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First off, let's get some of the confusing stuff out of the way. This is a manga published in Princess, a magazine that contains shoujo manga aimed at teenage girls. Now, do I personally think the best audience would be teenage girls? No, actually. The content for me felt much darker than what I would expect for a typical shoujo, and covers some very heavy themes. It's as much a shoujo as a manga like Banana Fish, perhaps. Now, is it a BL? That depends. There are certainly male/male relationships depicted, with the main character being a bisexual man, and they are an important part ... of the story and the development of the main character. However, I would hesitate to say they are the focus, the way they are in most BL manga.

Now that that's out of the way, here are my thoughts on Baraou no Souretsu.

Story - 7/10
I went into this manga thinking it would be a typical tragic historical BL, and was pleasantly surprised to find an engaging historical retelling with large heapings of war, drama, tragedy, and betrayal. Although I found parts of the plot to be confusing or boring, or even slightly nonsensical, most of that had disappeared by around 10-15 chapters, giving way to an amazing story filled with twists and turns that shape the characters realistically, and that tell a captivating, compelling story. I finished 50 chapters in just one day and was unable to put it down. The story does happen over the course of main character Richard's life, and at times the time skips were slightly jarring, but overall I thought it was executed very well.

Art - 9/10
This will be a bit subjective, as I understand many people dislike BL-typical art styles. However, I found the art and character designs to be beautiful to look at. The covers and chapter titles are absolutely gorgeous, and the manga is filled with beautiful symbolism and plenty of attention to detail. At the very least, the art never got in the way of my enjoyment.

Character - 8/10
The main character Richard was born intersex, and the son of Richard II, who tries to gain the throne and become king of England. He struggles with the label of "demon" from his birth due to his possession of "both male and female sexes". Although his character seemed dull and typical of an angsty "MC with tragic backstory" trope throughout the first third or so of the story, it is fascinating to watch him develop and change through his relationships with both his family and romantic interests. By the 50th chapter, I have become quite invested in his character and look forward to seeing the things he will do next. My own interpretation of his gender is that he is a trans man, due to the large amounts of dysphoria and hatred towards his female parts throughout the story, though others may have different perceptions. Is he a well written trans character? That is up to debate. Considering the setting the story takes place in, and the developments that Richard goes through, I would say it is a somewhat realistic portrayal.

The side characters, from family members to romantic prospects vary in their writing. Many are extremely well-developed and multi-faceted, while some are obviously more symbols than anything else. This is not a bad thing though, and I found myself growing attached to many of them and developing a strong dislike of others.

Enjoyment - 10/10
Not gonna lie - this manga is absolutely my cup of tea. Although I am picky with manga that have BL vibes, this one was the perfect mix of dark, fucked-up romance and twisted, intricate story for the kind of stuff I love. It did bring to mind some elements of Akimi Yoshida's works, and the complexity of some of the relationships reminded me of Code Geass, both of which are some of my favorite animanga media. None of the places where the manga flagged a bit really got in the way of my enjoyment, and I am looking forward to the next volume.

Overall - 9/10
Baraou no Souretsu is perhaps a somewhat controversial work. The main character and his gender is the subject of a lot of discourse around the manga, and some people will no doubt avoid it due to the BL elements and tropes present. However, for fans of historical retellings, dark romance, heaping loads of tragedy, and who can handle some really fucked-up and unhealthy relationships (please check trigger warnings before reading!), I would highly recommend this manga.