Sonoda Kaiya is a really famous model who's still in high schoool. Tateyama has been in love with Ka...
- Author: yamakami riyu
- Genres: Drama / School Life / Yaoi
This is messed up and certainely not in an enjoyable way! I can tolerate a psycho or two in yaoi but this manga crossed the line for me, I pity the uke so much, he needs help, not only does he let himself be abused but there isn't even a satisfying payoff to it. The seme is the worst, he's awful and doesn't have a single redeeming quality about him, like being nice sometime or having admiration-worthy traits. In the end all I'm left thinking is that the guy who DETAINED the uke was right and if he had known about how the seme was he might have changed his mind about giving away his lover.
What also ticks me off is that the mangaka, according to the afterword, doesn't really acknowledge how dark the subject is which is weird since she can also write wholesome stories.
From Boys On Boys Love:After being harshly dumped by his lover, Kousaka Yuuki, a shop manager at a r...
- Author: ICHIJOU Lemon
- Genres: Romance / Yaoi
Whenever I read this type of story (where the ex is an asshole) I keep thinking, why is he so evil? Is he that homophobic? And while the answer is obvious (he is like that so the seme can seem like a hero) I keep wondering how homophobic most characters are in this or that yaoi, it's really confusing... These are the kind of useless questions that run through my mind instead of focusing on the cute first story. I liked the admission that they don't know much about each other and i don't think it makes their love less believable since the seme states he wants to know more about his boss. Thus besting evil ex who most likely didn't care, and emphasizing the need to build a relationship, to trust and then learn to trust (although the seme is too ahead of the uke in that regard, a little more of him being perfect and this would have been completely boring).
The second story was adorable, it catches the feeling of wanting to change yourself to please someone that really made an impression on us (although a quick look at their shared past would have been even better). The overall cuteness of the thing, along with fashion choices that didn't age well, compensate for the slight stalkerish creepiness. It tells the story of a relationship slowly balancing itself with each person learning to rely on the other.
I liked the third story because it's built on a solid foundation, not wanting to spoil a friendship because of love, and for as unrealistic as it gets (a stalker brother and their love having been mutual for years), it has that genuine feeling as its base. It also helps that the characters look a little older than in other works of this mangaka, it makes it feel that time did pass after they separated. Although the seme's explanation for his extreme change in personality is a bit short even for yaoi.
1, 5) CatamountainEven though the President of the Student Council, Aoyagi, isn’t much of ...
- Author: ichijou lemon
- Genres: School Life / Yaoi
The first story fells a bit rushed, there's no satisfactory build-up to their relationship, neither through explicit scenes nor simple friendly stuff. I'm a bit bothered by the choice to tell the story of their relationship in a bonus chapter since there isn't much to see in the first chapter. But the backbone of the story is a very effective idea (being that of a loyal person falling for his superior) which makes me give the chapter a pass. Also, bonus points for cute cats.
I'm a bit puzzled by the premices of the second story, to some extent I should understand hardcore otakus since I'm a little too much into mangas but the idea of obsession feels a bit too foreign to me and I suppose that's the appeal of the story, we're supposed to think it's weird (but not too much) in order to sympathise with the uke, yet feel some kind of kinship with the otaku seme for us to want the couple to work out. Overall I like the story since it highlights (although a bit weakly), that you can have an ideal type but in the end who you will love can be completely different (but the comment of the seme saying that the uke is as cute, and maybe similar, to the anime girl kinda kills my point). Also I liked that the second part showed that just an obession transfer doesn't work since there's more to a relationship that than worshipping an inanimate object.
Third story is a type of cliché I'm not necessarily too fond of, the "I love you so much that I couldn't stop from raping you" story (just like in the first chapter). And while it doesn't feel like it wants to be too realistic there are still some expectations that I had, like the rapist apologizing before asking if it's his noodles his victim is eating. It makes the story feel like it's really slow moving since we're waiting for an apology and nothing much happens meanwhile. Plus the "I realized I loved you when you raped so it isn't really rape" thing is strange. If he realized he wanted it too, communication should have been key. Then again complicated feelings lead to complicated situations...
My review might seem a bit negative but I don't hate this manga, it has somme nice ideas and I find that type of art refreshing, aka one where characters feel normal, it fits stories in which the characters are more ordinary than in most flashy yaoi. And while I complained (twice) that there wasn't much happening it kinda matches the art and gives the manga a genuine feel.