Superior is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ichtys. The story centers around the Hero Exa and the Demon Queen Sheila along with the corresponding war between the demon and human races. It was published in Square Enix's Gangan Powered from June 2004 to February 2009. After Gangan Powered ceased its publication, the series was transferred to Monthly GFantasy, and re-titled Superior Cross, and serialized from April 2009 to July 2011. A Drama CD was released by Frontier Works in March 2007.
Plot
Superior takes place in a world where humans and monsters co-exist, but for many years, both races have been at war, aiming for the complete extermination of each other. The powerful Demon Queen Sheila arises to lead the monsters. She is extremely powerful, and slays half of humanity by herself. The surviving humans elect a Hero, Exa, to kill the Demon Queen and liberate humanity from her oppressive rule. But Exa questions his mission. He is anguished by the knowledge that all monsters are living creatures, the same as humans, and he doesn't wish to kill any of them. Sheila becomes interested in Exa's principles and decides infiltrate his side. Eventually she realizes that she has fallen in love with Exa, who, despite his desire for peaceful co-existence, has vowed to kill the Demon Queen himself.
Superior is written and illustrated by Ichtys. It started in the summer 2004 issue of Square Enix's Gangan Powered, published on June 22, 2004, and was serialized in the magazine until its last ever issue, published on February 21, 2009. It was then transferred to Monthly GFantasy, and re-titled Superior Cross, starting in the May 2009 issue, published on April 18, 2009. The series finished in the August 2011 issue, published on July 16, 2011. Square Enix compiled the series into individual tankōbon volumes. Nine volumes of Superior were released from March 22, 2005 to April 22, 2009. Six volumes of Superior Cross were released from September 26, 2009 to October 27, 2011. The series has been licensed in France by Ki-oon. The nine volumes of Superior were published from October 8, 2009 to December 9, 2010. The six volumes of Superior Cross were published from April 14, 2011 to February 23, 2012.
