The Duke of Death and His Maid

The Duke of Death and His Maid (死神坊ちゃんと黒メイド) is a Japanese romantic comedy manga series by Koharu Inoue. It was serialized online via Shogakukan's Sunday Webry website from October 2017 to May 2022, with its chapters collected in sixteen volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by J.C.Staff aired from July to September 2021. A second season aired from July to September 2023. A third and final season aired from April to June 2024.

Plot
A young noble named Viktor is cursed as a child by a witch, causing him to kill anything he touches. As a result, his mother disowns him, and sends him to live in a separate estate with only a maid named Alice and a butler. In the process, the noble becomes close to Alice, and she to him. He tries to adapt to living with the curse and attempts to find out about the person who cursed him.

Characters

 * The Duke (坊ちゃん) / Viktor (Junior) (ヴィクター)
 * A young noble who was bewitched since childhood with a curse that kills anything he touches. Because of it, he is disowned by his mother and sent to live in a separate estate inside a forest with only a butler and his maid Alice.
 * A young noble who was bewitched since childhood with a curse that kills anything he touches. Because of it, he is disowned by his mother and sent to live in a separate estate inside a forest with only a butler and his maid Alice.


 * Alice Lendrott (アリス・レンドロット)
 * Viktor's childhood friend and personal maid who is infatuated with him. Despite knowing that touching Viktor can kill her, Alice likes to flirt with him, usually with comical results.
 * Viktor's childhood friend and personal maid who is infatuated with him. Despite knowing that touching Viktor can kill her, Alice likes to flirt with him, usually with comical results.


 * Rob (ロブ)
 * Viktor's old butler and his only servant besides Alice.
 * Viktor's old butler and his only servant besides Alice.


 * Viola (ヴィオラ)
 * Viktor's youngest sister, Viola likes older men and has feelings for Rob, usually visiting her brother's house just to see him.
 * Viktor's youngest sister, Viola likes older men and has feelings for Rob, usually visiting her brother's house just to see him.


 * Walter (ウォルター)
 * Viktor's younger brother who was chosen to replace him as the family's heir. Despite that, Walter always has a feeling of inferiority towards his brother and always attempts to surpass him.
 * Viktor's younger brother who was chosen to replace him as the family's heir. Despite that, Walter always has a feeling of inferiority towards his brother and always attempts to surpass him.


 * Cuff (カフ)
 * A young witch who befriends Viktor and Alice. Cuff is skilled with fire magic and works in a circus with Zain. Cuff views the world with a sense of immaturity, and child-like wonder (as evidenced by her affinity for Santa Claus). It is hinted that she has feelings for Zain.
 * A young witch who befriends Viktor and Alice. Cuff is skilled with fire magic and works in a circus with Zain. Cuff views the world with a sense of immaturity, and child-like wonder (as evidenced by her affinity for Santa Claus). It is hinted that she has feelings for Zain.


 * Zain (ザイン)
 * A wizard with bird features and a perverted behavior who is Cuff's companion. Zain always attempts to flirt with Cuff, who rejects him at first but eventually warms up to him. Zain is skilled with time magic, a rare and powerful trait that makes him the target of other witches.
 * A wizard with bird features and a perverted behavior who is Cuff's companion. Zain always attempts to flirt with Cuff, who rejects him at first but eventually warms up to him. Zain is skilled with time magic, a rare and powerful trait that makes him the target of other witches.


 * Daleth (ダレス)
 * The leader of the witches, replacing her older sister Sade. Like Cuff and Zain, Daleth also befriends Viktor and Alice, helping them to look for a way to break the curse. In the past, she was disfigured by Sade and since then she disguises her head with a skull-like mask in shame, until Walter compliments her true face, which also makes her fall in love with him.
 * The leader of the witches, replacing her older sister Sade. Like Cuff and Zain, Daleth also befriends Viktor and Alice, helping them to look for a way to break the curse. In the past, she was disfigured by Sade and since then she disguises her head with a skull-like mask in shame, until Walter compliments her true face, which also makes her fall in love with him.


 * Sharon Lendrott (シャロン・レンドロット)
 * Alice's mother who somehow has a connection with the witches, despite not being one of them. Years ago, she was apparently killed by Sade but revives later in the story, reuniting with her daughter.
 * Alice's mother who somehow has a connection with the witches, despite not being one of them. Years ago, she was apparently killed by Sade but revives later in the story, reuniting with her daughter.


 * Gerbera (ガーベラ)
 * Viktor's mother who disowned him after he was cursed. Behind her strict facade, she still cares for her son and wants him to break his curse so that he can return to the family. She is good friends with Sharon.
 * Viktor's mother who disowned him after he was cursed. Behind her strict facade, she still cares for her son and wants him to break his curse so that he can return to the family. She is good friends with Sharon.


 * Sade (シャーデー)
 * The main antagonist and former leader of the witches. Sade is responsible for several acts of cruelty such as the duke's curse, Daleth's scar and Sharon's apparent death. It is stated that she died many years ago but traces of her magic are usually seen, as a sign that she was not completely destroyed yet.
 * The main antagonist and former leader of the witches. Sade is responsible for several acts of cruelty such as the duke's curse, Daleth's scar and Sharon's apparent death. It is stated that she died many years ago but traces of her magic are usually seen, as a sign that she was not completely destroyed yet.


 * Ringmaster (座長)
 * The ringmaster of Circus Gemini. He is also the husband of Amelia, whom he rescued a decade ago.
 * The ringmaster of Circus Gemini. He is also the husband of Amelia, whom he rescued a decade ago.


 * Amelia (アメリア)
 * The octopus witch and the wife of the Ringmaster.
 * The octopus witch and the wife of the Ringmaster.


 * Niko (ニコ)
 * A wizard who is cursed with immortality by Sade years before her death. Niko is the headmaster of his wizardry school.
 * A wizard who is cursed with immortality by Sade years before her death. Niko is the headmaster of his wizardry school.


 * Ichi (イチ)
 * A wizardess and the lover of Niko. She is highly skilled with water magic.
 * A wizardess and the lover of Niko. She is highly skilled with water magic.


 * Free (フリー)
 * An instructor of Niko's wizardry school. Despite the fact that Free is actually a witch, he highly admires Niko and addresses him as "Brother Niko" and emulates Niko as he shape shifts into an older carbon-copy of his physical appearance.
 * An instructor of Niko's wizardry school. Despite the fact that Free is actually a witch, he highly admires Niko and addresses him as "Brother Niko" and emulates Niko as he shape shifts into an older carbon-copy of his physical appearance.


 * Viktor (Senior) (ヴィクトル)
 * The grandfather of Viola, Walter and the Duke, who was named after him.
 * The grandfather of Viola, Walter and the Duke, who was named after him.


 * Liz (リズ)
 * The grandmother of the Duke, Viola and Walter. Liz and her husband Viktor are depicted in a painting in the Duke's ancestral home.
 * The grandmother of the Duke, Viola and Walter. Liz and her husband Viktor are depicted in a painting in the Duke's ancestral home.

Manga
Written and illustrated by Koharu Inoue, The Duke of Death and His Maid was serialized on Shogakukan's Sunday Webry website from October 3, 2017, to May 17, 2022. Shogakukan collected its chapters in sixteen volumes, released from January 12, 2018, to July 12, 2022.

On July 2, 2021, Seven Seas Entertainment announced they licensed the series for English publication.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation produced by J.C.Staff was announced in February 2021. The CGI-centric anime series was directed by Yoshinobu Yamakawa, with Hideki Shirane overseeing the series' scripts, Michiru Kuwabata designing the characters, and Gen Okuda and Takeshi Watanabe composing the series' music. Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia. Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia and aired it on Aniplus Asia. Medialink licensed the series in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, streaming it on their Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.

The series was broadcast on Tokyo MX, BS11, and ytv. The first season aired from July 4 to September 19, 2021. At the end of the first season finale, it was announced that a second season had been green-lit, which aired from July 9 to September 24, 2023. At the end of the second season finale, it was announced that a third and final season was in production, which aired from April 7 to June 23, 2024.

Reception
By September 2023, the manga had over 1.8 million copies in circulation.

Cartoon Cipher of Anime News Network (ANN) praises the first season of the anime for defying his initial expectations by blending teasing with heartfelt wholesomeness and effective world-building and adding that the anime balances lighthearted moments with a deeper exploration of its world, depicting the Duke's secluded life as a refuge from harsh realities. He also noted that the CG animation maintained the original manga's expressive style despite some choppiness. He concludes that the show offers a surprising amount of love and wholesomeness, suggesting it should be approached as a romance rather than a dark fantasy. MrAJCosplay of ANN commented the pacing flaws of the third season adding that after the first episode, the story stagnates for five episodes which affects overall the story telling and rhythm hindering the narrative's flow. He commented the third season the lacks the same visual dynamism as the previous seasons. He praises the voice acting for being strongly well-delivered. He also praises the second half of the season noting that it is "a perfect blend of narrative progression and emotional pathos."