Fake by Sanami Matoh

The anime and manga genre are fantastic at targeting the wants of their audience with just the right amount of fancy mixed in. Guys have a plethora of choices for lighthearted whimsy thrown in with angst; Robot maid shows, waitress shows, pretty girl shows... But somewhere, deep in the labyrinth of panty shots and two girls after one guy combination is an entirely different kind but of the same class... It's aimed at women, deals with high romance, and as just as plausible as a sexy alien from outer space being the teacher who falls in love with you. Welcome to the world of "June", known in the US under the slightly mis-categorized names of "Yaoi" and "Shounen-ai". High angst and fluffy stories of romantic couples made up of two guys. That's right, two guys.

FAKE is one of these titles aimed just for females. It's the story of Randy, a newly transferred police officer to the NYPD. Gentle, quiet and kind enough to rival the cheeriest heroine in brownie points (without the annoying clueless-ness that seems to be inherent in said cute girl) he finds that fate has conspired against him. He is quickly assigned to Dee, whose first impression on Randy isn't stellar (Dee decides to not bother calling him Randy, but by his Japanese name, Ryo, just to be a brat). Dee is loud and brash and proceeds to make Randy's life a living hell. It doesn't help that Dee is rather cute; a fact not lost on Randy, who is gay. Dee also seems to be rather attached to Randy, sort of, or is it just wishful thinking? Just as Randy is trying to get some of the chaotic whirlwind around him to settle, a pick pocketing orphan named Bikky appears. Bikky has nowhere to go, and Randy decides to "do the noble thing" and have the orphan stay with him. This starts the building of a rather large family and the start of one of the most complicated and hilarious romance stories in the June genre.

FAKE is wonderful in a variety of aspects. Only someone who has never heard of New York's legendary reputation could write a story so blissfully contrary. Very little homophobia seems to exists, and the cops on the beat aren't anywhere near the hard boiled stereotype common here in the US. The romance aspect plays out slowly, building each of the social elements in such a relationship, such as Randy's hesitance in his feelings for Dee. The added fun of children underfoot, such as the loudmouthed street smart Bikky, and later, the sly orphan Carol make for some incredibly hilarious situations and set the stage for later events. Although rather lighthearted, FAKE does touch on some serious subjects in the usual quiet, unpreachy fashion of manga. The moral is that love and kindness can conquer even the worst problems, and the outside actions sometimes do not reflect the heart within. Even tarnished angels have hearts of gold if you look past the grime.

Although FAKE does have an art style that is unique, (It does take some getting used to some of the angular poses) it is well drawn and wonderful from beginning to end. The appeal to female readers comes with the concentration of slightly forbidden love with social interaction; a regular shoujo manga styled romance with a few added twists, but without the ditzy heroine to annoy the reader. However, just like its male counterpart of the love comedy show, FAKE is targeted to a specific audience looking for a certain flavor. If watching two cute guys go at it isn't your thing, then this book might not be for you. However, to those who haven't made up their mind, know that is their fetish, or are willing to give it a try out of curiosity, few titles are better starting ones than this one. For fluffy genre eye-candy, FAKE is the genuine article.

Love it? Hate it? Buy it.