Manga Review: Golden Prince & Argent King

[Jason]

Title: Golden Prince & Argent King
Mangaka: Kouko Agawa
Originally Serialized in: Be x Boy GOLD (Libre Publishing Co., Ltd.)
Genre: Yaoi
Licensed by: Digital Manga Publishing - Juné
Price: $12.95/US

Yuuki has just found out he has two half-brothers and that his father was actually a wealthy businessman. Now this illegitimate son moves into the lap of luxury and finds that life isn’t much easier when you’re rich. On top of trying to deal with his new school and home, Yuuki finds his emotions torn between his handsome new brothers, the dour Gai and the light-hearted Masumi.

I’m not one who usually goes for “brotherly love” stories, and if you aren’t either, then let me assure you that Agawa avoids this particular issue through one of many plot contrivances. In fact, her plot is made up of many of these elements: convenient moments that just happen to appear in time to move the plot along. Even with them, though, her plot is still not much more than yaoi standard—no one tells anyone else how they feel, no one is sure who can be trusted, and dramatic elements are required to get anyone to talk about anything.

Her characters are likeable enough. Gai is the stoic with the heart of gold; Yuuki is the young man who is proud even in poverty; and Masumi is the gorgeous blond beloved of his classmates. Again, as with the plot, none of these types are anything we haven’t seen before and Agawa does little to lift them out of mediocrity. Even when they profess love to one another, it doesn’t seem real. It’s as if they had to profess in order to make the story a romance, but there’s no real heart or soul behind it.

Agawa’s art is pleasant, but it is yet another area where she only achieves mediocrity. Her characters are all blushes and clenched jaws, but there’s not much life behind their eyes.

Overall this isn’t a bad read, but it’s not one to rush out and buy. Yaoi readers have all been-there-and-done-that before as far as both the art and the story are concerned in this work.

Reviewer: Snow Wildsmith
Proofed and Edited By Lissa Pattillo