Yaoi recs
Since I started reading yaoi manga and have read and liked a considerable number of them, I decided to collect the links to those manga that I liked here.
A couple of things to know :
- I’m ‘omnivorous’, which means I read any genre and will give a go to any plot.
- That includes rape (which happens, like, in every other yaoi manga as the expression of undying love), incest, and shota(con). If you don’t know what that is, go read the corresponding articles in Wikipedia first. Otherwise, mind the genres and warnings, and if you know you don’t like something, simply don’t click the links. It’s not my task to cater to your kinks and squicks.
- If a manga is licensed, I won’t give link to places where to download it. If you want to read it, you’ll have to find it on your own. It’s not that difficult, seeing how many free manga-sharing communities and sites there are. But it would do good to support your favourite mangaka by buying her work!
## means “loved to bits OMG!”
# stands for “liked.”
[] means “rather liked,” on the brink between “liked” and “not my thing.”
If you want to also read my reviews of the yaoi manga I read that I’m not including here (I don’t like every one of them, naturally), go here. Chances are, you’ll like something that wasn’t quite to my tastes.
Manga are sorted
a) By title (Japanese title if it’s known by it better or the English one if the case is opposite)
Status: 2 ep x 60min
Genres: Drama Psychological Romance Sci-fi Tragedy Yaoi
Rating: R, mature
Found: I’ve heard about the book and anime a lot but my watching/reading list is so long and there are so many things I want to try on it that this one always got pushed down. Until ura_hd recced it just a few days back. I went to check it and got lost in it :)
Summary: The story is set in the future on the planet named Amoi which is controlled by a supercomputer named Jupiter. Among the mostly male human population, the light-haired elite class is allowed to temporarily keep the dark-haired “mongrels” as pets. One elite member, Iason, encounters a mongrel named Riki in the slums and decides to take him in. However, Iason keeps Riki longer than it is socially approved, and rumors abound about their possible relationship.
Read more reviews here .
A new version is being made and is scheduled to be released spring 2010.
My notes: This one is really good! I wasn’t sure how much it was going to impress me while I was watching it, meaning: really good and I liked it quite a bit but it wasn’t quite love. A day passed. Then two. And I’m thinking and thinking and thinking about this story, watching and watching and watching some scenes in my head, and I find myself wanting to watch it again. So it couldn’t possibly be anything but love, especially for the last Riki/Iason scene, which, as for me, is near perfect.
If you are a scaredy cat (I am!), mind the genres. But also consider this: I try to avoid unhappy stories. But there’s something in this one, so poignant and beautiful, that it’s truly comforting and pacifying.
I loved the story. It must be really well-told — and I think it is! — for a Sci-Fi anything to overcome my aversion to the genre. And it’s always a plus for me when there’s love where it shouldn’t have been. In this case, in Iason. He is a super-human, one of the artificially created race that are, on average, much stronger and bigger than “natural” humans (which, come to think of it, is a decent background for seme/uke size cliché). They are also devoid of human feelings and urges. They need neither relationships nor sex and keep pets for their own amusement, to watch them. Except that an enslaved Riki is like a captured flame, and fighting to submit him, Iason somehow falls for him, in his strange way.
Riki is suffocating in captivity. But when he comes back to his gang of the pre-Iason’s years, things can’t return to what they once were. It’s a train wreck. You watch how a small conflict grows before your eyes, sucking in more and more people. You know it can’t end well. But it’s impossible to look away because by the time it reaches the point of no return, you are too invested in the characters, their friendships and animosities, their highly complex relationships.
I loved the art, too. At first I thought it was dated (and it reminded me of Akira somehow) but now I better say it’s a bit old-fashioned. Yes, you can see that it’s not an anime from this year but the art is nice, as for me. Especially Riki. I loved how he was drawn, when he’s brooding in particular.
As a conclusion, highly recommended!
*and no, I don’t want fanfiction. It’s a rare case when I think the story is perfect as it is.
Akanai Tobira (The door to the closed mind) []
Mangaka: Suzuki Tsuta
Status: 1 volume (complete), scanlation ongoing (ch. 3-5 released)
Genre: Yaoi
Warning: NWS
Recced by eromenos_x here
Summary: A book of oneshots (some are two chapters). 3) The Ugly Duckling and the Prince. In high school reserved Tayama paled in comparison to princely Tachibana, even the girl Tayama liked did nothing but talk about him. Now that they’re in the same college Tachibana has latched onto Tayama as his new best friend. Fighting off the Prince’s fan girls is proving to be troublesome, but more worrying are Tayama’s own feelings…
5) It’s Lonely When You’re Cold. Muraoka Takeo has been admiring the beautiful but reserved store clerk for months, but when Takeo finally gets up the nerve to talk to him he finds himself being kissed! When the object of his admiration proves to be more different than Takeo could ever imagine, is there any hope?
My notes: Chapters 3 and 4 are the same story, the 1st part of which is told from one guy’s perspective and the second, from the other’s. When one guy is supposed to be good-looking and the other one just ordinary or ugly but they are drawn sort of the same, it makes me go “WTF?” Why should I believe words when there’s drawing? In the opening panels, it’s hard to get who’s saying what but it gets better later. There’s also some confusion in terminology. The guy is called a sadist so I expected some serious pain kink. But it’s dubcon and some rather forceful sex, and the guy doing it is pretty messed up and, yes, rather sadistic. But not S/M, no. Chapter 5 is also interesting.
These manga aren’t very unusual but there’s a nice twist in both of them that makes them easy to remember.
Anata no Tame nara doko Made mo (If it’s for you, no matter how far…) (2007) #
Mangaka: Nakamura Asumiko
Genre: Yaoi, comedy
Status: 1 volume (complete)
Warnings: NWS
Summary: Detective Takachiho had finally caught the elusive criminal Nanami Yoichi after chasing him all the way to a remote island. But what will happen to the pair of them when they accidentally miss the ferry home?
My notes: I loved this one! Maybe not for two stars but love it I did. I keep saying it about the manga reviewed today but it’s ridiculous and so much fun! And too cute for words! Nanami’s incorrigible and exasperating but he can charm the pants off anybody, so there’s no surprise it works on Takachiho. But Takachiho is whom I loved to bits here. I want to pinch his cheek and cuddle him, the adorable Serious Detective :) Anyway, this manga is delightful!
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Yaoi
Status: complete, Oneshot
Warning: Not Worksafe
Summary: Yuuya’s parents are always fighting or out of town. When he gets locked outside on a cold winter’s night, he’s saved by his neighbor Moegi. Soon he’s spending most of his time at his “angel’s” and has fallen in love with him. But how does Moegi feel about him?
My notes: First, a couple of notes on the translation. The opening panel shows a classical POV disruption: “My name is Makise Yuuya, a lively 15 years old” (not to mention bad grammar). The dialogue bubbles sometimes seem to miss things or be rather, let’s say, less comprehensible, not least of all because of jumping from 3d to 1st person. Having said that, the story and drawing are really lovely, hot in places. Not very sophisticated, on any level, but pleasant and exactly like what I wanted when I made this request. I’m going to read more by this mangaka.
MANGA: Antique Bakery (Seiyou Kottou Yougashiten) (2000) #
Mangaka: Yoshinaga Fumi
Genre: Comedy Josei Shounen Ai Slice of Life
Scanlated by: 7:11AM, Beautiful Soup
Status: 4 Volumes (Complete), licensed
Found: recced to me by klynie1 here
Summary: From DMP: A high school crush, a world-class pastry chef, a former middle-weight boxing champion…and a whole lot of cake!
Ono has come a long way since the agonizing day in high school when he confessed his love to handsome Tachibana. Now, some 14 years later Ono, a world-class pastry chef and gay playboy has it all. No man can resist Ono’s charms (or his cooking skills!) but he has just found a new position under a man named Tachibana. Can this be the only man who resisted his charms, and if so, will the man who once snubbed the “magically gay” Ono get his just desserts? And how in the heck did a former middleweight boxing champion wind up as Ono’s cake boy? The series won the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo.
You can read the manga online here .
Directed by Yoshiaki Okumura
Status: Complete, 12 episodes, 30 minutes each
Summary: Antique Bakery is a small bakery that’s run by four handsome men. Tachibana, the owner. Chikage, who was send by Tachibana’s family to watch over his childhood friend. Ono, the “demonically charming” gay master pastry chef. And Kanda, a former boxer and Ono’s apprentice.
DL: all episodes can be found in this post by neko_myka. Episodes 4 and 5 are a bit broken (you can watch about 70% but then it freezes). You can find all the episodes (not broken) at GalAnime .
My notes: MANGA this is a VERY DANGEROUS MANGA! It will make you want to eat all sorts of cakes and desserts right away; it can make you go out in search of them! Don’t read it if you are hungry ‘cos you will drool. Also be careful if you tend to put on weight easily or are a suggestible reader. It’s guaranteed to make you pack on a couple more kilos. Even I went and ate a bar of chocolate which happens, like, never. I don’t eat desserts unless they are fruity ‘cos I don’t like sweet things, I only like fruit. But I’m afraid that I’ll be dreaming of cakes tonight.
Also, this manga is a soap. At first, it seems as if it consisted of separate episodes, united only by location and the cast of characters, i.e. Tachibana and his pastry shop. But Yoshinaga Fumi is a bit slier as a storyteller, so past and current events take turn and connect into a bigger picture, with a detective/mystery subplot in the background. The story still remains a soap in and of itself. Which I usually dislike, even strongly, but really enjoyed here. If you look at the genre line above, you’ll see it defined as Shounen Ai but I wouldn’t really call it this. The manga isn’t focused on the love of a gay couple nor does it feature any sex.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this mangaka’s style is an acquired taste. At first it looks almost ugly (what’s with their drill-like eyes and rather peculiar faces); it’s for sure different. So let yourself get used to it ‘cos Yoshinaga Fumi tells an entertaining story. Although she, too, suffers from the terrible yaoi drawing illness called same-face-itus. It takes some effort to learn to tell characters one from another.
I liked all the four main characters. Each of them is lovely and interesting in his own way, especially Tachibana, the owner of the shop who doesn’t like sweets (he has his reasons!) and doesn’t understand anything in cakes. He is really just a big softie behind his grumpy appearance :) But I liked Chikage best. He appears in vol. 2 and is hilarious. He’s slow on the uptake (not to call him a simpleton) and extremely clumsy (think Tonks!); he’s very tall but always forgets it and bangs his head on the door frame. And he’s naive and sweet like a puppy.
Ch 5 vol 1 features one of the most amusing makeovers I’ve seen. The gags at the beginning are also amusing. The shop owner observes a new customer, then makes a detailed description of their life and habits a la Sherlock Holmes. Too bad for him he’s no Sherlock at all. I think vol. 2 is more interesting (and funnier) than vol 1. And on the whole, this is the sort of story that grows on you. By vol. 3 I liked it, and had to read vol. 4 alternately looking at the raws and the file with translation because I wanted to read it no matter what. There are some SPAG errors in the scans but not so many as to make reading unpleasant. Very enjoyable, as for me.
ANIME Now I’ve watched the anime and want to rec it too.
As usual, I didn’t like it at first :D One thing I did like was that it was done in an interesting way, combining real backgrounds with animation. What I didn’t like was that the characters resembled those of the manga only somewhat . in profile more than full-face. I lol at myself ‘cos I remember how I hated Yoshinaga Fumi’s character faces at first and now look how attached to them I have become! But come to think of it, this is the first time I came across an anime where I found the difference in drawing from the manga source visibly noticeable. Ono looks the most like himself, as for me, and Tachibana the least. And Chikage is Chikage whatever you do with him :P
I don’t know how well this anime works if one watches it with ‘fresh’ eyes, meaning if somebody who hasn’t read the manga watches it. So if you are one of those and you give it a go, please share your impressions with me. It seems to me that in comparison to the manga, the anime brings forth the comical side and the detective subplot while losing some fine nuances of characterisation. But maybe I found the detective subplot clearer here ‘cos I had to read vol. 4 of the manga alternately looking at raws and reading the translation in an MSWord file :) On the whole though, I think the anime is pretty adequate to the manga. I enjoyed it, especially, yes, Chikage whom I loved as much here. He’s so awwsome. All things considered, watching this anime was a pleasant experience. It’s neither too plotty and dramatic nor too light and comical but has elements of it all. Neither too long nor too short so it works well as a light-ish distraction for a couple of evenings. Lovely!
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Yaoi
Status: Oneshot, complete
Warning: not worksafe
Found: looking for this mangaka’s works
Summary: A selfish young model treats coworkers and lovers badly, but cherishes his honest childhood friend.
Artist: Suzuki Tsuta
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Yaoi
Found: posted in yaoi_daily.
Summary: 1-3) Your Story I Have Known: High-school student Matsumoto Haato has fallen in love with his abusive mother’s ex-boyfriend, yakuza Shibusawa, who was nice to him in the past. When he has nowhere left to go he turns to the gruff but kind older man. A three chapter love story that details the changing relationship between the two men over the years.
4) Sauté d’Oignon: When two people are together, the sweetness and the spiciness of love are the greatest flavors. High school student Negi and Tama have been together since elementary school, and now Negi is ready to move their relationship to a new level, but Tama’s still unsure…
5) Koe ga Todoku no Nara: Shouta is constantly getting in fights, but despite that, he’s a nice guy. One day, while saving someone from some bullies, a weirdo samurai guy shows up and tells him he’s haunting him. Now Shouta must deal with this constant spiritual companion… and all the emotions that come with him!
6) Kami-sama no me wo nusunde.
My notes: I definitely started this manga several months back. Now I’m trying to remember if I didn’t finish it because the scanlation wasn’t done or because I didn’t like it? Probably the former because I like the drawing. Speaking of the storyline, it’s another manga (mostly funny and cute when it’s not angsty, which it is, sometimes) where one of the characters is Yakuza. This one is really lovely though. There are a few nice surprises, and also an extra story with different characters, which is also sweet. And an absolutely hilarious mangaka’s notes at the end.
Bokura ni Matsuwaru Etcetera (Russian title: Все о нас и т.д.) []
Mangaka: Kyuugou
Genre: Drama, School Life, Shounen Ai, Sports
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Found: this is the first BL manga I had seen published in Russian. So I bought a copy :)
Summary: Iku and Keita are childhood buddies. Naturally, having been friends for as long as they can remember, when one started to play baseball, so did the other. During their final year in middle school, Keita’s baseball career abruptly ended as a result of the severe injuries he sustained when saving Iku from being hit by a truck. Presently, they go to the same high school. But ever since that accident, Iku has distanced himself from both the game and his friend, presumably out of guilt. What does Keita think about this? Also contains two other stories.
Download: at the group’s site.
My notes: I’m glad I bought a copy ‘cos this is a really pleasant book. There are three chapters in it, all three are non-explicit Slice of Life-like Boy Love stories. I liked story 2 best: about a middle-aged man who one day is intruded upon by a son of his late sensei from another city and whom he must accomodate and deal with. The man is rather asociable and grumpy, and it’s a sweet story (although not without angst) to see how the boy grows on him. What I liked best about this manga was that it felt more realistic than most other BL I read. And I also liked the drawing a lot! Give it a try!
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Romance Shounen Ai Yaoi
Summary: [From evil-empire] About two guys who have a very “scary” meeting at a bookstore.
Mangaka: Yamato Nase
Status: 2 volumes (Completed)
Scanlated by: Nakama
Warning: not worksafe
Genre: Comedy Yaoi
Found: recced to me by jealous_sky here .
Summary: Toride has always loved his cute classmate, Ayase. Somehow, when their school bus crashes at a fertility shrine on a class trip, Toride’s penis gets attached to Ayase’s body (well, of sorts — pj). How do they know? Well the penis can talk, of course. Similar problems beset their classmates, the class brain Iwabuchi and the class playboy, Kamiya. How will the boys deal with this embarrassing situation? Will they ever get the problem resolved?
Download: in manga sharing places while Nakama is down.
My notes: guys, this is crack. Pure, crazy, silly crack. Some lines and panels, like “After that, I new rumor began to spread”, made me laugh. The drawing is cluttered, sometimes to the point that I said out loud that filling every bit of space with drawing isn’t really necessary. But the story is sheer fun. Talking penises, penises possessed by classmates, penises wearing glasses, etc. I don’t know if in my impatience to read it I downloaded an unfinished version or if it doesn’t have a proper ending, but my reading ended on ch. 15 of vol. 2 which was a sort of non-ending. Apart from that, it was lolsome. I can’t say I really liked the story, but I certainly enjoyed reading it.
Mangaka: Mizushiro Setona
Scanlated by: Essence of Purity, PresenceDear
Status: 2 volumes (complete)
Genre: Drama Josei Yaoi
Warnings: NWS
Found: 1) pointed me to some list of top-10 Yaoi and BL manga. It was on that list. 2) recced it to me rather recently. 3) I think and somebody else recced it to me about a year ago. With so many recs from different people, could I not cave in eventually?
Summary: Kyouichi’s indecisive character has led him to repeatedly commit the foolish mistake of adultery. One day, Imagase, a college classmate he hasn’t seen since graduation, shows up as the private detective hired by his wife to investigate his infidelity. Imagase, however, proposes a deal. He won’t tell Kyouichi’s wife about his affairs but, for compensation, he makes an unbelievable demand: “I want your body in exchange…”
Download: at PresenceDear’s site. I love this scanlator btw! They pick up the best and most non-cliche things.
My notes: OMG I don’t know how to speak about this manga! In short, I loved it and read it two times but I hated one or the other of the main characters while reading. They are both such jerks! Well, not at the same time usually. First I hated Imagase for his stalkerish behaviour. Then I couldn’t stand Kyouichi for being such a wet dishrag instead of man. Then Kyouichi again for hurting Imagase so. Then Imagase for being so completely unreasonable. Etc.
Point is, this manga made me feel for the characters quite a lot. I cried and melted into a puddle of goo and swore and whatnot. I couldn’t stop reading until I finished it and then, yes, reread it the very next day. There’s no plot beyond relationships and love triangles but it reads better than many a plotty story because it’s very intense. I don’t want to say anything about the characters or what’s going on because I don’t want to spoil your reading. The dramas and conflicts of this manga did seem to me pretty unusual. To begin with, as a teaser, Kyouichi isn’t gay. He’s happily married. Or is he? Imagase is gay though. What’s his motivations? How far is he willing to go to get what he wants? How, in the end, will it affect Kyouichi? Read to find out. Highly recommended!
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Yaoi
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Warning: not worksafe
Found: looking for this mangaka’s works; also Confession is recced to me by trague here
Summary: A collection of oneshots:
1) Covetous You and Insensible Me (Hoshigariana Kimi to Futsutsukana Boku) [SHI-RAN]: Never one to get close to strangers, Kai finds himself helpless in the enchanting gaze of a foreigner…
2) Lost in the Darkness Before Dawn (Gyou An ni Mayou) [Dangerous Pleasure].
3) Confession (Kokuhaku) [SHI-RAN]: Unable to forget the random act of kindness by the wealthy but lonely business man, Matsumi offers to sell his body. Is it really just for money, or is there a greater need at stake?
4) The night he escaped death (Shi ni Zokonai no Yoru) [Dangerous Pleasure]: Prequel of Lost in the Darkness Before Dawn.
5) Sleepless Night (The Night He Escaped Death bonus) [Dangerous Pleasure].
6) Service: Confession bonus [SHI-RAN].
7) Bonds of Blood: Covetous You and Insensible Me bonus [SHI-RAN].
My notes:
#2, 4 (prequel) and the bonus (#5) are historical, with spies and sword fights. And also curling toes and beautifully tattooed arms. There’s some limb loss and gore in the prequel. And nice role reversal in the bonus story.
#1 and its tiny bonus (#7) are a classic NB’s story: an older, insecure uke (much older, even) and a young seme. This time a predator falls in love with his prey.
#3 and #6: is about a middle-aged man and a young boy he helps at a construction work site. It’s lovely.
Pleasant reading on the whole. I liked the Lost in the Darkness Before Dawn storyline (2, 4, 5) best. I really liked how fighting scenes were drawn. Well, and I always like how Naono Bohra draws sex.
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Yaoi
Status: 1 volume (Complete)
Warning: not worksafe
Found: looking for this mangaka’s works
Summary/scanlation groups/DL:
1) Ikujinashi No Shiawase (A Coward’s Happiness) [Cblue ]: The owner of a rice shop, Kawada feeds a poor student, Mori, after he tried to steal food from his shop, saying ‘The duty of a student is to study’; and starts to look after him. But Mori starts harboring deeper feelings towards Kawada, not just gratitude… (by kriptonima)
2) Slave of Love [Datenshi Blue and ALSO Liquid Passion + Countless Time ]: (spin-off of ch. 01): Mitsuo is the manager of a host club owned by his cousin, the violent and ruthless Eito. Eito raised Mitsuo from a very young age, but they’ve grown apart, despite still living together. When Mitsuo decides to help a younger coworker quit the business, he runs the risk of making Eito very angry…
3) Revenge of Love [Liquid Passion + Countless Time ]: (sequel to ch. 02) The drama continues with a twist.
4) Homemade Vampire [Nakama ]: Letting his oversized half-Japanese nephew live with him is one thing, but a man will soon discover that the nephew is keeping a dark secret…
5) Kodomo no Himitsu (A Child’s Secret) [Nakama ]: Mori and Kaname are cousins with secrets. Mori is harbouring a crush on his older cousin and is plagued by erotic dreams at night. Kaname, on the other hand, likes to tease Mori by giving him alcohol and ‘playing’ with him after he passes out.
6) A Coward’s Blunder (extra) [Liquid Passion ]: Rice shop love continues.
My notes: Story #1: translation: awkward. The story is drawn very pleasantly (as usual) and there are enough details to keep it in your mind after reading, say, stealing the rice or small earthquake, or the very small guy Kawada who is awfully cute and kind. Lots of lovely panels in this one. #2 follows up from one and has the same characters but is about the manager in the host club where Mori works, Mitsuo, and the owner of said club. Advice: read Liquid Passion’s version; the translation is better there. There’s an unusual take on rape, a very cliché thing in yaoi manga: the guy loves being raped, and reflects on it — well, somewhat.
#4, Homemade Vampire — liked. Especially the last panel, with fangs.
#5, Kodomo no Himitsu, is about a countryside guy Mori who came and stayed at his cousin’s place. Cousin, Kana-chan, makes him drink; when drunk, he passes out. Cousin first decides to have a laugh at his expense by making him come and wash his underpants in the mornings but gets addicted and falls in love in the end. Quite lovely, too.
On the whole, not my most favourite of Naono Bohra’s works but quite enjoyable, like most of her manga that I’ve read. If you need something nice and comforting, go for it.
Dakishimetakunai (I Don’t Wanna Hold On You) (2002) []
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Status: 1 volume (Complete)
Genre: Action Comedy Fantasy Supernatural Yaoi
Rating/warnings: NWS, NC-17
Summary: There are several stories in Dakishimetakunai:
1) Electricity (Denki) - A high school student despairs of ever making friends on account of his appearance scaring everyone off. However, the new transfer student with the unique and ‘electrifying’ physique shows up in time to prove him wrong.
2) I Don’t Wanna Hold On You (Dakishimetakunai) - When middle-aged salaryman Masato is laid off, student Tatsuya hires him to take care of his apartment… and other, more personal services. But when Masato starts to have doubts about accepting Tatsuya’s money, what will Tatsuya do to stop him from leaving?
3) Reason For Desire (Yokubou no Riyuu) - The rich and lonely young businessman gets into a scuffle with a castoff vagrant. He gets a bit more than he bargains for when he takes the man in as live-in housekeeper.
4) Secret Knife (Himitsu no Naifu) - Two solitary people walking similar paths, one an assassin for the yakuza, the other a shinigami, meet and find their way to mutual love and understanding.
5) Rose and Knife (Bara to Naifu) - Sequel to Secret Knife. Yato comes upon an old partner who is bent on “reteaching” him how to be a ruthless killer once again. Kamui, however, will do anything to keep that from happening.
6) Keep Up Your Right! (Migikawa ni wo ki wo tsukero) - I Don’t Wanna Hold On You omake.
My notes: that’s your typical Naono Bohra: a collection of short stories, mostly very cute, kind, and comforting (and drawn to make me coo) with some weird and disturbing stuff thrown in. #1 and #2 are sweet and amusing; in #3, fists are the best way to talk :) The story itself is sort of #2 reversed. #4-5 are very bloody. All in all, not the best of this mangaka’s works, as for me, but still more emotionally involving that many other yaoi manga I’ve read. If you like Naono’s style, go for it. If you haven’t tried her works yet, this is a decent place to start. I simply love her drawing even if the stories are often very similar to each other.
Mangaka. Yoshinaga Fumi
Scanlation group: –
Genre: Drama Josei Sci-fi Shounen Ai Slice of Life Yaoi
Status: 1 Volume (Complete) collection of oneshots; licensed
Warning: NWS
Found: something in the cover attracted my attention when I browsed various yaoi-sharing places
Summary: Kouhei is a doctor at the local university hospital who has lost touch with his high school friend Tadashi. While Kouhei grew up to become a successful young doctor, Tadashi became a jobless, poor-as-dirt, flaming gay writer. But one lonely night, at his wits end, Tadashi sends Kouhei a text message and receives a reply. Of course Tadashi has secretly harbored feelings for Kouhei for a long time. But when he finds out Kouhei is getting set-up for an arranged marriage… (this is for the first chapter only; the other 4 chapters are unrelated)
My notes: Story 1, Don’t Say Any More, Darling . I can’t say I like the drawing, especially the faces with their drill-like tiny eyes. But on the other hand, the drawing is very distinctive and I like that very much! The story is entertaining, especially the ending.
Story 2, My Eternal Sweetheart . a very ill boy who can’t leave their mansion asks his older brother to make a sex android for him. Then another one. And more. Nice twist at the end.
Story 3, Fairyland . “Because humans have become so foolish and indecent, god punished them by erasing them from the Earth.” After a month of wandering through the empty city, a man who somehow survived meets a teenage boy. It’s pretty weird. I can’t say I get it.
Story 4, One may day . is a non-explicit het and I don’t get it either. An older man buries his first wife and meets a woman in a caffee. He marries her but not for long. I can’t see any point to it.
Story 5, (not sure which of them is the title) Solfege . an ageing former piano star has been forgotten by public. He smokes on a bridge every day, and meets a young guy. Again, a nice twist in this story.
Well, I liked three out of five: 1, 2, and 5. Not LIKED liked but I enjoyed them and found them very entertaining. So, half a star from me. Am definitely going to read Antique Bakery and Gerard to Jacques. two longer manga by this artist.
Mangaka: Nakamura Asumiko
Status: 1 Volume (Complete), scanlation ongoing
Warnings: NWS
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Found: posted in yaoi_daily.
Summary: “I’ve killed a woman.” The domineering voice on the phone was that of a high school classmate, Mitsuo Ichikawa. Buried memories from the past resurface in the heart of a man with the same name, Mitsuo Ichikawa. It drags him right back into the passions of the past. They reunite as accomplices, yet their relationship as master and servant slowly changes into something new…
Download: at the group’s site.
My notes: this was my first encounter with this mangaka and I hated it :) The art style, not to mention the story, totally creeped me out. But somehow when the second part of the first chapter was posted in yaoi_daily, I clicked it again and very soon I was in love with Nakamura Asumiko’s style. ‘Cos this is a style, unlike most yaoi drawing you see. It’s heavily influenced by the European 20s century major stylistic discoveries but still unique and very expressive. Anyway, the story is weirder than weird but on the whole pretty interesting and less creepy than how I first perceived it. I’m definitely going to follow it and might up the rating, depending on how it goes.
Doukyuusei (Classmate) (2006) #
Mangaka: Nakamura Asumiko
Scanlation group: Nakama
Status: 1 volume (complete); Sotsugyousei (Sequel)
Warnings: largely WS but for a few kisses
Genre: Slice of life School Life Shounen-Ai
Found: was shared in one of the manga comms I watch
Summary: A boy met a boy. They were in the flush of youth. They were in love that felt like a dream, like a sparkling soda pop.
Download: At the group’s site.
My notes: Nakamura Asumiko remains my favourite new mangaka (well, new for me) this month too. How, how on earth did I manage to dislike her art at first. She’s weird and charming like whoa! This story is no exception. It’s pretty simple: an average boy who plays in an amateur band helps his super smart classmate with their music lessons and gradually, a young love blossoms. The devil (or charm, in this case) is in details. Both main characters are written in such a way that they are fun and refreshing. It’s sheer pleasure to follow them, and I find myself smiling now, remembering the story. It’s really lovely and not at all as cliché as one would expect a standard school life BL manga to be. Highly recommended!
Mangaka: Minase Masara
Scanlation Group: Nakama. Hochuuami
Genre: School Life Yaoi
Status: licensed but it was fully scanlated
Warning: not worksafe
Found: Recced by ahoythere here. Again, beautiful art. I read Minase’s stuff because it’s so pretty, not because the story’s good but this manga is an exception (maybe I’m also nostalgic because it was one of the first mangas I ever read…). Takumi is in love with his teacher Jun but Jun has always loved Takumi’s older brother Ryou. Because he and his brother look exactly the same, Takumi offers to sleep with Jun and pretend to be Ryou. The angst isn’t overdone and it’s quite a sweet story.
My notes: lovely. I’m in two minds about the drawing. It’s very pleasant on the one hand but some things annoyed me, stick-like arms mostly. The story isn’t too complex but it’s pleasant to look at, and there’s just enough story in it to keep my attention.
My notes: It’s a bit too comical and dramatic for me, but lovely and pleasant to look at too. The detective is what makes this manga, IMO, with his special ability (you’ll learn how he got it in ch. 5) and incapacitating phobias. He’s awfully cute: eyes that have corners down and skinny hands, like a small yuppy dog :) I was wondering why people kept calling him old man when he’s freaking younger than me, like, a mere boy! Then in the extra, the mangaka said she’d drawn him as 38. Well, ok, not an old man still but less outrageous :) Anyway, the story was interesting to follow and pleasant to look at. What else to wish?
Mangaka: Miyamoto Kano
Warning: Not Worksafe
Status: one volume (complete)
Genre: Yaoi Slice of Life
Been posted in yaoi_daily June 2008, where the comm celebrated the mangaka’s birthday
Summary: When Ryou moves into a new apartment block, his neighbour Makoto makes no secret of the fact that he likes men, and Ryou is forced to confront the secret doubts he’s always had about his own sexuality. Things get complicated when Makoto’s history with the other resident of the building, Nanno, results in jealousy, tension, and love triangles all around.
My comments: There’s plot behind the porn and the characters look lovely, although they have MK’s clone faces (too similar to each other and the rest of the mangaka’s characters for my comfort) and awful feet, OMG so awful :((( But Miyamoto Kano tells a really nice love triangle story. I was hoping for the kind of ending this story has and it happened, so that makes me a happy pj. Really, really liked the ending :) Not my favourite of MK’s manga but nice.
Eroica Yori Ai wo Komete ( From Eroica With Love ) (from 1976 till now) ##
Mangaka: Aoike Yasuko
Scanlation group: Pink Panzer ; an anonymous group scanlated the first 19 volumes. The first ten volumes have been published in English.
Genre: Action Adventure Comedy
Status: 34 Volumes ( Ongoing ); scanlation up to Vol. 21 (part 1 of of story 17)
Found: in a talk with Parlophone about old skool manga
Summary: What happens when a gay art thief and a conservative NATO officer cross paths? Disaster, of course. Dorian is an aristocrat, a thief and a hedonist; Klaus is a duty-driven espionage agent with no patience for fools. Follow them as they chase each other across the globe — from Britain to Baghdad, from Alaska to Alexandria, from Moscow to Madrid. Spectacular locations and non-stop adventures await!
Download: Vol. 1-19 with a nice detailed guide including notes on scan quality (locked for members); vol. 20-21 (locked). More covers (and first 13 vols) here
Prequel /spinoff: Der Freischütz (The Freeshooter; Madan no shashu)
Status: 1 volume (Complete).
Summary: A hardboiled espionage action story featuring Major Eberbach. Can he elude the pursuit of the genius assassin from the KGB? More detailed summary by missparaphilia here .
Related things: lj comm castlegloria (Eroica fanfiction); schlosseberbach (everything Eroica); Eroicafans.org. There’s fandom! I might dip my toes in it. I haven’t decided yet. Am awfully tempted.
My notes: I loved this manga to bits and tiny little pieces! I’ve had SO MUCH FUN with it. Best Male Friend who had to observe me reading it in the evenings on our trip now must be sure I’m a complete loony, if he hasn’t thought so before. Because I clapped hands, squealed, laughed, and talked to my laptop.
It’s awfully trashy, as trashy as only comics about superheroes and Cold War times can be but yeah, lots and lots of fun. I can’t tell you how many times I burst out laughing or grinned in delight. Each time I finished a story from the series, I thought, “I liked this one best!” And then thought the same when I read the next one. The genre is spy action/adventure and humour. Truth be told, I don’t like reading about spies almost as much as I dislike reading Sci-Fi. Not my thing at all. But this one is so light and captivating, and in the end, so amusing and enjoyable that I succumbed almost at once.
Character facial expressions aren’t Aoike Yasuko’s forte, nor is anatomy. Plot is . Spies and secret agents of every country: KGB, NATO Intelligence, CIA and FBI, MI6 (SIS), Interpol, etc, etc and also local police of where the action takes place and local criminals are all competing with each other or fighting each other. Characters travel all over the world. Character names are awfully trashy too; that first seemed too bad to me but later made me laugh and welcome them (Misha the Cub as the KGB boss, Comrade Dostoevsky, Comrade Gorky, Comrade Karinka, lol). The settings are European (mostly) but there are lots of Japanese sayings or references, and that creates a fantastic multi-cultural kaleidoscope. If it’s skewed, it’s fun nevertheless. One thing I find surprising is that among all the agents and forces, there’s not a mention of Stasi. You’d think that Iron Klaus of Bonn would mostly deal with them. But back to what I started with, this manga is incredibly plotty. Feels like a real rollercoaster sometimes. What amazes me most is that the mangaka always ties all her ends by the end of a story. Wowsome.
Both main characters are very attractive. Supporting characters are wonderful too, especially Mr James, Eroica’s extremely stingy accountant (although I don’t like how he’s developed in the last scanlated stories). I love-love-love Iron Klaus (Major Eberbach). I can’t even believe how much myself. Almost like Snape. But then again, he’s a Snape-like character, only with much better hygiene. He’s very rude and loves to shout; he expresses his negative opinion on people and actions without hesitation. He’s a prude and neat freak and superhero all the way but unexpectedly, there’s something in him that calls for your sympathy and makes you want to hug him, even with the risk for your life such a gesture would pose — when he broods or when something does manage to stun him (Eroica usually :D). IMHO, his character isn’t as logical as Eroica’s: it’s rather contradictory, if you start thinking about it seriously. But in the mosaic-like nature of this character perhaps lies a lot of his appeal. He’s intelligent, resourceful, quick-witted, and observant but at the same time not aesthetically developed in any way (despite being a rich aristocrat by birth) and rather naive in some things, or maybe infantile. But why am I looking for that much psychological credibility in a character who smokes like a chimney but is able to run fast for miles without losing his breath? He’s incredibly cool (superhero, remember?) but his quirks and idiosyncrasies make him humane. And precious. If to speak of the way he’s drawn, I melt when I see his haircut. Melt and squee :) So I understand why Eroica never gives up. Eroica himself is also an absolutely charming character: extravagant, flamboyant, childlike in his wish to have all the pretty that he likes, devious yet kind. And more logical in and of himself, as a character. Speaking of the drawing again, the characters don’t age as the years pass: not only is Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach the Eternal Major, he’s an ageless Klaus: he’s the same in 1990 as he was in 1977, and so is Eroica.
On the whole, I’ve read manga where the drawing looked more professional but was it more enticing? No, no, it wasn’t. At the beginning, I looked at the covers and thought, “OMG, what awful jaws!” By the end I though, “Oh my, such lovely chins, gimme more!” I thought it many times while reading Eroica that that was an error and that was badly drawn but overall I was completely charmed. The mangaka draws one face for her main characters, as too many do, but it seems she’s aware of it: see story 10 and on. In any case, the drawing changes to the better visibly from the first volumes to the middle of the manga. It looks as if the mangaka didn’t find her style and touch at once. I like the later style better of course, and objectively speaking, it’s more elaborate and sure.
Another thing I liked very much about this manga is that it’s like a contemporary history lesson. Well, only for those who remembers the news hot topics from the years when the volumes were drawn ‘cos the lessons are comical and so of course warped. War Iran vs Iraq, Moscow Olympics 1980, Perestroika and Glasnost, the uniting of the two Germanies, they all pass before your eyes. Fashions! OMG sunglasses! Hair styles OMG. ) Breathe and drink history, or ‘History Lite’, if you will :)
Speaking of structure, the manga consists of stories that have the same cast of characters and that you could read separately. Comparing it to other manga that have ‘big plot’ and ’small plots’, I wouldn’t say it has a big plot that unifies all stories. I mean, if you start with story 15, I don’t think you’ll find it incomprehensible. But I still recommend reading it from beginning to … well, to the current [scanlated] volume. Because while the big plot barely goes anywhere, the characters form various kinds of relationships, and it’s interesting to trace those. Story 1 is really just a warm-up for the later series (but please don’t let it scare you off). There are main characters you won’t meet after story 2, so reading vol. 1 is a bit bewildering ‘cos it barely touches what the summary speaks about. But that story picks up later, and goes on for many volumes.
Side stories are fun, especially the one that shows the disastrous party that is referred to in The Laughing Cardinals. Other side stories tell us quite a bit about Lord Eroica’s and Iron Klaus’s past. General advice: don’t skip side stories, especially the later ones. They either show a lot of important things or you simply would want more Eroica by then :)
The prequel, Der Freischütz, is darker than the main series. If From Eroica with Love is a humorous look at a spy’s life (and so, adventures), Der Freischütz is about its dangers and ruthlessness. Makes one understand Major’s paranoia better. Spoiler, highlight to read: only in Der Freischütz can we see the death of a character. In Eroica, things get smashed, buildings destroyed, there are fisticuffs, people get injured occasionally, but nobody dies. In Der Freischütz, even Major kills. [/end spoiler]
I’m posting this rec under the yaoi tag but it’s not yaoi at all. Spoiler white on white, highlight to read (mind, a REAL spoiler, for the whole series, so think twice): honestly, it’s not even BL for real. Very soon in the series, Eroica falls in love with Iron Klaus aka Major Eberbach. Major, if anything, is asexual. He despises the ‘homo stuff’ but there’s no woman to make his blood run faster either. If anything, he’s a devoted husband to his work. So their relationship consists of endless one-sided flirting and passes and also one-sided shouting and attempts to sterilise plates, door handles, etc not to catch homo virus. I would hate UST of such proportions in another manga. But somehow it’s not annoying here. Maybe because Eroica enjoys chase much better than gain. Or maybe because if Iron Klaus didn’t break into a cold sweat at the thought of somebody touching him (unless it’s a fight), he won’t be Iron Klaus anymore. Be it as it may, the UST too happens to be very enjoyable in this manga. [/end spoiler]
Btw, I would like to request a spoiler for the last 10 volumes, if somebody has read them raw (since the question is spoilery too, it’s also white on white): does their relationship progress in any way, as in, the Major begins to feel something beyond annoyance about Eroica or does it stay the same? I doublt it, but… And does the mangaka age her characters? [/end spoiler]
A couple of notes on the translation of volumes 1-19: it seems to be done by a person (persons) whose first language is Japanese, so the English often sounds stilted. There weren’t errors that threw me out, just strange word choices and expressions. Well, and of course the translation of proper nouns can be very imprecise, say, Ljublanka in story 11: I couldn’t figure out what it was until I saw the note that it was where the KGB headquarters were located. Turns out to be Lubyanka. Don’t know whose error it is, mangaka’s or translator’s. And can’t say it really matters. Ljublanka or Lubyanka, or Russian names that can’t exist, it’s still fun and charming in its own way. My special thanks to Pink Panzer guys for picking up the scanlation in the first place, but also for keeping to the spirit of the translation (’cos by the middle of the story, I loved it) and for the good scans.
My favourite story is Emperor Waltz (a huge one, volumes 16, 17, 18 & 19), and favourite scene is Iron Klaus performing a Tyrolean dance. Who could resist. A couple of pictures to entice: click here .
I spent almost three weeks with this manga, and now that I’ve reached the end of the scanlated stuff, I don’t know how to be without! As a conclusion, heartily and highly recommended. From pj with love :)
Mangaka: Yoshinaga Fumi
Genre: Comedy Drama Historical Yaoi
Status: 2 Volumes (Complete), licensed
Rating/Warning: NWS, R
Found: recced to me by klynie1 here
Summary: [From Blu]: Just before the start of the French Revolution, a commoner named Gerard pays a visit to a high-class brothel, where he sleeps with, and then buys the freedom of Jacques, a young noble sold into prostitution. Jacques looks down on commoners and Gerard has his reasons for hating the nobility, but they’re thrown together once again when Jacques ends up being hired as Gerard’s new houseboy. Jacques’ determination to make his own way in the world, and Gerard’s surprising, quirky shows of kindness slowly bring the two together into a romance for the ages!
My notes: awww, I loved it. It’s a proper story with plot and lots of emotionally engaging scenes, with humour and well-written characters, all of that in historical settings in which a pro historian might find something to criticise but I certainly can’t. And won’t. Because I enjoyed it very much, and nothing in this story rubbed me against the fur.
Main character #1 is Gerard, one of the new bourgeoisie. At first, it’s hard to understand whether he’s kind or sinister. He has his own ways of doing things; I would say he’s a Count of Monte-Christo-like character, only without the latter’s grandeur or scale of machinations. The author does a good job uncovering Gerard’s past and showing us how it’s influenced him. Jacques, main character #2, is simply delightful. Sold into a brothel and later hired as a servant in Gerard’s house, he strives to prove his worth and independence as soon as he finds that things aren’t always what they seem. His earnestness is refreshing rather than tiresome as it could be had this character was written by a weaker author.
I always say when reccing a manga by Yoshinaga Fumi that her drawing style is acquired taste. I hated it at first but she charmed me with her strange wit and plots. Now I love it. I’m going to order this manga online as my next present to myself :) Highly recommended!
Mangaka: Mamahara Ellie
Been posted in yaoi_daily in June 2008.
Warnings: relatively worksafe (but for a few kisses)
Genre: Yaoi
Scanlation Group: Forever More
Summary vol.01: Gokuraku Cafe revolves around Yuuto Takanashi, a young cafe part-time worker with a penchant for the animated cartoon character, Jacky. Naturally enthusiastic and helpful, Yuuta often gets involved with the personal lives and problems of Rainbow Forest Cafe’s customers. Although a bit impulsive, his involvement usually ends up appreciated; to the extent that most of the (male) customers begin falling for him! Such incidents, added to the overprotectiveness of his best friend Souhei, only make Yuuto’s life more complicated. Interesting turns are indeed waiting for this young apprentice as he struggles to pursue his dreams under the guidance of the enigmatic cafe master, Dick Yashima.
My comments: The nicest yaoi I read so far, and in it lies the main pleasure of it. Everybody is nice here, even when they aren’t for a short period of time. Yuuko, the main character, is a cure for a tired mind and heart. Lovely and amusing.
Mangaka: Ajimine Sakufu
Scanlator: Dangerous Pleasure. Memory For You
Genre: Yaoi
Warnings: mildly NWS
Status: 1 volume (complete)
Summary: After his parents’ divorce, Kou moved to America with his mother. Ten years later, he’s back in Japan to visit his father’s grave. He runs into his cousin, Ryuusei, who took over his father’s karate dojo, and whom he has not seen since he left with his mother. Ryuusei has always been serious and proper, making it difficult for Kou to get closer to him. One day, while the two of them were talking, Ryuusei suddenly kissed him.
My notes: not bad. Not a masterpiece either, as for me, but it’s actually a story, and even the cliché “non-con sex as a way of expressing true love” reads decently here ‘cos it helps show Ryuusei’s lack of communicative skills.
Mangaka: Fuduki Atsuyo
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Comedy School Life Yaoi
Warning: NWS
Found: posted in yaoi_daily in March 2009
Summary: Why would Kashiwaya be so bothered by Hibino’s adam’s apple? Kashiwaya couldn’t figure out the reason and thought maybe he might be a vampire. After pushing Hibino down and licking at his throat, Kashiwaya felt so good that he didn’t want to stop. What is going on? The pure and innocent love story of a unique high-schooler, Kashiwaya, and his classmate Hibino.
My notes: IMO the story is much better inside that the cover with its cat’s ears: even though there’s an episode that has to do with those ears, it’s much less cliché that the cover might imply. The manga is hilarious, even if there isn’t much to the story . It’s just, one of the main characters is a very weird thing that turns the entire manga into something fun and refreshing. I kept laughing out loud at his antics. On the whole, I enjoyed it.
Honto Jajuu (Like the Beast) (2008) []
Artist: Yamamoto Kotetsuko
Status: 2 Volumes ( ongoing ), scanlation ongoing (vol.1 done)
Genre: Comedy Yaoi
Summary: A policeman, a yakuza and an underwear thief - where better to start a love story?
My notes: Ok, this manga (and the scanlation) is in progress so I have no clue if I would like the end as much as I liked the beginning, but so far the story is pretty amusing. And pretty enough :) I can’t say if it’s the artist’s intention but both the cop and the yakuza guy look very very young and are too cute for words :) And yes, it’s yet another yaoi manga where one of the partners is a yakuza and where it adds a nice comedic side to the story. Surprising how many of those stories are decent! In any case, this one is ridiculous, sweet, and entertaining. Do have a look!
Mangaka: Miyamoto Kano
Genre: Drama Mature Yaoi
Status: some stories complete, some scanlation ongoing (Hydra, vol. 9-11), some licensed (Lovers and Souls)
Warnings: not worksafe on the whole
Summary for Hydra: from Liquid Passion: When Ryuu transfers to Hitomi’s school, he leaves an immediate impression on him. Curious about rumours of a full-scale tattoo on Ryuu’s back, Hitomi starts getting closer to him. Before long, the friendship and fascination Hitomi feels for Ryuu start developing into more, but before he has a chance to come to terms with his feelings, Hikaru appears on the scene…. and he has his eyes set on Hitomi.
My notes: Another long manga that I liked a lot. Now, this mammoth is a completely different animal than Love Mode (see below). Hydra/Rules arc is by far the most realistic manga I read so far and more intelligent than many. It goes like this: one boy (Utsumi Ryuu) from a rather unhappy family (mother dead, father a tattoo artist working for jakuza) had a very unfortunate, tragic, plain bad accident in his past, partly caused by his tattoo. The accident messed him up badly. Now he transfers to yet another school to avoid rumours, and a train wreck of emotional mess comes with him. Through no fault of his. Really, who could blame him? Well, I couldn’t. I love him. But it’s like there’s something in the air, spreading by itself. And it all happens during those most impressionable years of 17-18, when hearts are still soft and trusting.
As I said, I loved Ryuu, and Hitomi is a very likeable guy, so when Hikaru appeared and started to interfere, I hated him. But by the end of vol. 8 of Hydra, I was totally in love with Hikaru. Hard not to be! He’s such a wonderful guy. Shrewd and perceptive but pretty uncomplicated, and the way he loves, gosh, if it won’t make your heart bleed for him, you are made of stone. He’s also probably the character drawn most distinctly. The look in his eyes when he begins chasing somebody (which happens only twice in the whole series, regretfully, ‘cos he’s a very loyal, steadfast guy) makes me melt. Ah, I’m simply glad most of the series is either about him or involves him.
The story spans some 15 years, from high school to when Hikaru is 26. It consists of an awful lot of short and long books. Chronological order (taken from Geoviki ’s files which she kindly lent me, with huge thanks to her), in bare bones, with download links (where possible):
Key:
bold — main stories of the arc; must read
underlined — not scanlated
Italics — licensed, search on your own.
Basically, to get the story, you have to read Hydra . Lovers and Souls . and Rules . The rest are optional doujinshi. Hydra is about Ryuu, Hitomi, and Hikaru’s last school/first college years and their messy love triangle. Lovers and Souls is about a new character, Tooru, a pretty messed up and very beautiful guy whom people give money for sex, and he takes it ‘cos why not? He just doesn’t care. He’s one of the main characters in Rules. While you will be able to understand what’s going on in Rules without reading Lovers and Souls, it would be hard to connect with Tooru emotionally. So get your hands on this part. Besides, it’s a beautiful story, if very sad. Well, a huge tearjerker actually. Rules is set 9 years after the beginning of Hydra and centers on Hikaru, Tooru, and two new guys. Scan quality and SPAG are pretty good, which must be said in praise of the scanlation group ‘cos it’s not such a frequent thing, so the reading is easy on the eyes.
Some things that [might] intervene with reading:
- the scanlation of Hydra isn’t finished. The last three volumes are still being done, so by reading what’s after, you sort of spoil yourself for the ending of Hydra. On the other hand, you don’t know what happened. You know only the general outcome.
- This mangaka draws one face. For every character. Well, sometimes they are different enough, in other panels they are absolutely the same face with different hair. It makes it very hard to identify characters sometimes. You have to lean onto other things for identification, like eye colour or habits: Hikaru smokes, almost in every scene; Tooru has light eyes which makes him easy to tell from Yuki whose eyes are black, etc.
- That she changes character hair several times only adds to the mess. Hikaru first appears with longish blond hair, then suddenly with very short black hair (this is how I love him best, btw — makes his eyes stand out more), then comes back to long blond locks in Rules. I seriously WTFed and cross-referenced names for about 10 minutes when a black-haired guy named Taira appeared. I thought he was a brother of the first Taira or a namesake. Tooru wears his hair blond and messy first, then short and black, then lets it grow long. Atori gets rid of his curls — but that’s at least explained as it happens.
- That’s another mangaka who draws feet in a way that makes me sob in misery. Feet aren’t just something at the end of the leg!
- What’s with all the “I like you”? Kindergarten girls, or what? “I love you” appears a few times (good for me!), but of all the other expressions of mutual like are mostly “I like you” that sound really, really weird most of the time.
- Another speech-related thing that bugs me: very often, the characters ask, “Is that so?” Not “Really?” Not “Isn’t it?/Are you?/Did he?” that you would expect for expressing mild disinterest, mild disbelief, or just to keep up the conversation. I don’t remember this phrase used in fanfic (or RL speech, for that matter) that often. I wonder if the translators are native speakers.
- One funny thing. Hydra, Ch. 6 pt. b panel 31. The bubble reads: “Is there something wrong with your hand? You’ve been staring at it this whole time.” The upper panel on which the bubble is: definitely wrong hand/arm anatomy, as in, right hand attached to left arm. Made me lol I don’t want to sound so petty but it was the most unfortunate coincidence of error (not too many of them in this mangaka’s work) and ‘caption’ :)
As I said at the beginning of my notes, it’s a more realistic manga than most that I’ve read. There’s bad sex and messy and stupid break-ups, there are precious tender scenes, but most of all it’s life going on around you. And it’s quite awesome. It’s not melodramatic, it’s not cliché, or at least not much. You just start reading and following these guys’ lives, and fall for them head over heels. I’d make an effort to drag Hikaru to this side. Pity that he’s a Japanese. Drawn. Made up. Character. Damn :(
Am going to reread this manga. Maybe soon.
Warnings: Not Worksafe
Genre: historical, yaoi
Status: completed
Found: browsing yaoi places for this mangaka ‘cos I liked a story of hers (see previous post)
Summary (taken from Baka-Updates): Collection of oneshots. Part 3: Foreign Culture Communication Commodore “Just call me Darling,” is new to Japan and is given a young, beautiful and incredibly naive translator named Haneda Takayuki. Darling is smitten with his “Honey”, but will the culture differences be too much for them?
My comments: I downloaded only story 3 ‘cos I clearly like this mangaka’s [pseudo] historical creations better. Lovely and amusing. And I really like her style, although her characters do look all the same from manga to manga. Anatomy error in panel 27 (two right hands) Anyway, it’s an entertaining piece, and pretty :)
Mangaka: Kamuro Akira
Scanlation Group: Blissful Sin
Warnings: NWS (NC-17)
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Comedy Romance Smut Yaoi
Summary: From Blissful Sin: Handsome men and their no-good Love H Paradise! Ryou was dumped because of his lousy sex techniques and in order to improve his skills, he turned to JS Pro, a company full of handsome men. His debut as a seme was a complete failure! He decided to challenge the uke role by teaming up with Tatsuya, a man he admired, however… Chapter 2 is Take Love Easy. The extra chapter features Iijima from Rumble Rush .
My notes: now this is the yaoi manga I really liked! Even though it should have hit my humiliation squick like whoa, it somehow didn’t. Instead I found it pretty, in places hilarious, and overall hot and lovely and drawn wonderfully. It’s somehow very honest in that it’s about sex. I mean, all yaoi is about sex, right? Only not. Sex in yaoi is usually about feelings and true wuw or on the contrary, it’s about kink, kink, and more kink. Here sex is about sex. Which is way refreshing!
So, Ryou has a problem. He’s a young guy. Of course he watches porn. So where does he decide to go to fix his problem? To a porn studio of course! In such cases reviewers say, hijinx ensue :) They do! I laughed, I blushed for him, I facepalmed, but it’s not a comedy per se. It’s just a lovely story with quite a few dramatic moments, and far less cliched than the rest of the manga reviewed here. The backstory of Josh and Shino’s first meeting is simply love !
On the downside, “cum” in translation is as annoying as it ever is, and there are a few ugly feet at the end of ch.1. But I feel rather silly even mentioning these because I enjoyed this manga very much. Recommended!
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Status: 1 volume (complete)
Warning: not worksafe
Found: looking for this mangaka’s works
Summary: It’s been ten years since Yuuya was home. That was the last time he faced Asato, the blind neighbor he’s always had a crush on. He’s spent the time trying to forget the one night he acted on those feelings. But he’s been fired and evicted; with no place to go he returns to his childhood home and the man he’s never forgotten.
My notes: I read the summary and thought, “OMG, OMG, it seems totally like my kind of thing, please let it be my kind of thing!” A blind man with greying hair, and there are cats and baggy sweaters! Definitely, yes. And it was. The story could have been more developed or elaborate but other than that, I enjoyed it a lot. It’s lovely and pleasant to look at.
So, Naono Bohra is clearly one of my favourite mangakas. Her men are nicely meaty. They have shoulders and muscular thighs and knees. But not photo-model-like muscular. Worker-like. They wear stretched sweaters and love cats. Fabulous!
Mangaka: Higashizato Kirico
Genre: Shotacon Yaoi
Warnings: not worksafe
Status: short oneshot
Summary: Arata gives his girlfriend ’skin to skin loving’ when his girlfriends little twin brothers wanna know what ’skin to skin loving’ means… There’s only one way for Arata to show Kagari and Natsumi what ’skin to skin loving’ really means…
Download: at the group site.
My notes . very amusing and hot. The drawing is rather cluttered but among the unapologetic shotacon, I liked this one best.
Mangaka: Nakamura Shungiku
Status: licensed . 10 Volumes ( Ongoing )
Genre: Comedy Romance Yaoi
Warning: not worksafe
Found: recced by several folks in the comments under my yaoi diary posts.
Summary: Junjou Romantica . Misaki is suddenly having some unexpected and odd problems. What started as a need for some college entrance exam tutoring has somehow led him to being romanced by a suave older man who also happens to be his big brother’s best friend. Confused by all of his brand new emotions, Misaki struggles to deal with his suddenly very odd life. And if that wasn’t enough, his suitor, Usami, has plenty of issues of his own. A man-child who decorates his room in giant teddy bears and toys, Usami is a famous novelist who also writes steamy boys love novels on the side. When Misaki cracks open one of these books and reads sentences like “Misaki licks every inch of Usami’s hot body”…well, let’s just say that all hell breaks loose. And if one couple isn’t enough for you, Junjo Romantica focuses on three different sets of lovers, each with their own compelling stories.
Junjou Egoist . Hiroki is a broken man, consumed by unrequited love for his childhood friend, Akihiko Usami (the writer from Junjou Romantica). Along comes Nowaki, whose name means “typhoon”, an orphan working his way through life since middle school. Like the typhoon he is named for, he whirls into Hiroki’s life and heart, blowing all resistance away before him.
Junjou Terrorist . As fate would have it, Miyagi (whom Hiroki is working with as assistant professor) and Shinobu, the younger brother of his ex-wife, cross paths. Bit of pieces started to link together from the first two stories; his ex-wife, Aikawa, is the editor for Usami. That aside, Miyagi, who has a sad hidden past in himself, is faced with Shinobu, who just says whatever on his mind. The wheels of destiny is beginning to turn once again…
Download: nope. But you can find it.
My notes: I may not like this kind of style, but the drawing is very expressive, and the mangaka certainly knows what she’s doing. I wish I knew terms for all those kinds of panels, but even being mute in this, I like how various elements are used. Exaggerated motion and emotion, everything’s very dynamic. This manga also shows how much you can make or break with a good or bad scanlation. I’m very glad the first volumes were done so well, for which my thanks to mochi*mochi & Beautiful Soup, because were they not, I simply wouldn’t read it (as I said, not my favourite kind of style). But the work the scanlators did on them, as for me, is exemplary. Which can’t be said about the rest. Vol. 4 exists in much worse scans, scanlation becomes very ‘usual’, and translation loses all semblance of English. It improves in vol. 5 done by GinRyuu and even more in vol. 6 done by morau but never reaches the complexity and the attention to detail of the first volumes. But then again, morau seems to be one person, not a team. And they are doing a good job for one person.
The story consists of two main storylines that take turns: Junjou Romantica, about Misaki and Usami Akihiko, and Junjou Egoist, about Kusama Nowaki and Kamijyou Hiroki (well, and a couple of side stories). I liked the story of the second couple better. They are Snape/Harry with bottom!Snape, of sorts. A very grumpy, bad-tempered and foul-mouthed, secretly vulnerable teacher and an orphaned boy who inserts himself into the teacher’s life. What I like most about this storyline is that it’s not about how they get together — they do it almost at once — but of how the lack of communication and their personal issues make their life one big emotional roller-coaster. Besides, I like when seme is younger than uke. Back to Junjou Romantica, I like the characters. Usami is Howl-like (Howl’s Moving Castle), with his room full of toys and his beauty and popularity, and Misaki is a wonderful boy who always takes care of others. But I find it too repetitive. Six volumes and Misaki is still in denial? Boring.
I also downloaded and watched one episode of anime. I thought it looked cheapo but then I realised that almost every anime does if to compare everything to Miyazaki’s films. Duh. No, IMO, it looks average. But Usami Akihiko’s voice is very, very pleasant and velvety.
If you DL the manga from various places on the net, it’s going to look confusing ‘cos some people divide the story into volumes, others into acts, some others count by chapters. So it goes like this (the parts scanlated so far, as on July 5, 2008):
Vol. 1 (mochi*mochi & Beautiful Soup):
ch. 1-2 = Junjou Romantica, act 1 and 2
ch. 3-4 = Junjou Egoist (aka Junjou Egotist in some later translations), act 1 and 2.
ch. 5 = Junjou Romantica, act 2.5
Vol. 2 (mochi*mochi & Beautiful Soup):
ch. 1(6) = Junjou Romantica, act 3
ch. 2-4(7-9) = Junjou Egoist, act 3, 4, 5
ch. 5(10) = Junjou Romantica, act 3.5
Vol. 3 (mochi*mochi & Beautiful Soup):
ch. 1-2(16-17) = Junjou Egoist, act 8, 9
ch. 1-2(27-28) = Junjou Romantica, act 8, 9
Vol. 7:
ch. 1(31) (JunjouDotInfo) = Junjou Egoist, act 11
As a conclusion, I won’t be holding my breath waiting for the next chapter to be scanlated but I will read the rest of the manga as I see new parts appear. IMO it’s quite pleasant.
Koi no Kawaki (Thirsty for Love / Be Thirsty of Love) (2001) []
Mangaka: Honami Yukine & Takaguchi Satosumi
Status: 1 volume complete, licensed
Warning: NWS, some het sex
Genre: Drama Mature School Life Tragedy Yaoi
Found: looking for this artist
Summary: Orie Nakano’s girlfriend is cheating on him with two other men! One is the mysteriously untouchable Tatsumi, and the other is the basketball-playing upperclassman that Orie idolizes. But things are far from being as simple as they seem, and now the three men are inevitably pulled towards each other and bond together by their love for Yuka, which extends much farther than just the girl herself. Love, admiration and lust intermingle around them in an inescapble spiral in this coming of age sexy romance.
My notes . I like this artist. Not love but I find her art pleasant to look at: smooth, polished, pretty, and airy. The story is very angsty and twisted. Three guys, one girl, various degrees of attraction to each other. Then — just the three guys. The story contains lots of tangled up and confused emotions, sex, teenage curiosity and unconscious cruelty, and not a little bit of stupidity. Sometimes it’s achingly tender, sometimes it borders on mindfuck, yet other times those guys look ripe to be strangled by a frustrated reader.
I can’t say I liked the story ‘cos it disturbed me on many levels but I’ll remember it, that’s a given! The translation is a bit obscure though.
Been posted in yaoi_daily in June 2008.
Warnings: Not Worksafe
Genre: Historical Yaoi
My comments: As cliché as it gets and chock-full of things I’d hate were it another manga: sexual healing, rape and captivity turned into twu wuw, and a makeover respectively for the three couples the story of which make this manga. But I found it very entertaining, mainly because of the main character, Doctor Meishuu, who sleeps with anything that has two legs and plays a matchmaker for everybody around him. I rather like how the characters are drawn, too. What to compare it to? It’s like watching an entertaining B-rated Hollywood film or reading a story with decent SPAG but FFnet-like plot :) Am going to read more by this mangaka.
Kokoro no Kagi wo Mitsukete (To Find the Key to the Heart) []
Mangaka: CJ Michalski
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Warning: Not Worksafe
Found: in a post of somebody sharing CJ’s work
Summary: Kazuto has injured himself and he’s living alone. His half-brother, Kiyoto, offers him his servant Toudou for help till he recovers from his injuries. But Kiyoto isn’t thinking about Kazuto’s health but something else Kazuto posseses. How loyal will Toudou be for his master when there are other feelings stirring underneath?
Download: here (registration required)
My notes: the translation is rather awkward (”a violent embrace is unreasonable”) and not without errors (you’re/your) but it gets the meaning across, I suppose. The manga is rather cliché (again, non-con is the best way to express feelings, blergh) and not without melodrama, but there’s plot and various relationships. It’s easy to follow. The main character is very cute and nice: selfless, kind, yearning for family and love. Quite pleasant! Am going to read more by this mangaka.
Mangaka: Abe Miyuki
Genre: Comedy Drama School Life Shounen Ai
Status: 26 volumes (compete); scanlation ongoing (very slowly; up to the end of vol. 9 currently)
Summary: Fujishima Takara goes to high school and will start living in a dorm because he has lost all his family except for his father, who’s always away for his work. Takara has to share a room with Kosaka Kyomine. Living together isn’t easy, and many rows ensue. Kyomine is very introvert, while Takara is just the opposite. At first the two get on each other’s nerves because of those differences. But things turn turn towards friendship and later on towards love.
Recced by ahoythere here. Cute! Funny! There’s nothing really serious about this manga even though it tries to have its ‘moments.’ It’s the characters that make it all interesting, though some of the female figures bore/annoy me. The art starts out ehh but gets really wonderful later on. There’s no real yaoi here, just eventual kissing but the two main characters have some UST to deal with. Also recced by Gossymer here .
My notes: This is really unfortunate for Komatta that I read Let Dai right after it. Komatta was wiped from my mind as if with an eraser. Because these two, as for me, simply don’t compare or if you try to, the messed-up and difficult teens in Komatta look like fluffy kittens. But I’ve talked about Let Dai in another place (see below).
I had mixed impressions of Komatta. The art at the beginning, well, ‘ehh’ is a good way to express it. It does become better as the story goes on, so by vol. 9 it’s alright, appealing even. Also, you get used to the characters and begin caring for them by then. Basically, this is a manga equivalent of a daytime high-school soap, only teen-slashy instead of teen-hetty. Plot is meandering, lots of sub-plots and secondary characters get thrown in; main characters stop being underwritten only somewhere by vol. 6 or 7. I had an impression for the large part of it that the author was rambling. It is, however, a pretty nice and soothing ramble. I don’t like soaps but even I got lulled by its rhythm. One would think that nine volumes is long. But I think I would like this manga better if considerably more were scanlated. Because all things I mentioned as drawbacks aside, it’s somehow not annoying. And if you like such stuff, I bet it’s even very pleasant. Two young boys, one exuberant, naive, and outgoing, the other gloomy and what would be called a youth delinquent get thrown together and, fighting all the way, become a sort of two for one deal. We watch their life: small adventures, problems, conflicts, friendships, families. The mangaka clearly loves her main characters. What else she loves are animals. The ’snow leopard’ Sakura and Kyomine’s dog are quite the stars. Drawn well, too. The Boy Love side progresses very slowly. By the end of vol. 9 it’s not even BL for real yet. There’s nothing ground-breaking in this manga, as for me. I’ve read a dozen similar ones, I bet you have too. But IMO it’s one of the better ones of this sub-genre. My overall impression is pleasant. I doubt I’ll be looking for updates but if I come across them, I most likely will download and read.
Artist: Nagato Saichi
Warnings: NWS
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Comedy Romance Yaoi
Found: posted in yaoi_daily
Summary: Suffering from unrequited love, Todou Tsukasa, also called “the moody pillar”, walks into a barbershop. The cheerful barber not only gives him a sexy new haircut but also advice on how to better carry himself. Tsukasa takes that advice to heart and goes on to fame and success. But he never forgets the barber who helped him when he needed it, and so, he keeps dropping by the barbershop. However, confidence didn’t come along with the new haircut nor the fame and success, and his feelings are neither conveyed nor understood well.
Download: at the group’s site.
My notes: my overall impression of this manga is that it’s really lovely. Again, as with many a yaoi, there’s nothing groundbreaking in the story but this one is coherent and comforting, which is much more than most yaoi manga have to offer. And it’s drawn very pleasantly.
Kudan no Kuroneko (Black Cat of Matter) []
Mangaka: Mizukami Shin
Warning: Not Worksafe; Tentacle rape in chapter 3
Genre: Yaoi, Historical, Supernatural
Status: completed, 1 volume
Summary: After rescuing Maya, the descendant of the Cat God who was injured from his unsuccessful first mission, Yujiro begins to feel a strong desire for the beautiful feline. Does Yujiro know that Maya is on a recovery mission for the calamity bells? This is a love that crosses the boundary of race.
My notes: I really liked the gods in ch.1, especially on page 6! Tentacle rape (tail rape) was a tad unnecessary, IMO. The first three chapters tell us a story of Yujiro and Maya, set in and around a fox god’s and cat god’s shrines. Chapter 4 steps back to show us the beginning of Shinichi’s relationship with the nine-tail fox god he serves, Konosuke. Shiranui, the previous god of the shrine whom Shinichi’s father served, is beautiful, but I really like Konosuke. He’s bratty, sly, and obnoxious (fox!) but not without kindness. When I went back to ch.1 after ch.4, to look at some fine details, I could really appreciate it much better. You start noticing the looks the priest and fox exchange, and so on. Chapter 5 is pretty cracky, if you ask me. Babies, babies, in the way of really bad MPreg only not MPreg per se and funny.
Let Dai (1995-2005) ##
Artist: Woon Soo-yeon (Won Sooyeon)
Scanlation Group: Seri Chan’s Translations
Genre: Drama Mature Psychological Romance Shounen Ai Tragedy
Status: 15 volumes (complete), licensed
Warnings/rating: NWS for violence; reads left to right
Found: Recced by ahoythere here. It’s just been completely scanlated a few days ago (15 volumes!!) and I haven’t read it past volume one, but oh my god, I know it’ll break your heart because I spoiled myself. Here’s how a reviewer put it: “This manhwa is about a teenage gang leader named Dai who changes whatever world he steps into. He’s beautiful, dangerous, quiet, and unpredictable. He also has the emotional maturity of a 6-year-old, and I don’t mean that in a manchild sort of way - I mean that he literally thinks about things the way a 6-year-old thinks about things. He hits people when he’s upset, he leaves conversations halfway through, he expresses his sexuality through touching and kissing and absolutely nothing else. He’s wholly deranged and impossible to ignore. People love Dai or they hate Dai - there’s nothing in-between.”
Summary: From NetComics: Set in a soulless neo-Seoul ruled by young punks and pleasure seekers, an amoral teenager named Dai is the living embodiment of the city’s beauty and cruelty. As the leader of the vicious Furies gang, Dai seduces everyone who lays eyes on him, only to blind them to his own barbaric nature. When an honest schoolboy named Jaehee rescues a beautiful girl from being mugged by the Furies, he can’t possibly realize how this brief encounter will plunge him into a downward spiral of unbridled passion and unfathomable pain. From his brutal gang initiation to an unspeakable act committed against his girlfriend, Jaehee wavers uncomfortably between revulsion and fascination. And in Dai he finds a tender, caring friend one moment and a heartless sociopath the next, awakening strange and unhealthy desires in Jaehee that he could never before have imagined.
Download: you can buy it via Amazon or other online bookstore or find it online in the usual manga-sharing places. IMO you really should buy your own paper copy. I have :)
My notes: I feel as if I’ve been through a meat-grinder but I loved every moment of it.
I read Let Dai for three days, had dreams about Dai every night, made myself take a two-day break to let my head un-mess itself a bit. When I reached vol. 15 and suddenly realised that there was only one volume left, I got so agitated that I nearly cried. Because NOOOOO! Don’t end please! In the end, I read it through yesterday’s night until 9 in the morning and after that, dreamed of Dai again. I think some panels and scenes are etched into my retinas but I’m going to read it again anyway, just to savour details.
Let Dai had been sitting on my hard drive since ahoythere’s rec, but the final push came from Furiosity who said she thought I might like it. Oh, I did. Not sure I have enough words to express how much I did though.
The story is what I expected it to be and absolutely not.
The covers are pretty but misleading. They are all so deceptively tender and peaceful. They do reflect an important side of the manhwa and Dai and Jaehee’s relationship but if one buys it seduced by the covers, I guess they will be in for a big surprise. Because the story is anything but peaceful.
It is, in fact, very dramatic and so intense that sometimes I caught myself literally holding my breath or biting my fingers. Another thing is, I was expecting this manhwa to be a sheer angst fest and darkness galore after reading the NetComics’ summary, because this summary rather than the covers was how I started to get acquainted with it. But what I noticed most when reading was a love story, a painful but pretty tender one, and far less scary than I thought it would be. So I think it’s a surprise whatever side you come from.
We meet the two main characters as polar opposites. Jaehee is a good boy. He’s a good student, does some semi-official good-boy school stuff, loves his mother (and has a very open, friendly relationship with her), is nice to his girlfriend, and so on. He’s a bit of a whimp but can fight if necessary. A good and very pretty boy. You get the picture. Dai Lee is a really bad boy. He’s unpredictable in his behaviour like a random numbers generator, cruel, vindictive, uncaring, cold, beyond merely selfish, violent, but also beautiful. You’d think it’s as cliché as it can get. Well, it’s not, please believe me. That is, of course it is because how many centuries old is this plot? What new can there be? But even such an old tale can be made fresh and captivating, and Woon Soo-yeon certainly made it striking, as for me.
So we meet them as opposites — that attract, also promptly following the cliché. There’s something in Dai that fascinates Jaehee, and something in Jaehee that attracts Dai. Ultimately, it’s a story about love: how it changes people, making some commit atrocities, some others, make fools of themselves, and redeeming others and forcing them to grow. There are many more love stories (and friendship, and affection, but also betrayals and cruelty) within this story that make it really multi-dimensional but of course most of it is about Dai and Jaehee. They yearn to become one, and I love how they rub off on each other (metaphorically speaking) and sort of even become each other, to some extent.
This is also a story about growing up. At the beginning, Dai seems larger than life and the teen gangs look like they are the world. But as you keep reading, at some point it strikes you: OMG, they are just children. Cruel and messed up, and they can (and do) bite the hand that feeds them, and they can and do break hearts and lives, but I nearly cried over them because they are so lost and confused, so emo and hurting. Yes, the story is emo because the characters are. But it’s not annoying at all. It only drives home the memory of your own teen years and makes it feel so freaking real! This is, btw, what amazed me most in this manhwa. I felt as if I accidentally used a Time-Turner and became 16-18 again, felt what first love feels like again and saw the world around how I saw it then. Stirred a hurricane inside me.
During the entire manhwa Dai and Jaehee’s relationship is like that of two magnets: being pulled together with one end and pushed apart with the other. And the story itself is this endless pull-push too, angsty then lovely, scary then sweet, cruel then funny. The pacing perfectly fits these waves, as for me. The story is fast-paced but slows down where necessary to let you digest the most affecting parts. So in this context, I like the ending and think it’s very fitting. Because you wouldn’t expect it to be simple in a story like this, now would you? A spoiler for the ending white on white, first one-word, if you want to know what kind of ending it is: open, ambiguous, or hopeful. In more detail in comments under my request for spoilers. And some thoughts of mine: Actually, the ending is more hopeful than you’d expect in the middle of the manhwa. I liked how it ended, even the abruptness of it and that it’s off-screen. Because I can’t imagine their relationship at that stage reaching any sort of definitive answer, be it a happily ever after or a full break-up. Until both of them grow up completely and maybe even after that, they have a long way to go yet in learning how to compromise between their love and the rest of their lives. [/end spoiler]. ETA: a discussion of the ending with the folks who have read the manga here in my LJ .
I could talk about the wonderful supporting and secondary characters (Naru Hagi especially, gosh, he’s so, so lovely!) but I should stop somewhere. Maybe I’ll add something later.
One thing I do want to talk about before I finish this rec is drawing. I’m in love, for real. Those of you who’ve been reading my LJ for a while probably know that my type of man is Iron Klaus from Eroica or Till of Rammstein. I don’t like them young and slender. But OMG, I couldn’t look at Dai or Jaehee enough. They are so beautiful I feel like crying. I’ve been looking at those panels with the rain (see below) for hours.
What bugs me is that can’t pronounce the names. I have no idea how Jaehee sounds and even less so about the names of the sisters, Eunhyung and Yooneun. So if any of you speak Korean and can transcribe them for me, I’d be very grateful.
Anyway, I think it’s a beautiful and wonderfully moving story. Give it a try!
Mangaka: Kunieda Saika
Status: oneshot.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Found: quite probably browsing PD’s site.
Summary: An old man stops by to see a friend and remember the past in a story where things are not quite what they seem.
My notes: again, this is what I love Kunieda Saika for: weird, funny, very sad, very sweet, and moving — all in one. I cried like a baby at the same time shaking my head because it was just too crazy and metaphorical to cause such a reaction. Definitely a mangaka to keep an eye on!
Mangaka: Miyamoto Kano
Group: Hochuuami ( site is down )
Warnings: Not Worksafe
Genre: Yaoi,
Mangaka: Shimizu Yuki
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Status: complete (11 vols +side stories), licensed
Warning: not worksafe
Summary: Mistaken identities, bizarre accidents and pratfalls, tragic pasts and plenty of broken hearts, and that’s just for starters! Love Mode tells the story of the lives of the men involved with the classy male escort service, Blue Boy. Lovelines intertwine and cross, friendships are made and broken in this boys’ love classic!
Download: try free manga sharing places, like here
My notes: I’ll start with pro s ‘cos overall, I think, it’s a manga well worth spending your time on. But there are pretty serious contra s; I’ll list them at the end.
This is, in essence, a soap. All action is built around the host club and his owner, Reiji Aoe. Everybody is gay and paired up, which should be annoying like hell to me but wasn’t because it’s a gay club, so it was sort of a natural order of things for this manga. Japanese names for me are like, I suspect, Russian names for a Japanese person, that is to say they all sound the same, so I’ll outline the main characters and couples. Volume 1 is about the club owner’s old friend Takamiya and the extremely pig-headed Izumi whom he met by mistake that had to do with the club. Takamiya is one of the nicest guys in this manga: level-headed, soft-spoken, and loving. Izumi is a very ordinary guy from an ordinary family who’s easily embarrassed by public displays of affection and “is not homo. ” Vol. 2 begins the longest storyline, that of the very club owner Reiji Aoe and a guy he rescues from the street, Naoya (aka kitten): the boy who attracts misfortune, tragedy, and trouble like a magnet. He’s a bit of a crybaby; not surprising, knowing his biography, but is a really decent boy. I like these couples from the first volumes best. They are very likeable, especially Reiji. The ever devious but kind doctor Kiichi Aoe, Reiji’s older brother, is fun too. There are also shorter storylines. I like best the one of another Izumi (a very troubled and waif-like host from the club; looks like fanon!Draco) and Arashi (a simply good guy, a student) in vol. 3 and the story of Seiichi, another host in BB, and Tomoki, a 14-yr-old boy who bought his services. This last one made me bawl. Well, quite a few of Naoya’s misfortunes before that had, too. Vol. 8 and 9 are a sort of prequel, the past of Kiichi, young Reiji, and Kiichi’s valet Haruomi, which is also very captivating. Vol. 11 shows us the story of Reiji’s first meeting Takamiya and his life in England, awfully bittersweet, Paradise-like and heart-breaking.
Everything in the manga is about love (that’s why it’s called Love Mode, I suppose) but it’s full of action: there’s kidnapping and blackmail, deaths and rescues, illnesses and romantic dinners, and various hard choices. There are quite a few hot sex scenes. I particularly liked the one where Izumi is blissed out on sex at the end of vol 1. Yes, it’s melodramatic like any soap but it’s not boring. I read 11 volumes of it and never quit, so let it be a testament to the mangaka’s ability to keep her readers’ attention.
The style is odd: it seems simple, even a bit unprofessional-looking. Well, not a bit. It does look like when the mangaka began drawing it, she couldn’t do it very well (see the cover). It becomes better as the series goes on. I didn’t find it unpleasant though. Actually, I found it pleasing. And even very refreshing. There’s something honest in it; a honest enjoyment of storytelling, probably, and the love for characters. There’s also just enough variety in the relationships — they are far not the same! — to keep it interesting. Lots of dysfunctional families, lots of new connections to soothe and compensate.
There are some problems that [might] intervene with reading:
- it’s not a good scan, a bit of an eye-breaker actually; and really bad scans starting with vol.8 (or 9, in different places). OTOH, there might be better scans somewhere on the net?
- English text in speech bubbles is darker and brighter than the rest (it becomes ok by the middle of the series);
- the translation, sometimes, is very weird (phrases like “My nerves were unexpectedly daring” and homonym abuse, weird word breaks like “h-otel”, no-one else in t-he area”; the translation in vol 6 where there’s a lot of crime action is rather incomprehensible on the whole.
- in vol 6, one of the opening panels with Reiji Aoe as a Nazi officer is frankly spooky;
- the character cards (when you get to the end of volume or sometimes chapter, there are these cards that tell you about characters) make me WTF. For example: Katsuki Kyosuke. Birthday June 11 Gemini. Blood type O. 19 years old. 176 cm, 52 kg . That’s WAY underweight. I’m 52 kg, and I’m a) a woman, b) have thin bones, c) am 160 cm, d) have healthy but not bulky muscles. I look thin . A guy weighing 52 kg being 176 cm = anorexic. All other characters, even the more muscular ones, always have height/weight correlation as minus 110 at best (186/76 for Jinnai Kuniaki, 172/52 for Takimura Rin, 189/76 for Ian Sanders but ok, the latter’s 17 years old and a model). What’s with the mangaka’s math or anatomy knowledge?
But on the whole, I find that the things listed in contra s are all small things, and the things I enjoyed were a lot bigger, if to look at the manga as a whole. So I’d give it a chance, in your place, if you aren’t opposed to romantic soaps. Funny thing that I am :) But I really wish to read it in a well-scanlated version!
Mangaka: Mizukami Shin
Group: Tennoikkaku and Fantasyshrine
Genre: Drama, Historical, Yaoi
Status: completed, 1 volume
Warning: not worksafe, rape
Summary from Fantasyshrine: Set during the Keiou era of Japan. In the restlessness before the storm of revolution, the heir of a wealthy samurai family meets a beautiful young man. A beautiful and heartbreaking period drama which Mizukami is so good at. This one starts off kind of depressing, but keep reading!
My notes: aww, I can’t help it, I love this mangaka’s style. Maybe it’s the characters’ luscious hair, maybe it’s their eyes, maybe clothes. One thing I don’t love is when she draws feet so that it’s neither right not left. As for me, there’s nothing much in the story if you don’t like these doe-eyed youths or square-chinned samurai. It stretches one’s belief pretty far, if we speak about plot/characterisation. I can’t believe that lord Honda would so easily change his lifestyle or that Shiyuri can be so fierce and cunning in some situations and so helpless and meek in others. But they are still a pleasure to look at :) So, as I said, I can’t help it. I can simply leaf through it for another look at Shiyuri’s pretty face or hair.
The Man of Tango (Tango no Otoko) (2008) #
Mangaka: Okadaya Tetuzoh
Status: 1 Volume (Complete), licensed
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Warnings: NWS
Found: was posted in yaoi_daily.
Summary: Angie, though hailed as “The Man of Tango,” had never truly felt the deep, fiery passion of Latin dance. That is, until he met Hiro, a man born from a Latin mother, who was under his Japanese grandfather’s custody and now lives as a Japanese citizen. Now, a slow, seething desire begins to rock his body and soul! At first feeling a nostalgic familiarity toward the Latin dancer, Hiro finds himself drawn into the seductive beat of a Latin dance, opening his body and heart to the smoldering heat of his Tango partner.
Download: was at Nakama’s site before but got licensed recently, so search on your own.
My notes: *reads summary* *thud* Sooo bodice-ripper-like *shakes head* Although the story is quite passionate, I wouldn’t call it too romantic. I’d like to cite two reviews ‘cos this is exactly what I thought about The Man of Tango . Everything I love in Yaoi, without the stuff I hate and Add the muscles of Bara, the drama and inner turmoil of yaoi, and the eroticism not found anywhere else, and you got this.
You see the art and you think Bara. But it’s not. It’s the art style of Bara and maybe some approach to characters, as in, they are a bit tougher and less articulate than your usual Yaoi ones. But it’s not Bara ‘cos it’s not aimed at men. It’s Yaoi only without unnecessary whimpiness or teen-ness.
Another thing I loved about this manga is that it’s all about tango. On the surface, you’d think it should be a story for tango geeks. Like Princess Tutu must be for ballet geeks or Hikaru no Go for Go geeks or Piano Forest for classical piano geeks. But that’s the paradox and pleasure of those stories: they enchant you despite being all about a thing you aren’t remotely interested in. What’s more, this concentration on a topic largely unfamiliar or uninteresting to you actually helps you see the characters in a sharper relief.
In any case, wonderfully drawn, original, and hot like hell. Recommended!
Artist: Miyamoto Kano
Warning: Not Worksafe
Summary: Sahara works in publishing with Yagisawa Kei. After vowing he won’t get involved with straight men again after heartbreak, Sahara meets Seto who is a designer at a firm his company collaborates with. Seto begins to pursue Sahara, but what will happen when Sahara learns that Seto isn’t gay?
Download: here
Prequel: Te wo Tsunaide, Sora wo (Two of Hearts). Status: 1 Volume (Complete). Licensed . Scanlated by Hochuuami. Summary: When failing novelist, Haruya, finds a young boy undressing on the shore he has no idea he’ll become linked to the boy who refuses to be touched.
Sequel: Amayakana Toge. Summary: Yagisawa Kei is disastrously unlucky in love, as his recent strike-out with author Itou Haruya attests. When his publishing company makes him responsible for a handsome young author, he once again finds himself walking an all too familiar path where work and play collide. He doesn’t realize that he has met Subaru before. or that Subaru’s reappearance now will open old wounds from a past he’d rather forget. This book falls between Te wo Tsunaide Sora wo (Two of Hearts licensed by Deux) and The man who wouldn’t fall in love.
My notes: In the prequel, Te wo Tsunaide, Sora wo . one of the characters, thankfully, wears glasses and the other one longish blond hair, so I had no trouble telling them one from another. But I do get a bit tired of the same faces every time I read a manga by this artist. The story itself is easy to remember because of Maki’s phobias. But I liked the third story, Amayakana Toge . best. By then, I got used to Yagisawa and wanted to know his story too. It has two time-lines and is pretty romantic, in that “real life flows around you” kind of way that Miyamoto Kano favours. Alternating time-lines and the initial mystery help to keep one’s attention.
Me de Shireru Yoru no Junjou (2007) # or [] (will choose when it’s finished)
Author: Suzuki Ami . Mangaka: Itsuki Kaname
Status: 2 volumes (complete), scanlation ongoing
Genre: Drama Historical Romance Yaoi
Rating: NWS
Found: posted in yaoi_daily December 2008-January2009
Summary: In Yoshiwara (present-day Tokyo during the Edo Period), the laws against prostitution were abolished and brothels were restored in the red light district. We meet Kichou and his “princess” who are the top courtesans of the Men’s Brothel Quarters at Hanafurirou…
DL: at the scanlation group site.
My notes: I love the drawing and the story holds my attention nicely. Two boys from very different families happened to be sold to a brothel. And sort of fall in love with each other. You can imagine that the work they do would interfere with the young love. Nicely dramatic without being too dramatic.
Memory of the Future and sequel, Where the Wind Goes (aka Future Lovers (Mirai no Kioku; Kaze no Yukue)) (2002-2004) ##
Mangaka: Kunieda Saika
Scanlated by: Loveless and DokiDoki
Status: 2 volumes (complete), licensed
Genre: Comedy Drama Yaoi
Rating/Warning: NWS, R
Found: recced to me by reddwarfer here .
Summary: [From Loveless]: Kento Kumagaya has but just one small dream: getting married to the ‘ideal’ housewife, having an ordinary family, with a wife, two kids and his grandparents all living happily. Life, however, has other ideas. Enter Akira Kazuki, a beautiful, witty and uninhibited gay man who seems to care for naught. This is a romantic, sweet and humorous story between two different people who unexpectedly find the same future together. ( I wouldn’t recommend reading the sequel summary at BU ‘cos it’s rather spoilerish — pj)
My notes: ooh, I loved this one! It’s so funny and lovely and absolutely delightful! Akira is a sort of fanon!Draco, of the best kind: bratty, very pretty, spoilt but sensitive. Kento is a very down to earth kind of guy who happened to get seduced by Akira. And, being a serious and simple guy that he is, he’s settled to mate for life. Won’t be easy, will it? There are angsty scenes, episodes to cry at, but mostly it’s amusing or outright funny. Dying Gramps made me roll on the floor howling with laughter. If you want to feel good after reading, this is an ideal story for you. It’s at the same time humorous and realistic, and it’s interesting to follow even though I wouldn’t call it plotty. I loved how it’s drawn too. I closed the last page cooing and laughing, then went and ordered it from Amazon to have my own paper copy. Highly and heartily recommended!
Mimi-Kun no Boy no Kisetsu (Mimi-kun’s boy season) (2009) #
Mangaka: Kumota Haruko
Genre: Yaoi, comedy, gender-bender
Status: Oneshot
Warnings: NWS (R)
Found: posted in yaoi_daily (downloaded to read the rest faster)
Summary: Mimi-kun works at a drag club and has long-planned on becoming a cute girl in the future–and his boy of choice is Kaoru-chan, the gay bartender from his workplace. However, during a chance make-out session at Mimi-kun’s birthday party, Kaoru pushes him away and says, “Sorry, I like you too but it seems I just can’t do this with a girl.” What is poor Mimi-kun to do?
My notes: I’ve heard about this oneshot before (where? what?). It turned out fun and pleasant. I think some people might be annoyed with it rather than pleased because [spoiler] Mimi is as ditzy as a guy as s/he was as a girl, and he chooses love over his lif-long gender identity at a drop of a hat [end spoiler] but I think it’s very in character for Mimi. It’s a short cute story about love, not gender idetity. Anyway, super-cute, loved the drawing, ideal comfort thingie, as for me :)
Mangaka: Kunieda Saika
Status: 4 oneshots, complete
Genre: Comedy Romance Yaoi
Warnings: NWS (R)
Summary: From Bushido Angel Adventures: Yamaguchi is a notorious womanizer. Some men admire him; others can’t stand him. Ishikawa is definitely one of the latter. Nevertheless, when Yamaguchi’s latest girlfriend dumps him, Ishikawa jokingly offers to comfort him with his own body. Unfortunately for Ishikawa, Yamaguchi takes the offer seriously. And, to make matters worse, Ishikawa discovers that he can’t say no! (by presencedear)
The series (of 4 oneshots) goes on like that: 1. Mimitabu no Riyuu. 2. Yubisaki no Biyaku. 3. Kuchibiru no Teppen. 4. Sumuji no Mannaka. (A Reason for Earlobes, Love Potion Fingertips, Top of the Lip, Center of the Hair Whorl).
My notes: I like this mangaka a lot. I even bought a paper copy of one of her manga (Furure Lovers. see rec above), which sort of testifies for it.
This series of short stories is cute and fun. Ishikawa is like a small yuppy dog, very disagreeable but you can’t help wanting to ruffle his fur. Yamaguchi is simply lovely, so level-headed and agreeable he is. Together, they make a nice light comedy pair. Pleasant story!
Mangaka: Nishida Higashi
Genre: Comedy Drama Yaoi
Status: 1 Volume (complete), scanlation in progress
Found: posted in yaoi_daily
Rating: NWS, R
Summary: A collection of three stories:
1. Morotomo (With Thou)
2. Jingi Nashi (Without Honor): Inept yakuza Sekiguchi loves getting arrested, for it’s his best chance to get up close and personal with no-nonsense detective Murata. But when Murata warns him about the imminent closure of his gang, Sekiguchi faces an uncertain future. Can a guy who fantasizes about fondling the nipples of macho men in handcuffs ever go straight?
3. Seinaru Otoko (The Holy Man): Pastor Andy, a missionary on a remote island, finds the brawny Taka washed up on the beach. Taka is the exact opposite of him in every way: a tough, brutish lout engaged in drug trafficking. Despite the danger, Andy offers Taka shelter and assistance - but his acts of Christian kindness conceal a dark obsession of his own.
My notes: This mangaka made me curious. By all reasons, I shouldn’t have liked a story of hers that I read before ( Grant My Wish . see above) but I did. So I decided to read something else of hers.
HBS have done only two chapters out of three. Story 2 is funny, especially fried-egg panicked eyes of the main character. A newbie yakuza guy is in love with a police officer and likes to get caught on purpose to be brought to the police station. One day he and his favourite officer get into a real jam. Story 3 is batshit crazy but funny and strangely moving. Taka is such a dirty animal but he’s also fun. I laughed out loud a few times at his rudeness and actions. I’m most definitely going to look for more works by Nishida Higashi. They are weird and refreshing.
Mangaka: Yamimaru Enjin
Scanlation group: Loveless
Status: oneshot, part 7 of An Ark of the Prince (Ouji no Hakobune), complete
Genre: Shounen Ai Yaoi
Warnings: Work Safe (a kiss)
Found: in yaoi_daily, end of june 2008
Summary: not given
Download: somewhere on the group’s site; I read it in yaoi_daily.
My notes: The cover doesn’t say anything about this short story because it’s for another oneshot from this volume. Music at the Break of Dawn was the only one I picked from the volume ‘cos the rest weren’t my thing. The beginning was drawn pleasantly, so I gave it a go. It’s a short and sad story, or maybe bittersweet. I don’t want to say much about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but it’s about a very ill and weird young guy and a bitter middle-aged writer, his neighbour. The story has a couple of very vivid details and doesn’t go along the most predictable, clichéd way, which probably made me like it. It’s poetic and emo but not too poetic, as for me, and pleasantly quiet.
Mangaka: Nishida Higashi
Scanslator: Volyund
Status: 3 Volumes (Complete)
Genre: Drama Mature Yaoi
Warning: not worksafe; some explicit het
Summary: Kinukawa was a second class pianist and he occasionally played in small clubs. He had a fairly loyal audience, a man who always listened to his piano and after a while, he was attracted by the man’s admiration for his piano. One time, he accidentally spilt water onto the man Fukami’s jacket. As a result, Fukami’s subordinate stabbed Kinukawa’s hand right through. Kinukawa then worked at his father’s coffee shop as he liked making cakes and Fukami came. He then told Kinukawa that if he could make cakes there were not sweet, he would come. The next time Fukami came, he told Kinukawa that he bought a piano and would like him to teach him how to play. Kinukawa agreed and he was happy teaching Fukami, but teaching a yakuza piano was more than what it seemed. (by nanya)
Download: here
Summary: A collection of three stories: 1. Seishun no Yamai wa - ch 1-4 2. Tengoku ga Mieru (Viewing Heaven) - ch 5-6 (Two-part sequel to Negai Kanae Tamae [Grant My Wish] featuring Kudo, former bodyguard to Fukami. During a trip to Europe, Kudo fends off the advances of a nosy thief while haunted by memories of his former boss.) 3. Good Night - ch 7
My notes: I wasn’t sure I was going to like it because the drawing style, let me put it like this, is peculiar. But some really funny and some really moving scenes (jigsaw puzzle!) made me change my mind. The tough and violent (also dim and very messed up) yakuza guy Fukami keeps getting into a jam; a nice and gentle (and rather naive) guy Kinukawa is in love with him keeps saving him. The yakuza characters are a bit like in Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill — maybe I think so because Kudo reminds me of Travolta :) I mean, the story is often funny, in a horrifying sort of way. The sequel is very sad though. There are typos in the first part of story 1 but I wouldn’t say they spoil the reading. I’ve seen comments elsewhere in which people complain about the ending (mind, I’m speaking of story 1). To avoid spoilers, let’s call it ambiguous. Well, I don’t know, I didn’t have any problems with it. IMO it lets you think about their future relationship and what point they are at exactly without creating any undue confusion.
Mangaka: Yoneda Kou
Status: Oneshot (Complete)
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Warnings: NWS (R)
Summary: From Queen2408 via MyAnimeList: A yakuza comes to request the services of an specialized transporter that takes care of delicate and illegal merchandise. It seems this transporter is quite picky about his clients, stating that he doesn’t belong to any group; you can’t trust yakuza. However he gets interested in this transaction and in the mysterious man that is negotiating it. What sort of hidden encounters will bring the nights to these strangers with such intriguing personalities?
Mangaka: Shoowa
Status: 1 Volume (Complete), scanlation ongoing
Genre: Slice of Life Yaoi
Warnings: NWS (R)
Summary: Renji and Kenta are musicians, they meet each other thanks to the friendship between their bands. Each musician has different reasons to play, be it love for the music, a strong desire to surpass their fears on stage or even just for someone’s approbation. While these bands are struggling to be known in such a competitive world, Kenta is struggling with a different problem in his love life; can he be a replacement for someone else?
Download: at the group’s site.
My notes: my favourite yaoi of the month. Which is surprising ‘cos I didn’t expect to read past chapter one when I started it, let alone like it so much. I mean, after reading the summary, I expected it to be more like Yokan from the previous issue of the diary. But it turned out to be really moving and not banal. Actually, “moving” is my key word for describing it. These guys feel as real as the characters of Miyamoto Kano’s manga, only less fucked-up. It’s not even drawn all that fantastically, but look: how unhappy and yet so cheeful and sunny Renji is and how that affects Kenta and makes him fall in love without even realising it at first, how we can see it, how there’s no major action or drama but the story plays with your emotions anyway… I love lots of these hows here! I have no clue if it will continue along this vein but I do hope it will. I might even up the rating if it does. Anyway, recommended!
Okane ga Nai (No money) (2007) []
Director: Makoto Sokuza
Genres: comedy, drama, erotica, romance, yaoi
Rating . Adults only! (Contains explicit sexual content)
Status: 4ep x 25min
Summary: Yukiya Ayase is a gentle, kind hearted, and innocent university student. The only relative he has left, his cousin Tetsuo, betrays Ayase by selling him to the highest bidder in an auction with hopes of making an enormous profit to be able to pay off his debts. Somuku Kanou, a bad-tempered (though very rich) loan shark, comes to Ayase’s rescue and buys Ayase for an impressive 1.2 billion. Kanou apparently knows Ayase from something that happened between them in the past, but Ayase cannot remember who Kanou is nor does he understand why he “saved” him. In a desperate effort to keep Ayase close to him, Kanou demands the debt be repaid in full and suggests the perfect way to do it: by selling his body to Kanou for 500,000 each time. Ayase is horrified in the beginning, but something soon begins to grow between them that can’t be bought for any price.
My notes: This is the first yaoi anime I finished (I had tried watching something else but fled). Yes, it’s cliched. Honestly, it has nearly any yaoi cliche you can think of. Large angular seme whose hand is bigger than the entire uke’s head, and on the whole he’s about twice as big as the uke. Seme is a very manly man, Yakuza loan shark, tough and very macho. Uke is small, waif-like, and looks like a 12-year-old (well, ok, 14) girl rather than a male uni student. He is, of course, a wet blanket. There’s of course seme’s inability to hold his feelings in check and — thankfully — nearly raping the object of his passion. The drawing is also in the style I dislike: the aforementioned underlined size differences, those huge wet uke’s puppy eyes, etc.
BUT! Here’s a ‘but’ of course. I wouldn’t finish it if it were nothing but a sum of cliches. There’s a story in there, and however cliched it is (is, is of course), it’s coherent, plotty enough, and the characters are coherent too. I mean, it happens way too often that I read a yaoi manga and keep ranting, “Just what sort of logic is this . Just what sort of motivation is that ?” In this anime, the characters’ motivations and the logic of their behaviour are understandable and often even nicely shown. It’s also well-balanced between comedy and drama. The funny scenes are funny (see hamster training in ep. 2), the dramatic scenes are moving. You will find something to laugh at as well as something to cry about.
A note on the rating: explicit but censored? explicit but not very? Meaning: plenty of sex and quite a bit of violence but no male bits shown.
My overal impression is positive. Not a masterpiece but pleasant enough to spent a couple of hours on. It’s the right length for it, too. Recommended.
Okujou no bai-bai (Good-bye on the rooftop) []
Mangaka: Kyuugou/ 9go / Ninekoks
Scanlation group: Biblo Eros
Genre: shounen-ai
Length: oneshot
Warnings: worksafe (but for a kiss)
Summary: Nogi is the fearless and respected karate black-belt who beats up bullies without breaking a sweat. But to Fujiwara, he’s just “Kei-chan”, best friend and object of his secret affections. Can their friendship survive? Or develop into something more?
My notes: lovely, exaggeratedly comical, if simple and unambitious. In other words, there isn’t much to the story: it’s a bit comical high school romance. But I like how the faces and talks are drawn. ETA: after reading quite a few works by this mangaka, I come to the conclusion that I like her drawing style a lot but her storytelling, rather less. But the visual side of manga is often more important for me :)
Author: Akizuki Kou . Artist: Yuzuki Ichi
Scanlated by: Bliss
Status: 3 Volumes (Complete)
Genre: Shota, Yaoi, Historical
Rating: NWS, R
Found: recced to me by Ashnazg here. And the only shota manga I have ever actually liked is Oucho Haru no Yoi no Romance, scanlated by Bliss. Historical as well - Heian period (you’ve got to love those hats…). Only drawback is that only the first two out of three volumes are scanlated (the project is still active but going slowly) - but those are still very much worth checking out!
Summary: By the author of “Fujimi Orchestra,” this manga version of the popular Heian period novel focuses on Senjumaru, a chigo at the Nyoirin temple of Saga. Young and beautiful, Senju has to withstand constant abuse of conceited monks. However, his teacher and head patriarch of the temple helps Senju escape from their clutches, leaving him with a letter of release. When a government official, Fujiwara Moroe, saves Senju from the temple henchmen pursuing him, Senju vows to serve him in return for his kindness…
My notes: OMG YESSS! I’ve found my ideal shota. OMG it exists! I can’t believe it but it does. After months of searching, I was recommended it by Ashnazg, for which my heartfelt thanks! It’s exactly what I wanted: loving, tender, with a 14-year-old kid being more or less an inexperienced and bratty 14-year-old, not a 18-yr-old drawn like 12, not a child behaving like a well-trained whore. I wanted it not to be manipulative or nasty. I wanted it to remind me of DementorDelta’s The Devil Will Drag You Under . I got it all and more! It’s historical, which is my weakness. It’s set during Heian period so the men wear those awesome Eboshi hats and flappy sleeves and long hair (Sai. D). I love how it’s drawn (except one panel with two left feet in vol.2), especially Moroe’s face when he’s embarrassed or in the throes of passion. And I love the story this manga tells. So tender and loving and awfully hot. And quite plotty. Plot! Plot! For real. And, again, drawn to make me melt.
Mangaka: Yamato Nase
Warnings: Worksafe for ch.1-2, Not worksafe for ch. 3-5
Scanlation group: Hochuuami (the site is currently down)
Genre: yaoi
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Summary: Sada-kun enters an all boys school to join their illustrious journalism club, but meets his match when he gets paired with the scary Nanjou.
My notes: very cute and funny. The plot is a sort of “education of Colin Creevey” :) A boy dreams of becoming a photo reporter. In the school journo club, he gets paired up with a mean-looking guy who, as it turns out, likes cute things: kittens, flowers, you name it. Their small adventures, misunderstandings, and everything else are cute overload, seriously, but in a pleasant way. I laughed out loud a couple of times. I’m a bit confused about Sada’s age ‘cos I don’t understand that school system. He looks like he’s 12 maybe because he’s often chibified, but he must be older. The leap into kissing and all is a bit too fast, but I liked the manga overall.
Mangaka: Watanabe Asia
Scanlation group: Nakama
Warnings: Not Worksafe
Status: 1 volume (complete), scanlation incomplete.
Summary: Collection of oneshots: 1) Oujisama no Boku. Commoner Hino is just grateful to be able to go to an elite high school. When princely Faran approaches the shy Hino because he’s interested in the lives of ordinary people, he’s reserved at first. But Faran is so outrageous and charming, does Hino’s heart stand a chance?
2) Honeycomb Child. Sex, lies, love and incest are just the beginning for twins Hachisu and Keito.
3) You are my Lollipop.
4) My Bully (Boku no Ijiwaru). Imari Hino finds his co-worker and love crush Karatsu Kitoshi handcuffed to his bed as a prank by their boss, what will Hino do?
Download: in the YD post (locked for members) or somewhere at Nakama’s site (I can never find heads or tails there).
My Notes: I read only Story 4: I can’t say I liked the drawing all that much or that the story was that compelling. But it was fun, a bit weird, and hot, so I liked it. The main character is in love with his colleague but the colleague is cool and has a sharp tongue. So the MC keeps silent, admiring his love interest from afar. One day he and his co-workers get drunk and his boss jokingly handcuffs the MC’s love interest to something in the MC’s flat. You’d think the MC will pounce at once? Nope. He’s a decent guy. He doesn’t know what to do.
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Yaoi
Warnings: Not worksafe
Status: oneshot, complete
Found: was posted in yaoi_daily, and I pounced!
My notes: A middle-aged (over 40, I think) Hakuto has an ED: “…no matter how cute, slender, or young my partner is, I just can’t get it up!” Kuramoto, Hakuto’s subordinate but not his type, offers him to try it with him. A simple way, really :) It’s funny and lovely.
Mangaka: Kanzaki Takashi
Status: 1 volume (Complete)
Genre: School Life Smut Yaoi
Rating/warnings: NWS, hard R
Found: recced to me by alexis_sd here .
Summary: [From Attractive Fascinante]. 1-4) To Takei, who’s a Math teacher in high school, the school is the perfect feasting ground for students. But never did he expect that one of his former students would become a teacher as well as his colleague! For the number one lusty teacher – Takei, his days of humiliation are starting soon! 5) Our Oath- The mixed up sex lives between a businessman, his secretary, and their sons.
My notes: this manga begins as unapologetic porn and pure guilty pleasure reading (pretty amusing, too). It’s a world where teachers fuck students in school with no repercussions, where students watch their gay teachers have sex, and where everything revolves around sex and more sex. There’s nothing original either in the story or in the artwork but it’s pleasant to look at, except one dislocated knee that is, unfortunately, at the opening page. On the way though, the porn gradually develops into a sort of relationship, sort of story. The ‘echoing’ endings of the chapters underline it and give the storyline some sort of structure. Not bad on the whole, as far as “almost-PWPs” go. One thing that annoyed me was “cum” in translation.
Mangaka: Mizukami Shin
Genre: Yaoi, Historical, Drama, short
Warnings: Not worksafe, explicit, rape in some parts, non-con/dub-con in others
Status: complete, 1 vol, 5 stories
Found: browsing yaoi places for this mangaka ‘cos I liked another story of hers
Summary: A collection of five short stories. Chapters 1-3 are set in ancient Japan, whereas chapters 4-5 are modern. In the title story, Seiten is the illegitimate son of the King. He’s considered to be an insult to his kind and his brothers make fun of him by humiliating him and his position. It’s thanks to Rikara, a prisoner (or as Seiten would say, a fallen angel) that he finds the strength to fight and win back his life.
My notes: I’m reading one story of this mangaka for one set of reviews, spreading the pleasure: even if I don’t fall totally in love with all her stories, I do enjoy them. The style is …I don’t know… bold? Rich? Not subtle at all. ) if not always flawless or very precise. And I do like looking at her characters :) Rikara was a bit too trashy for me but was interesting to read anyway (see summary above). Rougoku ni Saku Hana . story 2, was about a judge and a prisoner, and I liked it. There was one panel that struck me as awfully hot, and it wasn’t even about sex. #3, Lingering Attachment (Miren) was way too melodramatic for me. #4, Semi-double Bed de Kimi to is set in modern Japan. Two guys from a school football team move into the same one-room apartment after graduating, which means courting disaster. The epic battle of love vs everyday life begins. Lovely and amusing. #5, Tag Out! is about a boy who plays baseball and accidentally breaks his principal’s window and their school main sponsor’s glasses with the same ball. He enters the sponsor’s company to work as a cleaner/servant to repay for the broken glasses. Love and schmex ensue. 2 out of 5 get a [] .
Artist: Kamuro Akira . Writer: Takao Hiroi
Warnings: NWS, kinks aplenty
Genre: Adult Comedy Drama Smut Yaoi
Status: 1 volume (complete)
Summary: This manga contains six short stories that were originally published in June magazine.
Ch. 1, Rumble Rush . New worker at the train station, in a desperate situation being played with by a groper.
Ch. 2, Dr.H! . A guy who suffers from insomnia goes to a Chinese medicine doctor for the cure. The doctor’s methods are somewhat unorthodox.
Ch. 3, High School Maze features the same main characters as the sidestory One Night Heaven and is set a few years after that.
Ch. 4, Sound of the Waves (Roar of the Sea) (Shiosai): Hirofumi returns home when his father dies. Will he meet his high school friend Jin who confessed to him when they were teenagers and was part of the reason Hirofumi hasn’t returned home for 15 years?
Ch. 5, Stay . contains graphic images of bondage, blood, and fluids, but it has a sweet ending.
Ch. 6, After the Rain . Same couple as in #3 and side story and #1.
Side story: One Night Heaven (Himitsu no Kuchizuke): A young couple are quarrelling on their trip to an onsen and are seduced by an older swinging couple. DL @ Liquid Passion .
My notes: IMO, it’s not a typical yaoi, although it’s not gay porn either. It’s somewhere in the middle, as for me, and that’s why it was so interesting. Unlike many a magaka who draws all characters with one face, Kamuro Akira draws the same several character faces (and body types) from story to story. But I love how they are drawn. They have some meat on them but at the same time, don’t have the butchiness or muscle so prominent in muscle yaoi/bara. The stories don’t have roles that are strictly divived: this one is uke, so he’s whimpy and willowy and that one is seme so he’s a manly man and is bigger. Not like that in Rumble Rush . It’s almost PWP because the stories are heavily centred on very graphic sex and kink but not quite. There is some sort of story going on in the background.
I started with ch. 5 because it was posted in yaoi_daily and was immediately sucked in, even though it looked like a PWP. Because — HOT. Kinky, graphic, and OMG so hot! I really, really liked how it was drawn. Story 4 which was the second I read is mystery/supernatural and very sad. I liked it the least ‘cos the story it tells isn’t quite to my tastes but again, I liked how it was drawn. The rest are closer to being kinky PWPs with the same cast of characters. If you want a hot and graphic yaoi, this is, IMO, what the doctor ordered. #6 is pretty amusing.
Sennen ni Hitotsu no Koi (Only Lover for Thousand Years; 1000 Years, 1 Love) []
Mangaka: Mizukami Shin
Status: 1 Volume (Complete), scanlation incomplete
Genre: Fantasy Historical Yaoi
Summary: Compilation of short stories. 1) 1000 Years, 1 Love
Haukua is sent into the mountains by the village to kill a ferocious tiger that has been attacking villages. The tiger, mistaking him for a girl, drags Haukua into the mountains to become his mate. love soon blossoms as hakua must teach this half human creature the meanings of his new found emotions.
2) 1000 Years, 1 Love Extra
Their love going strong, Haukua decides to go back to the village. Naturally Youko tags along and runs into some trouble in the human world.
3) Lying Words, Honest Kiss. 4) Fallen Warrior. 5) The Flower of Love. 6) The Path of Pure Love. 7) Afterword — these last two haven’t been scanlated
Download: at the group site and LJ comm
My notes: Ch. 1-2. This is a fairy tale, nice, as for me. Awfully romantic. I was very sad for the beast when he understood what heartache meant and offered Haukua his fur. IMO if the story were twice longer and some more space were devoted to character and plot development, it would make a good story. As it is now, it’s just enjoyable. The extra is funny: tail used as a belt, Youko grabbing food, aww.
Ch. 3. A slave merchant steals a beautiful boy to sell him to a public house. Little did he know that the boy wouldn’t mind at all. Or that he would. Grammar could be better.
Ch. 4. A doctor’s apprentice Suiki finds a wounded samurai in the forest and takes him to his home to treat. The samurai is really bad-tempered and the boy has bad history with samurai. Romantic and lovely, and very tame.
Ch. 5. Is a story of an artist and a beautiful boy he saves who later comes to serve as his model. Only he doesn’t want to draw him. Pleasant to look at and lovely.
On the whole, quite readable and enjoyable.
Seven Days (Seven Days - Friday to Sunday) (2007) #
Mangaka: Tachibana Venio (author) and Takarai Rihito (artist)
Status: 2 volumes (complete), licensed
Genre: Drama Romance School Life Shounen Ai
Warnings: very mild NWS for kisses
Found: pointed me to some list of top-10 Yaoi and BL manga. It was on that list.
Summary: From Vices and Devices: Bright and early one Monday morning, Shino Yuzuru asks Seryou Touji out on a lark when they run into each other at the school gate. Seryou, who’s immensely popular, has the odd habit of going out with anyone who asks him out first at the beginning of the week, then promptly dumping them at the end of it. “Anyone” apparently includes male upperclassmen like Shino, and as a boyfriend, Seryou is perfect–unfailingly thoughtful and kind. Shino, obviously, has no intention of being in a serious relationship with Seryou. It’s not like it’s actually love or anything like that. …Right?
Download: try free manga-sharing places, since it’s licensed. But it’s worth buying, IMO.
My notes: my overall impression of Seven Days is that it’s very very lovely. It leaves you with a mellow, warm feeling. While the premise isn’t quite banal, there’s nothing particularly ground-breaking in it either, but it’s done so well that the thought “seen it all, know it all” doesn’t enter the head of a voracious BL reader. Instead, you simply enjoy the story. The conflict is build upon a chain of small misunderstandings and things not said. However even the angst that moves the plot isn’t of the melodramatic kind. It’s sort of mellow too. Very nice, pleasant, and pretty reading. Recommended!
Sensei no Kokuhaku (Teacher’s Confession) (2007) []
Mangaka: Yamato Nase
Status: oneshot
Genre: Romance School Life Yaoi
Rating/warnings: NWS, NC-17
Found: randomly browsing BE site
Summary: Kunihara Sensei is a handsome college prep teacher who is used to fending off the advances of his female students. But adorable and shy Kakei appears to have a crush on sensei too, only he won’t admit it. As Kunihara tries to find a way to deal with male student admiration, he finds himself more and more interested in Kakei. Extra story in Kyoushi mo Iroiro Aruwakedei .
My notes: very cute, as Yamato Nase stuff often is, and as usual in her manga, the uke is drawn as if he were much younger. Somehow it doesn’t annoy me in her works (but often does in others’ manga). I wouldn’t pay this manga any special attention if the situation all yaoi readers saw drawn twenty a hundred times weren’t shown from a rather unusual angle. Lovely light reading.
Sex Pistols (US: Love Pistols) (2004) #
Mangaka: Kotobuki Tarako
Scanlation group: Nakama. okaeshi
Status: 6 volumes ( ongoing . scanlation up to ch. 30 ATM), licensed
Warnings: non-explicit NWS
Genre: Comedy Fantasy School Life Shoujo Ai Supernatural Yaoi
Found: recced by killmelover here and rachecho here ages ago. The push came to shove this week when told me that she was reading and enjoying it.
Summary: People are starting to act very odd around Norio. This average, normal boy is suddenly getting a lot of unwanted romantic attention and he can’t figure out why! A broken leg and a fall down the stairs into the arms of a handsome stranger set off the beginnings of an explanation, and it is one Norio never could have possibly imagined. Soon a whole new world opens up for Norio, revealing a secret society of special people evolved from animals other than monkeys. This society has a complex structure and its members are ranked by rarity and desirability, and it turns out that Norio is a particularly rare breed and his DNA is in much demand! How will he survive in this modern jungle where he’s suddenly the prey?
Download: try free manga sharing places.
My notes: CRAAAACK! It’s my kind of crack though, which is so rare that it must be treasured :) The drawing, the kind/style of which I don’t like (feet beyond squicky, not to mention there are two left or two right ones sometimes; huge bodies and huge hands with tiny heads, and so on), IMO fits this cracky story very well. This is why I didn’t mind it here. But this art on the covers did make me reluctant to read it at first. Do turn a blind eye on it for a bit though ‘cos the story is a very enjoyable wild romp!
The [first] main character suddenly started seeing people around him with animal heads, mostly as monkeys but also some other animals. And people keep groping him and confessing to him. Enter several manly semes, some of which compete for him. The beginning is intriguing enough to hook you, and later on, the story is crazy enough to keep you reading and then, fun enough to make you want more. [That guy] turning into a tiny kitty when excited made me laugh out loud several times.
The overall story structure is that of a soap, and this is what wasn’t really to my tastes. I would have preferred it to end at about volume 3 because it becomes too repetitive after that, as for me. I mean, we learn the story of one couple. Cool, fine. We learn the story of one of their brother and his partner’s. Fine, interesting enough. We learn the story of some third couple that is somehow connected to them. Good enough. But by the point we are shown stories of somebody who spend some time in the same place with the 7892nd character? Come on, been there, seen that, yawn. But that’s me. If you like soaps, you might simply enjoy it for longer than I did. But I did enjoy it, a lot even. Recommended.
SIN IS ABOVE SKIN LEVEL series ##
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Warning: not worksafe
Genre: Yaoi
Status: Oneshot, complete
Summary: When stoic Mizusawa, a janitor, saves businessman Aoki from falling down some stairs, he gets a friend for life! Aoki is always tracking him down at lunch time just so they can eat together. But Mizusawa isn’t sure how he feels about Aoki…
Bonus story:
Akka - (Renai Tsuu DJ) [Dangerous Pleasure ] [Oneshot, complete] Same DL link as above.
Scanlation Group: Aarinfantasy
Status: 2 chapters (Complete)
Summary: Tsukishima, a regular businessman, has begun a blissful life living with his lover Yamaji. But though things are happy on the surface, Tsukishima can’t shake the feeling that Yamaji only likes his body…
Bonus story:
Hada no Ue ni furu Hana [Liquid Passion] [Sin is Above Skin Level DJ] (Download )
My notes: May I repeat it? Again nothing much in the story but still pleasant to read. Mizusawa is not so much stoic as rather slow or dim :) But that’s exactly why I liked it. In the second story that connects to the first one through secondary characters (that is to say, the main characters of each one are the secondary ones in the other), I really liked the chubby art teacher. Aww. The doujinshi are so awfully lovely they made me melt, seriously.
Yes, Naono Bohra men (even the big, burly ones) always cry and confess love. But they also have sex with clothes half-off, they snore, they get drunk and fall asleep, and not in that charming oh-so-sexy way, but in that ridiculous and heart-warming way of real life, when one leg remains tangled in the pants or when socks stay on or when somebody drools when sleeping. They kiss and grab each other in lovely, lovely ways. This manga is, as often with Naono Bohra, romantic but not Romantic, if you get what I mean. It’s romantic real life and its small things. Appeals to me as few other things do. Several panels moved me deeply with their tenderness or sexyness. For example, when they are watching cherry blossoms in the bonus story, on the balcony, when Yamaji munches on a blossom and Tsukishima kisses him won’t say where. It’s ridiculous and sexy and sweet. The calendar from the other pairing bonus story is also incredibly lovely.
The Sleeping Man (can’t find MU page for it; suspect it’s a part of some collection of oneshots) []
Mangaka: Kunieda Saika
Status: oneshot.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Warnings: mild NWS
Summary: In high school, Tatsuya and Naoki made a promise to greet the new century together. But Naoki, a chronic over-sleeper, can never make it anywhere on time. Is he too late once again?
My notes: weird and sad. I would say it’s Kunieda Saika’s trademark if “weird and hilarious” or simply “hilarious” weren’t as good done by her as “weird and sad.” This is a lovely bittersweet story (maybe bitter more than sweet) of missed opportunities and devotion.
Mangaka: Honami Yukine and Kanemaru Maki
Group: i-x
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Yaoi, oneshot
Warning: Not worksafe but much less explicit than the one below
Status: complete, 1 vol, licensed
Found via a description at yaoi.ca. then in one of the manga-sharing comms.
Summary from Xandria: Set in regency France, the story is focused on a young aristocrat and a gentleman thief who would posses the young aristocrat. The young aristocrat has a reputation as one who uses and abuses his lovers but the thief has romance on his mind and does not wish to be treated like all the others.
There’s a masquerade ball (orgy), abduction, romance, and plenty of buckled shoes and socks getting tossed aside in a flurry of passion. The artwork is elegance personified and truly reflects this enchanting story.
There are some very humorous moments and the characters are wicked and delicious. Can a stuck up snobby aristocrat who wants for nothing fall in love? And just who is this gentleman thief?
My notes: I liked the cover and summary, and wanted to read it right then. So I found it. The story turned out easy to follow: lovely boys, light drawing style full of white but not of blank space, not crowded either by text or by picture. I can’t say I loved it or that it made a strong impression on me, but it’s a costume period drama with a plot. Like reading Dumas père.
By: Itsuki Kaname
Status: 1 volume (complete)
Genre: Drama Romance Yaoi
Rating: NWS
Found: posted in yaoi_daily December 2008-January2009
Summary: Shiraishi Shoutarou, a novelist, just learnt that his young and honest editor-in-charge, Osanai Masumi, would marry his precious daughter. But his daughter went missing right before the wedding!
So now, Shoutarou is living under the same roof with the man who was supposed to be his son-in-law…
DL: at the scanlation group site.
My notes: As it turned out, I read a story of this mangaka before ( Oh! My maid! ) and didn’t like it. Heh. I like this one so far. The relationship between the two men, for once, is moving on very slowly. I find it so refreshing. ) The situation holds enough drama in itself without the author making it overly melodramatic, and it’s also pretty ridiculous — as is the main character, the novelist. Interesting to follow, pleasant to look at, and really lovely :) Fluff but the best kind!
Artist: Yamada Yugi & Author: Aida Saki
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Drama Yaoi
Summary: Kurata Izumi’s memories of Takatsudo Shin end at middle school graduation when Shin told Izumi he never wants to see him again. Now Izumi is a single father whose son is in love with Shin’s nephew. They’re forced to interact, but Shin doesn’t seem to remember what he said to Izumi. Add Izumi’s yakuza brother-in-law Sawaragi into the mix…
My notes: this is yet another story I was happy to follow as it was posted in yaoi_daily. I can’t say I like the drawing but there’s a story in here, even if not the most ground-breaking one. It keeps one’s attention and very soon even becomes interesting for real. I mean, yeah, competing semes, misunderstandings, a single father with a super-cute and precocious son, blah, blah. But they are sweet, really. Shin’s inability to articulate anything is lovely too.
Mangaka: Sadahiro Mika
Genre: Yaoi
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Rating: NWS
Found: in a_special’s LJ, leafing through their yaoi posts. Thought the summary was intriguing.
Summary: Collection of oneshots:
1) 3 1/2. Three guys share an American Forces house, but one of them, a most conservative guy, can not put up with the other two guys’ profligate sex life…
2) Dessin. Two guys often repeat “part” and “get back together” just like a game. But one of the guys becomes unable to keep it…
3) Torso. A student who indulges the masturbation with torso knows the sex with flesh-and-blood guy for the first time…
4) Sasayaka na Yokubou (A Modest Desire). A bullied homosexual student who has a taste for “peeping” adores two very cool guys who look kings in their school. The student saves them in exchange for observing their sex.
5) Metamorphosis. A guy who bears a load of debt by “seminar of self-development” tries prostitution and is broken in by a rich guy who seems to like to dominate in kinky sex, but what is this guy really after?
6) Vanilla Boys. A guy finds a lover at Shinjuku, a famous gay date spot for the first time by pretending he likes hard core sex but in reality he is more into gentle “vanilla” sex.
DL: in the group’s LJ (f-locked).
My notes: now it’s clear to me that I like it when a yaoi manga is honestly about kinks. See Rumble Rush by Kamuro Akira and Takao Hiroi above. The stories in Three and a Half are rather underwritten; you often have to guess what character motivations are, but I sort of liked it ‘cos I don’t like too much psychology in my manga. Quite a few of them are rather disturbing, like #3 or 4. And even if the drawing wasn’t quite to my tastes, I enjoyed reading this manga. It kept my interest.
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Genre: Yaoi Fantasy
Status: complete, 1 vol
Warning: Not Worksafe
Found: following the links to the mangaka’s other works after reading Angel’s Confession
Summary: A tale of two brothers who travel far and wide end up lodging with a cafe owner. We learn of the strange things that go ‘bump’ in the night in a cemetary as well as the love that binds individuals together.
My notes: I love this mangaka’s drawing! The cover doesn’t showcast it to its best, but b&w is simply lovely. And she draws normal feet :) And there are bushy tails! It’s creature!fic creature!manga that, combined with the style I like, hits my part-animal fic kink like whoa. Regretfully, the story is very uneven: the storyline wanders, strays, tips into various genres, and is very eclectic. Some chapters are a bit too mushy, some rather creepy. On the whole, it’s cute and humorous. Bushy-tailed Jirou is a real pleasure to look at, the sex is sexy, and, once again, I love how she draws people. So, light unassuming reading and eye-candy :) “I can’t do anything, Jirou, if I don’t get this thing out of the way!” Awww :) The English of the speech bubbles could be better though.
Tennen + Gokuraku Mahoutsukai (Natural + Carefree Sorcerer) (2005) []
Mangaka: Yukimura
Scanlated by: Nakama
Genre: Comedy Supernatural Yaoi
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Rating/warnings: NWS, R
Found: recced to me by malcara here
Summary: A guy with a weird creature on his shoulder and a wand in his hand saved Kureba Masaki, a CEO of a branch company, from falling off a bridge, and forced a condition of “partnership” over him… a nightmare right? Right?!
DL: somewhere at Nakama’s site.
My notes: that’s not a winged penis on the cover; it’s a wand! The manga is a feel-good kind of reading, with pretty and amusing characters and some plot (not very complex but still there). All blonds have the same face so I got confused a couple of times. What I liked in this story were the hints of the complex hierarchy and relationships between magic guilds and common world. Would be a good story if all those things about magic and guilds and Airei past were properly developed instead of being hinted at or shown glimpses of. Conclusion: pleasant light reading, as for me; underdone but not bad as it is.
Artist: Ootsuki Mi
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Romance Yaoi
Warnings: Not worksafe
Summary: 1-2) It’s about Michihiro who grieves after his dog’s death. But then one day a guy who claims to be his dead dog appears. Who is he and why does he know every little thing about Michihiro?
3) Our World . Matsuya and Tsuge have just started dating and are having problems in the bedroom. Matsuya is worried about their compatibility.
4) Drop of First Love . Chiyoda’s never been able to forget his first love, a beautiful little girl that was always picked on at the public park. Even though he moved away he’s always thought about her, and now that he’s back Chiyoda knows he’ll recognize her. But Ichikawa isn’t quite the girl he remembers…
5) If You are Here . Carefree Souta attaches himself to Yuuya, even moving into Yuuya’s tiny apartment. Yuuya finds himself caring for the hopelessly innocent Souta like a mother, but his feelings are becoming more and more dangerous to their friendship.
6) One Sweet Please . Super-shy pastry chef Furugawa Atsu has finally gotten up the courage to confess his love to beautiful customer Sakiya Naoyuki. But Atsu doesn’t only seen him in the shop, is he really in love with Sakiya, or just captivated by a pretty face?
7) Kitty’s Melancholy . Ichiyama is feeling neglected. Machida only comes over when he wants to have sex and leaves right afterwards. Even at school there’s no time for romance.
My notes: I have read only story one and liked it, even though it follows quite a few cliché tropes. But it surprised me anyway! I wasn’t expecting a turn this story takes, especially after the previous manga’s mysticism. It was amusing, entertaining, sweet, a bit ridiculous, and kept my attention. What more to wish for. )
Artist: Yoo Ha jin
Groups scanlating: Broken Butterfly (inactive)
Status: 6 Volumes (complete), licensed
Genre: Comedy Drama Yaoi
Warnings: non-explicit NWS
Found: this title is recced far and wide. I wonder that I didn’t cave in earlier.
Summary: The mafia threatens Ewon into working for a loan shark, where he’s forced to run dangerous errands for no pay. The culprit who doomed Ewon to this life is none other than Jiho, Ewon’s jealous ex who still burns at Ewon’s infidelity. Their gang leader Mookyul, with movie-star good looks and the bizarre drunken habit of biting people on the neck, takes a keen interest in his attractive new errand boy. Will Ewon be able to survive the violent underworld (not to mention the constant sexual harassment he must endure) as an underling of Mookyul?
Download: try free manga sharing places.
My notes: The story turned out to be a case of failed expectation for me. I don’t know why, maybe because of some rec wording, I expected it to be more similar to Let Dai than to a more average gangster yaoi. This manhwa though bears a certain similarity to, say, Viewfinder above: there are mafia, a uke out of place among them (who wasn’t a uke before, which is a nice touch), a verrrry dashing mafia boss, and while it’s not CLICHÉ cliché, I bet you’ve read something similar if you read yaoi. However that doesn’t mean that the story isn’t entertaining. It IS, very much so, in fact. The title is apt. This manhwa kept me totally captivated until the very end, not unlike Ewon with his Boss. It is a bit melodramatic in places but not too much so. So, while not groundbreaking or tearing out of genre restrains, it’s still a good reading. Recommended.
Mangaka: Sadahiro Mika
Scanlated by: Nakama
Status: 3 Volumes (Complete)
Genre: Adult Drama Yaoi
Warning: NWS, graphic and explicit
Found: Recced to me by .
Summary: Under Grand Hotel is the inmates’ name for a prison in the US. Sen is a Japanese guy who has been imprisoned after killing his lover’s husband. Swordfish is the leader of the prison. Sen needs Swordfish’s protection, but can a love story work in a prison?
My notes: I was reluctant to read this yaoi title because, having learned that it’s set in prison, I expected it to be much harder on the reader. But when I tried it at last, I got sucked in immediately and liked it so much that I almost gave it two stars. Almost . I would if it stopped on vol. 1 or if vols. 2-3 were more like the first one. But they demostrate the dangers of success I’ve seen in yaoi manga several times: the first volume appears to be a more or less finished story that stands on its own perfectly well. But the story turns out to be popular so the author continues it and the consequent volumes become a soap, of sorts. Under “soap” here I mean that they begin following secondary characters rather than/alongside the main ones and that the main storytelling device comes to be “it turns out that…”
Having said that, I did like all the three volumes of this manga. I just liked the first much better than the other two. First of all, I loved the art (well, except feet, but don’t let me get started on why people can draw very complex anatomy of sex from different angles, lots of amasingly difficult facial expressions etc but not feet :D), the inside b&w art much better than the cover art. I even loved it. This mangaka draws young healthy male bodies in a way that makes me want to lick them. Swordfish’s slightly asymmetric face and his various expressions stayed with me for days after reading. In that, Under Grand Hotel reminds me of Let Dai (see above), but maybe the fact that the main character and their dinamics are similar to Let Dai has something to do with it too: here we have a psychotic and very young gand boss who doesn’t think twice before hurting (or killing, in this case) people but who has some child-like purity to him and can get swayed (to the extent he can be) by the power of love. And we have his partner who carries this power. Sen does remind me of Jaehee as much as Swordfish resembles Dai. But that’s it with similarities. The story is very different.
I think one of the main things that makes it so appealing and so much fun to read is the very peculiar combination of, on the one hand, realism and brutality of the prison life and, on the other hand, the aweful-OMG-so-bloody-over-the-top, bodice-ripper kind romance that’s going on in there. In any case, whatever it is, there’s something in this manga to make one fall in love with it. Do try it!
Mangaka: Yamane Ayano
Status: 6 Volumes ( ongoing ), licensed ; scanlation seems to be stopped, it’s up to vol. 6 ch. 31
Genre: Action Adult Yaoi
Warning: explicit NWS
Found: via ashnazg’s rec here .
Summary: 1) You’re my Loveprize in Viewfinder (1st part of the main series, Viewfinder ; 3 chapters. You’re my Loveprize in Viewfinder, Fixer & an extra, Embrace the Heat of the Night): During a routine journalism assignment, freelance photographer Akihito Takaba is captured by the mysterious Asami, a powerful leader in Japan’s underworld society. Asami forces his captive to undergo a night of pleasure and pain never before imagined…
Download: try free manga sharing places.
My notes: I actually read this manga a year ago in the summer but forgot to actually type up a rec. Today, while looking through my notes for yaoi I’ve read, I found headers for it. Yay :)
Viewfinder is bad. Baaaad. Honestly. It has yaoi clichés by the dozen. This is also the manga where [that brrr thing] is inserted [there]. BUT! It’s PREEEETTTTY and addictive as only a guilty pleasure reading can be. In that, it’s a perfect guilty pleasure reading. You find yourself lapping it up and begging for moremoremorerightnao! This is, in a sense, what an ideal yaoi manga is. Or what an ideal yaoi manga should be. And in this respect, Viewfinder is one of the best yaoi titles I’ve read.
PS: Feilon makes me drool :)
Mangaka: Chouno Shibuki
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Genre: Fantasy Yaoi
Rating/warnings: NWS, NC-17
Found: via bara thread at Aarinfantasy forums
Summary: A collection of short stories. [From DokiDoki]: BL is such a … rich and uh… varied genre. Don’t believe it? Check out this extremely porny compilation celebrating the various shapes and sizes of men in BL… from delicate waifish youths to middle-aged musclemen, you’ll find it in here. And boy is it porny. \\ Story 9: A (buff) karate champion is taken by his sensei when injured and unable to fully defend himself. (from s-l)
My notes: I downloaded it looking for bara (muscle yaoi or muscle gay porn drawing) but that’s not bara per se. It’s a different animal. The preface made me laugh: “The ukes that will appear in this book:
Height: 161 cm - 190 cm
Weight: 46 kg - 92 kg
Age: 18 years old - 48 years old.”
Very porny, very explicit and uncensored. Ch. 1: a barman and a part-timer boy. 2: panda fetish. 3: fantasy: a prince and his bird. 4: blue moon. 5-6: a cake shop. 7: an antique shop, mother had a cup, son fucks the owner — the least coherent of them, IMO. 8: a priest and a vampire; dark and angsty. 9: a karate fighter and his doctor. Liked #1 and 5-6. This manga is nothing special story-wise but the very idea to draw a gallery of types making characters larger and larger amused me to no end, and I liked half of the drawing.
Mangaka: Suzuki Tsuta
Status: complete oneshot
Genre: Comedy School Life Yaoi
Warnings: NWS
Summary: It takes all of Yuusuke’s courage to approach super cool and brash classmate Mukogawa. But with a casual, “Ok”, Mukogawa agrees, and suddenly Yuusuke is being pulled along at Mukogawa’s pace.
My notes: very weird and cute, especially the Mukogawa character. It seems there’s no delay between a thought in his head and words at the tip of his tongue, besides, he has no qualms about anything, or at least so it seems. That makes the story funny and refreshing. Pity it’s so short. Also, I have no clue why it’s titled thus.
Winter Walk (oneshot from Yakusoku no Ie ) (1998) []
Artist: Kunie Sakai (Kunieda Saika’s pen name)
Status: oneshot
Warnings: worksafe
Genre: Drama Josei
Summary: Shuuhei has to see his ex-lover one last time. While waiting for him in the park, he meets a strange little girl who won’t leave him alone.
My notes: I have an impression that when Kunieda Saika doesn’t write a most hilarious and fantastic comedy (Memory of the Future *cough* do read !), she writes totally crazy mysterious and super-angsty things. She can do both really well! This short story is of the second kind. Short, poetic, angsty, strange and enticing in the very unique KS’s way.
Yokan (Yokan: Premonition) (2003) (Russian title: Предчувствие) []
Mangaka: Tateno Makoto
Scanlated by: Luna Chicas
Status: 1 Volume (complete) (+ a sequel, Yokan EX Noise ), licensed
Genre: Drama Mature Yaoi
Warnings: NWS (R)
Found: my BFF wieder gave me a paper copy for my birthday.
Summary: from BU: Charon’s lead vocalist Akira wants to sing a song written by Sunaga, a famous actor but Sunaga requests Akira’s body as payment for that song… Sunaga has great musical talent but he has a careless attitude towards everything, Akira is angry with Sunaga’s easygoing attitude, but can’t help himself from feeling…
My notes: that is some seriously bad summary up here… So ok, we have two singers, the opposites, as you might predict. One is a rock star, Akira (all rather goth of course), who writes all their band’s songs himself and who’s very serious about his music. And Sunaga, who’s a pop idol who sings some crap and doesn’t give a flying rat’s arse about it. One day Akira catches him singing by himself at some roof, singing something completely different and doing it breathtakingly. Akira goes on a crusade to make Sunaga sing “for real”, with some consequences that in another genre might be called disastrous but in yaoi lead to true love anyway.
Yes, you guessed right. This is pretty cliched. But not bad, as for me. Because there’s some plot and even some plot turns (although they are often, I dunno, teenagery? Like what you’d expect from a 15-year-old writer, not a grown and prolific one), enough to have kept my attention even though I didn’t like the drawing. So, mixed impressions but it wasn’t a waste of time, as far as yaoi goes.
PS: read it in English. I mean, not in Russian. Really, when they find some sort of not-totally-squicky language for sex in my native tongue, I’ll dance a jig.
Yokubou Shounen (A Desire Boy) (2006) #
Mangaka: Naono Bohra
Scanlation Group: Nakama
Genre: Yaoi
Status: 1 volume (complete)
Warning: NWS
Found: looking for this mangaka’s works
Summary: In the first two one-shots we’ll get to meet a teacher, Matsunae Suguru, and his handsome, self-searching young student Shinobu, and then again Shinobu, causing confusion between his two schoolmates, Hideya and Makoto, who are hopelessly in love - but sweetly clueless about how to get it going. The third story, ‘Love Snatcher’, is an absolutely gorgeous fantasy. Once again Naono-sensei proves her skill at drawing animals, and the mysterious Tigure is truly an eyeful. The last two one-shots are very emotional, painted with doubt and misunderstandings, and the fact that Naono-sensei is a master at creating unique individuals really shows this time as well.
A collection of oneshots:
1) A Desire Boy (Yokubou Shounen)
2) Sawaki’s Case
3) Love Snatcher- After getting fired from his job half Japanese Tanaka Tatsuaki drunkenly prays to the moon to take him away, and it does! He’s been summoned to a land of shape-shifters to be the bride of Tigure, lord of the tigers. And he’s expected to give birth?
4) Love and Reticence (Ai to Chinmoku)- Nearly silent ghost writer Kisa has fallen in love with a small out of the way diner and the delicious food there. But handsome owner-san wants more from Kisa than his patronage.
5) Drowning in Love (Oboreru Kankei)- Yoshino Keiichi’s life has gotten a lot more interesting since single father Kayumi Takamasa and his two young children moved in next door. Keiichi’s become a mother to the youngsters, but his relationship with their father is much more complex…
DL: via the Naono Bohra scanlation database or Nakama site when it’s fully up again.
My notes: #1: extremely lovely. I’m dead of lovely overdoze :) Shinobu-kun is a bit slow and naive but he’s an honest heart. Suguru shouldn’t really have done what he did ‘cos it was sex with a minor where this particular minor, being how he is, couldn’t give the informed consent. But Naono Bohra’s stories are about love, so all is well that ends well.
#2: is also flangsty and amusing. Shinobu’s not so naive anymore, so he helps some love newbies figure out their relationship.
#3 is a very pretty, cute, and sexy fantasy. Implied MPreg and creature!fic in one. I would hate it were it not by this mangaka. But it is, so… What’s better than big cats as drawn by this artist? Tails, ears, fur, and those cats turn into people. Very yummy!
# 4: same can be said about this one, I mean cute and flangsty and lovely, not MPreg or fantasy :)
# 5: Awwww it’s so sweet! A single father with two small kids moves in next door to a middle-aged children’s books illustrator. A flangsty love affair ensues. Awfully cute and hot. A perfect comfort reading. Am still smiling.
I love how Naona Bohra plays with age gap, power balance, height/size difference in the end. Her stories are always somewhat the same but if to read them one volume per month, they are delightful. They are a rest for the soul. Well, slasher’s soul :) And I love her drawing to bits and tiny little pieces. Hands, feet, facial expressions, clothes, awww :) I loved all the five stories here. This is going to be one of my favourite works by Naona Bohra.
Mangaka: Mizukami Shin
Status: complete oneshot
Genre: YAOI
Warning: not worksafe
Found: via jazngurl88’s rec here
Summary: After being abandoned by his parents, a young boy meets a mysterious man, a fox god who will take care of him, if the boy will pray to his shrine…
Download: site under construction, try manga trading places (like here )
My notes: I can’t help it, it’s my “fic kink”: I love this mangaka’s fox gods. The story could have been much more developed but even as it is, I found it pleasant.
Yume Musubi, Koi Musubi (2008) []/# (to be decided when finished)
Mangaka: Sakuragi Yaya
Warnings: not quite worksafe, PG-13
Status: 2 Volumes ( Ongoing ), scanlation ongoing
Genre: Shounen Ai
Found: posted in yaoi_daily Feb. 2009. The poster’s note sounded intriguing: “Once again I couldn’t resist: Being thoroughly in love with both mangaka and manga, I just had to post it. And maybe you can figure out the answer to the question stirring up the Sakuragi-community: “Who the hell is the seme in this story? (And who the fuck cares?)” Enjoy!”
Summary: A great love story between a Shinto priest and a high school student! High school student Ao decides he’s in love with Ryoumei-san, a priest at the local shrine and Ao’s childhood friend. Not one to beat around the bush, Ao immediately tells Ryoumei he wants to do perverted things together, but it will take more than a little persuading to get the shocked Ryoumei into bed. Between bad advice, romantic rivals, and Ryoumei’s scruples, there are many obstacles in the path of true love.
Download: at the group’s site.
My notes: very cute and a bit ridiculous to make it more fun. It’s a pleasure to follow. Nothing ground-breaking in the story or drawing but both are lovely. Ao is a naive boy and a dreamer who tends to zone out during lessons and conversations. He was raised by his aunt and helped by a local priest. For whom he eventually falls. And tries to seduce him, in his straightforward and ridiculous manner. I’ve been following it since it’s started being posted in yaoi_daily and am going to continue because those posts are always a pleasant distraction.
Mangaka: Inariya Fusanosuke
Status: 2 chapters + 2 side stories (Complete)
Genre: Drama Historical Mature Yaoi
Warnings: NWS, NC-17
Found: posted in yaoi_daily October 2008
My notes: the story is pretty disturbing. A Nazi officer kept a Jewish boy before and during WW2. After the war, the boy who has grown to become a doctor keeps the officer prisoner. It’s very fucked-up, non-con-ish and BDSM-ish. What I find the most interesting in it is that it doesn’t go along the cliché yaoi way of making this premise a simple excuse for porn. Rather, it’s more interesting. It offers you a look into the characters’ past and their minds that lets you pick your own interpretation, without being too obscure. Is it some twisted and painful sort of love bordering on obsession? Is he doing it for revenge? Or is it maybe both? You read, you pick. The 2-chapter extra makes light of the events in the main story, which hints at what the author’s version is. I think I’m ready to agree with her. I also think I’m going to try something else by this mangaka because I liked the artwork. Have been in doubt whether it fits my half a star or not but probably yes. At least I found it unusual.
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