I've been reading Chie Shinohana's works sporadically. I love Drops of Dreams and I'd love an official serialization. I loved Red River more than I thought I'd enjoy it - being an Isekai and all. I came with Umi No Yami (Darkness of the Sea, Shadow of the Moon) not really knowing what to expect but I wanted to expand my demographic tastes as I don't really read much shoujosei and what would be better to do than with an author I've enjoyed the previous works?

Ume No Yami focuses on the love triangle of two twins in love with the same man, or perhaps love triangle is too much to say as Tohma is only interested in Ruka, our protagonist who is a normal and nice girl. Ruka has a twin sister, Rumi, who also holds feelings for Tohma but encourages her to act on them. However, fate would make them develop mysterious powers, and Rumi would go from a supportive older sister to a cruel, evil villain that can control people by kissing them (meanwhile Ruka has the anti-body) and if she cannot have Tohma, then she will kill Ruka.

Shinohana does not pull punches when it comes to the horror side of the story - every person that tries their best to help Ruka and Tohma (either family or strangers) end up involved in a trail of blood started by Rumi and then followed by other characters that show up later. Sometimes, Rumi could be almost cartoonishly evil, and other than Ruka loving her sister - sometimes you wonder why she doesn't give up on her considering all the pain she put her through. However, I think you could attribute that to early installment awkwardness (Umi No Yami began serialization on 1987, so if I'm correct it could be the second serialization after Yami No Purple Eyes) as while the series develops, as Rumi continues being evil and pretty irredeemable (and she is aware of this) she is willing to team up and even show affection for Ruka. She never gives up her love for Tohma though, and it makes her do unspeakable things such as drugging him so he mixes them up and has sex with him.

It never gets addressed seriously nor called assault (same as Ruka getting quasi-assaulted every 20 chapters) because it's a shojo manga in the 80s, but it is one of the early shojo's weaknesses. I wish it had been treated with more care instead of Tohma just angsting because he 'cheated' on Ruka. It is also touched in the last chapters of the series as an afterthought, which is surprising considering how the relationship within Tohma and Ruka is written - they love each other, and he's always there for her and she feels guilty for dragging him into it. For Ruka to not have any thoughts in the last arc other that "i'm mad but I love you and her" seems very out of character for her. Especially as we see her extend empathy to people such as a child, an abandoned dog and even her sister who kills dozens of people. Obviously, not the only manga to have that problem, but it still bothers me a little bit.

I think the strength of the series is the main character - Ruka is kind and sensitive, yet she is prone to anger (as she should be) and is terrified by this situation and she just wants her sister back. The tragedies that happen due to her loving Tohma have a toll on her, however, as her powers develop and she gets used to them, she grows to have a special kind of strength, and she never stops being empathetic. Perhaps that is why despite the trail of blood, certain enemies are willing to help her. Our heroine is also capable of wanting to kill someone, if she is pushed enough. She is aware she relies on others perhaps too much, but she was willing to try independence if it meant other people wouldn't be involved.

At the end - you have to feel for Ruka, she just wants life to be back to what it was and to get her powers back. She says it over and over. If possible, she probably would want to start over with Rumi, even when she killed a lot of people, but her desires and her twin could not be possible - even Rumi admits that if they didn't love the same man, she probably wouldn't have antagonized her. Their bond is important until the end. Only the man they love can differentiate them so they can pretend to be each other if convenient, and their powers are yin and yang of each other.

Even if the final was a little rushed, both of them were aware that there was no going back and the result would be a tragedy. The title of the series gets dropped on the last page in a bittersweet context. Overall, even if it has a lot of flaws (and personally, I think the prescription subplot kinda overstayed it's welcome) I believe it is a decent read. A fun horror romance to binge in a couple weeks but the love (and hate) the twins hold for each other is as important if not more. I believe I will be reading this author for a little while - whatever serialization I find, I guess.