The Last Client

Aya and Chris on the would-be cover of the Volume.

***The Last Client*** (ラスト・クライアント 'RASUTO KURAIANTO') is an unfinished yaoi, manga by Takashima. It began in Biblos' *BE-BOY GOLD* magazine towards the end of 2002, and was ended abruptly in December of 2003, after seven chapters, with the last little more than a sketch.

## Plot Summary

The story is set in an unnamed city in Spain and revolves around two characters: Aya, a young, male prostitute, and Chris, a former assassin. Aya wants revenge on his father, Fowler, whom he witnessed murder his Japanese mother in front of him and then forced him into prostitution. Chris saves Aya from from an encounter with his pimp by paying him for his conversational companionship. After hearing his story, they become fast friends and Chris agrees to make Aya his last client.

## Characters

* Sugiura Asahi (Aya)
* Chris Valentine
* Luke
* Fowler

## Publication History

*Last Client* began serialization in Biblos' *BE-BOY GOLD* magazine in late 2002. Issues were released quite steadily until December of 2003. A total of seven chapters were released up until this time. The seventh chapter had an advertisement for some events in the following year, 2004. There is no explanation given for the abrupt ending, but it is assumed that Takashima stopped due to the Hiatus, and she apologizes in the "Letters Please" section.

The chapters were never collected into one volume, though Takashima has an image (above) on her site titled "BBC Cover" with the caption that it was supposed to be the image for the volume published under Biblos' *Be Boy Comics* label. This is further backed up by a pamphlet released with the original release of *Inu mo Arukeba* in which advertisement for the upcoming release used the same image and the text includes "Scheduled to be Released Soon" (pictured left).

She has said that "Last Client was supposed to be released in Spring of 2004 by Biblos. Due to various reasons is was not able to go on sale." She also mentioned that it was "not yet complete" and that it was "not a problem that can move at her own discretion." It was never translated or published in other languages.

Biblos and its parent company filed for bankruptcy in March of 2006, but all their licenses were purchased by Libre Publishing. She made no mention of bringing the series back. In June of 2019, she mentioned on her blog that she had been considering finishing one of her uncompleted works. *Last Client* ends with a "To Be Continued" notice, and it was just the roughs that were published, so it qualifies as unfinished.

## Trivia

* After Libre's acquisition, Takashima submitted a four-page pinup of Chris in the February Issue of *BE-BOY GOLD* in 2009.
* Chris smokes Malboro brand cigarettes, according to the pinup.
* Takashima has stated that the inspiration for the series was the film *The Professional* by Luc Besson.

## References

1. ↑ Takashima, Kazusa. "Chapter 7" Biblos, Last Client, BE-BOY GOLD, 2002, pg 2.
2. ↑ Takashima, Kazusa. "Chapter 7" Biblos, Last Client, 2003, BE-BOY GOLD, pg 13.
3. ↑ http://takashimakazusa.cocolog-nifty.com/photos/bl\_kei/bbgcover\_tlc\_1.html
4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20080208174356/http://kazusa-t.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2007/04/post\_c192.html
5. ↑ http://takashimakazusa.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2019/06/post-846f0b.html
6. ↑ Takashima, Kazusa. "Chapter 7" Biblos, Last Client, BE-BOY GOLD, 2002, pg 3.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Takashima, Kazusa. "Pinup" Libre, February Issue, BE-BOY GOLD, 2009, pg ?.
8. ↑ Takashima, Kazusa. "Bare-All Interview" Blu Manga, Man's Best Friend, 2006, pg 180.