Ai no Kusabi
Reviewer: Lishy-Po [website] [email]Overall Rating: A
Media Reviewed: VHS Fansub
Creator: Yoshihara Rieko
U.S. Licensed: No
Released by: JUNE
Run time: 120 minutes, 2 episodes
BL Content: Hard (sexual situations, domination)
Genre: Drama/Sci-Fi/Romance
Other media: English-licensed novel (unreleased by Juné)
Ai no Kusabi is considered a masterpiece of yaoi anime, and for good reason. Because it is. It comes with all the usual warnings: boy on boy sex, angst, complicated plot, gore (though not that much). But above and beyond the warnings it is a truly poignant, truly tragic story.
Made up of two one-hour OVAs, Ai no Kusabi is based on a Japanese novel, and the anime expects the viewer to have some knowledge of the novel, leaving out all the little details of the world where it takes place and focusing solely on the main characters' relationship. The Lupin Gang fansub puts notes over the opening concept art explaining the caste system and what makes the relationship so scandalous. It's just enough to make the anime easy to follow, but it is worthwhile to do some further research just to learn more about the world they live in.
The place is Tanagura, a capital city on the planet of Amoi. Amoi was founded by scientists who wished to create a perfect society based around the super computer Jupiter. Most of the population is male, and the society is based on a caste system that goes by hair color. The highest class are called Blondies, all male, all genetically engineered by Jupiter to be perfect and above human. They are created sterile, show no emotions, and do not engage in activities that are considered human -- such as sex. They do, however, like to watch others engage in sexual activity, and keep Pets for such viewing pleasure. The Pets are trained and kept for about a year, after which point they are usually sold. The older a Pet gets the less desirable he or she becomes.
Iason Mink is the head of the syndicate that runs Tanagura. For a Blondie, he is considered very charismatic and is the favorite of Jupiter (which appears in a robot-like form with somewhat feminine features). He is also the most human of the Blondies, as he falls in love with one of his Pets, Riki. This act is considered even more rebellious and intolerable as Riki is not just a Pet, but a Mongrel -- a non-citizen of Tanagura. Not trained as a Pet and belonging to the lowest class (black hair), as well as not having an existence as far as Jupiter is concerned, being kept for longer than a year, and being over twenty years old, Iason's obsession with him has those close to him very worried indeed. His closest "friend" -- Raoul -- confronts him several times on the matter, insinuating that if Jupiter were to decide to take action against Iason for his forbidden love, it would be up to Raoul to tamper with his mind in order to correct it.
The anime opens with Riki attempting to steal cars when he is confronted by a group of citizens who attack and try to kill him. He is saved by Iason and, not wanting to owe a debt to a Blondie, asks him back to his apartment and offers to repay him with his body, as it's all he's got. Segue to our first tantalizing scene of naked Riki pressed against the wall with his hands over his head, Iason just looking at him. When Riki asks if Iason's going to take his clothes off, Iason only replies that he doesn't need to remove his clothes to discipline a Pet. Three years later, Riki is let go, returning to his old life and friends -- a gang called Bison. But after a year Iason comes back for him. Riki is rebellious and hot-headed, and though he doesn't seem to be particularly fond of Iason, constantly wondering why Iason wants him and lamenting his freedom, he obviously feels something for the Blondie as he became his Pet for three years and worries about how his presence affects Iason's status in Tanagura.
Despite fairly graphic sex scenes and Iason's all too apparent affections for Riki, it is definitely a story of unrequited love. Riki cannot confess his own feelings because he resents being Iason's Pet, and once he confesses being a Pet to his old lover, Guy, the other man becomes obsessed with saving Riki from Iason. Relationships between Mongrels seem to be based only on sex with no love involved, but there are warm feelings between Riki and Guy, as Riki tries to save Guy from Iason's wrath and Guy just wants Riki to be his old self again, even if he can't be Guy's. Between the love triangle, Riki's denial, Guy's obsession to save Riki no matter the price, and Iason's desperate love for him, there's no way the story could have a happy ending.
It's a beautifully animated anime, albeit a bit dark and aged from being passed down to fansubbers and then passed on again. The futuristic, other worldly setting is well depicted and the characters are gorgeous -- Riki has to be hands down the most breathtaking bishounen I've ever seen. The differences between the Blondies and other characters is apparent in the Blondies' lack of facial expressions, long, flowing hair, and size. Iason dwarfs Riki when they are together, and in the opening scene all he has to do is pick up one of Riki's attackers by the arm and drop him again to leave the guy hurting, bruises from his fingers left on the guy's arm. There are only three naughty little scenes to talk about, and the sex is tastefully done, all private bits carefully hidden by a well-placed leg, backside, or shading. It's still quite intense, however; Riki's seiyuu (Seki Toshihiko -- Genjo Sanzo in Saiyuki) does an amazing job with Riki's quite vocal character. The music, on the other hand, is lacking. Only the ending themes of the two one-hour OVAs are worth mentioning.
Desperate and tragic, Ai no Kusabi is a powerful story. Don't expect pointless sex, as I did. There's much more to it than that. So much so that I was left in tears by the end, and still get choked up every time I see it.