Legal Drug

    (Tokyopop, 2004-2005)
™ and © 2001 CLAMP
reads right to left; b&w

From the creators of X, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Chobits comes yet another paranormal drama staring an unwitting hero with supernatural powers. Pretty boy Kazahaya Kudo (the “kaza” in his name means “wind”) is a clueless but pig-headed psychic who sees visions about the things he touches—whether they be objects or people. Penniless and on the run from problems at home, Kazahaya passes out from starvation in the park on Christmas Eve, but is rescued from a near freezing death by Rikou, a man with unusual powers of his own.

Offered room and board and a job with pay, Kazahaya is offered a new life as a clerk at the Green Drug Pharmacy; but the position is not without its price. Kakei, the handsome gay owner of Green Drug Pharmacy, is also a paranormal investigator on the side and quickly enrolls Kazahaya on his team. These bizarre “special assignments” are always purely optional, of course, but Kazahaya needs the money, and hey, how hard could it be?

Mysteries begin to build however, as Kazahaya chases invisible fireflies in the dead of night, tracks down books that project hallucinatory flying fish, and discovers more about his taciturn protector and partner, Rikou. Soon, Kazahaya finds himself embroiled in a supernatural chase to find a missing woman named Tsukiko who seems to have some kind of hold over Rikou…

The four women Japanese writer/artist group known as CLAMP has been best known for its best-selling manga (Japanese comics), smoldering near–homosexual romances (known in Japanese as Yaoi), and delicate artwork (featuring lots of girly-looking men). Also like many CLAMP projects, fans will be sure to thrill at the cameo appearances from other CLAMP titles.

— Shiaw-Ling Lai
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