Gerard et Jacque Vol. #01

By Julie Rosato     December 07, 2006
Release Date: September 30, 2006



Creative Talent
Writer/Artist:Fumi Yoshinaga
Translated by:N/A
Adapted by:N/A

What They Say
As far as romantic first encounters go, meeting in a high-class brothel isn't typical. Gerard becomes Jacques' first and last patron, when he buys freedom for the boy after sleeping with him. However, Gerard gives Jacques a challenge "can a spoiled child of the nobility survive on his own and earn his living without selling his body? Jacques rises to the challenge, and ends up as Gerard's houseboy, doing manual labor. Gradually he begins to see that Gerard is not quite the savage he first thought, but will this revelation lead to something more?

The Review
I wish I liked this book more than I did.

Packaging:
Gerard & Jacques won't win a presentation award with this cover, sorry to say. Olive green and blue are two colors that shouldn't be cavorting with one another, no matter the hues of the cover art. The design itself isn't striking in its geometric simplicity either, but it does at least draw some harmony with the layouts found inside, and the font is artistically fitting. The cover illustration absolutely oozes character personality, but while Gerard appears suave and sultry, the repulsion on Jacques' face and in his body language makes me second-guess my desire to read this book. The back cover is comprised of simply the summary blurb. Similar to most books from this publisher, there are no frills or extras here, and no English translation credits have been given.

Artwork:
I find that Fumi Yoshinaga has a distinct, mature style to her art, but it can either greatly succeed or fail terribly depending on each scene or the reader's point of view. Designs are quite simple, often resulting in characters bearing a resemblance to one another, but the thin, precise lines are both elegant and eloquent. The characters are often surprisingly expressive for so minimalist a style, although layouts should be awarded some credit for this as well. The panel layout is as simple as can be and backgrounds are almost exclusively empty; this allows the artwork's discreet subtleties to stand out a bit, but I typically enjoy more actual art in my manga. The printing is somewhat dark, as per the norm for this publisher, but this also helps Yoshinaga's delicate lines stand out at times.

SFX/Text:
While I dislike harping on the SFX translation issue, a title such as this one, with next to no background art whatsoever, would have been an absolute breeze to overlay but instead BLU has once again decided to pick and choose at random which text they'll translate. To address them as such, particularly when there are already very few SFX outside of text bubbles, just looks sloppy to me. That clunky, blocky font I dislike so much is still around, too, and I can't think of an artist in BLU's current catalog who's work is any less fitting for such a style than Yoshinaga's.

The script reads well enough, however, and is free from major errors. I didn't feel a great level of emotion here, if there was supposed be some, but nuances of tone and humor are readily apparent. While I wasn't overtly wowed, there is, in truth, little to complain about; a smooth and serviceable script isn't something to take for granted these days.

Contents:(please note the following may contain spoilers)
Our story of love in the time of the French Revolution opens in a brothel, where Jacques, a frightened, prideful young aristocrat, finds himself sold to pay off his family's debts. Enter Gerard, an older, wealthy commoner who despises the aristocracy, and Jacques' first client. Needless to say the two do not hit it off. Although bemused at first, Gerard is provoked to anger by Jacques' disrespectful outbursts and proceeds to take the boy against his will. As if the weeping, scared, and utterly resisting uke that is Jacques isn't enough, Gerard's angry manner makes the whole scene particularly unpalatable. Afterwards Gerard buys Jacques his freedom, but a scornful gift this is, as Gerard is sure the spoiled young ex-noble is incapable of making his own way.

...and naturally Jacques ends up in Gerard's home as his servant. Jacques soon proves himself up to the challenge, becoming a servant of some regard. He learns quickly his duties and that Gerard is himself quite intellectual. A grudging admiration begins to seep in -- for both of them.

Fast-forward three years, where things have continued on more or less as they were. Jacques has become accustomed to his job and his patron's ways, but beginning to harbor discomforting feelings of his own. For his part Gerard is still every bit the capricious bully. It is to Jacques' great surprise one day that he learns Gerard once had a wife and child; thus launches a two-chapter flashback of his rather heart-breaking past and the reason for his disdain of the aristocracy.

It's obvious that Gerard isn't as awful as his entrance suggests. For example, if he were truly a selfish lover he wouldn't have so carefully prepared Jacques for his first time nor allowed him his pleasure, his servants live comfortably, and he's got his own tragic past to stew in. His insults are clearly flung largely for the purpose of appearances. He's supposed to be the guy you want to hate but can't, but he's awfully difficult to warm up to, regardless. The slice-of-life style of storytelling that occurs here allows for particular moments of discovery and clarity for the characters, but also lends more to fanservice than story. Of course, this could be a plus or minus depending on your point of view.

Comments
I really wanted to like this book, but kind of didn't, and I probably should have known by the cover art. I'd heard a fair amount of buzz for this title back when it was announced, and having enjoyed Yoshinaga's quirky Antique Bakery previously, was looking forward to it. If nothing else, the prospect of a mature, class-clashing romance against the volatile backdrop of the pending French Revolution could be endlessly fascinating! Unfortunately I found the opening chapter to be tremendously unpleasant and Gerard close to unredeemable. The purposefully deceptive set-up, upon which Yoshinaga hopes to build a complex relationship, makes me desperately wish for redemption rather than utterly intrigue me. Either might get me to read volume 2, but such manipulations I don't always enjoy.

I won't pretend to dislike the characters absolutely; apart from the events of the story they are interesting and fluid, and their passions - be it Gerard's quiet persuasion or Jacques' youthful insistence - entirely palpable. Development is subtle in the book's pedestrian pace, uncovering characters just so, and it is in this unassuming manner that we find the golden moments. Yoshinaga has crafted here a story of conflicting elements, one of expression and revulsion, of elegance and misfortune - aesthetically she excels in this manner, walking a line such that I can see why she has devoted fans, but it doesn't make this story's beginning any easier to bear.