Daisan no Teikoku 

Most westerners would have an impossible time trying to classify Third Reich. Is it a melodrama or comedy? Is it a story of unrequited love in the grand June tradition, or is it a clever parody? Is the uke another stand-in for the long-suffering female, or is he a gender-bender that turns all the stereotypes on their heads? Is the Nazis theme the definitive proof of Japan's latent ambition for world domination, or is it a parody of japanese mangaka's Nazis fetish. Depending on how you look at it, the answer is both, or either. Whatever the answer, Third Reich is an entertaining manga, with twisty plots, interesting characters, and witty dialogues seldom found in any manga.  

Julius led a very satisfactory life in Tokyo as a staff writer for Nippon News, until a series of bizarre murders disrupted his life. All of the victims share one thing in common with Julius. They all had the tattoo of an eagle, the symbol of the Nazis party, on their chest.  

At a party Julius met Matoba Fuyahiku, a mysterious young man who appeared to have the answer to the killings. From Fuyahiku Julius discovered that he was no ordinary man. Julius was the heir to the Third Reich, the son of a German father and a Japanese mother, raised to resurrect the underground empire of Japan and Germany. Now was the time for Julius to resume the leadership of the empire. Other underground organizations were moving to seize the power from Third Reich. The men who were killed by other organizations mistakenly, hoping to destroy Julius before he actually stepped on to the throne. Until he took on the mantel of leadership, the killing will continue. Julius was not moved by Fuyahiku's pleas. But Fuyahiku was not so easily repulsed. He maneuvered himself into Julius's apartment and Julius' bed, and pursued Julius with relentless determination through some 10 volumes of manga, crammed full of assassination attempts, seductions, and world conspiracies. 

"Someone so beautiful must have the heart of a demon." Julius thought to himself when he first met Fuyahiku. He was not far from the truth. Brought up to be the consort and protector of the emperor, Fuyahiku redefines the phrase 'to die for'. In true Japanese fashion, he is single-mindedly devoted to the emperor. But if you are picturing a twin of Masa from Kizuna, think again. The author had chosen to make Fuyahiku the uke, and the dynamic of the relationship immediately became fresh and charged. Fuyahiku is the uke, but not the passive character. The pursuer and the protector, he doesn't cling to Julius. He is completely aware of the power of his beauty, frankly admits to his amorality, and uses both to protect Julius. Yet he is sometimes surprisingly childlike in his single-mindedness and his joys. Seeing his pleasure in the snow, Julius tells him, "only children and dogs enjoy snow". 

Compared the Fuyahiku's sometimes over-the-top antics, Julius is understated and reserved. He is perhaps one of the few truly adult characters we meet in the world of manga. Obviously not one for instant gratification, even after he admits his love for Fuyahiku, he held back, knowing that sex doesn't solve everything, and the throne of the empire still divided the two of them. 

The plot twists and turns, and practically ties itself in knots. They are not continuous, except for the first few volumes and the last 2, so there is no need to read them in sequence. Reading the the 10 volumes together constitutes an overdose. They seem to be either as a parody of the entire espionage genre, or simply a device to extract the maximum amount of torture and angst out of the main characters. Julian's past lovers are killed with regularity, and someone die of unrequited love for in every volume. Of course, by volume 9, it seems that the author is getting just a tad trigger-happy. It does actually take 10 volumes for Julian and to end up in bed. But the ban, fortunately for the readers, does not extend to other characters. Julian seems to have no qualm accepting comfort. Fuyahiku, of course, being the wanton uke, lays back and think of England every time he meets a new villain. But reading the stories individually, you will find that they are generally clever pieces of suspense and plotting, and few readers would be able to guess the denouement of each arc before the story is over. 

In some ways Third Reich seems to belong to an older generation of manga. There are plenty of heart-break to satisfy even the greatest angst maniacs. The story does invite certain comparison to Eroica. If nothing else, it's another espionage story, in which one character pursues the other through many volumes. Julian, of course, is more receptive to Fuyahiku's charms. 

People either seem to love the art or hate the art. The detailed and lush drawings seem to go perfectly with the artful, if slightly contrived story. The Japanese use is not difficult, but it is crucial to understanding the story. If you could not follow the barbed conversations between Julian and Fuyahiku, then half of the fun is gone.