|
GREAT PLACE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL VOL. 1 |
|
|
Reviews
|
|
Saturday, 12 December 2009 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | DIGITAL MANGA PUBLISHING | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | NADUKI KOUJIMA | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 200 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | 18+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 10/21/2009 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 12/12/2009 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
This is a spin off series from the original Great Place High School, this time focusing more on the student council and specifically the complex relationship between president Rin and vice-president Eichi. The two act almost like master and servant and as the past reveals, Rin in a way considers himself Eichi’s owner while Eichi is devoted and will submit only to Rin in every sense of the word. Together they make a formidable team and between their angst ridden relationship and intense passion they like to toy with the students at the school. This time around they’ve targeted the Information Management Club and the lives of the members will be fraught with comedic upheavals as they deal with the sadistically humored duo. The manga series has many of the charms of Koujima’s previous works. It has the immediately attractive and robust illustrative style. There is ample comedy, a twisted yet amusing sense of humor, and passionate romances everywhere between the male members of the school. However it also has a fair share of angst, even tragedy as well as disturbing and ominous confessions concerning the relationship between Eichi and Rin. It makes for a very mixed story atmosphere as it vacillates between the enthusiastic humor involving the antics with the Information Club with Tsuru and Minami, and side stories focused on Goro who is still chasing after fellow teacher Dai. However the main story and the more intriguing one is the serious atmosphere and intense relationship between Eichi and Rin. When Eichi’s family was ruined and he was left an orphan, he ended up under the care of Rin, the son of the family that decimated Eichi’s life. In a curious twist, Rin has become Eichi’s owner, protector, and insatiable lover. As the first volume progresses, there are flashbacks to an awful incident in Eichi’s past involving his having been assaulted sexually. More disturbing in some ways is the reaction of Rin to the incident. He can be frightening in his rage and his possessiveness of Eichi. It raises the question of what binds them together, is it really love or a deeper and disquieting need and obsession? A confession on Rin’s part only makes their relationship that much stranger. A promise of revenge yet such a promise would mean that Rin is determined to destroy his own family for Eichi. There are also moments of passion which are highly dominant and submissive. They seem to cling together desperately as if to try to bridge an invisible gap between them, yet in some ways it leaves theme each feeling further apart. Could it be that the same core tragedy that originally bound them tougher is now pushing them apart? It is one of the more complex emotional relationships witnessed in yaoi recently and certainly a surprise amid the lighter fare found within the first series of Great Place High School, yet it is a compelling one.
IN SUMMARY:
Comedy and an intense dramatic tale make a compelling read for this new spin off series. |
