Review 85: The Last Client

Art: 7.5
Plot: 8
Characters: 8.5
Sex: 8.5

Gosh... and I thought 'Dog Style' was gritty... this one is much more intense, with a focus on the theme of corruption and adversity. The seme is a hitman who finds the uke - working the streets - when he is being beaten by some men he is semi-working for. The hitman takes him in and pays for him but refuses his 'services'. Eventually, they unravel each other's dark pasts and overcome their fears together... somewhat.

Art is so-so. I don't like the unshaven look, but that's not technically an art thing... more like a character thing.

The plot is pretty intense and rather dark, but decent. As mentioned above, it's full of violence and corruption, so it's not for everyone. A bit like 'Madness', I daresay, though that one has a lot else going for it to distract from the gritty realism.

The characters are really good. Asahi - the uke - is more than just a male prostitute. Just calling him that gives you a certain image, but it's entirely wrong. His past makes sense with what he has become, as does Chris's (the seme).

The sex is actually pretty rewarding. I mean, if you make it through that much of the suffering and elements of corruption, almost anything's gonna look good, but still.

All in all, 32.5/40.

Recommendation: If you're looking for a much more serious read.