Though manga isn't usually my thing, there have been times when some key works have caught my eye, such as Uzumaki and Phoenix. Often, there are aspects of the various graphic novels that just don't sit well with me, ranging from surreal story elements to gratuitous teen sexuality. Unfortunately, this book seems to fall into the latter category. I like the irreverent tone of the writing and the mix of various genres, from romance to espionage, but ultimately, the story and characters strike me as being scattered, a random mish-mash of writing that often defies any sort of logic. There's no denying, though, that the writer/artist brings beauty and grace to many of the characters.
Three 18-year-old friends -- the intuitive Sugar, the strong and agile Leopard and the brilliant Caesar -- who were imbued with powers in childhood find themselves mixed up in adventure and intrigue when their paths cross with that of an enigmatic and stunning British noble. Earl Dorian Red Gloria is a man who gets what he wants, and he loves art... so much so that he leads a gang of thieves as the daring Eroica. The earl spies something else beautiful he desires -- the strikingly handsome Caesar -- drawing him and his friends into unexpected action.
I see a lot of Osamu Tezuka's influence in Yasuko's work here. There's a mix of the more cartoony characters and reactions of Tezuka's style and the more detailed and lithe figures that dominate the world of manga and anime. Yasuko varies the characters designs enough that the action unfolds clearly, even in black and white. The artist makes it apparent why some of the characters are so infatuated with others. Caesar's and Eroica's beauty is undeniable, and it goes beyond gender. They remind me of the raw sexuality that Desire represented in Neil Gaiman's Sandman without the more sinister leanings. Visually, I found the reading experience to be a bit arduous because it's difficult to get used to the right-to-left reading method. I would find some pages confusing, and I'd have to remind myself I was reading the panels in the wrong progression. That's my shortcoming, not the book's, but it's likely to be a challenge for others who aren't as well versed in manga.
This property was originally published in Japan in 1978, and there's a certain timeless quality to it that's charming. If DC could have changed things, I would have recommended ditching the super-hero genre elements. The powers are so random and really don't add all that much to the storytelling. The action and adventure is already over the top without adding that other level of fantasy to it.
The book is billed as a girls' romance comic, but it's really more of a globe-trotting adventure kind of deal. To be honest, I would have much preferred reading about the romance angle as opposed to the over-the-top crime-fighting/espionage riff. It's a shame the characters aren't more down to earth, dealing with affairs of the heart. 4/10
