How I Got Dragged Kicking and Screaming into this whole Bishounen Thing: A Review of 'Umi ni Nita Sora no Iro', volumes 1-3, by Katchan Umi ni Nita Sora no Iro ('The colour of the sky like the ocean') Author/Artist: Takamure Tamotsu No. of Volumes: 3 at time of writing Publisher: Biblos Date(s): 1996-1999 ISBN: Volume 1: 4-88271-463-9 Volume 2: 4-88271-750-6 Volume 3: 4-88271-929-0 Cost: 590yen each I'm not a bishounen fan.  I don't find it remotely attractive when a guy looks as though he'll break with a firm handshake.  Most of the series I like are shounen series, and the ladies' comics I prefer don't feature 'real' bishounen. But despite me, I fell in love with 'Umi ni Nita...'.  I discovered it accidentally by reading what I thought at the time was a yomikiri entitled 'Boy Meets Girl'.  Then I found out there was a whole series, and I ranted at my Evil Friend, until she found me the tankoubons... Misaki Hiroshi, known ever after the first couple of chapters only as 'Sensei', is a university professor; he's pretty and fair and slender and wears glasses that can't hide his long-lashed eyes.  He's very straight, very proper, ever the good young Japanese man... Fujihisa Nozumi is a university student, six years younger than Sensei, dark-haired and openly gay.  He falls hard and fast for Sensei, and wastes no time consummating their relationship... Sensei is shy and retiring; he follows all the rules and does what he can to sidestep conflict.  Nozumi is hot-tempered, possessive, and at times violently jealous.  Biggest problem for them?  Sensei's friend, Maekawa -- light-haired, intense of personality, and determined to win Sensei for himself.  There's always gotta be someone coming between the main couple, ne? Flashbacks to their pasts mark out a fascinating history between Nozumi and Sensei -- most of which they had forgotten; a number of the flashbacks focus solely on Nozumi, providing explanations for his oft-irrational behaviour and reactions. The story is delightfully angsty, with just enough affirmation in it to keep the heartstrings twanging, for those of us who can't get enough of that sorta thing.  The art is a bit awkward at first, as Takamure gets used to the lines of the characters' faces; but that smooths out quickly and the style settles before the end of volume one.  The lines aren't solid -- more often than not, the finished art has several 'sketch' lines emphasising features and hair.  The yummy bits aren't graphic -- this is one of the bright pink-covered Be x Boy Comics -- but they're there (more of them in volume one!).  Those of you who know Yuuwaku Battle (and other Yuu Yuu Hakusho doujinshi) may recognise Takamure's distinctive eyes in some of those works! All in all, despite the long legs and chicken-bone fingers and terrible angst, this is one of my favourite series -- the characters are engaging (Nozumi's adorable), the art style is deceptively simple.  Takamure has a knack with certain expressions, and pops the characters into Super-Deformed 'nonplussed' mode with ease. The tankoubons shouldn't be too hard to find -- I've seen them in the Cybershoppe.  Read and enjoy!