Black Bird (manga)

Black Bird (ブラックバード) is a Japanese supernatural shōjo 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
Misao sees things that other people don't. Normally, the annoying monsters would do harmless things. But on her sixteenth birthday, these creatures she sees take it up farther, trying to kill her. They would be the only bother, until demons have gone serious into killing her or taking her for his own. She's saved by a childhood friend from her past, Kyo Usui, who just so happens to be a demon as well. Avoiding moments of death with Kyo protecting her, her own future turns out that she is the rare, "Bride of Prophecy." The demons are set onto her, and it just happens, that Kyo wants Misao as well.

Characters

 * Misao Harada (原田 実沙緒)
 * Misao has been plagued with the ability to see monsters ever since birth. [the heroine of the story] Because of her ability, she was never able to make any friends until she met Kyō. Misao became extremely attached to Kyō, but because she is the "bride of prophecy", she can only be the bride to the head of the family, Kyō's brother. In hopes of making her his bride, Kyō left Misao's side in order to become the head of the family. Ten years later, Misao, now in high school, ignores the monsters she sees in order to live a normal high school life. The monsters were harmless until her sixteenth birthday; on the day she turned sixteen, a monster possessing one of the schools idols attacks her. Before she was injured any further, Kyō came to save her and healed her wound by licking it.


 * Kyo Usui (烏水 匡)
 * Perverted and cocky, but a powerful Tengu with black wings.[the one who falls for Misao and has loved her since childhood] 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, also finding moments to steal a kiss. 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.

Manga
Shogakukan released the first of the series' bound volumes on January 26, 2007. As of July 26, 2010 there are 11 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."