Scum of the Brave (Japanese: 勇者のクズ, Hepburn: Yūsha no Kuzu) is a Japanese light novel series written by Rocket Shokai and illustrated by Yūya Kusaka. It was initially serialized as a web novel published on Kadokawa Corporation's Kakuyomu website between February and March 2016. A single volume was published under Fujimi Shobo's Kadokawa Books imprint in December 2016. A manga adaptation illustrated by Nakashima723 initially began serialization as an independent comic in June 2018, before beginning serialization on Leed Publishing's Comic Border manga website in February 2022. A new edition of the light novel series illustrated by toi8 began publication by Shueisha under their Dash X Bunko imprint in January 2026. An anime television series adaptation produced by OLM aired from January to June 2026.
Contents
Plot
Set in mid-21st-century Tokyo, the criminal underworld is dominated by Demon Lords, gang leaders who have gained overwhelming powers through ether enhancement and Demon King Transformation Surgery. To counter them, the government sanctions "Heroes", bounty hunters who amplify their own ether abilities using the drug E3 and are legally permitted to kill.
The story follows Yashiro, a lone wolf Hero known as the Reaper, who lives a dissolute life and prefers to work alone. His routine is disrupted when Jōgamine, a determined high school girl who declares herself his apprentice inserts herself into his work. Soon after, Yashiro is approached by additional aspiring high school heroes and agrees to train them for money. As Yashiro becomes entangled with his would-be students, he is drawn into escalating confrontations with Demon Lords, rival Heroes, and criminal organizations, placing him at the center of increasingly dangerous and chaotic conflicts within Tokyo's underworld.
Characters
"Shinigami" Yashiro (《死神》ヤシロ)
Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki
Aki Jōgamine (城ヶ峰 亜希, Jōgamine Aki)
Voiced by: Akari Kitō
Yukine Indō (印堂 雪音, Indō Yukine)
Voiced by: Momo Harumi
Sara Kashiwagi Pendragon (セーラ・カシワギ・ペンドラゴン, Sēra Kashiwagi Pendoragon)
Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori
"Salt" Joe (《ソルト》ジョー, "Soruto" Jō)
Voiced by: Hinata Tadokoro
"Ongakuya" Ishinō (《音楽屋》イシノオ)
Voiced by: Daisuke Hirakawa
"Moguri" no Maruta (《もぐり》のマルタ)
Voiced by: Yasuhiro Takato
Lord "Amber Thorn" (《琥珀の茨》卿, "Kohaku no Ibara" Kyō)
Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda
Kiyoto Takamiya (鷹宮清人, Takamiya Kiyoto)
Voiced by: Shin-ichiro Miki
Lord "Wedge of Both Hands" (《諸手の楔》卿, "Morote no Kusabi" Kyō)
Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara
Arthur Pendragon (アーサー・ペンドラゴン, Āsā Pendoragon)
Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi
Media
Light novel
Written by Rocket Shokai, Scum of the Brave was initially serialized on Kadokawa Corporation's Kakuyomu website from February 12 to March 22, 2016. A single volume with illustrations by Yūya Kusaka was released under Fujimi Shobo's Kadokawa Books light novel imprint on December 24, 2016.
A new edition illustrated by toi8 began publication under Shueisha's Dash X Bunko light novel imprint on January 23, 2026. Three volumes have been released as of June 25, 2026.
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Nakashima723 initially began serialization as an independent comic on June 22, 2018. It later began serialization on Leed Publishing's Comic Border manga website on February 18, 2022. The manga's chapters have been collected into eight tankōbon volumes as of December 2025. The manga is published in English by Manga Planet.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on March 15, 2025. It is produced by OLM and directed by Shinji Ushiro, with series composition and screenplays handled by Yōichi Katō, characters designed by Rika Murakami, and music composed by Kenichiro Suehiro. The series aired from January 11 to June 28, 2026, on Nippon TV and its affiliates, and ran for two consecutive cours. For the first cours, the opening theme song is "Gun Powder", performed by Tooboe, and the ending theme song is "Mental Rental" (メンタルレンタル), performed by Murasaki Ima. For the second cour, the opening theme song is "Revive", performed by ClariS, while the ending theme song is "Non-Fiction.", performed by w.o.d. Crunchyroll is streaming the series. Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.
Reception
The novel won the Grand Prize in the Modern Action category at the 1st Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest in 2016.
