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伯爵カイン [Hakushaku Cain] #5
The Cain Saga, Vol. 4 Part 2: The Seal of the Red Ram, Part 2
Born under an evil moon harboring dark secrets, Earl Cain C. Hargreves, the youthful heir of the aristocratic Hargreves family, is a man on a quest to find the truth about his family's past. Written in dark, harrowing episodes, The CAIN Saga chronicles how Cain solves the strange crimes that seem to plague his cursed existence, yet somehow bring him closer to deciphering the puzzling circumstances surrounding his father's tragic death.
Five gripping stories of love, friendship and betrayal--"Forgotten Juliet," "Branded Bibi," "The Youths Who Stopped Time," "Double," and "The Death of Cleo"--comprise this poignant first installment of Kaori Yuki's hit gothic manga series. Gothic fans will be left in awe long after this series has ended!
200 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1994
4 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Kaori Yuki
201 books675 followersKaori 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 30, 2021
The main body of this concludes the Seal of the Red Ram arc. It's ok but I'm not sure the Red Ram instead of the Shining's Red Rum works that well. The doppelganger Meridiana/Maid plot device is pretty redundant and the amount of deaths in this become tedious. Still Jizabel is quite a good, twisted & insane villain:
"I want to destroy everything. I want to slice everything to pieces with a scalpel. I want to pluck rose coloured intestines from every beautiful creature in this world..."
And there's some nice Riff/Cain interaction.
The bonus fairytale based story Elizabeth in the mirror is a bit confusing and references too many fairytales. Still it very much fits the Cain aesthetic.
Over all this is a wonderfully gothic melodrama full of murder, insanity, incest and suicide - If you're not a main character you're pretty much assured death at some point. Art is so, so which is disappointing but this is probably the most completely gothic manga series I've encountered thus far.
"I want to destroy everything. I want to slice everything to pieces with a scalpel. I want to pluck rose coloured intestines from every beautiful creature in this world..."
And there's some nice Riff/Cain interaction.
The bonus fairytale based story Elizabeth in the mirror is a bit confusing and references too many fairytales. Still it very much fits the Cain aesthetic.
Over all this is a wonderfully gothic melodrama full of murder, insanity, incest and suicide - If you're not a main character you're pretty much assured death at some point. Art is so, so which is disappointing but this is probably the most completely gothic manga series I've encountered thus far.
November 19, 2015
I'm not sure how I feel about this volume as the end of its own series--but I do think it's a good precursor to the next series. The first two thirds of the volume are comprised of the end of "Seal of the Red Ram." I thought this was an interesting, thorough mystery. Gilford's change was unexpected and VERY creepy. I really, really enjoyed Meridiana's growth and how interesting she became (although I still prefer Emeline.) Oscar and Mary are TOO FREAKING ADORABLE. I really like Uncle Neil, too. I did feel a little disappointed, and confused by the Jack the Ripper retelling. For one thing, it doesn't match history--but perhaps that's intentional. The thing is, Jack the Ripper has been profiled to be an impetuous lust murderer--it felt a little uninspired for the Ripper here to be a mother trying to provide for her child. Further, a minor character becomes a scapegoat and is even arrested on suspicion of being the Ripper, but everyone knows he was never caught. I felt like the story of the Ripper could have been a story in its own right, and not tacked on to this other. But those are small gripes.
One thing I do notice is repetition of character types and plots in Yuki's work (or more specifically in the Cain Saga.) Cain loves women on sight and they die; characters--especially women--who seem strong or haughty are really desperate for love; male characters can't show their emotions but FEEL SO DEEPLY; a character gets mistaken for another or pretends to be someone else, often crossing genders; etc. I think Godchild is a little more creative, but these patterns kept popping up and became excessive at times.
The final chapter is "Elizabeth in the Mirror." I thought it was a different way to end this series, but it reminds me of the later volumes in Godchild. Cain is a bit cruel. I liked the conflation/mention of several fairy tales, but I wish all the information wasn't handed to us halfway through via a conversation between the murderer and her lover. It's too easy to predict the rest of the story after that. Still, I like Godchild the most when it's pulling from outside stories, so I did like this one.
All in all, not a terrible way to start the Godchild series.
One thing I do notice is repetition of character types and plots in Yuki's work (or more specifically in the Cain Saga.) Cain loves women on sight and they die; characters--especially women--who seem strong or haughty are really desperate for love; male characters can't show their emotions but FEEL SO DEEPLY; a character gets mistaken for another or pretends to be someone else, often crossing genders; etc. I think Godchild is a little more creative, but these patterns kept popping up and became excessive at times.
The final chapter is "Elizabeth in the Mirror." I thought it was a different way to end this series, but it reminds me of the later volumes in Godchild. Cain is a bit cruel. I liked the conflation/mention of several fairy tales, but I wish all the information wasn't handed to us halfway through via a conversation between the murderer and her lover. It's too easy to predict the rest of the story after that. Still, I like Godchild the most when it's pulling from outside stories, so I did like this one.
All in all, not a terrible way to start the Godchild series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Synopsis: Deep in the heart of 19th century London, a young nobleman named Cain walks the shadowy cobblestone streets of the aristocratic society into which he was born. Forced to become an earl upon the untimely death of his father, Cain assumes the role of head of the Hargreaves, a noble family with a dark past. With Riff, his faithful manservant, and Mary Weather, his 10-year-old half sister, Cain investigates the mysterious crimes that seem to follow him wherever he goes.
Review: A detective manga series that draws a lot of inspiration from classic gothic horror fiction and tropes. It's a love letter to writers such as Agatha Christie, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, the Bronte sisters, the Grimm brothers and even Shakespeare. Family curses, a brutal father and son rivalry, religious allegory, destined betrayal, violent supernatural murders, dark fairy tale undertones, a gloomy atmosphere and melancholy characters. The art is flowery and gorgeous to look at, the classic tropes are pleasant for fans of classic horror elements and there's a few scenes that pack quite an emotional punch. It's a bit melodramatic and over-the-top at times, but it actually gives it more of that authentic, pulpy feel of popular penny dreadfuls from the Victorian era.
Synopsis: Deep in the heart of 19th century London, a young nobleman named Cain walks the shadowy cobblestone streets of the aristocratic society into which he was born. Forced to become an earl upon the untimely death of his father, Cain assumes the role of head of the Hargreaves, a noble family with a dark past. With Riff, his faithful manservant, and Mary Weather, his 10-year-old half sister, Cain investigates the mysterious crimes that seem to follow him wherever he goes.
Review: A detective manga series that draws a lot of inspiration from classic gothic horror fiction and tropes. It's a love letter to writers such as Agatha Christie, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, the Bronte sisters, the Grimm brothers and even Shakespeare. Family curses, a brutal father and son rivalry, religious allegory, destined betrayal, violent supernatural murders, dark fairy tale undertones, a gloomy atmosphere and melancholy characters. The art is flowery and gorgeous to look at, the classic tropes are pleasant for fans of classic horror elements and there's a few scenes that pack quite an emotional punch. It's a bit melodramatic and over-the-top at times, but it actually gives it more of that authentic, pulpy feel of popular penny dreadfuls from the Victorian era.
December 21, 2013
Gilbert, Emeline's brother, shows his true evil nature when he shakes the drugs being given to him by a maid in love with him. He mets his comeuppance in the end.
It is revealed that Meridiana was betrayed by the man she loved and tricked into committing suicide. She finds inner strength in her death however and runs away from Delilah to be with Cain.
Oscar tells some of his backstory to Mary Weather about his dead fiancé and how his blames himself for her death. Jack the Ripper is revealed.
Meridiana kills herself once more to stop Cain giving his eyes to Dr Disraeli.
The bonus story is a murder mystery based on Snow White and is a tragic love story.
An action packed end to the Godchild prequel, I think you will agree!
It is revealed that Meridiana was betrayed by the man she loved and tricked into committing suicide. She finds inner strength in her death however and runs away from Delilah to be with Cain.
Oscar tells some of his backstory to Mary Weather about his dead fiancé and how his blames himself for her death. Jack the Ripper is revealed.
Meridiana kills herself once more to stop Cain giving his eyes to Dr Disraeli.
The bonus story is a murder mystery based on Snow White and is a tragic love story.
An action packed end to the Godchild prequel, I think you will agree!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2022
The second part of the red lamb feels quite rushed. The solution was great and I did not expect Jack the Ripper to be that person, but the whole Oscar story kinda felt like an afterthought.
The panic invoked when he is apparently not Baron Gabriel and the notion that he killed his fiancé, make him a great villain but in the end, the explanation is kinda weak.
I have to say, I liked the second story very much. I always find that Grimm's tales are much darker than the Disney versions and I like my fairytales dark and gory :-D Anyway, the idea with Snow-white was so cool and of course Cain is only there see the poison at work^^ that's so him.
I cannot wait to read on. Merry and Riff are really really good for Cain and I grow to like uncle Neil.
The panic invoked when he is apparently not Baron Gabriel and the notion that he killed his fiancé, make him a great villain but in the end, the explanation is kinda weak.
I have to say, I liked the second story very much. I always find that Grimm's tales are much darker than the Disney versions and I like my fairytales dark and gory :-D Anyway, the idea with Snow-white was so cool and of course Cain is only there see the poison at work^^ that's so him.
I cannot wait to read on. Merry and Riff are really really good for Cain and I grow to like uncle Neil.
April 12, 2019
Loved this series as a whole. Didn’t like nor understand how in this last volume Cain and Meridiana loves each other at first sight, as I find that to be unbelievable; thus I care less about the characters in general. Nonetheless, the stories Kaori Yuki came up with in the Cain Saga were interesting and always had twists and turns.
February 19, 2020
This review is for the series as a whole.
I’d started reading Godchild before finding out there was a prequel. Kaori Yuki is my favorite manga artist by far - her eyes are just so expressive and I love how she draws lips - so I am already pretty biased in my reviews. But here we go.
This series reminds me of the old Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. Except with a lot more incest and child murder. Like a lot more. I liked the longer stories a little better since the 30 page ones tend to feel a little rushed at times.
Overall I loved this series and if you like quick little murder mysteries you probably will to. And if you don’t really care much about the weird doctor you could just read this series and skip Godchild - since it’s a series of mostly short stories there’s not really an ending but also not really a need for one.
I’d started reading Godchild before finding out there was a prequel. Kaori Yuki is my favorite manga artist by far - her eyes are just so expressive and I love how she draws lips - so I am already pretty biased in my reviews. But here we go.
This series reminds me of the old Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. Except with a lot more incest and child murder. Like a lot more. I liked the longer stories a little better since the 30 page ones tend to feel a little rushed at times.
Overall I loved this series and if you like quick little murder mysteries you probably will to. And if you don’t really care much about the weird doctor you could just read this series and skip Godchild - since it’s a series of mostly short stories there’s not really an ending but also not really a need for one.
November 7, 2019
This series is a prequel to the series called Godchild by Kaori Yuki. A note from the editor states that you don't have to have read Godchild before this or this before Godchild.
Wow, that ending was convoluted. Just know that nothing is what it seems like. Not even in the last chapter with the Snow White theme.
Overall, it’s a mystery by mystery style series with the bad guys appearing every now and then to remind you they exist then somehow they vanish until next time. The details of the mysteries are very well done and the series doesn’t shy away from the possible dark ending. It’s not always a happily ever after.
This series has 5 volumes.
Wow, that ending was convoluted. Just know that nothing is what it seems like. Not even in the last chapter with the Snow White theme.
Overall, it’s a mystery by mystery style series with the bad guys appearing every now and then to remind you they exist then somehow they vanish until next time. The details of the mysteries are very well done and the series doesn’t shy away from the possible dark ending. It’s not always a happily ever after.
This series has 5 volumes.
June 20, 2022
La segunda parte de La marca del cordero rojo es donde la autora (afirma en sus comentarios al margen) más se divierte, y es que al ser el desenlace de esta historia, se desata al fin toda la locura y el terror, que hasta ahora venían recatándose a través del misterio. Se nota mucho el entusiasmo de Kaori Yuki al dibujar tanto espanto, verlo y leerlo es toda una experiencia.
En este manga nadie es lo que aparenta, están en un mundo que ya ha perdido toda cordura, por lo tanto ya es imposible (tanto para el personaje principal como para los lectores) tratar de sujetarse a una lógica que garantice alguna seguridad.
En este manga nadie es lo que aparenta, están en un mundo que ya ha perdido toda cordura, por lo tanto ya es imposible (tanto para el personaje principal como para los lectores) tratar de sujetarse a una lógica que garantice alguna seguridad.
June 30, 2021
How did I not read this before now? I guess I skipped over it when I was reading The Cain Saga online. This particular volume was really, really overwrought and hard to understand. Lots of editing errors like misnaming Gilford as “Gilbert” in one panel and calling Uncle Neil “Eric” in another panel later on… what happened there, Viz Media? The Jack the Ripper plot was needlessly complicated — still not sure who killed whom and why. My least favorite Earl Cain story installment. But… it’s Cain 🤩, so it can’t be that bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2019
this was my least favorite of the series. it wasn't terrible but there was just so much repetition of the same tropes i was just tired of it. though it did segway nicely into the next series--except for the whole jack the ripper plot which is how volume one of Godchild begins. It just doesn't fit and is inconsistent so that wasn't great. besides that i enjoyed being with my faves once again. I might reread the entire Godchild series.
October 10, 2020
Tutto ciò che pensavate di aver compreso nel primo volume, si rivelerà una menzogna! Colpi di scena così grossi non li beccavo da tanto tempo. Ho avuto l'ansia pagina dopo pagina e sono rimasta ferita dalla morte di alcuni personaggi.
Molto bello anche l'episodio speciale su una Biancaneve nel mondo reale.
Molto bello anche l'episodio speciale su una Biancaneve nel mondo reale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2017
Hier haben wir das Story-Ende vom rotem Lamm und Jack the Ripper. Immernoch sehr viele Morde, nichts ist wie es scheint, und wir haben erneut viele Einzelheiten, die sich zu einem großen ganzen Zusammenfügen.
February 15, 2021
Cain Saga was undoubtedly dark, and there were so many twists and turns, death, and near misses. All of the female characters looked nearly identical. I still liked it overall and hope to find out more about the Hargreaves family in the Sequel series Godchild.
September 22, 2023
This was a little confusing to read at times because the story seems to jump all over the place but it was still a good book anyway and a beautiful conclusion to this story. I can not wait to start the second series to this storyline and see where it takes me in the end.
January 8, 2019
This series really scratches that Victorian Supernatural Mystery itch. I'm really glad I decided to buy these five volumes.
June 22, 2021
I didn't see that coming.
November 22, 2021
Really loved this series, great gothic Shoujo manga! Love the story, characters and art style 😻😁👌❤️
June 29, 2022
Buenos giros de trama!!! Como siempre, quienes qiedan al final para Cain son Rifth y su hermanita. Tebgo muchas expectativas de lo que nos contara de Cain en la siguiente saga.
May 1, 2024
This is when the further themes of Godchild are set, and we learn more about Oscar. I really like Jizabel; I have a weakness for sad pretty boys, and we get to see more of him as well.
September 24, 2024
the sketch on page 36, obsessed
October 3, 2022
tfw you realize the aphrodisiacs you've been slipping into your crush's food make him regress to childhod??
July 10, 2012
I think The Cain Saga, and its sequel Godchild, have the most messed up and tragic characters I've seen so far. It's dark, it's gloomy. Don't expect happy endings in these two mangas, dead bodies keep pilling up. All the characters are so complex.
The Cain Saga art is not as good as Godchild, one can guess the artist art was not mature yet unlike when she made Godchild much later. Still it's a must to read to fully understand what happens in Godchild. There are a lot of good contents to find there too (like about how Oscar and Cain met). In the other hand, Godchild's art is so beautiful it's mesmerizing. The characters are so beautifully drawn and each have their unique look.
The hero Cain gets involved in different events so the mangas are a bit like short stories put together, all of them involving some supernatural of some sort. He has on his side the ever faithful Riff, his butler and friend. But in the background lies his father's shadow and his secret organization, who become Cain's ennemy throughout the series. Among the ennemies is the fascinating half-brother of Cain, Jizabel, who is also part of said organisation. Jizabel is helped by Cassian.
It's interesting to see the mirror relationship between Cain and the protective Riff and Jizabel and the protective Cassian.
I really love these two mangas. I love rereading them, going back into the story, and seeing again those fascinating characters living briefly up until the ending.
P.S. My review is about both series. I got The Cain Saga in French since the Englih version was not out.
The Cain Saga art is not as good as Godchild, one can guess the artist art was not mature yet unlike when she made Godchild much later. Still it's a must to read to fully understand what happens in Godchild. There are a lot of good contents to find there too (like about how Oscar and Cain met). In the other hand, Godchild's art is so beautiful it's mesmerizing. The characters are so beautifully drawn and each have their unique look.
The hero Cain gets involved in different events so the mangas are a bit like short stories put together, all of them involving some supernatural of some sort. He has on his side the ever faithful Riff, his butler and friend. But in the background lies his father's shadow and his secret organization, who become Cain's ennemy throughout the series. Among the ennemies is the fascinating half-brother of Cain, Jizabel, who is also part of said organisation. Jizabel is helped by Cassian.
It's interesting to see the mirror relationship between Cain and the protective Riff and Jizabel and the protective Cassian.
I really love these two mangas. I love rereading them, going back into the story, and seeing again those fascinating characters living briefly up until the ending.
P.S. My review is about both series. I got The Cain Saga in French since the Englih version was not out.
May 18, 2016
I was a bit overwhelmed by the ending after how good volume three was, but it does clarify some of what happened in Godchild, from what I remembered. I might've felt differently if I read this series in its true order. See, US Readers have a strange relationship with the Godchild series, as Shoujo Beat released Godchild before making the prequel available. I hesitated a long time starting The Cain Saga because the art was so gosh-darn old and it was being treated more like a historical bit of manga rather than as a classic.
In this volume (well, both parts I mean), the incest love fest is toned down. I'm not sure why it got the Mature rating, while the others did not. (Could it be that one kiss?) Important story points happen and a lot of backstory is dropped in. While Seal of the Red Ram is a larger story and the ending of the Cain Saga, it didn't feel like a true ending. Glad to have come into this series when Godchild was made available.
I've got a lot of thoughts on the series, but I don't think I can form a good judgment until I finish the whole thing.
In this volume (well, both parts I mean), the incest love fest is toned down. I'm not sure why it got the Mature rating, while the others did not. (Could it be that one kiss?) Important story points happen and a lot of backstory is dropped in. While Seal of the Red Ram is a larger story and the ending of the Cain Saga, it didn't feel like a true ending. Glad to have come into this series when Godchild was made available.
I've got a lot of thoughts on the series, but I don't think I can form a good judgment until I finish the whole thing.
December 21, 2012
Not a lot to add, since I kinda had to read this along with the previous volume.
Satisfying conclusion. Some 'mysteries' are pretty easy to figure out, but the layers she puts in are often not revealed (or even foreshadowed much) until the final pages. (The bit about the moth on Jack the Ripper's face in Gilford's drawing. Or why Gilford went crazy.)
If I hadn't traded them away a year or two ago, I might bother to re-read "Godchild" now that I have the insights into the past of the characters. ("Godchild" is much more even-handed, there are things - like Maryweather's behavior/age/height/maturity that seem to waver a bit in this story.)
(Maybe now that "Grand Guignol Orchestra" is finally complete, I'll go back to reading that.)
Satisfying conclusion. Some 'mysteries' are pretty easy to figure out, but the layers she puts in are often not revealed (or even foreshadowed much) until the final pages. (The bit about the moth on Jack the Ripper's face in Gilford's drawing. Or why Gilford went crazy.)
If I hadn't traded them away a year or two ago, I might bother to re-read "Godchild" now that I have the insights into the past of the characters. ("Godchild" is much more even-handed, there are things - like Maryweather's behavior/age/height/maturity that seem to waver a bit in this story.)
(Maybe now that "Grand Guignol Orchestra" is finally complete, I'll go back to reading that.)
March 5, 2013
While this was a pretty good ending, there's a part of me that felt like this stretched out a little too long, leaving a bit of the pacing in the latter parts of this volume feeling stretched. Still, the core characters and their interactions (as well as one hilarious red herring) made this quite the entertaining read.
January 17, 2016
Sort of a disappointing conclusion to the first half of the Red Ram series. Yet I still appreciated the complexity of the characters. I also liked seeing Cain's weakness for Meridiana.
Quite eager to continue with the Godchild series, which I remember being MUCH better than this one!
Quite eager to continue with the Godchild series, which I remember being MUCH better than this one!
August 30, 2011
The last and best volume of Cain! Now it's time to re-read the continuation God Child. :)
January 19, 2015
I love how this entire series has a very Sherlock Holmes meets Edgar Allan Poe feel to them. I also have fallen in love with Cain. I can't wait to finish this series and move on to Godchild.
December 26, 2023
This was such a good book. Yet I found Jizabel's plot was utterly cruel and showed just how evil the guy can be.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews