Creator of the hit series “The Ancient Magus’ Bride” Kore Yamazaki has her latest series “Frau Faust” available in English thanks to Kodansha Comics.

Young Marion’s life nearly took a turn towards one of crime when just in the nick of time, a female traveler helped him evade capture. The boy got back his textbooks the debt collectors took along with other items after the family business could no longer make money. It sparked the woman who called herself Johanna and offered him lessons in various subjects in exchange that on the night of the new moon, they look for her lost “dog.” It shocked Marion when the strange woman took him to the local church. However it was only the first of many surprises that occurred that night. The mysteries behind Johanna’s motives and past revealed themselves after one of the Church’s inquisitors stabbed her in the stomach who called her Dr. Faust. The near-instant recovery from the attack was the proof that the infamous scientist who made a deal with the demon Mephisto and reeked havoc in various places. Like before, Johanna used magic to escape but not without Marion and the arm of her “dog,” Mephisto. Though the boy had a mess of emotions and information to process, he knew in his heart that the mad doctor would be his best opportunity of learning so much. Marion decided to follow her as her student and discover the truth behind the legend.

It is interesting to compare Johanna and her student Marion to Elias and his companion from Yamazaki’s other series “The Ancient Magus’ Bride.” While both elder members are centuries old beings of great mystery who dives into magic, Marion is a normal human unlike Chise the powerful sleigh buggy. He also has a lot of determination and confidence from the start of the story by showing he acts on his own without much external agency. Each pair have a teacher-student relationship, but that is what strictly what Dr. Faust and Marion are. It seems that Johanna has a more complex bond with Mephisto. On the surface, one might think that there is just a strong sense of anger and revenge but flashbacks reveal a bit of respect and affection, especially since the demon referred to her as “Master.” The theme seems to float on question the definition of what is good and evil as Johanna seems to always go against the grain of society. It is a compelling story filled with the amazing writing and illustrations of Yamazaki.

Volume Two of “Frau Faust” will arrive in November, which is a quick turnaround compared to the gap between other manga’s release. Seven Seas Entertainment has the manga of “The Ancient Magus’ Bride” while Crunchyroll has both the OVA series and anime series adaptations available for streaming.

To check out more information on “Frau Faust” and to read an online preview, visit Kodansha Comics’s site.