The secrets of the Black Cancer, the Angels long-time examination of the Earthian, and what Michael has been hiding from Chihaya finally come to light, and the consequences are not what anyone expected. With an invasion looming on the horizon, Chihaya and Kagetsuya must finally decide where their loyalty lies.

2007-06-03 Amazing, emotional and beautiful.

This is probably my favourite volume of Earthian, for various reasons. Firstly, it's the end of the main story. Yes, there is a fourth volume, but that consists of shorter stories that, though related to the main story, are really just extras. So volume three is really the concluding part of Earthian.
But there is a good reason why I love this volume more then the others... we finally get the long awaited yaoi scene. It is non-explicit, and is more suggestive then anything else, but it is beautiful none the less. That does not necessarily mean a happy ending... a topic much discussed throughout Earthian is homosexuality, and whether or not it is right or wrong. Granted, that point of view is rather dated now, but the characters Chihaya and Kagetsuya come from a world in which homosexuality is a crime, so the view is, at least, justified. So the story itself represents love-against-all-odds, a beautiful concept in itself, however Chihaya and Kagetsuya do not go unpunished for their "crimes" and the two are put on trial. Without spoiling the story, this particular scene is wrought with emotion and Yun Kouga's story-telling shines brightest here, with characters' speech and inner thoughts hitting the reader - hard.
Yes, Earthian has always been a bit of a tear-jerker, but this volume is by far the strongest, in all aspects (Yun Kouga's style was also evidently evolving, if one compares it to the first page of the first volume).
There is only one minor downer with regards to this book; some have claimed the main story remains unfinished, and this is partly the reason Yun Kouga released the final volume of mini-stories (volume 4). I however think the "cliff-hanger" ending (if one can call it that) adds impact, implying bucket loads with regards to "power" of the human race.