Innocent Bird, Volume 1

名も無き鳥の飛ぶ夜明け #1

by Kisaragi Hirotaka

Part of the angelic bureaucracy, Karasu is sent to earth to retrieve a demon living among humans. However, he's surprised to discover that the demon Shirasagi wants to throw away his heritage and his powers, and live as a human--and a holy human at that. As he works out of a bar in the city, Shirasagi teaches children and is generally an all-around wonderful person. But Heaven and Hell both want him back and it's going to be quite a battle…

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, Fantasy, Demons, Romance, Graphic Novels, Comics

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

Reviews

[Nərmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting start and worldbuilding.Romance was a bit early for my taste though. But the art was good. So, let's see what is going to happen in the next volumes.

[Argona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many shounen ai and M/M romances but this story remains one of my most favorites.It is simply prefect! The art is beautiful, characterization is wonderful and the storyline is deep and moving in a way many romances can't ever be.Reading this Manga touched my heart and actually moved me to tears and that's something that rarely happens. I read the whole series in one night and I couldn't stop crying when it was over. I cared about all the characters, I wanted them to be happy and I was filled with joy when I read the perfect ending.This isn't only a shounen ai manga, this is a story about inner-battles and self discoveries. That we all have the right to disagree, to question and to discover for ourselves and those who attempt to force their ways on others are the ones in need of saving .That we have to find our own way to god, the real god not the one illustrated by others. That we can't judge each other in his place and we can never know who among us he loves the most and We have to stop putting ourselves in his place and passing judgement on what's wrong and what's right. That life is about love and god is love. And that Love has no boundaries! I recommend this series to anyone who is interested in reading a beautiful touching story about friendship, faith and forbidden love.

[Ekene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gave me strong Supernatural season 4 vibes. Not too bad

[shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

For one of those things I picked up on a whim, this is pretty good

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hardbitten, tough-talking angel finds himself in charge of deporting a demon in earth, only this demon is gentle, kind, and rediscovering a love for God as a priest. Watching this demon priest gets the angel emotionally involved, shaking his cynical attitude about the world, especially when the demon priest’s hellish keepers come calling for him. The angel finds himself risking his position in heaven and his existence while the demon is torn between his love for god and his growing feelings for his unlikely ally from Heaven. This is a sweet, outwardly simple love story involving some intriguing role reversals of character tropes which gradually deepens into something more complex, depicted in a compelling, attractive art style. For all of these qualities, I give this four stars.

[Myffanwy Geronazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My goodness, so far this is fantastic. The angel/demon matchup is sorely under-utilized in manga nowadays.
There's some great lore building, character development and plot outline here. Now, this one is pretty much just setting up for the relationship and character interactions in further installments, but it kept me invested the entire way through!
The little side story at the end was alright, inoffensive but didn't leave a lasting impression.

[Tyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Namonakitori no Tobu Yoake INNOCENT BIRD -- Innocent Bird for short -- is a manga series serialized in Asuka's CIEL magazine since 2001. It's about angels and demons -- to be exact, an angel who doubts God's love and a demon who wants to dedicate all his life to serve God, despite his being a demon since his life began. They then go together hand in hand (the phrase also implies a literal meaning, since undoubtedly there's love growing between the angel and the demon) to try to find the path to be walked upon by themselves. But then it's not easy.

There are more aspects of Innocent Bird than just being a BL series. I think that the author tries to ask us, Are we just going to die in the class or category where we were born? Can't we be anything else instead of what were marked upon us by the time of our birth? If we can't, then all of us were born with stigmata, with a born-disease, with our fate tattooed upon us. Particularly in the story, can't a demon love God than anything else, and can't an angel disobey God's orders when he doesn't feel like them?

[Katelynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread 2019: Not going to like, this is mostly the Good Omen's miniseries' fault.

Bought and read originally in 2007/2008.
Reread in 2015 for nostalgia.
I'm not going to lie, my favourite part of this will always be bird Jesus.

[Soobie is expired · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sempre interessante vedere come i giapponesi interpretano gli angeli e i demoni nei loro fumetti... Anche perché qua c'è un demone che si spaccia per un prete...

Questo non sarebbe neanche malaccio ma i due si innamorano nel giro di tre vignette e son pronti ad affrontare tutti i loro avversari pur di stare insieme. Non mi piace l'amore istantaneo...

Va beh, sarà rapido e indolore.

[TT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this years ago, if I recall I think I liked this one so i'll say 3.5 stars. don't remember why I didn't continue with the story but I think it was due to slow releases (the other volumes were each released a year apart according to GR).

[Mosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A angel and devil love story just the type of story I'm a sucker for.

[Dione Basseri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this at a library bag sale, which meant, averaging out the costs of books in that bag, this probably cost me a dime. And for a dime, it was a fine purchase. For more...I have great doubts.

Firstly, if you're getting this hoping that "mature" tag is getting you some hot boy's love action, nope. Not this volume. This is the relationship-building volume, and this there's no real physical interaction between out love interests.

It's also the world-building volume, and it does...okay. But...this reminded me SO MUCH of Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. Which, for some, that might be a big motivation. If GO gave you a hankering for black-haired-demon on blonde-angel action, you might be intrigued. Add in the fact that there's a persistent war between Heaven and Hell, as well as a set of nobles on both sides, and things just start seeming a lot like an AU fanfic.

Is it likely that Kisaragi copied from Good Omens? No. But I've found Good Omens fanfic with more compelling story and fat better romance. And I'm sure that, with a little searching, you can find any number of yaoi stories with this general angel and demon in love storyline.

Like any of the ones on this list: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts off prosaically enough in what looks like a government office. Men in black bustle about on various assignments. One of them is given the task of deporting an illegal alien. In a rundown section of town, he finds the alien, a beautiful creature with sloe eyes, a gentle manner and a sincere desire to help others. But while the bespectacled man gently tries to persuade the illegal alien to leave, someone else shows up with a prior claim—a demon, demanding that the refugee come back to Hell. The government agent then reveals his true nature. Enormous white bird wings unfurl from his back as he coldly dismisses his demonic rival. Thus, an unusual relationship begins between an unlikely angel and a demon seeking redemption. The author/illustrator has done a fantastic job of introducing her various characters and making them realistic and fascinating. The mundane and the unearthly come together and the story works, both on a spiritual and an emotional level. The illustrations are bang-up, too. Interiors and exteriors are realistic without being heavy-handed and the male lead characters are handsome without the effeminate look found in other genres of yaoi.

[78sunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kurz-Meinung:
Der Manga handelt von Engeln und Dämonen und das ist momentan etwas, das ich sehr gern lese. Grundsätzlich wird das ganze hier wirklich gut umgesetzt, aber leider wird auch vieles überstürzt und macht daher nicht ganz so viel Sinn.

Die Charaktere ähneln sich auch unglaublich und es wird daher schwer sie an manchen Stellen zu unterscheiden. Einige Zeichnungen sind auch so chaotisch, dass man kaum etwas erkennt. Das sind leider alles Dinge, die ich gar nicht bei Mangas mag. Da kann auch die recht gute Grundidee nicht mehr viel herausreißen. Grundsätzlich sind die Charaktere schön gezeichnet und interessant, aber sie hätten etwas besser ausgebaut sein können.

Die Bonusgeschichte war recht niedlich, aber auch recht einfach.

Meine Wertung:
3 von 5 Sternen

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating start to a series. The whole idea of there being angels and demons and the demons having 'visas' to stay, with 'parole officers' to make sure they don't stay too long. Starting with that concept a good story is being crafted. In addition to that the relationship feels natural, no instalove, no forcing, just two people becoming close friends and maybe more.
Great start!

[Michalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite shounen ai manga and I finally got my hands on the first english volume. Shirasagi and Karasu are both wonderful contrary characters and the plot is great. Angels, demons, romance and a little bit of philosophy make this a great read.

[Luula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess this was more of a 2.5. I understand the storyline, and yeah, it's kinda sweet. The drawings are bloody nice, but there was just... Something off about this. It felt ridiculously short, but I can't really complain about the length. There was something missing...

[Reader17 Der · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it.