Manga Review: Grand Guignol Orchestra, Volume 5, Kaori Yuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: 2011

Volumes: 5.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can a boy named Lucille defeat the dolls of the living dead?!

Reads R to L (Japanese Style).

Final Volume! Troubadour's Love Song Everything is finally in place for Lucille to face down the horrifying Queen Gemsilica. But unbeknownst to him, Eles switched the powerful Black Oratorio for Lucille's own blank hymnal. How can Lucille keep the queen from destroying the world with nothing but his voice to back him?

Review:

I’ve been meaning to finish this series forever. It’s one of the few Kaori Yuki series that’s fallen on the wayside for me. It just didn’t stand out, and I had a hard time remembering what had happened. It was mediocre. And so I’m surprised by how good the ending turned out to be. It was worth it, and I’m glad I stuck through to the end.

This is a zombie series; they’re invading, growing, but this orchestra knows how to calm and kill them. Only the royals are opposed to them, and there’s something more going on here.

We finally get to see real plot, meet up with the queen again, find out how this all started and what Lucille has to do with it all. And it’s a Kaori Yuki book, so of course it’s rather horrible. It’s bloody, there’s death, and a horrible reasoning behind it. It’s what you expect, and it’s well done. It’s surprising, exciting, bloody, and well-deserved.

But the most surprising part to me was the ending. Because it’s actually kind of happy? I was not expecting this, at all. But it was an actual happy ending, and I liked it. It was good and fitting, and made this even more worthwhile to read.

There was also an extra one-shot at the end, and it was surprising and intense, and also very good.

This turned out to be an excellent series, and it’s made me even more excited to read her newer books.

Manga Review: Demon From Afar, Volume 3, by Kaori Yuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: June 2015

Volumes: 6

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

With Nonoha spirited away by demons, Sorath infiltrates their territory only to find himself bearing witness to a horrific public execution dubbed the "Divine Judgment." Surrounded by countless sacrifices, reeling from Leice's betrayal, and faced with his beloved Nonoha having been taken hostage, Sorath's memory is rekindled, and the night when he lost his dearest friend comes rushing back to him. Will Sorath clash once more with the fearsome being who preys on human lives, the Lord of Terror?!

Review:

Demons are infecting modern day Japan, and the biggest one is after Sorath. And all he wants is to take care of his adopted daughter Nonoha.

He does what he can to take care of the Lord of Terror, being summoned by the sacrifices this stupid kid has made, being led by a devil in disguise. And then Leice tries turning on him. It’s dark, of course, and there’s death, as is understandable. But it turns out surprisingly well, so far at least. After that, we get a chapter to review what happened to Sorath and Nonoha when they first arrived in modern day Japan.

I’m most interested in Nonoha. She’s a sweet little girl, with a pure heart. She’s shown some magic in her as well, and I’m interested to see what all she can do. I like that Sorath is trying to take care of her well, keep her as normal as he can. That’s sweet. And even if Leice definitely has bad intentions, I like her relationship with them when it’s going good.

The humor between them all, when they’re having a normal day, is good. It’s humor in moments of peace, in moments that it works, as Kaori Yuki does it.

This series is confusing and messy and violent, as Kaori Yuki stories always are. And I’m really enjoying it. I’m actually preferring this one to Alice in Murderland so far, surprisingly enough.

Manga Review: Alice in Murderland, Volume 1, by Kaori Yuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: June 23, 2015

Volumes: 3+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Now! Let the "Mad Tea Party" begin!

The Kuonji clan, owner of one of the world's top conglomerates, has a tradition: Once a month, family members attend a "Mad Tea Party." But at the latest gathering, the nine Kuonji siblings in attendance are shocked to hear a pronouncement issue from the lips of their mother, Olga-

"I'd like you children to now fight one another to the death!"

As chaos erupts, Stella, the fourth daughter, loses all reason, and suddenly a whole new Stella, complete with blonde hair and blue dress, comes out to play-!!

Review:

The Kuonji family is wealthy and held high in society.  They’re a big family, the parents whom have adopted a lot of kids after a tragedy.  And they have a tea part every month, which every member has to attend.  But at the newest gathering, the parents announce that the kids are going to have to participate in a battle to the death, until only the rightful heir remains.  Because they’re some kind of vampire creatures, and this is tradition.

I really, really wanted to love this volume.  I mean, Alice in Wonderland and Kaori Yuki?  How could this not be amazing?  How can I not love this completely?  And yet… 

I do like the premise, and the way it starts is interesting.  None of the kids are really family, and they’ve all got this hidden persona or power inside them.  I like the way that Stella, the main character, transforms into Alice, and she does not give a shit at that point.  There’s violence and murder and death and consequences, as there should be.  It’s Kaori Yuki, of course.

But then there’s the fact that the battle is being dragged out for a year.  Only one person has to die in each battle, and that seems unnecessary.  Especially since they’re all living together, and yet none of the kids are really showing animosity for their parents.  I mean, the parents are making them do this, and yet the kids don’t do anything?  They could kill their parents and not each other, right?

I also don’t really get Stella’s infatuation with her brother.  I understand their connection, but after he changes, it’s kind of ruined.  I see why she would try to hold onto it, but not why she does.

I have some problems with this, but I really want to like it.  I’m going to pick up the next one, surely, but I’m iffy about it.

Manga Review: Demon From Afar, Volume 2, by Kaori Yuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: March 2015

Volumes: 6.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the ultimate nightmare that is Walpurgis, Sorath escapes to modern Japan. There, he lives in an unconventional household that includes Nonoha, the daughter of his dearest friend, and Mephistopheles, the Lord of Hell, who bides his time for a chance to kill his master.
This time, these hands will protect my loved ones!
That's Sorath's wish, but somehow Nonoha is slipping through his fingers. Will Sorath's hands once again be stained by the blood of the person he most cherishes?

Review:

This series is good and gorgeous. And violent.

The first arch ends in this volume, and then the new main characters are time skipped to the present day. I think this is the first time I’ve read a Kaori Yuki book that was set in the present, digital age. The digital, internet part is definitely being taken advantage of, but it’s just neat seeing all the current-day clothing and electronics and settings in her art style. Very pretty, to be sure.

Now, Sorath, Leice, and Nonoha are living as a family. And then deaths start happening in town, and a demon is running loose. And Sorath and Leice is getting pulled in.

This series is so good. It’s messy, and death-ridden, and bad, as it should be. I’m liking the banter and relationship between the three characters, but there’s also some underlying problems between Sorath and Leice. Nonoha is a sweet girl, who’s going to be pulled into all the dark happenings. 

I’m loving it. These hardbacks are a bit spendy, but gorgeous.

Wishlist Thursday[112]: Alice in Murderland by Kaori Yuki and Chaika: The Coffin Princess

Alice in Murderland 1 by Kaori Yuki

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: June 23, 2015

Volumes: 3+

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

Volume 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Now! Let the "Mad Tea Party" begin!

The Kuonji clan, owner of one of the world's top conglomerates, has a tradition: Once a month, family members attend a "Mad Tea Party." But at the latest gathering, the nine Kuonji siblings in attendance are shocked to hear a pronouncement issue from the lips of their mother, Olga-

"I'd like you children to now fight one another to the death!"

As chaos erupts, Stella, the fourth daughter, loses all reason, and suddenly a whole new Stella, complete with blonde hair and blue dress, comes out to play-!!

Why?:

I am so ridiculously excited for this. I have read most of Kaori Yuki’s series, and am really enjoying the hardback editions of Demon From Afar that Yen Press is releasing. I love her artwork and her twisty, dark, gothic stories. And now a series, by her, based on Alice in Wonderland? This sounds amazing. I hadn’t realized it was coming out so soon, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

&

Chaika: The Coffin Princess 1 by Ichirou Sakaki and Shinta Sakayama

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: June 23, 2015

Volumes: 5.

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

Volume 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Five years of inconceivable peace after two hundred years of war left erstwhile saboteur Toru Acura without a job or a meaning in life--until he saves a mysterious wizard with a coffin on her back. But when the coffin-wielding, silver-haired Chaika Trabant hires Toru and his sister, Akari, to accompany her on a death-defying journey, Toru's life of mind-numbing, meaningless peace is about to end!

Why?:

I hadn’t really heard of this series until the license was announced, but the hype for it has caught my attention. The art looks pretty, and the storyline sounds pretty interesting. I’m intrigued, and looking forward to trying it out.

Have these caught your eye?