Patalliro! is set in a society much like our own, but with a decisive twist. The manga that inspired the series is a popular work aimed at adolescent Japanese girls, featuring a healthy mix of gay men and bishounen, beautiful teenage boys. Most of the action takes place in Marinera, a land of eternal spring somewhere in the South Seas. Marinera is a major producer of diamonds, and the wealth and conflicts surrounding its mines form the backbone of the story. The kingdom’s most prolific diamond mine is owned by its king, Patarillo, a vertically challenged yet horizontally endowed boy‑king. The International Diamond Syndicate, an expansive semi‑criminal organization...