Levius is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nakata Haruhisa. It started to be serialized since 2013 but the magazine ceased publication so it was transferred to “Ultra Jump” after that. When it was transferred, the title was changed to “Levius/est.” Even though “Levius” and “Levius/est” are different, it’s the official sequel.

One of the characteristics about this series is that it’s written horizontally and with a left-handed book style, which is rare in Japanese manga series.

As a new author, it’s a beautifully depicted series with a big scaled story development, which has made it to an anime adaptation in January 2021.

It’s the 19th century, and the world has entered the “Era of Rebirth,” recovering from the devastating flames of war. The world, science and politics are developed by the “steam” five years later. The main protagonist, Levius, is a boy who lives in such an Imperial city.

In this world, especially the mechanical technology has been significantly developed. Even humans, four-leg animals, visceral organs or hearts are able to be replaced with the machines. Levius’s right arm is an artificial one for medical use. However, the world and the machinery technology have been well-developed that nobody feels inconvenient with those machines.

Levius has lost his father and his own right arm due to war and his mother has been in coma since then.

Levius has accepted that “everyday life.” However, his uncle surely hears him say:

Yes, Levius has accepted that everyday life but…… he hasn’t “given up” on everything.

Levius has been doing so well as a “certain” athlete. That’s called “Metalboxing,” which has been so popular in the city that audience fills up all the seats of the coliseum, specially built for the event.

His uncle used to be a famous gladiator before. He now trains Levius, giving him various advice and special cares.

Levius, a newbie, is one of the most featured players from how he looks and fights.

However, since he is a newbie, he is not as good as experienced players technically. Plus his right arm is an artificial one for medical use, not for boxing use.

Levius is inferior to other experienced players in many ways.

However, Levius wins through.

It’s neither by technology nor strategy but by his finely honed will.

His uncle says and still goes on:

According to his uncle, the town with machines, the development of the stream, and a dark past with wars, will turn him into a devil. We can neither stop him nor protect him.

This is how the story of Levius’s Meetalboxing moves on.