Sweet Temptation: January 2014

Konnichiwa Mina! It has been a long time that I did not blog for any manga series. Well, I am going to recommend one manga series now as I am reading it lately. I LOVE this shoujo manga. The name is called "Black Bird"! ^.^

Black Bird (ブラックバード Burakku Baado) is a Japanese supernatural shōjo manga written and illustrated by Kanoko Sakurakoji. It depicts the life of a high school girl who can see supernatural beings. The series has been adapted into a drama CD as well as a light novel. However, I wish it would be adapted into the anime series soon! :) FYI, this is an on-going series.

The genres of "Black Bird" are shoujo, romance, comedy, supernatural, fantasy, smut, and action. The series "Black Bird" contain themes or scenes that may not be suitable for very young readers. The story is about a school-girl named, Misao sees things that other people can't. Normally, the monsters would do harmless things. But suddenly, on her sixteenth birthday, the creatures she sees take it farther by trying to kill her. She's saved by a childhood friend from her past, Kyo Usui, who just so happens to be a demon as well. She finds out that she is the rare, "Bride of Prophecy", also known as "The Senka" or "The Holy Fruit", and depends on Kyo for protection from those who wish to eat her for her blood, which gives the consumer incredible power.

Characters Description :

Misao Harada (原田実沙緒, Harada Misao)

Misao is a sixteen-year-old high school student. She has been plagued with the ability to see monsters ever since birth. Because of her ability, she was never able to make any friends until she met Kyō. 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. It is then that she discovers that he is a demon and that she is the "bride of the prophecy" for the head of the Tengu Clan; she was chosen to be the wife of the next head of the clan ten years ago. When she was a child, Misao became attached to Kyo and they had made a promise that she would be his bride. However, she was supposed to marry Kyo's older brother, Sho, who was the heir to the clan. As a result, Kyo left Misao's side in order to surpass him and become the heir. At first, she was scared of Kyo for his stoic personality and demonic powers, but grows to trust and understand that he is willing to do anything to be with her. She later falls in love with Kyo and decides to fulfill her promise to him by becoming his wife, once she graduates high school. They begin a romantic and sexual relationship from then on. After Sho's death, Misao notices a change in her powers, which no one is able to touch her and her scent is overwhelming. It is discovered that this is because Misao is pregnant with a demon child. Despite being told the baby could kill her during childbirth, she refuses to abort it because she has grown to love her unborn child. Misao gives birth to a boy whom she named Sou. Instead of dying, a miracle happens when Misao wakes up, and even though it costs her most of her ability to walk, she is able to live happily with Kyo and Sou.

Kyo Usui (烏水匡, Usui Kyō)

Kyo is the heir to the Tengu Clan. It is revealed that Kyo is not human but a powerful demon. When he is in his demon form, his hair grown longer, has black wings, and wears a mask that looks like a crow's beak. Perverted and cocky to many, but he treats Misao with a combination of kindness and coldness depending on his mood. Kyo met Misao during their childhood; they quickly developed a strong bond and he fell in love with her. They also made a promise that she would be his bride, which he is determined to fulfill. His older brother, Sho, 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 hers 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. While he cares deeply for Misao, Kyo has deep attachments to those close to him: such that he took Taro under his wings to train him and make him stronger after Taro was abused by Shou. Kyo has deep disdain towards his brother (for his abusive ways) and his father (whom he suspected of murdering his mother). After Sho's death, Kyo learns that Misao is pregnant with his child, a powerful demon child. He is initially happy of the news, but when he learns that the children of the Immortal Fruit will feed on their mothers after childbirth, he wants her to abort the pregnancy but she refuses. When Misao tells him that she loves the baby and it loves her, he comes to care for the baby. Misao gives birth to a boy, whom they name Sou. Misao, by miracle, survives and Kyo is able to live happily with her and Sou.

Sho Usui (烏水祥/僧正 Usui Sho)

Kyo's older brother, and original heir to the Tengu Clan. He is 22 years old when he is first introduced. Once the clan realized how cruel he is, Kyo became the heir. When he was the heir, he was supposed to marry Misao. However, he is very cruel to her and does not love her, and even slapped her as a child. He hates that his brother was always there in case he failed to harm Misao. The previous Clan Leader called Kyo "the spare tire" or "back-up plan" because Sho was deemed unfit as the heir due to his abusive and cruel nature. While he despises Misao, he hates that she chose Kyo over him because it made him feel unseless to the clan. In later chapters, however, he shows an emotional side, as he saves Misao from being crushed to death inside a storage house. He is later brought back to life by the efforts of his former attendant Roh. In the last battle between the two brothers, he is killed, but warns Kyo that he wouldn't be like him and kill Misao, implying that he read the last pages of the Immortal Fruit Record.

Taro
One of the eight daitengu. He has two brothers, Jiro and Saburo, and they are triplets. They are six years old. After nearly being killed by Sho, Kyo trained him to become stronger. He enjoys cooking and preparing food for Kyo and Misao, and tending to the flowers in the courtyard, despite how much Kyo doesn't like plants that are grown by others.

Jiro
One of the eight daitengu. He is the triplet brother of Taro and Saburo. He resembles Kyo almost as if they are related, which they are not. He loves misao as a big sister figure and likes seeing her smile. He is later put in charge of taking care of Sou, which annoys him because Sou tends to hide from him and refuses to listen to him.

Saburo
One of the eight daitengu. He is the triplet brother of Taro and Jiro. He has bushy dark hair, and enjoys doing things for Kyo and Misao.

Raikoh Watanabe

Like Misao he can see demons and spirits, and is also in love with her. However, he refuses to believe that humans and demons can live in harmony and uses his abilities to destroy them. Due to this, despite Misao and Kyo's attempts that not all demons are like the one who scared him, due to his attempts to destroy their relationship, ignoring the fact his actions put them both in grave danger, it looks like they will forever be on bad terms.

Sagami (real name Ryo)

Another of the eight daitengu. He is very protective of Kyo, and dislikes Misao at first but he later grows to like her due to her caring personality. He is Hoki's older brother. He has a sickly wife named Ayame, who was later cured by drinking Misao's blood. He is 24 years old and trained the daitengu to fight. Years later, he and Ayame have a son, Ryu, and a daughter, Tsubaki, and he and Hoki are the last daitengu to serve Kyo.

Hoki (real name Yu)
Another of the eight daitengu, and Sagami's younger brother. He is 15 years old and he looks very feminine. He is very loyal to Kyo and Misao, and by the end of the series, he and Sagami are the last daitengu to serve Kyo.

Buzen
Another one of the eight daitengu who's a playboy but a mature person. He is 26 years old. He had loved Kyo and Sho's mother because he considered her to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, although he continues to flirt with other young women. A few years after Sou is born, Buzen quits the daitengu and left for an unknown position.

Zenki (real name Gou)
Another one of the eight daitengu. Misao thinks he's scary but an easy-going and funny person. He's 20 years old. He loves and protects children who lost their families. A few years after Sou is born, Zenki quits the daitengu and undergoes training to be a monk at an orphanage.

The main male character of "Black Bird", named Kyo, is a very COOL guy and I like him very much indeed. He is always COOL to his love one, Misao and he likes to tease her too. However, Kyo is a very nice man as he protects the person he likes very much.

As for his followers, some of them are also very cool, especially Sagami. I like the triplets in the series, as they are very cute. 3 of them have different characters! I think it is fun to read them.

OK, let us take some preview of the "Black Bird".

I really love this "Black Bird" series very much as I think the story is beautiful. There is a very strong passion of love between Kyo and Misao. I think it is very romantic! :P It makes me keep on reading and would like to know the happening in the next. Moreover, I really wish that this series would be adapted into the anime series soon.

FYI, Black Bird received the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga.

If you would like to enter the fantasy world of this manga series, please click into "Black Bird"!

Enjoy reading!!! ^.^

I have watched a sci-fi animation series in last year and currently also watching an animation of sci-fi lately. I would like to recommend to you all here. The completed sci-fi animation series that I have watched is "Coppelion". Coppelion (コッペリオン Kopperion) is a Japanese seinen manga series written and illustrated by Tomonori Inoue. The story follows three high school girls who were genetically engineered to be impervious to radioactivity and sent to Tokyo after the city was contaminated by a nuclear accident.

The story is in 2016, a catastrophe occurs after a nuclear meltdown from the nearby Odaiba nuclear power plant contaminates Tokyo, forcing the government to order its citizens to evacuate. 20 years later, Tokyo has become a ghost town due to the high levels of radiation which the government has banned entry for anyone. When a distress signal is received from Tokyo, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force dispatches 3 teenage girls from the Dispatch 3rd Special Force Coppelion, who comprise the "Healthcare Team". Due to genetic engineering, the Coppelions are immune to radiation while also possessing special skills. Thus the Coppelions journey to the ruined capital to find survivors.

The genres of "Coppelion" are science-fiction and action. This series consists of 13 episodes. Both the opening theme song "Angel" and the ending theme song "Tōku Made" (遠くまで, "Far") are sung by angela. A second theme song, "Bye Bye All Right" by angela was used for the 13th episode.

If you want to watch this animation series, please click into "Coppelion"to enter the adventure world with the girls!

Another sci-fi animation series that I am watching currently is "Star Driver". Star Driver also known as Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto (STAR DRIVER 輝きのタクト Sutā Doraibā Kagayaki no Takuto, lit. STAR DRIVER: Takuto of The Radiance) is a 2010 Japanese anime television series created and animated by Bones. The series is directed by Takuya Igarashi, with character designs by Yoshiyuki Ito and Hiroka and Misa Mizuya.

The story is Star Driver takes place on the fictional Southern Cross Isle. One night, a boy named Takuto washes up on shore swimming from the mainland. He later enrolls in Southern Cross High School as a freshman and makes new friends. However, beneath the school is a group of mysterious giants called Cybodies, which can be controlled by humans in an alternate dimension known as Zero Time. Takuto, The "Galactic Pretty Boy" (銀河美少年 Ginga Bishōnen), finds himself dragged into opposition with the "Glittering Crux Brigade" (綺羅星十字団 Kiraboshi Juujidan, lit. Glittering Star Cruciform Group), a mysterious group that intends to take possession of the island's Cybodies for their own purposes as well as break the seals of the island's four Shrine Maidens, whose powers prevent the Cybodies from functioning outside of Zero Time.

There is 25 episodes for the "Star Driver"series and there is also a movie for it. They are many theme songs in this animation series and they are quite melodious. The genres are comedy, romance, adventure, action.