★★★☆☆ |
Story Overview
Rasetsu Hyō was cursed at fifteen by a demon who had fallen in love with her. The curse: find someone who truly loves you before you turn twenty, or the demon will take her. She is now eighteen and working at a spirit consultation agency alongside Yako Hoshino (from Yurara) and others.
The spirit consultation work provides the series' episodic content — cases involving troubled spirits and the exorcism thereof. The countdown provides the structure: two years, with someone who truly loves her as the only exit.
Aoi Kurei joins the agency as a researcher. His relationship with Rasetsu develops against the countdown, with the curse's specific mechanism making every development more urgent.
Characters
Rasetsu Hyō — A protagonist whose curse-deadline means her relationship to romance is different from standard — she needs it to be real, not just present, which makes the romance's development requirements more specific.
Aoi Kurei — The new researcher whose feelings for Rasetsu and what "truly loves her" means in the context of the curse's requirements are the series' central romantic development.
The demon — The curse's originator who wants Rasetsu; his persistence creates the series' ongoing supernatural threat.
Art Style
Shiomi's art has grown from Yurara — more detailed supernatural elements, better pacing on the emotional sequences, character designs that carry more history. The spirit designs are distinctive and the exorcism sequences are well-choreographed.
Cultural Context
Rasetsu ran from 2007 to 2010 in Bessatsu Hana to Yume, a direct continuation series to Yurara using Yako from that series as a supporting character. The curse-with-deadline structure gives the series genre urgency that Yurara's transformation-based premise didn't use.
What I Love About It
The specificity of the curse requirement. "True love" is not just mutual affection — the curse requires something that can be distinguished from the circumstances. Rasetsu's awareness that she cannot simply accept any romantic feeling as sufficient — that the curse's requirement is specific — makes the romantic development more careful and more affecting.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Rasetsu as a stronger series than Yurara despite being a direct continuation — specifically noted for the curse deadline creating genuine urgency, for Rasetsu being a more defined protagonist than Yurara's lead, and for the spirit-world content being more developed. Recommended for supernatural romance readers and Yurara fans.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The sequence where what "true love" actually means in the context of the curse becomes clear — and what Rasetsu has to accept and what Aoi has to do — is the series' most emotionally complete moment.
Similar Manga
- Yurara — Predecessor series; reading Yurara first is recommended
- Kamisama Kiss — Supernatural romance with similar urgency
- Her Majesty's Dog — Supernatural romance with spirit-world obligations
- Midnight Secretary — Supernatural romance with deadline-adjacent pressure
Reading Order / Where to Start
Read Yurara first. Then Volume 1 of Rasetsu.
Official English Translation Status
VIZ Media has published the complete English series. All 9 volumes available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Curse deadline creates genuine romantic urgency
- Rasetsu is a well-defined protagonist
- Complete in 9 volumes
- Spirit-world content more developed than Yurara
Cons
- Requires Yurara knowledge for full context
- Some spirit cases less interesting than main romance
- Curse resolution may not satisfy all readers
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | VIZ Media; complete series available |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
Read the first volume. If it doesn't hook you, put it down. It'll hook you.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.