Golden Cainby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk.
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Credits Grade: 9 Shun is looking for danger and excitement; he's looking for an out — an escape from the guilt he feels about his brother's accident. At the same time, he's trying to live up to his brother's memory, but nothing he does is good enough for himself or anyone else. Enter Cain, a mysterious, blond model who has come halfway around the world to find Shun. From their first encounter the love, lust, and passion pounce into action. From there, the relationship grows closer and more intense ... and then, the truth comes out about Shun's brother...I really, really wish this wasn't a one-shot manga. There is no volume two even though You Asagiri could have easily taken the story further (with Shun's brother coming back into his life now and everything) — she even talks about what could happen to the characters in the future in her notes at the end! That's frustrating because Golden Cain is so beautiful and so wonderfully crafted that I want to read more. For now, I'll have to satisfy myself with reading it over and over (which I've done several times already), and hope CPM and Be Beautiful translate more of her manga. Golden Cain does contain several scenes of explicit yaoi (male/male) sex. No penises are shown — just a space where it should be (which they do various things to and with). It's not on the same playing field as (most) hentai since it is actually a romance story. Both Shun and Cain are beautiful, sexy males without being beautiful in a feminine way. And there is love there — Cain expresses how precious Shun is to him with some Vietnamese that translates as "my beautiful precious lover". Adding that one line of Vietnamese over and over is an excellent touch. That, combined with Cain's light hair and differently colored eyes, adds to the sex-appeal and romance (and the mystery as all of that screams "foreign" in Japan). I personally love Cain in glasses, but there are a couple of shots of his eyes without them that are unbelievably expressive and lovely. The art is wonderful. It's shoujo-y without all the flowers and frills. There's not a whole lot in the way of extra characters, and there's usually just enough background in the images to know where they are (i.e. school, outside, etc.). The story is about the emotional and physical relationship these two guys have so there isn't really a need for anything else. All three of them (including Shun's brother) are amazing eye-candy with their own character traits and personalities to distinguish them (which also feeds their interactions). Golden Cain is a delicious taste of yaoi. My only complaint is that there isn't any more to it. If you're a yaoi fan (or are curious about the genre), this title will sweep you off your feet, and if this is any indication to the quality of the Be Beautiful line, then there are great things to come. Written: September 29, 2004
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