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skysenshi (08.08.2003)
Yaoi Formula for Romance?
"Be they be big and burly, or skinny and sweet, boys
will be with boys…" That is the first line you
will see when you pick up this DVD. It is kinda catchy, doncha
think? It definitely will make your usual yaoi fan think that
this is one of those usual yaoi fic where every guy chases
another guy and you only see women as accessories.
Not true with this one. Kazuomi is not a boy who will be
with a boy. He is a boy—correction, a man—who loves
sharing intimate moments with people, whether they are male
or female. He isn't your typical straight-acting super macho
dominant male, as what is usual in your typical shonen-ai
story. He cooks, he cleans. He is good in bed and is a very
considerate lover. Just what every 21st century woman needs,
isn't he? Well, too bad, ladies, because he ends up with Mizuki,
a male model who acts every bit as girly as any demure anime
girl would.
Nice beginning. BUT...
The plot is extremely fast-paced, with no room for sweet
transitions. Nor does it provide any profound explanations
as to how or why Kazuomi finds himself head over heels in
love with Mizuki. They meet, they talk, they have sex, and
suddenly they love each other. Just like Romeo and Juliet.
Maybe that's enough for a mush fan. I, on the other hand,
expect a little more than that because Kazuomi is supposed
to be an extremely jaded guy who only knows sex à la
carte. So, how does he come to feel so much for Mizuki when
all the others were just for his body's enjoyment?
Characterization needs further development. Much as I am
quite taken with Kazuomi's sense of humor and comical antics,
I just can't help but feel that the only other interesting
character in Level C is his sister, Haruno. Mizuki's brother,
played by Takehito Koyasu, is also fascinating but you don't
get to see much of him. The rest is a blur.
The artwork and animation are pretty decent, although sometimes
it seems like the gay community's version of Candy Candy.
One just can't miss Mizuki's big doe eyes. Big, sparkling,
doe eyes. The hentai scenes are old school, meaning you can
only see outlines of the essentials. It's quite ironic because
the basic goal of the characters is to reach the "Equation
of Ecstasy Level C". Perhaps they should've aimed for
Level X? Or better yet, XXX? You won't find any hardcore stuff
here, that's for sure. As if the shortness of this film isn't
bad enough.
One last thing, I would like to clarify that the description
at the back cover of the DVD isn't quite as descriptive
as it should be. In fact, the chronology of the events
are kind of messed up. I don't know about the manga, but in
the anime, Kazuomi sees Mizuki first and then everything follows
later. There isn't even a mention of business propositions
meant to lure Mizuki in, so forget about major twists and
turns in the plot. This is fluff, pure and simple.
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