07-GHOST, Vol. 1 (1)

This is by far one of my absolute favorite mangas so it was hard for me to give it four stars. the reason I did so wasn't a reflection on the story but on Viz. I was ecstatic when I heard about Viz getting licensing rights for this series after Go Comi went under and we only got three volumes. But as per usual with Viz translations they always cut out the Japanese suffixes. It's something I find flawed with their releases because often it adds to the story. It upset me with 07-Ghost because it's a favorite part of mine when Hyuuga calls Ayanami "Aya-tan", but in the Viz release it's just "Aya." Another thing I was little surprised about was how Viz did not do the first page in color like it's intended. Is it really that much more expensive to do one color page? Of course I'll continue to buy this series because I love it so, but I just wanted to mention the honorifics thing. I honestly would think by now that they would realize most people who read this sort of thing would know what they mean and keep them. But maybe that's just me.

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!

So happy with it now to get rid of the stickers

Thank you

I love book and now trying to buy all of the series.

I love it

07-Ghost is about Teito Klein and his journey.While this Manga starts with him wanting to graduate from a Military Academy, it soon becomes clear that the world has more in store for him.Between his forgotten past, his friend Mikage, the Church, two Kingdoms, the God of Death Verloren, Superpowers, and 7 Ghosts, there’s a lot to cover.The First Star:It’s the first volume, and it shows.Many of the intricate storylines are only hinted at, though that was enough to keep me going from start to finish. It shows a lot of promise in the execution of history, backstory, and character relationships, both in art and writing.I am thankful for this restraint on Yuki Amemiya’s and Yukino Ichihara’s parts while also keeping me interested because this allowed the world to unfurl in a natural way.The Second Star:Another point of praise was the relationship between the main pair, Teito & Mikage.The story starts with them wanting to graduate from Barsburg’s Military Academy, though hidden memories and a sudden outburst in a moment of confusion destroy this possibility of a stereotypical military manga.Instead, they do something incredible with the relationship between these two, making the bond they share very clear.I love it when fictional characters have lasting and meaningful friendships.The Third Star:Manga, as a medium, allows for the art to become part of the story.I enjoyed some of the symbolism the pair of Mangaka used in this one, mainly when it comes to the special powers involving death-like figures and scythes sprouting out of their arms.We saw scary people in the Military, but in the Church, we encounter initially-unsettling creatures like Dolls who frighten Teito or a Kur, soul-hunting creatures who fulfill wishes.They also have a huge statue of Death in their halls, making me wonder about their true motives.The Fourth Star:I decided to deduct a star for the characters’ hairstyles.They look too similar. When they have flashbacks or the scene changes, it’s difficult to make them out because the artist changes the lighting all the time. Their hair might appear white in one panel, black in the next, and grey in the one after that.Sometimes, only small details in their facial structures make these people unique, and even those aren’t a given since they are shown in all kinds of perspectives that potentially hide those important visual descriptions.The Fifth Star:Lastly, the panel structure can get rather confusing, especially in fight scenes.Oftentimes, I didn’t know what was happening when half the panel was covered in action words or explosions/slices.Similarly, the page turned into a convoluted mess whenever multiple characters with similar styles of clothing appeared on the same page.It’s almost impossible to differentiate between them, and having to study them for a minute to make out the one detail that allows you to identify the character pulls you out of the story.Lots to improve, here.Overall, it’s an enjoyable volume.With this being about the Church and the Military, expect some interesting ideas about the afterlife, corruption, and life as a human.What it lacks in clear panel structure, it makes up for with character moments and story.It’s a cool introduction to a series that promises a lot of intrigue in future volumes.Ine Airlcana

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.

Arrived before due date, very pleased with it's condition and a brilliant book to read. Love the anime series so I thought I'd try the manga and it hasn't disappointed so far.

Amazing, no scratches or creases, came early.

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.