Fish and Water (Pantheon Graphic Library)

A new graphic novel from Eisner award-winning graphic novelist Gengoroh Tagame, which asks: what if The Odd Couple were Japanese, living in the middle of COVID-19, and just might be . . . gay?

From Gengoroh Tagame, the brilliant mind behind My Brother’s Husband and Our Colors, comes Fish and Water, which follows the unlikely love story of two “straight” friends. Having met at a mutual friend’s wedding, Akira, a business sales administrator, and Koji, a freelance writer, quickly become close buddies. One day, during a visit with a farm client, Akira is offered a case of freshly picked cabbage. Since no one at his office wants it, and he is no cook, Akira decides to see if Koji (who loves to cook) might be interested. Koji accepts and invites Akira to join him. Lonely and in the midst of pandemic-related shutdowns, Akira welcomes the chance and one meal becomes many. Once they get past how to be COVID-cautious, they become quite relaxed with each other, creating an amusing but emotionally perplexing scenario. Eventually, Akira and Koji grapple with deciding if they are just friends, or something more.

Part exceptionally drawn character study, part contemporary comedy of manners, Fish and Water is a delightful love story for the modern era, considering how love and connection can find you in the strangest ways.

GENGOROH TAGAME was born in 1964 and lives in Tokyo. After graduating from Tama Art University, Tagame worked as an art director while writing manga and prose fiction, contributing illustrations for various magazines. In 1994 he cofounded the epochal G-men magazine and by 1996 he was working full-time as an openly gay artist. He is the author of dozens of graphic novels and stories that have been translated into English, French, Italian, and Korean. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries across Europe and America. My Brother's Husband, Volume I, his first all-ages title, earned him a 2018 Eisner Award, as well as the Japan Media Arts Award for Outstanding Work of Manga from the Agency of Cultural Affairs.