The protagonist, Kazuhiro, and deuteragonist, Hideki.
Four Corners
is an ongoing drama webcomic by baramasala (also known as boniae) that was launched in April 2014.
Set in 1995 Yokohama, the comic follows Kazuhiro Tsuchiya who now leads his deceased brother's legendary gang, the Four Corners. Kazuhiro is approached by Hideki Yuhara, a schoolmate who claims to have vital information that Kazuhiro should be wary of. The two unlikely delinquents pair up to figure out the reason as to why gangs in the city are being brutally eliminated...though the unraveling of the mystery is darker than it appears. How far will Kazuhiro and Hideki go to rest their case?
Four Corners can be read on it's website or tapastic.
This webcomic contains examples of:
- Alternate Universe: All the short stories the creator writes or extra drawings are always setting the characters in alternate universes.
- Art Evolution: Compared to the launch in 2014, the art has shown much improvement.
- Art Shift: The styles have a tendency to change abruptly, due to being experimental when the comic was first beginning. For example, the comic started out being traditionally inked, limited color, to full color and then to its most recent style of being in color again. The comic now stays to being in color up to its recent pages.
- Back-to-Back Badasses: Hideki and Kazuhiro's dynamic action duo, with (slowly but surely) a pinch of more than just bromance.
- Boys' Love: Sort of; though the story is pretty tame in the romance department. As the story is reaching its 5th chapter, the relationship between the main characters seems to be progressing.
- Cannot Talk to Women: Hideki's friend, Hikaru, seems to be suffering from this issue nearly every moment he appears.
- Can't Stay Normal: It's revealed in chapter four that Hideki has vowed he'd never inflict violence on other people again, however he ends up realizing that maintaining his position as a normal high school student is lackluster. His realization leads him to want to continue hanging out in Kazuhiro's gang, and especially with Kazuhiro.
- Christmas Episode: The Christmas short story which was uploaded on December 2015, featuring an AU where Kazuhiro and Hideki were members in a band instead of a gang.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Hideki and the unknown relationship he has to Arakawa.
- Delinquent Hair: A pattern of many characters in the series. Kazuhiro and Keiichi both dye their hair blonde, Azumi's hair is auburn, and many other background delinquents sport dyed hair or unusual hairstyles.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Kazuhiro and Hideki in Chapter 2. Kazuhiro's hair is much shorter and not dyed, while Hideki sports a bowl cut.
- Family Business: Hideki and the assumption of taking over his father's Yuhara Royal hotel chain.
- Flashback Nightmare: Hideki's dream about Arakawa in Chapter 2.
- Forgotten First Meeting: In Chapter 2 it's revealed that Hideki remembers being at the Tsuchiya household and noticed Kazuhiro in the corner of the room, reading. Kazuhiro, on the other hand, is still unaware he's ever met Hideki before. Hideki mentions this to Kazuhiro, who's shocked and seems slightly embarrassed that Hideki knew what he was like in middle school.
- It Runs in the Family: The Tsuchiya children and their rebellious natures. The only one who seems to be safe from the delinquent curse (for now) is Kaoru, the youngest child.
- It's All My Fault: Hideki, who at the end of chapter 6 has an emotional breakdown where he believes that his own actions caused the death of Keiichi, Kazuhiro's brother. He confesses that Taisuke Arakawa forced him to steal Keiichi's necklace to prove his loyalty to him, but Hideki panicked and gave him a fake. He believes, despite how nonsensical it all sounds, that Taisuke Arakawa can foretell and influence the future—so when he figured out it was a fake, he "cursed" Kazuhiro's brother.
- Japanese Delinquents: Nearly all the characters presented in Four Corners are delinquents and misfits, some in different ways besides just fighting and getting in trouble.
- Open-Minded Parent: Kazuhiro's mother with the fact she knows and (seems to) accepts that he's a gang leader. Naturally though, she expresses her worry for him, as any mother should.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Taisuke Arakawa and Ranmaru, introduced in the beginning of chapter 4. Ranmaru is a wild loose canon (Red) while Arakawa is calculative and disciplined (Blue). The two definitely have one thing in common, control—which they challenge each other over.
- Running Gag: Hikaru constantly pestering Hideki for romantic advice, despite the fact it's not known if Hideki has even had past relationship experience.
- Sailor Fuku: The girls uniform of the high school in Four Corners is a typical seifuku, while the boys wear a dark-colored gakuran.
- Sibling Rivalry: Kazuhiro and Keiichi in their past, shown in Chapter 2.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: Hideki and his old school glasses. He also somehow remains among the top of his classes while being a part of Kazuhiro's gang.
- Smoking Is Cool: Hideki is introduced smoking a couple times in the first chapter, though is never shown smoking up to the latest updates. In chapter 6, as a response to being told by Hideki to handle his drinking, Kazuhiro criticizes his smoking habit. To this, Hideki admits that he's starting to give up on smoking.
- Stronger Sibling: Kazuhiro, at times, seems to harbor a deep insecurity of not being able to be the strong and legendary leader his brother once was.
- Will They or Won't They?: Kazuhiro and Hideki and their slow-developing relationship, though the creator has
commented they've intended the story to be a BL. Their relationship is made official after the two finally confess their feelings to one another in chapter 5. - Yakuza: Taisuke Arakawa, the villain, is the son of a yakuza family boss. In chapter 6, there's a bit more insight into his character. He leads a double life of sorts, and aside from being inside the yakuza family, he manages a coffee shop in Tokyo, leading another life with a completely different persona. The chapter fully reveals that, according to some agreement between the two, he is the one providing Ranmaru with hard drugs and protection from the yakuza. After Ranmaru appears at his coffee shop unannounced, catching Taisuke off guard, Ranmaru is entertained by his findings and describes him as "sneaky". Taisuke goes by a different first name but same family name and covers up his facial scar, despite the fact that everyone already suspects he has ties to the yakuza anyway. Ranmaru is not able to uncover Taisuke Arakawa's true motivations, but exits the scene feeling somewhat amused to have rustled him.
