Blue Sheep Reverie Volume 1 (Yaoi) (Yaoi Manga)
Kai has traveled to this city with no name for one reason, to find the murderer of his lover Maria and exact revenge. Maria wore a distinct ring and when the murderer fled the scene he was wearing her ring. While watching the television he saw a man wearing Maria's ring. That man was Lahti Bara, a one-man killing machine in the nameless town. Kai will get a job working under Lahti and take his chance at revenge. But Lahti isn't nicknamed "Steel Lahti" for nothing. He is the public face of the gang Sarte. He is quick thinking, light on his feet, and has a knack for fighting. Kai figures that being one of his posse will be the quickest way to get his vengeance.After jumping Lahti on the street to show him his fighting prowess Kai is taken in by the Sarte group and he does become one of Lahti's bodyguards and even begins training with the man himself. Kai finds out that Lahti is gay and uses this opportunity to get even closer to Lahti. While in bed Kai tries to take the ring and some of the truth comes out. Even though Lahti wears a ring, it's not Maria's. Kai loses face because of this incident but continues to come to Lahti's aid. A surprise is in store for Kai. It turns out that Maria isn't dead at all. She implanted a chip in Kai's head and had used this to alter his memory during the incident. Maria is also Lahti's twin sister. It also seems that Maria is now aligned with the rival gang. It's just the beginning of this intense action packed tale penned by the one and only Makoto Tateno-sama.I thought that the name Blue Sheep Reverie was a very weird name for a manga. It still is a weird name but at least now I know the origins of the name. It seems as though the rings that Lahti and Maria are blue and look like sheep's eyes. This is the "prequel" (in a very rough sense of the word) to another title Tateno-sama title, Steal Moon. Really all that these two stories have in common is Lahti and Kai showing up as minor characters. If you are looking for a hardcore yaoi title you won't find it in this volume of Blue Sheep Reverie. According to Tateno-sama this was originally written as a shojo title but then a boys love magazine picked it up. So yes a woman plays a larger role and there isn't much in boys getting it on. But I have high hopes for the next volume. The series currently has two volumes released in Japan and is still ongoing so who knows what is in store for us.I can't rave enough about the art that Tateno-sama provides for us. But along with her immaculate art style she is an amazing storyteller. I was riveted from the beginning. Each character is unique in their look as well as their personalities. Maria is the ultimate villain. Tateno-sama has the ability to create strong women characters for her stories and Maria is definitely strong character, even though she's the antagonist. Lahti is a character that you can't help feel for even though he is a cold guy. Kai is endearing and he brings a lot to the story.For fans of Makoto Tateno-sama this is a don't miss title. If you've checked out Steal Moon this is a title that you'll want to read as well. Even if you haven't read Steal Moon I recommend it. If you're new to her work just sit back and enjoy her gorgeous men, beautiful women, and all around stunning art. Definitely check out Blue Sheep Reverie vol. 1. --Manic About MangaAfter the murder of his girlfriend, Maria, Kei finds himself drawn to a dangerous city renowned for its warring rival gangs. Determined to get close to one such gang, and inparticular one man within it, Kai makes a bold move in requesting to be bodyguard to the powerful Lahti. Once inside this circle, however, some deadly wheels start turning as assassins target Lahti and Kai finds himself defending the one person whose life he seeks to take in vengeance.Boys love wise, Blue Sheep Reverie doesn't have a whole lot to offer fans but that doesn't mean it doesn't present much to anticipate. There's a one-time fling, a regret that it was only a one-time fling and some ambigious interaction that's likely prelude to some more intimates later. Fans of Makoto Tateno will find her artwork familiar, toting the willowy-haired pretty boys and their wistful stares into space. I enjoyed some of her action rendering but felt that some parts didn't have as much detail as they required (are they fighting with a string of pearls?).While there might not be much man on man action, the book doesn't hold back with some other firey dramatics to keep things going. Rival gang wars and a target on Lahti's head make for lots of dangerous situations. Watching him teach Kai the specifics of fighting and how to better take a life is both interesting and methodical, with a healthy dash of inter-group politics regarding a group's mysterious Four Kings. Some of the book's most climatic moments will be undoubtedly predicted by some readers, putting a little damper on the tension, but the emotional effect on the characters is enough to make even the most cookie-cutter moments at least a little stirring.Though this first volume of Blue Sheep Reverie may not live up to the expectations of some boys love fans looking for more action between the sheets than on the streets, its semi-futuristic plot line of gangs, murder and survival are really what make it a book worth reading. Amidst the dead-girlfriend angst and a world that could stand to be fleshed out more than its explored, its a story that's still tailored to a boys love audience, and seems keen on catering to it, but one that doesn't lean on the boys love like a crutch. Even if the main plot points are predictable (and I got a serious woman-are-the-enemy vibe), I still anticipate volume two to see where Kai s newly carved paths will take him, and he and Lahti can survive it. --KuriousityKai was once in love, even in the dark city of danger where he lives. But his beautiful Maria was murdered and all he has as a clue to find her killer is the unique ring she wore, one now worn by the head of the powerful Sarte Group, the lethal Steel Lahti! Now Kai will risk body and soul to uncover if Lahti is the murderer. It will mean getting close to one of the most dangerous men alive. But what happens when it's more than just his life on the line, but Kai's heart?Blue Sheep Reverie is a wonderfully intricate yaoi story that blends danger, sci-fi, action, crime, and romance all in one. Kai must find a way to get close to Lahti. To do so he tries out to be one of his bodyguards. But this is a trial where the loser could well lose his life! Kai is not a killer, but to get close to the man who murdered his lover, he will have to become one. Can Kai lose what is left of his light to travel in the dark of Lahti's world? When he gets close to the truth and finds out what happened to his Maria, Kai s world is turned upside down. Now no longer knowing who to trust, everything he believed in lies in tatters around him, Kai is about to become a potential pawn in a larger game to rule the city.As the battle for control heats up between the syndicate groups of Sarte and Mynah, so too does the intensity between Lahti and Kai. When an old friend crosses his path and pleads with him to leave the road he has chosen, will Kai be swayed to part from Lahti? With dangerous factions getting ready for war, assassins on the prowl, it is far more than love that is on the line in this riveting story.If the names Lahti and Kai seem familiar to you as well as the terms Sarte and Mynah, then you may have already guessed that this is a prequel to Steal Moon. Only being two volumes in length, the series moves through shocks and revelations quickly, but not too quickly. It gives time for the emotional impact to take root in the character and affect the reader, proving to be an involving read. With all its elements of cat and mouse danger, it is a manga that will be a must read for fans of Yellow let alone anyone familiar with Makoto Tateno s gorgeous artwork. --Active Anime