Yaoi manga is boys’ love comics that feature explicit sex between male characters. Manga-ka (creator) Fumi Yoshinaga doesn’t shy away from scenes of explicit sex, as she has shown in such manga as Lovers in the Night and Gerard & Jacques. However, this mistress of yaoi imbues the sex in her narratives with deep intimacy and genuine love, as seen in the manga, The Moon and the Sandals, Vol. 2.
The second volume continues the romance and friendships between five friends. Four are gay men: Koichi Kobayashi, Toyo Narumi, Ryo Ida, and Shu Hashizume, who by marriage/adoption is now Shu Ida. The lone female of the quintet is Narumi’s sister Rikuko. In these tales, which are vignettes and scenes more than they are stories, the characters are affirming bonds, making sure that love really exists before trying to making an attempt to strengthen relationships. A few are also struggling with coming out of the closet to their co-workers and families.
THE LOWDOWN: Although a sense of genuine love permeates these stories, The Moon and the Sandals simply doesn’t measure up to Yoshinaga’s longer narratives. Her strength is creating engaging romance graphic novels. The romance in these scenes stick and the passion is hot, but a more sustained focus on an individual couple working on their love or a single character trying to find love is needed here. Still, this ensemble romantic drama has winning characters that can leave a reader wanting more, and the title is very cool.
FOR READERS OF: Yaoi readers who prize strong characters and a sense of realness in the physical love will more likely than not enjoy this.
B
