I've just finished the first volume for this manga and I can't say that I am impressed.  The cover of the manga looks interesting enough, with the three main characters of the story present.  The drawing looks pretty nice and there are a lot of details.  Unfortunately, the picture on the cover is at the drawings' best. The drawings beyond the cover are good, nicely done with the details, however, what is lacking is the liveliness of the characters. The characters simply look dead. They all look the same, no facial expressions. Perhaps that's the intention of the author to show the coolness of the characters, but since everyone looks like like, it just becomes plain boring and dead.  The eyes are all the same.  I had problem distinguishing between two girls in this first volume at first because they look the same, except for the slight variation of the hair ornamentation and their clothes.  Also, I found this drawing of a character that looked just wrong (see page 26 Volume 1, 2nd panel) - I suspect that the author is only good at drawing certain angles of charcters, but has not mastered with the flexibilty and reality of manga characters.  It'd be interesting if this was made into anime, as I can't see the characters animating, except for the owl, as it is actually pretty good drawing of the animal.  ha ha. 

Next, the story. It's ok.  I think the author wanted to make alichinos as these mysterious creatures so the dialogue tend to hint at some of their characteristics.  I can't say much right now about the story as I just read the first volume, but so far, it's just ok.

At the end of Volume 3, there is a little interview section in which the author talked about the future of Alichino.  There will be a Volume 4 and it will be the end of Alichino.  It makes me wonder how she's going to end it.  The story is so short - only 4 volumes total.  In Volume 3, I noticed that the author has definitely improved with her drawing.  The characters actually have some facial expressions!  It's easier to read compared to the earlier volumes. 

Alichino - Volume 1: Chapter 1 to 5

Chapter 1: Alichino

The story begins with a girl approaching a guy, asking him if he were an alichino, since he's so beautiful.  The guy, Tsugiri, answered her by saying that he has no idea what an alichino is.  Later, Tsugiri returns home and tells Enju that someone asked him about alichino again, and that people are foos for believing in alchinos.  The girl from before suddenly appears and accuses Tsugiri for lying.  She says that she's looking for an alichino so that she can grant her wish to revive her dead brother.  Tsugiri continues to deny alichino's existence, and after the girl's gone, he turns to the owl in the room and says that he despises its kind, which is an alichino.     

Chapter 2: Death

The owl, Myobi, informs that there is an alichino very close to the girl. Tsugiri heads out to try to make it in time before she's hunted.  A snake near the girl turns into human form and offers her a wish.  Tsugiri appears in time to interfere and the owl chased the alichino away.  The girl was not grateful for the rescue because she just wants her brother to be alive again at all cost, and Tsugiri accuses her of wanting it only for her own selfish reasons.

Chapter 3: Sacrifice

The girl shows up at Enju's place and reports that a lot of dead bodies have been appearing, and it could be alichino's doing.  Myobi flies in injured, which alarms Tsugiri as he has never seen her hurt before.  Myobi allows Enju to tend to her privately and she voices her concern about Tsugiri not realizing what he is, and that he must walk his path. Meanwhile, Tsugiri is outside with the girl talking, and the snake alichino appeared and tells Tsugiri that he's destined to be a sacrifice for the alichino.

Chapter 4: The Power of "Kusabi"

The snake alichino continues to Tsugiri that it's the fate of those who has the power of kusabi to be a soul born merely to die.  The ones with the power of ksusabi has souls that are so pure that it's the ultimate way for an alichino to enhance his power.  Myobi appears then and threw Tsugiri a sword, then she turns into her human form.  As the alichino got his sword at Tsugiri's throat, he was stabbed with a sword by Ryoko, Myobi's master.  To make sure that the alichino is dead, Tsugiri was told to just touch his body. 

Enju explains to Tsugiri that humans die because alichinos fight to get the kusabi, so they prey on human to get power.  People are terrified of that so they perform a sacrifice to stop it. Humans offer kusabi to alichino at birth.  Meanwhile, Myobi tells Ryoko that the first time she saw Tsugiri, he was not scared and smiled saying that Hyura will always protect him.  Myobi approaches Tsugiri and offers to give him his memory back.  Tsugiri couldn't resist and accepted the offer.

Chapter 5: Awakening

The little Tsugiri was surrounded by alichinos and they were telling him that he was born to die.  Once Tsugiri mentioned Hyura's name, the alichinos left.  Hyura tells Tsugiri that he means a lot to his mother and to him, and that he'll always be there for him.  Even then, Tsugiri finds his mother dead and the people got angry with him and beat him to a pulp.  Tsugiri wonders why Hyura didn't help him.  That's when Myob

At somewhere else, Master Roshoki announces that one day Tsugiri will be his.

Alichino - Volume 2: Chapter 6 to 11

Chapter 6: Determination

Tsugiri, Ryoko and Myobi gathers outside and talks about how alichino.  Tsugiri says he hates them and the other two explains some of the alichino's nature.  Tsugiri suddenly senses that Enju is in danger and rushes back to the house to find Matsurika holding an unconscious Enju hostage.  Matsurika threatens Tsugiri to get her what she wants or people he know will be hurt, then she disappears with Enju.

Chapter 7: Key

Myobi and Ryoki discuss how Matsurika appeared and acted different from before.  Ryoki stops Tsugiri from going to save Enju by himself alone because it's best to have a plan and have others to go with him. 

Chapter 8: Journey

A Ryoki prepares to leave wth Tsugiri, he thinks back the time when he first saw Tsugiri, who was a little boy and was almost killed by alichinos.  Ryoki ordered Myobi to save him and that's how Tsugiri survived.  Back to present time, Ryoki and Tsugiri heads out to seek Matsurika, who loves being chased

Chapter 9: Angel of the Moon

Ryoki and Tsugiri save a girl, Rakusha, from attacking alichinos.  The girl leads them to her city, which is run by Lord Yui.  Rakusha introduces Yui to Tsugiri while Ryoki looks for a place to stay.  Rakusha acts like she worships Yui or that Yui has power over her.  At night, Tsugiri and Ryoki notice Rakusha running out in the dark to somwhere.

Chapter 10: Charisma

It turns out that Rakusha was running out to meet Lord Yui, who sucks soul out of Rakusha.  Lord Yui is an alichino!  Yui catches Tsugiri watching and the two engage in a fight.  Just as Yui pins Tsugiri down, Ryoki, who knew Yui before this encounter, appears and tells Tsugiri that they are leaving.

Chapter 11: Existence

Ryoki explains to Tsugiri that Yui is different from other alichinos.  The people in the city went to Ryoki with their own free will needing to bask in his glory; that the people can't exist without him.  Rakusha wakes up and confirms that she knew Yui was an alichino but she doesn't care, and she begged Ryoki not to hurt Yui.  Meanwhile, Matsuriki and Lord Roshoki wonders about Tsugiri.

Chapter 12: Reunion

Ryoko discloses to Tsugiri that he used to live in the town they are in. As they are strolling down the street talking about how Tsugiri regards Enju as his family, Ryoko suddenly sees someone in the crowd and tells Tsugiri to head home.  Meanwhile, Myobi is anticipating elsewhere the fulfillment of the contract between Ryoko and her.

Chapter 13: Flower of Blood

Disobeying Ryoko's order, Tsugiri follows him and sees Ryoko and the guy that Ryoko saw fighting.  Ryoko informs Tsugiri that the guy, Hibiki, is his friend.  Matsurika shows up and Ryoko explains to Tsugiri that Hibiki is possessed by Matsurika, that's why Ryoko wants to kill Matsurika so much.  Matsurika  tells Tsugiri that Enju is with Lord Roshoki, Hibiki is totally under her control, and that Tsugiri will be her next target.  She goes on to question why Myobi failed in her contract with Ryoko, as he should be under Myobi's control.   

Chapter 14: Unification

Flashes back to when Hibiki was 25 and Ryoko was 24.  Myobi showed up at their apartment out of nowwhere, claiming to want to be one with Ryoko.  Ryoko was planning to leave and start traveling and Hibiki and his girlfriend, Amiya, wanted to make him stay.  The night before he leaves, he wondered why he wanted to be alone even though Hibiki is like family to him and he never felt that way before.  Amiya comes by, hugs him, and tells him that he's the one who holds her heart. 

Chapter 15: Night of Illusion

Amiya suggests that they run away together from Hibiki.  Ryoko questions if Amiya was really herself.  Matsurika then emerges from Amiya's body and tells Ryoko that she has Hibiki under her control.  Back in the apartment, Hibiki tries to kill the unsuspecting Amiya.  Ryoko rushes to save Amiya and got himself in a fight with Hibiki.  In an attempt to stop the fight between the two, Amiya was stabbed with a knife by Hibiki.  Myobi appears and warns Matsurika not to hurt Ryoko.   Matsurika leaves with Hibiki, telling Ryoko her intent to keep Amiya's form.  Amiya then dies in Ryoko's arms

Afterwards, Myobi explains to Ryoko that she's obssessed with taking his soul and admits to be the reason that everyone close to him died.  Myobo offers to contract a deal in which she will give him the power to kill Matsurika and also will no longer kill people close to him if Ryoko gives up his soul to her.  Ryoko's condition is that when Matsurika dies, Myobi will have to die, also.  The contract was then agreed upon.

Chapter 16: Taboo

Back at Lord Roshoki's, he ponders at Enju's unscious body and his own obssession with Tsugiri, a mere human.  Meanwhile, Ryoko and Tsugiri are under attack by Hibiki.  Hibiki has Tsugiri by his neck, and Tsugiri hears Hibiki's voice from the free part of his soul.  Hibiki tells Tsugiri to kill him and save Ryoko.  Tsugiri makes an attempt and was put down by Ryoko, who doesn't want him involved.

Chapter 17: Sacrament

Tsugiri attempts to stop Ryoko from fighting Matsurika, reminding him that he can't kill Matsurika completely, which is required to save Hibiki.  Ignoring his reasons, Ryoko battles with Matsurika and ends up being stabbed in the shoulder, but he managed to stick his long sword through Matsurika's torso.  Tsugiri joins in and slashes Matsurika's neck, demanding Hibiki's soul back.  After Matsurika's defeat, Tsugiri tells Ryoko that he heard Hibiki's voice telling him to save Ryoko.  The volume ends with Ryoko hugging Tsugiri to thank him.