Legal Drug Volume 1

The newest series by fan-favorite art studio CLAMP features pretty boys working at a drugstore. Rikuo saved Kazahaya’s life when he almost died from exposure in the snow. In Legal Drug, the two now share an apartment, work together, and demonstrate the kind of “he’s so frustrating!” relationship that hints at deeper feelings of unrecognized attraction.

Their boss, a psychic, sends them off on extra jobs to find mysterious artifacts, aided by Kazahaya’s ability to see visions based on memories. Mystically symbolic occurrences complicate their tasks.

I’m not a huge fan of CLAMP, so I’m not able to wax effusively over the art here, although it’s apparently a major source of enjoyment to other readers. I found it hard to follow exactly what was taking place in certain sequences. The characters also never came alive for me, and I wasn’t involved enough in the little bits of umbrella story to want to find out the meaning behind the cliffhanger.

Like much of their work, this story combines magical abilities, fantasy, and hints of romance. CLAMP fans, especially those interested in the boy-boy implications, should enjoy it.