September 15, 2014 – Books A to Z

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Title: Loveless vol. 9
Author: Yun Kouga
Year of Publication: 2009
Genre: Manga
Format: Paperback
Length: 176 pages
First Line: “Oww…”

Summary: When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to search for answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names. Will Ritsuka’s relationship with Soubi ultimately lead to the truth or further down the rabbit hole than he imagined possible?

Seimei is very much alive and has torn through the Seven Voices Academy like a whirlwind. As Septimal Moon struggles to right itself and keep its secrets from spilling out, a new enemy takes center stage: the unit named “Bloodless” wages a crippling psychological war, ending battles without spilling a single drop of blood. Yet Ritsuka and Soubi must emerge victorious against them—or lose Kio.

Review: Finally after all these years I got my hands on Loveless vol. 9. A lot of things happened between when I read vol. 8 and vol. 9. Yun Kouga put Loveless on a hiatus, the English translator company Tokyopop went bust so another company Viz picked up the rights, Kouga started the manga again and my life moved on. Also when I wanted to pick up the series again, costs had gone up from around $7.99 / book to $9.99 and I didn’t want to pay that much per book. In the end, thanks mom, for giving this for my birthday.

*SPOILERS*

So checking up from vol. 8 and 9. Soubi and Ritsuka have kidnapped Niesei. In turn, Seimei has the team Bloodless kidnap Soubi’s best friend, Kio. We good?

I felt this volume was very focused on Kio. Soubi and Ritsuka were very concerned over getting Kio back, trying to strategize and stuff. Kio is stuck in a cell being watched over Bloodless. There’s also a lot of flashbacks featuring Kio and Soubi going back to when they first met. There’s a battle of spells between Loveless and Bloodless as well to determine the fates of Kio and Nisei.

In this volume we learn a lot of new information:
+We get to see how Kio and Soubi met in college.
+We get a new pair called Bloodless, Hideo & the Great Yurio. Yurio was actually a blank fighter assigned to Hideo, even though he already had a partner.
+Kio learned that he have a twin sister.

The art and story was still great. It was fabulous to read Loveless again after all this time. But I admit that things seemed to be erratic and jump around.

Most amazing Loveless quote ever:

“Everyone had words to give me. I always thought words were just empty noise. I always thought that I couldn’t trust in people who were all talk. That hasn’t changed but right now I as I leave. If nobody had said anything then what? I think they gave me the words that I need. It’s strange. It must be that words are meant to communicate what is in the heart. Wheather it’s love or hate. Words say what’s in the heart. That’s why it’s wrong to hold back and say nothing!!

Trigger warnings for: torture.

Worst part:

Best part: Jesus, new Loveless!

Grade: B

Recommend For: Awesome people who like dark, fantasty, lgbt manga!

Other Books by This Author: Loveless vol.1 & Loveless vol. 2

A story of second chance love set between London and San Diego.

Thirteen years ago Jonah Kennedy was one of America’s top tennis players, whose six-foot-three bad-boy California looks won him hordes of female admirers.

Thirteen years ago Claire Jackson, a fiery, aspiring artist from London, was the woman who stole his heart.

But the two held a secret which tore them apart and sent Claire running back to England.

They tried to move on. Claire married, had a child and became a successful TV personality. Jonah married, had a child and settled for life on the road.

Thirteen years later and both divorced, their paths cross again. Their attraction is even deeper – they feel destined to be together. Claire’s jealous ex, however, has other plans.

Can Claire and Jonah hold on to their second chance at love or will their past secret haunt them for ever? After all, thirteen is only lucky for some….

Jo qualified as a lawyer before moving into journalism, working for the BBC and reporting and presenting for ITV on holiday, consumer and current affairs programs. She writes for several national UK newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, the Guardian and the Express and was the anonymous author of the Independent’s hit column: Diary of a Primary School Mum. Now is our Time is her third novel.