MANGA: Amato Amaro

Amato Amaro – Basso

Economist Vittorio Conti wants to see what having sex with a man is like, and does what any reasonable person would do in his situation: ask his bodyguard if he wants to give it a try. Straightlaced Armando Pagani refuses at first, but for how much longer?

The third in an Italian-flavored manga trilogy about queer politicians and their lovers. This is a collection of interrelated stories, sometimes two chapters long, sometimes merely a sketch.

The plots could be deceptively simple and subtle but extremely nuanced. The character not the normal types found in BL manga. They are mostly men in their 40s, even one or two married to women and with children. The artwork is not the usual cutesy, pretty boy style but has its own appeal.

I highly recommend Basso’s work if you’re looking for a mature, sophisticated BL manga.