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jukebox_csiTitle: Golden Prince & Argent King
Mangaka: Kouko Agawa
Publisher: June Manga
Grade: C
From the back cover: Getting adopted by a rich family might be every boy's dream, but for Yuuki, this unlikely reality comes with a price of its own. After the death of his mother, Yuuki discovers he's the illegitimate son of a wealthy businessman, also deceased. The remaining Watase family consists of two older half-brothers: Masumi, a kind-hearted gentleman near Yuuki's age, and Gai, a stoic workaholic several years his senior. Trying to fit in with a different social class proves difficult enough for Yuuki, but when hidden feelings beyond simple brotherly love start to emerge, confusion and angst truly begin to set in. Can such feelings, even between half-brothers, ever be accepted? If so, is it the outgoing Masumi who holds the key to Yuuki's heart, or the ill-tempered Gai who will teach him the true meaning of love? From life's great tragedies are often born its greatest joys. Such may be the case for Yuuki, if he can sort out his troubles along the way.
This story couldn't be any more cliché or wearisome if it tried. I very nearly didn't finish the story, only being able to roll my eyes so many times before it gives me a headache. But, being the masochist that I am, I kept hoping there would be some twist, or perhaps testosterone, that might inject itself into the story before the finish. As it stands, it took me several days worth of quality bathroom time to trudge through it; as trying to read it in my bed or while sitting in my lazy-boy would put me soundly to sleep in minutes. If nothing else, I did find an aid for the insomnia that I sometimes suffer. I think, in order to spice up my summary of the story, I shall present it in movie script-type style.
CHARACTERS
YUUIKI - protagonist (uke), illegitimate son of the father, youngest of the three brothers, 17 years old and sweetly naive, prone to bouts of insecurity and angst, followed by fits of crying and running away or running away and crying (depending on the scene).
GAI-SAN - illegitimate son as well, oldest of the three brothers and object of Yuuki's desires, 28 years old and head of the family company, wears a permanent frown but is simply misunderstood, driven to succeed, keeps himself apart from his brothers because of his feelings for them but expects them to live up to the family name and will not tolerate anything that could tarnish said name.
MASUMI - middle illegitimate brother (i.e. Brother #2), only a few years older than Yuuki and attends the same school, kind-hearted and handsome student council president who is admired by many students (and has his own obsessed fan club). This character's primary purpose is to round out the barely-there love triangle, to discover the family secret, and to bring the wayward lovers together.
SCENE 1
Yuuki meets his unknown brothers for the first time.
Yuuki: Hi, my name is Yuuki, and I'm pleased to meet you. I'll try not to be a nuisance, though I know you think I am, and will make my mother proud as she watches me from heaven.
Yuuki thinks: Why is my heart beating so hard when I look at Gai-san? Could it be that I have fallen totally in love with him, though I just met him five seconds ago? It's no good! I must swoon and run away to cry.
Gai: I'm Gai. Grandfather made us bring you here. He just died a few days ago and I'm master of the house now. Even though you're an illegitimate son, we can't have you starving on the streets and making the family look bad. I'll take my leave now because I have nothing else to say to you, other than don't make a fool of yourself and reflect badly on the family name.
Gai thinks: What is this strong desire I suddenly feel just looking at my younger brother, whom I just met five seconds ago? I must take myself away from him before I can no longer control myself and make him mine right here on the carpet. I have a girlfriend, but she means nothing to me now that I've met Yuuki. Still, for the sake of the family, I must resist.
Masumi: It's so nice to meet another brother. I'll take you under my wing and show you everything. I'll protect you and never let anything happen to you ever. We'll go to school together starting tomorrow. Yay!
Masumi thinks: Even though I just met Yuuki five seconds ago, I've fallen completely in love with him. But what is this strange aura between him and Gai? Could it be that Yuuki has already chosen Gai to be his seme? I can not lose to Gai, as he has already stolen everything else from me though I won't elaborate on that as it has no bearing on this story.
END SCENE
Follow that scene with approximately 150 more pages of similar, throw in the classic 'damsel in distress' scenario by placing Yuuki in danger a few times where he must be rescued by Gai or Masumi, and there you have the story. There is a fairly tame sex scene at the end, though it only shows from the waist up and has me, once again, confused on what constitutes 18+ mature in the manga-world. And if incest squicks you? There is no need to worry. It is a non-issue by the time the final intimate scene rolls around.
Like a limp-wristed handshake, the pages offer no rigidity and drape easily over my hand as I place the spine of the book in my palm. That's not to imply that the paper is cheap and thin, as that is not the case. I'm not too sure why it is not as sturdy as some of June's other works. I can only presume it was a foreboding of the weak story contained within.
Keep in mind that this is strictly my opinion of the book, influenced by the fact that I spent hard-earned money on it; money I could have used on a white chocolate mocha and the gas to get to the coffee store. So, it's understandable that I have a less than favorable opinion. I suppose this title will have its fans, after all. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them.
Mangaka: Kouko Agawa
Publisher: June Manga
Grade: C
From the back cover: Getting adopted by a rich family might be every boy's dream, but for Yuuki, this unlikely reality comes with a price of its own. After the death of his mother, Yuuki discovers he's the illegitimate son of a wealthy businessman, also deceased. The remaining Watase family consists of two older half-brothers: Masumi, a kind-hearted gentleman near Yuuki's age, and Gai, a stoic workaholic several years his senior. Trying to fit in with a different social class proves difficult enough for Yuuki, but when hidden feelings beyond simple brotherly love start to emerge, confusion and angst truly begin to set in. Can such feelings, even between half-brothers, ever be accepted? If so, is it the outgoing Masumi who holds the key to Yuuki's heart, or the ill-tempered Gai who will teach him the true meaning of love? From life's great tragedies are often born its greatest joys. Such may be the case for Yuuki, if he can sort out his troubles along the way.
This story couldn't be any more cliché or wearisome if it tried. I very nearly didn't finish the story, only being able to roll my eyes so many times before it gives me a headache. But, being the masochist that I am, I kept hoping there would be some twist, or perhaps testosterone, that might inject itself into the story before the finish. As it stands, it took me several days worth of quality bathroom time to trudge through it; as trying to read it in my bed or while sitting in my lazy-boy would put me soundly to sleep in minutes. If nothing else, I did find an aid for the insomnia that I sometimes suffer. I think, in order to spice up my summary of the story, I shall present it in movie script-type style.
CHARACTERS
YUUIKI - protagonist (uke), illegitimate son of the father, youngest of the three brothers, 17 years old and sweetly naive, prone to bouts of insecurity and angst, followed by fits of crying and running away or running away and crying (depending on the scene).
GAI-SAN - illegitimate son as well, oldest of the three brothers and object of Yuuki's desires, 28 years old and head of the family company, wears a permanent frown but is simply misunderstood, driven to succeed, keeps himself apart from his brothers because of his feelings for them but expects them to live up to the family name and will not tolerate anything that could tarnish said name.
MASUMI - middle illegitimate brother (i.e. Brother #2), only a few years older than Yuuki and attends the same school, kind-hearted and handsome student council president who is admired by many students (and has his own obsessed fan club). This character's primary purpose is to round out the barely-there love triangle, to discover the family secret, and to bring the wayward lovers together.
SCENE 1
Yuuki meets his unknown brothers for the first time.
Yuuki: Hi, my name is Yuuki, and I'm pleased to meet you. I'll try not to be a nuisance, though I know you think I am, and will make my mother proud as she watches me from heaven.
Yuuki thinks: Why is my heart beating so hard when I look at Gai-san? Could it be that I have fallen totally in love with him, though I just met him five seconds ago? It's no good! I must swoon and run away to cry.
Gai: I'm Gai. Grandfather made us bring you here. He just died a few days ago and I'm master of the house now. Even though you're an illegitimate son, we can't have you starving on the streets and making the family look bad. I'll take my leave now because I have nothing else to say to you, other than don't make a fool of yourself and reflect badly on the family name.
Gai thinks: What is this strong desire I suddenly feel just looking at my younger brother, whom I just met five seconds ago? I must take myself away from him before I can no longer control myself and make him mine right here on the carpet. I have a girlfriend, but she means nothing to me now that I've met Yuuki. Still, for the sake of the family, I must resist.
Masumi: It's so nice to meet another brother. I'll take you under my wing and show you everything. I'll protect you and never let anything happen to you ever. We'll go to school together starting tomorrow. Yay!
Masumi thinks: Even though I just met Yuuki five seconds ago, I've fallen completely in love with him. But what is this strange aura between him and Gai? Could it be that Yuuki has already chosen Gai to be his seme? I can not lose to Gai, as he has already stolen everything else from me though I won't elaborate on that as it has no bearing on this story.
END SCENE
Follow that scene with approximately 150 more pages of similar, throw in the classic 'damsel in distress' scenario by placing Yuuki in danger a few times where he must be rescued by Gai or Masumi, and there you have the story. There is a fairly tame sex scene at the end, though it only shows from the waist up and has me, once again, confused on what constitutes 18+ mature in the manga-world. And if incest squicks you? There is no need to worry. It is a non-issue by the time the final intimate scene rolls around.
Like a limp-wristed handshake, the pages offer no rigidity and drape easily over my hand as I place the spine of the book in my palm. That's not to imply that the paper is cheap and thin, as that is not the case. I'm not too sure why it is not as sturdy as some of June's other works. I can only presume it was a foreboding of the weak story contained within.
Keep in mind that this is strictly my opinion of the book, influenced by the fact that I spent hard-earned money on it; money I could have used on a white chocolate mocha and the gas to get to the coffee store. So, it's understandable that I have a less than favorable opinion. I suppose this title will have its fans, after all. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them.
