Customer Reviews

Gorgeous Carat 1: Virtue of Darkness (Yaoi) (v. 1)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the beginning of a new yaoi manga series. Set in late 19th century Paris, the story is quite interesting as we get to know the main protaganists. Florian is the youngest member on a down on their luck aristocratic family, and Ray is a userer who moonlights as a jewel theif. Florian is 'bought' by Ray as a way to cover the family's debt, even though they own a 120 caret diamond. The plot centers around Ray's (and others) attempt to get the diamond. We are led to believe that Ray is also after Florian.

All-in-all, it's a good story, with light hints of yaoi (which I'm sure will get heavier as the story progresses). There is a torture scene (which is why I won't give the story 5 stars).

I should mention that the publisher is Blu, which publishes the Earthian series (which I highly reccomend).

I've always wanted to see this series licensed (shame DMP picked up the sequel Gorgeous Carat Galaxy! Blu did such a better job!) and was glad to know the original color pages would be released with the book! Unlike most Yaoi companies who ignore the printing of the color pages and turn them into black and white.

But as you should know, this series is SLASH not official BL or Yaoi and that was how the creator intended it to be. Obviously the other people who picked up this series did not know that!
But Blu is bad with their listing of 'Yaoi' and 'BL' like DMP. This is a Slash Manga. Like Black Knight of there's, the 2nd volume in that series features a hetero couple. NOT YAOI.

It stars the infamous Phantom Thief Noir who is only 18 and his obsession with the amethyst eyes of his new - just bought - prey, Florian, a French Lord (whose 20). This volume focuses mainly on Florian accepting that he belongs to Noir and also getting punished for disobeying him. Also introduced to us is Soloman Sugar, the detective following Noir.

No matter how you look at the blerb of this series, it sounds like BL or Yaoi but I assure you, there're only hugs and almost kisses. Nothing hot and heavy, more toward the fact that the pair need each other.

The Art is gorgeous and the story fits in so well for old France. Even quotes like `Rideless Carriage' is used to describe a car.

I think this is a great series! I would suggest it to everyone!

You Higuri is known for her manga to tie into history and sometimes even old legend. Her exceptional artwork only adds to flair as she brings small parts of history alive for the modern reader (Whether her portrayals are accurate at all is a different topic, however. Her works are a piece of fiction after all) Her storylines bring what most yaoi manga seem to lack, a viable plotline and more to a relationship than just sex sex and oh yeah, more sex. Relationships like the one between Florian and Noir take time to develop, especially in Post-Revolutionary France. Although her stories do leave something to de desired, regarding the relationship between Noir and Florian, the complex and intricate story that becomes their relationship is just beginning to unfold.

If you're looking for hot man on man action at every page, stay away from Gorgeous Carat. There's likely not to be much, if any action at all, if I remember correctly. (Besides kissing and the norm) The series is shounen-ai at best, and manga companies ought to be writing that instead of just blantantly putting YAOI on the front of every manga cover that has two boys falling in love on it. After all, while the story of "Only the Ring Finger Knows" was sweet, it was the furtherest thing from yaoi besides the fact that two boys like each other. If you, however, enjoy You Higuri's artwork, don't fret. Ludwig II has lots of action that more than makes up for the action lacking in her other manga.

Give Gorgeous Carat a chance. It may be a little more dark than most people like, but everything does turn out pretty well for Florian and Noir in the end. If you like boys kising but also something with a little bit more of a plot than the average boy meets boy in school, then this series is definitely for you.

Certainly not Yaoi, maybe some hints of shounen-ai. Wish these publishing companies will be more responsible in their title classification. For one to 3 hours entertainment, depending on whether we drool over the explicit scenes and artwork, Japanese manga do not come cheap and I wish to be really buying a yaoi manga, which is not so in this case. As a Yaoi/shounen-ai fan I do not like manga with just mild hints of boy love. They may hint but without tension (like the intensity in Yellow), there is nothing to keep me interested in this series. Maybe it will improve down the road but until it does, it is not on my buying list. A pity because this mangaka's artwork is really quite lovely and the plot is not bad.

If you bought this manga or are thinking of buying this manga for possible hardcore yaoi scenes, then you will have to look elsewhere. Within You Higuri-sensei's work Gorgeous Carat, you will not find explicit sex scenes but rather, beautiful art and an exciting storyline.

The artwork is what caught my eye in this book. And while I liked the story line and whatnot, the artwork is definatly what'll keep me buying this series.

While I love a good shounen-ai (Or full blown yaoi) manga, it's not mandatory in order for me enjoy a story. Especially when that story is as intriguing and beautifully presented as it is in "Gorgeous Carat". I'm not sure what lull in the story the previous reader was referring to-I was too immersed in the winding mysteries, charismatic characters, and smooth-running plot to notice that much. Or perhaps what distracted me from the supposed unoriginality of the plot was the very original protagonist, who resisted the conventional "subservient uke" manga cliche and showed some personality. Although paired with the dynamic Ray, who has a duplicitous nature(naturally), it's true that there isn't much sexual content... But for those who are appreciative good literature as much as boy love, there is a lot of chemistry character-interaction wise.

For one thing, the setting of the story is very effective-the waning beauty of the French noble class sets elegant, but somewhat dark, stage for Florian and Ray's meeting. Meanwhile, characters are not simply used up in a scene and thrown away- any character that is introduced will have an impact, and the author is sucessful in making sure that NONE of even her minor cast acts one-dimesional (i.e Florian's family).Throughout the story, however, while the two "heros" dabble in thier attraction for each other, the tone is serious and they focus on the complexities of each other minds instead a sudden, explicit romance. (Probably will come later.) Very rarely does a manga specifically marketed as yaoi turn out to have a meaningful story behind the good looking boys going at each other, but it's definitely here.

And...it would be a crime not to mention the art. The costumes are beautiful, typical to the time period the story is from. The overall illustration is exceptional in the manga world...It's easily in the top 10% of the best art I've seen in manga. The boys look gorgeous, but it's easy to differentiate them from the lovely women. There's lots of detail in both the figures and the backgroud, and the characters do not suffer from being all mirror images of each other with different hairstyles (that can be a problem sometimes.) Mostly everyone's attractive, but things like race and age are considered.

All in all, Gorgeous Carat is better classified as a brilliant, beautiful mystery instead of a "yaoi" along the same lines of say, "Jazz". In terms of addressing things other than guy sex, think of smomething like "Gravitation." (But far more serious)There are some suggestive moments-but Gorgeous Carat is exceptional for what it really is. While I'm fine with yaoi books with lukewarm plots and lots of action,I'm thrilled with one that doesn't need an "M" label to be exciting.

Gorgeous Carat is your average historical romance: one rich lover and one poor one get swept up on an adventure. Nothing we haven't seen several thousand times before, and nothing inventive or memorable, but capable of being fun if done correctly.

However I was sickened by the torture involved. The torture scene itself wasn't too bad; instead, I was bothered by the fact that the poor man enslaved and whipped (into unconsciousness) the rich man who he's supposed to fall in love with as the story goes on. Somehow, despite the humiliation, subjugation and physical agony our poor hero heaps on our rich one, we're supposed to root for the two to become a couple. Later on the poor hero even jokes about how it was fun to do so and the rich hero makes an adorable embarrassed face. Not only are torture and slavery okay, apparently we're supposed to think they're cute as well.

I should make a note about the art. You Higuri is a talented artist, and if you're looking for great visuals this is a good book to check out. Unfortunately, there isn't anything else about this book to recommend.

So. With the two bishonen on the cover, the exciting set up and the word "gay" repeated more than once (although unfortunately in reference to "gay Paris") on the back cover, I am sorry to say that my hopes were too high for this manga. For a yaoi enthusiast like myself, this story is at best, a tease. At worst, it's downright dull. I'm leaning toward the latter, unfortunately.
Although the art is great (hence the second star), the story is pretty boring, that is, not enough to keep me interested without at least even a hint at yaoi. Which there pretty much isn't. So maybe if I was new to yaoi or manga in general I might have enjoyed this, but the plot line is sketchy, the characters nonexistant except for the antagonist, and no boylove to speak of!! *sigh*