Review by Frank Plowright

In 2015 Fantagraphics released Massive, a sampler compilation of gay erotic manga, and the title may as well have applied to the output of one of the featured creators. Gengorah Tagame’s work seems to have struck a chord, and this is the first of two compilations spotlighting his erotic fantasies.

It’s not as if anyone actually looking at the cover is likely to buy this in error, but it’s worth stressing that The Passion of Gengorah Tagame is sexually explicit and detailed material. Some people may object to the presence of rape and coerced sex, but in this volume at least that’s mitigated by it being part of a more involved picture, Tagame precise in setting up his plots. There’s also an obvious tongue in cheek element, but if you find the very idea of brutal sex offensive Tagame’s work isn’t for you, and you should completely avoid the even more explicit Volume 2.

Such is the volume of erotic manga available in Japan, Tagame tailors his work to individual publications, as explained in his afterwords.

‘Arena’ is by some distance the longest offering, occupying just under a third of the collection, concerning a Japanese karate master now 41 and wanting to test himself in an MMA arena while still fit enough. He really should have read the contract more carefully. A dark sense of humour is apparent as Nobuaki is subjected to assaults never previously countenanced in such fights, but extra context is served up by Tagame’s afterword. He explains ‘Arena’ as the result of considering the ultimate psychological purpose of such fighting.

Tagame covers a variety of moods and subcultures, and the afterwords display far greater consideration to subtext than might otherwise be supposed. There’s no misinterpreting the sheer skill of the art. This is a master at work, composition and storytelling are impeccable, and there’s an admirable broad sweep to mood and situation. Far less variety is apparent in Tagame’s choice of fantasy figures. Every story but one features a man looking similar to the policeman on the sample art, with a moustache and a neatly trimmed beard around the chin.

The exception is ‘Class Act’, a new piece commissioned by editor Chip Kidd for this collection, and presumably tailored more toward Kidd’s fantasies than Tagame’s as the S&M featured is of a different nature.

Erotic comics are intended for arousal, and if your fantasies don’t match Tagame’s then not even the artistic quality is likely to appeal. However, buy into them and you’ll want to head straight to the even bulkier Volume 2. As noted, though, as this is the warm-up, and the next collection raises the stakes beyond what many people might feel comfortable with.