07-GHOST, Vol. 1: 2 Volume Set, Third Edition

I seriously do not understand why this manga (and the anime) is not more popular.The story line is great!You just have to love Teito!This is my numero uno favorite manga.In a close 2nd place (Hakkenden: touhou hakken ibun) in 3rd place (Sword Art Online)I'll admit when I first read the introduction, I was a bit skeptical. I generally hate anything to do with religion, so when I read 'bishops' and 'church' I almost didn't give it a go, but seriously, AMAZING, it's very easy to get into.I'm on Vol 5 now and I watched the entire anime in 2 days.As another reviewer said, the action scenes can get a bit confusing.Actually, watching the anime helped me because I could tell what was going on.So, that's one negative point, but even with that, it's still worth the read!

Teito Klein geht an die Elite-Militärakademie Barsburg. Dort wird er unbarmherzig wegen seiner Vergangenheit als Sklave gehänselt, und nur sein bester und einziger Freund Mikage kann ihm seine Zeit dort etwas leichter machen. Teito erinnert sich nur bruchstückhaft an seine Vergangenheit, und als er eines Tages durch ein Erlebnis einen Teil seiner Erinnerung wiederfindet und in Ayanami den Mann wiedererkennt, der seinen Vater getötet hat, gerät er in große Gefahr und muss aus der Akademie fliehen. Schwer verletzt findet er in der Barsburg Kirche Unterschlupf, doch auch die Bischöfe dort bergen ein Geheimnis.

Set in a gothic fantasy world, this is the story of Teito Klein, an orphaned slave who became the top military academy student. However, an unexpected turn of events left him pursued by the forces of the Barsburg Empire. Now an escaping convict, Teito's sheltered by the church and it's law of sanctuary. Here, he discovered many mysteries surrounding himself, the church, and the Empire itself. The fact that he might be connected to a dethroned king and the mystical stone of god, 'The Eye of Mikhael' made him the target of the empire more than ever. Fortunately the church is under the mythical 7 Ghost protection.There are many factors that make this series stand out from the tons of others I've read. The plot, though in overview doesn't sound terribly original, actually is, which you see as you read. The pace of the story is perfect, nothing too fast, yet not slow enough that you grow bored. Most notable are the characters, who leave a lasting impact. The main, Teito, isn't your average 'suddenly-gains-new-powers' type. The bishops, Castor, Frau and Labrador (Yeah, I laughed at his name when I first heard it, but he's a character you soon stop laughing about the more he appears) all have bizarre traits and are just plain quirky. Then, the antagonists; Ayanami and his squad. Ayanami is a perfect villain, sinister and eerie from his first appearance. Though his right hand man, Hyuuga, lightens the mood regularly, a very good comic relief character.Not to mention the artwork is beautiful though, one of the few faults I can find with this manga, is sometimes inconsistent.A must-read. If you haven't, you really have to! Five stars.

I love it

Amazing, no scratches or creases, came early.