Death and violence, guns and bombs…but Hiyono remains the best character in the series.
Creative Staff:
Writer/Artist: Kyo Shirodaira / Eita Mizuno
Translated by: Christine Schilling
What They Say
Spurred on by Kiyotaka’s machinations, the conflict with Kanone continues! Ayumu learns of Tsukiomi High’s active gathering of Blade Children and the relationship between them and the Watchers. In advance of the impending battle, Ayumu and his allies stock up on firepower and strategy. But despite their diligent preparation, everyone’s on their heels when Kanone causes a mad panic on the Tsukiomi campus… with a near-fatally injured Ayumu as his hostage!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Feeling the full extent of his brother’s seemingly boundless ability to control the actions of those around him, Narumi falls into a depression. Trapped and helpless aren’t things that Narumi wears well. Kanon, on the other hand, is feeling equally trapped by circumstance and action and is hoping that Eyes stays in a coma for reasons of his own.
The other Blade Children, especially Rio, remain convinced that Kiyotaka is working to save them, and that if salvation is possible then Narumi will be the instrument of that salvation. The fact that halfway through the series we’re still in the dark about what, exactly, the Blade Children need salvation from is a bit frustrating, but since that’s one of the main gimmicks of the story it’s one of those things that readers need to either accept or move on. Hopefully, clarification will come soon.
What is made clear is that it’s no coincidence that so many Blade Children wound up at the same school. Some of the teachers are Watchers, who watch the Blade Children for reasons of their own, and work for a powerful organization that has the ability to manipulate many things behind the scenes.
In Summary:
Kanon is a fun character, so utterly convinced of the strength of his own motivations, and utterly ruthless. His unexpected violence is an interesting counter to Narumi’s cold logic, and definitely breathes new life into a confrontation that sometimes lags. The author mentions that the story is going to develop into more of a true mystery, which is something I continue to look forward to!
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: April 21st, 2009
MSRP: $10.99
