Chrono Crusade, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Daisuke Moriyama (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 8, 2004

America in the Roaring 20s. On the surface, it's a positive, peaceful time after the violence of the Great War. But lurking in the shadows is a dark element ready to snatch that peace away. Sister Rosette Christopher, an exorcist working as a part of the Magdala Order, has a duty to fight the demons which appear and cause destruction. But along with her companion Chrono, she usually ends up causing more destruction than the demons themselves! On one particular mission, they meet a young girl with a beautiful voice named Azmaria, who is being targeted by her own stepfather. As Rosette and Chrno work to save her, more is revealed about the relationship between them. There is more to these two than meets the eye.

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: ADV Manga (June 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413900844
• ISBN-13: 978-1413900842
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply one of the best manga series I've ever read, May 26, 2004

By 

Veronica, just an average reader, you know? (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chrono Crusade, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I really can't praise this wonderful series enough. The first volume serves as an introduction for a much darker, highly emotional series, yet is still excellent, full of action and lots of funny moments. The characters are very well written, three dimensional and each one with a very complicated past that gets revealed little by little in the following volumes. In this series nothing is what it seems, but you have to read it for yourself to fully appreciate it. I'm sure everyone is going to fall in love with the characters, most specially Rosette, a strong-willed, optimistic, cheerful person who never gives up, despite her tragic past and uncertain future; and Chrono, a kind and loyal person who supports Rosette in every way possible, keeping all his troubles and his dark past for himself. The story is also excellent, full of twists and very addictive. The artwork is also great. I highly recomend this series, I consider it as one of the best mangas I've read.

If you, by any chance, have seen the anime "Chrno Crusade", simply forget about it and read this manga instead, is at least a thousand times better in every way imaginable (no absurd plot holes or filler episodes), and also has a different, more fluid storyline. Can't go wrong with it!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly original work..., June 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Chrono Crusade, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This is definitely the best series I've ever read! There is never a dull moment. It is funny but has moments filled with intense emotion as well as an original plot.
Set in the 1920's in New York, the story revolves a nun - Sister Rosette Christopher, allied with a demon named Chrono. They are the exorcists of the order of Magdalan, fighting against the demonic spirits. Chrono's powers are sealed inside a pocket watch, which Rosette wears. However every time he draws on his powers, Rosette's lifetime becomes shorter. They make strange team, a gun wielding nun and a demon...The personalities of the main characters makes it hard for the reader not to like them. It is a series filled with humor but at same time darkness buried beneath.
Although the anime is available, it is still worthwhile to read the manga. The art is simply beautiful, opening with a few colored pages. Chrono Crusade is a masterpiece, full of action and suspense. Out of the many manga I've read, this is definitely the best.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If the Church really had .45 1911s I'd go to church everyday, May 24, 2005

By 

Kuroda Taiki "Taiki" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chrono Crusade, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I love this series, its just too good to be true. The fact that Christianity, is taken with a light heart, doesn't make it the usual, too dark to make a joke. You don't normally see a Catholic based uniform that shows legs, and priests who joke about staring at teenage nuns. Rosette, is one hot nun.

Well anyway, after reading up to volume 4 and seeing the first episode, I was blown away. I never thought I'd see an anime have so much research done on American history, albeit having a little creative license, that you could care less about. The fact that the author centers the theme around Rosette and Chrono's relationship is very, how you say, cute. There's no slapstick loser male character in Chrono. Chrono's older, but his 13 year old appearance makes it funny to see Rosette ordering him around like a little brother. The other main theme that the author himself claims, is "living on borrowed time" much like Kikyo from Inuyasha. It's not if you're going to die, but when, and the anxiety of that day.

Rosette searches for her brother, Joshua, who's become a demon who also looks for her. Rosette she does it despite literally killing herself by shaving of years of life to power up Chrono in times of need. Chrono, a demon who massacred other demons, is on her side, feeling responsible, as his horns (source of power) may as well rest on Joshua's head.

This series knows how to keep the plot moving, whether through character development, action, or background information. The fact that you can make a series based on the 1920s before the Great Depression, cute nuns, witches, demon summoning, tommy guns, and Church militias, promises something most anime don't, a very accurate (feeling) of a foreign culture, with the exception of Christanity. The only stereotype on Americans played in, is Rosette's gung-ho attitude, which you can also say, comes from her youth. Just think about how, Hollywood portrays the Japanese, and compare how well this was done. This series, whether, manga or anime, will keep you coming for more.