Black Bird (Japanese: ???????, Hepburn: Burakku B?do) is a Japanese sh?jo manga series written and illustrated by Kanoko Sakurakoji. It has been serialized by Shogakukan in their Betsucomi magazine since 2007. It depicts the life of a high school girl who can see supernatural beings. Black Bird received the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for sh?jo manga.
In 2008, Viz Media announced they had licensed the series for an English release of the series in North America. The first chapter was previewed in their now-defunct Shojo Beat magazine and the first volume of their version was released on August 4, 2009. According to ICv2, the series was the sixth best-selling manga series in the US for 2011.
The series has been adapted into a drama CD as well as a light novel.
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Plot
Misao sees things that other people can't. Normally, the monsters would do harmless things. But suddenly, on her sixteenth birthday, the creatures she sees take it farther by trying to kill her. She's saved by a childhood friend from her past, Kyo Usui, who just so happens to be a demon or "youkai" and the clan leader of the 'Tengus' as well. She finds out that she is the rare, "Bride of Prophecy", also known as "The Senka" or "The Holy Fruit", and depends on Kyo for protection from those who wish to eat her for her blood, which gives the consumer incredible power. She further gets to know that marrying her brings immense prosperity to the whole demon clan of the groom and is thus the object of conflict among the clan leaders of different demon clans, who want to be her suitors. Kyo wants to marry her but to do so he has to put more than just his life at stake. Moreover, the "Senkaroku" or "Record of the Holy Fruit" restricts their love.
Black Bird Anime Episode 1 Video
Characters
Main Characters
Tengu Clan Members
Supporting Characters
Media
Manga
Shogakukan released the first of the series' bound volumes on January 26, 2007. As of December 12, 2012 there are 15 volumes and the series is still running in Betsucomi. The manga is licensed in North America by Viz Media as part of their Shojo Beat imprint. It is also licensed in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing.
Volume listing
Drama CD
Columbia Music Entertainment released Black Bird drama CD on the January 21, 2009. Artists on the drama CD include K?ki Miyata, Kish? Taniyama, Akira Ishida, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Takahiro Sakurai, Yuko Kagata, Takehito Koyasu, Kyoko Hikami and Mikako Takahashi.
Light Novel
The series was also adapted as a light novel, titled Black Bird - Missing- (BLACK BIRD -MISSING-), released on March 26, 2010 (ISBN 9784091332707).
Reception
The sixth volume of Black Bird was ranked 12th on the Japanese Comic Rankings between October 28 and November 3, 2008. The seventh volume was ranked 4th in its first week, selling 75,689 copies. The eighth volume was ranked in 3rd place during its first week and then fell to 27th in the second week of publication. Volume 9 of Black Bird sold a total of 100,014 in its first two weeks of publication, debuting at 11th place on the charts, then falling to 20th place in its second week. The tenth volume of the series debuted on the Oricon charts in 14th place, selling a total of 51,172 copies. The first volume was ranked 4th on the manga section of the New York Times Best Seller list on September 3, 2009. The second volume was ranked 7th on November 26, 2009, 9th on December 3, 2009 and 8th on January 7, 2010. Black Bird was awarded the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for sh?jo manga.
Anime News Network's Casey Brienza commends the English edition of the manga for being "amusing and sexy. Good if you want to put your critical sensibilities into neutral with something trashy" however she criticises the manga with the comment "its creative horizons are that of a bodice ripper. Don't expect the next modern manga masterpiece." Katherine Dacey, writing for The Manga Critic, criticises Misao for not defending herself even as "demons slash her throat, poison her, push her off rooftops, and slam her against walls." Dacey comments that "younger readers may find [Kyo] sexy, but older readers will see him for what he is: a wolf in knight's clothing, posing as Misao's savior while manipulating her for his own selfish interests."
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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