Ze by Shimizu Yuki

Rating: 9
801 Media 2009 - Shinshokan 2004
11 volumes
Translation: Leona Wong (v1-6), Laura Russell (v7)

If you've never gotten around to reading Ze, now's a good time to do so; most of the series was out of print for a long time but recently DMP have reprinted several volumes so at time of writing volumes 1-5 are available. For me, it's easily a must-read BL manga, extremely popular in and outside of Japan, it's a modern-day fantasy drama featuring a variety of different couples and chances are that you'll like at least one of them and become a smitten fan like so many others before.

The story revolves around the Mitou family whose members have the supernatural ability to use 'kotodama' - the power to create reality with words, an ability the 'kotodama-sama' (kotodama-master) can use to cause injury to a person and even death. The power comes with a price, each time they use it they incur an injury on their own body with the stronger the spell, the heavier the injury. To counteract this they use 'kami', living dolls made out of paper that look and act exactly like humans, to take on the injuries on their behalf; there are two methods of doing so, either by transferring injuries with a spell or by exchange of bodily fluids. Since it is tradition for the master-doll pair to be of the same sex, that's where all the BL shenanigans come in.

The story begins with what is probably the weakest couple in the series, however, get past their story and thankfully there are more interesting characters lying in wait. Left homeless after the death of his beloved grandmother, teenager Raizou takes up a job as a live-in housekeeper at the Mitou house. Raizou is a normal human and through his eyes the reader discovers the mysterious world of the Mitous. Raizou soon falls for his roommate, Kon, a kami with no master. Raizou, a cheerful good-boy type of guy is a decent enough character but Kon, an expressionless inscrutable type, has about as much personality as a plank of wood. Kon aside, the story is written solidly enough and the world of the kotodamas is interesting enough to tide you over to the next couple, Genma and Himi, who feature in volumes three and four. While there is a touch of drama in the Raizou/Kon story, the tone of their story is mostly upbeat, heartwarming and lightened with comedic moments, a reflection of Raizou's optimistic outlook on life; in the Genma/Hibi arc, the drama comes to the fore and poignant drama is really what Shimizu excels at.

Genma, a brooding irascible man, inherits the kami, Himi, from his father after his death. Genma hated his father when he was alive and as soon as he inherits his kami he forces Himi into a sexual relationship. Himi, who is by nature reserved and proper, is deeply embarrassed and doesn't know what to make of Genma's attitude, and so begins their troubled relationship as master and doll. This couple is probably the most popular amongst fans, something which I suspect has to do with all the sex they have; Genma wants it all the time and Shimizu is not shy on delivering. The relationship between Raizou and Kon is one of sweet puppy love but in stark contrast the one between Genma and Himi is adult (explicitly so) and angst-ridden, which evidently appeals to a majority of readers.

For those who like their drama even more tragic and raw, there's Moriya and Ryusei in volumes five and six. This is the darkest and most despairing of the arcs in the series. Ryusei is a kotodama-sama who has stopped using kotodama because of tragic incidents in his past. Moriya is a kami who, after the death of his previous master, needs to persuade Ryusei to become a proper kotodama-sama and his new master so that Moriya does not suffer the fate of masterless kami, which is to be destroyed. The Moriya/Ryusei arc is emotionally brutal and, as someone who prefers romantic fluff, I found it quite hard to read, but of course this is manna for some and the couple have a solid faction of supporters within the fandom.

My favourite couple are Konoe and Kotoha who, although introduced in volume one, don't feature until volumes seven and eight. The story of the couple after them, Shoui and Asari, brought me to the verge of tears. It was after reading the arcs of these two couples that the series was bumped up from being 'pretty good' to 'excellent' in my mind. Different people will have different preferences but there is enough variety to go around and the plot and characters are consistently strong so that every arc is engrossing.

Through the various stories of the characters we learn more about the Mitou family and the burdens that their supernatural powers place on them. The fundamental problem for each couple is that the relationship is one between human and kami, which poses all sorts of difficulties, especially when the lifespans of the two can be very different. With Ze Shimizu creates an intriguing world which she explores through fascinating characters. Few BL series last more than a few volumes but the world created in Ze provides a rich source for stories. To fans familiar with Shimizu's earlier work, I'd say that Ze is even better than her other multi-volume series Love Mode, the art certainly so.

If you've not tried this series yet, you're missing out. The premise and scope of the series instantly makes it more ambitious than the majority of BL out there. Ze is a good example of a fantasy series done straight and done well, BL or otherwise. The supernatural elements are fascinating in and of themselves but it is where they're used to explore human nature and emotion that the story really draws its strengths. The power of the Mitous is thought of more as a curse by its members and the series has an underlying forlorn atmosphere throughout yet the ability the characters have to overcome their bleak circumstances deliver touching moments one after another. Shimizu has created a truly memorable series with a cast of individual charismatic characters; at times heartbreaking, often funny, and at other times moving, it is a series that I think will stand the test of time and captivate new readers for years to come.