Gravitation: Track 11

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! Today we're going to be looking at Gravitation: Track 11. The chapter starts off with Shuichi returning to Yuki's home at night (like he said he would in the last chapter) with a bag of groceries in hand, determined to make Yuki dinner. Yuki is skeptical of this and his skepticism is well founded since Shuichi only manages to cut himself while trying to make dinner. Yuki helps him out and the two sit down for a nice meal.

                                           Well, as nice as Yuki gets anyway.

Shuichi notes that it's easy to get good at cooking when you're the only one doing it for yourself and Yuki asks to see the cut on Shuichi's hand. Shuichi wants him to kiss it better but Yuki refuses, being more practical and bandaging it up. He cuts Shuichi's romantic thoughts short by ordering him to do the dishes to earn his keep. Shuichi wants to play the PSX with Yuki while all Yuki wants to do is get some work done. Yuki's patience is slowly being worn thin here and Shuichi is really overstepping his boundaries for only just having come to live with Yuki. All of this is interrupted by Tatsuha storming into the room, demanding to see Shuichi. He's angry that Shuichi got to have a duet with Ryuichi without being invited. While those two argue Mika storms in, angry at Tatsuha for...something. You know, this is the first time all three of these siblings have been in the same room together since the manga started. It's all short lived as Yuki loses his temper and throws all of them out.

Shuichi, Tatsuha, and Mika all meet up with Noriko and they all go to meet Ryuichi at the bar. Seguchi is there as well as Ryuichi and Tatsuha finally gets to meet him. We learn that Ryuichi only came back to Japan from Los Angeles because Noriko asked him too. Tatsuha pretends to be ill so that Ryuichi will help him and they'll get to spend some time together. Seguchi finds the whole thing pretty amusing, unlike Mika, who is just annoyed. For some reason, Seguchi gets really worked up when he discovers that Shuichi and Yuki are now living together.

                                              Woah...Settle down there Seguchi.

Mika takes responsibility for really being the one, along with Tatsuha, to get Shuichi kicked out. However, she also says point blank that Shuichi really doesn't know anything about Yuki which is very true. The scene shifts to Yuki and Mizuki. He was asked to read a manuscript (for editing purposes I would assume) and he's handing it back to her while she thanks him. She asks how things are going with Shuichi and Yuki denies having got into a fight with him. She's not buying it and tells him that if there's a misunderstanding they should work it out. After all, it takes two people to be in a good relationship. She leaves and Yuki thinks to himself about the situation. He's simply not used to living like this. Before he can have any more time to himself, Shuichi returns. Yuki apologizes for throwing him out and Shuichi tells him he didn't want to be an annoyance. Even though he doesn't know anything about Yuki he wants to hear about him from Yuki himself. Yuki reiterates that Shuichi can stay with him for one week, staring tomorrow. So I guess today was just going to be considered a practice day. Before Yuki can give Shuichi a kiss, he falls asleep, exhausted from the work he had to do.

The next day, Shuichi meets with Hiro, Noriko, and Sakano again, telling Hiro about his plans with Yuki. Noriko tells them to stop fooling around since they're going to be going on the game show soon. Sakano, obviously still nervous over what happened during the live show, asks them to please just stick to what they did in rehearsal. We also learn that Seguchi is going to be at the studio since ASK is also performing on a different program and since Seguchi is their producer, he's going to watch. A stage hand then tells them to get ready to be announced and they make their way to the studio. On the way there, they run into two guys from ASK.

                                            And they're total douchebags. Lovely.

 Hiro tries to get Shuichi to stay calm, but Shuichi doesn't even know who these two are and says as much. This causes one of them (they don't have names right now so let's just call them...Douche 1 and Douche 2. It'll be like Dr. Suess, only less whimsical) to get angry and man handle Shuichi. Shuichi is not having any of this nonsense and belts him one, right across the face. So much love Shuichi. So much love. Douche 2 jumps in to help his friend, grabbing Shuichi in a headlock but the whole thing is stopped by Noriko. The third member of the band comes in to further break the matter up, telling Shuichi he better watch himself. Shuichi takes offense at being treated like a kid and the third member responds that if he doesn't like it he can just get out. Shuichi is understandably angry at these jerks. He hates to be underestimated and that's exactly what these three are doing. I really, REALLY hope they get theirs in the end. I guess Bad Luck has made their first rival band!


As the game show gets under way, Sakano is freaking out. He had a bad feeling that something is going to go wrong, given Shuichi's track record and the fact that the broadcast is live. Noriko tells him to settle down, saying she's looking forward to the live music broadcast they'll be giving after the game show. Shuichi and Hiro whisper about what just happened and Shuichi is too annoyed to just let it go like Hiro suggests. As soon as the first question is asked, Shuichi buzzes in and says that they don't need the 1 million yen prize. If they win, he wants to sing a song.


So ends Track 11! I love this development. Shuichi has never been one to just do as he's told and take hits. He knows what he wants and he's working towards getting it in any way he can. I'm not sure if this is going to be allowed (though I don't see why anyone would object necessarily either) but if it is, then Bad Luck is taking a major step in their development. Maybe if they get more viewership than ASK they'll establish themselves as an actual threat.


Tune in next time for Gravitation Track 12! See you then.

Gravitation: Track 4

The chapter drawing for Track 4 for the first time in the series shows more than just Shuichi. It shows both Shuichi and Yuki. Now the relationship is going to start to take a stronger focus in the manga! I can just feel it! Track 4 starts out with Shuichi yelling at Yuki for not telling him that Mika was his older sister rather than his girlfriend. Yuki tells him he just misunderstood him. Shuichi then asks if Yuki has a bad relationship with his parents. Yuki doesn't really say one way or the other but he does mention that his father on the verge of death. I have this weird feeling that we've missed a conversation again. These chapters have a tendency to seemingly skip over important conversations making it hard to follow. Shuichi urges him to go see his father so I'm guessing Mika is using him to try and convince Yuki to go see his father for some as of yet unexplained reason. Yuki believes that Shuichi is just there to seduce him as bait but Shuichi says that what made him go confront Yuki was the possibility of losing him, not any amount of money that Mika offered (I think she may have also offered Seguchi, since she knows that Shuichi is interested in men but I'm not positive. It SEEMS like that though. This manga is both weird and confusing at times but it's still ridiculously entertaining). Yuki, however, does not believe this. He calls Shuichi a liar since he refuses to believe someone would do something for nothing. He goes so far as to call him "extremely disgusting".

Now, we all know by now that Yuki is a total dick but this attitude makes me ask why is he like this. The way he talks, it make me think that Yuki had some kind of bad experience in his past, maybe relating to his father, maybe relating to a past lover. There's something that Yuki isn't revealing. Still, it's no excuse for railing against a confused, love sick high school student. He's driving poor Shuichi to tears! It makes me a sad panda.

The next day at school, Shuichi gets yelled at by his teacher for Mika pulling him out of class. He's apparently started to tie his hair back too and I have to say it suits him quite nicely.

Cutie. Anyway! Hiro comes by after Shuichi is done talking to his teacher and tells him that he has another live show lined up for them. And this time, they would be the main act! But Shuichi turns him down because he says he's "seriously considering doing other things". Aww, that's so sad! I know that since this manga is over fifty chapters long and music is the main draw that Shuichi isn't going to give up music but just the idea that he's thinking of giving up the thing he's so very passionate about depresses me a little. All because of that damn Yuki! Hiro, like the great, wonderful, awesome friend he is, isn't angry that Shuichi wants to pursue other things. He just ask that Shuichi be ready when the time comes.

Later on (that night I assume) Maiko starts yelling at Shuichi for not taking his bath. It seems he's been working on the computer all this time. Is it music he's working on or something else? I have no idea as they don't say. I would assume (man, I have to do that a lot in this manga) that he was, but he did say he wasn't sure if he wanted to keep pursuing music so who knows? I don't. Maiko pushes him to take his bath so that he can read Yuki's latest book. She does, however, ask him if he's doing alright since he's been overworking himself and he tells her he's fine, he'll just sleep in class. While he's taking a bath he thinks about Yuki. Also, is it just me or does it seem like he has a really small bath?

I wonder if all Japanese baths are that small? Regardless, Shuichi regains his determination! He's going to play at least one live song and prove that he's not a liar! I'm not sure how that exactly will show he's not a liar but I like his spirit! He meets with Mika in that bar (and one again I'm going to assume it's later that night because they're not saying one way or the other) to report that he failed. He tells Mika that this situation has made him want something from Yuki. The scene shifts to Seguchi getting a phone call from Mika. Apparently Shuichi left a demo tape with her. Yuki is with Seguchi and we get another little tidbit about him. His real name (surname) is Uesugi. Yuki does NOT like being referred to by this name because it's his father's name. As Yuki is dropping Seguchi off at the airport, he tells him that he actually DOES like Shuichi but he doesn't feel like he can be in a relationship with him because he has nothing to give in return for Shuichi's love. Weird. Does he think that he's incapable of love or something? What the heck is holding him back?

After Yuki drops off Seguchi, the scene shifts back to Shuichi...who is drunk. And still holding the demo tape? Did he not give it to Mika? Have I missed something? Shuichi was so busy thinking about Yuki that he actually missed work. AND hasn't slept for three nights?! He's got it pretty bad. He does look pretty cute all drunk and blushing and smiling though. He falls into a fountain and says this is the time that Yuki should come and save him, like in a daytime drama. Unfortunately Yuki is nowhere in sight and now the demo tape is ruined. The dunk seems to sober Shuichi up a little and who should turn up but the editor that we saw back in Track 2.

Honestly? I wasn't expecting her to show up again. Shuichi, catching cold after falling into the fountain, is invited back to her apartment to warm up and we find out her name is Kanna Mizuki. We also find out that Shuichi is a junior. So he's got at least one more year of school left ahead of him. I wonder how that's going to play out? Maybe he'll drop out if his band career takes off? Conversation turns to Yuki and we find out that Mizuki was looking through the park for him because he's gone missing. Shuichi is, of course, concerned and thinks he might have gone to his parent's house. Mizuki said this is unlikely since Yuki hates the formality of his parent's house since they live in a temple. I did NOT see that coming and Shuichi is just as surprised as me.

The scene then shifts to Yuki talking with his father. He was faking sick in order to get Yuki to speak to him. Ah, so THIS is where Yuki gets his dick attitude from. It takes a special kind of person (and not in the good way) to fake dying just to guilt trip your son into visiting you and then calling him stubborn and shameful as soon as you see him. Through this conversation we learn that Yuki has a brother as well as a sister. Yuki says something that sticks out to me "When you die you'll leave your lust behind". That's paraphrased but it gets the main idea across. It makes me feel...dirty the way he says that and I don't know why. I have a feeling I'm not going to like finding out why Yuki hates his father so much. Later on, Yuki talks with Mika. Through this conversation we learn that Yuki is engaged to be married to a woman. Both Yuki's family and the girl's family is behind this and he's pressuring Yuki into marrying her.

The scene shifts back so Shuichi and Mizuki. Shuichi feels guilty because, even though he didn't know Yuki's name or anything about him, he still continued pursuing him. Mizuki says that it'll be okay but Shuichi collapses against her. She says that he's burning up and runs to call an ambulance. As he falls against the floor he thinks to himself  "I'm dying".

Yeesh! What a way to end Track 4! We've got ourselves our first real cliffhanger! It's pretty exciting even though it's obvious that Shuichi won't be dying sine it's way too early in the series. I like how Gravitation is slowly dropping hints to these mysteries regarding Yuki and his family and his relationships. It's like Shuichi, through destiny (suddenly the lyrics to his song in the first chapter seem far more relevant), is being swept up into this new world that he doesn't quite understand but refuses to stay out of because of his love. Shuichi and Yuki are really part of totally different worlds. This is going to be a relationship they will have to work at if it's going to be successful.

Since tomorrow starts the weekend Yaoi Zowee will be taking a break. I know, kind of rough to stop after a chapter like that huh? On Monday we'll be looking at Track 5 which also begins volume 2! See you then.