Anima

Story, Art and Letters by Dany & Dany
Published by Yaoi Press


Slugline: A setting that has nothing to do with the story

Patrick Owens is a burned out political reporter that has seen nothing but the worst of humanity with his one weakness being an appreciation for the ballet star Danya. Of course, Dany has secrets of his own as an illegally modified android masquerading as a human. But despite Patrick's own despair and Danya's secrets they are drawn to each other. Danya's 'teacher,' the former ballet star Nikolaj is using Danya to act out his dreams of greatness, becomes the main obstacle between the two lovers. To resolve this conflict will cost both Danya and Patrick part of their own sense of belonging.

I am a big fan of steampunk, which is why I pulled this out volume out of the review stack. Imagine my disappointment as I read it to find that there was a very few steampunk aspects. What little advanced technology that was in story was not especially steampunk inspired, and the clothing seemed to be draw more from French fashions than Victorian. Patrick's occupation as a reporter did not figure much into the plot, and Nikolaj's connections to the mafia and corrupt politicians remained in the background. Whole swathes of the setting could have been changed without affecting the story. I usually prefer the characters and the setting/environment to interact more, so that the characters are part of the world rather than existing apart of it. Separate from that, the back cover text is especially important with Anima since it is shrinkwrapped, but it gives an impression of a far more nuanced and dark story that what the title really is. But for yaoi fans, the title delivers on its promises, barely avoiding being pornography but showing everything else.



Anima is also available from Right Stuf, Intl., an online retailer specializing in anime and manga

-Ferdinand

Winter Demon, vol. 3

Story by Yamila Abraham with Art and Letters by Le Peruggine
Published by Yaoi Press


Slugline: Oh, those sensitive, tortured gay demon boys…

I have not read the first two volumes and I’m glad to say it’s not necessary to if you can’t find them. For a porn series, this is both well written and well drawn. Life does not revolve solely around sex, for these characters, though there isn’t any skimping on that part either. Everyone is terribly sensitive and considerate and nice, but the story manages to not get bogged down in metaphysical hand-wringing. Nothing too surprising happens, but it’s well presented and the visual storytelling is both clear and nice. That has been a problem with some of the OEL books I have read lately. I’m curious to see what else this creative team has done, and what they will do in the future.

-Miranda

Despite Miranda calling it a porn title, I went through the title to make sure after the problems the blog had earlier, and the title is not explicit. I wouldn't give it to a five year old, but it is R rather than NC-17

-Ferdinand

Winter Demon, vol. 3 is also available from Right Stuf, Intl., an online retailer specializing in anime and manga.

SERIES UPDATE: Saihoshi the Guardian: Omnibus ed.

Please check out our review for Saihoshi the Guardian, vol. 1.

If you missed picking up Saihoshi before it sold out, there’s good news – Yaoi Press is reprinting both volumes in one book, with the addition of some chibi strips and sketchbook art. I didn’t get to volume 2, so I’m glad I got a review copy of the combined volume. Despite Saihoshi’s silly giant scissors, this is easily one of the most entertaining yaoi stories I’ve read. I’m not saying it’s great literature, but considering the genre standard, it’s not to be missed.

Saihoshi will be available November 26 (2007) and it ought to sell briskly, so if you’re a yaoi fan keep your eyes peeled for it.

-Miranda

Love Circles

by Laura Carboni
Published in the U.S. by Yaoi Press (on sale May 28, 2007)



Slugline: Nerdy boy is transformed into a hottie by the meathead who's secretly nice, and then they fall in love.

Oddly, this has to be the most Western-style title we have reviewed here on Prospero's Manga (short of Making Comics) and it's another Italian import (like Wishing for the Moon). This sort of "ugly duckling to swan" story is not anything new and there are no surprising twists, but it is solidly written and stocked with characters within the confines of its template.

I'm not entirely sure why, but the art just does not appeal to me in this story. I'm a long-time reader of Marvel and DC so I'm no stranger to uber-muscular men, but these guys have such well defined butts that they could lose TV remotes in there. And really, guys whose necks are as wide as their heads have never been my type. Despite the explicit muscles, this is not a hardcore porn and there is no full-frontal nudity.

In its defense against myself, the use of chibi is frequent, effective and generally cute -- and you know, I could have enjoyed the whole story with the chibi versions of these guys.



- Miranda

Wishing for the Moon

by Dany & Dany
Published by Yaoi Press



Slugline: Those silly Italian theater boys! Don't they know they're in love?

Well, it's not explicitly said that they're in Italy, but it's implied. This is a single-volume romance with exactly one explicit scene, which is a bit conspicuous for being the only scene with bare butts (no full frontal) despite other opportunities.

But it's pretty well written, otherwise -- maybe a bit heavy on the narrative boxes, which is unusual for a manga and even a bit odd for current American comics. It's right-to-left reading and obviously manga-influenced, but the authors come from the European school of graphic novels and that makes for a slightly different flavor of yaoi.

From what is on their web page, it looks like there will be plenty more from Dany & Dany in the future. Maybe it's time to renew that Heavy Metal subscription and get myself back into the European fantasy/scifi/erotic side of graphic novels...



- Miranda

p.s. I wanted yaoi boys willing to take turns and boom! Here they are! Bonus points to the writers for not treating gay men like a heterosexual couple.

Saihoshi the Guardian, v.1

by Kosen
Published by Yaoi Press



Slugline: Saihoshi agrees to bodyguard Prince Anel on the way to meet his arranged bride. Needless to say, things go wrong. Caution: softcore gay porn.

Yaoi Press has been boldly forging ahead with an all-OEL list of titles. This is the first story of theirs that I've read, and it was a pleasant surprise.

It's a fairly amusing story of a horny young prince trying to catch his bodyguard's eye and getting into trouble when his journey is interrupted by an ambush. It's a fantasy world stocked with gay boys (did I even see a single woman? will his "bride" be female?) who like a lot of leather straps. And get this, Saihoshi wields a giant pair of scissors for a weapon. He runs with scissors. It had to be done, I guess.

As noted, the porn is softcore -- no frontal nudity, just a lot of butt shots and convenient drapery. Not that there's anything wrong with nice butt shots.

The characters are solid and even have an occasional twist, the story is straightforward and the dialog got an occasional smile. I read a special edition handed out at a retailer convention which included a short, yaoi version of Gawain and the Green Knight that I'm less impressed by (I'm a little too fond of the original) and an snippet preview of a title called Stallion (which looks pretty formulaic.)

As yaoi goes, Saihoshi is light and angst-free and that's a nice change of pace once in a while. I am kind of curious to find out if his "bride" will turn out to be a boy in drag, or maybe a hermaphrodite (in the apparently-well-entrenched hentai style...)



- Miranda