Kizuna

This is a great story, though sometimes hard to understand because of the many characters speak with a heavy Osaka dialect. The artwork is beautiful, especially the way she draws the faces and emotions, although she sometimes has problems with proportions.

The Story: The main characters are Samejima Ranmaru and Enjouji Kei. They've been friends since Jr. high school, and lovers since high school. Enjouji is the outgoing one of the two and is, in fact, about Samejima's only friend. Samejima, although handsome, intelligent and nice, was a very lonely kid, because he was really focused on becoming the top kendo fighter in Japan, and may very well have done so, except that he was hit by a car, after pushing Enjouji out of the way. (Unbeknownst to either one, the hit-and-run was a deliberate attempt to kill Enjouji, because of the family connections he really knows little about. He's the illegitimate son of a big yakuza guy.) All this background stuff actually comes out in volume 2. Volume 1 involves the entrance of Kei's younger half-brother onto the scene. Sagano Kai appears in their lives (they are now in college), and presents himself to Kei as rival for Ranmaru. Things sort of come to a head (so to speak) when Ranmaru's boss at his part-time job takes him out for a drink, and slips an aphrodisiac into his oolong tea. Fortunately, they happen to be in the host bar where Kai is working and he rescues Ranmaru from his boss. Unfortunately, Kai decides to take advantage of the effects of the aphrodisiac. The end result is that Kei and Ranmaru's relationship is stronger than ever, and Masa (Kai's dad's right hand man, and himself in love with Kai) shows up to Kai home. Kai leaves, but promises to be back, much to Kei's dismay. Lots of great emotional scenes, some pretty funny scenes, and tons of sexy sex! Highly recommended!!

Synopsis of new Kizuna serialization by Jeanne Johnson:

Ranmaru's grandfather the kendo master calls to complain that R never comes to visit any more so R says he'll drop by. Enjouji asks if the old man is setting up a miai for him (arranged marriage interview) and R says 'Maybe' which sends E into a slight tizzy. R goes to the doujo wondering if he should come out to his grandfather and thinking he really doesn't want to be here now he's given up kendo. Grandfather's assistant greets him like long lost son (so does the housekeeper) while grandfather is naturally more reserved. But R's (sister? cousin?) has just got married and moved to Hokkaido and grandpa is a) lonely and b) wanting R back at the doujo and R is faced with new temptation of could he ever go back to kendo. Grandfather says obscurely 'I don't want you to follow the same path as your mother'- whatever it was that happened to R's mother.

Meanwhile E is hanging about Shinjuku (location of a famous bar district where E works and also the gay cruising quarters- actually about ten minutes apart but still) when he runs into his brother Kai who's in a snit about something. 'Homesick?' E asks and Kai tells him to fuck off and Kai says I still won't admit you're my brother.

R comes home to find E dressing for his evening job, says he'll talk to him afterwards. E leaves, R does some confused (to me) musing baout Kei and kendo ('It's lowdown of me to expect Kei to tell me to stop.' Stop what?)

Kei comes home to his place, tries calling to Osaka or wherever in the Kansai, finds that the yakuza guy he's all hung up about is actually in Tokyo now  on business, has a shitfit about guy not calling him for three months and takes himself off to Shinjuku to pick up men in Kabukichou which is the  bar district and not the gay cruising ground but you can get anything in Kabukichou so anyway... But his brother sees him and tries to stop him but loses him in the crowd.

Meanwhile the guy Kei has the hots for, Masa, who looks enough like E to make one wonder about incest fixations, is off with his second in command to meet the Tokyo yakuza (mob) about a matter of mutual interest. end episode.