Manga Review: The President’s Time

[Jason]

Title: The President’s Time
Mangaka: Tamaki Kirishima
Originally Serialized in: Drap (Core Magazine Co. Ltd.)
Genre: Yaoi, Comedy
Licensed by: 801 Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Price: $15.95/US

Mutsuki Nagasawa is the fifth president of Biei Cosmetics. His company is strong, and has weathered storms that sunk other enterprises, but one thing troubles him. It’s been eight years since his father’s death and he hasn’t been able to fulfill his father’s last request—that he become an Evil President. When he meets a mysterious young man named Makoto Torii, Mutsuki discovers a love that endangers his plans for evilness. Will Mutsuki ever be able to show his evil nature by completing a “Ding Dong Dash”, or crossing the road on a red light, or will the allies of justice triumph over all?

Kirishima’s story starts off relatively normal before taking a right turn into crack-ville. What makes it work, though, is that she doesn’t neglect the romance between the leads. Too many of the yaoi titles with cracky plotlines focus on the wackiness, neglecting the romance, but there are some genuinely cute and sweet moments between Mutsuki and Torii. The humor is offbeat but works in most cases, losing little in the translation. Kirishima’s downfall is that she shoves too many sub-characters into the story, muddying the waters and causing her to rush a secondary romance that could have been interesting had it been better developed. However she makes up for that failing by creating two main characters that are fairly well fleshed out, almost realistic seeming, even with the crazy aspects of their story.

The art flashes between sexy, buff men and some of the most adorable chibis I’ve ever seen (though Kirishima’s characters’ oversized mouths and square jaws may not be to everyone’s taste). I liked that she doesn’t make her ukes and semes seem all that different from each other, which makes them more believable as people rather than flat caricatures. Her pages are full of action, and she likes overlaying the panels on top of other action scenes, but the whole effect is still easy to follow.

As usual, 801Media has done a nice job with the printing, even keeping the comics printed on the binding under the book jacket, though the pink ink used to do so is a little hard on the eyes.

The President’s Time is a great choice for those of us who like our yaoi crazy with silly plots, rippling muscles, and happy endings. Not as much sex as some might like, but if you’re looking for a complete story, rather than the ever-present collection of shorts, this is worth picking up.

Reviewer: Snow Wildsmith
Proofer: Eduardo Menendez
Editor: Lissa Pattillo