Bond(z)

Creating bonds of affection that last through time -- if there's any theme to Toko Kawai's collection of four short stories titled bónd(z), this is it. The theme of new, budding relationships is nothing unusual, but Kawai-sensei's attitude and style makes her stories more memorable than the average romance fare.

"Bonds," the book's title story, is the strongest and most interesting of the four short stories. Tomo and Keita are best friends who have too much to drink one night and end up sleeping together, which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't both have girlfriends. Despite that fact, Tomo and Keita come back together again and again, drawn irresistibly to the passion they have together. The boys' illicit affair, sneaking around behind their girlfriends' backs, makes for a much more wickedly exciting story than if the girlfriends weren't in the picture. It's obvious to the reader that the passion between Tomo and Keita is much hotter than anything else in their lives, especially when the two of them decide on a steamy summer day to pierce each other: Tomo in the tongue, and Keita on the foreskin of his penis. Piercing, sex in a public bathroom, sex while Keita's girlfriend is on the phone -- Tomo and Keita's relationship is dangerous, keeping you turning the page to see what sort of steamy adventure they'll have next.

Tamer and sweeter, but lush and highly stylized, the third story in the book, "Kitan Garden," tells the unlikely fairytale of the prince of roses and his love for a human gardener. Prince Fiona, the rose prince in bitch boots and hot pants, wakens every spring to blossom for his beloved gardener Daichi. A magic spell grants Fiona's fondest wish, and even though he is a rose, he appears in Daichi's garden as an adorable bishounen, and moves in with Daichi's family. The details of the rose garden and the elaborate flounces of the rose court turn "Kitan Garden" into a true yaoi fairy tale where even the sex scene is sugary-sweet.

The book's other two stories are more typical, modern tales of affection and misunderstanding, neither as memorable nor interesting as "Bonds" and "Kitan Garden." They don't drag down the overall enjoyment of the book, though. Kawai-sensei's characters are very real and believable (yes, even the rose prince in hot pants!), whether they're mired in angst or sweating through steamy sex scenes. The stories in bónd(z) aren't terribly explicit, but are still sexy, conveyed through straining bodies and passionate expressions. However, the guys all tend to look the same, especially between "Bonds" and the second story, "Situation." It can be difficult to remember that you're actually reading another story, and that these aren't the same characters from earlier in the book. The spare style of "Bonds" works well for the hot summertime story, and the rich detail of "Kitan Garden" enhances the fairy-tale atmosphere, but the rest of the book simply doesn't distinguish itself through story or artwork.

The English production of the book is excellent, though. 801 Media carries on its strong production values: a nice tight color dust jacket, quality paper and printing, a nice clear translation and a full-color plate to start the book off right. There's even a few cultural notes on the last page to explain some parts of the story and the author's free talk. bónd(z) isn't what I expected from a publisher that seemed to be interested in licensing more explicit titles, but I'm definitely glad they published this one.

In spite of a couple of ho-hum stories, bónd(z) has enough sexy originality to keep you turning the pages. Don't expect a lot of intimately detailed sex, and you'll be pleasantly satisfied by the simple stories of boys forming bonds to last a lifetime.