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The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: Master of Gay Erotic Manga #1
The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame: Master of Gay Erotic Manga Vol. 1
A classic comics collection from "The Tom of Finland of Japan," now in paperback! The often violent, visceral, and always provocative style of Japanese manga legend Gengoroh Tagame, one of the originators of Japanese bear culture, comes to life like never before in The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame , a new edition of the artist's first English-language collection. Known as "The Tom of Finland of Japan," Tagame is celebrated around the world for his groundbreaking work, noted for its masterfully crafted imagery and unbridled exploration of bondage, lust, passion, and romance. This first English paperback edition includes ten short stories dating from the late 1990s to the early 2010s, with an introduction by celebrated novelist and biographer Edmund White, as well as an essay and new jacket design by acclaimed novelist and graphic designer Chip Kidd. Featuring intense, explicit, over-the-top scenes of BDSM among hypermasculine men, The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame is a must-have for Tagame fans, as well as fans of bear cultures in general. Produced by veteran “Japanist” Anne Ishii and filmmaker Graham Kolbeins, the book also contains sixteen full-page color illustrations. (Please This book is a traditional work of manga, and reads back to front and right to left.) Black-and-white throughout with sixteen full-color illustrations
288 pages, Paperback
Published July 12, 2022
11 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Gengoroh Tagame
111 books554 followersGengoroh Tagame is a Japanese manga artist who specializes in gay BDSM erotic manga, many of which depict graphic violence. The men he depicts are hypermasculine, and tend to be on the bearish side.
Born into a family descended from samurai, Tagame began his career as a manga artist in 1982, while he was studying graphic design at Tama Art University (多摩美術大学). His works have been published in several Japanese gay magazines, including Sabu, G-men and SM-Z. Since 1986, he has used the pen-name Gengoroh Tagame, and since 1994 Tagame has lived off the profits of his art and writings. In recent years, Tagame has edited a two volume artbook series about the history of gay erotic art in Japan from the 1950s to the present, 日本のゲイ・エロティック・アート (Nihon no gei, erotikku āto, Gay Erotic Art in Japan) volumes 1 and 2.
All his works contain "virile males, or youths, and their apprenticeship of physical and mental submission". Works of his include: Jujitsu Kyoshi at B Product; Emono, Shirogane no Hana (3 vol.) and Pride (3 vol.) at G-Project.
His manga Gunji (軍次) was translated into French in 2005, followed by Arena in 2006 and Goku in 2009. An artbook of his works has also been published in France by H&O Editions. An exhibition of his works was held in France in May 2009. Tagame is openly gay.
Tagame has been called the most influential creator of gay manga in Japan to date, and "the most talented and most famous author of sado-masochistic gay manga". Most of his work first appeared in gay magazines and usually feature sexual abuse. Tagame's depiction of men as muscular and hairy has been cited as a catalyst for a shift in fashion amongst gay men in 1995, away from the clean-shaven and slender bishōnen stereotypes and towards a tendency for masculinity and chubbiness. Tagame's work has been criticised by notable gay manga writer Susumu Hirosegawa as "SM gekijō" (S&M theater) for its violence and lack of complex storylines.
A small amount of Tagame's work has been licensed in English; a short story, "Standing Ovations", was included in the third issue of the erotic comics anthology Thickness, and in July 2012, Picturebox announced a short story collection, The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, for 2013 release, which will be the first completely bara work published in English in a print format. The book will collect short works spanning 15 years of Tagame's career, including a new story commissioned especially for the book by book designer Chip Kidd.
(notes : everything else can be read on wikipedia)
Born into a family descended from samurai, Tagame began his career as a manga artist in 1982, while he was studying graphic design at Tama Art University (多摩美術大学). His works have been published in several Japanese gay magazines, including Sabu, G-men and SM-Z. Since 1986, he has used the pen-name Gengoroh Tagame, and since 1994 Tagame has lived off the profits of his art and writings. In recent years, Tagame has edited a two volume artbook series about the history of gay erotic art in Japan from the 1950s to the present, 日本のゲイ・エロティック・アート (Nihon no gei, erotikku āto, Gay Erotic Art in Japan) volumes 1 and 2.
All his works contain "virile males, or youths, and their apprenticeship of physical and mental submission". Works of his include: Jujitsu Kyoshi at B Product; Emono, Shirogane no Hana (3 vol.) and Pride (3 vol.) at G-Project.
His manga Gunji (軍次) was translated into French in 2005, followed by Arena in 2006 and Goku in 2009. An artbook of his works has also been published in France by H&O Editions. An exhibition of his works was held in France in May 2009. Tagame is openly gay.
Tagame has been called the most influential creator of gay manga in Japan to date, and "the most talented and most famous author of sado-masochistic gay manga". Most of his work first appeared in gay magazines and usually feature sexual abuse. Tagame's depiction of men as muscular and hairy has been cited as a catalyst for a shift in fashion amongst gay men in 1995, away from the clean-shaven and slender bishōnen stereotypes and towards a tendency for masculinity and chubbiness. Tagame's work has been criticised by notable gay manga writer Susumu Hirosegawa as "SM gekijō" (S&M theater) for its violence and lack of complex storylines.
A small amount of Tagame's work has been licensed in English; a short story, "Standing Ovations", was included in the third issue of the erotic comics anthology Thickness, and in July 2012, Picturebox announced a short story collection, The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, for 2013 release, which will be the first completely bara work published in English in a print format. The book will collect short works spanning 15 years of Tagame's career, including a new story commissioned especially for the book by book designer Chip Kidd.
(notes : everything else can be read on wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
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July 23, 2022ummmmmm this is not for the faint of heart lmao
April 26, 2023
This was the best choice to read in the subway. Good experience. I think this could be the compilation that is a perfect example to the difference between bl and erotic gay manga, the most important being the public that is sell to. I loved all the stories and the different touch of kinks or even how the romantic dynamics worked. Some are more violent and others are "softer" but all of them are enjoyable. I also loved all the extra content of finished illustrations and sketches at the end of the book.
July 17, 2022
3.5 rounded down.
After reading Tagame’s award-winning graphic novel, My Brother’s Husband (MBH), I wanted to see some of his other work. This volume collects and translates some of Tagame’s shorter pieces of erotic manga which—while devoid of the emotion, sophisticated storytelling and writing which enamoured me in MBH—contains virtuosic drawings and remains nonetheless titillating and absorbing (even if some of the BDSM content was a bit extreme for my liking). I’d love to see a longer work available in the UK which merges both the sentiment of MBH’s narrative and the passion (perhaps less Sadeian) present here. The essays and interviews included in this book are also insightful in regards to Tagame’s career trajectory as the ‘Japanese Tom of Finland’ and the cultural impact of his pornographic artwork.
After reading Tagame’s award-winning graphic novel, My Brother’s Husband (MBH), I wanted to see some of his other work. This volume collects and translates some of Tagame’s shorter pieces of erotic manga which—while devoid of the emotion, sophisticated storytelling and writing which enamoured me in MBH—contains virtuosic drawings and remains nonetheless titillating and absorbing (even if some of the BDSM content was a bit extreme for my liking). I’d love to see a longer work available in the UK which merges both the sentiment of MBH’s narrative and the passion (perhaps less Sadeian) present here. The essays and interviews included in this book are also insightful in regards to Tagame’s career trajectory as the ‘Japanese Tom of Finland’ and the cultural impact of his pornographic artwork.
July 19, 2023
This is the Tagame I remember from my early teens when I was discovering the joys of being online.
It's hard to believe that some people give it a lower rating based on their expectations (or feelings) either coming from another of Tagame's later work or just because they're not into his work at all.
It doesn't take much to enjoy it, but you'll know right away if you do. If you don't, that's fine too, just remember that he does this because he enjoys it, not to please specifically.
I'm very pleased that his work is getting more western attention via this medium as well and hope that more of his work gets published for those that enjoy it in this format.
It has 7 interesting comics in English, featuring stories with a lot of kink and spunk. Including some words by the author and by the people involved in the project and that made it possible as well.
It's hard to believe that some people give it a lower rating based on their expectations (or feelings) either coming from another of Tagame's later work or just because they're not into his work at all.
It doesn't take much to enjoy it, but you'll know right away if you do. If you don't, that's fine too, just remember that he does this because he enjoys it, not to please specifically.
I'm very pleased that his work is getting more western attention via this medium as well and hope that more of his work gets published for those that enjoy it in this format.
It has 7 interesting comics in English, featuring stories with a lot of kink and spunk. Including some words by the author and by the people involved in the project and that made it possible as well.
June 11, 2024
The stories in this are not for everyone. Hell most of it isn't for me either. But I really enjoyed the essays at the beginning and end as well as Tagame's blurbs between stories. I loved learning a bit of the history and the research and though processes Tagame did for the stories. I didn't realize he played such a large part in changing the depiction of gay art and masculinity. This was a fascinating read but please check your TW.
Read
September 28, 2022Well, that was… a lot. 😳
January 25, 2024
Found out I'm not into S&M
The art is pretty remarkable though
The art is pretty remarkable though
March 13, 2025
mœurs sensibles s’abstenir, mais un doux (douloureux) divertissement, bien que House of Brutes reste inégale à présent pour ma part.
July 16, 2022
I guess I'm a pretty big fan of Tagame. His erotica stories are quite arousing. However, they sometimes venture into areas that are a bit much for me. Those darker stories can be too violent for my tastes.
In this impressive collection, it's a good balance of sweet, loving sexy stories with a couple that venture a bit into darker territory. The darkest tale, goes there for a reason, if you can stick around to the ending you'll probably be glad you did.
Tagame's men are very handsome, very sexy, and very pleasing to look at.
This book is definitely not for every gay man. But for those with a taste for BDSM, you'll want to give Tagame a shot.
In this impressive collection, it's a good balance of sweet, loving sexy stories with a couple that venture a bit into darker territory. The darkest tale, goes there for a reason, if you can stick around to the ending you'll probably be glad you did.
Tagame's men are very handsome, very sexy, and very pleasing to look at.
This book is definitely not for every gay man. But for those with a taste for BDSM, you'll want to give Tagame a shot.
August 10, 2022
While there are a few sweet and funny narratives in The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, most are incredibly rough. Tagame's number one influence is De Sade, and it's fascinating to see him interpret popular masculine genres (conspiracy/action movie, fighting game, wrestling promotion) through a Sadean lens: everything is a game of domination, each conflict of masculinity is a thin mask for animal desire, every trial a character faces is some sexual ordeal. The story 'Missing' probably has the single most upsetting image I've seen in a comic.
September 7, 2022
The most insane and hilarious thing about Gengoroh Tagame’s introduction to readers in the United States is that it came through “my brother’s husband” - a book I haven’t read but understand as being fairly casual? Tagame’s body of work is anything but slice of life. I mean, talk about a rebrand!
To say the least, it’s funny that he’s gotten the reception in the states that he has. I’m by no means against the publication of his longer-form stuff, but I think keeping it short, as it does in this compilation, is probably more palatable to American audiences. lol…
To say the least, it’s funny that he’s gotten the reception in the states that he has. I’m by no means against the publication of his longer-form stuff, but I think keeping it short, as it does in this compilation, is probably more palatable to American audiences. lol…
January 5, 2023
As previous ratings have stated, this book isn’t for everyone. However, if you understand or are a part of the BDSM culture, you’ll find Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 of Tagame’s work pleasurable.
Yes, there are hypermasculine men drawn in some of the most erotic and extreme sexual experiences I have dreamt (and some I never thought) about. But each of Tagame’s stories are captivating enough where I never felt aghast. Personally, the kinks were skillfully selected for storyline. The volumes will have your mind racing about the clash of sex, perceived masculinity, kink, power, submission. This was my first gay erotic manga as well as my first work of Tagame. The interviews in the book help the reader understand his simple message: this man knows what he likes and wanted to see. He has made his name in the magma world from this. I respect that.
Both volumes have a home on my bookshelf. I see myself rereading them for arousal, for creativity or with a partner. I hope to use this as a conversation starter when I place them on my coffee table for select guests to my home.
Yes, there are hypermasculine men drawn in some of the most erotic and extreme sexual experiences I have dreamt (and some I never thought) about. But each of Tagame’s stories are captivating enough where I never felt aghast. Personally, the kinks were skillfully selected for storyline. The volumes will have your mind racing about the clash of sex, perceived masculinity, kink, power, submission. This was my first gay erotic manga as well as my first work of Tagame. The interviews in the book help the reader understand his simple message: this man knows what he likes and wanted to see. He has made his name in the magma world from this. I respect that.
Both volumes have a home on my bookshelf. I see myself rereading them for arousal, for creativity or with a partner. I hope to use this as a conversation starter when I place them on my coffee table for select guests to my home.
September 6, 2025
The art is actually not very good, and as comics, the stories aren’t particularly successful most of the time: the page layouts are often ugly and rudimentary, the transitions can be rough, the action unclear, and so on, a general fumbling of formal elements. The writing is also primitive and awkward. But there’s something interesting here beyond shock (which in itself is not necessarily worthless or meager). The unexpected way the erotic element insinuates itself into each narrative. The lone panels of tenderness. Maybe not much more than that, but it’s something.
July 3, 2023
El primer bara que leo. Algunos relatos me han gustado, pero otros me han resultado bastante desagradables. También es verdad que aquí hay muy poco de trama, son relatos separados e inconexos centrados en el erotismo sadomasoquista principalmente, aunque no todos. Los pocos que no lo están son interesantes, porque muestran aspectos culturales interesantes de Japón, pero los que sí, usan demasiado el recurso del nonco, y eso me cansa y no me gusta leerlo.
February 4, 2025
It's not really my cup of tea, but appreciate that this is a fantastic way for westerners like myself to familiarise ourselves with the work of such an important figure of Japanese queer culture. I now understand the comparisons between Gengoroh Tagame and Tom of Finland, although I'd say they really do a disservice to both as they're very different styles of art and story-telling. This translation does have some jarring spelling mistakes though.
November 15, 2025
the art is so great and human. Some of the content was a little too rape-y for me but once I suspended my judgement on that I really enjoyed this.
one of my favorite things are the interviews after each comic where Gengoroh will explain the comics and he always just says something like, "This comic is about a fighter taking experimental drugs and getting fucked a hundred times. I wanted to make a story about a fighter taking experimental drugs and getting fucked a hundred times, so I did."
one of my favorite things are the interviews after each comic where Gengoroh will explain the comics and he always just says something like, "This comic is about a fighter taking experimental drugs and getting fucked a hundred times. I wanted to make a story about a fighter taking experimental drugs and getting fucked a hundred times, so I did."
January 19, 2023
These stories vary from gay erotica/porn to what I would classify as extreme horror (S&M). Even when I didn't personally find the scenarios arousing, they were still interesting. The whole book is an interesting window into Gengoroh Tagame's headspace. I don't regret spending some time there, but I'm happy his headspace isn't mine.
July 26, 2022
I received this 'Art Book' as a birthday present. Being a devotee of Tagame sensei's works, I was ecstatic to leaf through this volume 1, which did not disappoint at all.
A real gem for those who, like me, collect all of sensei's works.
A real gem for those who, like me, collect all of sensei's works.
February 24, 2023
*wide-eyed emoji*
October 16, 2023
It’s an interesting collection, even if many of the stories weren’t to my tastes. Some of them were downright wholesome, though, which is not what I was expecting. 😂
December 31, 2023
Whew. That was sooo damn hot 🥵
February 18, 2024
violent erotic manga, definitely not ‘My brother’s husband’ kind of vibe
February 19, 2024
Recopilación de historias eróticas del Maestro Gengoroh Tagame y como siempre nunca decepciona con su arte.
April 13, 2024
Reading the wholesome "Our Colors" by Tagame brought me here... and now I'm ruined. 🫠😅😳
June 23, 2024
So perverted....great book! Looking forward to volume 2!
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September 9, 2024more than i bargained for, if i'm being real
February 19, 2025
(June 2024: 3 stars)
This is probably a book I need to read again to reconsider it. I'm afraid on this first reading it proved rather a disappointment and letdown after having loved My Brother's Husband and Our Colors. I was really hoping for something more from it, either in the way of story-telling, or in the illustrations. But I didn't find the plots that satisfying, nor the illustrations either – which often felt rather standardly comic-bookish and heavy-handed in style and layout, lacking the finesse I would have liked to see. And Tagame's men's bodies all had a sameness about them – once you've seen one cut cock you've seen them all. There is only one hint of an uncircumcised man in the entire book, about 227 pages in. The rest of the volume lacks variety of appearance in that department. At the end of the day, I find Tom of Finland's Complete Kake Comics far more satisfying, both visually and plot-wise, and that particular volume has enough faults of its own.
Glancing back through this book again I think one problem with the illustrations is all the sounds -expressed in words - which make for very busy and cluttered scenes, often distracting from the more attractive drawings behind the text.
There were also several typos which rather irritated me. One would have imagined that a book such as this would be quite a high-quality production and that proof-readers would have picked up on all the obvious spelling errors. I also occasionally suspected mistakes in the translation where things didn't quite make sense (like on p. 258 where one would think it was Charles's plan, rather than the Professor's, to submit the wrong assignment).
(August 2024: 4 stars)
It's just over two months since I last read this. It's possibly grown on me slightly. That might be because I knew what to expect. But I think it also helped that I read it in a different way. This time I read it in the reverse order, starting at the back of the book first (the front by Western standards) and worked my way forwards one story at a time. I think there are definite advantages in following this procedure. First you get some random gorgeous full-colour illustrations to study and enjoy before your appetite for such things has been satiated, then you get a helpful article about Gengoroh Tagame and where he is coming from, and about some of this thoughts and feelings, and then come the stories - each supported by a few comments from Gengoroh. If you read the book in the intended order then Gengoroh's comments come at the end of each story as an epilogue, whereas by my method I read these pieces first by way of introduction to what I was about to read, and I think they were much better read that way, to help set each story in some kind of context before you delved into it. And by reading the stories in reverse order you get most of the short pieces out of the way first before coming to the more substantial and lengthy plots, and again this feels like the better approach, to get the potentially more trivial pieces out of the way before coming to those in which you really have time for your emotions to get more involved, and before the sex scenes have become a bit repetitive and lost their impact. I could possibly increase my rating to four stars now. But the book didn't make me long to read it again. Sometimes I toy with the idea of getting volume 2 for the sake of completeness, but this first volume doesn't really inspire me to do so.
This is probably a book I need to read again to reconsider it. I'm afraid on this first reading it proved rather a disappointment and letdown after having loved My Brother's Husband and Our Colors. I was really hoping for something more from it, either in the way of story-telling, or in the illustrations. But I didn't find the plots that satisfying, nor the illustrations either – which often felt rather standardly comic-bookish and heavy-handed in style and layout, lacking the finesse I would have liked to see. And Tagame's men's bodies all had a sameness about them – once you've seen one cut cock you've seen them all. There is only one hint of an uncircumcised man in the entire book, about 227 pages in. The rest of the volume lacks variety of appearance in that department. At the end of the day, I find Tom of Finland's Complete Kake Comics far more satisfying, both visually and plot-wise, and that particular volume has enough faults of its own.
Glancing back through this book again I think one problem with the illustrations is all the sounds -expressed in words - which make for very busy and cluttered scenes, often distracting from the more attractive drawings behind the text.
There were also several typos which rather irritated me. One would have imagined that a book such as this would be quite a high-quality production and that proof-readers would have picked up on all the obvious spelling errors. I also occasionally suspected mistakes in the translation where things didn't quite make sense (like on p. 258 where one would think it was Charles's plan, rather than the Professor's, to submit the wrong assignment).
(August 2024: 4 stars)
It's just over two months since I last read this. It's possibly grown on me slightly. That might be because I knew what to expect. But I think it also helped that I read it in a different way. This time I read it in the reverse order, starting at the back of the book first (the front by Western standards) and worked my way forwards one story at a time. I think there are definite advantages in following this procedure. First you get some random gorgeous full-colour illustrations to study and enjoy before your appetite for such things has been satiated, then you get a helpful article about Gengoroh Tagame and where he is coming from, and about some of this thoughts and feelings, and then come the stories - each supported by a few comments from Gengoroh. If you read the book in the intended order then Gengoroh's comments come at the end of each story as an epilogue, whereas by my method I read these pieces first by way of introduction to what I was about to read, and I think they were much better read that way, to help set each story in some kind of context before you delved into it. And by reading the stories in reverse order you get most of the short pieces out of the way first before coming to the more substantial and lengthy plots, and again this feels like the better approach, to get the potentially more trivial pieces out of the way before coming to those in which you really have time for your emotions to get more involved, and before the sex scenes have become a bit repetitive and lost their impact. I could possibly increase my rating to four stars now. But the book didn't make me long to read it again. Sometimes I toy with the idea of getting volume 2 for the sake of completeness, but this first volume doesn't really inspire me to do so.
August 25, 2024
Desenhos pornográficos gay, basicamente... Muito bdsm, muito sexo não consentido, muita fantasia pornográfica tipicamente japonesa baseada na submissão... Violência gratuita...
Estas histórias não são para quem facilmente se escandalize.
Estas histórias não são para quem facilmente se escandalize.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews