Manga: Okane Ga Nai & Crimson Spell (04/09/14)

So I was recommended a couple of series of books. I have been meaning to read more manga/graphic novels for a long time, and I’ll admit I’ve had a bit of a splurge. So I am going to do this a bit differently and review the series to the point I have read it too starting with Okane Ga Nai (No Money).

Books 36. - 43.

This series will definitely not be for everyone. This a fairly graphic and explicit yaoi. Yaoi deals with romance in general but tends to lean to the gay side of things. This doesn’t bother me in the slightest as a younger reader I read my share of fan fiction and this was no worse than that. Nor, in my opinion was it anymore graphic than the imagery I made when reading 50 Shades.

This series deals with the character of Ayase who is being sold at auction to pay of his cousins’ debt. He is bought by Kanou which is an act which both saves him and enslaves him. Havoc ensues as you would expect and there is a deeper story line involving Ayase and Kanou meeting previously but Ayase is unable to remember this. I really enjoyed reading this, there is more to this series than sex but I would imagine it is an acquired taste.

Book 44. - 47.

Now Crimson Spell, whilst also being an erotic yaoi, is also a fantasy series. I found this much superior to No Money story wise. Although it may be even more graphic, there is a real storyline and much better humour included. This series follows Vald, a prince who has been cursed by a magic sword which he used to save his kingdom from demons. In so doing he now turns into a wild demon beast at night. He seeks out a wizard, Halvi, who ‘tames the beast’ at night without Vald being aware of the night-time escapes. There is also a magic Rabbit and a traveling thief. I definitely enjoyed this series more than the first series I read and I plan to branch out and read more manga from now on, which means next year I will definitely need to up my challenge.