DRUG me

Hey y'all, I'm in pretty high spirits and here's why. I'm just starting to get interested in CLAMP's works and, being a yaoi connoisseur, I just had to check out "Legal Drug" from Tokyopop. To my dismay, I could not find the first volume...anywhere.

I was however, ecstatic when I popped into my fave USED bookstore and found not one, but the first TWO volumes of "Legal Drug" for $4.99 each (in not bad condition, mind you)!! Being a completest, I went and bought a new copy of volume 3, and that's why I am happy. It only cost me $20 for the whole (for now) series.

This manga is...nothing short of amazing. It's not Yaoi, and it's not quite Shonen-ai, but there is some element of Boys' Love in there to enjoy. This is one trippy fantasy manga. Our couple, so to speak, is Rikuo and Kazahaya. They work for a pharmacy where they have the option of doing "side-jobs" for extra money. These side-jobs are where the manga gets trippy. Kazahaya and Rikuo encounter strange missions where they have to retrieve symbolic objects, or just simply watch a movie. Observing how the events play out really pulls you deeper and deeper into the story.

CLAMP really shines when it comes to representing deep emotions and themes in their manga. Whereas most Yaoi manga I have read all seem to be quick and forgettable thrills, "Legal Drug" stuck in my mind after I finished the last page. It just offers something more beyond the budding romance and fantasy elements.

If you haven't yet got your hands on these volumes, I suggest you do so now. I was afraid I wasn't even going to find the first volume at all. So if you passed "Legal Drug" in the bookstore with nary a thought in mind, now's your chance to read a very fine manga.

P.S. For those who are wondering if CLAMP is going to continue this series or not, the buzz around the internet is that they ARE in fact going to resume production soon, most likely after they've finished "xxxHolic" and "Tsubasa"