 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | DEUX PRESS | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | KAZUNA UCHIDA | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | WESTERN / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 192 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | M | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 11/09/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 01/17/2010 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SANDRA SCHOLES |
"I won't lie to myself any more. I won't call you my "Best friend" any more." When Ken's parents divorce he is the first to feel the pain of the split and the angst that goes with it, cue cute and reliable kid Ritsuro to take away the pain and long term damage the split has done to him with plenty of hugs, kisses and fights along the way. Ritsuro remembers the fight they had when he came to beat him up and he ended up spending the night with him. After dropping out of school and finding life harder than he expected, Ken makes his way in life through with seedy nights of prostitution not realising the dangers that come with it as well as the money. Living in his apartment along with Moeko and Ritsuro this makes for an exciting and explicit love triangle as neither Ritsuro nor Moeko like his choice of work, and the knowledge that he has slept with someone else for money really needles at Ritsuro, encouraging another fight between them where Moeko has to keep them apart. Story wise, this is emotional stuff, and there is plenty of interplay with the two main characters, lots of intrigue, jealousy and breaking up and making up to go round - the in-between person ends up being Moeko who is in and out of love with the two characters, though the readers will know for sure who Ken really loves more than life itself, and who he can rely on to take him out of those dark moods he feels. The art is subtle, though the characters faces are in some way angular, and yet that does not spoil the images at all, in fact it refines them. Her work will remind one of Sanami Matoh of Fake fame, the eyes and hairstyles being fairly similar. The shades of colour on the art are well drawn and watercolour in appearance giving them a very romantic touch.
IN SUMMARY:
Kazuna's artwork and story are matched beautifully in this first of many volumes where two unlikely guys find themselves in the grip of a powerful love that none can shake. |
