is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Sekihiko Inui. The series follows the story of Shuto Katsuragi, a wannabe hero, who tries to save his friend, but ends up becoming the "villain" Ratman. Ratman was serialized in the Japanese magazine Shōnen Ace, published by Kadokawa Shoten from August 2007 to June 2013. Kadokawa Shoten compiled its chapters into twelve tankōbon bound volumes. Ratman was published in America by Tokyopop, but production ceased after volume 4. It is currently licensed by Viz Media. Plot Taking place in the day and age of heroes, technological advancements in recent years has allowed corporations to design all sorts of heroes, igniting widespread public interest. The corporate appeal of these mascots led to the arrival of these so-called "commercial heroes" who're subsequently registered under the "Hero Association", an organization that assigns missions to said heroes. Shuto Katsuragi, a kind-hearted 15-year-old who, despite his less than imposing stature, has dreamed of becoming a hero himself since childhood. One day at school, he talks with a classmate, Mirea Mizushima, about his desire to overcome the odds and be a hero. Shortly after, Shuto is kidnapped by the evil organization known as "Jackal" in which Mirea works at, and he is tricked into wearing a watch that changes him into the superhuman, "Ratman". Despite Jackal forcing him to work for them in their mission to overthrow the Hero Association, Shuto strives to turn Ratman into a hero. Main characters / A short and energetic high schooler who aspires to one day join the Hero Association but is often teased by his friends for being too short to join. After meeting Mirea and telling her how he doesn't want to give up on his dream, he is kidnapped by the evil organization Jackal and works for them as the anti-hero Ratman with the promise that he could one day graduate to being a full-fledged hero. Shuto's tall, foreign classmate who often exudes a cold and quiet exterior, making it difficult for her classmates to approach her about her cute mascot hobbies. She develops a crush on Shuto after meeting him and is the one who recommends Shuto as the candidate for the Ratman identity. She works at the evil organization Jackal with her sister Crea as the leader in its goal to overthrow the Hero Association for their hidden sins against their family. Jackal Society The elder