A short primer on various knots: A Spanish bowline is a knot used for sailors, its purpose being to either hoist them aloft or over the side. A monky's fist is a knot used to haul a heavier rope. A sennit is a number of lines interwoven in a complex pattern. But the most intricate and complicated – at the same time the strongest and the most fragile of all knots – is the love knot between two people. And while there is no one love knot which is the standard for them all, most of those feature two interlocked overhand knots made in two parallel ropes or cords, symbolic of the two lovers whose intention is to be intertwined forever.
Keigo Someha leads a double life – detective-by-day, assassin-by-night, which leaves him little time for a personal life until one is unexpectedly dumped into his lap one day, in the form of Emiya Nozaki, whom he finds in a heap in the street outside his house. Keigo takes the young man in and is shocked when Emiya begs the detective to be allowed to stay there permanently! He promises that he can be of great use to him, and proves it when he solves a case that Keigo has been working on for a week simply by looking at a photo of the suspect! Keigo begins to think there is more to this boy than meets the eye as we begin Hiroko Ishimaru's Love Knot.
Highlights
Even though Keigo isn't the world's greatest detective, even he can tell that Emiya has a secret which he is keeping from him, and something he learns at his other job causes him to put two and two together enough to realize that Emiya is in deep trouble, and that the people who once held him captive will stop at nothing to get him back! It seems that Emiya has been the subject of a top secret experiment, and that he possesses a special power which his captors wish to use him for! Keigo, on the other hand, is determined to keep the blond safe, for the oldest reason of them all – he has fallen in love with him, a feeling which is evidently quite mutual as the two make sweet love together. Keigo discovers that Emiya has led a completely sterile and sheltered life, so he attempts to bring some normalcy into it, to show him what real pleasures can be, such as a day at an amusement park. But their happy respite is interrupted by none other than Mr. Hamuro, who steals Emiya away with him! When Keigo discovers Emiya's absence, at first he thinks that he has returned of his own accord. But eventually the detective rethinks his logic, when he finds that Emiya's things are still in his house, and he realizes that he has been taken against his will, and he pulls out all the stops to reach him and rescue him from the slavery he has been returned to! He brazens his way in, and takes Emiya back, after which they go on the lam! But the enemy has a sure fire way of finding them, and once again, they are in hot water!
Overall
By the very nature of a yaoi manga – particularly a story which is told within one volume – love develops rather quickly, and these two are no exception, although it is realistically executed, in my opinion. Keigo is protective of Emiya, appalled at the cold and sterile life he has been forced to lead, attempting to give him a chance to be happy. He hides his second occupation from him at first, but Emiya quickly figures it out, given his propensity for ESP. Keigo teaches Emiya that he loves him for himself, and not for what use he can be to him, something which the young man has never felt before, having always been used by his captors for their own ends.. Love Knot is a very sweet story, satisfying from beginning to end, and I enjoyed watching the growing affection between these two, and never stopped rooting for them to overcome all obstacles and end up together, tying their love knot even more tightly in the end! Although they seem like opposites at first, love is ever the great equalizer, and evens the toughest playing field!
Comicsonline gives Love Knot 4 out of 5 extra sensory perceptions.
