蒼の封印 8

蒼の封印 [Ao no Fuuin] #8

by Chie Shinohara, 篠原千絵

高雄に捕らわれていた彬を助けだすことに成功した蒼子。愛する人と再会した２人に、束 の間の幸せが訪れる。しかしその夜、怒りに燃えた高雄は、西家を全滅させようと蒼子が 逃げ込んだ西園寺の屋敷を襲撃。突然の出来事に驚き、次々に殺されて行く西園寺の部下 たち。騒ぎに気づいた蒼子だが、余りにも多い鬼たちを前にどうすることもできず、離れ の茶室に追い込まれてしまう。四方を囲まれた状況の中、蒼子は“蒼龍”の儀式の際に高 雄に言われた「全知全能をかけて鬼の隠れ屋を守れ」という言葉を思い出す。鬼門の秘密 がそこにあると考えた蒼子は、なんとか屋敷を脱出。彬や楷と共に、東北の山奥にある隠 れ屋へ向かうが…!?

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

Paperback

First published March 26, 1994

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

[Rintea W · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the Oni attacked and slaughtered Akira’s people, the battle became fierce.

I like Kai—he's kind of simple and cute.

They struggle to hold back the Oni, believing that Refugee Cave holds the key to stopping them.

But of course, Soko is still worried about her sister.

That is—until she sees Mayumi kiss Akira.

Suddenly, her desire to become human kicks in at full force.

No more hesitation this time.

Seriously?

[Felix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy the action part but the incest + unicorn combo kinda ruins it for me.

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

Like so many other volumes this is another 4.5 sadly rounded down due to some weird choices at the end. Wow what a strong first half! I am so happy Kai and Soko did not actually do it like the last volume implied and instead that it was a bluff. The invasion at the Saionji mansion was really well-written. Something about how Chie has drawn and writes the Oni as this large unnatural invading force gives it that special sauce. She really leans into the spookiness of it and I appreciate that.
The second half transitions into the Oni's refuge and the spookiness is leaned into even more as they face the perilous cage and it's mysterious guardian. We also get some terrible romantic tension in Akira and his sister. I get the Saionji are focused on maintaining the Byakko so it makes sense that they would force Akira to have a child in case of his demise. But the whole incest part of it is super weird. Also I thought if the Byakko died it would transfer to someone else so she could have waited and not went with them in case they died. Im pretty sure you could freeze sperm by the time this manga was created also which I feel like is what the Saionji family would actually do. Either way the forced romantic issue and the sister's insistence on it super weird. I also wish tje Demon Mask was a bit less unicorn-y. It was at first hidden by its hair as this big hair bushel. I think keeping it as that sorta amorphous creature would've been better as the inclusion of the dog unicorn was weird and retroactively makes its underwater abilities confusing.