I'll Be Your Slave by Miki Araya review

I'll Be Your Slave

Author/Artist: Miki Araya

Publisher: Juné

Rating: M - For ages 18 and up

Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Comedy, Romance

Grade: D+

Tadayoshi Moriya is a top-notch businessman with one slight problem, he needs to find the perfect model for a huge ad campaign. Unable to find the the model through professional agencies, he stumbles upon Itsuki Ohno, the model he's been searching high and low for. After Ohno and his friends stop at the local Mickey Dee's Moriya-san grovels on hands and knees for Ohno to be his model. Ohno doesn't seem to be too enthused about it. Moriya won't take no for an answer and offers to do anything he can to help out. When I say anything, I mean ANYTHING! Moriya waits on Ohno hand and foot. No expense is spared to keep Ohno pleased. Soon Moriya finds himself falling for the young muse. Once the ad campaign is released Ohno is a huge star, Moriya is a hero to his underlings, and the competition is quite steamed. The vice president of the competing company vows revenge on Moriya, in whose shadow he's been living under for many years, and plans on stealing Ohno for his own. Miyahigashi, the competitor, lures Ohno away from Moriya's company (with Moriya's blessing) with a large sum of cash, but what Moriya hadn't planned on was Miyahigashi luring him away from his bed. Once Moriya catches Ohno in bed with Miyahigashi, he realizes that he's fallen in love with Ohno. What will Moriya do? He decides to profess his love to his muse and vows that he will never leave Ohno and will continue waiting on him hand and foot, since he seems to enjoy it.

There is also a short one-shot The Barbaric Prince. It's about a young boy, Kunitomo, who loves to rescue street cats. He meets and befriends shy boy Fujimaru. Fujimaru is always very sweet with Kunitomo, but he has a violent side. Fujimaru also has grown into a very handsome young man with a fan club full of college girls. But for some reason he only spends his time with Kunitomo.

Initially I was very excited to find this on the shelf at my local Borders. I've been wanting to check it out for a while now but hadn't been able to locate it. Now that I've read it, I'm really kind of disappointed. The story is a unique idea but Moriya is way to over the top. Ohno hardly says a word and only seems to be there to be the gorgeous uke. There wasn't much character development and it was really hard to get into the story. Frankly, you could care less what happens. The art isn't bad but it doesn't really jump out either. However I did enjoy The Barbaric Prince, I wish there was more of that story than the main I'll Be Your Slave. I was immediately drawn into their characters. It too is a unique idea, but pulled off much better. That's the only reason it didn't receive a failing grade Juné's production quality is always amazing with the larger size and the dust jackets. Unfortunately, that's all this manga has going for it.

***Review Copy purchased at Borders***