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New York, New York, Vol. 1
New York police officer, Cain, while hiding that he's gay, goes out every night in Manhattan in want of a one night stand. But when he meets his ideal man, Mel, he finds the love of his life… An ambitious work which depicts love and humanism with gay themes!
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2003
16 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Marimo Ragawa
161 books45 followersMarimo Ragawa 羅川真里茂 was born on September 21 in Hachinohe, Aomori, but her age is not disclosed.
Marimo Ragawa first started submitting manga to comic magazines when she was only 12 years old, which is when she was in 6th grade of elementary school. She continued to send her manga to the same magazine for four years, but a positive critical reception was yet to come. Ragawa then decided to switch to a different magazine. Surprisingly, her first submission to this magazine, Hana to Yume, won a prize called the Top-prize. She succeeded in achieving her debut with her first manga, Time Limit.
Marimo Ragawa continues to draw other manga such as Aka-chan to Boku (Baby and Me), New York New York, and Itsudemo Otenki Kibun. She received the 1995 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Baby and Me. She continues to draw a tennis themed manga, Shanimuni-Go in Hana to Yume (Flowers and Dreams).
Marimo Ragawa's calm and cute design is one of the traits of her drawings. Her energetic drawing and characters are very attractive, even to non-manga readers. She is widely known for her great ability in describing complicated emotions, especially in New York New York and Baby and Me.
Her manga Mashiro no Oto has been nominated for the 4th Manga Taishō.
Marimo Ragawa first started submitting manga to comic magazines when she was only 12 years old, which is when she was in 6th grade of elementary school. She continued to send her manga to the same magazine for four years, but a positive critical reception was yet to come. Ragawa then decided to switch to a different magazine. Surprisingly, her first submission to this magazine, Hana to Yume, won a prize called the Top-prize. She succeeded in achieving her debut with her first manga, Time Limit.
Marimo Ragawa continues to draw other manga such as Aka-chan to Boku (Baby and Me), New York New York, and Itsudemo Otenki Kibun. She received the 1995 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Baby and Me. She continues to draw a tennis themed manga, Shanimuni-Go in Hana to Yume (Flowers and Dreams).
Marimo Ragawa's calm and cute design is one of the traits of her drawings. Her energetic drawing and characters are very attractive, even to non-manga readers. She is widely known for her great ability in describing complicated emotions, especially in New York New York and Baby and Me.
Her manga Mashiro no Oto has been nominated for the 4th Manga Taishō.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
March 30, 2022
Kain is such a dick!! He gets called out for it a few times and he does grow in the end, but I feel like they never fully talk about how badly he treated Mel in the beginning of their relationship. Mel is an angel and should be protected at all costs. Kain is the worst and I don't forgive him.
I picked this up because it's by the same artist as The Vampire and His Pleasant Companions, which I LOVE. It's definitely a different vibe than that story. It's interesting reading an older work that is more lgbt than yaoi. Like it has "problematic" things in there, but they're all addressed and I'm not sure if it's because they did some editing in the rerelease or if the author originally wrote it that way. Either way I think it was pretty well written, the only hiccup is Kain's dumbass bullshit. I had to put this down a few times because I was annoyed at how stupid he was. I also feel like Mel went through more than he needed to. That whole thing with the partner and the drug robbery thing seemed kind of unnecessary. Mel didn't need that on top of all the other shit he's gone through. I guess the main purpose it was meant to serve was to show Kain how much Mel means to him and it opened up him coming out to his boss. But idk. Poor Mel.
I think this had good and bad things about it, but I guess I enjoyed reading it for the most part?
I picked this up because it's by the same artist as The Vampire and His Pleasant Companions, which I LOVE. It's definitely a different vibe than that story. It's interesting reading an older work that is more lgbt than yaoi. Like it has "problematic" things in there, but they're all addressed and I'm not sure if it's because they did some editing in the rerelease or if the author originally wrote it that way. Either way I think it was pretty well written, the only hiccup is Kain's dumbass bullshit. I had to put this down a few times because I was annoyed at how stupid he was. I also feel like Mel went through more than he needed to. That whole thing with the partner and the drug robbery thing seemed kind of unnecessary. Mel didn't need that on top of all the other shit he's gone through. I guess the main purpose it was meant to serve was to show Kain how much Mel means to him and it opened up him coming out to his boss. But idk. Poor Mel.
I think this had good and bad things about it, but I guess I enjoyed reading it for the most part?
April 5, 2022
When I found out that New York, New York was going to be released through Yen Press I was excited. I love The Vampire and His Pleasant Companions and was curious to see an example of Marimo Ragawa’s older work. This omnibus edition features volumes 1 and 2 and I knew after just one chapter that it was going to be special.
It's a realistic portrayal of what life was like for a gay man trying to come to terms with his sexuality during the 1990s. He and the other characters in this story are all deeply flawed and very human, meaning there are thoughts and actions that will rub you the wrong way. The main character, Kain, does some shit in the beginning of the story that took me a long time to forgive.
His love interest, Mel, was such a sweetheart and had more patience than I’ll ever have in all my lifetimes combined. He experienced so much pain and rejection at a young age that he was willing to do anything to make Kain love him and stay with him. It was hard to read but there are people like that in the real world and I’m just not used to seeing them portrayed in manga like that.
If you’re looking for typical yaoi then this isn’t it, honey. This is a gritty slice of life that portrays both regular and internalised homophobia, child abuse, suicide, rape, and death. And yeah, if you’re into the Yakuza trope I guess this actually wouldn’t be anything too shocking, but it's the fact that this isn’t that trope that sets this apart. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I enjoyed this story but it really was a very good story (does that even make sense?). 4.5 stars, rounded up
✩This is the second manga series I’ve read that’s set in New York. What is it about New York that makes these stories so heartbreaking?
It's a realistic portrayal of what life was like for a gay man trying to come to terms with his sexuality during the 1990s. He and the other characters in this story are all deeply flawed and very human, meaning there are thoughts and actions that will rub you the wrong way. The main character, Kain, does some shit in the beginning of the story that took me a long time to forgive.
His love interest, Mel, was such a sweetheart and had more patience than I’ll ever have in all my lifetimes combined. He experienced so much pain and rejection at a young age that he was willing to do anything to make Kain love him and stay with him. It was hard to read but there are people like that in the real world and I’m just not used to seeing them portrayed in manga like that.
If you’re looking for typical yaoi then this isn’t it, honey. This is a gritty slice of life that portrays both regular and internalised homophobia, child abuse, suicide, rape, and death. And yeah, if you’re into the Yakuza trope I guess this actually wouldn’t be anything too shocking, but it's the fact that this isn’t that trope that sets this apart. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I enjoyed this story but it really was a very good story (does that even make sense?). 4.5 stars, rounded up
✩This is the second manga series I’ve read that’s set in New York. What is it about New York that makes these stories so heartbreaking?
May 18, 2022
I'm torn on the rating for this one. For its publication date of 1995, it's really progressive - an exploration of what it meant to be gay in a world that wasn't quite ready to accept that as normal. But it's also very much of its time and not an own voices story, and that can make for some uncomfortable reading; in some ways it feels more like it was written in the 1980s than the 90s with its depiction of the lives of gay men. The language is also outdated, but that's to be expected, and Yen Press does have a good note about that in the beginning.
Ultimately I decided to give this 3.5 the benefit of having lovely art and really trying to bump it up to a four, but this is very much a "your mileage may vary" situation.
CW: suicide, anti-semitism, homophobia (internalized and external), sexual assault
Ultimately I decided to give this 3.5 the benefit of having lovely art and really trying to bump it up to a four, but this is very much a "your mileage may vary" situation.
CW: suicide, anti-semitism, homophobia (internalized and external), sexual assault
April 8, 2022
4.5 stars. Originally published in the mid 90s, New York, New York is not without its faults, but it managed to have segments that I feel were surprisingly modern considering the time and era of its original publication-- especially for a gay/yaoi/BL/whatever manga you'd prefer to classify it as, since books of this genre are typically made for the female gaze, and I feel like New York, New York does a great job of realistically depicting a young gay American couple in the nineties. Kain and Mel's relationship is far from perfect, but they grow together as couples do, and while I do think that Mel's traumatic backstory was piled on to the point of overkill, I was overall invested in the increasing emotional vulnerability between this couple and the present day world they navigated together. I'm very much looking forward to the second/final omnibus that completes their story arc.
May 12, 2025
Mel deserves so much better! This story was a lot darker than I expected, but I appreciated the themes it explored - they added real depth to the narrative. The artwork was absolutely stunning throughout.
Mel and Kain’s relationship actually reminded me a bit of I Promised You the Moon (if you know, you know), though it didn’t quite reach the same level of emotional nuance or writing quality.
Mel and Kain’s relationship actually reminded me a bit of I Promised You the Moon (if you know, you know), though it didn’t quite reach the same level of emotional nuance or writing quality.
September 1, 2024
This was such a beautiful story—all with sad, dark, and heavy tones. Sometimes, you’ll just drop the book so there will be no pain.
The societal discrimination as one of its conflict is a given. One can’t really break tradition and culturally accepted norms especially for people religiously committed to it. What lacks taste is the conflict that surrounds the main character—being part of the lgbt community with such attitude and demeanor. No, it mostly his own insecurities eating him which I don’t like that stems to patriarchal beliefs he religiously attends to despite being queer—most likely to hide the fact that he’s queer even in the presence of lover. Halfway-through, my hatred for Kain grew. He’s the most stressful and frustrating main character I have come to know to the point that I wish he just shoots himself. Most of the time, he’s just a dick dicking around.
The other half of the story though is much loved. Especially he trip back Kain’s home. I began to like their passionate love story.
Also, in this volume, Mel suffered a lot. You will get why I began to hate Kain so much. He doesn’t deserve Mel at his best. He just doesn’t. Mel’s so forgiving, the little angel that he is. I admired Kain’s character development though, although very minimal.
I will definitely read the next volume!
The societal discrimination as one of its conflict is a given. One can’t really break tradition and culturally accepted norms especially for people religiously committed to it. What lacks taste is the conflict that surrounds the main character—being part of the lgbt community with such attitude and demeanor. No, it mostly his own insecurities eating him which I don’t like that stems to patriarchal beliefs he religiously attends to despite being queer—most likely to hide the fact that he’s queer even in the presence of lover. Halfway-through, my hatred for Kain grew. He’s the most stressful and frustrating main character I have come to know to the point that I wish he just shoots himself. Most of the time, he’s just a dick dicking around.
The other half of the story though is much loved. Especially he trip back Kain’s home. I began to like their passionate love story.
Also, in this volume, Mel suffered a lot. You will get why I began to hate Kain so much. He doesn’t deserve Mel at his best. He just doesn’t. Mel’s so forgiving, the little angel that he is. I admired Kain’s character development though, although very minimal.
I will definitely read the next volume!
May 18, 2022
I really missed old school BL.
Where the stories is set outside schools dorms and classes, where the protagonist is living a double life and trying to manage it; where both lovers are messed up and flawed but grow up the longer they get closer and their shields falls down.
I truly missed it. There’s a reason why I couldn’t put it down; I was craving it badly.
Shojo and Josei manga, don’t get the same treatment the way Shonen and Seinen does; which is criminal in every way.
Some of us long for deep emotional stories fraught with tension, angst, high stakes and a resolution; tragic endings are fine too; but damn it, in my age, I need some joy in the time I spend reading.
I loved the manga so very much; and I can’t wait for the second edition to drop.
Where the stories is set outside schools dorms and classes, where the protagonist is living a double life and trying to manage it; where both lovers are messed up and flawed but grow up the longer they get closer and their shields falls down.
I truly missed it. There’s a reason why I couldn’t put it down; I was craving it badly.
Shojo and Josei manga, don’t get the same treatment the way Shonen and Seinen does; which is criminal in every way.
Some of us long for deep emotional stories fraught with tension, angst, high stakes and a resolution; tragic endings are fine too; but damn it, in my age, I need some joy in the time I spend reading.
I loved the manga so very much; and I can’t wait for the second edition to drop.
January 20, 2025
Kain è un poliziotto di venticinque anni che nasconde a tutti la propria omosessualità. La sera frequenta un bar dove può trovare la compagnia che desidera, e proprio qui incontra il ventiduenne Mel. I due trascorrono la serata a parlare e con il tempo diventano una coppia stabile.
Non ho empatizzato subito con nessuno dei due protagonisti. Kain, per me, è un egoista, un uomo che pensa a soddisfare i propri "capricci" senza capire chi ha vicino, ed è anche fin troppo geloso. Mel, invece, è troppo buono, sempre pronto a scusare Kain, anche quando l'altro meriterebbe solo un bel calcio nel sedere.
Per fortuna, con il trascorrere delle pagine ho iniziato a capire meglio i due ragazzi, e quanto il passato e le paure continuino a influenzare i loro comportamenti.
In questo volume succede davvero di tutto, è un bel mix tra amore e azione. Sicuramente non è un volume noioso.
Vengono trattati vari temi delicati, ma quello che ha più spazio è la famiglia, e mi è piaciuta molto la parte in cui la coppia interagisce con i genitori di Kain.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo la migliore amica della madre di Kain, una donna schietta che non ha paura di ridere di fronte alle "paure" della sua amica. Il mondo ha bisogno di più persone così!
È una storia che dopo un momento iniziale perplessità è riuscita a farmi apprezzare due personaggi pieni di fragilità e che insieme riescono a crearsi un proprio spazio felice, combattendo contro tante avversità.
Non ho empatizzato subito con nessuno dei due protagonisti. Kain, per me, è un egoista, un uomo che pensa a soddisfare i propri "capricci" senza capire chi ha vicino, ed è anche fin troppo geloso. Mel, invece, è troppo buono, sempre pronto a scusare Kain, anche quando l'altro meriterebbe solo un bel calcio nel sedere.
Per fortuna, con il trascorrere delle pagine ho iniziato a capire meglio i due ragazzi, e quanto il passato e le paure continuino a influenzare i loro comportamenti.
In questo volume succede davvero di tutto, è un bel mix tra amore e azione. Sicuramente non è un volume noioso.
Vengono trattati vari temi delicati, ma quello che ha più spazio è la famiglia, e mi è piaciuta molto la parte in cui la coppia interagisce con i genitori di Kain.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo la migliore amica della madre di Kain, una donna schietta che non ha paura di ridere di fronte alle "paure" della sua amica. Il mondo ha bisogno di più persone così!
È una storia che dopo un momento iniziale perplessità è riuscita a farmi apprezzare due personaggi pieni di fragilità e che insieme riescono a crearsi un proprio spazio felice, combattendo contro tante avversità.
September 21, 2023
This was originally published in 1995 and it aged... poorly. It would've been progressive for it's time for sure, but I'm surprised a publisher felt it warranted a new translation and publication in this century. It addressed some deeply disturbing and traumatic gay experiences but in a confusing, horribly paced and superficial way. As a queer person, reading this made me SO uncomfortable bc it skimmed over important topics in a very weird and sort of creepy way. Do not recommend, and I won't be reading volume 2.
September 22, 2022
“I was in high school when I realised I was gay. I wanted to hide that part of myself from the world. As time passed, I started hating myself more and more.”
I picked up this manga expecting it to be a nice queer romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was so much more. Exploring issues such as rape, internalised homophobia, death and accepting a child’s sexuality, New York, New York blew me away. Wow. Just wow.
I picked up this manga expecting it to be a nice queer romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was so much more. Exploring issues such as rape, internalised homophobia, death and accepting a child’s sexuality, New York, New York blew me away. Wow. Just wow.
June 14, 2025
I don't read a lot of BL, because it's not made for me. But this book epitomizes every negative stereotype of the genre. Laughable caricatures of gay men in a bizarre caricature of New York City (they live in NASSAU COUNTY!!) with no real plot other than tragic aimless melodrama. It's more reminiscent of a child babbling and mashing plastic dolls together than any kind of deliberate storytelling. Listen, fujoshis are people and they deserve better than this garbage!
November 23, 2022
Raised an eyebrow but thoroughly enjoyed the story and wanted to see what the next volume would bring.
February 17, 2023
2.5 stars. This was a mess lol
March 25, 2022
CW: homophobia, internalised homophobia, attempted suicide, rape, abuse, death
Takes place in New York City during the AIDS epidemic.
Takes place in New York City during the AIDS epidemic.
November 22, 2022
This is buy one tragedy get 15 free. Kain is a grade prick but I appreciate the character development. By the end I had forgotten most of what he did to piss me off. Mel is a sweet cinnamon roll and should be protected AT ALL COSTS!
July 14, 2022
like i understand that gay relationships aren't perfect, and it is important that there is representation of arguments and bumps in BL fiction, but kain was straight up abusive at points and it was never properly addressed?
thank goodness he grew and matured by the lateral chapters, but we never see him apologise to mel for the way he acted, which almost gives the impression that abuse and emotional manipulation under the guise of mere jealousy is okay, which it isn't!
despite this, i really enjoyed the mellowness of this. the way it was quick to become domesticated and they truly warmed up to one another. i'm also glad it didn't shy away from the aids crisis, while also not villainising those with the illness like many works have often done.
it was a quick read and something easy to read by the side of the pool, but i think i would have enjoyed reading it more during autumn or winter time, to get that 90s rainy new york vibe...
edit: turns out this was actually written and published in the 90s, which is really impressive given its lack of censorship for the queer relationship. i think this knowledge enhances my appreciation for it.
thank goodness he grew and matured by the lateral chapters, but we never see him apologise to mel for the way he acted, which almost gives the impression that abuse and emotional manipulation under the guise of mere jealousy is okay, which it isn't!
despite this, i really enjoyed the mellowness of this. the way it was quick to become domesticated and they truly warmed up to one another. i'm also glad it didn't shy away from the aids crisis, while also not villainising those with the illness like many works have often done.
it was a quick read and something easy to read by the side of the pool, but i think i would have enjoyed reading it more during autumn or winter time, to get that 90s rainy new york vibe...
edit: turns out this was actually written and published in the 90s, which is really impressive given its lack of censorship for the queer relationship. i think this knowledge enhances my appreciation for it.
April 10, 2022
There is so much I loved about “New York, New York” from the very first chapter. But I had a ton of initial annoyance, mainly, particularly, primarily directed to one single person, Kain. I did not have the sheer amount of patience, let alone the forgiveness that Mel exhibited. Kain does some really extremely shady stuff…that’s probably why it took me as long as I did to finish this. But I also feel like I needed that time away, to be like Mel, to be able to forgive and move on. As I was reading this book I kept fluctuating between 3 and 4 stars. I’m surprised that I’m giving this 4 stars, but I feel the ending was well done. But just fyi, this is extremely melodramatic and slightly tragic and it features a ton of trigger warnings…
did-not-finish
June 8, 2022Dropped a little into Episode 1, Scene 2. Realized I was actively rooting for the main couple to break up because one of them is an abusive asshole, didn’t think I could keep going if that’s how it’s going to be.
June 17, 2022
Not a bad read, but the relationship that the two main characters have is kind of toxic which I'm not a big fan of. Also, the amount of slurs and derogatory language included wasn't particularly great either. However, there was a disclaimer for such language included at the beginning of the manga.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2022
Felt very "of its time" and idk, basic? but touched on a lot of realistic themes about gay life in the 1990s and I absolutely loved the art style. I might or might not finish reading this series but I'll definitely want to look at other work from this mangaka.
March 27, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
I liked it. The plot, the drawings - style. Mel and Kain are kind of a vibe - I’m not gonna lie 😅
Some issues that had been mentioned 🤌🏼
I’m definitely going to read second part some day in the future.
Davis… I hope you’ll call.
I liked it. The plot, the drawings - style. Mel and Kain are kind of a vibe - I’m not gonna lie 😅
Some issues that had been mentioned 🤌🏼
I’m definitely going to read second part some day in the future.
Davis… I hope you’ll call.
January 4, 2023
Don't make me talk about this book.
May 15, 2022
3,5 stars.
There was a disclaimer at the beginning, so I expected more not so gracefully aged stuff but instead I found there was actually a lot pretty frank discussion about identity and relationships of gay people. Sure, it sometimes does feel very 90s (and I don't just mean landline phones!), I'm pretty sure Ragawa had been watching films like Philadelphia.
Kain, a police officer, and a waiter Mel meet in a bar and start relationship that get rocked by things like exes and jealousy, tragic events in the past, internalized homophobia, family and friends who don't accept them... But there is also surprising support for example in the police force.
The story focuses more on Kain and, to be honest, he's sometimes quite a jerk. He usually realizes it himself or somebody calls it out. There was one scene that felt very "for the sake of drama" though, the one with Kain and Josh. Anyway, Kain's lucky Mel is so forgiving.
Mel is super sweet guy and sometimes he comes off a little bland for it but fortunately it's not like that all the time. He has his own conflicts, some explored more than others.
Sometimes it felt a little stuffed, Ragawa had a lot of ambition and ideas for this it seems.
All in all I was pretty impressed. Not all things it takes on land but it explores the life of two gay men quite convincingly. Also, I liked how there were different reactions from people around them. Some were horrified, some accepted it without struggle and some had to think about it a little before understanding.
Btw, I didn't realize Ragawa is also the mangaka drawing Those Snow White Notes (Mashiro no oto) before I came to Goodreads to write the review! I haven't yet read the manga but the anime was really good.
There was a disclaimer at the beginning, so I expected more not so gracefully aged stuff but instead I found there was actually a lot pretty frank discussion about identity and relationships of gay people. Sure, it sometimes does feel very 90s (and I don't just mean landline phones!), I'm pretty sure Ragawa had been watching films like Philadelphia.
Kain, a police officer, and a waiter Mel meet in a bar and start relationship that get rocked by things like exes and jealousy, tragic events in the past, internalized homophobia, family and friends who don't accept them... But there is also surprising support for example in the police force.
The story focuses more on Kain and, to be honest, he's sometimes quite a jerk. He usually realizes it himself or somebody calls it out. There was one scene that felt very "for the sake of drama" though, the one with Kain and Josh. Anyway, Kain's lucky Mel is so forgiving.
Mel is super sweet guy and sometimes he comes off a little bland for it but fortunately it's not like that all the time. He has his own conflicts, some explored more than others.
Sometimes it felt a little stuffed, Ragawa had a lot of ambition and ideas for this it seems.
All in all I was pretty impressed. Not all things it takes on land but it explores the life of two gay men quite convincingly. Also, I liked how there were different reactions from people around them. Some were horrified, some accepted it without struggle and some had to think about it a little before understanding.
Btw, I didn't realize Ragawa is also the mangaka drawing Those Snow White Notes (Mashiro no oto) before I came to Goodreads to write the review! I haven't yet read the manga but the anime was really good.
May 10, 2022
this BL manga ftom 1990s is SO MUCH BETTER than so much BL comics and tv coming out today. boy, #MarimoRagawa really told a story that was real and raw for its time. #NewYorkNewYork presented real LGBT+ struggles, from HIV to prejudice to family trouble to prostitution to same sex relationships.
it's not a cutesy gay couple story if that's what you're looking for. some scenes here are actually pretty heavy, while the art remains heartbreakingly beautiful. ofc being a manga the characters have the tendency to be one-dimensional, but it's easily forgiven given the quality of everything else.
at first i thought it was paced too fast, but then i find it's bc this isn't really a story on wooing and swooning crushes, but moreso what happens after: when two gay men, one closeted from a conservative family, the other an orphan who grew up homeless, decide they want to be together.
so much respect to Ragawa-san for this work. the setting was established wonderfully, every page is a visual delight, the pain is real and reasonable. honestly in every lgbtq story you don't need to invent much conflict to make it sad anyway, unlike what writers have to with hetero stories. in these cases you just have to tell the truth, and often that is tragic enough.
it's not a cutesy gay couple story if that's what you're looking for. some scenes here are actually pretty heavy, while the art remains heartbreakingly beautiful. ofc being a manga the characters have the tendency to be one-dimensional, but it's easily forgiven given the quality of everything else.
at first i thought it was paced too fast, but then i find it's bc this isn't really a story on wooing and swooning crushes, but moreso what happens after: when two gay men, one closeted from a conservative family, the other an orphan who grew up homeless, decide they want to be together.
so much respect to Ragawa-san for this work. the setting was established wonderfully, every page is a visual delight, the pain is real and reasonable. honestly in every lgbtq story you don't need to invent much conflict to make it sad anyway, unlike what writers have to with hetero stories. in these cases you just have to tell the truth, and often that is tragic enough.
April 14, 2022
It's such a great thing when classics get translated into English and Ragawa's New Your, New York surely is one. We don't have classic BL that much in English and this was originally published in 1995. Kain Walker is a police officer hiding that he's gay and changing partners like socks. He ends up meeting Mel Fredericks and these two hit it off. Finally someone Kain wants to actually have a relationship with and a reason to come out too. Mel's past is horrible and Kain's coworker's HIV is harsh too, but at the same time the story is so credible and confronts problems of its time. Time hasn't eaten the story all that much either. Kain as a character is quite annoying though as he acts like a brat at times and how he treats Mel, but he too grows up eventually.
The art looks like 1990s, but it works here and it's not the worst of that time. The series altogether looks quite realistic and detailed too. In a way this is slice of life with heavy twists, but it's also the reason this is a classic. New York, New York feels very Western and it can be preachy, but it's something we hardly ever see nowadays. No wonder this is also shoujo.
The art looks like 1990s, but it works here and it's not the worst of that time. The series altogether looks quite realistic and detailed too. In a way this is slice of life with heavy twists, but it's also the reason this is a classic. New York, New York feels very Western and it can be preachy, but it's something we hardly ever see nowadays. No wonder this is also shoujo.
May 30, 2022
Oseaaa le pondría un 3 pero la verdad me pase 2/3 del manga teniendole una bronca a Kain por como trataba a Mel, le hizo slut shame, le pego, le metio los cuernos 2 VECES y encima después el se ponia en modo novio celoso????
Mel alto pan de dios, su unico issue es tener abandonment issues y seguir con el idiota de Kain, porque hubo diesmil veces en los que yo estaba tipo QUE SE VAYA, QUE LO DEJE y se quedo 😬
On another note, pobre Mel loco, algo bueno en la vida le puede pasar??? La mama se suicida, lo abusan, se prostituye, se trata de suicidar y no le sale, lo violan, lo apuñalan + las soreteadas que mencione de Kain en la prima oracion, tipo por favor dejen que ALGO bueno le pase!!!!
La verdad no se si voy a leer el siguiente volumen porque me la pasé estresada por situaciones que les pasaban a los protas :'( , y posta no sé si es que se merece 2⭐ pero es uno de esos mangas viejos que tiene un toque de realismo de esa época, entonces obviamente una pareja gay la va a pasar mal en el año 1995 🥲 tonces medio que soy yo que no me la estoy bancando, pero para haber salido en esa época es bastante "woke".
Mel alto pan de dios, su unico issue es tener abandonment issues y seguir con el idiota de Kain, porque hubo diesmil veces en los que yo estaba tipo QUE SE VAYA, QUE LO DEJE y se quedo 😬
On another note, pobre Mel loco, algo bueno en la vida le puede pasar??? La mama se suicida, lo abusan, se prostituye, se trata de suicidar y no le sale, lo violan, lo apuñalan + las soreteadas que mencione de Kain en la prima oracion, tipo por favor dejen que ALGO bueno le pase!!!!
La verdad no se si voy a leer el siguiente volumen porque me la pasé estresada por situaciones que les pasaban a los protas :'( , y posta no sé si es que se merece 2⭐ pero es uno de esos mangas viejos que tiene un toque de realismo de esa época, entonces obviamente una pareja gay la va a pasar mal en el año 1995 🥲 tonces medio que soy yo que no me la estoy bancando, pero para haber salido en esa época es bastante "woke".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2025
This is a Japanese Manga set in New York City in 1995. So, it's a Japanese perspective on American life at that time. I believe it was written in 1995 as well. For the time, it was quite progressive, but it's also of it's time. There is lots of self-loathing and hiding. It was a rough time to be gay in the states.
Still, we have a story between Kain, a hot head police officer who loathes himself and Mel, a sweet coffee shop waiter. The two meet by chance in a bar and the story spins out from there. There is plenty of dramatic back story secrets to dig up and work place politics to keep the story going.
The biggest real hurdle is Kain has to accept himself. There is no spice in this book. It's all about the relationship with people.
The sweetest part of the story to me is when Kain goes home with Mel to meet his parents. There is a lot to unpack there and it's well done. Very enjoyable.
I also like their little home they have together. Very sweet.
I think it's a good story set in a difficult time period. We've all grown since then, well, most of us. I'm glad I got to read this very long story.
Still, we have a story between Kain, a hot head police officer who loathes himself and Mel, a sweet coffee shop waiter. The two meet by chance in a bar and the story spins out from there. There is plenty of dramatic back story secrets to dig up and work place politics to keep the story going.
The biggest real hurdle is Kain has to accept himself. There is no spice in this book. It's all about the relationship with people.
The sweetest part of the story to me is when Kain goes home with Mel to meet his parents. There is a lot to unpack there and it's well done. Very enjoyable.
I also like their little home they have together. Very sweet.
I think it's a good story set in a difficult time period. We've all grown since then, well, most of us. I'm glad I got to read this very long story.
November 10, 2023
Kain is one of the most frustrating main characters I've had to follow, because he doesn't deserve Mel at all for most of the volume. He even slept with Mel's ex-boyfriend DESPITE also being jealous of the fact that the guy was Mel's ex in the first place. He also repeatedly walks out of the house on Mel when he's angry at him or when they have arguments, which are usually started by Kain in the first place. The only saving grace is that he seems to be pretty aware of how shitty of a person he is, and that Mel is a saint who's a much better person than him. Honestly, it just makes me want better for Mel.
Kain does seem to improve by the end of the volume, and I hope he stays that way in the next and final one. I did also like the second half that involves his parents and coworker. Although this manga has a strong melodrama vibe to it, I don't really mind since it was published in the mid-to-late 90s and is a sympathetic story from the viewpoint of various characters.
Favorite (paraphrased) quote: "Everyone I've ever met has taught me how to be human." (Said by Kain's mother.)
Kain does seem to improve by the end of the volume, and I hope he stays that way in the next and final one. I did also like the second half that involves his parents and coworker. Although this manga has a strong melodrama vibe to it, I don't really mind since it was published in the mid-to-late 90s and is a sympathetic story from the viewpoint of various characters.
Favorite (paraphrased) quote: "Everyone I've ever met has taught me how to be human." (Said by Kain's mother.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2022
This book is an emotionally wrenching glimpse into what it was like to be gay in the 90s. Most people forget and the younger generation really have no idea what gay people had to deal with in every aspect of their lives if people found out they were gay. People could lose their jobs, housing, family, friends, and more. It was like being labeled a pedophile. You were considered sick in the mind and an easy target for violence.
This book really shows the experience from so many of those angles. There is hatred and discrimination but I love that Kain's boss, mom, and friends come around after they find out and they are finally accepted as a couple. There is quite a bit of tragedy in Mel's backstory, almost enough to suspend disbelief until you realize there are people who have lived that kind of life. But the darkness eventually subsides and leaves you appreciating the love they have even more. This is a must read but have the tissues handy.
This book really shows the experience from so many of those angles. There is hatred and discrimination but I love that Kain's boss, mom, and friends come around after they find out and they are finally accepted as a couple. There is quite a bit of tragedy in Mel's backstory, almost enough to suspend disbelief until you realize there are people who have lived that kind of life. But the darkness eventually subsides and leaves you appreciating the love they have even more. This is a must read but have the tissues handy.
December 27, 2023
The beginning reminded me a bit of A Little Life....so much trauma that honestly added nothing to the story or the characters.
I'd say even with the loads of traumatic backstop for Mel, he and Kain are pretty weak characters. I don't know anything about them! Yeah I know surface level things like their jobs, their names, and just BARELY who they interact with....but I don't know what drives them. What they're passionate about...what they hate, or like to eat or read or watch.... they live for each other. And while I get that this is an ultra intense love story, that still doesn't mean that the sole purpose of these two characters needs to be for each other. I want them to be independent characters who just so happen to find a love so intense that they can't imagine being without each other....
I guess, in a word, my review is "meh". Still going to read the second part. Maybe it gets better!
I'd say even with the loads of traumatic backstop for Mel, he and Kain are pretty weak characters. I don't know anything about them! Yeah I know surface level things like their jobs, their names, and just BARELY who they interact with....but I don't know what drives them. What they're passionate about...what they hate, or like to eat or read or watch.... they live for each other. And while I get that this is an ultra intense love story, that still doesn't mean that the sole purpose of these two characters needs to be for each other. I want them to be independent characters who just so happen to find a love so intense that they can't imagine being without each other....
I guess, in a word, my review is "meh". Still going to read the second part. Maybe it gets better!
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