When I say I've been waiting for this one I mean I've been foaming at the mouth over it! Whenever SuBLime brings us something new I don't even read the synopsis before I order it. If you're a fan of SuBLime you probably already know that the driving force behind licensing, editing, social media, and probably a ton more that we don't even know about is none other than Jennifer LeBlanc, our very own Fairy Godmother of BL. We love her. So, a very huge THANK YOU to Jennifer LeBlanc in particular for this yummy addition to the SuBLime catalog!

A cursory glance over the cover and synopsis is enough to let me know this is right up my alley. Gorgeous couple? Check. Long-haired thirst trap? YES. Yakuza ties? Cue the excited squealing! Before we even dive in, let me just say this. You're going to want volume 2. Pre-order it now. 

Moon & Sun centers around Masahiro - the bratty, directionless heir to a yakuza syndicate, and Tsubaki -a gorgeous and talented makeup artist who owns a drag club. Masahiro and Tsubaki first cross paths when Masahiro and his buddies show up at Tsubaki's club and begin heckling the dancers on stage. Little does Masahiro know that his childhood friend Hana works there! After getting kicked in the face and dragged to a back room by Hana, Masahiro ends up meeting Tsubaki, who is far from amused by Masahiro's attitude. After a series of additional offenses by Masahiro, the elegant Tsubaki ends up overpowering him and spanking him until he tearfully apologizes for his actions - and THAT is just where their story begins - what unfolds is nothing short of deliciously satisfying. 

Moon & Sun, while sexy, is a bit of a slow burn in the sense that you won't see the kind of vigorous bedroom romps that typically come with an 18+ title - at least not between our main characters. That's not to say they're chaste - the story just appears to be laying the groundwork for a super spicy second volume, hence my earlier recommendation that you lock down your copy of volume 2 well ahead of time. 

I don't want to spoil too much, but I LOVE the power dynamic in Moon & Sun. It's not what you typically see/expect in this genre and it's definitely done right!  I think we're going to see a lot of character growth in volume 2, as well. In this volume we begin to see some cracks in Masahiro's tough guy facade that give us a glimpse of a deep insecurity inside him. Will Tsubaki be the one to help him find his confidence and his purpose? We hope so!

The censorship in this manga was somewhat interesting to me. It sort of varies between "this panel features the suggestion of a penis" and a "just the tip" approach that leaves literally just the tip to the imagination. I'll be curious to see how spicy volume 2 gets!

It goes without saying that anything from SuBLime gets a recommendation from me. Volume 2 is due out in October and, as I understand it, that wraps up Moon & Sun. Since it's both spicy and a short series I expect this one to be a hot seller across all retailers, so don't sleep on it because waiting for reprints is painful.

Moon & Sun Vol. 1 hits shelves July 12th

TLDR;

Look both ways before turning the page, this one is definitely SPICY!