Review: GRAVITATION EX

It's time to return to one of the landmarks in millennial BL and see how its sequel fares.

GRAVITATION EX, by Maki Murakami.  First published in 2004 and first published in North America in 2007.

PLOT:

Shuichi and Eiri have finally settled into a relationship, and now they are travelling to NYC so Yuki can give his final respects to his former teacher Yuki.  No sooner do they get there than they get saddled with Riku, Yuki's orphaned son.  The two now have to juggle caring for a child alongside managing their stormy relationship, the demands of Shuichi's rising music career, and all sorts of nonsense along the way.

Review: THE ANCIENT MAGUS' BRIDE: JACK FLASH AND THE FAERIE CASE FILES

Both the summer movie season and the summer anime season is loaded with sequels, so it's as good as a time as any for us to cover some more manga sequels, prequels, and spinoffs, starting with a spinoff from one of my favorite manga. 

THE ANCIENT MAGUS' BRIDE: JACK FLASH AND THE FAERIE CASE FILES (Maho Tsukai no Yome Shihen.75: Inazuma Jack to Yosei Jiken), written by Yu Godai with art by Mako Oikawa and script supervision by Kore Yamazaki.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2020.

PLOT:

Just beyond the busy everyday surface of New York City is a world of alchemists, fae, and other magical beings living amongst them.  When the thin boundary between the two is broken, it is up to investigators like Jacqueline "Jack" Flash and her werewolf assistant Larry to make things right.  Their status as changelings allows them to easily traverse both worlds, which they'll need to do to solve cursed cameras, a ring of thieving spectral hounds, and stolen dragon eggs.

Review: THE ECCENTRIC DOCTOR OF THE MOON FLOWER KINGDOM

 It was inevitable that the success of The Apothecary Diaries would spawn imitators.  Those imitators can be enjoyable in their own right, but this book can't help but make me wish I was just reading about MaoMao instead.

THE ECCENTRIC DOCTOR OF THE MOON FLOWER KINGDOM (Gekkakoku Kaiden), by Tohru Himuka.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2023.

PLOT:

Trouble is afoot in the capital of the Moon Flower Kingdom.  The head consort wants to clear the way for her own son, even if that means killing the crown prince Keiun.  His guard is injured during their escape, and this is what ultimately leads him to the small-town doctor Koyou.  Her pretty face and ditzy ways bely her talent for practical treatments and medicine-making.  Keiun takes it upon himself to bring her and her assistant to the palace to ply her trade, even if it means facing all the machinations of the royal court.

Review: SAKURA'S DEDICATION

April showers are bringing us a month of manga with flowery titles.  It's also the season for sakura blossoms, so naturally we should start with a schoolroom romance featuring a Sakura.

SAKURA'S DEDICATION (Sakura wa Watashi o Sukisugiru), by Fuyu Yukimiya.  First published in 2021 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Sawa's just broke up with her boyfriend for cheating on her.  Her classmate Sakura confesses to her almost immediately upon hearing this, but she turns him down because he's just not her type.  He's not deterred, though, and soon Sawa begins to understand that maybe what she needs isn't someone who is 'her type,' but instead someone loyal, honest, and true.

Review: VAMPIRE DORMITORY

 Don't think that I'm going to leave the ladies out of this month, though.  There's a long tradition of girls posing as boys in shojo manga and this...is not the best example of that.

VAMPIRE DORMITORY (Vanpaia Domitori), by Ema Toyama.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2021.

PLOT:

Mito Yamamoto just can't catch a break.  Her parents are dead, she's been kicked out of school, and now just lost her job.  She's been posing as a man to protect herself, but if anything that just brings her nothing but unwanted attention from girls and women.  It's enough to drive her to attempt suicide...until Ruka came along.  

It's been a decade since Ruka felt the urge to feed on a human, but he can't seem to keep himself away from this mysterious boy.  He makes Mito an offer they cannot refuse: to become his thrall.  Mito will be enrolled in his fancy vampire high school, stay in his lavish dorm, and work alongside him at a butler cafe.  In return, Mito will allow Ruka to drink his blood and accept whatever care and affection he can offer (since it will make Mito's blood even sweeter).  Mito's fine with all of that, but how is she going to keep her true gender under wraps in a school full of handsome bloodsuckers?