Holy Corpse Rising
A monk resurrects ancient witches to fight a witch war.
Holy Corpse Rising (Japanese: 聖骸の魔女, Hepburn: Seigai no Majo) is a manga series by Hosana Tanaka, who handled both writing and illustration. The story ran in Shōnen Gahōsha's seinen magazine Young King OURs from October 2014 through August 2018, and its chapters were later compiled into seven tankōbon volumes. Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the series for an English-language release in North America.
Set in a fictional version of fifteenth-century Rome, the plot follows Nikola Eskalibur, a young monk raised by the Catholic Church after a witch killed his parents. While studying forbidden texts in the Church's secret archives, Nikola learns how to end the war between witches and humanity: he must resurrect twelve ancient witches known as the "First Witches," who were sealed away centuries earlier. To revive each one, however, he must enter into a marriage contract with her. Nikola thus becomes the key to turning these witches into the Church's ultimate weapons.
- field
- Manga
- genre
- Seinen, dark fantasy
- serialization
- Young King OURs (October 30, 2014 – August 30, 2018)
- volumes
- 7
- publisher (Japanese)
- Shōnen Gahōsha
- publisher (English)
- Seven Seas Entertainment
Lore & Background
The story is set in an alternate fifteenth century Rome, where witches have declared war against humanity. Nikola Eskalibur is a young monk adopted by the Catholic Church, whose parents were murdered by a witch. After studying heretical tomes in the Church's secret archives, Nikola discovers the way to winning the war; he must resurrect twelve ancient witches who were locked away centuries earlier, known as the 'First Witches.' To revive them, however, Nikola must form a marriage contract with each one. Nikola, thus, becomes the key to make the First Witches the Church's greatest weapons and save the world.
Reader's Guide
Holy Corpse Rising occupies a niche in the seinen manga landscape as a dark fantasy series that blends religious iconography with occult themes. Its premise—a monk forming marriage contracts with resurrected witches to combat a witch uprising—offers a distinctive twist on the magical-girl and harem genres. The series ran for nearly four years in Young King OURs, a magazine known for mature content, and was collected into seven volumes. Its English release by Seven Seas Entertainment allowed North American readers access to the complete story. While not a mainstream hit, the series has been noted for its atmospheric art and unconventional plot, as reflected in a review by Otaku USA. The work remains a complete, self-contained narrative that explores themes of sacrifice, alliance, and the blurring of lines between heresy and salvation.
Did You Know?
- The series was serialized in Young King OURs from October 30, 2014, to August 30, 2018.
- The protagonist, Nikola Eskalibur, must form a marriage contract with each of the twelve First Witches to revive them.
- The English release by Seven Seas Entertainment published all seven volumes from November 29, 2016, to May 28, 2019.
- The story is set in an alternate fifteenth century Rome where witches have declared war on humanity.
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