Blood+: Kowloon Nights (Blood+ Kowloon Nights)

I'm new to Amazon, and just learning how to write these out but package came here sooner and was glad with everything! thank you! 5 stars!

Love it!

I found art of this manga absolutely stunning. Well, I am a fan of this manga-ka (Hirotaka Kisaragi), so perhaps it is not surprising. (Amazon offers a free preview of the first few pages, so hopefully everyone can see and decide that for themselves.)I'm not familiar with the major part of the story ("Blood +" saga), but this book can be read (and enjoyed) as a stand-alone. It's a mix of supernatural, mystery / horror story with an emotional / character-driven plot, and this combination "good plot + character development" makes it an excellent read, IMO.A Hong Kong police detective (half-Japanese) recently lost his elder brother, and currently investigates mysterious horrific deaths. The circumstances of those deaths suggest that something supernatural (and very blood-thirsty) may be responsible. This all may sound as a somewhat cliché manga plot, but what makes it above average is an emotional, well-developed interaction between characters. Two main characters are men of very different backgrounds yet they find enough of common ground to become friends, and demonstrate their humane, compassionate nature among all the blood and killings around them. There are also a few side characters, with interesting personalities of their own, my favorite is the cop's "spy", who successfully infiltrated Hong Kong mafia.Overall, recommended, even if you are not familiar with all other Blood + chapters.(The story did feel a bit unfinished to me - well, it is a side-story / part of a much longer saga. Still, I enjoyed it quite a bit as a stand-alone).

This manga is set between Saya's Vietnam incident and the Blood+ anime series. A stand alone, a book you can read while on the bus or train, it allows you to dive into the world of murder, vampires, and Red Shield without having to spend hours watching a bunch of DVDs or reading a ton of books. A few extras in the back, interviews, mean that the book is worth the money for any vampire lover or Blood+ fan.

First off, this manga gives us some background to the events of both the manga and the anime. It also ads a ton of depth to Hagi's character as we watch his individual struggles with both the chiropterans and his own past. The detective character was also interesting to read about.Strangely, this manga was also chock full of homoerotic moments, including one that unintentionally looks NSFW at a glance (as seen in the picture). It was really hard to take some of these moments seriously when I was cracking up because of awkward imagery or accidental innuendo. If that is something that bothers you, give it a pass I guess. I thought it just added a layer of comedy to this manga.

Father's volume was awesome in the sense that we get to see what Haji does without Saya or the diva drama, Saya is actually my favorite part in the whole series so not getting to see her hardly at all kind of dampened My overall feeling for this specific volume

If you thought you would Saya and Hanji but you are having a sequel to blood + with different character with hanji

Police officer Nishi Tatsuyoshi is investigating a series of strange murders--the victims were all completely drained of blood. The Hong Kong underground is filled with rumors of vampires and of a new drug that makes you immortal, but Nishi knows that there has to be a person behind the crimes. Or he believes that until the day he is in the abandoned Kowloon Walled City and is attacked by a monstrous creature. His life is saved by the appearance of a strange man, but that man--Hagi--may be even more of a mystery than the crimes Nishi is investigating.Kisaragi adds to the Blood+ series with a story about Hagi, the Chevalier of Saya, the heroine of the series, but readers don't have to have prior knowledge of Saya to enjoy this monster-slaying action manga. Blood+: Kowloon Nights takes place in between the events of the anime Blood: the last vampire and the Blood+ anime. (Also in the series are the five-volume Blood+ series and the two-volume Blood+: Adagio series, plus the Blood and Blood+ novels all from Dark Horse, so there are lots of stories for fans new and old.) Since this tale does not feature Saya and because it is written by a creator popular in the United States for his boys' love manga, Blood+: Kowloon Nights is a great choice for attracting new fans to the franchise. Nishi is the main character here and he's a hot-headed, but good-at-heart police officer, earnest to the point of almost being a caricature of a shonen action hero. Even when surrounded by strange events, he's determined to muddle through, spurred on by the loss of his brother, a military chaplain. This determined, yet cheerful attitude is appealing and helps make the story accessible to those new to the Blood+ universe.Hagi, on the other hand, doesn't say much and we aren't given a lot of details about him, other than who (and what) he is. But it's clear from Kisaragi's portrayal of him that Hagi feels conflicted about his role and his powers. He doesn't want to become a monster, but he doesn't feel like he is part of the human race either. He reacts to Nishi's kindness almost like a beaten dog to a kind new master, which is touching. The other side characters are less fully fleshed out, but since this is a one-volume, stand alone part of the series, they don't really need to be more developed. They work just fine to help move the plot along. The plot itself is obviously a mere portion of a larger whole, but again, that's okay. The story is has a strong beginning, coherent middle, and clear ending, which is what it needs to work in a single volume.The popularity of Kisaragi's art lies in its beauty; his characters, both good and evil, are ethereally beautiful, the essence of bishonen. In a nod to his boys' love roots, there are just enough instances of very attractive men holding each other protectively or blushing at a touch to get boys' love fans to pick up this non-boys' love title. On top of that, Kisaragi has a feel for paranormal action. The monsters are hideous, the fight scenes well-laid out, and there is just enough blood and fighting to make the tale believable without being too gory. This volume is a great addition to collections that have the other Blood+ manga or for libraries that want to try a single volume first to judge popularity.-- Snow Wildsmith

As a Blood+ fan, I had to have this for my collection. The story is good, it does cover some bits about Haji that are not mentioned in the anime or manga (like how he feeds and his inner torment). I would probably have to rate it 4 starts for overall, but because its a manga about Haji, I will go for 5 :)