蒼の封印 1

蒼の封印 [Ao no Fuuin] #1

by Chie Shinohara, Chie Shinohara

Blue Seal

288 pages, 文庫

First published February 17, 1999

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

[Kitty Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Ao No Fuuin (or Blue Seal.) I'm shocked that it still remains unlocalized (No English ver from Viz or Tokyopop or whoever.) I read a very well done "unofficial" version. While the first volume is good, it gets better and better and the series as a whole is fantastic. This is one of the few shoujo series where there is a huge cast of characters and they're all fighting just to stay alive. Lots of drama, fighting (including in-fighting), near-death experiences, and an innocent heroine who has an interesting curse.. basically she has immense, uncontrollable powers and can hurt and kill people without ever meaning to. As she teeters between good and evil, the rest of the cast (split up into the predictable factions of good guys and bad guys) become just as ambiguous. By the end of the series huge plot twists occur that made me change my mind utterly about certain characters. There is re-read value due to those plot-twists. There is also a notable love story going on but as per 80% of the time for me, I ended up rooting for the wrong guy. ^^' Highly recommended!