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Today's Cerberus (Kyou no Keroberos) is a manga written and illustrated by Sakurai Ato. It ran in Monthly Shonen Gangan from 2014 to 2018.

For reasons he can't explain, ever since an incident in his childhood Chiaki Mikado has never been able to feel joy or have fun. One day he received a box from his globetrotting father. Inside is a girl who's happy to see him once again and introduces herself as Cerberus #1, Kuro. She declares he'll be his guard dog from that day forward.

There is more to this would-be guard dog than meets the eye. Not least of which is the fact that she is one of three personalities within the same body. Kuro, alongside the Hot-Blooded Shirogane and The Stoic Roze.

With Cerberus at his side, Chiaki tries to cope with day to day life while Kuro and her fellows learn more about the material plane in which they now find themselves.


Tropes:

  • Amusement Park: Hinata, Cerberus and Chiaki go to one to get the latter to have fun.
  • And the Adventure Continues: Hinata, Cerberus and friends continue living after Kuro returns to them.
  • Bedmate Reveal: In the second chapter, Chiaki wakes up to find Kuro in his bed. It wasn't the first time it happened.
  • Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Cerberus' three selves: Kuro wears her black hair in twintails, Shirogane's hair is long and white, and Roze is short and pink.
  • Collared by Fashion: Cerberus wears a dog collar with a chain attached. Kuro's is red, Shirogane's is green, and Roze's is blue.
  • Color-Coded Characters: Kuro (black) has black hair, Shirogane (silver) has white hair, and Roze (self explanatory) has pink hair.
  • Cool Mask: Rose wears a muzzle with a picture of teeth on them.
  • Crossover Cosmology: The series has elements Classical Mythology and Norse Mythology.
  • Crazy-Prepared: Hinata's grandfather tells her to keep a miko outfit handy so Hinata keeps one in school in case of emergencies.
  • Cute Little Fangs: Kuro.
  • Cute Monster Girl: All three personalities of Cerberus, as well as Fenrir and Jormungand.
  • Fantasy Kitchen Sink: The series has elements of Classical Mythology, Youkai, Norse Mythology and African Mythology.
  • Giant Poofy Sleeves: Cerberus' normal clothes.
  • Girlish Pigtails: Kuro's hair style.
  • Goofy Print Underwear: In the third chapter, Shirogane has bear panties. We don't see it then but Chiaki does. We do get to see it when she bought it in an extra chapter.
  • Headphones Equal Isolation: Inverted with the pair Cerberus wears. Her headphones allow her current personality to communicate with the other two and also helps identify them. Kuro's headphones are red with black details. Shirogane's are black with green details that have black "long dog ears" that stick straight up. Roze's are white, with blue details and white "short dog ears" on the side.
  • Healing Hands: How Roze healed Chiaki after Orthrus stabbed him in the gut.
  • Hellhound: Both Cerberus and Orthrus appear but they have also human forms.
  • Little Bit Beastly: Cerberus has a tail in her human form. She changes between Roze and Kuro if someone pulls it. Shirogane can also turn into Roze but pulling it again usually turns her back into Kuro.
  • Mage Marksman: Hinata is a miko who uses archery.
  • Mental World: Cerberus has one that reflects Roze's mental state.
  • Miko: Hinata Komone, Chiaki's female classmate who has a crush on him.
  • Minor Living Alone: 15-year-old Chiaki lives alone at the start of the series. His father is traveling and his 21-year-old sister Chihiro lives on her own and checks on him sometimes. He now lives with Cerberus; all three of her personalities.
  • Music Soothes the Savage Beast: Cerberus falls asleep when she hears a good song.
  • Naked Apron: Kuro did this not knowing that she should have worn an apron with other clothes.
  • New Transfer Student: Cerberus becomes one to stay close to Chiaki at school.
  • The Nose Knows: Cerberus can tell Chiaki's mood from scent.
  • Power Limiter: Roze's muzzle
  • Relatively Flimsy Excuse: Kuro pretends to be a relative of Chiaki named Kuro Mikado when she transfers in as a student to stay close to him.
  • Sharing a Body:
    • Cerberus has three personalities in one body. They are Kuro, Shirogane, and Roze.
    • Orthrus also appears to be this, but one head seems to be sleeping in his gigantic hellhound form.
  • Split-Personality Makeover: Cerberus's appearance changes depending on which of her three personalities is in control.
  • Stepford Smiler: Chiaki can't really smile with emotion since part of his soul is missing.
  • Tempting Fate: At the end of the fourth chapter, just as Chiaki cautions Kuro not let anyone find out what she truly is Hinata trips and pulls Kuro's tail, starting her switch to Roze.
  • Weirdness Magnet: Chiaki is one due to having a piece of his soul taken by Roze and that he is neither a child nor an adult (a teenager).
  • When He Smiles:
  • When You Coming Home, Dad?: Chiaki's father travels around the world and is rarely at home. He even refers to himself as eternally traveling.
  • Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: The series is a light rom-com with some fantastical elements, but Hades, Cerberus' former master is a frightening villain with a sickening obsession with the girl, reminiscent of a controlling abuser in addition to the terrifying use of abilities. And outside of this obsession, he's not played for laughs.
  • Youkai: The haunted house of the amusement park has some fake ones. By some contrived coincidence, there was a real nekomata there and Kuro grabbed her by the tail and was scratched in retaliation by her.

Alternative Title(s): Kyou No Cerberus

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