What's Gravitation? Gravity is actually the name of Bad Luck's debut album. Okay, I know, I'm getting ahead of myself and you probably have no clue who the hell Bad Luck is. Let's try this again! First I must say this straight out - the story does have homosexual content in it but don't go getting the idea it's porn or anything O_o It is a fairly sweet story between two lovers who...how should I say this? Well, one of them is as cold as ice and the other is blundering idiot so it is very comedic! Our main character is Shindou Shuichi (aka, the blundering idiot). He's 19 years old, finally graduating from highschool and his ambition is to become the next hottest rock star - just like his idol, Ryuichi Sakuma, lead singer of Nittle Graspers, the hottest rock trio around but disbanded 3 years ago. Our second main character is Yuki Eiri. The romantic novelist that every girl, every housewife and even grandma loves to read his wonderfully romantic novels (also not to mention, they love Yuki himself since he is such a good looking devil). Shuichi and his best friend, Hiroshi Nakano put themselves together to form a band - Bad Luck. As they tried to get a demo song ready, Shuichi was having trouble putting good lyrics to their song. Hiro suggested that he needed to go out on a date for fun and hopefully losen his nerves up. Shuichi agreed. After their conversation that night, Shuichi was cutting through the park to get home. He held the sheet of paper where he had scribbled down horrible lyrics in his hand but the wind caught it and swept it out of his grasp. Chasing after the sheet of paper, Shuichi stopped to see a foreign man in his twenties picking up his sheet of lyrics and was reading it. "These lyrics are horrible. You stink." Was the critical comment the man made and threw the sheet of paper back onto the ground and left without saying another word. This caused quite a stir. Shuichi was furious at having a complete stranger making such a rude (but true) comment on his talent (or lack there of) at writing lyrics. However, at the same time that Shuichi was ticked off at this inferiating stranger, he was drawn to him. "ACK!" Shuichi yelled at the horrible thought that he could be attracted to...a MAN! Shuichi was desperate to see this man again, to assure himself that he wasn't attracted to him. When Shuichi does find him, things do not go well. The man insults him again and promptly adds that he doesn't want to see Shuichi in front of his face again. This causes our Shuichi to be embarrassed, a little flustered and angry! Later into the story, Shuichi finds out that the man that he hated and is attracted to is actually the wildly popular romantic novelist, Yuki Eiri. Hiro concluded that since Yuki is a novelist, it would explain his criticism on Shuichi's bad writing. Shuichi only gets angrier. Hiro can tell that it was more than just anger that Shuichi felt towards the novelist and tells Shuichi to go confess his emotions to this Yuki Eiri. With Hiro's encouragement, Shuichi goes and confronts this man that he hated and liked. Yuki appears puzzled at Shuichi's confession and turned him down, telling him that he wasn't interested in an intimate relationship with a man, much less a boy (Shuichi). So, as you see it, seems that there wasn't going to be any future for our two main characters but even a man like Yuki Eiri (cold, harsh with his words, tempermental, etc.) can change his mind because, as Yuki later admits in the story, that Shuichi has the kind of charm that draws people to him, like Gravity pulling on the objects to stay on earth. That's nice and all but who is the creator? Maki Murakami. I don't know much about her other than the fact she once commented that she wanted to try drawing and writing a story about a love between two guys (@_@?? Why?? But if she hadn't we wouldn't have this hilarious comedy!). However Maki Murakami is a very strong story writer. Her scenes are hardly ever serious (if it is, it doesn't last for more than a page and a half) and the humour is always there! Her characters are lovable (yes, even Yuki Eiri and once you see what he looks like you'll find him even more lovable ~_^) and wonderfully humourous, each having their own unique personality. Her art is all right, you couldn't compare it to CLAMP or Yoko Matsushita in it's detail and finery but Murakami-sensei has improved immensely from her first Gravitation volume to its (apparently final) 12th. The art is much better and I would say it's nice but I like CLAMP, Yoko Matsushita and Yukiru Sugisaki's art more. Gravitation is definately for the story (the art is good too...nice eye candy ~_^) Gravitation is up to it's 12 manga in both Japanese and Chinese versions and it has been licensed for English print just this year. There is no confirmation if Gravitation is actually at its end but the Chinese publisher claims that vol. 12 is the finale. The anime was aired in the fall of 2000 and it is exactly 13 episodes long. An OVA was created before the series and came out in the year 1999 as a two-parter. *NOTE: The anime (TV) has just been licensed in America. I can't remember to who but the DVD will be released soon or may have already been released. I like Gravitation for it's comedy. It's very hilarious with a lot of things blowing up, thanks to Shuichi's crazy american, gun trotting manager, simply called "K". Plus there's plenty of characters that adds to the comedy: the forever practical and serious third Bad Luck member, Suguru Fujisaki who is actually three years Shuichi's junior but acts like he's 10 years older. Hiro is always there and sensitive; Sakano, their produce, uptight and edgy; Seguchi Tohma(He and Fujisaki are cousins), the president of Bad Luck's record company and a previous member of the rock band "Nittle Grasper", helping Bad Luck climb up the charts and finally Shuichi Shindou, our blundering but lovable idiot and his lover, Yuki Eiri, the cold hearted bastard (but lovable) who keeps us all entertain!