BLog: Given Vol. 4
BLog reviews recent boys love, yaoi and LGBTQ+ English translation manga.
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Given Vol. 4
Story and art: Natsuki Kizu
Translation: Sheldon Drzka
Publisher: SuBLime Manga
Release Date: Nov. 10, 2020
(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ Spoilers for Given Vol. 1, 2 & 3 ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)
Sad bisexual boys in a band intensifies.
After the ensemble performance of volume 3 we pull back further, away from boyfriends and Given’s lead guitarist Ritsuka Uenoyama and lead singer Mafuyu Sato, to focus on the relationship between sensitive, caring bassist Akihiko Kaji and emotionally messy drummer Haruki Nakayama.
Not long after meeting Mafuyu and coaching him on composition, Ugetsu Murata, sometimes roommate and sometimes extraordinarily volatile lover of Haruki, kicks the drummer out. With nowhere else to go, he turns to Akihiko, already dealing with his own dilemma, confronting the bassist over his romantic feelings for the drummer, and possibly damaging their relationship, maybe even the band the band, indefinitely.
Volume 3 felt like an exploration of harmony in the band as Uenoyama and Mafuyu figured out their relationship, and everyone began to pull Given together as something more than four friends jamming. If that was the case, volume 4 is about discordance, like two instruments scraping up against one another, strings snapping, drums punctured. While simultaneously dealing with Haruki’s injured volatility, Akihiko is considering substituting for a bassist in his (female) ex’s band, which runs the risk of spooking the other members of Given and ending up back in her orbit after a bad breakup.
Aside from the interpersonal strife, there’s an added layer of creative tension. Neither Akihiko or Haruki feel like they live up to their band members’ talent–Uenoyama’s dedication and Mafuyu’s previously untapped musical genius. Akihiko also struggles with his relationship with Ugetsu, a violin prodigy that pulls Akihiko in as hard as he pushes him away.
In the Given oeuvre, volume 4 feels a little jarring. Previously Akihiko and Haruki played band mom and dad, respectively, offering advice and helping Uenoyama and Mafuyu through the early stages of their relationship, often being comic relief to the BL drama. Now they are the main focus of the BL, and it really ramps up as Haruki invades Akihiko’s space, forcing himself on his friend and bandmate, while knowing that everything is going wrong. Ironic, of course, that Haruki was the one who told Uenoyama not to get into a band relationship, and it’s his own that threatens Given.
Ugetsu’s role in the manga is perhaps the most mysterious–I’ve only seen episode 1 of the anime, no spoilers!! He seems to simultaneously play toxic lover (to Haruki) and musical sage (to Mafuyu), and we learn more about his relationship to Haruki… but to what end?
While I’ve written, at great, great length on so many titles, about sexual assault in manga–enough so that I’m weary to do it again–the interesting development in Given volume 4 is that, after a dubiously-consensual interaction between Haruki and Akihiko, the latter does not accept the standard BL role as passive victim to a domineering, cruel lover. He pushes Akihiko away, hard (in a manner that made my jaw drop), and the two begin to reassess their relationship as roommates and band members after the violent revelations Haruki pulls them into.
For me, BL is always walking a difficult line between being too much of a slow burn or boring, and too overwrought and melodramatic. Given‘s always been very dynamic, with great characters and interesting interpersonal relationships, that’s what keeps me coming back. Volume 4’s the first time it’s felt like it’s tipped into melodrama, but not enough to be a dealbreaker. I’m still cheering on these stupid bisexuals like the raving fan I am. Akihiko’s journey in volume 4, especially, is what keeps me coming back. Like a strange but interesting new track from your favourite band, I want to see how this all plays out.
Level of Problematic: Poor life decisions don’t excuse poor sexual politics; I’m interested to chat with my fellow manga nerds about the Akihiko-Haruki scene. The scene is not played as being particularly sexy or hot, and Haruki’s punished for it, which is an interesting development on the “rape to love” trope.
Level of Adorable: Sad, sad gays; all those beautiful gay tears… it sustains me…
Level of Spiciness: Lots of shirtless drummer; again, the closest this volume gets to sex isn’t played as sexy, but still some good bad boy drummer fan service. No complaints.
