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Alichino: v. 1
by (Illustrator: Kouyu Shurei)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Tokyopop Press Inc (2005-06-30)
ISBN: 159532478X
EAN: 9781595324788
Dewy Decimal #: 741.5952
Paperback: 164 pages
Condition: New
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Customer Reviews
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They want your soul
Rating  (3)
Date: 2007-02-23
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Sometimes artwork is so beautiful that it can cover up even a limp storyline. That's nearly the case in the first volume of "Alichino," where exquisite beings grant wishes in exchange for the wisher's soul. It's graced with Kouyu Shurei's exquisite, luxurious artwork, but it can't hide that the plot is thin as worn silk.
Tsugiri has a deep loathing of alichino, even the one who lives in the same house as him. And when he stops an alichino from feeding on a vulnerable young girl, the alichino reveals something terrible -- Tsugiri is a "kusabi," a human with a powerful and pure soul. He is the only one who can kill an alichino, but if one devours HIS soul, it will become incredibly powerful.
Shocked, Tsugiri is only narrowly saved by a friend of his foster father Enju. Though he knows alichino can lie, he is having dreams of death and terror that seem to reveal him as a kusabi. So he enlists the help of the alichino Myobi, who can show how the part of his past that he cannot remember -- and the key to what and who he is.
The alichino are a very interesting idea -- exquisite winged beings who will grant whatever you wish, but will take your soul as payment, and can be very nasty if you don't do what they want. And artistically, "Alichino" is an exquisite trip for gothic aesthetes. As a story, it's pretty limp. Not bad, just limp.
Shurei's artwork is absolutely stunning -- detailed, sensual, with a gothic flair in the elaborate clothing and luxurious settings. It's also populated by beautiful, androgynous men, who are indistinguishable from women, and have long flowing hair and what appears to be lots of makeup. The one exception is Myobi, a kindly alichino who looks like a little girl in elaborate Victorian dress.
Too bad the plot isn't nearly as good. We're thrown in without much explanation, and everything that happens after that is pretty cliched. Special powers, a clueless young man, and creatures who are out for his blood. Sadly Shurei doesn't add much to this story, and as a result, nothing unusual or unpredictable happens for... the... whole... story.
Nor do the characters really get developed, since only Myobi has any dimensions beyond angsty-young-man. They don't grow, and they don't even change expression, which adds to the feeling that we're watching a beautiful painting that hints at a story, but never actually tells one.
The first volume of "Alichino" is a case of "style over substance," with its staggeringly beautiful artwork and limp plot. Worth checking out for a pretty, light read.
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Thoroughly deserves all 5 Stars!
Rating  (5)
Date: 2006-12-22
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I definitely recommend this manga! What first drew me to this manga was the art on the front cover and that beautiful art continues right throughout the whole book. There's also some lovely colour art right at the beginning :)
The story is brilliant. It's about a race of creatures called Alichino (hence the name of the manga). The first half of the book explains what these creatures are and how they, through their beauty and promise of granting wishes, lure in sorrowful humans and steal their souls.
The main character, Tsugiri, has a power which is both to an advantage and disadvantage to the Alichino. Tsugiri is a Kusabi who can bring death to Alichino, who would otherwise be reborn if they "die". The advantage to the Alichino of Tsugiri being a Kusabi, is that they can gain great power by taking his soul.
I recommend this manga both for the brilliant story and the beautiful art!
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The most gorgous artwork I've ever seen
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-01-31
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This has to be the best manga I have ever read, the artwork is completly gorgous.
It's quite similar to the manga-ka Kaori Yuki's style. It's very detailed and stylish, I was instantly drawn to the front cover and imagine my joy when I found there was a colour pull out in it. *SQUEAL*
This book is amazing and I recomend it to anyone who enjoys anything by Kaori Yuki and similar artists. I can't wait to get the next one!
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A brilliant book
Rating (5)
Date: 2005-05-10
2 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
I really do recommend this book and that is why I have given it a 5 star rating. This is my second graphic novel that I have read. The first one being Yu-Gi-Oh. I must admit, when I first saw this manga, I was a bit hesitant. But after a while I warmed to the artwork and now I absolutely love it. It's quite a short book (It only took me half an hour to read!) but the artwork will keep you reading the book over and over again. I definitely think this is the best manga I've read, and I recommend everybody to read it!
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