A lonely, yet caring, 15-year-old Chiaki, a half-angel daughter of the Archangel Michael and a human woman, welcomes into her home a dejected devil Ororon who pledges to stay at her side forever. Both of them have been ostracized from their respective celestial realms - Chiaki because she is an impure angel and Ororon, because he is the youngest son of the Lord Devil, and therefore a threat to his older brothers for leadership of the underworld. As various demons come by to eat the angel Chiaki, she learns that having the incredibly powerful Ororon by her side is useful. However, the difference between angel and devil becomes clear when Chiaki has to implore Ororon not to kill those that come to kill her, much less the ones sent by his brothers to kill him. Meanwhile, Chiaki's household grows even more when she invites Lady Miss Lucy, the demon cats Shiro and Kuro and her friend Lika to come live with her.
When I went to the store to buy the third book, They had only one copy of vol. 4 and none of vol.3. So I picked up vol. 4 and I do not regret it at all. I understood what was going on most of the time and the power it brings forth is incredible. I bought the first volume because it had unique artwork and it seemed interesting. I was not wrong. The way the charachters interact with each other is phenominal and it is the most easy set of charachters to connect with. The story moves along with such intensity and you are left with nothing but sorrow for the people and the questions it brings forth. " Is the only death the only reason of life?"," Where does a devil go when he dies?" The only down side to the series was I was waiting for Chiaki to freak out and destroy the world or something. They say she is the savior yet all she does is cry when the one she loves suffers more than ever. But other than that, I am glad with how the story ends, And I am looking forward to the volume I skipped.
Angels and Devils
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
This is one of my absolute favorite mangas out there. The simplistic art is very deceiving. You come in expecting a typical 'Romeo and Juliet' style story and instead come away with a story filled with philosophical questions, a touch of humor, and characters who you learn to love that have to live in a terrible situation. In the whole story the question is why. Why are demons considered evil? Why are angels considered good? Why do people have to die? Why hasn't anyone heard from God in years? Why can't people just live together happily? Why are people so alone? The first volume is deceptive and lulls you in. It is filled with everyday shots, not yet dealing with the harshness that this group, this new family, faces. You are given shots of the characters relating to each other. The innocent pacifist Chiaki, who is enamored with the cool and moody demon Ororon, the cat monster brothers Shiro and Kuro, Chiaki's only human friend Lika, the maid Ms. Lucy, and Ororon's fancy-boy older brother Othello. However good things can't last forever, and foreshadowing of a later conflict appears early on first when demons come after Chiaki and then later when angels come after Chiaki and Shiro. This manga makes you think. You come away from it questioning whether or not what you consider good and evil really are as you think they are. In fact the last two volumes even leave you wondering if you knew some of the characters at all, especially Othello and Shiro. Personally I think the art is beautiful. All the figures are very stylized. A warning though, this series does become very tragic and violent later on.
Interesting only one applicable adjective...
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
I completely agree with another reviewer-this book is not just for Goths. The story is unique(come on, did YOU ever imagine Satan has some hot-looking dude?) and some of the thoughts it provokes can be a bit heavy, but in the end the manga just makes for a refreshing read. I have to admit that the art through me off at first. I'm used to the art of Yu Watase (who is awesome, by the by) and the elongated body parts were a bit of a shock. No worries, though. The more you read, the more the art seems to fit the characters more appropriately than conventional proportions. The characters are likeable, the story is good, and I can personally garuntee that at least the first three volumes are worth reading over and over again.
Style, wit... and good art!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
The art is very nice in this one. Stylish, clean, not crowded. Very little of the cutesy silly cartoon stuff you see in other Manga. The story is about growth and change... or maybe it's redemption and damnation... or maybe it's about being in love... or about values and survival... Or all that and more. It's very well done. I like when emotion is conveyed through action instead of long description; this does that. Definitely getting more when they come out. Oh, what it's about? A demon King meets a half-angel. She's living by herself when she finds him bleeding on the sidewalk, and she asks him to stay. He's not a nice person. She is. It gets complicated really fast - Aparently angel meat is tasty, and angel spawn are hunted and killed by full angels, and the demon's family may not approve of him being king, and then there's his maid (the half-angel can't cook very well.) And the cat-boy who argues with the half-angel's best friend. Did I mention the Bogey Monsters? Or the ghosts, and the bounty hunter? No? Oh. Sorry. There you go. Anyways, in the begining it's very spare and clean and surreal; the images are haunting. Then, towards the end, it gets a titch cluttered and confusing, but it's still good.
Nice
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
Well, I'm still waiting for Angel Sanctuary to be released officially, so I needed a manga to fill my craving. I kinda picked this book up randomly, and I fell in love. The style of art is very interesting, and the story is great. It's easy to relate to the characters (personally, I love Kuro and Shiro, meaning "black" and "white" respectively). Despite what the page says, it's not just for Goths. Any fan of fantasy and/or interesting romances will love this manga.
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15. ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.