Innocent Bird, Volume 3

名も無き鳥の飛ぶ夜明け #3

by Kisaragi Hirotaka

Innocent Bird Volume 3: (Yaoi) (v. 3)

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, Romance, Fantasy, Comics, Queer, Supernatural

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Anny Pham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this series. I wish that it didn't have to end...

In my opinion, the thing that I loved most about Innocent Bird is that it didn't show the antagonists as just pure evil. The mangaka twisted the fact that demons are mostly perceived to be only evil and gave them a bittersweet backstory. Even the main protagonist, Shirasagi, is a demon, but wants to be a priest of all things!

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves a good plot in a genre that is usually stereotyped to not having any plot at all.

[Reddazrael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not even going to lie, I legit spent half of this volume repeatedly telling the manga that it had better not break my heart. It did, for about half a minute. Then my heart was healed.

I did not expect to get so involved with these characters. I won't say this is anywhere near the best thing I've ever read -- too rushed in some ways, for one -- but I still feel this final volume deserves five stars where the first two didn't. Because this is what it did to me:



P.S. Koumori was amazing from the first second he was introduced and no one can tell me otherwise. Loved his reveal. I originally thought he was going to be Cain, but him being Judas made a lot of sense. Maybe I should have figured it out, but I didn't, and for me the reveal was a 'holy shit' moment if I've ever seen one. Also, Judas x Jesus, why the fuck not, I'll roll with it.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the exquisite conclusion to this three-part romance and yes, it is a romance, although there’s a lot of turmoil to get to the happiness, various officious representatives of heaven trying to shape that very realm to their will, but there is a God and he’s not unsympathetic to the male angel/demon couple, nor to allowing their love to flourish. Neither is Jesus, who turns out to have been watching them all along, though the eyes of his own former lover and betrayer, so that the latter might also find some redemption. Nor were Karasu and Shirasagi the only star-crossed angel/demon pairing, for two opposites who loved each other used the chaos to confront each other, but their rigid inability to change gave them a far less happy conclusion. Beautiful and powerful moments which were truly epic exploded from the pages, yet over all, this series is a healing journey for someone who loved someone, yet worried that it was wrong to love God at the same time.

[Nərmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Am I the only one who doesn't think that it is brilliant? I mean it was a good manga with a good story, but the character relationships didn't impress me that much. Karasu and Shirasaki love didn't feel genuine to me. It happened too quick and left me confused. The story was a bit complex, so I didn't get some references (I don't have that much of information about religion). The art was excellent though. Overall, it was an okay manga.

[Veronica Pappolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ricordo che era una dei più belli yaoi con angeli e demoni che avessi mai letto (però c'è da dire che non ne avevo letti molti). I disegni di Hirotaka sono sempre i migliori. Dovrò rileggermelo, soprattutto perché ricordo che per la foga di leggerlo sbagliai a leggerli in successione. Lessi il 1° poi il 3° e infine il 2°. Quando me ne accorsi bestemmiai XD

[Myffanwy Geronazzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, this series reminds me of that one tweet that was like "church bad? Dragons good? CHURCH BAD CAUSE THEY WONT LET YOU BONE DRAGONS" and I'm here for it.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that the secondary love stories were more interesting, and that the story didn't do a good job at explaining why both initially faltered in their beliefs.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

In volume 3, after having ascended in rank, Karasu travels with Shirasagi and the enigmatic Koumori to Purgatory, the wayplace between Heaven and Hell. There the trio will face the greatest trial of all as forces from both realms wage war on them and each other. In a side story, Beelzebub’s wonder about his enforced distance from God and his determination for a direct confrontation with the Supreme Deity led to his being cast out of Heaven and the demotion of another Angel. His curiosity is portrayed as a natural thing and we can’t help but wonder at the cruelty of a God who would punish one of his own Angels for a seemingly innocent desire. The author has shown herself to be a master of surprise and suspense and this astonishing backstory is a perfect display of her awesome storytelling and in no way detracts from the main plotline. The men are beyond hot and the sex well placed even in the middle of a seemingly difficult dilemma. Brava.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow.
Really amazing.
A look at both the idea of heaven and hell and the entire spiritual system. I enjoyed the questions that were brought up with Beelzebub and his quest for God. I also really loved the way that Shirasagi and Karasu's relationship develops circling around this idea of humanity and love.
Then there was the the path that the story takes. From introducing who our helper is and why he knows so much, to the fact of what is going to have to happen...amazing. Really, you can guess what must be sacrificed because it was stated in the first book. But actually watching it is just so heart rending.
I loved this series and would definitely recommend it!

[byo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now some people would say it's beautiful and the best love story every (yes, I've actually heard that) and sure I was beyond happy with the ending, but I found that it was too religious for me and a little confusing! I shouldn't have to RESEARCH to figure this thing out... and I still don't get some parts but I never will.

I actually found that I was more into the Archduke and Sarial... hmm... that's not good seeing as they only made a one chapter appearance, very brief... oh well. It was probably worth the read.

[kimberly_rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally published at mangaupdates.com in July, 2008.

Incredible.

I was deeply moved by all the characters - even two of the secondary characters. The main couple had some of the most touching, moving scenes I have ever read and viewed in my history of manga/story/art experiencing.

The story line was complex and had great twists and turns. (The bird and the 'guide'!!! Who would have guessed! But it made perfect sense. . .)

And I love the curly hair on Kosaru!

I read each volume a couple of times before going on to the next. . . and then i went back again.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides the author's stunning style, there were many things that I loved... The bleakness of the Twin Towers of Deliberation. The revelation about the true nature of the Seraphims. Koumori's true identity. God's miracle...

Also, in the end, the love story of Beelzebub and Sariel was more interesting than the main couple's, Karasu and Shirasagi's, at least in my opinion.

I will definitely buy other manga by Hirotaka Kisaragi.

[Sumayyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This is for the entire series, all 3 volumes.)

WOW. Just. Wow.

What if everything you knew about angels and demons, heaven and hell, God.. and love.. was wrong? Very, very interesting story.