It occurs to me that the more you are willing to go behind the surface of any form of entertainment, the more substance you are going to find. A good case in point in Isaku Natsume's Dash.
Akimoto has just started high school, and we learn right off the bat that he chose that particular school because of Saitou, star judo fighter and his idol. Akimoto first saw Saitou at a judo tournament he was forced to attend by his parents, and the die was cast. Saitou, after Akimoto's public announcment that he's there because he admires the judo star, makes Akimoto his personal servant. It rapidly turns into a love/hate relationship, at least on Akimoto's part, not only because of his servitude, but because Saitou no longer practices with the judo club.
After Saitou passes out from a hold he should have been able to counter, the story comes out: he was seriously injured in an accident and his left arm is still barely functional. He had been attending judo practice as physical therapy, but when the incoming freshmen began, he stopped because he was self-conscious about his injuries. Being Saitou, he tries to laugh it off, but winds up admitting his anger and frustration to Akimoto. And of course, they eventually become lovers.
Which may not be so obvious, even though there is the obligatory sex scene (which is not really very explicit, so relax). Given that Saitou can't admit to any weakness -- not even to caring for his "servant" -- it's significant that, even though he is graduating, he insists that Akimoto visit him at home to continue his massages, part of his therapy. We don't really get a glimpse of Saitou's feelings until the extra chapter, "Restart," which comes after the second story.
"Cheeky" is about two cousins, Ohyama and Yoshirou. Ohyama (known as "Taka-chan" to Yoshirou) gets a call from Yoshirou, who is looking for a place to stay. The boys had been very close when younger, but haven't seen each other for ten years, during which Yoshirou has run wild -- he not only sleeps around, he does it for pay. Ohyama has a hard time dealing with his cousin, until it comes out that Yoshirou has more or less been abandoned by his parents, who have been overseas for the past two years, and is generally disapproved by almost everyone who knows him. What has kept him afloat is Taka-chan's promise that no matter what happened, he would always be on Yoshirou's side.
As we've come to expect, love wins out.
Natsume has come up with two stories about spiky, difficult young men who live behind smokescreens that are, ultimately, very rewarding, if you're willing to dig a little bit. They are graced by a clean graphic style that allows for a great range of expression.
Altogether worth checking out. This is another one from Juné.
Update: I've looked at this one again, a couple of times (you should know that I'm an inveterate re-reader -- nothing I like better than curling up with a favorite book), and it's even better on second and third glance. If you decide to give this one a try, pay particular attention to Natsume's handling of Saitou's character. It's marvelously subtle and complex, with a lot of depth that you can miss on first reading. I keep thinking to myself "This is a comic book?"
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