High School

This manga is a spin-off / a sequel to Great Place High School (Yaoi) (the US publisher released only volume 1 of its two volumes, with no plans for the second one), from the manga-ka of “Our Kingdom”. However, given that it’s more of a spin-off rather than a sequel, the story did not feel disconnected to me, though we here in the US apparently missed volume 2 of Great Place High School (Yaoi). I can imagine that “GP High School -Student Council” might be enjoyed on its own, but I still feel that reading Great Place High School (Yaoi) is a good way to start (as it introduces all the characters a bit slower), though I enjoyed this spin-off book much more. (A lot of character pre-histories are repeated / explained in detail in “Student Council” spin-off, so it does seem that the publishers / manga-ka tried hard to make the story a standalone for all those who want to pass on its “prequel”).

Unlike Great Place High School (Yaoi), which is organized in an unusual comic-strip style, “GP High School-Student Council” is done in a much more linear and regular / traditional fashion (it’s organized in regular chapters). Also, unlike its “prequel” – which centered on a pseudo (?)-romance between a clumsy childish Minami and nerdy Information Club (IC) president Tsuruga as well as various assorted comedic adventures of different IC members – and is more of a comedy than anything else, “GP High School – Student Council” is a more traditional yaoi romance. The focus is on an unusual relationship between student council president, Rin Amanohara, and vice-president, his “adopted” brother / lover/ friend / “slave and master” (?) Eichi Shidoh. IC members (as well as two school senseis featured in the “prequel”) do re-appear in this spin-off, and fairly often. However, “the center stage” still belongs to the two main characters, and their relationship was most interesting to me.

Rin is a possessive, unpredictable, violent, spoiled / wealthy, somewhat sadistic seme. Eichi, an impoverished orphan whom Rin met and “adopted” by chance into his wealthy and aloof family, is rebellious, aggressive, violent, somewhat sado-masochistic (?) uke. Yes, it might not make sense at first that they might make a good couple, but that’s the best part of the story, in my opinion: the manga-ka really makes their turbulent relationship work, while still keeping it unpredictable and interesting. There are some dark and traumatic secrets and incidents in their pasts which we see in flashbacks, and also hot sex scenes (the book is rated 18+). During sex scenes, the seme is really dominant and possessive, and given that the temperamental uke is not suited to obey at all, their interaction is fiery, sexy, steamy, and was fun / intriguing for me to watch. (Don’t expect outright explicitness: it’s June imprint, meaning softcore yaoi, and of course frontal nudity – though implied – was censored). Still, I enjoyed the pair’s interaction, and overall liked this volume much more than its somewhat disjoint and not-so-romantic “prequel”. I’m looking forward to its further volumes (there are two more volumes currently available in Japan for this “sequel” alone, hopefully, June will translate those as well … in some reasonable time).

P.S. Unlike Great Place High School (Yaoi), this volume has no color inserts and no dust jacket. Rough times…:(
Rating: 5 / 5