Gravitation Collection - Maki Murakami > Reviews (1)

Having previously tasted the world of Gravitation thanks to the anime series, and joining the millions around the world who adore it, I dashed off to Amazon to order some of the manga. Gravitation Collection Volume 1 is a compilation volume containing the original volume 1 and 2 of the shonen-ai manga masterpiece. It follows the fortunes of two lads, Shuichi Shindou and his best mate in high school, Hiroshi Nakano. Shuichi has been mad about the now defunct techno band Nittle Grasper since forever, and as his best buddy Hiro plays a mean guitar, they team up to form a band. Time to party on then, and make Shuichi's dreams come true, that of performing at a live event before a real audience. That is when disaster number two strikes. Shuichi is at a loss. They can play their instruments all right, but they really need lyrics to go with the music. Shuichi is the lyrics man as well s the synth player and vocalist, and he is stuck. Coming right down to the wire, he manages to crank out some cracking lyrics. Or so he thinks, for as he is walking home through the park that night, the lyrics blow out of his hands and down the path.

Surprised to see a blonde haired foreigner standing there, he is astounded. Pale hair, pale eyes, Japanese face? He is gorgeous! At least until he opens his mouth, that is. Choosing his words and tone to cut like razor blades, he asks if Shuichi wrote the drivel in hands, and informs him he should give up as he has zero talent. Just who does this jerk think he is? Normally boisterous Shuichi goes into hyper drive, determined to track this guy down again, and drag him to the concert to see that very song performed. He is going to show that guy just who has talent. Fired up, he takes the lyrics, polishes them up into final form, and when he spies the man driving down the street one day, allows his obsession with proving himself to take over. Screech! It's the second of many more confrontations to come, as the two discover that the rules of gravitation seem to apply to regards to each other. It is a complication neither seems to know how to handle, as every time they think they have it figured out, another bump appears in the road. First, Hiro's parents pressure him to quit music and go to medical school. Then to make matters worse, a young woman appears, claiming to be Shuichi's love's fiancé. Yikes! Will she knock this romance out of orbit, and will Bad Luck manage catch any breaks?

This has got to be one of the most unconventional romance stories I have ever read. Take one not very bright, hyperactive, short, skinny straight wanna be techno star, toss in a much smarter, straight best friend, mix in a slightly violent sister obsessed with romance novels, sprinkle in obsessive music producer, a 16 year old lecherous Buddhist monk, and mix in a straight, foul tempered romance novelist, and you have more flavours than a packet of liquorice all sorts. Well, I say straight, but that is not 100% true is it, because our short and skinny guy (Shuichi) falls pretty damn hard for the romance novelist, Yuki Eiri, who doesn't seem to object too much after being pursued.

Okay, that might not be quite mainstream for a romance story, but that is not what makes this unusual. If you have watched the anime, you are probably not going to be surprised that it is a full of comedy, but I have to let you in on a little "secret". The author, mangaka Murakami Maki, seems to be a nutter. Seriously, she had to be BONKERS to write something like this. It is absolutely madcap. With deft comedic touches that remind me of the comic timings of old Cary Grant films combined with the surrealism (and brain cell level Shuichi wise) of Bill and Ted, it is page after page of non stop disbelieving laughter that still manages to wallow in a bit of angst. Angst because it is a "forbidden" sort of relationship, angst over their post high school careers, angst over strange women, hell, even angst over losing his virginity...angst, angst, and more angst. and all hilariously dealt with. I laughed so hard, it was impossible to drink a cup of tea whilst reading lest I spoil the pages.

Now, the book is labelled 16 plus. Why? Because as the rating reveals it may contain:

Mild Sexuality- check. Discussions about sex, homosexuality, and an artistically rendered scene of a precopulation pose (oh my, SKIN!)

Mild violence: I mentioned Shuichi has a violent sister right? Not to mention that the ill tempered romance novelist, Yuki Eiri, tends to get more than a little aggressive when annoyed with Shuichi's antics.

Strong language: there is that as well. It is not gratuitous, but it is there from time to time. Usually from a certain romance novelist whose speech is nowhere as sweet nor as flowery as the chick lit he writes.

Alcohol reference-Yes. There is a BAR. And some people drink wine and stuff. Scary, right?

Okay, so we have covered the rating and the basic plot. But what how about the art? Well, Murakami's drawing style is perfectly suited to this frenetic love story. We get lots of classically beautiful males, large eyed little cuties, fashionably beautiful women, and joy of joys, chibi faces. What are chibi faces? Ha ha, these are a sort of manga/anime convention. Chibi means short person or child, but used in this manner, it refers to a drawing style usually used in a moment of great excitement. Basically, if a person gets over excited, they are drawn childishly small and cute with exaggerated expressions. This happens with Shuichi a lot, as he gets over hyper and starts hopping around like a Pomeranian who just saw a cat. The drawings work well together with the prose, adding to the frenetic pace of the boy's dash towards love and fame, and adding a strange sort of realism to the decidedly colourful characters we are introduced to from the entertainment world. Over the 373 pages, we get frames rich in detail when needed, and bare save for the character speaking in the next, as called for. It's as unconventional as the storyline, but it works. So much so that I found myself turning page after page, and feeling a bit down as I read the last page as I had failed to order the second volume at the same time.

Whether or not you have seen the anime, this is definitely worth a read, and if you have not seen the anime, well, you should. This is romantic comedy at some of its best.