Black Bird is a shoujo manga by Kanoko Sakuraouji. It tells the story of Misao Harada, an ordinary girl who can see ghosts, spirits and demons, and her relationship with Kyo, the head of a Tengu (bird demon) clan, who she befriended as a little child. Thanks to her Dangerous Sixteenth Birthday, if a demon makes Misao his bride (which is implied to have more to do with sex than it does with nuptials), their clan would become prosperous; on the other hand, if a demon eats her flesh, it will gain immortality. Poor Misao is therefore caught between Kyo, who wants to marry her (against her will, if necessary), and various other badnasties who want to eat her. Romance, uh, ensues.Not to Be Confused withThe Beatles song of the same name from the White Album.
Tropes used in this work include:
All Men Are Perverts: especially including Kyo, who thinks erotic ukiyo-e artwork, a book of 48 hot sex tips, and a laid-out futon is the best way to celebrate.
All of the Other Reindeer: "I, Misao Harada, can see spirits. When I was younger, people hated me because of it."
Bastard Boyfriend: Kyo, whose 'love' is expressed by constant sexual harassment - up to taking secret photos of his, uh... beloved.
There's also the time he lifted her up several stories and threatened to drop her, all so he could train her body to become dependent upon him.
That was less trying to make her dependent upon him than it was him trying to show her that if he does not protect her, she will be killed and eaten by some other demon. There were probably better methods with which to do it, but his intentions weren't malicious.
Berserk Button: Don't touch Misao in front of Kyo. And only try to hurt her if you have a pretty sincere death wish which includes some fairly painful methods of dying.
Bishōnen: Pretty much every male character, but especially Kyo, whom Misao mistakes for a pretty girl upon seeing him as an adult.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Shuuhei and Shojo seem like really nice people at first... of course, they're both complete and utter bastards. Inverted with Kyo who can act like a real Jerk Ass, but is in fact incredibly caring and gentle (... not that this makes up for some of the things he does).
Butt Monkey: Misao comes up as this, and it's NOT Played for Laughs. She can see spirits, which is already scary enough, and used to be harrassed or hated because of that. Then, she gets caught in the wars of the Tengu and is under attack many times. And while some Tengus are sympathetic to her plight, the most powerful ally she has among them is... a Bastard Boyfriend.
Chekhov's Gun: Kensuke gives Misao a bottle of Whitesnakes' poison which comes in handy when she's later trapped alone with Soujou.
Cool and Unusual Punishment: While discussing what would be a proper punishment if Sojo rebelled again, Misao suggested keeping him away from women so he wouldn't have a family. The men expressed horror at this, as it would also deprive him of other carnal pleasures, something men in this series value.
In some translations she suggests to castrate him - which would be way OOC, but would explain utter horror on their faces better.
The Chew Toy: the entire supernatural realm is gunning for Misao's flesh and blood, and they're not shy about it.
Erotic Eating: When Kyo buys an ice-cream cone for Misao he ends up getting some on his finger, and holds it up for her to lick. Ironically, the ladies watching the pair seem more interested.
Forced To Watch: Kyo is threatened with this more than once.
Friend To All Children: Kyou, surprisingly. There's a reason why he and Tarou get along really well.
Good Is Not Nice: Kyo can be an incredible Jerkass but he's the only thing standing between Misao and a messy death.
Hair Reboot: Justified in this case, as Misao gets hair extensions after her close shave with Sojo. Although she doesn't tell him, she does it because she notices Kyo looks sad everytime he sees her short hair.
Kick the Dog: A literal example: in his youth Sho beats a puppy to near death.
Sho does a lot of Kicking The Dog. First off, Misao when she was a little girl, then Tarou and his brothers, then Misao again...
Nice Guy: Dojouji Kensuke. Despite being a snake demon, Kensuke is quite possibly the only gentleman in a cast full of misogynist assholes in that he never lets his physical attraction to Misao override his concern for her feelings. Ironically, this is the very reason why he has no chance in hell of becoming her primary suitor.
Real Men Hate Sugar: Kyo hates sweets to the point that he almost becomes nauseous from a taste of ice cream, but he still forces himself to eat the cake that Misao made.
Sibling Triangle - Kyo, Misao and Sho. Kyo and Sho are brothers.
Schmuck Bait: Misao, they might as well be holding up a sign saying "THIS IS A TRAP" and you stillfall for it!
Wife Husbandry: Kyo's father met Kyo's mother when she was only seven... and he was eighteen. It's even creepier when you find out that she is essentially betrothed to him and is supposed to become his wife ten years later. Of course, the worst part is Kyo's father's thought: 'I couldn't wait for the child to become a woman.' Squick.
Youkai: Demon clans featured so far include Tengu (crow), Kitsune (fox), and Shirohebi (snake). Naturally, they're all packed to the gills with Bishōnen.
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