Slave for Sale Mini Review (manga)
April 1st, 2008 by Lianne
PG-18, for traditionally graphic and only kinda consensual yaoi (boy/boy) sex scenes; informational website (since the series isn’t domestic yet)
As far as plot goes, this one-shot manga is pretty straightforward: Yuki is a college freshman who hates sports and enrolls in as many academic classes and clubs as possible to avoid having his girly wrists shattered in tag football or something. Then an upperclassman Takeru somehow strong-arms Yuki into a competetive rollerblading team, simultaneously telling Yuki he “doesn’t have what it takes” (duh) and forcing him into special after-school “training,” which soons escalates into sexual coersion. Although Yuki isn’t entirely against the sex, he, obviously, questions Takeru’s motives - until he finds out Takeru’s beloved, hospital-bound little sister had her legs shattered when Yuki’s cousin (who was on the rollerblading team two years before) collided with her during a competition she was spectating. Takeru was planning on taking this cousin’s debt to his family out of Yuki…’s body. Of course, Yuki can tell by the way Takeru tenderly bandages Yuki’s training-and-sex-caused injuries that he doesn’t hate Yuki as much as he claims - because hurting someone and then fixing it is a sign of true love, I suppose? Yeesh. Anyway, this leads to a fight, love confessions, and then some very graphic “let’s be together forever” sex in the school storage supply closet.
This manga has its fair of pacing problems, since the justification for Yuki’s feelings and Takeru’s overall motivation don’t come out until well after he and Yuki have progressed from hate into near-love sex, hence I spent the first half of the book wondering why the hell the two boys were fooling around in the first place. (And neither of them had ever been with a dude before this? Hello? Their love of BOY PARTS was way too developed for straight guys.) But the story is more touching than I expected, and the highlight of the manga is the surprisingly heart-warming rollerblade penetration scene. The art is decent, although it’s beyond me why someone would wear a tie with a track suit.
Initial impression: Worth a try. No, really - I admit this manga actually made me tear up a little. (Lianne)
oh i know i loved this!!!! Rollerblade love, haha XD I hope the mangaka does more stories b/c I’d totally read them all
Slave for Sale is pretty good, but I think 2+2=Love is actually way better. The abacus scene in that comic totally beats the rollerblade sex scene, both in emotional impact and creativity.
I’d be really glad if you could put up some info if the Manga is available in English or in whatever language. I couldn’t find anything online, and you didn’t mention the name of the Mangaka and the publisher.
Check out the informational website link (now fixed) right under the picture. It should give you the answers you’re looking for.