Danica Davidson
February 1, 2024 
The manga Romeo has nothing to do with Romeo and Juliet, but instead is a yaoi manga concentrated on the supernatural — and sex. The main character, Kouyou, is a Lycan who slays gargoyles. The book opens with some very detailed databases on him and the other main characters, covering their enhanced genetic traits, their backgrounds, as well as their hair, eyes and height. This gives the feeling this is a sequel manga series that already had a lot happen before the start of these pages.
And while there is quite a bit of mythology and detail given, the real point of the manga doesn’t feel like it’s about mythology or details. It feels like the real point is about drawing beautiful male bodies, putting in silly jokes, and finding more reasons to show beautiful male bodies. For instance, one character shows up in a panel shirtless and the mangaka wrote over him, “forgot to draw his clothes.”
There’s a bit on the Lycan culture, such as how creatures like them live a long time, so they might have multiple partners, whereas humans, who don’t live as long, are more likely to pick one person to be with. As the notes outright say in the beginning, “Lycans are known for being promiscuous.”
So, in other words, a lot of the manga is dedicated to escapism in the form of yaoi smut aimed at a female audience. The artwork is nice, and there are really incredible background details, like mansions and landscapes. Both the characters and the mangaka put in a lot of silly lines, showing this isn’t a manga that takes itself too seriously. (The amount of times we see a character in a thong also ought to give that impression.) Obviously this would be of most interest to fans of yaoi, especially ones who like a supernatural edge.
Story & Art: Asia Watanabe
Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Translator: Ailie B
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
