▪	RELEASED BY:		BLU MANGA UK
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		KAI TSURUGI
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / BW
		▪	PAGES:		195
		▪	RATING:		M
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		07/03/2006
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		02/06/2008
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		SANDRA SCHOLES

“To live by my loyalty to my lord forsaking all else. I offer my sword and my life. So do I vow.”

Young prince Christian is sent to the king's Mercenary Training Academy in the hope it makes a young man out of him. Assigned to Zeke O' Brien as a new recruit, things could not go any more smoothly as they do, but when he learns of how amazing Zeke is and that he intends to earn the title of Black Knight at the next tournament he is enamoured with his mentor.

As Christian is at the Training Academy anonymously, he both befriends everyone as well as the handsome and protective Zeke who finds the prince alluring, while Zeke O' Brien excels at hunting, riding and sword combat. He realises he will be taken care of until one night Zeke attends to the prince's wounds after hunting and as Christian is wondering the halls, he is set upon by an assassin who is taken care of by his mentor Zeke.

Prince Christian hoped the negotiations between kingdoms were going well, and wonders if the assassin might be one of the cabinet ministers, but that is just a thought and not a certainty. Zeke thinks there is more to this attempt and guards him as best he can in the only way he knows how.

The prince receives news of his father who has been poisoned and is returning there to the palace to the prince of Aran's kingdom. Zeke is given a welcome befitting a Knight, though if he wants to be by prince Christian's side, he must prove himself worthy of the title.

Black Knight is a heart-warming tale of love in a harsh time of deadly warfare, anger among the kingdoms and the protection of the prince by his trustee mentor, Zeke who protects him no matter what in this manga.

Prince Christian is beautiful in his naivete as he has never had to fight, nor truly talk with people. He gets into the swing of it, though as he becomes everyone's friend even if he is ill equipped for battle. Not to worry though as he has enough help from Zeke who seems to do anything to help him out in these rough times where Knights and dangerous adversaries roam.

Kai Tsurugi has outdone herself by creating this first volume, as one look at the cover art is enough to give the reader an idea to the quality of the manga in its black and white tones.Every detail is included in the drawing of the characters, their faces, bodies and their exuding such beauty and sensuality. Kai has used the right amount of emotion needed to show how the characters feel about each other in this epic manga.

In this volume there is an extra in the form of a bonus story called "Deadly Sin." Fans of deeply emotional manga will find inspiring and very different to the main manga.

IN SUMMARY:
Smouldering, sexy and enticing. Zeke and his prince are the perfect couple!