punchline: existential dread's manga / #epic(1)

Black Sun

Ongoing | ogasawara uki | 2007 released

this feels very much like if yamane ayano had transplanted her usual stories of man subjugated by uber-alpha man through rape and thrill into a historical fantasy, for better or for worse. the same recurring theme of rape fostering affection is prevalent. the same format of an epic drama/thriller/adventure that spin out trial after heart-pounding trial that test the protagonist's will and resolve to the limits. even the art, which is stunningly similar. even the recurring trope of the Unflagging Penis of Denial TM!! there is, however, an element i find fascinating. the seme's actions in chapter 2, where he allows the protagonist to dominate him and humiliate him in the same manner he did him in chapter 1 (which suits the theme and time period of this manga, actually, because it's about conquest and prisoners of wars), showcasing his willingness to overturn existing power dynamics - something ayano would never do with her (unflappable, sexually indomitable) semes.