NoaIzumiManga Review: Fake
January 9th 2009 05:12
The manga
Dee Laytner is a tough cop on the tough streets of New York City. But when he meets his new partner Ryo Maclean, busting heads is the last thing on his mind.
Fake is an above-average police drama, with a strong romantic subplot. It’s no different from any other above-average police drama with a strong romantic subplot, except that the two characters being romantic are both men. No one within the manga makes too much of it, in fact some of the other characters seem inclined in that direction, too. A somewhat unrealistic portrayal of modern-day cops in New York City? Oh, yes. But, it’s still pretty well done.
In the relationship itself, there’s no doubt about who is the pursuer. Dee comes on very strong to the quiet Ryo, which might play into a certain stereotype about gay men, which may put some readers off. It did me at first; there are one or two moments where Dee’s aggressiveness borders on attempted rape. But if Dee was a woman, and played as an aggressive female (which is not uncommon in anime), would it still bother people? The relationship in Fake is really not much different than that. There is a love triangle or two. This one cop named J.J. constantly throws himself at Dee, who constantly has no interest in him. This winds up introducing an unwelcome slapstick element to the story, although young JJ does mature over the course of the manga.
For those still a little wigged by boy-on-boy action (even if it’s just the occasional stolen kiss for the first six volumes), there’s a concurrently developing relationship between two neighborhood kids who become the defacto charges of Ryo. Their growing feelings for each other are sweet to watch, and the creator flips ahead a couple of years to let you know how it all turns out, which is a bit confusing at first, but you get used to it.
Bicky and Carol
The police drama element is excellent. The cases are varied and usually interesting (some are better than others), and very often allow for a look into a character’s past. We learn a lot about Dee and Ryo this way, including where they came from and why they became cops. A few cases give us insight into other characters, like JJ and the captain.
And the bad guys come in a pretty good variety. From serial killers to mafia lieutenants to corrupt cops. Some of them, especially the mafia lieutenant who has a history with Ryo, are impressively well developed, character-wise.
Great moments: The whole last volume, really, which wraps up most of the plot and emotional threads quite nicely. Very well done.
Summary: An excellent cop drama, and while the nature of the romance may not be for everyone, it’s well worth the read. Grade: A minus
Age rating: 15 and up for the first six volumes, 17 and up for the last volume (where the hints of “alternative lifestyle” become actual “alternative lifestyle”)
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