August 30, 2009
Reviewer: RBinDB
The plot is above average fare even if the general setting is pretty standard... three high-school friends all of whom belong to the same Karate Dojo. One, Tasuku, has a secret childhood crush, but can't express his feelings, which he thinks can go nowhere - so he beats up on the object of his affection in frustration. His childhood friend and secret love, Ryouta, keeps getting beaten up but keeps on hanging on anyway - and Ryouta has a gambling monkey on his back, too. Then there's the wise friend, Katsuyama, who sees that these two actually like each other and urges Tasusku to just admit his feelings... of course to no avail. As Tasuku puts it... "its hard enough for a man and woman to fall in love... it must be almost impossible for two guys!"
But Tasuku may have found a loophole in his own rationalizations in keeping his distance from Ryouta... Tasuku may be an Ageman... a person that can bring good luck to the person he "dates." If he were to ask Ryouta to date him, maybe it could bring Ryouta good luck - and a reason to be going out with Tasuku. Fair trade huh? Plot is interesting, engaging, sweet and sexy. I also like the diversions from the usual formula, the tougher Tasuku, who is constantly defeating his secret crush, is actually the uke. The portrayal of Tasuku's love for his friend and his belief that such a relationship under normal circumstances could go nowhere makes the Ageman plot twist a little more plausible as he grasps at this one straw to bring him to his object of affection - whether the Ageman thing is true or not. The two clueless main characters that can't seem to see the evidence of their affection for one another is also well portrayed.
But what I give high marks for are the facial expressions: confusion, tenderness... and most of all of desire and longing... pretty difficult to do in black and white line drawings. I especially like the fact that the main character actually looks Japanese. Tasuku has great breadth of expressions and the scenes devoted to him expressing his frustrating love for Ryouta are well worth the price.