History Manga / Gravitation

''Gravitation'', created by Maki Murakami, is one of the few mainstream BoysLove manga and anime series out there, partly because of the non-explicit nature of the romance between the two main male characters, and also because it has an actual plot to it instead of the usual [[PornWithoutPlot Plot? What Plot]]? typical of many BL series.

* DoubleStandard: It's interesting, and at times painful, to contrast how these character types would be (and frequently are) treated in het romance. If Yuki was a woman, fans would hate her for "taking Shuichi's pure love for granted and treating TheWoobie like crap". If Shuichi was a girl, she'd be bashed as "a LoveMartyr who sucks up to her boyfriend despite him treating her like shit and sets back feminism x years". Since they're both males, fans barely notice the flaws of both characters, or bend over to justify them... while female characters with the same traits get routinely slammed, slutshamed, loathed, etc.

''Not'' to be confused with ''{{Gravion}}'', nor with a famous textbook on General Relativity by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler, nor with Jason Rohrer's [[http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/gravitation/ videogame]].

''Gravitation'', created by Maki Murakami, is one of the few mainstream BoysLove manga and anime series out there, partly because of the non-explicit nature of the romance between the two main male characters, and also because it has an actual plot to it instead of the usual [[PornWithoutPlot Plot? What Plot]]? in BL.

Shuichi Shindou is a typical 19-year-old who wants, above all, to be a J-pop singer in his band Bad Luck along with his friend Hiro. But life has something else in store for him: while walking through a park at night, the song lyrics he had been working on are blown out of his hand, and picked up by a [[TallDarkAndSnarky tall, blond, and snarky]] stranger who mercilessly criticizes them. A hurt Shuichi is determined to track down the stranger (later found to be famous romance novelist Eiri Yuki) and demand an apology. But wouldn't you know it, he finds himself being strangely attracted to him by that unstoppable force called gravitation...

''Gravitation'' was first made into a 2-episode {{OVA}} series that had a noticeably distinct color scheme, including inexplicable [[HairColors hair color]] [[AdaptationDyeJob redesigns]]. It was later remade into a 13-episode anime series that somehow managed to pack the comedy, drama, romance, and music in equal spades without compromising the strength of any one. It's even become popular enough that many non-BL lovers have [[MultipleDemographicAppeal enjoyed]] it for its other qualities.

''Not'' to be confused with ''{{Gravion}}'', nor with a famous textbook on General Relativity by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler, nor with a Jason Rohrer's [[http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/gravitation/ videogame]].

* ArrangedMarriage: Yuki and Ayaka. She breaks it off later [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy to let him be with Shuichi]], though.

** It goes even further. Compare the last chapter of the original manga to the last released chapters of ''Gravitation Ex.'' The style seems to devolve into in very simplistic style by comparison, though this may have been an indication of her eventual hiatus.
* BareYourMidriff: The outfit Shuichi wears while performing.
* BleachedUnderpants: The mangaka created doujinshi (Remix series) that is ''far'' more explicit than the original series. And then the Megamix series, which is even more so.
%% * BunnyEarsLawyer: K
%%* CastFullOfPrettyBoys
* CloudCuckooLander: The whole cast aren't exactly people with their heads well placed on their shoulders. Specially in the manga.
* {{Crossdresser}}: In the manga: Yuki and K.
%% * DarkAndTroubledPast: Yuki
%% * ClosetKey: Tohma

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: In the OVA with Suichi's mouth and K's gun.

* FagHag: Reiji suffers severely conflicted feelings when she realizes that the man she is in love with is in love with another man, because she actually [[{{YaoiFangirl}} has a fetish for that kind of thing]].
* FakeBand: This shouldn't even need to be explained...
* FiveManBand: Bad Luck: Shuichi as the lead singer (The Hero), Hiro the guitarist (TheLancer), K the manager (TheBigGuy: Noriko takes this role in the manga before K shows up), and Suguru the keyboardist (TheSmartGuy). Their male producer Sakano, who frets like a mother hen with eggs balancing on the edge of the Eiffel Tower, is easily TheChick.
* {{Flanderization}}: Shuichi in the original manga went from an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent who was more impulsive and loud-mouthed than those around him to a full-blown {{Keet}}. To be fair, this was mitigated by his [[CharacterDevelopment maturation]] in the last few volumes. The anime avoids this by simply depicting him as the {{Keet}} from the ''beginning''.

%%* GameShowAppearance
* {{Gayngst}}: Shuichi doesn't go through this most of the time but when he does, it hits him hard.
* GeniusDitz: [[TheRival Ryuichi]] acts just like a little kid until he gets in front of a microphone, when he suddenly goes into "serious" mode and his PuppyDogEyes narrow. He's more of a BunnyEarsLawyer in the manga where he shows surprising ingenuity even when not acting completely "adult".
** Due to supernatural events in Gravitation Ex, it seems that [[spoiler: Ryuichi may actually be suffering from two separate, conflicting personalities.]]
* GratuitousEnglish: K's random English phrases. Don't forget Spicy Marmalade!
%% * GroupieBrigade

* HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday: Yuki in the beginning, Hiro throughout. Shuichi also takes very much care to remind people that [[StupidSexyFlanders actually, he's bi]].
* HumongousMecha: Reiji's preferred method of travel.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Subverted: At one point Yuki [[spoiler:seems to suffer from this condition, even going to the extent of coughing up blood. However the illness turns out to be ulcers and goes away on its own.]]
* InterruptedSuicide: The final episode of the anime [[spoiler: Shuichi arrives just in time to keep Yuki from committing suicide. Keeping up with the spirit of MoodWhiplash of the series, Shuichi is ''wearing a dog suit'' as he bursts through the wall just as Yuki is about to shoot himself]].

** Hiro actually quotes the trope at the beginning.
* {{Keet}}: Shuichi is the example on the page.

* LoveMartyr: It doesn't seem to matter just how cold and distant Yuki acts toward Shuichi; Shuichi is still hopelessly in love with him. Even when [[spoiler: Yuki tells him that he committed homicide in the past]], Shuichi doesn't seem to be bothered. Ironically, Yuki actually tells him this in an attempt to chase him off for his own good.

* MeaningfulName: "Yuki" (the word, and the girls' name) means "snow". He tends to be very cold towards people. This is lampshaded when Shuichi is playing charades to get his message across.
%% * MeetCute
* MoodWhiplash: Dramatic scenes turn comedic at the drop of a hat (normally when Shuichi pulls a SuperDeformed antic), and vice versa.
* MoralDissonance: Arguably. However YMMV. [[spoiler: As we find out that a large proportion of Yuki's backstory stems from an attempted rape. Fair enough considering how horrible that is. However the dissonance comes in that when Shuichi actually GETS raped by ''two guys'' no less as part of a vengeance/blackmail plan it is literally ''glossed over'' in almost one chapter and never mentioned again.]] However much MoralDissonance can be argued on this one, at the ''very least'' there is AngstDissonance.
* NoAccountingForTaste: Shuichi and Yuki
%% * OcularGushers
%% * OddCouple
* OlderThanTheyLook: Ryuichi looks about as old as nineteen-year-old Shuichi when he's in fact ''thirty'' years old. Arguably, round-faced Shuichi doesn't look his age either. The same goes for Tohma and Noriko, both being over thirty and looking very young for their ages.
%% * OneHeadTaller
* PairTheSpares: Hiro and Ayaka get hooked up after Ayaka breaks off her engagement to Yuki.

* PhenotypeStereotype: Mister K.
%% * PuppyDogEyes
%% * RapeAsBackstory
* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler: Shuichi is gang-raped on the orders of rival musician Taki Aizawa in order to protect Yuki's reputation. But though Shuichi suffers physical injuries over it and has serious angst over it, he get over the ordeal relatively quickly. The fact that he's able to do so [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness makes Yuki cry for the first time in six years]].]]
* ShoutOut: A crossdresser named Yoshiki in a series featuring part of the Japanese music scene. [[Music/XJapan Now isn't this familiar]]? Also, Shuichi's appearance seems to be based in part on one of [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide's]] styles.
* {{Shotacon}}: An {{Omake}} chapter shows that [[spoiler: Tohma]]'s [[{{Yandere}} more-than-just-brotherly interest]] in Yuki dates back at least far enough to have induced jealous combats with [[spoiler: Yuki Kitazawa]].
* SlapSlapKiss: Much of Shuichi and Yuki's interaction in the first episode consists of Shuichi yelling at Yuki that he has no right to insult his lyrics and Yuki coolly responding that he really has no talent, climaxing in a kiss. Interestingly, this WillTheyOrWontThey phrase is much shorter than typical because Shuichi from then on becomes [[ClingyJealousGirl completely devoted]] to Yuki, who plays the part of the [[{{Tsundere}} cranky but ultimately protective lover]].

* StupidSexyFlanders: Shuichi might be a victim with a notoriously open mind, considering how he never shows any interest men except for Yuki; particularly in the manga, where he actually has some brief displays of interest in ''women''.
* SuperDeformed: Shuichi is especially prone to this.
* SympatheticMurderBackstory: [[spoiler:Yuki killed someone but it was in self-defense, they were trying to rape him.]] It ruined their life, so you will probably feel pretty sorry for them.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Yuki fits this role to a T, though he has the wrong hair color.
* ThereWasADoor: Shuichi does this occasionally.
* {{Transsexual}}: [[spoiler: Yoshiki Kitazawa]], although the series portrays her as more of a WholesomeCrossdresser.
* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: Arguably, Hiro in regards to Shuichi and Ayaka in regards to Yuki.
* VerbalTic: Sakuma's "Nano Da".
* VisualKei: Bad Luck appears to be this, albeit comparatively subdued.
%% * WhatTheHellHero
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: Tohma who, while [[StepfordSmiler initially appearing to be an amiable person]], is shown to have a ruthless streak when his brother-in-law's safety or health is threatened.
* WrestlerInAllOfUs: OVA Shuichi handing out ''German Suplexes''.
* {{Yandere}}: Although a bit more male than the typical {{Yandere}}, Shuichi's obsession with Yuki goes from endearing to downright [[StalkerWithACrush alarming]] as the series progresses. Also, Yuki's brother-in-law Tohma holds a constant, disarming smile as he manipulates his employees, orders Shuichi to break up with Yuki if he wants to stay at NG Studios, and even ''pushes a man in front of a moving car''.
** Tohma is much further down this road than Shuichi in the manga, where he not only displays it far more often, but at one point also attacks [[spoiler: Yoshiki dressed up as her brother]] ''with an axe'' for giving Yuki trauma.
----

* BunnyEarsLawyer: K
* CastFullOfPrettyBoys
* CloudCuckooLander: Yoshiki is a borderline case
** The whole cast aren't exactly people with their heads well placed on their shoulders. Specially in the manga.
* {{Crossdresser}}: One episode, but definitely noteworthy.
** And in the manga: Yuki and K.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Yuki
* ClosetKey: Tohma

* [[DudeShesLikeInAComa Dude, He's Like, In A Coma!]]
** Strangely enough, this is averted in Gravitation Ex when [[spoiler: Shuichi really ''is'' in a coma.]]

* GameShowAppearance

* GeniusDitz: [[TheRival Ryuichi]] acts just like a little kid until he gets in front of a microphone, when he suddenly goes into "serious" mode and his PuppyDogEyes narrow. He's more of a BunnyEarsLawyer in the manga where he shows surprising ingenuity even when not acting completely "adult" (making one wonder if it's actually ObfuscatingStupidity; [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation who knows]]?).

* GroupieBrigade

* MeetCute

* OcularGushers
* OddCouple

* OneHeadTaller

* PuppyDogEyes
* RapeAsBackstory

* [[WhatTheHellHero What the Hell,]] [[JustForPun Hiro?]]

* BastardBoyfriend: Yuki ''can'' be interpreted as this in AlternateCharacterInterpretation. However YMMV, and this is definitely subjective reader to reader.
** BespectacledBastardBoyfriend: Yuki. When he's wearing his glasses.

* [[RoseHairedGirl Rose Haired Boy]]. Also a {{Keet}}.

** The whole cast aren't exactly people with their head on their shoulders. Specially in the manga.

* WhiteHaireBlackHeart: Tohma who, while [[StepfordSmiler initially appearing to be an amiable person]], is shown to have a ruthless streak when his brother-in-law's safety or health is threatened.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gravitation.jpg

''Love, the one force that simply won't be denied!''

* WhiteHairedPrettyBoy: Tohma who, while [[StepfordSmiler initially appearing to be an amiable person]], is shown to have a ruthless streak when his brother-in-law's safety or health is threatened.

* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler: Shuichi is gang-raped on the orders of rival musician Taki Aizawa in order to protect Yuki's reputation. But though Shuichi suffers physical injuries over it and has serious angst over it, he get over the ordeal relatively quickly. The fact that he's able to do so [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness makes Yuki cry for the first time in ''six years'']].]]

* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler: Shuichi is gang-raped on the orders of rival musician Taki Aizawa in order to protect Yuki's reputation. But though Shuichi suffers physical injuries over it and has serious angst over it, he get over the ordeal relatively quickly. The fact that he's able to do so [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness makes Yuki cry for the first time in ''six years''.]]

* ShotaCon: An {{Omake}} chapter shows that [[spoiler: Tohma]]'s [[{{Yandere}} more-than-just-brotherly interest]] in Yuki dates back at least far enough to have induced jealous combats with [[spoiler: Yuki Kitazawa]].

* RapeIsLove: Sort of. More like, "Not spilling the beans on your estranged boyfriend, even when threatened with rape" is love. Also very averted, when [[spoiler:Yuki, in a flashback, ''kills'' his mentor for raping him...but takes his pen name from him regardless.]] The manga is noticeably more straight with this trope--it even gives the page quote for it.

* ShoutOut: A crossdresser named Yoshiki in a series featuring part of the Japanese music scene. [[XJapan Now isn't this familiar]]? Also, Shuichi's appearance seems to be based in part on one of [[HidetoMatsumoto hide's]] styles.

* DoubleStandard: It's interesting, and at times painful, to contrast how these character types would be (and frequently are) treated in het romance. If Yuki was a woman, fans would hate her for "taking Shuichi's pure love for granted and treating TheWoobie like crap". If Shuichi was a girl, she'd be bashed as "a LoveMartyr who sucks up to her boyfriend despite him treating her like shit and sets back feminism x years". Since they're both males, fans barely notice the flaws of both characters, or bend over to justify them in a way that would get female characters with the same traits slammed, slutshamed, loathed, etc.

* DoubleStandard: It's interesting, and at times painful, to contrast how these character types would be (and frequently are) treated in het romance. If Yuki was a woman, fans would hate her for "taking Shuichi's pure love for granted and treating TheWoobie like crap". If Shuichi was a girl, she'd be bashed as "a LoveMartyr who sucks up to her boyfriend despite him treating her like shit and sets back feminism x years". Since they're both males, fans notice the flaws of both characters.

** Shuichi as the {{Keet}} (or {{Uke}}).
** Yuki as the {{Seme}}.

* HoYay: It's a yaoi. This should be a given.

* HimeCut: Ayaka

* SpectacledSadist: Yuki. When he's wearing his glasses.

* DoubleStandard: If Yuki was a woman, fans would hate her for "taking Shuichi's pure love for granted and treating TheWoobie like crap". If Shuichi was a girl, she'd be bashed as "a LoveMartyr who sucks up to her boyfriend despite him treating her like shit and sets back feminism x years". Since they're both males, it's okay.
** Averted because Shuichi is obviously a hopeless LoveMartyr, and that Yuki is often a BastardBoyfriend. Their physical sex does not change this perception, unless the reader is actively pushing their own double standard onto the work.

* YaoiGuys

''Gravitation'', created by Maki Murakami, is one of the few mainstream BoysLove manga and anime series out there, partly because of the non-explicit nature of the romance between the two main male characters, and also because it has an actual plot to it instead of the usual [[{{PWP}} Plot? What Plot]]? in BL.

* {{Keet}} Shuichi is the example on the page.

''Not'' to be confused with ''{{Gravion}}'', nor with a famous textbook on General Relativity by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler.

* CastFullOfPrettyBoys

** averted because Shuichi is obviously a hopeless LoveMartyr, and that Yuki is often a BastardBoyfriend. Their physical sex does not change this perception, unless the reader is actively pushing their own double standard onto the work.

** It's more like [[PoirotEnglish Poirot Japanese]].

* InterruptedSuicide: The final episode of the anime [[spoiler: Shuichi arrives just in time to keep Yuki from committing suicide. Keeping up with the spirit of MoodWhiplash of the series, Shuichi is ''wearing a dog suit'' as he bursts through the wall just as Yuki is about to shoot himself]]

* LoveMartyr: It doesn't seem to matter just how cold and distant Yuki acts toward Shuichi; Shuichi is still hopelessly in love with him. Even when [[spoiler: Yuki tells him that he committed homicide in the past]], Shuichi doesn't seem to be bothered. Ironically enough, as Yuki actually tells him this in an attempt to chase him off for his own good.
* MayDecemberRomance [[spoiler: Noriko and Tetsuya]]

* VisualKei: Bad Luck appears to be this, albeit, comparatively subdued.

* WhiteHairedPrettyBoy: Tohma who, while [[StepfordSmiler intially appearing to be an amiable person]], is shown to have a ruthless streak when his brother-in-law's safety or health is threatened.

** Shuichi as the {{Keet}} (or {{Uke}})
** Yuki as the {{Seme}}