"...you just gonna leave him?
Here we are at the final volume of Chigusa Kawai's La Esperança, volume 7. While I felt that Georges' family history was somewhat over the top in its tragedy on top of tragedy, and that everything was wrapped up a bit too neatly, I have to say that overall I’m happy and that I’m glad I stayed to the end despite my occasional doubts.
I've had some worries throughout the series about how this self-described "yaoi" manga (see the covers) had the small, blond and gentle Georges so blatantly destined to be with the dark-haired, older, violent and selfish Robert, an obvious uke and seme setup for what I saw as ruin. I sighed in annoyance as volume 1 set up the common plot of the guy being interested in the other guy because guy looks like a lost female love. Over the course of the series I’ve watched Georges gradually find the ability to speak up for himself and let himself be angry at people, but Robert appeared to be continuing on his path of violence and self-centeredness, only beginning to turn around a little in volume 6.
Volume 7 has quite a bit of melodrama. Sometimes too much so, but again I remind myself that these are teens. Henri remains steadfast, while Robert is finally growing up and using his brain. Even Robert's father is amazed.
Alain can be such a dumbass, here with the gift for doing and saying exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time, although he gets his revelation. Robert gets his own revelation, as Chigusa Kawai twists "the guy who looks like the lost girl love" thing on its head by having Robert realized that he loved Grace because she reminded him of Georges, whom he'd met briefly in a Meant to Be way when they were young kids. You know your guy used to be an asshole when he can recognize his true love by the scar he gave the poor guy.
Georges finds his will to live--his family past was sooooo bad--and strength in his mother, adoptive actually, and friends. Goes through a literal dark night to get there.
Once back to school, Robert and Georges have to deal with the rumor mill about the injury to Georges' shoulder that happened back in volume 6. Robert is stuck in some old ruts there about dealing with, so Georges ends up yelling at him and punching him! In front of everyone. With Robert answering, "Yessir." That gave me a huge smile.Uses his injured arm too, which proves it'll turn out okay, to Freddy's relief. Georges will play piano again! *cough* I love him squeezing Luca's hand too. Georges isn't the mouse he used to be.
He decides that he really does love the piano and will go to study with that piano teacher. He also manages to get Alain and Robert talking again.
Robert's brother, the priest, comes around to let Georges know that his m/m love isn't a sin. Convenient, but hey. (There's a moment in Georges's family past that reminded me very suddenly that these characters are very Catholic. Duh, I know, religious school, a lot of church, a giant subplot about rosaries, Grace wanted to be a nun, penance as a recurring theme, but it still surprised me. I'm not accustomed to seeing actual matters of Christian religion in manga, which has a lot of weapon-carrying, monster-slaying priests.)
This time when Robert and Georges kiss, it means something (other than Robert being a bitch) and Georges initiates it. Kissing is as explicit as this series gets. Georges does leave town to study piano but isn't seeing that as OMG the end of everything. He and Robert now have matching rings and every intention of keeping in touch and staying together as a couple.
So, the series wasn't really yaoi. And the "seme" became not so much of one, and the "uke" became not so much of one, to the point where a reader wouldn't be able to tell who "wears the pants" in the relationship. And it doesn't matter. They're balanced and happy. Georges didn't have to give up his dream or his self to get Robert, and although Robert is the older of the two he had to grow up to get Georges.
I like that.
In "Promenade," the pictures show some things that happen after the story. Among other things, it looks like Alain cut his hair short... and it sucks. Take off the dust cover to see a crackish story on how Robert and Georges decided on their rings and more snapshots of our full cast of characters.
I've had some worries throughout the series about how this self-described "yaoi" manga (see the covers) had the small, blond and gentle Georges so blatantly destined to be with the dark-haired, older, violent and selfish Robert, an obvious uke and seme setup for what I saw as ruin. I sighed in annoyance as volume 1 set up the common plot of the guy being interested in the other guy because guy looks like a lost female love. Over the course of the series I’ve watched Georges gradually find the ability to speak up for himself and let himself be angry at people, but Robert appeared to be continuing on his path of violence and self-centeredness, only beginning to turn around a little in volume 6.
Volume 7 has quite a bit of melodrama. Sometimes too much so, but again I remind myself that these are teens. Henri remains steadfast, while Robert is finally growing up and using his brain. Even Robert's father is amazed.
Alain can be such a dumbass, here with the gift for doing and saying exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time, although he gets his revelation. Robert gets his own revelation, as Chigusa Kawai twists "the guy who looks like the lost girl love" thing on its head by having Robert realized that he loved Grace because she reminded him of Georges, whom he'd met briefly in a Meant to Be way when they were young kids. You know your guy used to be an asshole when he can recognize his true love by the scar he gave the poor guy.
Georges finds his will to live--his family past was sooooo bad--and strength in his mother, adoptive actually, and friends. Goes through a literal dark night to get there.
Once back to school, Robert and Georges have to deal with the rumor mill about the injury to Georges' shoulder that happened back in volume 6. Robert is stuck in some old ruts there about dealing with, so Georges ends up yelling at him and punching him! In front of everyone. With Robert answering, "Yessir." That gave me a huge smile.Uses his injured arm too, which proves it'll turn out okay, to Freddy's relief. Georges will play piano again! *cough* I love him squeezing Luca's hand too. Georges isn't the mouse he used to be.
He decides that he really does love the piano and will go to study with that piano teacher. He also manages to get Alain and Robert talking again.
Robert's brother, the priest, comes around to let Georges know that his m/m love isn't a sin. Convenient, but hey. (There's a moment in Georges's family past that reminded me very suddenly that these characters are very Catholic. Duh, I know, religious school, a lot of church, a giant subplot about rosaries, Grace wanted to be a nun, penance as a recurring theme, but it still surprised me. I'm not accustomed to seeing actual matters of Christian religion in manga, which has a lot of weapon-carrying, monster-slaying priests.)
This time when Robert and Georges kiss, it means something (other than Robert being a bitch) and Georges initiates it. Kissing is as explicit as this series gets. Georges does leave town to study piano but isn't seeing that as OMG the end of everything. He and Robert now have matching rings and every intention of keeping in touch and staying together as a couple.
So, the series wasn't really yaoi. And the "seme" became not so much of one, and the "uke" became not so much of one, to the point where a reader wouldn't be able to tell who "wears the pants" in the relationship. And it doesn't matter. They're balanced and happy. Georges didn't have to give up his dream or his self to get Robert, and although Robert is the older of the two he had to grow up to get Georges.
I like that.
In "Promenade," the pictures show some things that happen after the story. Among other things, it looks like Alain cut his hair short... and it sucks. Take off the dust cover to see a crackish story on how Robert and Georges decided on their rings and more snapshots of our full cast of characters.