Alichino, Volume 01

Alichino #1

by Kouyu Shurei

Beautiful creatures called "Alichino" grant any wish to those who find them--but at a price! A young lady searching for an Alichino wants to bring her brother back to life. She meets Tsugiri, a handsome young man who she thinks is an Alichino. While Tsugiri turns out to be a mere mortal, he does have a mysterious connection with these rare creatures--a connection that brings him and those around him grave danger!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Shojo, Horror

138 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would you like to see it? I can show you the place... where you lost everything and were reborn.

The best thing about this manga is the artwork. It's stunning, delicate, and detailed. Sure, the characters seem to have problems emoting at times, but the artwork really is beautiful.



Unfortunately, the art is the best thing about this series. Yes, the story is a good idea, but nothing comes of it. There's no information about the world this takes place in or the origin of Alichinos. I'm not sure there's even a plot. It's basically just random things happening, with a backstory or two thrown in. It seemed like new characters were constantly introduced when the main characters hadn't been given enough attention.



There's supposed to be a volume 4 which wraps up the story, but I guess that never got published. I don't know that it would be all that satisfying anyway, as there are still too many threads to wrap up at the end of volume 3.



I'll keep this in my collection for the artwork. If it had been anything less than beautiful, I would have donated this series a long time ago.

2 stars for the story, 5 for the artwork.

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to be honest, this would rank a 3 for the storyline. What brought this to a 5 (for me) is the artwork. The absolutely breathtaking, spectacular quality of the artwork. I'm not going to go into details on how much I love the guys are drawn in this manga because then I'd be exposed for the enormous pervert that I am.

I own this manga for the artwork alone, untranslated. I just take it out and look at the pictures because they're pretty.

Pictures *_*

[Caahpinotti ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a quote from City of Heavenly Fire that reminds me a lot of Alichino, and what makes it so noteworthy: “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝘀.”
Every single page of the manga is very detailed and breathtaking. The story is really interesting and I'm super excited to see what's coming next ✥ ✦ ✧ ❂ ❉ ✯ ❉ ✯

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art elevates this manga significantly. It is gorgeous even if the people do tend to have a bad case of the Same Face Syndrome - at least that face is pretty!



The muddled concepts of alichino and the oddly translated "bond" humans are the crux of the plot. Further reading only makes picture murkier. Are the alichino just really, really ridiculously good-looking wish-granting humanoids or just assholes preying on weak-hearted humans? There's a lot of exposition, but not much actually said.

But still, incredibly pretty.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today's post is on Alichino, volume 1 by Kouyu Shurei. It is the first in her Alichino series. It is 138 pages long and was published by Tokyopop. The cover is a beautiful illustration of the cast. The intended reader is someone who likes beautiful manga and mysterious plots. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character Tsugiri. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the back of the book- Beautiful creatures called Alichino grant wishes to those in need- but at a price! A young lady searching for an Alichino wants to being her brother backs to life. She meets Tsugiri, a handsome young man who she thinks is an Alichino. Tsugiri turns out to be a mere mortal. but he does have a mysterious connection with these rare creatures- a connection that will bring danger to those around him.


Review- The art for this series is so incredibly beautiful that it steals the show from the story. The story is about Tsugiri and his quest for self and meaning in a world that wants to kill him. Tsugiri and the Alichino are connected in some way that does not seem good. But we the readers do not have a real clear idea about how or even why yet but I really enjoyed the story. Alichino's are not self-less wish granters, if you summon an Alichino and they grant your wish, you will pay with your soul. The story does not break the mold but the art certainly does. It is one of the prettiest manga I have ever read. I look forward to exploring more of this world and looking at some gorgeous art.


I give this manga a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alichino are beautiful creatures with the power to grant any wish -- for a price. Tsugiri, a young man with a mysterious past, attempts to help a girl find an Alichino to save her brother's life, but learns he has a special -- and dangerous -- relationship to these creatures...

Enough cannot be said about how gorgeous Alichino's artwork is. Its delicate, intricate, Gothic style with breath-takingly beautiful characters is captivating.

However, the art is all Alichino has going for it, as the plot is so thin, confusing, and slow that reading it is a chore. The characters, likewise, are like cardboard cutouts, beautiful but flat and nearly indistinguishable from each other.

I think the artwork alone is worth the purchase, but Alichino really ought to have been an artbook.

[Adam Duclos · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would not recommend this manga. Its the sort that has a very incoherent story compounded by having terrible art. Many of the characters, especially the women, look pretty much the same. There is a bad guy, a good guy who is sometimes in the form of an owl, and a random girl who all look identical. The art is bare bones, you'll get the character being drawn and barely any background to show where he/she is, or what is going on, and action scenes are like "Okay, I think he's clutching his head, um did someone just sword someone? What just happened there? Are they dead? No, he's talking again. Whatever."

[Sanpaku · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10.
Shojo, Shonen, Seinen, Josei... this manga tried to appeal to every possible demographic by using bits of clichés from all of them, and as a result it ended up being a (small) pile of nothing.
The art was actually amazing. It was kinda brutal to know that the author stopped working in the industry altogether after this series got interrupted.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alichino's exquisitely delicate, doll-like artwork (similar to Paradise Kiss, but with more detail in the line work and backgrounds), proves to be its greatest draw, despite a story that has some intriguing points. In the world of this fantasy manga, creatures called Alichino live off of the despair of humans. Their beauty easily convinces the desperate to take their deal, only to realize that the cost is not necessarily worth it. Most humans never meet an Alichino, but for the young man Tsugiri, they are his constant companions, tailing his every step for a chance at the ultimate meal... that of his pure soul. Volume one walks at a good clip, introducing the characters (such as the acerbic owl-Alichino Myobi who is helping Tsugiri), hooking us with questions about the past, and offering some glimpses into the answers. There really isn't much mystery to it, but the desire to understand the relationship between these characters, and the nature of Tsugiri's special quality is enough to keep our attention. Even if the story does not meet your standards, the art is well worth looking at.

[Sparrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forgot how awesome this manga was. I still believe it has some of the most beautiful art I have ever seen in a manga. The characters are SO gorgeous, and yet still distinct from one another!

The story is pretty neat and original. The translation is excellent and the plot moves at a good pace. I didn't feel behind with any of the storytelling or character buildup. And Shurei did an EXCELLENT job with cliffhangers! I'll have fun reading the next volume, although I know I'll feel disappointed once I finish the third volume. Dang, will this series ever get going again?

[ZenWhisperReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The depiction of big eyes has been seen as symbolic to the closeness to the gods and this is fully protracted in the artwork featured in this tale. The only complaint I have is the font choices and color blocks at times makes it difficult to read what is happening. Great read and story line.

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't do much for me, but the art was pretty. It's a gothic-style manga and very creepy.

[Kate (Looking Glass Reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 out of 5 stars on Looking Glass Reads.

Sometimes we pick manga we never heard of up at the library. Sometimes this a turning point, a time when we discover older or more obscured series that we collect the boxed sets of and treasure forever. This is not one of those times.

Alichino Volume 1 by Kouyu Shurei is not the most excellent manga on my library’s shelf. However, it is one which they’ve collected all of the volumes of and that was enough for me.

The story opens with a young woman searching for an Alichino, a mysterious otherworldly beings that have the power to grant any wish, but for a price. She meets Tsugiri, a young man she mistakes for an Alichino. Tsugiri may not be one these powerful beings, but he does have a connection to them, one that is deeper than even he knows.

I should have been more wary of this title when I flipped through the book and realized that TokyoPop never bothered translating the preview for volume 2 found at the end of the manga. I just chalked it up to TokyoPop being, well, them, and moved on.

Speaking of moving on, let’s take a look at the art. Now, I will readily admit that the mangaka can draw. Character’s eyes are quite piercing. Hair is drawn with all the light, featheriness of real hair. Patterns on clothing are extremely detailed, their folds falling in ways that make you almost hear the rustle of fabric.

Yet, for all of the care characters are treated with, the manga itself suffers. Page layout, text flow, and cell composition do suffer. Some pages are mostly black with only some text. Multiple cells are simply a patterned background with some text. Those cells that are fully drawn have a tendency to show only a part of a character’s face and little more. Movement in active scenes is almost nonexistent. Battles are static to the point where what each character is doing becomes obscured. This makes it very difficult to figure out what exactly is happening during certain sections of the manga. It isn’t always clear when a new character enters the room, or who is speaking.

I was hoping that the plot would make up for any pitfalls the art and layout might have fallen into. I’m not positive that entirely succeeded. The way in which the Alichino were first introduced reminded me greatly of the manga xxxHolic by CLAMP and the method in which Yoko helped the customers who found her shop. The story continues with an interesting enough but also predictable plot. More Alichino seem to be closing in on the town where Tsugiri lives, and they don’t seem to be quite as friendly as the Alichino he lives with. Tsugiri quickly becomes a target of these creatures. Why? Because there’s something different about him. Of course he has a dark past that he can’t quite remember because his memory was wiped when he was a child, presumably to spare him the horrors of what occurred.

The plot isn’t terrible by any means. I think it’s actually much more solid than the general formatting of the manga. Yet it feels a little derivative at times, at least with certain themes. I think this will frustrate certain readers.

Despite not generally enjoying the manga nearly as much as I had hoped, I may read the second volume anyway. As far as I am aware, this is a short series with only four volumes in total. All of these happen to be at my local library, and if I do continue I’ll definitely check them out there. Though a bit derivative at times, Tsugiri’s backstory is interesting enough to make me curious as to what happens to him.

Alichino by Kouyu Shurei has its flaws, but the plot has some interesting elements. Fans of manga made in the 90s might find more things to like in this title than other readers, as it does seem to draw on some elements in both an artistic and plot sense from other works around that period. However, a poor page layout and uninspired cell design detracts heavily from the manga, which is a great disappointment as the character designs and artistic talent are quite good.

[Yoyomaus Die Büchereule · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inhalt Einband:
Sie erstrahlen in unwiderstehlicher Schönheit und beherrschen das Innerste der Seele - die Alichino. Jeden Wunsch können sie erfüllen, doch ihr Preis ist hoch, zu hoch. Einer jedoch besitzt die 'Kraft der Verbindung'. Abgeschieden von den Menschen und nur dazu bestimmt zu sterben, wartet er auf seine Zeit.

Cover:
Das Cover finde ich persönlich ja richtig Hammer. Nicht nur, dass es tolle und filigrane Zeichnungen zeigt, es ist außerdem auch noch durch einen Schutzumschlag geschützt und macht dadurch richtig was her. Ich bin richtig verliebt.

Eigener Eindruck:
Die Geschichte beginnt damit, dass eine junge Frau auf den jungen Mann Tsugiri trifft. Sie fragt ihn nach den Alichino - engelsgleiche Wesen, welche Wünsche erfüllen sollen - , doch er erzählt ihr, dass es ein Märchen ist und weist sie ab. Daraufhin verschwindet sie wieder und er begibt sich zu Enju, bei dem er wohnt. Hier erfährt der Leser, dass Tsiguri sehr wohl weiß, was und wo die Alichino sind, was schließlich auch die junge Frau heraus findet, da sie ihm einfach gefolgt ist. Doch die Absichten der Alichino sind nicht so edel, wie es in den Märchen heißt. Denn die Alichino dürsten nach Menschenopfern und besonders nach einem: Tsiguri. Denn er wurde geboren, mit einer besonderen Kraft, die unendliche Macht für die Alichino verspricht. Schließlich finden die Alichino Tsiguri und es kommt zum Kampf. Gerettet wird er durch die Eule, die ihn stets begleitet - ebenfalls ein Alichino namens Myobi. Da sie aber geschwächt ist, sind die beiden schließlich auf weitere Hilfe durch den Alichino Ryoko angewiesen. Dieser entpuppt sich als Myobis Meister und kennt Tsiguri bereits seitdem er ein kleiner Junge ist.
Schließlich deckt sich Tsiguris Vergangenheit auf, welche stets von Leid und Tod begleitet war. Denn alle, die sich mit ihm umgaben, starben durch die Alichino, die er magisch anzieht....

Am Anfang fand ich die Geschichte rund um die engelsgleichen Alichino wirklich sehr verwirrend, doch je länger man liest, desto mehr versteht man den Hintergrund der Geschichte. Und ich muss sagen, dass ich sie sehr ansprechend finde. Die Zeichnungen sind ebenfalls sehr gut gemacht und sind ein wahrer Augenschmaus. Definitiv ist diese Mangareihe eine Investition wert. Jedoch sollte man sich auch darauf einstellen, dass dieser Manga sehr sprunghaft ist und man sich einige Dinge selbst zusammen reimen muss. Wer damit keine Probleme hat, der wird hier eine wirklich wunderbare Reihe zum lesen vorfinden. Der erste Band macht jedenfalls Lust auf mehr und ich bin gespannt, wie die Geschichte von Tsiguri weiter geht und welche Geheimnisse noch aufgedeckt werden.

4 von 5 Sterne

Daten:
Taschenbuch: 144 Seiten
Verlag: Carlsen; Auflage: 1., (1. August 2004)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3551777217
ISBN-13: 978-3551777218
Vom Hersteller empfohlenes Alter: 12 - 15 Jahre
Verpackungsabmessungen: 21 x 14,2 x 1,4 cm

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

To open this was to be seduced by the beauty of every panel and the prose, perhaps like being seduced by the Alichino themselves? They dominated every page, haunting the ones where they weren’t there, taking the main character to a dreamlike space, an obscure place for reasons equally obscure. Description was both excessive and sparse, yet I loved it. I loved the beauty mystery Tsugiri embodied, moved within along with the ones walking with him or stalking him. Myobi the Alichino felt like both Tsugiri’s adversary and his guardian. She mocked him with playful sadism, yet she was determined to protect him, offering him his missing memories when no one else would. Enju was Tsugiri’s caretaker and emotional support, yet he was keeping secrets from Tsugiri, perhaps even keeping him hidden in a cage. Myobi showed Enju more courtesy than she does Tsugiri, yet she questions his actions. Enju treats her with courtly consideration which becomes more layered upon observation, yet Enju and Myobi appeared to be allies in looking out for Tsugiri. Ryoko was another beautiful mystery, Myobi’s beloved master, yet he has his own connection to Tsugirl. Every character offered a piece of a puzzle as to what Tsugiri was doing in isolation, whom were the Alichino, and why Tsugirl was being concealed from them. The last few panels revealed the alluring and meancing Roshoki, an Alichino of great power with his sights set on Tsugiri, hinting that the two of them already have a connection. The first few panels introduced a mysterious girl seeking the Alichino to grant her wishes. She’s drawn to Tsugiri’s beauty, stalking him, thinking he’s connected to the Alichino. Her desire to find one spurs Tsugiri out of hiding, to save her from her own romantic delusions, drawing the Alichino to him. This awakens his own power, showing how he and the Alichino are linked.

Flawed, yet extremely seductive, this is a book and a series that’s very hard to put down and stop.

[Alma Pellett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 5 out of 10
Violence: Moderate (Some blood)
Fan Service: Light (Occasional female looking creatures)
Sexual Content: Very Light (Mentioned Once)
Type: Dark Savior
Read: 1 Volume
More?: Yes
Plot Analysis: An Alichino is an immortal creature which is able to change shape and feeds on the souls of those to whom they grant wishes. The main character of the story is a young man with the power to kill these immortals. His type draw the Alichino like moths to a flame, but for some reason, one has protected him for years.
Review: Dark, certainly, and a bit confusing at the start. Throughout the chapters you get a good story on what the Alichino are and the main characters’ life so far. Since the main characters type tends to be killed by its own village because of the “Bad luck” that comes with the Alichino trying to get the child, there are a few scenes of mob violence and blood when the beasts fight. We’ll see how it goes.

[Toastkat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember reading this in high school years ago, and thinking that it was weird. Turns out, it's still weird. Even though the basic rules are repeated over and over, I still don't quite follow what's going on, what the stakes are, or who we should be rooting for. The art, though beautiful at times, makes it confusing to distinguish who is who, and often times I had to re-read dialogue bubbles because the conversation got too confusing. I'm still going to read and finish this series because it's so short, but I wouldn't recommend this series to newbie manga readers. Maybe veterans, but veteran readers might have already found a similar story being told better elsewhere in another series.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't say I like the art style, but the setting is kind of interesting. As for the characters... There's a bunch of characters introduced in a small time frame, and their designs make it hard to tell them apart. As such, there were moments I wasn't sure which character was in the scene. Also, I was hoping we would follow the young lady in the blurb a little more, as it's a little weird she starts out the story, but then is quickly forgotten.

If I didn't have the second volume right next to me, I wouldn't have bothered to continue reading.

[Rowan]

this sure was made in the early 00s. it's been on my tbr since then and i can't believe i found a (pretty battered) copy through ILL to read. i like the concept and teen me would've eaten up the art and story, but now it feels like that overdramatic supernatural plot that was so common back then. there's a main character with a heavy destiny they don't know, surrounded by mysterious figures who may or may not be good, and their past is also kind of a mystery. i'm glad i read it to assuage my curiosity, but i'm good.

[Bee Breeze · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is 00’s manga. For example, this is it if you want to relive your angsty teen who likes manga from the 00s experience. The art is beautiful; the story about angel-like beings who are monsters is typical and a bit nonsensical. I love it because I remember when we got so much anime and manga in America, and it was like this.

However, it’s a particular taste, and I can’t see myself recommending it or even rereading it. I will finish the short series because my inner high-schooler yearns for more.

[Danicka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this manhwa for now. The artwork is beautiful. Like, seriously beautiful and detailed. I like the way the owl looks and I also like the atmosphere it creates. It reminds me the Bride of Water God a bit. Many things happened in the first volume and we already had a quick backgroud to a hero's past. I just wonder how this will turn out, because this series only has three volumes and I heard it wasn't completed because of stopped publication or something...

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely art style with the classic hunted for being different plot. The pacing is about middle ground neither slow or too fast. It leaves you with wanting to know more about the world and the Alichino that inhabit it and what will become of Tsugiri. There are some graphic images but no needless violence for the sake of violence. It's leaves you wanting more without making it feel overbearing. A decent start to a series.

[Hamster YumYum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part about this manga is definitely the art style which is very aestetically pleasing. The story on the other hand is kinda meh and all over the place. Will try to read the next volume and see if it gets any better since it has been the case with other decent works, but for now I am not too impressed.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

My friend lent me this series. The art is quite beautiful, but the plot is somewhat chaotic and nonsensical. It's fantasy, but it pretty much dives into the story with little information or clear direction.

Since it's only three volumes, I plan to read the other two just to see if there's an end point - they're quick, easy reads. At least the artwork is nice to look at!

[Mary Keroson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a fan of graphic novels.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent set of books..read them when I was younger, but they have always stuck with me. Very somber mood and complex read, but well worth it. The art is phenomenal, nothing else to be said on that!

[Reza Aleeya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad! Nice plot and beautifully illustrated

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best Manga I've read. Didn't really understand the storyline and it seemed to jump about a bit so was hard to follow at times.

[shane ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art style is just akdksjjajfjsjenj ✨

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

i owned vol 1 when i was a teenager and i loved it. definitely still holds up. art is beautiful.