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In the author’s comments section at the end of volume one, mangaka Makoto Tateno claims she didn’t know if Steal Moon would fit in the boys’ love genre, since it is a science fiction manga. She should have no worries on that account. Steal Moon is as much a science fiction story as Brokeback Mountain is a Western; slapping a ten-gallon hat on Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t make that film a cowboy movie, and sticking a couple supercomputers in Steal Moon doesn’t make it science fiction.

Nozomi is a young punk who makes his living by fighting people in narrow alleyways (I’m not totally sure how he makes money by doing this…does he take bets? Or maybe he just steals his opponents’ wallets after he knocks them unconscious.). He’s undefeated in the street-fighting world, so when a new challenger approaches with a rather sinister proposal, Nozomi doesn’t think twice about accepting. So when tall, dark and handsome Coyote beats the crap out of him, Nozomi finds himself having to do whatever Coyote says.

Usually in a yaoi this would lead to some rape scenes, but Coyote actually has something different in mind. He sells Nozomi to a company called Digital Angels. DA has an interesting business plan: they ‘buy’ people from other people, lock them in little rooms, and focus a webcam on them 24/7. Every time some perv on the Internet clicks on their particular webcam, the prisoners earns 200 yen; when they pay back their purchase price (usually in the millions) they are free to go. So they’re less slaves than, say, indentured servants.

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Never fear, my friends- there is a Yuri Menace review on the way! Until then, hop aboard the man train!

In many ways, Fake is a mismatched cop story: the manga is about two NYPD detectives, complete opposites, who are paired up and have to adjust to each other’s different styles. While they often find each other exasperating, they eventually learn to work together, becoming effective partners and close friends. Except in Fake, these guys become more than friends. A lot more.

The story opens as Ryo arrives at the 27^th precinct for his new assignment with Criminal Investigations. Ryo’s a good cop, hard-working, conscientious, a read Boy Scout. To his dismay, his new partner is Dee, an impulsive, loud, lazy, belligerent guy. But he has a kind heart, so Ryo finds it impossible to hate him. Their first case is a drug-related murder. The victim’s son, Bikky, is in danger from other drug dealers who think he has some of his dad’s stash. Ryo brings Bikky home to live with him so he can protect him, but when the dealers make their move he ends up having to save not only Bikky but also Dee. Another kid falls into the story almost immediately when Bikky’s friend Carol gets mixed up in a mob murder. It’s Dee and Ryo to the rescue again!

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