Wild Rock, Vol. 1 [Comic]

Kazusa Takashima (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2006

Meet Emba and Yuuen, two very different heirs to two very different warring clans. When they meet, it's love at first sight...and a wild romantic odyssey is about to unfold. But the odds are stacked against this primitive Romeo and Romeo! With their resentful clans providing no support for their budding relationship, can these star-crossed lovers get behind each other to stop the long-standing family feud? BLU hits boys' love fans with a hot, new manga Wild Rock, set in a fabulously fantastic prehistoric backdrop!

Product Details

• Comic: 184 pages
• Publisher: Blu (January 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598161016
• ISBN-13: 978-1598161014
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #636,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real yaoi, not for the shonen-ai reader, February 6, 2006

By 

Leah S. Baird (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild Rock, Vol. 1 (Comic)

Some reviewers seem to be laboring under the misconception that this title is a shonen-ai manga, when it is most assuredly not, and there is a real difference between the genres. That Mature rating is there for a reason. This is real yaoi straight from the pages of BeXBoy Gold, not shonen-ai snuggling, and the entire point is the buildup and eventual consumation of a relationship. If you're looking for something softer with a focus on a seperate plot, you'd be better off looking elsewhere. However, if you're looking for beautifully drawn *real* yaoi in a refeshingly different prehistoric setting, this is your baby.

While the yaoi cliches are in evidence, the art style is so much better than the usual scribblety-scratch yaoi that's been translated domestically that the visuals alone would be enough to give this title a high rating. The internal art is just as nice as the cover work and even nicer, in some places. But the characters are likable as well, and the pacing is a delight in that it actually takes some time to build up the relationship and setting, not like other fluff Blu titles like Shinobu Kokoro which can't be said to have any plot at all. The love scenes are beautifully executed, immediate, passionate, and are not the same static poses that have been done a hundred times. The backstory involving the fathers of the two main characters is even better than the main story, and a little more bittersweet.

I remember reading this title years ago when it was released in Japan, and I am thrilled to finally own it in translation (which is localized nicely, as well). I hope Blu releases more high quality yaoi titles like this, and less of the poorly-drawn, doujinshi-quality, rehashed settings and storylines that seem to have been all we've been getting from distributors in the states.

A must read for any real yaoi aficionado!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars body beautiful aplenty, September 1, 2006

By 

straitjacket (columbia, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Wild Rock, Vol. 1 (Comic)

there is something about a hot man in a loincloth that's just.... fascinating. since i have read the scanlation of this manga a while back, i'm well aware of its strengths and weaknesses. the cover alone makes it worth the money spent on acquiring a copy of this manga, although truthfully i had debated for a long while whether to buy it or not. the reason, simple - the plot is quite... mediocre to say the least. however, the visuals won out eventually and i ended up with a copy in my hands.

takashima-sensei's art is undoubtedly exquisite and beautiful. i love her art, hands down... her men are sexy, and even if her ukes are a tad too femme, they're still easy on the eyes. what i especially like is that her art is quite realistic, and the sketches included at the end proved to be very enlightening.

that said, the plot of wild rock is sadly... cliched. really, it's just like the blurb mentioned, a prehistoric, yaoi-take on the bard's romeo and juliet, sans poison and murder. at times the uke, yuen, is infuriating in his indecisiveness and weepiness...so nothing new there. emba, the seme, on the other hand, is the all-mighty-manly dude who thankfully, isn't a total neanderthal when it comes to his beloved. he's downright chivalrous, which makes one wonder about how much men has actually evolved (or not! *lol*). however, i can't stay angry at the story nor the mangaka, because the art is just utterly beautiful, and even if the story's a bit hum-drum, it is still comprehensible, unlike the too-beautiful-to-be-true and mind-bogglingly snooze inducing "alichino" (but that's another story).

like another reviewer mentioned, the back story involving the current leaders (and respective fathers of both yuen and emba) of the two tribes are much more touching and non-conventional... it's riveting, in fact. however, my favorite has to be the parody of the first part of the first chapter of this manga, drawn by takashima-sensei... it is utterly hilarious!

VERDICT: a stunningly depicted manga, although plot's quite thin. buy it if you love the art, or just saps for romantic stories. don't hold your breath for anything life-changing though. four stars for the gorgeous art, plot gets a three.

BEWARE: there is cavemen sex inside, and no, it's not as squeamish as it sounds. *lol* hence, mature readers only.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Yaoi, April 5, 2006

By 

I (benson, AZ, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild Rock, Vol. 1 (Comic)

The blurb says it is love at first sight but it is mistaken. Only late in the story do you find out it was one-sided love.

The plot is not deep but that's ok because it does other things right. Love develops over time (instead of rape at first sight). The young men are beautiful, the damsel(silly uke) gets rescued, and there is a plot twist.

So on the yaoi scale it scores in what some of us read yaoi for. It gets points for unrequited love(!), one-sided love(!), romance(!!) and beautiful buff guys get happy(!!!!). The art is clean and attractive.

On my personal meter it also gets points for costumes(!!). (Authors please note: I love men in long hair and skirts.) No schoolyard teenage angst here!