Black Bird 5 - Sanctuary

The title of the special feature, "Sanctuary", is seiiki in Japanese. The scenes were to be the same as the ones I used in the special feature I did in volume 4, but they weren't exactly the same. I'm sorry...

As the series continues to lengthen, characters that were not scheduled to appear and scenes that were never meant to be featured are making their appearance. I am very grateful for this.

Also, it seems this manga is being read by people of all ages. (The age range of people who have sent me letters and email spans 40 years!) This is completely unexpected, and I must say, I am very fortunate indeed.

The main story will continue in a more serious vein for a while longer. I hope you continue to follow the story.♡
Please!

I give my deepest thanks to all those who have had anything to do with me.♡♡

An auspicious day, April 2008

Kanoko Sakurakoji

桜小路 かのこ

Chapter 21 (English)

I didn't officially post about releasing Chapter 21, but seems like hundreds of readers have already downloaded it from my MediaFire folder.

I re-uploaded Chapter 21. Because of this page →

I'm too lazy to edit this part... It's actually saying, "I WAS FAR AWAY... ONLY REFLECTED IN THE COLD WATER, BUT NOW... I AM HERE. IT'S LIKE HE'S MAKING SURE."


Oookay, you can download Chapter 21 now. Hope you enjoy~

New Characters in Volume 5

Introduction of new characters.

Ayame Usui
(烏水 あやめ)


Age: 23
Height: 162 cm

When I planned the characters, Sagami was supposed to be a married man. From time to time I made mention of someone back home being unwell and he was sent home periodically. Here, for the first time, I've been able to bring his wife into the story.

I enjoy drawing characters as honest as Ayame. Of course, there are those who said it was a surprise that she was Sagami's wife, but I love this sort of couple.

There were some who noticed that the two shared a pair of earrings. Thank you very much.

Renko Jonouchi
(城ノ内 蓮子)


Age: 19
Height: 168 cm

She has a name like a Japanese enka singer's. I wanted to create a girl who is in a similar position as Misao but who is her opposite in many ways.

On a previous page (p76), Tadanobu says something that makes him sound like a masochist. But actually, it's Renko who is the extreme masochist, and she, along with extreme sadist Tadanobu, have learned the allure of the other side...

A Day in the Life of Taro

This is an extra page of Volume 5. I absolutely love the mangaka's sense of humor and her little characters! She never fails to bring a smile to my face.


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Author's Note (Vol. 5)

Hello. It's me, Sakurakoji.
Black Bird has already reached volume 5 because of all of you, my readers!
Thank you very much! ღ

It's fun drawing the kids in costume. Or rather, just drawing the kids is fun.
That reminds me–except for Taro, I haven't done character introductions for the kiddies, or the others in the Eight Daitengu either.
I've completely missed my opportunity. I gave you their ages and heights, but is that enough...?

To tell you the truth, I often forget to draw in the ring that Misao gave Kyo... If you should happen to find a panel like that, I wish you'd think of it as a "Find the Errors" game that I have provided for your enjoyment!! There are also panels with missing earrings or ones where the bloody clothes from the previous frame have been bleached clean... And the reason why Kyo's mansion looks a little different each time it appears is that it belongs to demons!!

Chapter 46 (Japanese)

Teaser

There are three dead people in a room. Kyo takes off a cloth from one person and seems to ask if some guy knows that person. I think the guy says that the dead guy seems to be his brother. Kyo seems to be saying that person has changed [in appearance? Become old, it seems]. I think the dead people were the ones found in Shou’s place. They had been determining as to who those deceased people were. The family seems to ask why they died. Sagami is saying about external wounds, vomiting then something about being poisoned by the immortal fruit’s [I think that’s what they call Misao] blood as a drug that Shou made. Then, the family cry and shout something about the immortal fruit. Misao overhears this and she is in shock. I think they would have wanted Misao to just share her blood to everyone so that those people wouldn’t have been ‘drug addicts’ but of course, Kyo refused. He then walks Misao out of the room. The guy whose brother had died kept on saying something. Misao is teary-eyed and Kyo just hugs her to comfort her. As everyone walk out, Sagami tells everyone that the probable culprit as to who knew about Buzen going to Shou’s place is Houki and he believes that Houki is with Shou. Misao is shock by this but it seems that Kyo and Buzen aren’t reacting much. It seems that they aren’t that surprised because Houki has been a bit too ‘coldhearted’ since he was young. When there is blood all over the room, young Houki can still smile and happily read a book. Then, when they [Buzen and Zenki with Houki] were fighting some spider people, they were aghast and uneasy whereas Houki is really calm. Misao really cannot believe this for Houki is really nice, etc. What Kyo is worried about is the seal on Buzen. It seems that if the seal is removed, Buzen would go on a rampage or something.

In prison, Kaede is giving/forcing Buzen something to drink. Buzen is still chained on the wall. Buzen had a talk with Kaede about brothers which includes Kyo-Shou and Sagami-Houki. Kaede then tells him that the first victims that Buzen took when he went on a rampage before are his parents. I don’t quite sure as to whom Kyo stabs in that flashback so I’m presuming that it is Kyo who stopped Buzen then Kaede also mentioned Shou. 小山同學 wrote that Buzen doesn’t remember anything so it is either that is true or Kaede is just saying that to weaken Buzen’s willpower. At Ayame’s room, Misao is saying about Kyo being late. She then sees Ayame shaking her head around as she is dozing to sleep. It seems that Misao tells her to just sleep but Ayame wants to wait for Sagami. When Misao walks around the house, she finds someone outside lying on the ground. While she tries to wake the person up, Houki appears behind her and it seems he is asking how she is and if she’s alone. Houki seems to be asking for some of her blood. Misao seems to be happy to oblige since she also has faith in Houki much like Kyo does. She tells him about Kyo doesn’t want to remove Houki of his ranking. He still believes in the kid who had used to always follow him around. Houki just smiles coldly upon hearing that. In bed, it seems that Misao tells Kyo about giving away the blood which is about a medium sized bottle. [小山同學 is wondering how could a wound from a finger produce that much blood =P] Kyo hits her head then pats her head. He then hugs her. They talk and Misao laughs about something. It seems that Misao thinks of how much she loves Kyo. Kyo then starts licking her finger where she is cut to give away the blood. Then, he is licking all over her body. Kyo is surprised when Misao suddenly pushes him down on the floor. She is on top of him then she blushes so much that she is embarrassed of what she is doing, I think. Kyo then holds her face and asks Misao something. Meanwhile, Houki is saying about how much he is trusted that he got this bottle of blood. He head to the prison and tells Kaede that he came early since he already got the blood. Shou who is standing beside Buzen tells them to withdraw since it is starting. He then puts one of Buzen’s earrings on the floor. Buzen looks dark and sweaty all over.

Black Bird 7 Cover + Summary (English)

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English version of Black Bird 7 is coming out on February 1, 2011.

Summary

Misao knows her relationship with Kyo is dangerous, but she's used to being the one in peril! Will she be able to stand it when the tables are turned and Kyo is threatened? As leader of the tengu clan and boyfriend of the Senka Maiden, Kyo gets a lot of attention in the demon world, and very little of it is good. From the wrath of a reincarnated dragon to the hatred of a demon hunter, Misao must face the fact that she isn't the only one at risk in the relationship. But how can she just stand by while Kyo is threatened?!