is a ''
yaoi
''Yaoi'' (; ja, やおい ), also known by the ''wasei-eigo'' construction and its abbreviation , is a genre of fictional media originating in Japan that features Homoeroticism, homoerotic relationships between male characters. It is typi ...
'' manga series written and illustrated by
You Higuri
is a Japanese '' shōjo'' and yaoi manga artist who has made several appearances at anime and manga conventions in the United States, as well as in Germany. Her first U.S. appearance was at the initial Yaoi-Con in San Francisco in 2001 (Yaoi-Con ...
. The series is about the relationship between a man from a poor noble family and a master thief during the
Victorian Era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
Characters
Main characters
Florian
Florian is the last heir of an impoverished noble family. He is 20 years old. He has blond hair and stunning violet eyes, which resemble amethysts. He agrees to be sold to Noir in return for the money to pay his family's debts.
Count Ray Balzac Courland/Noir
Ray Balzac Courland is a master thief who calls himself "Noir". He lives as an usurer under the name "Count Ray Balzac Courland". He is 18 years old. He prefers to use a whip as a weapon.
Laila
Laila is Noir's right-hand woman. She is in love with him, and a little jealous of his relationship with Florian.
Solomon Sugar
Solomon Sugar is a private investigator who is determined to expose Noir's true identity. He gave a nickname to Noir and calls him his "black cat".
Noel 'Petit Noel' Tassel
Noel is the five-year-old son of Monsieur Tassel. His parents and Florian call him "Petit Noel". He becomes instantly attached to Florian due to Florian's resemblance to his mother. Noel always carries a teddy bear named "Betty Deux", which he calls his treasure. The teddy bear actually contains jewels his father hid there for safekeeping.
Louise Mastroianni/Louise Tassel
Louise is the female head of the Black Hand's Paris branch. She is originally Italian. She is married to Monsieur Tassel and is mistress to Romwell Sr, Azura's father.
Azura/Romwell Jr
Azura is the
blood brother
Blood brother can refer to two or more men not related by birth who have sworn loyalty to each other. This is in modern times usually done in a ceremony, known as a blood oath, where each person makes a small cut, usually on a finger, hand or ...
of Noir. He is secretly the head of several criminal organizations, including the Black Hand.
Minor characters
Monsieur Tassel
Monsieur Tassel is Noel's father and the president of the Bank Tassel du Paris. Louise is his second wife, his first having died several years before.
Maurice
Maurice is Florian's uncle. He attempts to murder Florian's mother and steal the Flame of Mughal. He is killed in the process of stealing the jewel.
Manon
Manon is Maurice's lover. She joins him in his nefarious plans and is killed along with him in the process.
Florian's Mother
Florian's Mother is a noblewoman who is forced to sell her treasured family heirlooms to pay off the family's debts. She is presumed to have died in the fire that consumed the family's mansion.
Release
, written and illustrated by
You Higuri
is a Japanese '' shōjo'' and yaoi manga artist who has made several appearances at anime and manga conventions in the United States, as well as in Germany. Her first U.S. appearance was at the initial Yaoi-Con in San Francisco in 2001 (Yaoi-Con ...
, was published into four volumes under
Shueisha
(lit. "Gathering of Intellect Publishing Co., Ltd.") is a Japanese company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company was established in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The foll ...
's Eyes Comics imprint line from October 25, 1999 to September 25, 2002.
[ ]Tokyopop
Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
licensed it for an English translation in North America, releasing the volumes between February 2006 and February 2007 through its Blu Manga
Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
line.[ On April 24, 2004, ]Gentosha
is a Japanese publisher, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. Gentosha publishes manga magazine ''Comic Birz'', Web comic magazines '' GENZO'', ''SPICA'', '' Comic MAGNA'', literary magazines '' Lynx'', ''papyrus'', as well as business magazine ''GOET ...
released a one-shot titled on its Birz Comics Girl's Collection line.[ ]Digital Manga Publishing
Digital Manga is a California-based publishing company that licenses and releases Japanese manga, anime, and related merchandise in the English language.
Digital Manga also owns and operates eManga, a digital publishing site for manga and ...
translated ''Galaxy'' into English and published it on July 19, 2006. Under the same line of ''Galaxy'', Gentosha released into two volumes on June 24, 2011.[ has been serialized in ''Web Spica'' and ''Comic Spica'' magazines since August 2010.] Gentosha released the first ''tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volume on January 24, 2013.[
]
''Kurayami no Bitoku''
''Galaxy''
''La Esperanza''
''Ao no Karanku''
References
{{reflist, 2
External links
The series on Blu Manga's Site
Sequential Tart review
Graphic Novel Reporter review
1999 manga
Digital Manga Publishing titles
Gentosha manga
Yaoi anime and manga
Shueisha manga
Tokyopop titles
You Higuri