Contrast
something about this one irked me. it felt disjointed at times. i guess this one just wasn't my thing. the guys didn't seem all that different ngl they felt like they had a lot in common. i'm giving it a 5/10 cuz though it could be good, it annoyed me too much
Ookami wo Katte imasu
Really wish the two in the alternate world got together too. dark haired guy seems so lonely. this one kinda made me sad... 7 or 8/10
Sonokoi Jihanki de Kaemasuka?
I liked this one. It somehow felt like a slow burn even tho it's just one volume. Also consensual sex! And the uke is clearly into it 7/10
Kimi ni wa Todokanai
dropped at ch 22. It took them FOUR VOLUMES to confess???? And they're STILL not together??? Dont get me wrong, I like a slow burn but this is not a slow burn done well this is charcoal on one side and raw on the other for FOUR VOLUMES and somehow it feels like nothing happened. Like hot dang bro if you're gonna spend 4 volumes on an unrequited love plot at least spend some time with the other characters?? We never see the two leads apart for more than a few panels but nothing happens!??!?!??!??!?! Kakeru knows yamato likes him FROM CHAPTER ONE. 4/10 for pissing me off
Darlin', Iikagen ni Shiya Gare
Hana To Usagi
idk why but i didn't care for this one. 6/10 it's still good
Tonari ni
Guy happens to see a very skeletal looking salaryman on the shinkansen one day and cant stop observing him. By chance they start talking and bond over horse racing. It's a slow story. Everything is revealed through Tohru's internal thoughts and his conversations with his friends and with Makoto. These two create a safe space together. The story has a strong atmosphere and sense of direction. Makoto crying because he's so overwhelmed that Tohru would cry for his sake is incredibly touching. There's so much about this that I love; I just cant express it well. I was rooting for Makoto to quit his job but I'm actually happier that it seems his power harassing boss has actually improved. Rather than running away, i love the aubtle message that these situations CAN improve and that we should aim to improve them. It gives me a bit of hope. (But also I'm all for starving out companies that dont treat their employees right bc we cant all afford to play the long game.) 9/10. This is a masterfully crafted story.
It's Not Like That (Gangto)
Cute! It's a bit silly but the characters feel realistic and also the boss recognizes when hes screwed up! Drama usually gets resolved cuz hey talk to each other about their problems but there is the usual abundance of miscommunication. Also, the seme is very aggressive in bed and it's clear the uke cant take it more often then not. The seme DOES recognize this and he tries really hard to hold back, which was good. I think it was honestly a mistake for the uke to give him permission to go wild EVERY TIME. This poor guy's ass dude... 6 or 7/10. would be higher but i'm docking points cuz the story really doesn't want the uke to set boundaries for some reason even tho it's clear he needs to. name on MAL is Don't Get Me Wrong, Boss!
Blue! Blue! Blue!