Manga Review: Black Bird, Volume 18, by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Rating (Out of 5): ~4.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March, 2014

Volumes: 18

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand...or her life!

Misao’s due date is rapidly approaching, and while she knows giving birth to her child means her death, she isn’t ready to give up on life. But can she and Kyo discover a way to avert tragedy when countless Senka Maidens before her have suffered the same fate?!

It’s the heartrending conclusion of this supernatural love story!

What Will I Miss?:

• I will definitely miss the romance. The chemistry between the characters, but also the steamy parts, because it gets really hot sometimes, and those scenes are very well done.
• I will also miss the humor. It fits for me really well, it's not over-done, it doesn't take the reader or the characters out of the serious stuff, which I appreciate. And Sakurakouji seems to have a lot of fun with putting the bunch of characters in humorous situations, and it really works.
• I'll also miss the art. It's very pretty to look at.

Review:

I love this ending. Going in, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel, or how it would be handled, and while I was reading I was wary, but I really liked it. I’m impressed, even.

Misao and Kyo are really sweet together, which shows throughout the entire volume. Kyo really, really cares for her, and he’s protective, and worried, and tries so very hard. And Misao is really happy with him, and understands him. They get along so well, and the chemistry is great.

(Warning: possible spoiler in this paragraph.) I didn’t believe that Misao was going to die (although I was honestly a little unsure at one point while reading, I’ll admit), but I wasn’t sure how it was going to happen. And I’m sure some people will have problems with it, but I honestly really liked how it was handled. I think it’s pretty believable, and I particularly like the consequences of it. I like that it didn’t happen scot-free.

And the aftermath was shown, which is one of my favorite parts, I think. It didn’t just end with the result, it showed how that affected everyone. The problems it gave the couple, how the other characters were affected and how they grew. I really, really liked that. And some of those scenes, too, were so well done, and emotional. Their pain is so clearly portrayed, as well as their happiness. I don’t want to get too into it, but it was good. 

This volume, this ending, I think made me fall in love with the series all over again. I love the romance, the humor, the emotional moments, the way the characters get along (and how the author obviously has fun playing with them), the way the emotions really show in their facial expressions. It was all just fantastic. I loved it, and am so very happy with it. This is probably even a volume that I could come back and re-read, it was so good.

And I hope that VIZ picks up another series by Sakurakouji. 
Also, can I just say that I'm jealous of anyone who doesn't already own the series, and thus is able to buy the box set?