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I'll say it now, Kiss/Hug is a pretty typical shoujo manga love story. Quiet girl meets mysterious foreign boy. She becomes curious of him. He becomes interested in her.
I think you know the rest.
But for some reason, I really do like this manga. I have read it at least five times and find myself having impulses to read it again.

Story: 7
Like I said in the beginning, this story is extremely predictable and cliche. I give the story a seven because even though I knew what was about to happen, the way the author did it still made me want to keep reading.
The story ... develops in an okay pace, with your little lovey-dovey chapters and dramatic scenes every know and then.

Art: 7
The art is average, but not so bad. If anything I would've liked more detail in the character drawings, they seem simple to me, but sometimes simplicity works, as I think it does for this manga.

Character: 7
The characters are fine, nothing you haven't seen before. A boy striving to be someone. A girl trying to find herself. I rate them a seven because when put they're put together it seems right.

Enjoyment: 10
With my previous ratings, why do I give enjoyment a 10? Honestly, I am a lover of shoujo manga, cliche or not. When I read this manga I loved it from the very beginning. The whole "knight in shining armor" thing is what I love. The manga is truly shoujo without a doubt and it's why I love it so much. It tells the story of a boy and girl falling in love, plain and simple.

Overall: 8

Read this manga if you want a straight forward shoujo manga. I don't suggest this to someone who isn't a true lover of shoujo manga.

Black Bird is one of those manga that you love at one point but then hate when the chapters start going nowhere.

Story: 7
Black Bird is about teenage girl (Misao) who can see little spirits and things from the underworld. One day she comes across a demon man (Kyo). It turns out this man was the boy who once played with her when she was little. When they were children the man said he would marry her. Shortly after he disappeared. Now he's back and has come to claim what is his.

The story kicks off with your usual shoujo facotrs. Boy loves girl. Girl is ... creeped out by pervy boy. Boy pursues girl. Girl pushes him away. Boy shows true love (by means of protection, ect.) Girl starts falling for boy. I could go on and on.

When the main problem is solved of course other sub plots pop up. This is where the story either gets good or bad, depending on your opinion. At first it was okay. The girl would get attacked then the boy would save her. The girl was being chased and sexual harassed by other boys, and of course, the main boy would save her. This is all good and well if the author knows when to stop. It seems as if this is what happens in Black Bird with the boy and the girl dont have their lovey dovey moments. In my opinion I sometimes wish the author would just stop introducing more characters and focus on the main and supporting ones.

Art: 8
The art in this manga is very appealing. Kyo, Misao's love interest, is a very good looking man. His dark demeanor but also gentle face is a factor that gets most fangirls (such as myslef) squealing. The other boys/men in this manga are also good looking. Misao is very pretty, her round eyes give her an almost middle school innocent girl look.

Character: 7
The only reason I rated character a 7 is because the author is introducing way too many character in her sub plots. I can't keep up with all of them to be honest. The ones the she introduces end up not even being talked about in the next volume/chapter. This is another major flaw in Black Bird

Enjoyment: 8
I have to say I do love this manga. The romance and I guess cruel chivalry (if there is such a thing) of Kyo makes me squeal whenever he has a love scene with Misao. There are definitely some steamy parts in this manga, but nothing too graphic. I do not recommend this manga for people who are not used to seeing a lot of kissing, part nudity,sexual torture, and even blood at points.
If you're okay with all these factors then by all means, go for it!

EDIT: I just reread this manga for about the fourth time, and reading my original review made me realize I didn't give it the justice it deserves (and I never will be able to because I don't have that ultimate power). This series is one of the most beautiful and pure romance manga I have ever read.

You might say I'm crazy for giving this series a perfect score, a ten, but trust me when I say this series deservers even more. Could you imagine not wanting to touch the one you care about because you're scared you'll only do harm? Could you imagine knowing ... you will live while your loved one will eventually die? Could you imagine falling for someone you shouldn't have?

Hana to Akuma tells the tale of Vivi and Hana, a demon and a human. Vivi finds Hana alone in the snow as a baby and decides to take care of her "to pass the time". What Vivi didn't plan to do was become so attached to her. Throughout the entire manga you see their love for each other grow. They face obstacles in their journey, some trivial and simple, and other serious and life changing. One obstacle Vivi must face personally is a human boy fancying Hana, something I particularly enjoyed very much. A demon king also comes between the two, even going so far as to make Hana do something that results her experience pian in order to save Vivi's life.

The first couple chapters of Hana to Akuma are sweet and short one-shot like chapters that start to give you a taste of the relationship between Vivi and Hana. As the series moves on their relationship deepens and I know you will begin to understand why this series deserves a ten.

Hana to Akuma is full of sweet moments between the Viva and Hana, as well as very funny and witty comments exchanged from Vivi and his fellow demon friend Felton. True shoujo fans will not be disappointed by Hana to Akuma at all, and I believe those who just like a little bit of romance every now and then will find this to be worth their time.

And come on, have you seen Vivi? :D
~
ORIGINAL: Many people might see Hana to Akuma as your typical shoujo manga. However, I happen to enjoy this series very much. Granted the plot and story take a while to develop, but right now the manga is progressing fairly well. A big twist has just been revealed and I'm dying to know the ending.

The art of the manga isn't so bad either. I think the way the author draws Vivi at his different emotions really shows what kind of person he is. Hana is captured as a pure innocent happy-go-lucky girl. All the other character's appearances really do exemplify their nature.

The characters themselves are alright. Of course Hana and Vivi are my favorite because they are the lead roles. The other characters do have a chance to go through character development in the series, but sometimes I do get annoyed when they are dedicated a whole entire chapter. One of the hardest things to do in anime and manga is developing characters without over shadowing the main leads. Hana to Akuma is 'good' in developing characters, because I have seen worse.

Overall, this is one of my favorite manga series. I'm a shoujo fangirl period, and I feel like this manga shows a lot of shoujo characteristics. Vivi always ends up saving Hana. Hana yearns for Vivi, and later on he does too. Vivi tries do deny his feelings, as does Hana. They both get jealous when the other is with the opposite sex.. . and so on.

I recommend this manga to anyone who'd like to get a taste of shouja manga. It's a good way to start. Also, Vivi isn't half that bad XD