Kara Dennison
June 8, 2025 
As we get closer and closer to the Disney Twisted-Wonderland anime adaptation, the manga continues to unfold. Next month, the “Book of Octavinelle” gets an English translation courtesy of Viz Manga. That means new dorms, new students, and a new protagonist leading the story! What happens when a new Yu thwarts the schemes of a contract-wielding housewarden? Read on and find out!
Welcome to Octavinelle
As with every new installment of the Disney Twisted-Wonderland manga, we get a new protagonist. In the game, of course, the hero is you—or “Yu”—a faceless exchange student from the real world. With each new “book,” the protagonist gets a new face and personality. This time around it’s Yuta Mito: a cheerful young man with a love for food and cooking. And that’s a skill that will come in handy when faced down by Octavinelle’s housewarden!
As the story commences, the school’s grading curve has been thrown all askew. Turns out it’s because Azul Ashengrotto, housewarden of the underwater house Octavinelle, has signed a contract with a large number of Night Raven students. In exchange for a flawless study guide, they must rank in the top 50 for the test. Fail, and they’ll be forced to work at Octavinelle’s Mostro Lounge ’til they graduate. Considering many more than 50 students signed that contract, the new “employees” are understandably upset!
A Fairy Tale
Azul Ashengrotto is, like the other protagonists of Disney Twisted-Wonderland, inspired by a Disney villain. As you may have guessed from the ocean theming and contracts, he mimics Ursula of The Little Mermaid. Accompanying him are Floyd and Jade, inspired by Ursula’s moray eel sidekicks Flotsam and Jetsam. And, much like Ursula, Azul offers contracts that tend to fall apart under a little scrutiny. He’s always going to come out the winner.
As with Ariel and her voice, Azul’s customers must offer something as collateral. This time around, he’s collecting elemental magic and signature spells. What is he going to do with all this power? Players of the original game likely already know!
The Adaptation
Storyboarder Wakana Hazuki and artist Sumire Kowono reunite for the latest Disney Twisted-Wonderland manga adaptation. Together, the pair bring Black Butler creator Yana Toboso’s Disney bishonen fantasy to life. The decision to cast a new Yu in each house’s story is a clever one. The new perspective keeps the story fresh, and it mimics the multifaceted view the fans will have brought to their own playthroughs of the mobile game.
This extra characterization also offers changing stakes and priorities. For example, Yuta gets pulled into doing Dire Crowley’s dirty work on threat of having his ingredient budget cut. That’s a real threat when our hero is out in Ramshackle Dorm cooking up the most delicious dumplings we’ve seen in a manga in ages. But how will this protagonist handle Azul’s threats? We’ll have to find out as the series continues!
Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Octavinelle, Vol. 1 comes out July 8.
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