Read on Twitter
Today I'll be doing a slightly different review, as this manga isn't available on any aggregate manga platforms, and is only available through @SuBLimeManga as a digital download. Of course I'm talking about The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window!
Tricornered is an unusual BL manga. For instance, I've read six volumes and the main characters haven't even kissed yet. But wait! Don't leave yet! You *need* to hear about it, because it is fantastic. The mangaka does both BL and josei manga, and she does them SO WELL!
The story is about Kosuke Mikado, who works at a bookstore. His entire life, he's been able to see ghosts, and he hates it. Mikado is nearsighted, and can identify a ghost by taking off his glasses -- everything else will be blurry except for the ghost!
One day, Rihito Hayakawa happens to be in his store when Mikado sees a ghost. Sensing it as well, Rihito uses Mikado's natural powers as a booster to exorcise the spirit. And when this happens it feels incredible. To paraphrase Mikado, it's like orgasming without being hard.
They go on to exorcise more ghosts and spiritual entities using the same tactic. There's a ghost haunting a pond, a force messing with someone's electronics, and - my personal favorite - a husband and wife who are being spied on in a very otherworldly fashion.
From there, they unravel a mystery that includes cults, yakuza, psychics, long lost fathers, and a ridiculous amount more. Others are pulled into their crazy world, including a medium, a high schooler and her bodyguard, and a policeman who doesn't believe in the paranormal.
This manga is a bit of an anomaly in BL, as it is very character AND plot driven, and the mains' relationship is not the focus. It's also unusual in that it is published monthly in Be x Boy magazine, but is released under Libre's josei imprint, Kurofune Zero, as tankoubon.
But it blends josei and shoujo storytelling with BL beautifully. It's hard to do the scope of this manga's emotional resonance justice. Every character has a complex inner life, and every one-off person you meet is dealing with very real - though also very paranormal - problems.
That said, it IS a horror manga, so sit this one out if that's not your cup of tea. Also, Mikado and Rihito don't do much touching at all except when spirits are involved, so if you're waiting for the hookup to break all the sexual tension, you're gonna need to keep waiting!
Thankfully, the English volume 7 is coming out in October and volume 8 is scheduled for March 2021. These are only available for digital download (sadly!! I'd die to own physical copies!!), but at least that means as long as Sublime exists, you can get them!
(Volume 9 is scheduled to release in Japan next September!)
Oh, and if that's not enough, a live action movie has been filmed! It was supposed to come out next month, but was pushed back to 2021 due to COVID. I really hope some English-language distributor is already on this!
Despite mostly liking super spicy BL, Tricornered is probably one of my top 5 currently publishing BL manga. The art is also beautiful despite it's simplicity, and I can't get over the complexity of the characters. I've met real people with less remarkable inner lives!
You can read a free preview here: https://www.sublimemanga.com/read/manga/x/product/686
The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window / Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru by Tomoko Yamashita
MAL: https://myanimelist.net/manga/68025/Sankaku_Mado_no_Sotogawa_wa_Yoru?q=tricorn&cat=manga
MAL: https://myanimelist.net/manga/68025/Sankaku_Mado_no_Sotogawa_wa_Yoru?q=tricorn&cat=manga
