To me Bloody Cross is the kind of objectively mediocre manga that has just enough self-awareness to make it enjoyable.

First thing is that what passes for "plot" here is made up entirely of double crosses and triple crosses and bullshit about the Bible and crusades that no one really cared about in the end. Of course double crosses are fun and perfectly necessary for a manga like this one, but we can't really subsist on a diet, again, entirely made up of them. There will be character background stuff that's actually interesting, but it comes in at like 5 minutes before the end so the emotional impact of that is never really felt.

Second thing is that I liked Tsukimiya in the beginning, but I didn't love her until the mangaka suddenly decided to completely sideline her. I'm cursed to always love the side character, I guess, but if you like her too, just be aware that she never really plays a big part again after .

Having said that, character work is a big issues for any character not named Tsukimiya or Hinata. Bloody Cross seems to think that a character having two sides to them means that those two sides must be diametrically opposed and that one side has to be a mask. I happen to like Tsukimiya or Hinata because they're not like the others, they're not the most powerful ones, they're a bit weak, but they're feisty and smart and fighting like hell for their lives. There're multiple sides to them, but they're still coherent as characters.

As for Bloddy Cross's self-awareness, I mean, it's only really apparent compared with the series that don't have it. There's no overreaction or taking itself too seriously here, is what I'm saying. No character languishes in sorrow or despair and there's no attempt to contextualize the plot in real world phenomenon. Bloody Cross just barrels merrily to the next twist, even after , which is okay.

On the last note: how bad does the art want to be CLAMP lol? This is a serviceable copy of CLAMP's long body proportions and xxxHOLiC's aversion to screentones but there's nothing like CLAMP's wealth of details or their flair for striking visuals here. There's nothing so luxuriously indulgent in the art; it's just, you know, like the plot, barely functional.

I mean, I sound like I'm complaining but, aside from the obvious and unforgivable injustice of sidelining Tsukimiya, I kinda loved Bloody Cross.

For those who know or don't know, bloody cross is already out in stores, Vol 1 - 3 are already out. The reason why I'm spreading the news is because in my opinion, yen press, sells in bloody cross, are not that great. I figured i would help out by spreading the word out so yen press doesn't stop releasing the vol. I think they are having difficulties selling them. I have already bought 1-3 and pre-ordered 4-6. I truly like the story behind it whether or not some likes it or not. It's worth having it since the translation tends to take long to come out. The book is out in digital if some are interested in purchasing it. They have it for iBook, google play, amazon kindle, kobo and nook. The book is cheap, 7 dollars. I hope ya support the story.

... Last updated on July 14th, 2014, 2:32am

Whenever I read Bloody Cross, I always wonder, "What is it that this series does right?" Because while I really can't seem to stop reading (and enjoying it), it's really a lot easier to answer the question, "What does Bloody Cross do wrong?"

Because Bloody Cross does a lot of things wrong. Namely, it takes basically most vampire/angel/demon cliches out there (only the action ones, none of the romance, thank goodness) and throws it all in and bam! that's it--that's Bloody Cross. All the characters are exactly what you would expect from their first appearance: Tsukimiya is a strong, self-serving girl who won't hesitate to stomp on heads on her way out, Hinata is a careless but also sensible enough boy who likes messing with people, Tsuzuki is the usual arrogant, narcissistic god(-candidate) figure, and Satsuki is the mysterious yet all-powerful enemy that always seems to be one-step ahead. They're all archetypes that have been done before--and done better.

But, somehow, all these cliches don't detract from Bloody Cross; they make it even more fun to read. While I wouldn't say that each chapter keeps me in either surprise or suspense, I will say that each chapter is in fact consistently enjoyable, even though you know that the protagonists will probably just escape the new scrape by the skin of their teeth and the conflict will simply remain at a standstill, with each new gain cancelled out by a new loss. It's all so predictable yet still so entertaining.

In a word, Bloody Cross is an unabashedly campy action fantasy series--a series that knows precisely what it is and embraces it. It's not a lifechanging or even mildly unique work, by any means, but it sure is a series that knows what it's doing--and it does it well. And that's probably what makes it so darn, well, enjoyable.

edit: Now that all the volumes are out (and sitting on my bookshelf), I just have to say: boy, was that ending predictable or what? But, also, boy, did I enjoy it! On any other manga, I would've criticized how the ending had panned out--because, really? you're really going with that cliche?--but, with Bloody Cross, it all fits. Every last panel and line of dialogue works. Somehow. Miraculously. Bloody Cross manages to make me like every single cliche I had hated before. And even as I can't say this is a particularly good manga, it certainly is a manga that I'll enjoy rereading in all the times to come.

Thanks, Bloody Cross, for the truly ridiculous ride.

... Last updated on December 25th, 2016, 1:24pm

nothing is wrong with this series.... but, it's nothing special either. And 10 is only for what I consider to be a masterpiece.

The story is cool enough, but there were no twists and events that made this manga shine.

I've got to agree with all of the other reviewers, Bloody Cross is far from horrible, but it's not worth going out of your way for. It just lacks that certain something needed to make it memorable. More like, it's as middle of the road as you can get.

The plot of the manga is actually pretty good. While yes, Tsukimiya and Hinata start off with a cursed mark that will kill them if they don't act fast, that problem is solved within the first few chapters. The real plot to this manga is everything that happens after that. Namely, to get rid of their brands, Tsukimiya and Hinata have to get hold of divine relics that, once collected, will turn the user into the next supreme being of the universe. An angel also hunting the relics is impressed by Tsukimiya and asks her to assist him in his quest to become god. He'll pay her to help him track down relics and keep the ones he's got safe. And that's the plot for the rest of the manga: tracking down relics, tricking other god candidates into giving up their own relics, making alliances to get more relics, breaking those alliances, etc. The double-crossing and the intrigue are probably the strongest points of this manga.

On the flip side: The art for this manga is serviceable. There are no awkward angles or proportions, the action shots look the way they're supposed to, all of which is very good, yet the art comes across as somewhat bland. The artist incorporates few details, placing the characters on big white spaces most of the time instead of actual backgrounds, and the characters are drawn in a generic way. In point of fact, so generic that even after 6+ volumes of manga, I still have a hard time distinguishing between them...

The characters themselves are another issue. Unfortunately, this is one of those mangas that likes to continually spam readers with new characters. Each new villain arrives with an entourage of henchmen (who once again, tend to resemble on another), so it becomes quite a chore keeping them all straight. In some ways, it's logical to have so many characters; after all, we're talking about divine relics that grant the user the power to become a deity, of course there would be multiple factions trying to get hold of these things. However, with so many characters, there ends up being very few that I care about. In short, the character development is seriously lacking.

The manga tells us very little about any of the characters, including (unfortunately) our main character, Tsukimiya. For example, not once has the manga mentioned her parents, yet she's supposed to be a "half-blood." But how did an angel and a vampire end up having a baby? What happened to them? Are they currently alive or dead? How long have Tsukimiya and Hinata known each other? What does Tsukimiya do for a living when she's not hunting relics? These are pretty basic questions, but the manga is more interested in getting to the next plot twist than answering questions about its characters.

So I'm not going to tell you to run out and get this manga, but I'm not going to tell you to avoid it either. There nothing in it to really hate (and nothing in it to really love), so yeah, a really middle of the road manga.

Nothing really excited me so I skipped to the last chapter. Characters are really shallow there's no driving force wanting me too feel for them or liking them, too many OP moments that got tiring very quickly, fights are 4/10 so boring, they know each other too well which I'd say is ruins the dramatic feel, Fuck already!. I've got some good pointers being a half-blood in bloody cross is keeping me hopeful about the progression, the One-shot was great I liked that idea of survival better.

Decent art, basic over used plot elements. The story failed to draw me in after ~10 chapers, but gave it 7 for the art nontheless. It reminds me of CLAMPs style in some of their series (minus the fine pencil lining).

Honestly between this and vampire knight, I prefer this one. It gives more a trinity blood vibe and its not so shoujo-ish and boring as VK.
Hinata is really interesting~

First couple chapters are crap. But they tell you everything you need to know rather simply and establish everything. A plus in my book because I like to know the rules before jumping in.

If you want to read this, I suggest you start now. If you stopped reading it, pick it back up again. We finally have both feet in the story so it isn't as... lame.

Its worth reading just to attempt to understand Hinata.

Contrary to the general consensus, I thought Bloody Cross should have come as a pleasant surprise rather than a resounding disapointment and much, much less a critical success. Vampires and half-angels? Scanlation project abandoned and picked up randomly? Remote experience with the supernatural genre teaches one to have low expectations. So instead of avoiding cliches, Bloody Cross embraces them. The twists may be predictable, but still well executed enough to provide an enjoyable ride.

Again, the cover art shouldn't have been as deceptive as it was, since basic body proportions, panel compositon, fighting poses and sequence remain consistent, even admirable throughout. The cover actually gives an accurate insight. Notice the lack of attention to details, the uninteresting coloring and bland art style as tell-tale signs. They are not the components of a masterpiece but nevertheless take Bloody Cross far away from being "horrible".