Alichino #1

Kouyu Shurei's *Alichino* arrives in English through Tokyopop with a volume one that immediately announces itself as something visually special. The cover, fully penciled and inked by Shurei, draws three ethereal figures together — a silver-haired young man in dark robes at the center, flanked by a auburn-haired figure behind him and a striking pale woman with vivid crimson eyes, lotus blossoms, and an ornate blue bird woven into the golden-bordered composition. It's a genuinely gorgeous introduction to a world that feels steeped in supernatural elegance, and at its 2005 price point it was an easy invitation into one of manga's more hauntingly beautiful series.