Black Bird, Vol. 14

Black Bird #14

by Kanoko Sakurakouji

He loves her blood, but does her love her?!

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand...or her life!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Shojo, Graphic Novels, Demons

194 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2011

About the author

Kanoko Sakurakouji (桜小路かのこ) is a Japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kyo and Sho's duel is resolved, and in a way that was rather silly and over-the-top in places, especially how the cliffhanger from the previous volume was dealt with.

I never felt a particular intensity, and certainly not a "light and dark" kind of relationship between these brothers, as the story told me to. When Sho died the first time, I shrugged, and when he came back to life, I shrugged again, and when he asked Misao to stay with him in the previous volume, I shrugged yet again, because despite her compassion, there was no way she was going to do that. Especially not once she and Kyo had sealed the deal by having sex. So Sho's for real, no backsies final death elicited yet another shrug. Bye-bye!

After that, we have a small handful of short-shorts, and then the beginning of what's billed as the final arc of the story. Misao and Kyo, without the benefit of the whole Senka Record, must figure out some way for their relationship to continue without Misao dying. She's got an erotic glow around her, which her classmates are responding to with her having an increased level of popularity. Kyo's attentions are enhancing her "scent" (snort) and apparently that's what's causing it.

I can really only deal with this manga about three volumes at a time, so I don't think I'll finish it right away. I don't hate it or anything, but it's lacking spark on some level, and that makes it more eye-roll-worthy then gripping at times--more so than with other manga of its basic type that I've read.

[Miss Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so mad about this series. So mad! Because now I'm genuinely invested and want to talk to someone about Misao's development as the senka maiden and analyze her emotional state because the series is skating this knife edge between problematic stockholmy stuff and emotionally engaging exploration of Misao's empathy and like. How on earth am I going to find someone; anyone with sense probably quit after the first volume. :((((( It's not right. Who is going to have feelings with me about how Misao's gone through so much trauma and now she's home with almost no one who understands how she's different? Who's going to talk to me about how she's learned to deal with injury calmly and practically because it's nothing to what she's faced in the demon world? Who's going to theorize with me about how her senka maiden powers seem to have evolved into something with attack potential? How dare you make me care Kanoko Sakurakoji. How dare you. 3.5 stars

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the final story arc now, I’m so sad I don’t want it to end 😭😭

[DonutKnow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waaaah Sho!!!!

Great volume and I loved the extras.

Kyo’s is hot, and he loves Misao, but Sho had this ‘woe is me’ characteristic that I also shipped him with Misao for a bit. He’s in a better place I think.

I wonder what happens in the next volume, though- what was that boom?!

[Nina {ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ} · Rating 3 out of 5]

There maybe many things that annoys me about this series, but I think my favourite character so far is Hoki. What happens to him in the previous chapters, I think it was perhaps the best part. He seems like a strong character. Even though Kyou is clearly the alpha male. Misao is a bit of a pain sometimes, but she's not completely stupid when it comes to Kyou so I'm glad. But meh, I guess I hate the overflow of romance, but it can't be helped since this is a shoujo manga. Though, if were to choose, I would choose Dengeki Daisy by Kyousuke Motomi over this. I would still read this, but I would have more fun with Motomi's series. But that's just me.

[Holly Letson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume was a pretty quick read, since alot of it was action. Most of it was about Kyou having to kill Shou. And, then about Misao thinking her scent had grown alot strong. Of course, it was her blissful feelings from being touched by Kyou that made her scent strong.

We have now reached the final arc of the story, having read this volume. I'll hate to see this series end. It's been one of my favorites for awhile.

Also, thanks to Transcendence for scanslating this volume for us fans. Much appreciation to all of y'all.

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm tired of repeating the same thing over and over again... I'm glad the other evil brother died, I really don't care how much he loves Misao. Half of this book is only special features, little stories here and there. I think the end is near for this series.

[Hannah (Sakurahan or ForeverBooks18) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book with a bird on the cover - There's a silhouette of a bird on all the Blackbird series of books!

This volume only had 3 chapters of the actual main plot. The rest was just extras. The first couple of chapters were good, though...

“I won’t give an inch...I won’t let you get your way...You’re going to be a pain to the very end...Misao is mine,” is what Kyo says to Sho when the battle reaches its climax. Who wins? You’ll have to read for yourself to find out...

[Alicia Aringdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was kind of an uneven volume with the beginning and end being super dramatic and then having a chapter of non sequitur shorts in the middle. I was surprised at how much pathos Sensei created for Sho, he had done awful things but he also had his own pain. I am however glad that the fight between him and Kyo ended and that he has been laid to rest. I'm excited to see where the final arc of this manga will take the characters and at last to learn the fate of the Senka maiden.

[Ashlee Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

[Corn Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The brothers 😭

[Vanessa (bookfairy95) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much is happeningggggggg😱😱😱
and by the way, what even happened to "just one time"?🤣

[deedee megadoodoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review will be the same for all of them-- excluding book seventeen and eighteen-- as I'm going to briefly review books 1-16



I've wanted to read this manga for quite some time, and once I started reading it like a few weeks ago. I couldn't stop. Despite what anyone says, I love this manga. I love the artwork. I love the main character's romance. I love the plot line. And I love all of the characters that make up this manga. There's a lot of people who've said that Hime-sama, the main character in this series, isn't independent, but that she's insufficient and relies on Kyou-sama, which is why this manga isn't good enough to read. Well, okay for one, that's all controversial. And secondly, I don't like my handfuls of dependent girls that can't do anything, in the other genres of books that I read, one example of one of those girls would be, classically, Anastasia Steele from Fifty Shades of Grey.

(I read that series because I wanted to see what all the hub ba baloo was about-- and you can find my reviews here: Fifty Shades of Grey--> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and Fifty Shades Darker--> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

Anyways, and since I know what an insufficient girl looks like, I'd just like to get it clear that Himi-sama (or Misao-san) is not one of them. Misao-san wants to be with Kyou so strongly and she wants to be a part of Kyou's life so much because. She. Loves. Him.

obviously.

Not because she's dependent on him. She lived the majority of her life without him. And she didn't die. So? And then for the things that she actually is depend on Kyou for? Like the youkai coming after her because she is the senka? Now that. You actually can't blame Misao for being dependent on Kyou for that because Misao, as a human, can't do anything about that.

Misao differs from girls like Anastasia Steele because as you advance in the stories you blatantly see that Misao wants to help Kyou and the family she has acquired through being the senka and being protected by the great eight. She doesn't want to just sit by and watch people fight her battles. She's strong and independent enough to identify that that's not what she wants and that if she can help in any sort of way- she'll do it.

Beyond that issue-
This anime has a really great romantic factor in it. Beyond the artwork which I absolutely adore (honestly, it's really hard for me to get into an anime or a manga if the artwork is half-assed and illogical like ... a man's arms are past his knees... like that's just weird) the relationship between Kyou and Misao is bitter sweetly adorably and just a relationship that makes my heart cringe. Kyou worked hard for ten years, moving past his older brother, just so he could become the head of the family and he could marry and protect Misao and not let her marry his brother Shou, who she'd been arranged for initially, and whom seemed as if he had many dark secrets of his own.



And Misao who only wants to make Kyou happy and is happiest around him, even though that means she'd have to give up her friends and her family who relentlessly stay by her side.



I just remember smiling so much in response to Misao and Kyou because they really are just a sweet couple- the couple that you have hope for in all the shitty relationships that take place nowadays.



And then, as a whole, the manga's premise is very interesting as it creates a new and interesting world of clans and dark spirits sharing the world among humans.

I definitely recommend this ^^

Happy reading folks
-Zoe

[Judyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

~3.5-4/5
[Also available on my blog.]


I read this volume, like, forever ago. And I really should have reviewed it then, but I didn’t. I’m doing it now, now that the next volume is out. This was a very good volume, however.

So the big fight scene between Sho and Kyo was brought to a close in this volume. And it was a bit surprising, and intense, and Misao had to cry and hug Sho, because ugh. I don’t really dislike Misao, but she is a very sensitive person, and I want her to toughen up. I’m not going to say any more about that, though, so as not to spoil any of it.

The volume continued with another chapter, starting another story arch (apparently the final arch; what!?). Misao is now back home, where no one knows how long she was gone. Misao and Kyo are back at school, with Kyo teaching. They have a talk about the whole Senka Maiden thing, and how they need to find out more about it as well as how for them to be together without her getting hurt; and Misao is reassured that he’s not going to push her away. Also, there’s a plot about how Misao’s scent is getting stronger, attracting more men to her, but Kyo knows why that is. Oh, and this guy gets hurt, his arm is all bloody, and Misao helps him rather calmly, which I found rather interesting. It shows that she’s getting a bit stronger, after all that she’s been through, and I like that.

The volume ended with something coming up to attack Misao, but when she flinches back and screams, it vanished, I think was killed. But it doesn't show us if someone else came up and killed it at the last minute, or if maybe she did it somehow? I'm thinking someone else came up and did it somehow, but I'll find out next volume, I guess?

There were also a couple short/snipet stories, and they were very cute. One about the group of boys meeting up with Misao including a little thing with the three little guys, which was sweet and funny. Another about Sagami and Ayame, which was very cute, and the last in which Kyo interacts with Misao’s dad, while looking at some of her baby pictures, with was sweet.

Overall, this was a good volume, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it seems things are winding down in this series. Manga can be deceptive about that, but this one states pretty clearly that things are entering the final story arc. This volume picks up right where volume thirteen left off. Black Bird had been consistently ending with cliffhangers. In the last volume someone’s arm was chopped off and the reader didn’t know who’s it was. This volume begins with that revelation and quickly ends the conflict between Kyo and Sho. It’s pretty dramatic, but that’s also consistent with the previous volumes of Black Bird. There’s a short filler chapter that I skipped over. I’ve never been that interested in the “extra” chapters. I went straight to the first chapter in the final story arc. Kyo and Misao are back in Japan. Misao has plenty of school work to catch up on, but she keeps getting distracted. She’s constantly tired. I’m pretty sure I see where this is going. Some strange things start happening. According to the Daitengu, her scent is stronger and she can now scare away spirits on her own. This volume had little real development. It reached the climax of the Kyo vs. Sho story line and finished that up, which was important. The rest of the volume was filler and expository material. I didn’t really get much out of it except the announcement that this story line is the last of the series. I’m kind of ready for something new so I’m eager to finish this up!

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting volume because it's transitional between the final Sho arc and the final, final arc of the series as a whole. It felt rather anti-climatic because it's only two chapters and this arc is over. We do get to meet Yoh Usui which is really cool, since he's still alive. We see the final piece of the cause and effect between the two brothers. I love the graceful way Kyo won and that he loves that Misao is the way she is. the special features were so, so cute! I love in the taxi with Hoki! And Sagami with his wife! The final arc chapter is really all setup. I did like how we learned about her scent from the boys at school. The end was a cliffhanger of course and we are brought almost back to the beginning when she was frightened at the things she could see that no one else can (unless you're one of them) and I really liked that. We see that things are different now, why? Tell us, now! Nope, we'll have to wait until next time though I can guess what is happening...

The art for this manga is always so beautiful. You'd think from the covers it's some smutty story but it's not at all. Kyo and Misao are in love, but he's not human and she's a delicacy for his people, it's a difficult situation. I love that nothing is easily solved between the brothers and their father. That's the way relationships are.

[Emy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Misao is the bride of prophecy whose blood gives power to the demon who claims her. But most demons want to keep her power for themselves - by eating her! Now Misao is just trying to stay alive...'

In this volume, the storyline with Sho came to an end and the FINAL story arc began! /sob There were also three 'special' chapters (including one set in a taxi rank, one humorous and sexy set at bath time, and one giving some backstory between Sagami and Ayame) which I enjoyed very much. :)

It ended with ANOTHER cliffhanger. Alas. BUT the next volume does come out in English tomorrow, so hopefully I won't have to wait that long to read it... :)

As far as reviewing this goes, this volume had ALL THE FEELS. Especially for my Sho! Shoooo! ;A; *gives him many snuggles*

I felt the focus this volume was pulled away from Misao a bit, especially in the first half, but the latter bit of this volume made up for that. I think that it would have been a mistake, anyway, to focus too much on Misao in the climactic scene with Kyo and Sho!

As usual, I loved the artwork. Sakurakouji's style is just so pleasing to look at. And, of course, she draws lots and lots of good looking men. ;D

I'm looking forward to reading the next volume, though I'm sad this story arc is the last one!

[MissAnnThrope · Rating 3 out of 5]

20 February 2013

Black Bird, Vol. 14 is bittersweet and surprisingly tender. As frustrated as I was with the last volume, this installment was leaps and bounds less annoying. No, Misao hasn't stopped crying yet, but the brothers' complex relationship made this far more interesting.

Sho's final moments were heartbreaking. Although it was rather sappy, I still really enjoyed his emotional moment with Misao. The poor guy just wanted to be loved and his brother cock-blocked him. Damn greedy Kyo! Sho's transformation reminded me of Hollowfied Ichigo from Bleach. I'll miss Sho. With him gone, I can't imagine what this series will consist of. Masao sobbing while Kyo sticks it to her?

I feel like this volume could end the series. I don't know how much more I can take of Misao, but my OCD and my adoration for the Daitengu will keep me prodding on to finish the series.

[Bry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this installment brought about the culmination of the fight between the brother Kyo and Sho. It was a bit powerful but still rushed a bit. Misao was better in this book and not so worry-ish. And instead of withdrawing from Kyo le she normally does she went right back to him which we nice. plus you got a good glimpse into Kyo's emotions which was fantastic. But even better was an unrest adding of Sho's emotions.

But the brother's story is not the end of this tale. There is still what the Senka Roku says will happen to Misao now that she is with Kyo. So the story just kinda goes back to normal life. I fact at one point Kyo mentions school and I was like Ohhhh yeahhhh! They do go to school in this manga! LOL.

It's obvious it is setting up for another story arc and I will stick with it for a couple more installments to see where it goes. And again I am so glad to see a cover that is not Kyo and Misao. This one in particular is especially beautiful.

[Joti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhh!!!! dying for more! Loved the continuation of the story - Sho & Kyo are battling and someone's arm gets cut off - it's Yoh'a arm, kyo & sho's father. Everyone's surprised to see him & then Kaede performs a resurrection spell on Sho & he changes all weird & crap & Kyo is forced to kill him :$ And then Kyo is named leader of the tengu clan & him & Misao are together <3 but Sho hinted at changes coming & that Kyo may be forced to kill Misao, the Senka Maiden after reading the ending of the Senka Roku - and more guys are interested in Misao at school, which annoys Kyo & e finally sees her erotic face that someone commented about - Plus, the triplets parents visited them (Jiro, Taro & Saburo are adorable) & they're having another triplet set soon :$ & all the miniature stories were funny too - plus, Misao's scent of her skin has grown stronger :D

[Julie_plop · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book marks the end of the first battle in the relationship of Misao and Kyo. This is also the beginning of the end for the series, since our two characters don;t have the threatening of the big brother anymore and Kyo statut is consolidate, the only problem still unresolved is the one of their true relationship and their consequences.
I really enjoyed this first part and really can't wait for december 4th to finally know a little bit better about how all of this will affect deeply their relationship and get back to the contemplation of the drawing which are beautiful. That is the kind of series which you wanna know everything, you are eager of knowing but at the same time you are afraid of the end and want to push it as far as you could to avoid it.

[kuristina- tabreez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sho makes a direct move against Kyo but what is it that he's fighting for when his own life is about to end again?
He can't become the clan leader, he has been branded a traitor. He doesn't seem to seek vengeance. Is he only adding to Misao's guilt and pain by showing her what her betrayal has caused?
And when Sho's powers are boosted by Kaede's sacrifice he goes out of control. Will Kyo be forced to go against his beliefs and put Sho down then and there or is there a way for Misao to save him through kindness and the love in her heart..?

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entering the last story arc!!!!!! Saaaadness! But hopefully that means I don't have to wait for years and years while the rest of the series comes out!

I loved the special features in this volume! They were all fantastic! I was laughing hysterically during the "Bath" one though! Fantastic!

There is only two available volumes left here in America and the series is not finished yet in Japan... oh man I am not looking forward to this wait!!

But for now, last two volumes, here I come!!!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series Review: This series doesn't look like much in the beginning but trust me it soon shows it's true potential. This manga is gripping and thrilling while never losing its romantic side. As always manga is rated for a reason and this is really for older teens and up due to some semi graphic content, however I really recommend giving this manga a try!

[Melissa E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much better than the last volume, though Sakurakouji-sama still misses the mark with me when it comes to pitying Sho. I am just glad that the endless conflict between him and Kyo has finally been resolved.

I guess I will stick around until the end, since this is the final arc and I already have the next book.

[Luna Jordan · Rating 1 out of 5]

My former best-friend got me into this series; she loved it, therefore I loved it. Looking back at it, it was horrible; love does not excuse anything. Bad behavior is bad behavior. Toxic bullshit will always be toxic bullshit. I will always regret completing this manga series. At least a few supernatural aspects were okay…ish.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems we are finally getting to the heat of the matter which is the mystery of the Senka Maiden's. The brothers finally had their showdown (and it was slightly a surprise).

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After all the seriousness, it's good to see some bonus chapters that are light and even funny. Loved getting a little more of a look at Ayame. But this final arc worries me.... :-(

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was also good. Not bad Black Bird, not bad. And wow, 14 volumes in and I'm liking this, a little, somewhat but still liking it.

[Rara Purnomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, I Love the extra chapter. It's so damn funny!! ROTFL