1999 Shanghai

By Setona MIZUSHIRO

In the city of Shanghai, beneath the bright lights and glittering signs, two rival gangs battled each other for control. Only one street was free from their influence-- A neutral zone set up by mutual agreement. Here, Shou, from the Duran gang, and Dawu, from Changlongji, met, and began a desperate and exhilarating affair. 

Shou, in spite of his soft looks and mild manner, was a deadly assassin and an indispensable member of his gang. He could not explain why he allowed himself to be seduced by a boy whose name he did not know, a boy who couldn't hold his drinks, and looked at him with clear and hungry eyes that should not belong to anyone who lived in the sordid underground of Shanghai. Duwa was still young and untried, but his quick mind and clever plans won him the trust of the leader of his gang. His loyalty to Changlongji was absolute, but he found himself putting his own life on the line for Shou, unable to resist repeating the scene of their first meeting over and over again. As the two gangs and their members jostled for the top position, Shou and Dawu found themselves torn between conflicting loyalties to their leader, their friends, and to each other. 

The secondary characters are just as interesting and three dimensional. The proud Changlong, leader of ChanglongJi, could put aside his pride for a moment and turned to his former lover and boss to save his gang, yet would not acknowledge the ember of love between them. Yichun, the mastermind behind the strategies of Duran, but could not phase to untangle the strands of jealousy, love, and possessiveness in his own heart. 

Shanghai, 1999 is unforgettable. Though the art style take getting used to, you're eyes will adjust to the simple and expressive drawings, cinematic layout, sometimes breath-taking in their clarity and honesty. The author has achieved something attempted by many, yet seldom found-- the perfect synthesis of drawings and words that is more than the sum of the parts.