Il sigillo azzurro, Vol. 5

蒼の封印 [Ao no Fuuin] #5

by Chie Shinohara, Naomi Okita (Translator)

Soko, una ragazza apparentemente come tutte le altre, un giorno ha l'amara sorpresa di scoprirsi dotata di poterei sovrumani e terribili. Come un Oni, un diavolo della mitologia nipponica, divora gli esseri umani, trasformandoli in cenere. Soko, che non ha alcuna memoria del suo passato, dapprima incredula e poi alla ricerca di un modo per sottrarsi al suo destino, trova lungo li suo cammino Akira, il rampollo di una nobile famiglia in cui si tramanda il compito di Byakko, cioè colui destinato a liberare il mondo dalla malvagia presenza degli Oni e, in particolare, di Soryu, la sacerdotessa da cui è stata clonata la nostra ignara Soko.
Dopo aver scoperto insieme le origini della Kimon - la grande tribù a cui appartengono le famiglie del Nord, Sud, Est e Ovest - i due giovani, ormai innamorati l'uno dell'altra, scoprono anche che l'unico modo affinché Soko, Soryu della famiglia dell'Est, un normale essere umano è consumare una notte d'amore con Akira, Byakko della famiglia dell'Ovest. Infatti il potere di questa famiglia consiste nell'annullare quello delle altre, più deboli. Ma proprio nel momento in cui i due giovani stanno per fare l'amore, degli strani fuochi fatui invadono la stanza e attaccano Akira.

Chi ha clonato Soko dalla sacerdotessa Rago? E con quali scopi? Takao, fratello di Soko, creduto morto nell'esplosione in cui sono periti i finti genitori della ragazza, si rivela: lui è Genbu della famiglia del Nord e ha clonato Rago per i suoi scopi malvagi.

Genres: Manga, Japanese Literature, Romance, Fantasy, Shojo

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 1993

About the author

Chie Shinohara (篠原千絵) is an award winning Japanese manga artist best-known for Red River, known in Japan as Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori: Anatolia Story. She has twice received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo, in 1987 for Yami no Purple Eye and in 2001 for Red River.

Aside from her comics work, she has also written several prose novels. She has published the six volume Big Draw Daughter Hatsu light novel series, as well as five gaiden (or side-story) novels related to her Red River series. All of these were illustrated by Shinohara herself.

Works

Akatsuki no Lion - 2003
Ao no Fūin (Blue Seal) - 1992–94
Houmonsha wa Mayonaka ni (Midnight Visitor) - 1984
Kioku no Ashiato (Footprint of Memories) - 2005
Kiri no Mori Hotel - 2007
Kootta Natsu no Hi (Frozen Summer Day) - 1995
Mizu ni Sumu Hana (Romance of Darkness) - 2004
Mokugekisha ni Sayounara (Farewell to the Eyewitness) - 1985
Nanika ga yami de mite iru (Something Watching in the Dark) - 1986
Ryouko no Shinreijikenbo (A Record of Ryoko's Psychic Events) - 1988–91
Sanninme ga Kieta (A Third Person Disappeared) - 1992
Soshite Gokai no Suzu ga naru (Then Five Bells Rang) - 1994
Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori: Anatolia Story (Red River) - 1995–2002
Tokidamari no Hime - 2008-09
Touboukyuukou (Runaway Express)
Umi no Yami, Tsuki no Kage (Moon Shadow on a Dark Sea) - 1986–91
Yami no Purple Eye (Purple Eye of Darkness) - 1984–87
Yume no Shizuku, Kin no Torikago - 2010-present

Reviews

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up! This feels like a big step up from the previous volumes to me. The blend of action horror and thriller come together very smoothly here and the new plot beats were really enjoyable. Watching Soko struggle, Takao's power over her, and the tragedy befallen common people as they turn into Oni and kill others was well-written. The ending with Soko and Akira with Soko allowing him to kill her and him doing what he wanted to do which is now kiss her. Chefs kiss. I'm also looking forward to the next volume. The use of Rago's hair to create more comes means the two cannot go much farther in their relationship so it means we get a lot of romantic tension that I'm sure Chie will write really well.
I'm glad Soko's lack of agency is seemingly being used by the story now what with her struggling against the will of Takao the Genbu who's emotional manipulation powers are empowering her to kill and transform others into Oni. It adds some good horror and thriller vibes to her lack of agency and makes it go from her personal reaction to something more relevant to the plot. With Soko unwillingly resurrecting the Oni we get a lot more horror as well and it's framed just as well as it was prior.

[Rintea W · Rating 4 out of 5]

The once seemingly insignificant glasses-wearing older brother from Volume 1? Well, in this volume - he takes off his glasses, and BAM!! he's ridiculously handsome!

And he’s far from ordinary!

What was once just a conflict between the Western and Eastern factions of the hero and heroine, now expands with the emergence of the Northern faction.

Soko’s true origin is fully revealed, along with the ultimate purpose behind her creation, the means to revive the Oni race.

And at the center of it all? Takao.

But the real game - changer? He can control Soko’s mind.

This is bad. Really bad.

[Felix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about c*ckblocked