Manga Review: Red

[Jason]

Title: Red
Manga-ka: Sanae Rokuya
Serialized In: (Taiyoh Tosho)
Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Price: $12.95/US

Red is the story of a runaway Prince named Yasuharu. Unable to handle the pressure of ascending to the throne, he hides away in town trying to live an anonymous life. Protecting his secret is a law officer who was once a guard in Yasuharu’s palace, and a young man that the Prince took into his home after first running away. Things are disrupted one day when Yasuharu saves a foreigner named Jiei, a man who is actually (and openly) an assassin, there to kill him.

While I did enjoy aspects of the plot itself, the greatest failing I found while reading this book was how unchanging the mood was. The whole thing had a very low-key feeling and even when fight scenes occurred or events were meant to be dramatic, it still remained at the same pace and the same calm mood. It made it hard to really get attached to what happened or feel much for it. When reading a book of assassins, samurai and politic intrigue, I expected a little more the way of oomph.

Despite my problems with the story’s overall unwavering mood, Sanae Rokuya has a nice art style that suits the tone of the story really well. It worked well with the feudal era the plot takes place in, and the men look masculine (with the exception of one for plot reasons) and attractive in their yukatas. One thing that irked me was the dramatic-artistic revelation of Jiei’s identity as a foreigner when I didn’t think he looked much different from other characters who had similar facial structures and unfilled-in hair.

Overall, Red was a fairly interesting book that unfortunately fell short of being entertaining. There isn’t much in the way of boys’ love, nor enough of a story to keep me enthralled. While the pacing was decent, and the art was pretty attractive, there just isn’t enough here to raise Red up from being decidedly average.

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo
Proofer: Eduardo Menendez
Editor: Jason Punda