Fish and Water

A tender and beautifully illustrated story, FISH AND WATER is a new graphic novel from Eisner award-winning graphic novelist Gengoroh Tagame. He asks: What if The Odd Couple were Japanese, living in the middle of COVID, and just might be . . . gay? From the brilliant mind behind Gengoroh Tagame (My Brother's Husband, Our Colors), FISH AND WATER 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. Lonely and in the midst of pandemic-related shutdowns, Akira uses this as an excuse to come hang out at Koji's house. Once they get past how to be covid-cautious, they become quite relaxed with each other, creating an amusing but emotionally confusing scenario. As Akira and Koi, two men, 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.