As I'm writing this, I've read almost to the end of the manga. I think I'm just missing the final volume. It was too the point where the author was writing the final chapters and I was trying to catch English scans online. But that got confusing and now I really need to start over, because the plot is massively complicated. XD I've not seen the anime yet.

What drew me to this series first was the ART. Not only is it a gorgeous art style, but the costumes are to die for. It's a cross between Victorian, French, and gothic with a lot of Alice in Wonderland imagery.

And that pretty well describes the plot, too. Like I said, it's a very deeply twisted plot with a very unique and well-imagined world. It's like Black Butler meets Fullmetal Alchemist meets Alice in Wonderland. It's insane and heartbreaking, and it's definitely worth sorting through the complicated twists and turns.

Just to tell you how bad/good it is--I had a favorite character, who I thought was good and then turned out to be bad. His character was still so well-done and the plot so beautiful and twisty that I lived in denial of his evilness for another three volumes. Mel still teases me for it.

This is a more mature comic. I don't recall any nudity, but it's very intense with a dark fictitious "religion." But the writing is brilliant and the plot/politics are captivating, not to mention the characters are all endearing in their own rights.

The anime has some carefully concealed nudity in the ED IIRC but it's easily skipped. (Though I highly recommend the actual song in the ED if you look it up - I believe it's a Kalafina/Yuki Kajiura song)

That being said, the anime has a separate 'cliffhanger' ending from the manga and never got a second season to wrap up plot ends. It does not actually continue straight into the manga either. So for all it's worth, just read the manga and skip the anime. The animation is pretty decent but it's not the best I've seen.

Also the artbooks are GORGEOUS. I absolutely love the combination of watercolor, ink, and marker that is used to create vivid, deep colorings.

Also I'm going to laugh forever about Leah's favorite character. Heh.

I finally got around to rereading this manga! As I said in the OP, I had gotten to the point where I "caught up" with the author and had to wait for new volumes to be translated into English... And the plot is complicated enough that waiting 6+ months in between volumes makes things confusing. XD So I'd set it aside for awhile until all the volumes were formally published in English.

Well, I happened to pick up a few of the volumes in like-new condition for a really good price at Half-Price Books the other day (yes, I'm very proud of myself ), so that inspired me to start over. I just finished Volume 2, and I remember why I love this manga so much!

The plot, pacing, and writing quality is exceptional. No panel is wasted, and the volumes are very well-balanced between plot (that is, new developments, raised stakes, new characters, etc.) and drama (time spent establishing characters' relationships, backstory, etc.). For example, Volume 2 is a near-perfect volume. There is absolutely no fluff. The first part of the volume is progression in the main plot (new information and a ticking time bomb are introduced)--then the middle portion takes a step back to dig deep into two characters' relationship and the backstory of how they met--and then it speeds forward with more developments in the main plot.

And, for me, the drama hits all the right "buttons"--betrayal, friendships complicated by familial and political associations, third-parties that use one friend against another. You know, all the good stuff. And, of course, the art is exceptional, and the characters are a nice mix of unique personalities.

Yes, it's the kind of stuff I would write, which is part of the reason I would like it. But I hope I can one day write a story with the same epic-but-tight pacing and iconic characters. I just finished Vol.2 and I already want to reread it--the characters and drama are just that delicious. I really hope readers one day feel the same about the drama I write.

I'm going to have to check this out!