I Thot You Was a Toad's manga / #treachery(78)

Tables turned!

More classic Zaria: Kazuma belongs to a religious order that forbids all forms of sex, and Kizaki-sama, the landlord of the temple, refuses to accept this. As usual, Zaria pushes the envelope between rape and consent. Sexy and bittersweet.

Realistic and moving story of Shima, who is deliberately outed by his former gay-lover-gone-straight as a means of professional sabotage, at his former workplace, and Togawa, the straight and divorced boss who doesn't care ... about Shima's past or much of anything elsef, but cares very much for Shima. Shima has become hyper-cautious and sensitive as a result of this treachery in his past, and he doesn't know what to make of this man who is so, seemingly, heedless and rough-spoken. Can Togawa pierce through his armour?

Detective Torimaru is frustrated in his efforts to catch Kaitou Hato, in spite of the puzzles and clues with which the cat burglar taunts him. Kaitou Hato is the secret identity of the café owner where Torimaru's task force go to unwind. When the detective's outrage turns to infatuation, he is even more frustrated, especially when it becomes apparent that there is another partner is Kaitou's life, as well as a specific reason behind Kaitou's seemingly random targets. A fun mystery with a lively police chase theme.

Descendents, some of them, of a particular family line have the ability to bond others to them by projecting sexual vibes at them. Others in the family, who are immune to its effects, have used this power to control people for power or wealth. This is the story of two men who come from this sort of background, and what they do about it. As usual, Minase Masara's illustrations are beautiful and elegant.

A surprising story about a mangaka with stellar talent in his field, but complete ineptitude in everything else, and his faithful friend who diligently cares for him, until the friend realizes his motives may be less pure and altruistic than he originally believed. Yamimaru Enjin's story may not seem that subtle on the surface, but she depicts Niki, the artist, with so much sensitivity and realism as a person who almost seems borderline autistic with his inability to accurately appraise the situations around him, his complete dependency on Shoji, and his lack of facility to cope with life. Shoji's personal struggles are painful in their own right, as he fights off his own inner demons and copes with the feeling of being used as a servant and dismissed as a man worthy of love and respect. This is a good, complicated story with tragedy in the past and treachery in the mix.

Miyamoto Kamo's classic yaoi story about Ryuu, the boy with the tattoo and dark past who transfers from Osaka to Tokyo, Hitomi, the fellow schoolboy who falls for him, and Taiga, the boy who falls for Hitomi. Spanning about a decade, this beautifully illustrated and slow-moving story follows their unrequited passions, reveals Ryuu's tragic past and uncovers treachery in the present. An absolutely superb tale in every sense! Realistic and deeply satisfying to read.

Sequel to Takaramono wa Hako no Naka, this doujinshi explores the complications of a painful past on Tokura and Gin's sex life, and how they overcome it. Gin's ongoing consideration for his partner is lovely indeed, but I can't say that I found it hot and I'm not exactly sure what brought the temperature down from boiling to light simmer. I think that there was so much carefulness and tiptoeing around, it interfered a bit with the sheer animalistic, irrational self-surrender of romance. It's crucial for loving relationships in real life, but not so great for escapist fiction as it feels a bit sex-averse.