Manga Review: Black Sun

[Jason]

Title: Black Sun
Mangaka: Uki Ogasawara
Originally Serialized In: Hertz (Taiyou Tosho)
Genre: Yaoi
Licensed By: 801Media (Digital Manga)
Rated: Mature (18+)
Price: $15.95/US

Prince Leonard, a Monastic Knight fighting in the Crusades, offers himself to General Jamal Jin to save the lives of his soldiers. He soon finds out, however, that he is to be the General’s plaything, a sexual toy to be raped at will. Now, caught between the players of a foreign court, Leonard must struggle to survive.

Ogasawara’s faux-historical tale is a disaster from beginning to end. The plot, such as there is, is an awkward mix of historical details and sadistic sexual practices. Events mostly occur in order to allow the characters the chance to a.) get naked, b.) rape or be raped, c.) pose with a graphic hard-on, or d.) all of the above.

In addition to Prince Leonard and General Jamal Jin, there are a wide variety of other characters, all male and all gorgeous. Many of them are tossed into the story without much explanation of who they are or why they are important. There is a lot of court intrigue, but Ogasawara is not a skilled enough writer to pull off the delicate machinations of politics. Then, after readers wade through the entire book, the story abruptly ends in the middle of the action. I’m guessing there is a sequel or a companion volume, but none is noted in the text.

On the upside, literally, Ogasawara’s art is smoking hot. Her men are beautiful of face, muscular of body, and all are hung like horses. They also have the amazing ability to hold onto to their “excitement” no matter what is going on around them, including during swordfights in front of the servants. It also helps that there is no censorship, no “cone of light,” no white sparkles, no bars across the naughty bits.

Unfortunately, I require plot with my smut and that just isn’t there. Hot boys are nice, but the constant rape and abuse were turn-offs, no matter the artistic details. If you want to use this one for art reference, then you might want to pick it up, but as a story it fails miserably.

Reviewer: Snow Wildsmith
Proofed and Edited By Lissa Pattillo