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ANGEL SANCTUARY (VOL. 18) [ADVANCE REVIEW) |
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Sunday, 18 February 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | VIZ MEDIA | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | KAORI YUKI | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT / BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 192 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | T+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 02/20/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 02/19/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
The Book of Heaven arc continues as Kira is inhabited by Lucifer who has joined forces with the mad organic angel Rosiel in his plans to break into the highest bastion of Heaven and rip all worlds asunder. Setsuna is striving to win the armies of Hell to his side to join the rebellion and stop Rosiel. Yet Sara lies deep in a nightmare cursed upon her by Sandalphon. Can Setsuna face Lucifer who wears the body of his dearest friend and destroy Rosiel to finally save Sara once and for all? The end of the world is nigh as the story moves into the final volumes.
This Gothic shojo manga is one of the more complex and layered stories ever released. The entire cast of important characters has reached about the twenty number mark. With so many characters and varying intrigues and competing personal aims, the story can be difficult to follow at times, which is why it’s helpful to keep the earlier volumes handy for quick reference. Nevertheless it is an enthralling piece of often disturbing but always fascinating supernatural horror mixed with personal drama.
In this latest volume, there’s the difficulty Setsuna faces in dealing with Lucifer who is – or is not- Kira. Meanwhile Sara falls deeper into the nightmare that Sandalphon has put her into, leaving her in an extreme mental state that takes its toll not only on her but those closest to her. The truth of Rosiel’s plans are revealed in these chapters. There is also Setsuna’s determination to shake off his past as Alexiel while embracing her at the same time as part of who he is in order for him to face the present and fight for the future he wants. There are also the reunion of Setsuna with Kurai, the appearance of the Queen of Darkness Barubelo, and the final fate of Katan as he pits himself against the king of all devils, Lucifer.
This volume marks some pivotal turning points for several of the characters, not the least of which is Setsuna. It also holds some of the more arresting art work in the series that Kaori Yuki has gifted us with yet. It is richly detailed, with a diverse array of Gothic designs to the characters. In the more dramatic moments the characters display telling expressions that are exceedingly well done. It helps display the incredible imagination of the writer with the appearance of the final gate, the newer characters and the Angels of the Zodiac and the complicated machinations of the characters themselves. This is an incredible world to get lost within on its dark and perilous journey.
IN SUMMARY:
Angel Sanctuary is an increasingly complex and utterly riveting occult saga. With Setsuna awakening to his full potential, Sara’s life and sanity on the line, and the Earth, Heaven and Hell all in the balance of the war he is a part of, the story comes to a tense turning point as it approaches the end of this incredible saga. |
