tofu's manga / #Manly(200)

TW: SM dynamic, past rape and sexual abuse, trauma, dubcon, public sex it's a rare one where there is a proper BDSM etiquette where the kinks were negotiated and there was aftercare. One of the party isn't quite into SM, but both of them are respectful to what the other is comfortable doing.

Interesting plot with beautiful art and good story telling. I love the surreality conveyed by this manga, and i really wish it was longer / better explored. It's got great premise and characters. It would've benefit from another volume or denser chapters, but well, still a good read.

TW: dubcon bc of fuck-or-die situation This is all my favorite teenagerian cliche tropes in one manga. And eventhough it's full of cliches, it also feels self-aware, somehow..? Like it's making fun of the tropes and feels like a tongue-in-the-cheek sometimes, but since the writing is good, it's not sacrificing the flow of the stories or the characters. Hopefully the next chapters come fast because it's so much fun to read! Edit: i read the novel, it has a very different feel from the manga. The novel's more like the unironical harem romance. No offense to the original source material, but i definitely prefer the manga version more.

A really well written story! It's not focused on romance, it's more about the ins and outs of a friendship between two polar opposites, and i'm all for it. The characterization is on point, and i love that the two main characters stayed true to their personalities to the end. The author also did a great job portraying how highschool life and relationship works in real life, and i got tons of nostalgia from reading this manga. It's super good!

TW: non-con body use for supernatural purpose, innuendos (lots of it), child abuse (also lots of it), murder, ghost, curses, cult // AAAAAARGH Alright. I finally finished reading the 10th volume raws. I have so much to say i don't even know where to begin--i don't think i have enough vocab to describe how much feelings i have for this manga lmao. I just. Love it to pieces. [SPOILER ALERT] At first i was torn because the dynamic between Mikado and Hiyakawa is very much like the cliche "possessive controlling pushy man and his bf who's too blind to leave" trope but with ghosts and exorcisms to replace all the sexual and romantic scenes (seriously, the INNUENDOS in this manga had me rolling). But then, the further i was into the story, the more i understood the characters and their choices. It's not a simple case of "he had a bad childhood so he became toxic" or "he's a pushover who can't say no". It's way more complex than that, and because it IS complex, it makes sense why Mikado and Hiyakawa are the way they are. The same goes with Erika. Those three characters are so well written--it's Yamashita Tomoko afterall, and as always her dialogues are *chef kiss*. There are some conversations that made me wonder "where tf are they going with this" only to be recalled or concluded satisfyingly later on in the story. I love it. Everything is morally grey here, and i constantly asked myself, is this character a bad person? What would I do if i was in their position? The way author wrote Hiyakawa's speech and trains of thoughts is great and it slapped me hard when i found out why he was so peculiar (i wish the translation could showcase his lack of vocabulary better but oh well). The world building is also amazing, plot is out of this world (literally), the relationship between the three main characters is Everything and seriously, i could go on and on and on and how the frick am i not keeling over from all the love i have for this manga?? There is a couple of things i'm a bit disappointed with though--i feel like the gang barely had the time to be a team-slash-friends before the story ended. I would've LOVED if there was more space for their banter and development as a team. I also wish there was at least one romantic scene between Mikado and Hiyakawa, but then again, those two's dynamic is too unique and complicated for a romantic turn and i understand the author's choice to not take that route. TLDR, i feel very privileged to be able to read this manga. It's something i never dreamt i would find in the BL genre and i love it down to my core--I bought my own copies last month and it was my best purchase in years.

I read this ages ago and just realized that i never gave it any review. The plot itself is overused but executed well. It's simple, light, and has all the qualities of what makes BL entertaining. Good for a quick reread (if you ignore the dirty talk zjqnjqjwi).

TW: pedophilia, child prostitution, child abuse, mafia, crime, dubcon, noncon drugging, rape attempt, threat of rape, homophobia, murder, insect A a a a a a a what a read! I'm in love with this manga since chapter 1, what with the art style and unique premise. It's funny and entertaining as hell, but beneath everything lurks something sinister (and nauseating). I'm super happy that everything ends up okay considering the real fucked up things that went on in the background. The writing and characterization is strong here. I love both of the MCs, how silly and childish but also strong and supportive they are towards each other. The sequence where we can see their peaceful daily life was truly one of my most favorite moments in BL mangas.