ROKKA Sigiura "Fantasy Paradise" Review
It's been a while since I've posted. Here's a book I've recently read that made me laugh a lot:
Fantasy Paradise by ROKKA Sugiura
Digital Manga Guild Publication
Manga/comedy/romance/shounen-ai/yaoi
It is very telling of a good read when I find myself laughing on the very first page, before I even get to the first chapter. If you’re looking for a gritty realistic story, keep right on looking. But if you’re looking for a light comedic escape from reality, then stop right here at Fantasy Paradise. The vignettes in Fantasy Paradise are a hilarious glimpse into a world that is a half-step outside reality. I say half-step outside, because Fantasy Paradise isn’t a sci-fi or supernatural story. The stories fall into the ordinary categories of unrequited salaryman love and café shenanigans. But ordinary isn’t usually this hilarious.
Meet Mr. Amano, an unobtrusive new addition to the (almost) all-female Sales Department Two. He’s quite the dreamer, Mr. Amano. He often (okay, frequently) drifts off into homoerotic fantasies, but he is also very shy. He’s also never had a real boyfriend. The other recent addition to Sales Department Two is Mr. Kokimoto. When Amano is introduced to the department, Kokimoto falls instantly in love. And Kokimoto is *not* shy at all. Quite the reverse, in fact. He is very vocal about his orientation. Now that he has met Amano, the love of his life, he is quite outspoken about his love. He never lets a chance go by to express his feelings, either. The rest of the department (okay, all the women in the department) are alternately fascinated, amused, or (in the case of the boss) annoyed that the sales department is not working hard enough. It’s quite refreshing to see female characters in a yaoi manga that are not manipulative, sly, or homophobic. Instead, the characters are likable as well as being a genuine part of the comedy. (The very first page, even before the first chapter begins, is an indication of this. I haven’t laughed so much in ages. I wasn’t even familiar with the characters yet.)
Meanwhile, in another part of town, part-time café employee Kashimura is passionate in his public displays of affection for his high-strung lover Higashiyama. Kashimura delights in creating special meals just for him. Higashiyama’s colleague Nishino supports the couple, but he just cannot stand the extreme flirting that occurs Every Single Lunch Hour. Still, this is the place to be if he wants to eat lunch. It’s also the place to be if you want extra big servings of (one-sided) lovey-dovey hilarious flirtation.
Of course these vignettes are silly. But there are times when silly comedy is just what a person needs. When this is the case, Fantasy Paradise fits the bill perfectly. And after reading this, I’m now on the lookout for other works from Sugiura Rokka.
I'd like to thank DMG for a reviewer copy. And I'd like to thank kokiden for introducing me to this work!