Chrono Crusade Recommended

Publisher
ADV Manga
Writer
Daisuke Moriyama
Artist
Daisuke Moriyama
Country of origin
Japan
Length
2 volumes
Year
1999

Chrono Crusade GN 2

By David Rasmussen
24th Nov 04

Publisher - ADVManga
Age - T for Teen (13+)
Published in Japan (2000)
By Daisuke Moriyama
ADVManga Staff
Translator - Amy Forsyth
Lead Translator/Translator Supervisor - Javier Lopez
ADV Manga Translation Staff - Josh Cole, Brendan Frayne, Haruka Kaneko-Smith, Eiko McGregor, Madoka Moroe and Kay Bertrand.
Publishing Editor - Susan Itin
Assistant Editor - Margaret Scharold

Previously...
You've met Rosette, exorcist of the Magdalan Order who seems to have destruction follow in her wake (the large bill raked up by her "work" is a testament to that).

She is partnered up with a demon named Chrono, who is tied to her by the contract in which his powers were sealed in exchange for drawing energy from Rosette's lifeforce when necessary.

At the end of Graphic Novel 1 you were also introduced to Azmaria, a young woman gifted with powers from the heavens themselves (who was used by her "adopted father" in a ritual to bring back his wife spirit... which would have worked if the father's assistant wasn't a backstabbing demon who used his "contract" with him to his own ends which ultimately ends with it's destruction).

But now what? Let's find out.

Graphic Novel 2
So how did this contract come about? The contract between Rosette and Chrono?
It took place four years ago, and is tied in to one other... Rosette's brother Joshua.
Four years ago Rosette and Joshua were living in an orphanage. Joshua had a power to heal others, but it couldn't heal himself as he grew sicker and sicker.

It is in this setting that the two discover the sealed tomb holding Chrono, which leads to a friendship and a separation as it seems that Joshua will be taken to the Magdalen Order by Father Remington... that is, unless a certain demon corrupts him before that.

What happens next lays the stage for what is to come... as this is the beginning of what may be the end.
Oh, and Azmaria joins Rosette and Chrono as she begins training to become an exorcist... and maybe become even more if even half of what Sister Kate suspects of her future.

Okay. Let's break this down now.

Chrono Crusade Breakdown the 2nd
What's Hot? - It's good. It's all good. It's funny, it's touching, it's mostly funny but it has it's moments as well. Ah, just believe me when I say it's a good read. So then, go pick it up already. Go on.

What's Not? - Nothing. It's all good.

Moments to Remember? - The humor is the best of this title... hopefully Graphic Novel 3 doesn't turn this title into another Trigun Maximum. It's going to get intense as we roll to the end, I figure that, but hopefully not at the expense of the humor which is the plus point of the title.

What to Ignore? - ...uh... so how did the Magdalen order end up with a certified pervert as their main weapons expert anyway? Guess some people are just unlucky.
Also ignore how Sister Kate seems to already have Azmaria's future all lined up for her and she hasn't even begun training as an exorcist yet.

Overall? - It's one of those good reads. Looks like it'll have a longer future too despite what that cover letter I got from ADVManga said when I first reviewed Chrono Crusade GN 1 way back when.
I should be reviewing Graphic Novel 3 soon, hopefully before the end of this year, so stay tuned.

-- David Rasmussen 24th Nov 04