This is the best Homerun Ken story I have ever read.
The tension is fabulous in this fantasy tale! Deception, mystery, murder, tragedy, angst, anger, blood, jealousy, pure selfless love, sweet kisses and romance -this one is incredible! It took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions for it's short 5 chapters!
The art is breathtakingly stunning. The story is captivating, haunting and heart breaking; the resolution is fulfilling even with it's sad happiness. Not too sweet, not too bitter: the end left we with a lump in my throat for Yi and a smile on my face for Al. Some end happily; some end with redemption.
The interweaving lives of Wann, Sakutarou, Yi and Al was masterfully done and the drama of the illustrations had me flipping back and re-reading as I held my breath. Beautiful! Some scenes were illustrated so climatically (Al's invitation to S to take out his frustration, as Al moved S's hands slowly to Al's very own neck...) that I swear my heart stopped!
Will Yi get a continuation of his own story someday? The mangaka did what I believe all good endings should do: Leave you wanting more, unable to stop thinking about the characters' lives, but enough realism and purposefulness that it's okay if the 'more' is only in your imaginations.
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 was because Yi's journey would have been more touching if there were more scenes with his inner dialogue of struggle. Although I still felt for the touching end to his crimes, I think it could have been knock-me-flat-on-my-back with a few chapters from his perspective along with Al and Sakutarou.