Holy Exorcist Meets Alleged Demon Summon. Love Blooms | Manga Monday

Welcome to Manga Monday! This week we're diving into Make the Exorcist Fall in Love, written by Aruma Arima and illustrated by Masuku Fukayama, a supernatural action romance on Shonen Jump+ that has no business being this emotionally devastating. Joshua is a 16 year old boy chosen by God to be the world's strongest exorcist, trained and abused by the Church since childhood to fight Demon Lords. All he actually wants to do is bake sweets and live in peace. Then Imuri enters his life, a warm, loving girl who becomes his reason to keep going. The catch? She's a succubus sent by Satan himself to make him fall in love. What starts as a premise that sounds like a rom-com becomes something far deeper, a story about a broken boy learning he's allowed to want things for himself, wrapped in a bloody holy war. The art is gorgeous, the action is brutal, the romance is genuinely earned, and the way it critiques religious extremism and the weaponisation of children is sharper than most seinen even attempt. Fifteen volumes in and it just keeps getting better. This one's a rare gem.If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, like, and subscribe to Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast — and any other podcasts you love. It takes seconds, costs nothing, and means everything to us creators. (The algorithm only accepts 5 stars, just so you know.)Stay up to date with me on Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | TwitterJoin our Discord — a community full of anime and culture fans just like youFollow my anime Spotify playlistMy amazing sponsors:Audio-Technica — the best in audio equipmentIced Tea Aesthetics — anime streetwear done right (use code SAKURASOCIETY5 at checkout to save $5)Japan Crate — Japanese snacks and treats delivered to your door (use code ATEBIT15 at checkout to save 15% + get free shipping)Affiliate links:Captivate.fm - the best podcast hosting platformKomi.io - the best linkinbio websiteRiverside.fm - the best remote video/podcast recording platform