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dangermousie(EEEE! LJ is working again! What is it with this place lately?)
Today, browsing in our local B&N, I discovered a delicious shoujo manga that I simply must share with you all.
Said manga? Black Bird by Kanoko Sukarakoji (whose 2-volume Backstage Prince, I read and liked previously).
Misao is your typical Japanese high-schooler - studies, has friends, wants a boyfriend. Well, she's typical except for one teeny tiny little thing - ever since she can remember, she has the ability to see demons. She has had to hide this from everyone, else they think she's odder than they already think she is. The only person she recalls telling about this who believed her was her childhood friend Kyo. She doesn't remember much about him, but she remembers his telling her he will protect her and come back for her. But then he moved away and that was it.
Until now. One day she's attacked by a demon who tells her why she could always see them - she is a special human who is born very rarely and thus is very prized by the demon realm. Whoever eats her flesh will gain prosperity, whoever drinks her blood will gain longevity, and whoever marries her, will gain fortune for his whole demon clan. And now that she's turned 16, it's open season.
It's the end for Misao until someone shows up, takes on the demon, and rescues her. She doesn't recognize him at first, so he introduces himself - he's the grown-up Kyo, who's returned to keep his word. Only one thing - Kyo is the clan heir of the tengu - i.e. he's a demon himself, and he wants her for his demon bride. Hey, it's got to be better than being eaten, right?
And now we come to the most amusing and entertaining part of this. He can literally heal her wounds with his tongue. Let this sink in. Did I mention that since demons are after Misao en masse, she gets hurt a lot? There are literally scenes where demon venom is all over her body, so he has to lick her all over. Mmmmm. Oh, and there is also the bit where she has energy to heal demons by being close to them, and the closer the better, so if it's Kyo's turn to get wounded, frenching seems to be as good a way as any to make him better. And Kyo gets hurt a lot, too, seeing that he's constantly protecting the walking, talking demon lunch (because the heroine's attitude, rather amusingly, is "I may love you and not want to be eaten, but I am not marrying anyone at 16"). Mayu Shinjo just wishes she thoughts of that.
I love it! Snarking on a very creative way to introduce some sensuality into the manga aside, it does have a pretty strong story, with first loves, family secrets, forgotten memories, evil siblings (I believe Kyo's older brother qualifies for worst sibling ever - working out your issues by trapping/mortally wounding your younger bro and telling him that before he dies, you are going to make him watch as you rape, kill, and eat his gf is going above and beyond call of duty), more h/c than you can even want, and fighting. Plus, it seems to belong to the subgenre of "girl attracts undying, literally, affection of some sort of fierce/powerful/supernatural hottie who will do anything for her" shoujo which I like. I really dislike the ones where a girl chases after a guy who couldn't give her a time of day.
Is it a masterpiece? Nope. Is it delicious, bodice-ripper fun? Heck yeah.
First 6 volumes have been published in English by Viz. Scanlations are, I am sure, in all the usual places.
Today, browsing in our local B&N, I discovered a delicious shoujo manga that I simply must share with you all.
Said manga? Black Bird by Kanoko Sukarakoji (whose 2-volume Backstage Prince, I read and liked previously).
Misao is your typical Japanese high-schooler - studies, has friends, wants a boyfriend. Well, she's typical except for one teeny tiny little thing - ever since she can remember, she has the ability to see demons. She has had to hide this from everyone, else they think she's odder than they already think she is. The only person she recalls telling about this who believed her was her childhood friend Kyo. She doesn't remember much about him, but she remembers his telling her he will protect her and come back for her. But then he moved away and that was it.
Until now. One day she's attacked by a demon who tells her why she could always see them - she is a special human who is born very rarely and thus is very prized by the demon realm. Whoever eats her flesh will gain prosperity, whoever drinks her blood will gain longevity, and whoever marries her, will gain fortune for his whole demon clan. And now that she's turned 16, it's open season.
It's the end for Misao until someone shows up, takes on the demon, and rescues her. She doesn't recognize him at first, so he introduces himself - he's the grown-up Kyo, who's returned to keep his word. Only one thing - Kyo is the clan heir of the tengu - i.e. he's a demon himself, and he wants her for his demon bride. Hey, it's got to be better than being eaten, right?
And now we come to the most amusing and entertaining part of this. He can literally heal her wounds with his tongue. Let this sink in. Did I mention that since demons are after Misao en masse, she gets hurt a lot? There are literally scenes where demon venom is all over her body, so he has to lick her all over. Mmmmm. Oh, and there is also the bit where she has energy to heal demons by being close to them, and the closer the better, so if it's Kyo's turn to get wounded, frenching seems to be as good a way as any to make him better. And Kyo gets hurt a lot, too, seeing that he's constantly protecting the walking, talking demon lunch (because the heroine's attitude, rather amusingly, is "I may love you and not want to be eaten, but I am not marrying anyone at 16"). Mayu Shinjo just wishes she thoughts of that.
I love it! Snarking on a very creative way to introduce some sensuality into the manga aside, it does have a pretty strong story, with first loves, family secrets, forgotten memories, evil siblings (I believe Kyo's older brother qualifies for worst sibling ever - working out your issues by trapping/mortally wounding your younger bro and telling him that before he dies, you are going to make him watch as you rape, kill, and eat his gf is going above and beyond call of duty), more h/c than you can even want, and fighting. Plus, it seems to belong to the subgenre of "girl attracts undying, literally, affection of some sort of fierce/powerful/supernatural hottie who will do anything for her" shoujo which I like. I really dislike the ones where a girl chases after a guy who couldn't give her a time of day.
Is it a masterpiece? Nope. Is it delicious, bodice-ripper fun? Heck yeah.
First 6 volumes have been published in English by Viz. Scanlations are, I am sure, in all the usual places.
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no subject
Date: 2011-04-04 10:12 pm (UTC)If you read the latest chapter, she buys him chocolate spread for Valentine's Day.
At first he doesn't like it, but she spreads it on his face and chest and the proceeds to lick it off.
At this points he starts getting ideas and shouts "Wait! I'll make a chocolate banana!!"
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 02:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-04 10:12 pm (UTC)Black Bird is a good story, but I really don't like Misao's character and how she turns all damsel-in-distress every other chapter, and Kyo's brand of domineering, sexy-times tendencies really rub me the wrong way. It's not bad at all, just not my kind of story.
Same thing with Hot Gimmick, which you should check out since it's also available in English. You might like it. The story is not bad, but I don't connect with it. The drawings are pretty, too.
Black Bird is what I consider the "everyone wants to have sex with the heroine" type of stories, where her "magical powers" are won by the dude who sleeps with her first. I'm totally turned off by the concept, but its VERY popular in shoujo and shonen manga as a theme, since it's all predicated on the S.E.X. happening at some point.
I'm glad you like it though. It's a fast-paced read for sure. ^__^
Oh, in AnA, amnesia (of course) results in Natsuo ending up in Shanghai as the young leader of a triad (with a fiancee who knows he's not the man everything believes he is, but she has fallen in love with him so she refuses to tell him the truth).
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 02:34 am (UTC)everyone wants to have sex with the heroine" type of stories,
Well, to be fair, for some demons in BB, wanting to eat Misao is not a euphemism :P
Re: Natsuo. Now I am wondering if he ran across main character in the Bund :)
no subject
Date: 2011-04-04 10:32 pm (UTC)*snerk*
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 02:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-04 10:51 pm (UTC)By the way, did you hear about China banning time travel dramas? I thought you might be interested.
http://community.livejournal.com/aiyatheydidnt/652042.html#cutid1
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 02:35 am (UTC)WHUT
ARE THEY INSANE????
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 02:32 am (UTC)BB is very trashy but I like it.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 06:26 am (UTC)I enjoyed it but in a perverse kind of way I was almost cheering for the evil brother. At first Misao based her entire behavior on the words he said, believing all the while they were spoken by Kyo.
But I don't think it holds a candle to Vampire Knight story-wise. I'm despairing of ever being cured ofthat particular addiction. I'm a lost cause :o)
BTW, unrelated to BB but kind of manga-related anyway...did you see that the drama adaptation of Skip Beat had finally got underway? I hope it's a reliable info this time (and also that they'll make something good out of it!).
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 03:29 pm (UTC)Re: VK. The art on VK is gorgeous but I confess the story got much much too weird and convoluted for me. It's as if the mangaka has been hanging out with Clamp :)
Re: Skip Beat. It's definitely reliable info. I love the cast so hopefully it will be decent (I am pretty meh on the manga itself - as you can tell, I like it angsty :P)
no subject
Date: 2011-04-05 07:48 pm (UTC)Re-VK, it's funny that you think that about the story. I've been thinking about it lately and I realized that it's the only manga that I'd read with a coherent storyline, something that felt that it was all planned from the start and with no bizarre episodes thrown in there at the author's whim or to please the fans. It kind of reminds me of a drama (not a incoherent one that jumps the shark midway through its run) or a movie in that way. It's one of the reasons I like it so much. That and the way that it balances romance, angst and action perfectly well for my tastes. Plus the gorgeous story art. Plus Zero and his hotness. Plus Kaname in all his manipulative glory. Plus...Oh, too many other things to list.
Coming back to BB, I wonder if the brother is really that evil. There was something strange about him before he disappeared after that kidnapping incident that made me wonder if there weren't some things we're not aware of. I think we'll be seeing him again. Reading your post made me lust after the newest volume of BB. Volume 7 has been out for a few week and volume 8 is coming out in may. Can't wait.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-06 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-06 03:11 pm (UTC)Sexymangasaremything
Date: 2011-04-05 04:41 pm (UTC)Re: Sexymangasaremything
Date: 2011-04-06 12:53 am (UTC)Re: Sexymangasaremything
Date: 2011-04-07 06:09 am (UTC)http://manga.animea.net/black-bird.html
no subject
Date: 2011-04-08 01:21 pm (UTC)that sounds like the Tang Monk from Journey to the West lolz. All the demons either want to eat him or bed him.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-10 02:41 am (UTC)