The Spring 2024 Manga Guide

Scarlet Secret

What's It About? 

With his crimson eyes and uncanny ability to predict the weather, Shiki has always been the odd child out in his village. Despite his quirks, he's cherished by the village chieftain's impetuous son, Yamato, and they grow up together as the dearest of friends. But when the Shamaness Himiko, ruler of Yamatai, selects Shiki as a ritual sacrifice, the two are torn apart. Yamato spends years searching in vain hope for any sign of Shiki, only to find him alive and well... at the center of Himiko's court?

Disguised as the Shamaness and inheritor of her divine power, Shiki is no longer human and can no longer act upon human desires. Despite that, Yamato is eager to swear himself into 'her' service and stand by the Shamaness' side to safeguard and lead their people. But can Shiki resist his love for Yamato, even if it means going against the will of the gods...?

Scarlet Secret is a manga by Tomo Serizawa. This volume was translated by Claudia Takizawa and lettered and retouched by Vibrraant Publishing Studio. Published under TokyoPop's LoveLove imprint (April 16, 2024).

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Is It Worth Reading?

Rebecca Silverman
Rating:

As far as I'm concerned, this book has everything I look for: ancient history, beautiful art, and a sweet love story with the protagonists overcoming all odds to be together. Plus, its love scenes are all consensual! Seriously, this is one of the most "me" BL books I've read recently. Unsurprisingly, it comes from Tomo Serizawa, whose Snow Fairy I also enjoyed. This one was even better, largely because of its unusual setting. It takes place during the reign of Himiko, the priestess-queen from early Japanese history. Serizawa has researched place and time, from costumes to tattoos to beliefs. The bending of the historical record occurs with the character of Himiko herself: in this version of the story, "Himiko" is a guise worn by a succession of people.

Naturally, the "Himiko" of the plot is a young man, Shiki. Shiki is chosen to become the next Himiko during a ceremony, learning that he must give up his entire life, including his identity as a boy and a human, to fulfill the role. His death is staged, which doesn't for a second fool his best friend Yamato, who fervently believes that his beloved Shiki is alive and will one day return to him. That sets the stage for the romance: Yamato never gives up on Shiki and eventually makes his way to the palace and reunites with him. He then must convince Shiki that it's okay to put himself first and that he has the right to be happy – a priestess isn't necessarily required to keep the country intact when Shiki and Yamato have the skills between them to do it just fine. That means that despite the political trappings, this is a story about someone giving themselves the right to live as they want while still finding ways to compromise with the world at large. It's a gratifying tale.

The historical aspect of the book is wonderfully realized. Serizawa manages to work with the historical record and the more folkloric elements of the Himiko legend to put together something that functions well in terms of both setting and worldbuilding and the details in the art, such as Yamato's tattoos and the various outfits and buildings, do a great job of grounding the plot. If you're into this period of Japanese history, it's just recognizable enough to work, but even if you're here for the explicit sex scenes and romance plotline, the setting doesn't distract from the rest of the book. It's just a well-put-together volume overall.

Do I wish Serizawa had written a longer series? Yes, I would have enjoyed spending more time with these characters, but the story also feels complete. And now, if you'll excuse me, I've just noticed that another one of Serizawa's books is available in Italian, so I have a little shopping to do.

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Lauren Orsini
Rating:

Scarlet Secret is a BL retelling of the life of a real historical figure, the shamaness-queen Himiko, who was said to have ruled what is now modern-day Japan during the first and second centuries. Very little is known about the real Himiko, who was said to have supernatural powers, which offers a license to fiction writers to retell her story in various fascinating ways, including this one. In Scarlet Secret, the suggestion is that Himiko is not a person but an identity passed on from ruler to ruler. In some instances, Himiko may even be male.

This iteration of Himiko is Shiki, a misfit village boy with scarlet eyes and a knack for predicting the weather. From childhood, he shared a special bond with another boy, Yamato. It is never in doubt that these two are destined to be together, soulmates from their first meeting as infants when they wouldn't let go of each other's chubby baby hand. But even soulmates run into obstacles; when Shiki is taken away to be the next shamaness and his village assumes he is dead, only Yamato is left holding onto his memory, determined to win back his true love.

When Yamato finds Shiki again, it's complicated. Shiki has hardened his heart to everything except perfectly fulfilling the role of Himiko, including masquerading as female. The role comes with a direct line to the gods and magical powers so long as Shiki can constrain his humanity. He never had a problem with that until Yamato started trying to get close to him again. Can Yamato's unwavering resolve and willingness to risk his life for Shiki multiple times win his first love over again? There are nonstop obstacles, some based on real history and outlined in the manga's glossary. Even though there are no romantic rivals and this is a soulmate story, these obstacles make their eventual romance feel well-earned. Intricate, flowing art that focuses particularly on Shiki's hair and Yamato's delicate tattoos makes emotional and erotic scenes alike look gorgeous.

However, a major facet of the plot is that Shiki must decide between his love and serving his country. He makes his decision near the end of the story, but we never see the consequences of this choice. Even paired with a satisfying romantic conclusion, this gap in the plot makes their story feel unfinished. Even a page or two of epilogue would do. Instead, we get some comedy outtakes which, while funny, are incongruous with the serious plot.