To Love-Ru Darkness Review: The Sequel Shifts Focus to Momo's Plan to Build a Harem for Rito
by Saki Hasemi / Kentaro Yabuki
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Quick Take
- The sequel that gives To Love-Ru's best character (Yami) the serious arc she deserved — Darkness uses its premise to develop characters the original left underdeveloped
- Yabuki's art is exceptional and consistent throughout 18 volumes
- 18 volumes complete in English; complete mature harem romance sequel with stronger character work than the original
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers of the original To Love-Ru who want the complete story
- Anyone interested in harem romance with more character development than the genre usually offers
- Fans of Yabuki's art who want an extended display of his work
- Readers looking for complete mature harem romance
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: M (Mature) Content Warnings: Explicit ecchi content throughout; harem romance premise; Momo's plan involves actively pursuing multiple girls for Rito; mature content significantly more explicit than T-rated harem manga
M rating — the ecchi content is consistent and explicit.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★☆☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★★★ |
| Character Development | ★★★★☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★☆☆ |
Story Overview
The Harem Plan. Momo Belia Deviluke, youngest of the Deviluke princesses, has concluded that Rito is too paralyzed by indecision and social convention to ever choose between the girls who love him. Her solution: build a harem, which is legal and normal for Deviluke royalty, and integrate all of them into his life before he can object.
The series follows this plan while developing the characters it expands focus to: Golden Darkness (Yami) receives the most significant arc — her past, her creator, her purpose as an assassination weapon, and who she chooses to be rather than who she was made to be. This arc gives To Love-Ru Darkness more genuine dramatic content than its predecessor.
Nemesis, a new character who has a specific relationship to Yami's creation, is the series' most interesting addition.
Characters
Momo Belia Deviluke — The driving character of the sequel; her plan and her own complicated feelings about Rito are the series' central romantic element.
Yami (Golden Darkness) — The character who benefits most from the sequel's expanded focus; her arc from assassination weapon to person is the series' strongest dramatic content.
Nemesis — The new antagonist/character whose relationship to Yami and her own nature are the series' most interesting character questions.
Art Style
Yabuki's art is the series' most consistent strength — exceptional figure work, character designs that are immediately visually appealing, and page compositions that use the ecchi content with technical mastery. This is among the best art in harem manga.
Cultural Context
To Love-Ru Darkness ran from 2010 to 2017 in Jump Square, having moved from the original series' Weekly Shonen Jump home to the monthly publication that allowed the more explicit content. The sequel is longer than the original and uses the additional space for character development that weekly magazine format compressed.
What I Love About It
Yami's arc. The original series established her as an interesting character and then used her primarily for action and comedy. Darkness gives her a genuine arc — who made her, why, what she was intended for, and the specific choice of becoming a person rather than continuing as a weapon. It is better than a mature harem romance should probably be.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe To Love-Ru Darkness as a significantly stronger series than the original — specifically noted for Yami's arc being unexpectedly good, for the art being exceptional throughout, and for Momo being a more interesting romantic lead than Lala. Recommended for readers who found the original's character development insufficient.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The sequences where Yami confronts the truth of her creation and makes the specific choice of who she will be — against the intention she was manufactured for — is the series at its dramatically strongest.
Similar Manga
- To Love-Ru — Original series; Darkness can be read with prior knowledge of the original
- High School DxD — Mature harem with similar balance of action and romance
- The 100 Girlfriends — Harem in different comedic register
- Nisekoi — Harem romance with more character development focus
Reading Order / Where to Start
Read the original To Love-Ru first. Then Volume 1 of Darkness.
Official English Translation Status
Yen Press has published the complete English series. All 18 volumes available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Yami's arc is genuinely good dramatic content
- Yabuki's art is exceptional throughout
- Complete in 18 volumes
- Better character development than original
Cons
- M rating ecchi content is consistent and explicit
- Requires original To Love-Ru knowledge for context
- Momo's plan is the premise; the series doesn't interrogate it
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | Yen Press; complete series available |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
Get To Love-Ru Darkness Vol. 1 on Amazon →
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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.