followed on 27 September 2000. Viz Media released English-language translations of both in North America from 6 September 2005 to 30 October 2007. Reception Angel Sanctuary was nominated for the Grand Prize of the 1st Sense of Gender Award in 2001. The manga series has been well received by English-language readers, with fifteen volumes appearing in ICv2's monthly lists of the 100 best-selling graphic novels. The French translation also became a bestseller. Angel Sanctuary received generally favorable reviews from critics. One reviewer for Manga News lauded it as one of the classics of shōjo manga and the most popular of Yuki's works. Jason Thompson described it in Manga: The Complete Guide as "The archetypical 1990s goth manga." Yuki's artwork received praise as detailed, "breath-taking," "absorbing," and "beautiful," though one reviewer found the art "overcrowded" and had difficulty distinguishing between the male and female characters. While writing that the artwork could have been improved in some instances, most notably in regards to some placements of the characters' eyes, could have used better placement, Rika Takahashi of Ex magazine remarked that the overall quality ranked among some of the best in the horror or occult genre. Critics generally enjoyed the plot as "dense," intriguing, suspenseful, complex, and quickly paced. Liann Cooper of Anime News Network commented that the story of Angel Sanctuary was well written, despite the inclusion of shock factors, with enough plot twists to hold the attention of the reader while staying focused on the main narrative. Thompson wrote that the plot was difficult to follow because of the page layouts, the large cast of androgynous characters, and the dense world building. Another reviewer found the plot "confusing" at times and thought that the series's topics of gender issues and incest might discourage some readers. The tie-in artbook received similarly positive reviews for Yuki's artwork. The OVA, in contrast, generally received more mixed reviews. Some enjoyed it as a prologue or introduction to the events of the manga, while others were put off by the sibling incest. Critics generally enjoyed the animation, although one reviewer disagreed, writing that the anime disregarded the "delicate" character designs of the manga in favor of artwork that was "nothing special." The English-language dub, however, was generally not favorably regarded, and one reviewer noted technical issues with its audio syncing. Notes References General Specific External links Angel Sanctuary at Viz Media's official site Angel Sanctuary