Age Called Blue follows two friends, Billy and Nick. These boys have been living as roommates while doing everything they can to promote their band. Billy has been harboring feelings for Nick for some time, but hasn't yet found the nerve to try and move their relationship beyond the boundaries of normal friendship. In the world of struggling artists, trouble is always on the horizon, and is soon to rear its head as the other members of the band grow tired of Nick's free-thinking and easy-going ways. They want the "hippy" out of the band, leaving Billy with a heart-wrenching choice: Should he follow his life-long desire to make music, a career he's thrown countless hours of time into? Or, should he side with the boy who stole his heart long ago, his true best friend, Nick?
(c) 2008 Est Em. All rights reserved. Online transmission rights for English language version authorized by Tokyo Mangasha through Nihon Manga Gakuin.
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(8.5)
Age Called Blue Vol: 1
yousuke
01/11/11 15:44
AGE CALLED BLUE VOL: 1
REVIEWED BY SANDRA SCHOLES OF ACTIVE ANIME
" We are too old to die. All that's left for us is to live life in the rough."
It is a bad time for rock band The Rebels. First the Pete Brian dies, then Billy's flat mate Nick leaves with his guitar and cash that same Wednesday, and just when he's ready to kill himself from all the loss he's had, Joe Coxon comes round to have a chat with him. Nick comes back though, but not without getting a stiff beating after the stunt he pulled as they owed a considerable amount of cash to others who were relying on the band doing well. Billy and Nick though have another agenda, one that seems to work no matter how foolish Nick is - since they were young, Billy has always had a crush on him and it is only later on that he decides to have an affair with him, one that he keeps hidden from those they know.
Not since Gravitation has there been such a well crafted and original idea for a Yaoi novel than with this one. Readers will like the first few pages that have spidery lyrics written all over them so creatively spelling out the feelings of the writer at that given moment. The art style as far as manga is concerned is more Americanised, and harsher, yet the look of the men is outstandingly gorgeous!
IN SUMMARY: Age Called Blue is a real rock 'n' roll tragedy turned success story in every way. When two unlikely guys get together there are only two things that can happen - lyrics with heart-pounding feeling and love that breaks all boundaries!
There's a certain ambience in Est Em's works which reminds me of an art house film and Age Called Blue is no exception. Slow, atmospheric, sensual, and nuanced in emotion. It's a great read for those who like these kind of stuff or are looking for something different.
This is also a real treat for those who liked the short stories in "Seduce me After the Show" as the majority of this manga is either a sequel or prequel to two of those stories.
When it comes down to it, what (or whom) do you love best? Yourself? Your dreams, and your aspirations? Or the one person you don't know if you could live without?
These are all questions the characters face in "Age Called Blue." It's a departure from many fluffy, cheery BL titles: which is exactly why I liked it. The story was strong, and dealt with many mature themes. And by mature I don't mean explicit or sexual per se, but things that one has to deal with when becoming an adult. Those real-life, uncomfortable decisions. I was very impressed with the fact that this story addressed the issue over what you should choose, when it comes down to the wire between your passion and a person. I teared up when reading this story, because it dealt with such poignant and realistic themes. That said, it has humor and love scenes, so it's a great blend between drama and comedy. It walks that fine line between being heaviness and having a lighthearted feel.
As an added note, I quite liked that the characters are British. It really adds to the dialogue, and it helped me picture their voices perfectly.
All in all, I think for fans of BL looking for an artistically and narratively well-crafted comic, that this would be a wonderful read!
I'm a sucker for yaoi about boys in a band. Billy and Nick have an adorable and totally heartbreaking relationship. Their story was so sad and wrenching without being overly sappy. Also, the one shots at the end sure cheered me up. Sputnik yaoi, HAH!
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