Superior

Superior (シューピアリア) is a manga created by ichtys and published by GanGan Comics, Shōnen Gangan Powered.

Because Square Enix ended its Shōnen Gangan Powered magazine in the April issue on February 21, Superior migrated to the same publisher's Monthly GFantasy in the May issue on April 18, 2009 under the new title Superior Cross (シューピアリア・クロス)

A Drama CD was released on March 21, 2007 by Frontier Works.

Superior is a high fantasy manga that includes dragons, demons, and most importantly, heroes. The story centers around the Hero Exa and the Demon Queen Sheila along with the corresponding war between the monster and human races.

Overview
The story is about a world in which humans and monsters (dragons, demons, etc.) co-exist; but since many years ago both races have been at war, aiming for the complete extermination of each other.

Among the monsters arised an extremely powerful one, the Demon Queen; the leader of the monster race, managing to slay half of humanity all by herself.

And so, the surviving humans elected a Hero who would have the duty to kill the Demon Queen and release humanity from her oppressive rule.

But the Hero, Exa, questions his mission, for he anguishes upon the fact that all monsters are living creatures, the same as humans, and does not wish to kill any of them. Sheila, the Demon Queen, becomes interested in the Hero's principles and decides to hide her identity and join his side. Eventually however, she realizes that she has fallen in love with Exa, who despite his wish for humans & monsters co-exist peacefully, has vowed to kill the Demon Queen himself.

Characters
Sheila (シーラ Shira)
 * The Demon Queen who personally wiped out half of humanity and subjugated all the monsters. After experiencing the loss of her beloved dragon at a young age, she decided to kill as many humans as she could so as to create a world for monsters and monsters only. Upon meeting the Hero, Sheila decided she would approach him so as to get close to him, and kill him when the opportunity came; however, she finds herself to have accidentally developed romantic feelings for Exa. And so, putting up the façade of a meek monster, Sheila joins him in his journey.

Exa (エクサ Ekusa)
 * The Hero who dreams of monsters and humans co-existing in harmony. He values all monster and human life, and does not wish to kill anyone, firmly believing that the war can end without the complete extermination of one race. Despite his philosophy, he will make an exception for the Demon Lord, whom Exa can never forgive for the atrocious crimes the Demon Queen has committed, as well as for the murder of his family and friends at the hands of the latter. Exa believes that with the death of the Demon Lord, peace could be restored to the world.

Lakshri (ラクシュリ Rakushuri)
 * Exa's right hand man. Prior his meeting with Exa, he had a past consumed by violence, but was pulled out of it with the aid of Exa. After that Lakshri swore that he would follow him for the rest of his life.
 * Despite being good friends with Exa he clearly lacks the latter's modesty and humbleness, often bragging about his skills (specially with women, for Lakshri becomes infatuated with almost every women that he sees), as well as displaying a certain degree of immaturity or lack of manners (usually when he's around Angelica or Crowe).

Angelica (アンジェリカ Anjerika)
 * A quarter monster, with extremely strong and inherited magical abilities. Abused as a child for her demonic abilities, she is devoted to Exa, as he was the first person to show her kindness. Oddly enough, her jeweled staff is used to control and limit her power, but not to enhance it. Angelica's right eye is red due to her monster blood, which he inherited from one of her granparents. To avoid conflict and controversy with the other humans, Angelica hides her right eye behind her bangs.
 * While usually a kind and gentle person, whenever she loses her temper she will use her superhuman strenght against the one who has upset her (usually Lakshri).

Copy (コピー Kopi)
 * The current Demon Queen who was formed in an attempt to hide Sheila's identity. Reckless and violet, she sees every human and monster without exception as hers to kill as she pleases. However, she plans to break apart Hero and Sheila in an attempt to kill them both and prove herself to be the strongest of them all, and rule over the entire world.
 * After facing Sheila and Hero on separate occasions she has decided to "work together" with all other monsters to destroy humanity.

Juno Obsidias (ジュノー ・オブシディアス Juno Obushidiasu)
 * Son of the King, he idolized Exa as a harbringer of peace who would aid his father in exterminating the demons. However, when he met Exa and found out he was a pacifist because he refused to kill two humanoid monsters, the Prince was severely disappointed. After he is spared by one of the two monsters that Exa saved, however, he converts to Exa's philosophy and provides to be a valuable ally. However, it is he who sends his aide to warn Exa of his suspicions that Sheila is the real Demon Queen.