tsukineko's manga / #tragic past(90)

3.5 stars. Not the typical yaoi fare. Explores, superficially at least, the psychology of some of the messed up characters. Ends on an interesting and slightly positive note for Minami, [smokin' hot, badass, tatooed, totally messed up, slightly masochistic, uke mc with a very tragic past]. Would reread.

After this, read the sequel 'Lover's Mode'. That was quite a saga! I'm still a little ambivalent about it though. At times, (especially near the beginning), I found it kind of mediocre, (both the art and the story), however, as the story unfolded, I became really attached to [most of] the characters. Only Takamiya × Izumi left an icky feeling, (à la Usami × Misaki), until the end when I warmed to Takamiya after reading about his past, (in the Shiki story). I would say that overall the storytelling and art, which improved over time, were solid, (not brilliant). However, at times they were truly excellent! Several pages stopped me in my tracks - the expressivity of the imagery, shaking me to my core! I bookmarked some of those pages, but I'm not sure the bookmarking feature on the site works anymore. One of the pages screamed at me so loudly that I noted down the page number because I absolutely didn't want to lose track of it: Vol. 04, Ch. 02, Pg. 19. (I have been in a similar situation, and that page truly conveys the sheer despair and desperate pain and anguish one can feel, and the wretched screams that are ripped from deep within. It's also true to reality that one breaks down AFTER the ordeal rather than during.) I remember that one of the other pages that had a big impact, was of Naoya alone in the snow, at Xmas, crying from loneliness. Actually, I would say that loneliness is a constant theme in this manga, and this mangaka is very good at expressing it, (and other emotions), through imagery. OK, enough with this long ass paragragh - I'm off to read the sequel...

This is definitely more artsy than smutty. Sounds like it'll be quite a worthwile, interesting and emotional read.

This is a prequel to 'Don't Stay Gold', and appears also in the main manga 'Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai'. It's from when Yashiro and Kageyama were back in high school.

Hate the seme in this one! What a dick (npi)! It was sweet when he helped him to 'erase the bad memories and replace them with good ones', but aside from that, he fulfilled his own sadistic desires without giving a shit about how it might affect his (already traumatised) uke. What a jerk! Anyhow, overall this manga was ok, but nothing earth shattering.

I read this a while ago, so I can't really remember it all that well, but I seem to recall it was not bad - quite sweet, plus I like the art style. 3.5 stars.

Well that was quite sad. The ending doesn't feel like an ending. It's pretty inconclusive, and it's just sad if it ends that way, without either of them confessing. To think that they'll go their whole life just as friends, and at the very end, they'll confess, but it'll be too late... Ugh! Too sad! And so pointless!

It was annoying to read shounen ai, as there's no 'action', but I read it as it's the prequel to the yaoi 'World's End', which I'm going to read now...