Rated “M” for “Mature Audiences 18+”
After his mother dies, Yuuki learns that he is the illegitimate son of a deceased, wealthy businessman, and that he has two older, half-brothers. First, there is the kind and playful Masumi Watase, who is only a little older than Yuuki. Then, there is the dark, brooding, and ill-tempered Gai Watase, who is 28-years-old and already CEO of the family-owned corporation.
Yuuki moves into the family estate with his newly discovered siblings. It’s not long before he notices how attentive to him Masumi is, but at school, Masumi’s attention to Yuuki is driving the other boys (who love them some Masumi) mad with envious rage. It is the stoic, workaholic Gai, however, to whom Yuuki is drawn, but Yuuki believes he must hide his feelings, which only cause Yuuki angst and confusion. Will further complications in this twisty family dynamic/love triangle drive Yuuki away from his brothers?
THE LOWDOWN: Using sharp line work, moody inking, and shadowy toning, Kouko Agawa creates, in Golden Prince & Argent King, yaoi manga (boys’ love comics that feature explicit sex between male lovers) that has the edgy feel of an evening television soap, like a mixture of “Dallas” and “One Tree Hill.” The art reflects the temperamental nature of Golden Prince & Argent King’s stars. Whether it is a sharp glance or a quick brush off or even a turned shoulder or troubled contemplative gaze, Agawa art makes these emotive characters people the reader wants to know.
POSSIBLE AUDIENCE: The art in Golden Prince & Argent King gives the narrative a Film Noir feel, even during the daytime scenes, but this sweet and pungent tale of brotherly love will appeal to yaoi readers who want Drama with a capital “D.”
A-
