Gravitation: Track 21

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! Today we'll be looking at Gravitation Track 21. The chapter starts with Ryuichi and Shuichi meeting up before the show starts and it is SO AWKWARD. Of course Ryuichi just happily tells Shuichi to do his best and...Shuichi immediately forgives him and all the problems between them are over. Well that was anticlimactic. The author even tries to fake us out by having the "Track 21 End" graphic on the second page before K grabs Shuichi and tells him that things can't be solved that easily. He warns him not to get too chummy with Ryuichi since it's a dog eat dog world and Ryuichi already practically has victory in his hands. Nittle Grasper (seriously what does this name even mean?) begins a sound check and everyone turns to watch Ryuichi sing. Once again the audience is shafted as we can't hear Ryuichi sing (but, like always, we are assured that it is very, very good) but Shuichi realizes that Ryuichi was actually holding back so as not to embarrass Shuichi with his skill. Shuichi is PISSED that Ryuichi would do such a thing and refuses to be considered the underdog anymore. The show will begin in five minutes and K thinks it's ridiculous that Shuichi thinks he can beat Ryuichi while Sakano tells him to stop being such a dick about it. K responds that they both know Ryuichi well after being his manager for as long as they have (Sakano when he was with Nittle Grasper and K when he was going solo) and is pushing Shuichi to be the best he can be by pitting him against Ryuichi.

Hit Stage finally begins and the hosts introduce Bad Luck.

                                           Something about Shuichi seems...off in this picture

Before things get truly underway, Shuichi tells Hiro and Suguru to not go easy on Ryuichi tonight because he won't go easy on them. The song they're going to perform is called "No Style". And thus begins what to me is the weakest part of the manga. The music. Sure the characters say that the singing and playing is really good but the readers don't get to experience it at all. It feels like the very heart and soul of the story is missing. Pretty pictures of posing pretty boys does not a good concert make (well, to me anyway). This is probably why the anime is more popular (that and I have a sneaking suspicion it's far more subtle in its Boys Love tones. This series had to get that reputation from SOMEWHERE damn it!). It doesn't help that Shuichi apparently just consistently makes up lyrics as he goes in stressful situations. It's all very muddled and confusing at times. They finish their performance and Ryuichi gushes to Shuichi about how awesome he was and asks for his autograph while Shuichi just stares on in confusion. Noriko drags Ryuichi away so they can perform and Ryuichi declares that he's buddies with Shuichi who is beginning to suspect that Ryuichi never hated him in the first place (which we, the readers, already know is true. Suddenly this whole subplot is feeling very pointless).

Shuichi lashes out at K who had been fueling his worries about Ryuichi hating him in order to get a better performance out of him. Shuichi refuses to believe that someone who is always so gentle could be as rude as he was being the time he told Shuichi to move. Shuichi must live a sheltered life. K is inclined to agree telling him that if he thinks Ryuichi is gentle than he's clueless. Well when you have a character who dresses like a rabbit in public, carries a stuffed animal around, and constantly gushes it's easy to make that mistake. If that's not his true personality it must be exhausting putting a show on like that all the time. I have to wonder why he even bothers. Before Shuichi can argue further Nittle Grasper takes the stage. Ryuichi flashes Shuichi a friendly victory sign before he goes into serious mode.

                                               SUPER serious mode.

And, joy of joys, we have yet another musical performance where everyone says how great and wonderful the band is, how Ryuichi is totally different from before now that he's singing (it's called a stage persona it's not like it's that big of a deal) and Shuichi is of course awe struck by their talent. Shuichi remembers listening to this band every day and watching their videos and wishing he could be Ryuichi. K gently reminds him that he shouldn't change what can't be changed and should just take his personality and strengths and work with them rather than trying to model himself after Ryuichi. He has a point. It's pretty blatantly obvious that Shuichi has been copying Ryuichi's style. Being energetic when he's offstage, then being more "cool" and in control when he's onstage. So now I'm curious how much of Shuichi's personality is his genuine personality and how much of it was just him slavishly copying Ryuichi. Suddenly everyone saying how much Shuichi and Ryuichi are alike is taking on a weirder tone.

K urges Shuichi to go out and sing with Ryuichi and Shuichi is all too happy too do it now that he knows Ryuichi doesn't hate him, only to be intimidated by Ryuichi's stage presence. Sakano panics and tries to rectify the situation while Shuichi panics and tries to do something that won't embarrass himself further since he doesn't have a mike to sing with. So he dances. Very poorly I might add which just seems to piss Ryuichi off. Ryuichi comes over to Shuichi and...

                                  Of course it's a happy ending, what did you think was going to happen?

Everyone practically wets themselves in excitement over how they sound almost the same (is that a good thing? I don't really see how that's a good thing. Isn't it important to be unique in this industry?) and when the song is over everyone is saying how awesome and amazing it was, Ryuichi hugs Shuichi and tells him that was amazing...and Shuichi starts crying. Which is how the chapter ends.

Alright, I'm not sure why Shuichi is crying but my guess is that he's had some kind of epiphany regarding Ryuichi and the way he's been modeling himself after Ryuichi. That, or he's just really overwhelmed by fulfilling his dream and singing with Nittle Grasper onstage which is something he's wanted to do for the better part of his life. I have to admit, I'm not as interested in the band aspects of this series. I'm more interested in learning more about Yuki and his past than I am about whether or not Shuichi is going to be successful. I mean, with all these high end music industry people surrounding him and the audience constantly being reminded of his talent it's kind of expected now that Bad Luck is going to do really well. There's not much conflict there. In fact...there's not much conflict anywhere anymore! Something new better come up, fast, or this whole series is going to be a chore to get through. I would say it's impossible to drag a story on for hundreds of pages with no conflict but I've read Twilight. I know better.

Tomorrow we'll be looking at Gravitation Track 22! See you then.

Gravitation: Track 17

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! Today we'll be looking at Gravitation Track 17. The chapter opens up with Shuichi trying to wake Yuki up but Yuki is not having it. After annoying Yuki sufficiently Yuki smacks him as he wakes up. Shuichi tells Yuki that today is the day Bad Luck's CD gets released and that Yuki shouldn't eat dinner before he gets back. There's some playful banter between the two (which is refreshing to see) before Shuichi bites Yuki on the ear and runs off. This affects Yuki more than you'd expect, causing him to blush with wide eyed shock. Seguchi suddenly appears and says that he didn't know that was a weak spot on Yuki. Yuki jumps and asks him what he's doing there and Seguchi gives him a bottle of...something as a housewarming gift. Yuki admits to Seguchi that he told Shuichi about his past, expecting Shuichi to want nothing more to do with him. But there's something wrong. Yuki apparently doesn't actually remember the events at all and it causes him to break down. Seguchi comforts him and says (or thinks? Could be either one) that he can't expect Taki to keep his promise (no shock there).

The scene then shifts over to Shuichi happily running to the recording studio. He's thinking to himself and reiterates that he doesn't care that Yuki killed anyone and now that Ayaka is out of the way there's no obstacle that he can't overcome! He rides the elevator up to the recording studio and someone calls out Ryuichi's name causing him to get all worked up before some random guy hugs him, thinking that Shuichi is Ryuichi (easy mistake to make).

                                       This is what happens when you look like a celebrity

Shuichi is barely able to call out to Noriko as he is whisked away by this mysterious man. He's deposited into a car and before he can demand to know what is going on, the man shoves a stuffed rabbit in his face and tells him that he shouldn't have come to Japan and demands an apology. Shuichi tries to explain to him that he's not Ryuichi but the man very scarily tells him to apologize while holding a GUN. Okay, so this guy is probably Ryuichi's bodyguard and Ryuichi has gotten away from him. That would make sense. Otherwise this is a very frightening development. Shuichi apologizes and we find out that the man is actually Ryuichi's manager (eh, close enough) and is finally able to tell him that he's not, in fact, Ryuichi. The man then demands to know where Ryuichi is and Shuichi tells him to keep his eyes on the road. They nearly crash into an oncoming truck, nearly giving Shuichi a heart attack in the process, though the man just laughs it off. I like this guy. The manager tells Shuichi that he was a good double for a prettier Ryuichi. Shuichi doesn't think so, since Ryuichi is too cool (so he's the only one who DOESN'T think he looks like Ryuichi). The manager is in a bit of a pinch. Ryuichi is scheduled for a live broadcast in an hour and he can't find him.

                                        Sure, THIS is the most logical solution...

Then the scene shifts and we see a rather bizarre scene of Tatsuha hanging out at a zoo with Ryuichi and a bunch of kids...only Tatsuha is dressed up like a bear and Ryuichi is dressed up as a bunny. This...it's very, VERY strange. But it's also kind of sweet since Tatsuha's taking time away from his monk duties to take Ryuichi out for a day of fun (though he has his own reasons for doing so, because of his crush on Ryuichi). Tatsuha gets a call from Seguchi asking how they're doing and Tatsuha reveals the reason for the costumes: they're disguises so that Ryuichi can walk around without being mobbed by fans. Okay, that's good enough for me! Seguchi warns Tatsuha to make sure that Ryuichi makes it to the live broadcast on time since things are getting a little frantic around the studio. The manager keeps on with his plan to put Shuichi on in Ryuichi's place even though they found Ryuichi. There's just no time. We also find out, via Noriko, that Ryuichi's manager is American and everyone is calling him K. Which I'm thankful for since saying "the manager" over and over again was getting awkward. Seguchi is confident that since Ryuichi is now so close that Shuichi won't have to go on.

Famous last words of course as K throws Shuichi out in front of the camera to stand in for Ryuichi to the horror of everyone gathered. Shuichi realizes that they're closing the curtain on him and, panicking, he tells them that he's just there to fill time until Ryuichi arrives. He plays some kind of word games with the people on the show who are a bit afraid of how crazy he is. Hiro tells Noriko that this is just what Shuichi does in these situations. While Shuichi keeps trying to fill time, Tastuha arrives at the studio with Ryuichi. Just as they do, Ryuichi hears Shuichi singing his song. This is another one of those moments in the manga where we really need sound to get the full effect of this act. Shuichi is now being heard around the country which is going to give him a lot more exposure. Ryuichi is a bit miffed at Shuichi's taking his spot and he rushes towards the camera, demanding a mike.

                                              Okay, so maybe "pissed" would be a better word.

I feel bad for Shuichi. The poor boy was kidnapped, forced onto camera, and tried to make the most of it only to get brushed aside by Ryuichi. Hey, Ryuichi? You want someone to be mad at, be mad at your manager. Or hey, be mad at yourself! You were messing around dressed like a rabbit when you had a schedule to keep! This isn't the first time we've been told that Ryuichi is a bit of a flake when it comes to his schedule. He really should be mad at himself. Noriko said that it was good Ryuichi made it but Seguchi said he would have been happy even if he hadn't. The chapter ends with Taki pissed off that Shuichi was able to sing even under circumstances like that. He's slowly being forced to realize that Shuichi is not just some upstart but the real deal. Yeah, that's right Taki! You're going to be beaten down and forgotten!

I'd like to think that Shuichi will help inspire Ryuichi to be more passionate about is music again. He just seems so ambivalent to everything while Shuichi is still giving it his all to climb the ladder. It's a nice contrast but I felt annoyed at Ryuichi's reaction to seeing Shuichi singing in his place. I wouldn't like it if someone usurped my spot on a TV show either but it really was entirely his own fault. He shouldn't be taking it out on Shuichi, especially since Shuichi is such a big fan of his!

Tune in tomorrow for Track 18 of Gravitation! See you then.

Gravitation: Track 16

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! Today we'll be looking at Gravitation Track 16. The chapter starts out with Shuichi reacting to the news that Ayaka and Yuki are going to get married. Naturally, he's shocked. Ayaka is a bit haughty in her response that Yuki won't be returning to his home address anymore. I'm assuming they're going to either be moving to Kyoto or into the temple where Yuki's parents live. I think she genuinely is disappointed in losing Shuichi as a romantic rival. I have to  half wonder if she was pulling for Yuki and Shuichi to be in a relationship...Well, that doesn't make a lot of sense but who knows? I'll have to see as I read on. Hiro says that he knew Shuichi was still into Yuki and warns Ayaka that her words have only spiked his determination. She says that she knows. Oh, so I was right! She did plan on that. We also get her reason: Everyone else is looking out for Yuki. Awww, so she's looking out for Shuichi even though they're rivals. She's such a sweet girl.

The scene shifts to Shuichi running to Yuki's house (okay, so they ran into Ayaka not at Yuki's house like I thought but somewhere else. Not a big deal, my mistake) and hurries to find the key to open the door, expecting to see Yuki there as he always is.

                                                       He's....not.

That is probably the most depressing panel in this manga so far. There's so much white space and Shuichi looks so small up in the corner there. You can tell that he half expected to see this but didn't want to even think the possibility out loud. The next panel is just as bad! This is so depressing! Shuichi freaks out and kicks over a box, screaming curses as Yuki for leaving him like this. He yells at him (or rather shouts to himself since he's alone in the house) about Yuki just used him for his body and how Shuichi protected him even when being GANG RAPED. Shuichi has a right to be pissed especially if Yuki really is just leaving without a word. Shuichi dissolves into tears and hugs someone who just appeared and Shuichi says he doesn't want to give up. Of course, we're led to believe that Yuki is the one he's crying into.

                                               It's...not.

Shuichi tells Tatsuha that he needs to see Yuki again whether Ayaka likes it or not. Tatsuha tosses Shuichi a motorcycle helmet and says that Ayaka told him to go find Shuichi. Shuich wants to know just what the heck is going on and what her reasoning is and Tatsuha tells him to just get on unless he wants Ayaka to marry Yuki. The scene shifts again to the temple where Yuki is talking with his father. He's telling Yuki that the marriage is very important to Ayaka's parents since she is their only daughter. Yuki is as airy and dismissive as ever, to his father's dismay, but Mika tries to keep the peace between the two. Tatsuha shows up at this time saying he brought Ayaka. Of course he actually brought Shuichi who...is in drag again pretending to be Ayaka. I'm starting to think Shuichi is looking for excuses to be put in drag now. Everyone just stares blankly at him except for Mika who is shocked as can be. Since Yuki's father hasn't seen Ayaka since she was a little girl he actually believes it's her and Shuichi says that he wants to call off the engagement while Yuki and Mika look on in total horror. Yuki's father tries to convince "Ayaka" to reconsider but Shuichi keeps to his guns. When Yuki's father insinuates that Shuichi is the cause of all the problems Shuichi loses it and announces that he's Yuki's lover. By showing off his privates to Yuki's father. Yuki has the best reaction of everyone.

                                              I'd probably try to leave at this point too.

This whole scene is pure silly craziness and after the angst of the last few chapters (and the earlier scenes of the empty apartment and the crying) it's completely welcome. Yuki's father blows up and yells but the scene shifts to Shuichi (dressed normally) sitting outside the temple with Yuki. He still has things he wants to say. He tells Yuki that it doesn't matter what kind of person he was in the past. He also asks Yuki to tell him everything. Yuki did, in fact, kill someone when he was 16 and living in a different town. Now I had already had an idea that Yuki probably did kill someone since multiple people had heard the story and something like that would be easy enough to find out with a little research. However, I was surprised to hear that Yuki had killed multiple people. He doesn't give specifics but he says that he killed "them". After saying this, Yuki says that Shuichi now knows everything that he didn't know before. Well...you know except who they were and why you did it. You're not very good at telling stories Mr. Award Winning Writer. Anyway, Shuichi says that it doesn't matter what Yuki did and it doesn't matter what Yuki says. Nothing will keep him away. Yuki then tells him that he didn't need to say anything about the marriage and we have a Gravitation first! Yuki calls Shuichi by his first name (no brat or kid or anything like that) to his face. Shuichi is as happy as you'd expect him to be!

The scene shifts over to Mika talking to Ayaka. Mika asks her if she's really alright with cancelling the engagement and she says she is. Ayaka says that Yuki wouldn't have been happy with her anyway since she believes he truly likes Shuichi. She says that she only ever saw him smile once (if I remember correctly it was during the live show when Shuichi shouted Yuki was his but I may be wrong). The scene shifts one last time to the airport (people sure do seem to fly in a lot in this series) where Seguchi is waiting for Ryuichi to arrive. Ryuichi excitedly greets Seguchi who says that its been three years since they've seen each other. Wow, really? Three years? Has it been THAT long since the live show? Or did Seguchi just not see him that time? If there's one major problem this manga has it's the time frame. It's almost never clear exactly how much time is passing.

That brings Track 16 and volume 4 to a close! This also brings the Ayaka Marriage Arc (as I call it) to an end. It was altogether satisfying and we learned a bit more about Yuki's past! Still, there are a lot of blank spots but we've got 8 volumes left to go through so there's got to me SOME mystery left. I'm eager to see where the series goes from here!

Tune in tomorrow for Gravitation Track 17! See you then.

Gravitation: Track 10

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! I trust you all had a fantastic weekend and are ready to jump back into Gravitation! Track 10 starts off with Shuichi freaking out about being inches away from his idol Ryuichi Sakuma. Shuichi has idolized Ryuichci since he was in elementary school when he borrowed a Nittle Grasper CD from Hiroshi. Now that he's finally meeting him, Shuichi asks for his autograph right there on stage. In the middle of his concert. Ryuichi, being similar to Shuichi as we all know, happily signs one for him. Luckily Noriko is able to keep her head and draws their attention back to the task at hand. The audience is excited to see Ryuichi but are confused about what Shuichi said. Ryuichi thinks fast and explains that this is all part of a dare that Shuichi had to participate in. He explains that Yuki is a little rabbit puppet and audience buys it, thinking the whole thing is adorable. Yuki himself...is not amused. But really, it all too hilarious to feel sorry for him. This is the first time Yuki's been in a position like this and I can't stop laughing. And yet, even though Yuki seems angry about what happened, he gives himself away in a single panel.

                                             A genuine smile from Yuki. It's a rare thing.

Ryuichi gets Noriko to play a new song and everyone wings it, making up an impromptu song on the spot. Shuichi can't quite believe his luck, getting to perform with Ryuichi. It's a dream come true for him. Not everyone is happy however as Sakano's carefully planned concert, the live show meant to debut Bad Luck, has been shattered beyond repair. Sakano is worried about being fired and, even worse for him, Seguchi has come back from vacation to see the concert. Sakano apologizes for his shortcomings and Seguchi is quick to comfort him, telling him that this turn of events wasn't his fault. Ryuichi, who was meant to only take the stage during the encore, has always done things his own way and Shuichi and Hiro have gained valuable experience in how to handle unexpected events. Sakano thanks Seguchi for his kindness and I find that I really like Seguchi. He always seems to have a nice thing to say and is always encouraging everyone. He's a really amazing guy!
 
Ryuichi gets some applause and decides to leave the rest of the concert up to Bad Luck, where they will be singing their new single. However, before he leaves he decides to sing a song for them as a token of good luck. What comes next is two pages of Ryuichi singing but since we can't actually hear him singing all we see is him in various poses while everyone looks on in awe.

                                                   He's...awesome? I guess?
Yeah, I'm sure this would be a heck of a lot more effective in the anime. Either way, Shuichi is made painfully aware of the gap between Ryuichi and himself. With the concert over, Noriko rails Shuichi and Ryuichi for their idiocy while they both desperately try to apologize. Shuichi feels especially bad about it. A stage hand comes back stage to tell Shuichi that a girl is here to see him and, of course, it's Ayaka. Shuichi asks what she wants and she apologizes for being so rude to him last time. I knew it! I knew Ayaka wasn't a bad person! Hooray validation! She says that she doesn't want Shuichi to hold a grudge against her because they are the same. No matter if Yuki is a boy or a girl or if Ayaka is his fiance or Shuichi is his lover. They both love Yuki as a person and that's what matters. Of course, that being said, Ayaka is not going to just take the back seat and let Shuichi take Yuki away from her! And just like that, this situation was turned into awkward and uncomfortable to romantic comedy hilarity. I am completely on board with this. If nothing else, it's going to keep Shuichi actively pursuing Yuki.

The next day Shuichi goes to see Yuki, with all his luggage strangely enough, and almost immediately clings to him and says he doesn't want to go home. He desperately begs Yuki to allow him to stay at his house. Yuki is, obviously, resistant to this sudden and violent request demanding to know why Shuichi wants to stay with him and Shuichi tells him he doesn't want anyone else to be near him besides Shuichi. Yuki finally tells Shuichi what makes him so special to him, namely that he's not looking for sex, money, or fame. This makes Shuichi happy and Yuki comes to a decision.

                                            What have you gotten yourself into Yuki?

 
Shuichi runs off, saying he'll be back later that night and goes to meet with Hiro. He's in a super good mood and Hiro asks if something happened with Yuki and Shuichi isn't telling. Sakano then comes in with some good news. Their single is doing well AND they have a TV appearance coming up. Shuichi and Hiro are extremely excited about this news but there's a catch. They're not going on TV to sing, they're going on a game show. Apparently the producer of the show saw their live show and thought they were interesting and invited them to be on the show. Shuichi and Hiro are still up for it, since, even if it is just for a game show, it will still be Bad Luck's first TV appearance.

And that brings Track 10 to a close! Three important things happened in this chapter after the culmination of the concert. One, Ayaka officially acknowledges Shuichi as her rival in love and is looking forward to seeing how hard he fights for Yuki. Two, Shuichi is moving in with Yuki for a trial period of a week. Three, Bad Luck is going to appear on a TV game show. We also got the hint of something that I think will come up again later, namely Shuichi realizing how big of a gap there is between him and Ryuichi. At least I hope that becomes a point. It'll probably show up after we deal some more with Shuichi's personal life. It seems to alternate between Shuichi's personal life issues and his professional issues.

That's it for Yaoi Zowee this weeks! Tune in tomorrow for Gravitation: Track 11! See you then.

Gravitation: Track 9

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! Today we'll be looking at Gravitation: Track 9. The chapter opens with Tatsuha calling Ayaka's mother in Kyoto to let her know that her daughter is okay. Maiko appears with Ayaka who is wearing one of Maiko's shirts, since Ayaka came down from Kyoto with only the clothes on her back. Shuichi had to tell Maiko that Ayaka was looking for her long lost brother since if he had mentioned Yuki's name both her and their mother would have wanted to tag along to meet him. In payment for giving Ayaka one of her shirts, Shuichi gives Maiko a clipping of Yuki's hair and one of his cigarette butts. That...is creepy and gross but Maiko's happy reaction is pretty hilarious so I'm not all that bothered by it. Shuichi mentions that there are a lot of girls like Maiko out there who dream of Yuki, including himself but Ayaka is the only one who is in a position to have everything he has to offer.

Shuichi goes to confront Yuki about it but, like most things, he's completely dismissive of her and the situation in general. This annoys Shuichi who tells him it's rude to not see her after she came all this way to see him. Yuki asks a very obvious question: Why is Shuichi, Yuki's lover, helping out Ayaka, Yuki's fiance? Shuichi deflects the question by demanding to know where he ranks in Yuki's affection since his beeper is going off constantly and he always smells like perfume. Yuki says that Shuichi ranks number one which, as expected, makes him practically melt with happiness. They argue some more about the amount of lovers Yuki may or may not have (I believe that Yuki has no other relationships but it is possible he has a lot of one night stands. It's hard to say and Yuki is usually frustratingly coy about these things) until Tatsuha ushers Ayaka in to reunite with Yuki. Ayaka is incredibly nervous and embarrassed meeting with Yuki and I can't say I blame her. He is rather intimidating. Ayaka, however, already has an idea of what Yuki is going to be like and has her rose tinted glasses firmly in place.

                                                           You poor, sweet fool

Yuki acts like a perfect gentleman, greeting her with a smile before putting his arm around her shoulder and leading her away deeper into the house as Shuichi watches on. He admits to himself that he had hoped Yuki would have acted a bit more cold with her. This is Shuichi's downfall. He's a really nice guy and he wants to do what's right. It's just unfortunate that, in this instance, doing what was right is in direct contrast to what he himself wants for himself. Shuichi is going to have to learn that, in regards to Yuki, he has to act in the best interest of the relationship in order to make it work. Tatsuha tells him to stop being so depressed. He knows Yuki and it was clear to him that he was just trying to torment Shuichi. Tatsuha asks Shuichi why he thinks Yuki would do that. Shuichi knows that Yuki likes to act this way and that he knows even as a number one lover he can't really compete with a fiance. Tatsuha is quick to let Shuichi know that he's not the only one who loves Yuki for Yuki and not because of his fame, money, or plain sex. Ayaka is the same way. That makes her even MORE of an interesting obstacle to the relationship! We're going to find out exactly where Yuki's love interests truly lie.

The next day Noriko is one more pressing hard for Shuichi and Hiro to practice. They are going to make their live debut in a week (which means their CD has already been released...and we haven't heard a single word about how successful or not it was) and she wants to make sure they're ready. Shuichi and Hiro are kind of slow to get going but all Noriko has to say is that Ryuichi might be there to kick Shuichi's ass into high gear. She already knows exactly how to motivate Shuichi. It's a wonderful thing. Before they can get back to practicing, Ayaka shows up again to see Shuichi. Yuki told her everything about Shuichi. She says that two men doing what they're doing is "low classed" and she told Shuichi not to see Yuki ever again. I'm inclined to let loose an emotional tirade and defame her but lets look at this from her point of view. How would you feel if your fiance was seeing some random person behind your back? You'd want to make sure he was scarce too. This is also exactly the kind of catalyst that Shuichi needs. If he truly does love Yuki he won't let this stand in his way.

Immediately after Shuichi gets done talking with Ayaka, he races to talk to Yuki. He demands to know if tormenting him is really this fun and Yuki responds that, yes, of course it is. Oh Yuki. It's amazing how you have the same attitude and yet I love you so much more than I did when this thing started out. Yuki, ever the voice of reason, tells Shuichi that the only reason Ayaka is here is because he brought her here. Shuichi tries to resist Yuki's charms but is ultimately unable to. And then BAM! Sex. Poor Shuichi just can't stay mad at Yuki. It's too cute for words. Shuichi asks Yuki if he really likes Ayaka and he responds that he's not sure. In this situation, it doesn't matter if Yuki likes her or not. He's annoyed that the marriage was arranged by his father for the sake of the temple without consulting Yuki's opinion on the matter. He is expected to just do it because it's his duty. Yuki wants to know why he has to answer this questions which annoys Shuichi.

                                     Now if you could actually SAY that to him, you'd be golden

The scene shifts to the day of the live show and Shuichi addresses the gathered crowd, telling them about their new CD which is going to be released including their debut song "No Style". As Bad Luck performs, Shuichi notices Ayaka in the crowd with Yuki and gets nervous, forgetting the lyrics. He manages to get a hold of himself deciding that it doesn't matter if Ayaka is Yuki's fiance. They're both the same in that they love him. Halfway through the song, as Ryuichi is approaching the stage to help Shuichi out since Sakano thinks he looks nervous, Shuichi suddenly stops and asks the audience if he can say something. The single greatest thing to happen yet in this manga then happens.

                                                                Hell. Yeah.

There is so much to like about this scene. Yuki's expression is priceless. You just know that he never in his wildest dreams expected something like this. I love that Shuichi is actually standing up for himself and what he loves and he's willing to fight for Yuki even if he gets annoyed with him and fights a lot. Lastly, and this is a more subtle detail, I like Ayaka's expression. It's not outrage or anger or mortification at what Shuichi's saying. It's more bemused, like she's realizing that Yuki will never be hers and she should step down. This is probably not the optimal situation for her either.  She's in the same position as Yuki after all, part of an arranged marriage that she has no control over with a man she hardly knows. I have this feeling that people are quick to demonize her character simply because she's the "woman in the way" and that makes me sad because Ayaka seems like such a kind and gentle person. It's disheartening to know that there are probably "fans" out there who label her as a bitch and a whore (which is especially ironic considering that Yuki himself is a bit of a manwhore but that's okay apparently because he's a cute guy. Ugly, ugly double standards). Rant/. Anyway Ryuichi gets up onstage in order to help salvage the show so Sakano doesn't go ballistic over what Shuichi did and the chapter ends there.

Track 9 wasn't as exciting as Track 8 but it still nicely progressed Shuichi and Yuki's relationship. I feel that Shuichi, as he gets used to Yuki, is more willing to call him out for his cold and rough behavior while Yuki is helping Shuichi to grow a pair. No matter what happens between Yuki and Ayaka there is going to be some major fallout. Shuichi better watch himself.

This brings the second week of Yaoi Zowee to a close! I hope everyone is enjoying reading the blog and has a nice weekend. Monday we'll be picking up again with Gravitation: Track 10! See you then. 

Gravitation: Track 8

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Yaoi Zowee! Today we'll be looking at Track 8, which is also the last chapter in the second volume! Let's keep the ball rolling shall we? The chapter opens with Noriko reminiscing about the she was in Nittle Grasper (nope, never going to like that name but I will stop mentioning it). Ryuichi Sakuma was on vocals, Tohma Seguchi and Noriko Ukai were on keyboards. Ryuichi is currently pursuing a solo career, Seguchi is a record executive, and Noriko is now joining up with Bad Luck. When Noriko mentioned that Shuichi's vocals were similar to Ryuichi's, it made what was already quite clear even more obvious. For awhile now Seguchi and Noriko have noted how similar Ryuichi and Shuichi are (and their names are even similar now that I look at them side by side like that). Bad Luck is pretty much a second generation Nittle Grasper. I'm a little worried that they might follow in the same footsteps, breaking apart after awhile. Hopefully that won't happen.

                                                         They even look the same!

 Noriko is...less than enthused about Shuichi's vocals. She outright tells him that he's ruining her song while Hiro and Sakano look on. Noriko seems to be a perfectionist and she's not letting Shuichi go until he gets it right. Shuichi tries to sing it again but his voice gives out and they decide to take a break. Shuichi complains about being worked so hard but Sakano says that the reason Noriko is pushing him so hard is because he reminds her of Ryuichi. This excites Shuichi and causes Noriko to whip a can of soda at Sakano. She clarifies that the only way Shuichi reminds her of Ryuichi is how foolish they both are. True to Shuichi's personality, this still excites him. He's just happy that any part of him is like Ryuichi. Hiro says that he's exhausted and decides to go home and Shuichi asks to go home with him. Through this conversation we discover that Shuichi is living on his own and wants to go home with Hiro tonight. Hiro asks how things are going with Yuki and Shuichi and we discover that Shuichi hasn't really talked much to Hiro about his relationship. Hiro wants to meet Yuki and Shuichi warns him to keep his hands off Yuki. Hiro says he has no interest in him and they walk home together.

Back in the recording studio, Noriko and Sakano discuss Shuichi. She likes his singing voice but thinks his personality could use some work. They discuss Shuichi's and Hiro's first single and say that it's going to be released on the 10th of next month. Their live debut would be soon after that. Noriko doesn't think their live debut will be any good as it is, saying that ASK will not be outdone by them. So she has a plan to hire an arranger and because it's coming as an order from the producer, the people organizing it will have no choice but to obey. The scene shifts back to Shuichi and Hiro traveling to Yuki's place so that Hiro can meet Yuki. We also learn that Shuichi moved into an apartment closer to Yuki's place so that they would be closer together though he doesn't admit this to Hiro even though he already figured it out. While they're searching, they see a woman getting accosted by two men. She's just looking for directions but the two insist on taking her out somewhere.

                                                                 A new face

Shuichi and Hiro drive away the two in their own special way (namely, acting completely ridiculous, Shuichi forcibly signing his name on one of their faces, and then beating the crap out of them which is completely awesome. I love you Shuichi!) which causes the girl to faint. They take her to get something to eat in a place less crowded and she thanks them. We discover that her name is Ayaka, she's a high school student, and that she was wandering around that place so late at night because she was looking for someone.
Worried for her, Hiro suggests that she go home but she says she can't because she lives in Kyoto and it's too late to take the train. Hiro then offers her a place to stay at his home for a few days. Ayaka refuses to go home until she meets the person she's looking for. Shuichi decides to leave on his own to visit Yuki and is happy to see that the lights are on in Yuki's house. He rings the bell and Yuki is taking too long for him so he gets annoyed and hammers on the door until Yuki comes to answer it. Just hearing his voice is enough to make his anger go away and he's determined to take the initiative tonight. However, someone unexpected answers the door.

                                           Okay, so I was off by one chapter, give me a break!

Yes, Tatsuha Uesugi has finally made his appearance. Why the different last name I hear you ask (and no, I don't care if you didn't actually ask)? Lest we forget, Yuki Eiri is a pen name. This is the first time Shuichi learns of this. Shuichi suddenly remembers that he still has the Nittle Grasper tape that belongs to Tatsuha and hands it back over to him. Tatsuha is ecstatic to have it back and even kisses the cover. He REALLY likes Ryuichi. Shuichi is super excited about finding another big Ryuichi fan. Tatsuha notices what about three other characters have already discovered: Shuichi is a lot like Ryuichi. This...takes a bit of a darker turn as Tatsuha gets a bit touchy feely with Shuichi. Saying he smells like Ryuichi (which is true since Shuichi is imitating him, using the same shampoo and emulating his hairstyle) and that Ryuichi probably feels like Shuichi does too. Tatsuha suggest they have sex and they can pretend they're other people (Shuichi is to Ryuichi as Tatsuha is to Yuki) but Shuichi adamantly refuses.

Luckily Yuki arrives in time to save the day. Yuki and Tatsuha talk for awhile about various things while Shuichi comments that Yuki and Tatsuha are incredibly alike. Seriously, look at Tatsuha's picture up there. He's pretty much just a black haired Yuki. They have a pretty good relationship despite the fact that, when they were kids, Yuki would always be mistaken for a foreigner thanks to his pale eyes and hair while Tatsuha never had to worry about that. Shuichi asks Tatsuha how old he is and Tatsuha responds that he's a sixteen year old monk. So he's two years younger than Shuichi despite looking like Yuki. Yuki finally gets fed up with Tatsuha and asks why he came there. He admits that he's looking for someone, a young girl with long hair from Kyoto. Ayaka Usami. This, of course, shocks Shuichi.

The next day at the recording studio, Shuichi brings Tatsuha along with him so that he can see Ayaka and yells at Hiro who didn't answer any of his calls the previous night. Luckily, Hiro brought Ayaka along too since she wanted to see them record. Tatsuha tells her it's time for her to go home since she's causing an uproar there by her absence and she continues to refuse to return until she meets with the person she's looking for. Turns out that she's not looking for Tatsuha but instead Yuki. And then the bomb is dropped on Shuichi.

                                                                     Oh crap

 And so ends Track 8. All I can say is thank God this isn't Friday. Because I could not stand waiting a whole weekend to see what happens next. This was a fantastic chapter. I love what Noriko brings to the group even if she wasn't featured as much in the chapter. She's a professional who has experience working in a band which is going to be incredibly helpful to Hiro and Shuichi who have absolutely no experience whatsoever in the professional world. Ayaka brings the first major obstacle in Yuki and Shuichi's relationship. We've known that Yuki had a fiance for awhile now, thanks to conversations other characters have had with and about Yuki. Shuichi, on the other hand, had no idea. This is a major blow to his confidence since he doesn't know that Yuki wants nothing to do with her. I'm not passing any kind of judgment on Ayaka just yet since we have no idea what her stakes in this situation are. I've got to say though, this was a fantastic chapter.

Tune in tomorrow for Gravitation: Track 9 which starts off volume 3! See you then.