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Riku Sanjō, Kōji Inada's Beet the Vandel Buster Manga Goes on Hiatus
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
Shueisha published the manga's 17th compiled book volume (image right) in July 2023.
Storywriter Sanjo and illustrator Inada (Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibōken duo) published the series in the now-defunct Monthly Shonen Jump magazine from 2002-2006. Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru is credited with design cooperation for the series. Viz Media published the 12 volumes in English between 2004-2007, and it describes the manga:
The Vandel Busters are a roving band of certified monster destroyers. Beet's biggest ambition in life is to become a Buster, but what can you say about a monster hunter who can barely stand the pain when he receives the mystical brand of a "Level 1 Vandel Buster"?Still, Beet is ready for action, and when a nearby town is invaded by deons, he rushes to help--without a clue as to how to trounce even a single member of the rampaging horde. But not knowing how formidable the Vandels are might work to his advantage because he doesn't know enough to be scared! Beet is about to learn that being a hero may be more than he bargained for...
The duo resumed the manga's serialization after a nearly 10-year hiatus in April 2016, in Shueisha's now-defunct Jump SQ. Crown magazine.
The manga went on hiatus again in October 2016, and returned in the inaugural issue of Jump SQ. RISE in 2018.
The manga inspired a 52-episode TV anime series of the same name in 2004-2005, as well as the 25-episode Beet the Vandel Buster Excellion television anime series in 2005-2006. Illumitoon Entertainment released part of the first series on DVD in 2007.
Update: Fixed typo for Dragon Quest manga. Thanks, NJ_.
Source: Jump SQ. magazine's X/Twitter account
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