If you have not read part two, please click here. If you need to read part one, then please click here.
image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crescent_Moon_(manga)
I actually own this series, so I will be reading the official English translation rather than reading from a website.
The back cover reads:
“Mahiru Shiraishi has an uncanny ability to bring good luck to everyone she touches -except herself. She’s constantly haunted by a recurring nightmare that ushers her to a dreamworld. There, she encounters a tribe of demons -a werewolf, vampire, fox, and bat- called the Lunar Race. Destiny calls when they need her help to recover their source of power, the stolen “Teardrops of the Moon”. In this fantasy adventure, Mahiru must battle the rage between the human race and the Lunar Race, whose powers are awakened by the dark side of the moon.”
Crescent Moon has 25 chapters through 6 volumes. My review will be below, and if you continue reading below the stars, you will see my explanation and my recounting of what I read.
Every post past this point will be a spoiler, so please read ahead with caution!
May 23, 2018
I read through volume four this time, so I’ve just finished chapter 15. I feel like a lot happened, so I’ll try to write it all out.
Chapter 10 starts with Mahiru going on a school trip to the Kansai area. Turns out that the Moon Palace is in that area as well, so while Oboro and Katsura go there to visit/report to Emperor Shirogane, the rest of the boys (Nozomu, Akira, and Mitsuru) follow Mahiru to keep her safe. Once meeting up with Mahiru, Nozomu and Akira show around her school friends, while Mahiru leaves with Mitsuru to visit her grandmother’s grave. While they share moments (including Mitsuru smiling for possibly the first time in the series) together, Emperor Shirogane watches them while eating ice cream.
In the next chapter, he’s back in the Moon Palace having a meeting with Oboro and Katsura. It’s revealed that Emperor Shirogane’s health is getting worse, and the Great Empress (his mother) has gotten so ill that she will no longer see him. So despite some Teardrops of the Moon being found, things are not getting any better for the Lunar Race. Misoka was sitting in the meeting, too, but we only learn that as a flashback (possibly in the next chapter). Later that night, he reports to Nozomu and Akira that there have been no births in the Lunar Race and that the elders are dying daily. Mitsuru isn’t present for the meeting because he ran off after having a fight with Mahiru.
The next day, Mahiru’s school is in Nara, and only Akira and Mitsuru are there to guard her. Misoka and Nozomu are both at the Moon Palace to research possible Teardrop locations since they’re running out of time to find all the Teardrops. While Mitsuru and Mahiru are fighting again, Akira meets Keiko Himura (the seer for Dawn’s Venus) and gives her some candy. It seems like he has a crush on her~ And since she doesn’t throw away the candy, I think she’s starting to get a little crush on him, too~
It’s also revealed around this time that Keiko is the fiance of Hokuto Koudokui (the leader of Dawn’s Venus). It’s more of a political marriage to keep the bloodline pure and the powers strong, but five years ago (before the Moonlight Bandits started stealing the Teardrops of the Moon), she was in love with Hokuto, and he was a very different person. But once the Lunar Race appeared, and Hokuto’s father was too sick to destroy them himself, he put the task on his son, and Hokuto’s never been the same since.
So after the school trip it’s Akira’s birthday, and all of Mahiru’s friends are invited to the Moonshine Bar (including Keiko). Dawn’s Venus keeps showing up wherever the Moonlight Bandits appear, so our boys are concerned about an insider leaking their plans. Poor Mahiru is the only one they can think of, and she’s feeling guilty for wanting to be Keiko’s friend, so when Keiko shows up for the party and then immediately leaves, things quickly get out of hand. Mitsuru tries to corner Keiko, Akira stops him, Mahiru’s yelling, Mitsuru runs off, and so does Keiko. When Akira and Mahiru go back inside, Misoka and Nozomu know something happened. Akira and Mahiru deny that Keiko’s part of Dawn’s Venus, Misoka and Nozomu don’t believe them, Akira runs off, and later, so does Mahiru. She returns home after leaving a note for Batty to deliver to Nozomu. Despite Nozomu and Misoka being the only part of the Moonlight Bandits around, they still go after a Teardrop because the illness that’s plaguing the Lunar Race is also starting to weaken Misoka.
Unfortunately, Dawn’s Venus has the Teardrop. Hokuto picked it up in person (with Mutsuru and Keiko) in order to hide it from the Moonlight Bandits. Mitsuru appears and immediately attacks them, catching them by surprise. Nozomu and Misoka show up, but Mitsuru’s being a lone wolf again and attacks them, too. When Mutsuru is about to shoot Mitsuru in the back, Misoka jumps in the way and deflects the arrow. Instead of thanking him, Mitsuru starts to go off on Misoka, but in the middle of the battle, Misoka is suddenly weakened by his illness and starts to fall out of the sky.
And so ends chapter fifteen at the end of volume 4. Just two volumes left to go!
To read part four, please click here.
Completed Manga Review 