Black Bird (manga)

Black Bird (ブラックバード) is a Japanese supernatural shojo manga written and illustrated by Kanoko Sakurakoji. It has been serialized by Shogakukan in their Betsucomi magazine since 2007. It depicts the life of a high school girl who can see supernatural beings. Black Bird received the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga.

In 2008, Viz Media announced they had licensed the series for an English release of the series in North America. The first chapter was previewed in their now-defunct Shojo Beat magazine and the first volume of their version was released on August 4, 2009.

The series has been adapted into a drama CD as well as a light novel.

Plot
From Viz:

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada can see these magical realms and frankly, she wants nothing to do with it. She'd just as soon ignore her special gift in favor of having a normal high school life and maybe getting a boyfriend. One day, Misao is attacked by a demon, and her childhood friend Kyo suddenly re-appears to save her and tend to her cuts - with his tongue! It turns out Misao is the bride of prophecy, whose blood gives power to the demon clan who claims her. But most demons want to keep her power for themselves - by eating her! Now Misao is just trying to stay alive... and decide if she likes it when Kyo licks her wounds

Protagonists

 * Misao Harada (原田 実沙緒)
 * A high school girl plagued with the ability to see spirits. The spirits were harmless until her sixteenth birthday, when they started chasing her for her blood. Misao has confessed to only loving Kyo. She is very caring and considerate towards other, especially Taro. When she is drunk, she tends to kiss anyone in sight.


 * Kyo Usui (烏水 匡)
 * A perverted but powerful Tengu with black wings. Kyo met Misao during their childhood. His older brother, Sojo, was supposed to be clan leader, but Kyo surpassed him for Misao's sake (as only a clan leader may seek her as their bride). In order to stay close to Misao, he moved back to his house next door to her's and took a job as a math teacher at her school. He is always protecting her and healing her wounds. In his demon form, his hair grows longer and he wears a mask that looks like a crow's beak. Kyo took Taro under his wings to train him and make him stronger after Taro was abused by Sojo. He is about 20 years old.

The Eight Great Tengu

 * Taro (太郎)
 * A six year old Tengu who helps keep house and trains under Kyo. Taro has two younger brothers. He is constantly bullied by Kyo, however he has an undying devotion to Kyo and thinks nothing of his cruelty. He frequently sobs when Misao rejects his food or Kyo tells him Misao hates his food. Taro has a tendency to walk in on moments when Kyo and Misao are either kissing or about to have sex, irritating Kyo severely. He does his best to make Kyo happy. He calls Misao "My Lady" anticipating her marriage to Kyo one day.


 * Jirou


 * Saburou


 * Sagami


 * Houki


 * Buzen


 * Zenki


 * Soujou

Youko

 * Tadanobu Kuzunoha


 * Shuuhei Kuzunoha

Shirohebi

 * Kensuke Doujouji


 * Kiyo Doujouji

Other

 * Renko Jounouchi

Manga
Shogakukan released the first of the series' bound volumes on January 26, 2007. As of March 26, 2010 there are 10 volumes and the series is still running in Betsucomi. The manga is licensed in North America by Viz Media as part of their Shojo Beat imprint. It is also licensed in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing.

Drama CD
Columbia Music Entertainment released Black Bird drama CD on the January 21, 2009. Artists on the drama CD include Kouki Miyata, Kishō Taniyama, Akira Ishida, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Takahiro Sakurai, Yuko Kagata, Takehito Koyasu, Kyoko Hikami and Mikako Takahashi.

Light Novel
The series was also adapted as a light novel, titled Black Bird - Missing- (BLACK BIRD ―MISSING―), released on March 26, 2010 (ISBN 9784091332707).

Reception
The sixth volume of Black Bird was ranked 12th on the Japanese Comic Rankings between October 28 and November 3, 2008. The seventh volume was ranked 4th in its first week, selling 75,689 copies. The eighth volume was ranked in 3rd place during its first week and then fell to 27th in the second week of publication. Volume 9 of Black Bird sold a total of 100,014 it its first two weeks of publication, debuting at 11th place on the charts, then falling to 20th place in its second week. The tenth volume of the series debuted on the Oricon charts in 14th place, selling a total of 51,172 copies. The first volume was ranked 4th on the manga section of the New York Times Best Seller list on September 3, 2009. The second volume was ranked 7th on November 26, 2009, 9th on December 3, 2009 and 8th on January 7, 2010. Black Bird was awarded the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga.

Anime News Network's Casey Brienza commends the English edition of the manga for being "amusing and sexy. Good if you want to put your critical sensibilities into neutral with something trashy" however she criticises the manga with the comment "its creative horizons are that of a bodice ripper. Don't expect the next modern manga masterpiece." Katherine Dacey, writing for The Manga Critic, criticises Misao for not defending herself even as "demons slash her throat, poison her, push her off rooftops, and slam her against walls." Dacey comments that "younger readers may find [Kyo] sexy, but older readers will see him for what he is: a wolf in knight’s clothing, posing as Misao’s savior while manipulating her for his own selfish interests."