Tōhōshinki Arc

The Tōhōshinki arc is the first story arc in the Beelzebub series. The Tōhōshinki arc consists of Chapters 1-40 in the Manga and Episodes 1-22 in the Anime, and introduces the main characters and several other supporting characters. The arc also details Tatsumi Oga becoming the adoptive father of Beelzebub IV, the son of the Great Demon Lord sent to the Human world in order to destroy humanity.

Synopsis
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

I Picked Up the Demon Lord
A young delinquent teenager, Tatsumi Oga, tells his best friend Takayuki Furuichi about recent events that have happened to him. He explains being attacked by some delinquents earlier, and then beating them up as punishment, before noticing a muscular man float down the river. Oga pulls the man ashore and the latter suddenly splits into two, revealing a green-haired baby. Oga thinks of what to do but his efforts result in the baby being attached to him.

After he's finished explaining, a woman suddenly appears with Ak-Baba. She argues with him when he refuses but soon, after the baby electrocutes everyone, the woman apologizes and officially introduce herself and the baby. The baby is a Demon Lord named Kaiser de Emperana Beelzebub IV and she is his Demon Maid, a wet nurse named Hilda. Hilda then proceeds to give Oga and Furuichi a better explanation of the situation, telling them about the mission that Beel's father, the Great Demon Lord, instructed him to do. Oga is then told that he must take responsibilities for his actions, and after Hilda realizes he won't man up, she tries to kill him and Furuichi. This causes a massive explosion in the house, resulting Oga and Furuichi to run away for safety. Eventually, the two come across an overhead power-line, with Hilda hot on their tail. She cuts across Oga's face with the sword hidden under her parasol and the blood falls upon Beel's cheek. Suddenly, Beel starts crying and he electrocutes everyone, even sending Hilda flying back when she attempts to calm him down. However, things calm down after Oga simply places a hand over Beel's head. A nearby steel tower suddenly begins to fall over Beel and Oga protects the Demon Lord. However, he then passes out.

The next day, Oga wakes up and thinks that everything was a dream. Much to his shock, it was actually real: Hilda and Beel are sitting in his room, the former stating that Beel will become a great Human-destroying Demon Lord.

Becoming the Demon Lord's Parent
Hilda, using her real name Hildegarde instead, introduces herself and Beel to Oga's family. His family, and later his classmates, believe that Hilda is Oga's "wife" and that Beel is his "child". And because Oga is forced to raise Beel, he cannot be more than 15 meters away from the Demon infant or else he'll die from an electric shock. Eventually, the efforts of raising a Demon Lord tire Oga to the point that he soon finds himself reaching his breaking point. While discussing it with Furuichi, unexpectedly meets the "man who split into two at the river", revealed to be the Transdimensional Demon Alaindelon. Oga is angry at Alaindelon for burdening him with several responsibilities but the Demon says that he found Oga to be a suitable parent. Oga then realizes that if he can find someone more suitable than himself then he wouldn't have to take care of Beel anymore. He states that the plan will succeed as Ishiyama High is a school populated by delinquents, all of whom are vicious thugs.

Going forward with his plan, Oga then goes to meet a strong delinquent named Hajime Kanzaki in hopes that the third-year student would prove capable of raising Beel. However, the senior student is deemed incapable of the job. Later during a rainy day, Oga awakens and soon learns from Hilda that Beel is having his "blessed" annual urination, in which Beel urinates clean water enough to sink an entire town. This soon becomes a problem and Oga tries solving it by getting him diapers, going to the local store to get some. When diapers prove futile, Hilda decides to let Beel urinate off the ocean instead. When Oga goes to school the next day, he notices an unusual tattoo on his right hand. He discovers that it's the Zebul Spell, also known as the Crest of the Royal Family, and that the reason Beel needs a parent in the Human World is so that he can fully harness his Demonic powers.

Meanwhile, a young delinquent named Tatsuya Himekawa is given a picture of Hilda and he sends a group called Team Caras out to capture and bring her to him. Team Caras find Oga but the latter escapes by swimming from the pier along with Beel, having vowed earlier to never fight again. So instead, Team Caras capture Furuichi and Hilda, beating and then taking them to an abandoned warehouse. Himekawa soon arrives and asks to call Oga, using Furuichi's phone. He contacts the delinquent and waits for him to arrive. He doesn't, and later Team Caras capture Alaindelon. But the Demon suddenly splits in two and reveals Oga and Beel inside him. Himekawa asks if Oga would like to be his subordinate but he refuses. This results in a fight between the two. Hilda then frees herself and Oga charges some of Beel's electricity onto his marked arm. He punches Himekawa with the attack, causing the latter to cough up a lot of blood, and becomes victorious in the fight.

Queen of the Tōhōshinki
Oga and Furuichi go to a local park and discuss the events with Himekawa. As they talk, Oga plays with Beel and throws him in the air. However, he notices that he threw the Demon Lord too far and starts running after him, not wanting to suffer a fatal electrocution. On the other side of the park, a teenage girl hears some mothers gossip about her raising a young child who is actually her brother. She tries to explain herself but notices Beel flying in the air. Oga suddenly rushes past her and narrowly catches the Demon Lord. The mothers recognize him and gossip some more. Oga suddenly realizes that he's in the middle of his "park debut" and unintentionally scares them off. He then notices the teenage girl, who's name is Aoi, and asks her to go out with him. Aoi is surprised but then realizes what he actually meant by it. She introduces herself and her brother Kōta Shortly thereafter, a police officer is called over. He insults the teenagers for apparently raising children at their age, which results in him being thrown in a trashcan by Oga. Later, Aoi and Kōta then return home, with Aoi noteing how she never got a chance to learn Oga's name. At home, she is greeted by the Red Tail and changes out of her disguise, now revealed to be Aoi Kunieda of the Tōhōshinki.

Oga and Furuichi are later informed of Aoi Kunieda's return to the school and, upon discovering that girls also occupy the school, Furuichi decides to go meet the "queen" of Ishiyama High School. Oga, still wanting to get rid of Beel, also goes. Kunieda and her fellow Red Tail are also searching for Oga after learning of what he did to Kanzaki and Himekawa. When they meet, however, Aoi recognizes Oga from the park but not vice verse. Although she is hesitant about fighting him, she does so anyway and attacks Oga. He dodges her attack, surprising her, but she then uses Nishiki Hyakka Midare Zakura against him, which he also dodges. Oga then asks her to become Beel's mother but she ends up being flustered and running away. Aoi quickly develops an interest in Oga after this. Meanwhile, Oga is with Furuichi and they talk about Aoi. Oga mentions how he wants to give Beel to her and Hilda, who arrived to drop off Beel's milk, overhears him. She states that she'd want to meet Aoi, especially after hearing how Beel has actually taken a liking to the female delinquent. Suddenly, they are confronted by another delinquent group of Ishiyama High: the MK5. Ikari of the MK5 then starts taunting them and an angered Hilda attacks the MK5 in retaliation. Oga then joins his "wife" in this rampage. The two then defeat MK5. Afterwards, Beel notices an evil-like presence and looks around, spotting the last member of the Tōhōshinki, Tōjō.

Nene Ōmori and Chiaki Tanimura have an intervention with Aoi but it proves futile. Aoi hears about Oga's rampage and, arriving at the scene, sees Hilda and learns that she is Oga's "bride". Aoi is furious and storms off, vowing to kill Oga. With the rampage now over, Furuichi asks how Oga plans to give Baby Beel to Aoi, noting how she isn't really an evil person. Oga realizes Furuichi's points. Natsume then approaches them from the school, talking through an open window. He notes on how Aoi is a strong woman and that now, Oga only needs to fight Tōjō. Soon afterwards, Nene and Chiaki confront Oga and ask to speak with him and in the meantime, Hilda also confronts Aoi. Hilda and Aoi start fighting each other. Aoi proves herself to be capable of withstanding many of Hilda's Demonic attacks. At the end of the battle, Hilda notes how Aoi isn't as strong as Oga although she admits that the Red Tail leader is an impressive warrior. The two are then approached by more members of the Red Tail, who inform Aoi that Nene and Chiaki were defeated by Oga. Angered, Aoi confronts Oga again on the school rooftop.

An oblivious Oga talks about how he beat up Kanzaki and Himekawa but Aoi, mistaking them for Nene and Chiaki, becomes infuriated. Nene then wakes up in the school's nurse's office and rushes to the rooftop to find her leader. Along the way, she discovers that the MK5 have attacked her fellow Red Tail. Ikari and a delinquent named Miwa watch Oga and Aoi fight, talking to one another about their reasons for manipulating the two. The fight between Oga and Aoi intensifies and she then uses Ichishiki Hagan Kiku Ichimonji. Nene is threatened but luckily Natsume arrives to help her. She rushes to the rooftop, with Oga now unconscious on the ground, and tries to tell Aoi about Miwa's plan. But an awakened Oga quickly disposes of the two. Oga is then asked why he's trying to pass off Beel to other people and tries explaining his situation, as well as how Hilda is involved in it, but he ends up making Aoi and Nene believe that "Hilda is an evil woman who forces people to raise her children for her". Hilda approaches them and says that Aoi cannot take care of Beel, sparking tension between the two.

Fighting to be the Father
Now it's summer break and Furuichi goes to the public pool with Oga and Beel. There, he meets Nene and Chiaki and they talk. Delinquents from Furuichi's old middle school then arrive. After a brief argument with the ringleader, Furuichi headbutts him and flees to hide underwater in the pool. He is eventually uncovered but notices Oga and Beel still in the pool while on a floater. As the delinquents enter the pool, Furuichi pulls Oga and Beel underwater as he hops atop the floater. Beel cries and electrocutes the water in the pool, save for Furuichi.

Later on, the weather becomes extremely hot and Beel suffers a high fever. It doesn't get better and soon Hilda notices that Oga's Zebul Spell has disappeared. She becomes upset and literally kicks Oga out of the house. The delinquent walks around town during the night and is confronted by Shōji Aizawa, an underling of Tōjō's. They briefly fight each other and Oga then returns home, finding Hilda to be gone. The next day, Beel has disappeared as well and his older sister Misaki forces him to find his "wife" and "son". Oga, along with Furuichi, go to the nearby river and find Aizawa there. Aizawa then introduces Hidetora Tōjō to the two, the Tōhōshinki member having Baby Beel atop his back. Oga, realizing that Beel is now with Tōjō, starts cheering but in a nervous, almost agitated manner. He tries to leave by crossing the river but Furuichi stops him, reminding him about how Beel is mysteriously with Tōjō. Oga then asks Tōjō about this but the Tōhōshinki member says that he'll only tell if Oga beats him in a fight. The two fight by throwing punches at one another. The first time, Tōjō sends Oga into the river while the second time, Tōjō is thrown far back onto the grass. They then continue their match and it ends with a bloody headbutt, to which Tōjō thanks Oga and proceeds to explain about him and Beel. But Oga continues to fight, as Tōjō doesn't actually have reason to tell him anything. Tōjō then sends a massive punch to Oga, throwing the latter far across the river, and then leaves along with Beel and Aizawa.

Oga returns home where Hilda invites him back in. She states that because Beel's fever isn't getting better, she requested that specialists come and help from the Demon World. The specialists are the doctor Furcas Rachmaninoff and his assistant Lamia. Furcas notices that Beel is nowhere to be found but has already come to a conclusion on what is happening to Beel, based on already-given information. Beel apparently has "King Fever", a disease that affects members of the Royal Family with exceptionally large amounts of Demonic power. He states that since Beel is in the Human World, where he needs a Human contractor, Beel unintentionally cut off his contracting link with Oga because the latter couldn't process Beel's power completely. Hilda offers to help Oga synchronize himself with Beel again. Oga denies it and states that he only wants to fight Tōjō, but Lamia pulls out her pistol and says that he's too loud.

The pistol is supposed to help with the synchronizing process. She shoots it at Oga, knocking him out. Oga starts dreaming and experiences many strange phenomena until he finds Baby Beel. There, he begins the process of synchronizing the two. The three Demons watch as Oga is writhing in pain, wondering what's about to happen to him. The process took almost 6 hours to complete. Oga, upon waking up, spanks Lamia for shooting him in the head. He then takes a shower but is interrupted by Shiroyama. Oga initially believes him to be Lamia in disguise but Shiroyama corrects him and then takes Oga to a park where Kanzaki and Himekawa are at. The two then explain the situation to Oga. Earlier that night in the same park, Tōjō was with Aizawa and another underling, Kaoru Jinno. They talk about Oga and also Beel but as they discuss, Kanzaki and Himekawa appear having been checked out of the hospital. The other two Tōhōshinki members agree to help fight against Oga but also claim that Tōjō stole their underlings from them. Kaoru states that their power levels have decreased dramatically, and thus Tōjō's is higher, but adds that they had nothing to do with Kanzaki's and Himewkawa's underlings leaving them. Tōjō mentions that they can fight if the problem remains, to which Kanzaki tries to do, but the two are then easily defeated by Kaoru instead. Kanzaki and Himekawa still want to kill Oga for what he did to them, but now they want to kill Tōjō first. Oga initially disagrees, stating he wants to do everything alone, but ends up joining the two anyway. They walk to Ishiyama High School while it's still night but are approached by Aizawa. Later, more of Tōjō's underlings join them and eventually the four delinquents are surrounded. Aizawa then leaves, as there are more people who can dispose of the four. Himekawa and Kanzaki dispose of some delinquents while Oga finishes off the rest. They then continue on to Ishiyama High. There, they are surrounded again by even more delinquents. They state that this is war in their school and in order to keep things at bay, they must kill Oga and the others. However, suddenly Aoi appears along with the Red Tail, Aoi stating that they'll defeat the delinquents for Oga and the others.

Aizawa appears before Tōjō who is shown setting up a bunch of fireworks which he stole from work, wanting to create some fireworks to make Beel feel better. Aizawa is clearly shocked by this. Kaoru then arrives and wonders why so many people are joining Tōjō, to which the delinquent then replies that he allowed them all to be. Tōjō then lights a match and uses it on the fireworks, causing a large firework in the sky. After that, Oga then appears to fight Tōjō. At the same time, Furuichi is woken from his sleep by Alaindelon who then sends him to Ishiyama High where the battles are taking place. He witness Oga and Tōjō standing before their fight. He is greeted by Hilda and introduced to Furcas Rachmaninoff and Lamia. They then watch the two delinquents.

Kaoru and Aizawa start walking around the school and are then confronted by Himekawa and Kanzaki, along with an accompanying Shiroyama. The two Tōhōshinki members want to fight and get their revenge on Kaoru, who tells them that they cannot defeat him. Still, the two are determined and their fight comes to a start. Tōjō talks to Oga and tells him that he knows now that Beel is his son. He offers to hand Beel back to Oga, stating that he only wants to fight him. Tōjō then asks if Oga can fight better if he's fighting for Beel. Oga denies, stating that he's only fighting for himself and that Beel is not his son. Whether or not Beel wants Oga as his father is totally up to the Demon Lord. Hearing this, Beel's fever is immediately healed and he now draws the attention of Oga and Tōjō, as well as the others around him. Beel chooses Oga and crawls back to his adoptive father. Tōjō is happy for Oga, as he now is the rightful father of Beel. Still, he wants their fight to begin. Oga agrees and their fight begins.

From the sidelines, Furuichi notes how Tōjō is actually a normal, good-hearted guy who just likes to fight. Also, Lamia finds the fireworks that Tōjō stole from his part-time job. She'd overheard what he said about them and how he wanted to make Beel better with them. As she thinks about it, she notices how one fuse hasn't been lit yet. Aoi and the Red Tail then defeat the rest of the delinquents. Aoi is praised by a fellow Red Tail, Yuka Hanazawa, and the girls all decide to go and watch Oga's and Tōjō's battle. Himekawa and Aizawa are still being beaten by Kaoru, who taunts them by stating that there comes a time when leaders have to back down from power. Aizawa joins in and states that they should be thanking Oga for helping them back down, but the two Tōhōshinki members state that they can't keep anything without fighting for it. They add further that carrying a burden will only make them stronger and that it will profit off of others. Natsume then gives an applause for the two on their speech and helps defeat Kaoru. He also states that they should find Tōjō.

Tōjō and Oga start off by throwing punches at one another but Oga backhands one of his throws, catching Tōjō by surprise. He throws even more punches at him and even tries going for a kick to the face but Tōjō blocks with a headbutt. Tōjō gets excited and starts attacking Oga more viciously, even starting to gain an advantage on him. But Oga gets angry and tries to attack again. His attempt, however, activated his Zebul Spell attack. Lamia notices this and accidentally sends one of the fireworks rolling down to the two. But Oga touches the firework and, because he used the Zebul Spell technique, causes an explosion that results in a ring of fire stylized as the Crest of the Royal Family. Tōjō is impressed and wonders what Oga really is. However, Oga is angered and tells Beel not to interfere with their fight, stating he won't lose. Hilda notices this and realizes that the trust between the two is stronger than ever. The two then continue fighting each other until Oga deals the finishing blow on Tōjō: slamming him headfirst into the ground.

Tōjō is then defeated, much to the surprise of those around him (including the newly-arrived Red Tail and Aoi). Be'el hops back on Oga's back and the two are greeted by Furuichi, who then asks about the Zebul Spell on Tōjō's arm. Tōjō explains that he used to admire a certain man from his childhood who had the same tattoo as Oga's, and that the one Tōjō currently has is not an actual contracting seal. He also names Oga as "the best of Ishiyama. Furuichi then wonders how there are other Demon contractors like Oga. Soon afterwards, Oga's contracting arm starts bloating rapidly, much to the confusion and shock of those around him. Hilda then immediately tells Oga that he will die if he doesn't hit something with the Zebul Spell, as it is currently overflowing with Demonic magic. Rushing to hit something, Oga punches the ground and accidentally destroys the entire school.

End of the Summer
Oga and Furuichi, both bandaged, are sitting on a bench along with Beel and discuss how Oga broke his vow, again. Furuichi is enraged at how Oga changed their Freshman year so easily ever since he contracted with Beel. Furuichi argues how they no longer have a school though Oga couldn't care less about what's to happen next, angering Furuichi even further. At the local hospital, all the other delinquents of Ishiyama High (save for Tōjō and the female students) are there, with a vast majority of them being under emergent care. It's revealed that Oga's attack also injured the students, as well. Natsume talks about Oga and Tōjō to Kanzaki, Himekawa, Shiroyama, Aizawa, and Kaoru. He also states how Oga causes much of their injuries and the school's destruction.

Oga later takes Beel out to go train at Mapputatsu, as Beel continues crying after seeing a "half-dead cicada". Oga decides to train Beel by tying him from a branch and threatening him with a cicada, but the branch snaps and causes the two to fall. Upon falling, Oga meets Aoi (who's in her disguise) but recognizes Kōta. He also recognizes Aoi but not as Aoi Kunieda, stunning her. The two then get ice cream where he then asks Aoi's name. Aoi starts off by saying her last name but before she can finish, her grandfather appears and calls out her first name. Oga then believes her name is Aoi Kunie, failing to recognize her as Aoi Kunieda. Aoi's grandfather asks of Oga's relationship with Aoi and learns that Oga is out for special training, both questions being answered by Aoi herself. Aoi's grandfather, Ittōsai Kunieda, then offers to help train Oga.

Oga and Ittōsai start fighting but Oga is quickly defeated. Ittōsai then notices that a parcel he was carrying has gone missing and starts chasing after an unknown person who was seen leaving the vicinity, suspecting him of being the thief. Instead, he (and Aoi, who ran after him) finds three delinquents who tell him that they don't know anything. Aoi then whispers to her grandfather and Ittōsai then walks off the cliff, revealing that the three delinquents actually have the parcel. They start running away but Oga, who follows Aoi and her grandfather, punches one of them for getting in his way. Ittōsai then disposes of the other two, revealing that he hadn't fallen and was only formulating a plan with Aoi. Ittōsai leaves and tells Oga that he can train at his house anytime, as he recognizes Oga as Aoi's potential husband. Aoi leaves with her grandfather, embarrassed, and Oga returns home. Beel then defeats a cicada, albeit an already- dead one.

Anime and Manga Differences

 * The scene where Alaindelon is floating down the river was toned down in the anime. In the anime, his head is only visible and an arrow pierces his throat. In the manga, parts of his chest is revealed and the arrow pierces his left pectoral muscle instead. He is also bleeding from the said area and from his nose.
 * In the manga, Aoi was informed of Nene's and Chiaki's defeat by two unnamed Red Tail members, one of which would later tell Nene of Aoi's and Oga's fight. The two girls are replaced by Yuka Hanazawa and Ryōko Asuka, the former being the one would later tell Nene the latest news.
 * When Hilda first returns with the toys for Baby Beel, this ocurrs before Aoi's introduction in the anime.
 * When Ishiyama High is destroyed by Oga, the entire school is shown to be totally destroyed and in ruins in the manga. In the anime, it has been distorted instead. Though structurally intact, the school is still set for reconstruction.
 * Tōjō makes his appearance earlier in the anime, appearing as early as Episode 12.
 * In Episode 16 instead of just Tanimura and Ōmori appearing at the public pool, all the other Red Tail delinquents (except for Umemiya) are present, as well as Aoi.