Angel Sanctuary, Vol. 14

天使禁猟区 [Tenshi Kinryōku] #14

by Kaori Yuki

Setsuna and his team have broken into prison to rescue their ally Zaphikel. But they are shocked to find out that they're too late--Zaphikel's wings have already been cut off. Without their protection, he is infected with disease, and is on his way to becoming a flesh-devouring ghoul.

Meanwhile, the evil angel Rosiel chairs a meeting of the leaders of heaven. He announces that he is one step ahead of Setsuna and the rebels, as he knows where they plan to escape to after the prison break. So when Setsuna's team arrives at their destination, they'll find a rather nasty surprise waiting for them!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Romance, Angels, Fiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1999

About the author

Kaori Yuki (由貴香織里) is a Japanese manga artist.

She debuted in 1987 with Natsufuku no Erii (Jap: 夏服のエリー) on the manga anthology Bessatsu Hana to Yume published by Hakusensha.
She is best known for her gothic manga works, such as the Earl Cain series (Jap: 伯爵カイン, Hakushaku Cain) and Angel Sanctuary (Jap: 天使禁猟区, Tenshi Kinryōku)

Her work is typically serialized in one of Hakusensha's two shōjo manga anthologies, Bessatsu Hana to Yume and Hana to Yume. In 2010, Kaori Yuki was one of many manga artists whose work would appear in the new shōjo manga anthology Aria by the publisher Kodansha on July 28, 2010.
Her doujinshi-ka name is MoonClock.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume had a bit of backstory on how Lucifel became Lucifer.Hell has crashed into heaven and gotten their first two levels destroyed.Heaven is getting its power structure re-arranged and it's epic!!

There was more action than emotion,sure,but we do need that as well.I'm already starting the next!

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good volume, learning more about the various angels and history. Still very little of Metratron but hopefully we learn more of him soon.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for complete series



No matter how hard he tries, Setsuna always manages to run into trouble, and his love for his sister is just one of many things that seem to be going wrong. It is only when two demons appear and make his life an even bigger mess that Setsuna comes to realise all his misfortunes might be linked to the fallen angel Alexiel.

I would definitely consider Angel Sanctuary a great and classic manga. But for all that, I am sure it does not appeal to everyone. In addition to the incestuous relationship between Setsuna and his sister Sara, there are drugs and alcohol, gruesome murders and mutilations, rape, child murder, a twisted view on religion and god, suicide, characters whose minds turn grotesque and obsessive - the list goes on. These are subjects that might be very appealing to some, but also very problematic for others.

I belong to the latter - usually, these subjects would automatically cause me to stay clear from such a book. It is truly a macabre tale, and that's just the way Kaori Yuki's works go. Yet despite my reluctance to give such subjects a try, I can say that whether one likes it or not, there's no denying that this is a brilliantly crafted story with an impressive amount of meaningful characters.

Kaori Yuki's art and stories all suffer and gain from the same thing: the sheer mass of detail. Her art is absolutely gorgeous with all the fine hair and cloth and just all the immense details. But at times, it can make the pages overcrowded and confusing - it certainly takes a longer time to read than your average manga. The story is at times likewise confusing as anything - it can be hard to keep track of which panels come first. But it's the wonderfully interwoven plot that remains a solid point throughout. The smallest details from the first volume can become relevant in the later ones and there is one plot twist after the another. There's never a boring moment as we follow Setsuna unravelling all the intrigues that surround the large cast.

Although I would consider the plot a strong point of this work, it is yet the characters who seem to turn it into something special. I have rarely come across a manga with so many characters who all have diverse and deep personalities. You get to love and hate all of them as even the most villainous ones prove to have something very humane and rather pitiful about them. In the end, one wonders - who was the true villain, if there was one at all? But with all the variety, there's no denying that the majority of them are broken characters. Every one of them seems to be involved in one twisted mess or another.

Luckily, there are great bonds of love, friendship and family that stand strong throughout the story and every now and then offer a well deserved comic relief. Angel Sanctuary is most certainly worth a try for any who enjoy strong character-driven stories that'll leave you with a hard time picking out a favourite character.

[Lesedelfin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wuuhuu, Rosiel is back :D Also mal wieder so richtig! Die letzten Angel Sanctuary Bände war er ja komplett verschollen und tauchte nur sehr kurz auf, um seinem Kontrahenten Sevothtarte fies ins Gesicht zu grinsen und der Handlung einen ziemlichen Touch Dramatik zu verpassen.
Kaori Yuki offenbart in Band vierzehn also deutliche Kriegsszenen. Es gibt haufenweise Zerstörung und fließendes Blut, während Rosiel und Setsuna endliiiiiich wieder aufeinder treffen. Auch der Wirbel um Kira und seine Identität fegt wie ein Sturm durch diesen Band und hat nicht nur manchen Protagonisten Baff zurück gelassen. Für mich ein richtiges Highlight.
Sevothtarte und sein Krieg zur Reinhaltung des Himmels und die dadurch entstandenen Verfolgungen und Hinrichtungen einander liebender Engel sorgt ja schon seit ein paar Bänden für mächtig Trouble, blieb in diesem Teil allerdings ein wenig blass. Lediglich die Auswirkungen für verschiedene Engel - wie z.B. Zaphikel - wurden gezeigt, was auch völlig gereicht hat. Es ist ein kleines Nervens- und Geduldspiel diese Mangas zu lesen. Man weiß nie, was als nächstes kommt und es gibt viele verschiedene Handlungen, die sich immer wieder auf einander zubewegen und genauso schnell wieder andere Herausforderungen meistern müssen.

Yuki baut in diesem Band jede Menge schockierende Momente ein, wo man als Leser richtig um geliebte Charaktere hoffen und bangen kann. Es ist also wieder ein recht intensives und gefährliches Leseabenteuer!

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nah.

[Anja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es passiert so viel auf so wenigen Seiten und die Story scheint eher von spontanen Einfällen als von ausgearbeiteten Handlungssträngen geprägt.

[Swiftsea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the background information on Kira. It's great to know that Lucifer had enough of a heart to have an agreeable exchange with the original little boy's soul. Neither are devoid of their personalities. It's a nice idea thinking there's a mutual understanding between what is meant to be evil and humans who are supposed to be the corrupt.
The transitions of scenes felt too abrupt for me and with the plenty of characters, it was difficult to keep up on which character's background the story was focusing on.

[Дени ★ Проданова · Rating 3 out of 5]

В този том ще научим малко повече за (според мен) най интригуващия образ в тая манга - Сакуя Кира (или поне сегашния притежател на името и тялото), и то от собствения му брат близнак (с който нямат абсолютно нищо общо). Ако не сте разбрали до сега кой в действителност е Кира, то сега ще си стане ясно, но ще е в най-неподходящия момент.
А Розиел както се беше покрил за няколко тома, така се завръща с гръм и трясък и ги сътворява едни... мани бегай. Просто прави, едва ли не, невъзможно да не го мрази човек.

[Michael Schmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die Himmelskapitel der AS Serie sind einfach unglaublich und was Kaori Yuki hier raus haut, ist einfach unglaublich. Vor allem die Geschichte rund um Zaphikel, Sevotharte und Raziel ist nur noch schön und ich hab diesen Doppelband regelrecht verschlungen. Ich kann den nächsten Sammelband kaum erwarten. :D

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots and lots and lots of Lucifer. This book made for a very happy Logan.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author goes on a rampage, and so does Rocial. The havoc is necessary, and definitely moves the story along, but did it have to be so widespread? Oi!

[Jody Mena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this entire series. Kaori Yuki is a masterful storyteller and a talented artist.