Story: 10
A dream world, based on the 18th century France, which is haunted by doll-like zombies. I was pretty surprised by this scenario because it was really not typical for a Yuki Kaori Story. However somehow it works really good. Although I am really not a fan of zombie/epedemy/apocalypse - scenarios, I was thrilled by the idea of depicting the undead beings as doll-like creatures, controlled by a mysterious virus one does neither know the source of nor how to fight it. An orchestra made of shady characters as kind of an anti-Guignol squad team was a fascinating thought - very hilarious at the beginning, but everyone who knows the power of music knows that this picture is not even that unrealistic! The focus of the story lies on the two main characters Lucille and Eles, their unique relationship and especially Lucille's dark past with may secrets to reveil.
Art: 10
It's Yuki Kaori goddammit! What else to say? :D She has this ability of creating each character with an unique spirit and look and her backgrounds are divine! What I love most about her art is her incredible eye for the details.
Character: 10
Yuki Kaori has a very personal relationship to her characters and you can cleary see that she gives every single one deep thoughts. Every character has his own, unique look, drive, passion, motives and past. Especially fascinating I found the constellation of this orchestra: Lucille, an incredibly beautiful man with a divine singing voice, with an obvious dark and mysterious past, who seems to have his own, secret ambition. Eles, a girl in disguise, who sees the world through the honest eyes of a child and feels of the orchestra as her family. And the two shady characters accompanying them, Kohaku, the bad-tempered violinist and gun freak as well as Gwindel, the silent, yet mysterious cellist who seems to hold a certain grudge against Lucille.
As known by her fans, Kaori Yuki gives the character's names a lot of thought. In Ningyou Kyuutei Gakudan every character bears the name of a gemstone, a semiprecious stone or a noble metal.
Enjoyment: 10
I can remember nagging my local book dealer: "WHEN COMES THE NEXT VOLUME?" At the day of release I would be in the book store to buy it and already read it while walking home (and occasionally running into strangers and lanterns). The second volume I bought at a convention and I sat down on a bench to read it at once! The story was so thrilling and I was so excited what secrets would be revealed that I couldn't stop reading!
Overall: 10
Just like a good orchestra, a manga's storyline and characters must work together to form a good impression in the whole. This manga is one of Yuki Kaori's (many) masterpieces and definetely worth reading!
