#dousei yankee akamatsu seven

Dousei Yankee Akamatsu Seven:

This is the first manga by Shoowa that I have read and I am already in love. First of all, the art style is amazing. I found myself pausing at some of the faces and profiles she drew many many times. There is also the fact that when I compare it with old BL manga I used to read as a teen, this is a vast improvement. Characters are actually identifying as queer, and the manga also deals with coming out and family acceptance.

The plot starts pretty simple: Akamatsu is a high school student with a lot of pent up energy, and who enjoys a good fight. Since he met Seven in the park, they meet sort of regularly to fight and Akamatsu keep coming up until he finally can win. When he finds out that Seven is homeless, he asks him to be his new roommate, while he finds a job and a new place to stay.

The plot starts very soft and sweet but gets pretty dark by volume 3. Also… apparently it is finished at 3 volumes? But I doubt that as the third volumes end up on a cliffhanger. The relationship was the best part of the manga, and the art. I´ll add the warnings under cut, just know that it´s more similar to Banana Fish than what it looks like at the beginning.

I am definetely keeping an eye out for all the rest of Shoowa´s manga!

Warnings for: non-con scenes, prostitution, human trafficking