Higuri You - Angel's Coffin and Lost Angel (Chi. trans.)

[oyceter]

Angel's Coffin: This has been released by GoComi, and sadly, is nowhere near as cracktastically awesome as the title indicates. Seto is a demon who's been imprisoned in a book, only to be released by the unknowing and innocent Marie Vetsera. Seto promises Marie to grant her heart's desire, which is to have Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, fall in love with her. Those of you who know history (which I didn't) and who know You Higuri (which I did) will know this does not end well. Alas, Marie is totally boring and rather vapid to boot, Rudolf is a complete blank slate, and while Seto could be awesome in his demonic anachronistic way, he is instead unconvincingly in love with Marie.

Also, there may be a demon trying to seduce Seto to the dark side. Or... more of the dark side? Extremely boring, pass.

Lost Angel: Now this is more like it! (Also, a warning that I read this in Taiwan and have waited so long to write this up that I've forgotten most of it.)

Gunta is a mysterious, dark-haired new student at some school.... but secretly he is Lucifer! Or a powerful demon. But I'm pretty sure he is Lucifer, because why would you make someone a powerful demon when you could make them Lucifer?! Anyway. He is trying to redeem himself, so he goes about battling demons... with his skeleton hand! And the magical sword he wields! The sword, alas, does not have a secret identity, but that is probably just because the role of Lucifer has already been taken.

He investigates occult Satanic occurences, and while he is doing so, he meets the angelicly light-haired (or dyed, who knows) Z, whose name I have completely forgotten and cannot find after ten minutes of Googling, even in Japanese. Z finds himself strangely attracted to Gunta, as one is wont to do when confronted with someone who is... Lucifer!

Sorry. One day I will get sick of typing out the ellipses and "Lucifer!" but so far, not yet!

Gunta abandons the school, but he gets involved in several other cases that lead him Z's way again. One, of course, involves the innocent, beautiful, and totally doomed woman, although honestly, I have no idea why Higuri even tries to pretend Z is even vaguely interested in her. Instead of adding vapid love interests to nominally prove their heroes are heterosexual (HA), I feel mangaka should instead write in women who are... Lucifer!

In conclusion: Lucifer!


Given that GoComi licensed the horribly boring Angel's Coffin, couldn't they release Romaesque Mask as well? I have never read it, but it looks like it's based on the Takarazuka version of Dangerous Liaisions! How could it be bad?

Comments

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed Angel's Coffin, but agree that it isn't nearly as good as Cantarella or Seimaden. (Ok, you didn't mention Seimaden, but I'm in love with it.) Then again, it took a few volumes for both of those to really get going, so maybe Angel's Coffin would have gotten better if it was longer? I wish ANYTHING else of Higuri You's would get licensed. I can only make the 4 volumes of Seimaden that I have left to read last so long! (And since I've now read the entirety of Kaori Yuki's licensed works and most of Clamp's, I have fewer things to distract me.)

[oyceter]

I think I need to read Seimaden! Is it licensed?

I want Higuri's Ludwig manga to be licensed SO BADLY!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

YUP! Seimaden is licensed by CMX. Though the first volume or two aren't as good as they could be.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Sorry. One day I will get sick of typing out the ellipses and "Lucifer!" but so far, not yet!

And one day I will stop laughing at the ellipses and "Lucifer!" but so far, not yet! Heh.

[oyceter]

... LUCIFER!

[octopedingenue]

I hope Ludwig II is better than Rudolf. The best part of Angel's Coffin (besides, since I didn't know the history, SHOUJO CAUSED WWI!) was finding out later that the story's also a ballet, continuing the tradition of Everything Is Tutuable.

I approve of more Higuri women who are, as you say...Lucifer! As long as they are the sexy badass evil queen Lucifer, and not the sender of handsome men into each other's arms through her horrifying possession of a vagina, as one is wont to do when one is...Lucifer!


The bit when Higuri is in Austria on manga-business (BEST GLOBETROTTING BOYSLASHING JOB EVER) and the caretaker lets her take super-sekret reference photos made me snerk.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Ludwig II is MY FAVORITE HIGURI EVER and topped my licensing wish-list for several years. It is exactly everything it ought to be, given that it is King Ludwig of Bavaria.

[octopedingenue]

Is there Bavarian pastry?

[oyceter]

The ballet part makes it so much better!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Gunta is a mysterious, dark-haired new student at some school.... but secretly he is Lucifer!

The only way that could be better would be if he was also secretly a sword.

He is trying to redeem himself, so he goes about battling demons... with his skeleton hand!

On the other hand, as it were, there is no way that could be better.

[oyceter]

I know! I was like, oh awesome, he is... Lucifer!

And then... SKELETON HAND! They make all things better.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

Instead of adding vapid love interests to nominally prove their heroes are heterosexual (HA), I feel mangaka should instead write in women who are... Lucifer!

It is also acceptable when the women are warrior archangels who antedate Lucifer and lead the War against Heaven!

[oyceter]

Yes! There should definitely be more of those!