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黒薔薇アリス [Kuro Bara Alice] #2
黒薔薇アリス 2
The young tenor singer Dimitri miraculously escaped with his life after a severe accident. But soon after that, strange cases of group-suicides started to happen all around him… A vampire-romanesque tale of love and survival!
Comic
First published May 15, 2009
4 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Setona Mizushiro
140 books159 followersMizushiro Setona (水城せとな in Japanese, or 水城雪可奈 in Chinese language) is a popular mangaka who started out in the dōjinshi circles.
Her first real dabble in the world of creating manga was in 1985 when she participated in the publication of a dōjinshi. She remained active in the dōjinshi world until her debut in 1993 with the short single "Fuyu ga Owarou Toshiteita" (Winter Was Ending) that ran in Shōgakukan's Puchi Comic magazine.
Though her current drawing style is high on the aesthetic value, her earlier works had less finesse. Regardless of the lesser emphasis on the visual elements in her earlier works, her popularity grew largely due to her unparalleled grasp for storytelling. Her works are noted for their slightly askew plots and deep exploration of the human psyche. Even her lighthearted Shōjo works usually have darker underlying elements. With an incomparable ability to craft stories that puzzle, sadden, assure, pervert, and move the depths of one's heart, she has gained a cult-like following. Her works include shojo, josei, and yaoi, and have been translated into multiple languages, including English, Italian, French and German.
Her first real dabble in the world of creating manga was in 1985 when she participated in the publication of a dōjinshi. She remained active in the dōjinshi world until her debut in 1993 with the short single "Fuyu ga Owarou Toshiteita" (Winter Was Ending) that ran in Shōgakukan's Puchi Comic magazine.
Though her current drawing style is high on the aesthetic value, her earlier works had less finesse. Regardless of the lesser emphasis on the visual elements in her earlier works, her popularity grew largely due to her unparalleled grasp for storytelling. Her works are noted for their slightly askew plots and deep exploration of the human psyche. Even her lighthearted Shōjo works usually have darker underlying elements. With an incomparable ability to craft stories that puzzle, sadden, assure, pervert, and move the depths of one's heart, she has gained a cult-like following. Her works include shojo, josei, and yaoi, and have been translated into multiple languages, including English, Italian, French and German.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 13, 2015
I read this series some time ago and I like the twists offered by the author. Despite being a shojo manga/girl comic, the author has never bothered to sugarcoat her characters nor the 'romance', and I like it.
November 26, 2017
Meh.. i prefered the historical setting in the first one. However i have the full series from the library so i will probably continue any way.
December 8, 2014
Let me state one fact about me. I am a sucker for great characters. There's a good chance that even if the story's weak, so long as I love the characters, I will like the book. I'm all about how characters react to the story rather than the story itself.
This is definitely a case of that.
On paper, this manga series sounds like something I would hate. In practice, the characters are so well done that I couldn't stop smiling. I especially liked Alice, who might look like just a pretty face but turns out to be practical (almost to a fault) and real behind the unbelievable beauty. I also love the vampire clan, though I can't put my finger quite on the details of their personalities as of yet.
The way this story is done, too, is great. Vampires are so overdone these days, and almost always done in the style of Twilight (AKA, defang the vampires and make it a tooth-achingly sweet romance). Black Rose Alice doesn't remotely attempt this. It's dark. When the plot line surfaces, when the vampires bear their "fangs," it is down-right creepy. And I love every second of it. Again, mostly because of how the characters present it.
Mizushiro-sensei has done an excellent job on this series so far. It started kind of slow, but it was all set up for this.
While the vampires might not be the fanged beings we're used to, they definitely have the "vampire" spirit down. If you've been dreaming of the day when vampires weren't sappily quoting Shakespeare (or worse, YA) while sparkling, this is worth checking out.
I hope that this series doesn't disappoint. Crossing my fingers that it won't just devolve into a typical romance.
This is definitely a case of that.
On paper, this manga series sounds like something I would hate. In practice, the characters are so well done that I couldn't stop smiling. I especially liked Alice, who might look like just a pretty face but turns out to be practical (almost to a fault) and real behind the unbelievable beauty. I also love the vampire clan, though I can't put my finger quite on the details of their personalities as of yet.
The way this story is done, too, is great. Vampires are so overdone these days, and almost always done in the style of Twilight (AKA, defang the vampires and make it a tooth-achingly sweet romance). Black Rose Alice doesn't remotely attempt this. It's dark. When the plot line surfaces, when the vampires bear their "fangs," it is down-right creepy. And I love every second of it. Again, mostly because of how the characters present it.
Mizushiro-sensei has done an excellent job on this series so far. It started kind of slow, but it was all set up for this.
While the vampires might not be the fanged beings we're used to, they definitely have the "vampire" spirit down. If you've been dreaming of the day when vampires weren't sappily quoting Shakespeare (or worse, YA) while sparkling, this is worth checking out.
I hope that this series doesn't disappoint. Crossing my fingers that it won't just devolve into a typical romance.
November 18, 2014
Once I got past the bugs (ants, spiders, etc.) that the vamps use as familiars, I am quite enjoying this series. "Alice"--as the twins named her--has awakened, and Dimitri has made her their "Queen", and set forth conditions for her. She must fall in love with one of the vampires, and bear his child, in order to continue the vampire race. But, nothing is never that simple or sweet. Both her and her mate will die after she gives birth to the vampire child.
January 20, 2015
We finally learn the meaning of the title!
Can I also say that Setona can do no wrong? She's quickly becoming my new favorite manga-ka. She writes taboo topics in the most beautiful ways. If you haven't picked up this series yet, you need to!
Can I also say that Setona can do no wrong? She's quickly becoming my new favorite manga-ka. She writes taboo topics in the most beautiful ways. If you haven't picked up this series yet, you need to!
April 28, 2015
Ah! Such a good series! <3
June 20, 2024
Definitely way too gross for me. I liked the setting and atmosphere of the first volume despite the problematic main character, but now I just feel like everything in this story is problematic and disturbing. The grooming of a teacher & her student, the 🍇, all is glamorized and romanticized and it deeply disgusted me. I loved the way the vampire myth was being reappropriated with the insects, but I won't read any further due to how some very serious topics are being awfully depicted.
June 22, 2017
Okay so. Short version. More spiders.
A teacher gets in an accident and is dying. Her soul gets saved and put into a body from the 1900s. She was saved to have sex with Vampires and have a child by one of them - she will die after giving birth. She agrees to save her boyfriend's life without actually knowing what she's agreeing too.
Excuse the language, but this is all kinds of fucked up.
A teacher gets in an accident and is dying. Her soul gets saved and put into a body from the 1900s. She was saved to have sex with Vampires and have a child by one of them - she will die after giving birth. She agrees to save her boyfriend's life without actually knowing what she's agreeing too.
Excuse the language, but this is all kinds of fucked up.
July 23, 2018
The series got a little better after reading this second book. There's more depth to the characters, as well as what I consider to be a much different twist at the end of this one. I was happy to have the next book in the series already by my side, because I felt compelled to keep reading. Any story that can do that, that can pull you in with intrigue, is just fantastic.
March 24, 2019
This is one of the best vampire manga I have ever read written in Josei style. Mizushiro sensei manage to bring reader on an adventure from the historical setting in Vienna to the Taisho and modern era of Tokyo. Every character has a chance to develop. The character that I like the most is Leo with his self-less love for Alice. I wish that there is a sequel to this manga.
February 12, 2023
This manga never ceases to delight me. Many things happened in this volume. Leo was one of the characters that caught my attention. Otherwise, perhaps Dimitri has feelings for Alice. Seeing her, he recalls Agnieszka.
Looking forward to reading the next volume.
Looking forward to reading the next volume.
July 12, 2022
I read the first of this series during a visit to a manga museum in Kyoto, Japan. Imagine my surprise and pleasure to find it at my local library. Brought back some good memories from that holiday.
October 29, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
After the end of Black Rose 1, I had wondered where this would go with the change in time/setting to 2008 Tokyo. Would Azusa/Agnieszka wake up pining after Koya for another four chapters? Oddly enough, by the middle, I was a bit worried it had turned into a reverse harem 'cute boys working at a cafe' cliche with very little character development. But then a sweet little twist dropped at the end and all was good in Black Rose Alice land.Story: Azusa wakes up from her dreams of Koya and tries her best in Agnieszka's body. The bargain has been kept, Dmitri has saved Koya, and Azusa must move on. Renamed Alice, the 26 year old within a 16 year old body learns she is to be a queen of a small nest of vampires - and must eventually choose one with whom she will propagate. Dmitri removes himself from the competition but Alice will find that things are not all they seem in Dmitri's world as the boys hope to win her favor.
This second volume lacked a lot of the dark edge of the first. Admittedly, I was disappointed to see Azusa pretty much turn into a 16 year old and lose a lot of her maturity in the process. Koya is mentioned in the beginning but then jettisoned quickly in favor of the cute vampire boys.
The book covers the first year of Azusa in Alice's body. She had to get to know the boys with whom she lives and is taking her time trying to figure out which she favors. Although not necessarily repugnant to have to mate with one of the boys, she still sees the situation from the perspective of keeping her end of the bargain.
There was enough at the end to keep me reading but I am hoping this keeps its gothic horror edge in future volumes and doesn't get bogged down by the harem aspects. That would be a waste after the promise of book 1.
Reviewed from an ARC.
March 31, 2015
~3.5/5
After the first volume, I was thoroughly intrigued, but also a little wary of this volume. I just wasn’t too sure what I was getting into. Where this was going next.
And, honestly, I will never get over the spider scenes. Those are just utterly gross and horrible and I cringe just thinking about them. Thankfully there was only one this volume.
Other than that, the Alice plot line has taken an interesting turn.
The woman previously known as Azusa, now in Agnieszka’s body, has decided to go by Alice. She is forced to get past her previous life, and now has to choose a mate among the vampires she lives with. As apparently that’s how they reproduce, with a human female, and then they both die. So she has to choose which one she believes deserves the honor (and it is considered an honor, not sarcasm). Weirdly enough, though, Dimitri believes he’s not fit for it.
This is going in a very odd direction. But at least this lets us get to know the vampires better. I like the twins, and there were some normal moments as Alice gets to know them, and takes charge of some things in the house.
I have no idea what Dimitri is up to, and the ending has me confused and curious, and with still little idea what is going on.
And I look forward to reading the next one, even more than before.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
After the first volume, I was thoroughly intrigued, but also a little wary of this volume. I just wasn’t too sure what I was getting into. Where this was going next.
And, honestly, I will never get over the spider scenes. Those are just utterly gross and horrible and I cringe just thinking about them. Thankfully there was only one this volume.
Other than that, the Alice plot line has taken an interesting turn.
The woman previously known as Azusa, now in Agnieszka’s body, has decided to go by Alice. She is forced to get past her previous life, and now has to choose a mate among the vampires she lives with. As apparently that’s how they reproduce, with a human female, and then they both die. So she has to choose which one she believes deserves the honor (and it is considered an honor, not sarcasm). Weirdly enough, though, Dimitri believes he’s not fit for it.
This is going in a very odd direction. But at least this lets us get to know the vampires better. I like the twins, and there were some normal moments as Alice gets to know them, and takes charge of some things in the house.
I have no idea what Dimitri is up to, and the ending has me confused and curious, and with still little idea what is going on.
And I look forward to reading the next one, even more than before.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
December 28, 2014
Not going to read more of this series. Still dislike the drawing style, although Alice is starting to look a bit better. But it's now gone from Vampires to Vampires: The Bachelorette Edition (not that I've actually watched that show). I don't really want to read a harem manga...
But, as previously stated for volume one, it was a very different and distinctive version of vampirism.
But, as previously stated for volume one, it was a very different and distinctive version of vampirism.
May 18, 2011
The drawings of spiders are amazing!
February 1, 2015
I'm really surprised by how much I like this. I think I want to read more.
July 4, 2016
so far i luv the creepy weird factor of this story line. cant wait for #3
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews