Given
It's so rare to find a long good series like this nowadays, especially about music / with music band! And with anime (and live-action) adaptation to boot! I think there haven't been any since the "Gravitation" days! Anyway, apart from my weakness for stories with music bands, I really love all the characters / couples! It's actually a sad and dramatic story for some aspects, but it's an interesting and emotional reading! Definitely a BL masterpiece! • 1st couple: Ritsuka and Mafuyu (high-school students, different classes // Mafuyu's lover / childhood friend Yuki, who was in a band with Hiiragi and Shizu, committed suicide and he's left with only his guitar // Now in high school Mafuyu asks Ritsuka to teach him to play the guitar and then he becomes the vocalist of the band "The Seasons", whose name will be changed to "Given", in reference to the guitar that was given to Mafuyu that felt like a curse but became a new beginning) • 2nd couple: Haruki and Akihito (Uni students // Older Uke // Akihito is currently freeloading at the apartment of his ex-lover, violin prodigy, Ugetsu) • 3rd couple: Hiiragi and Shizu (childhood friends of Mafuyu and Yuki // Ex-bandmates of Yuki and now still in a band together) Adapted to Anime, Anime movie, OVA and JDrama.
Yoru To Asa No Uta
╰╮ Music Band - Vocalist x Bassist (Beware of content - Rape|Torture in ch. 5) The vocalist Asaichi isn't much talented, in fact he's in a band only for the girls and the sex. The new bassist Yoru seems to be very infatuated with him, despite the homophobic Asa treats him badly... I love this BL! Ch. 1 is so funny, I laughed so hard when the little incident happened! Maybe not everyone will like it, especially ch. 5...after all, it's a story by Harada! Sensei doesn't show only the bright side of BL, like in some fluffy manga where everything is pink; reality is different, that's why I love these stories: I can feel them! Anyway, despite homophobic Asa being a jerk towards Yoru, I still can't hate him and later something bad happened to him too. I think he finally came to terms with his feelings and, also, Yoru's unconditional love for Asa is so pure and beautiful! I love this couple and it's also a happy ending! This is definitely my favourite story by Harada! ➤ Prologue: Aru Otoko no Uta - Story of how yakuza onii-chan had come to know Yoru ➤ Side story: Aru Otoko no Higeki - Some more scenes from the violent "meeting" between Asaichi and onii-chan ➤ Ch. 3.5 [extra] - A crossover with Yatamomo ➤ Sequel: Yoru to Asa no Uta EC
Aru Otoko no Uta
➤ Prologue to Yoru to Asa no Uta - Story of how yakuza onii-chan had come to know Yoru
Dark Heaven
"It was dark, but they had nothing to fear. For they found heaven, even in darkness." Well-crafted and unique! - Apart from the great music opening scene that I loved, the whole plot is so interesting, and with that thrilling vibe one can't help being engrossed into the story! The writing style is great: the non-linear story telling was so well-executed and some parallelisms between some present and past moments were truly brilliant! It's heavy indeed, but beautiful. An intense and rewarding reading! > Personally, what I loved the most is when we see through flashback (from ch. 7) how their relationship began when they were kids! Because at the story's present moment they already broke up and the band disbanded and Simon is soloist; then in flashback of the dark heaven days we see they were in a relationship, but that relationship started way before as kids. I love it in BL when we see the progression of the characters together with the development of their relationship from kids to adults! Above all, I was looking forward so much to their reunion! • Ch. 25-26 - Reunion after half a year from their break-up! Then the story goes back again and we're back at their reunion time in ch. 45. >> Ahhh my poor boys, how many hardships they had to go through!! But their love was so pure and it moved me deeply! I loved how they knew each other so well, understood each other completely and were simply each other's everything...they were really as one! Such a moving unconditional and equal love, with such a deep understanding and irresistible chemistry! In fact, I appreciated how they both took and give to each other so much in all senses, and about this I also liked how the author made them a reversible couple, a charismatic power couple at that, being truly equal in everything in their relationship. >> One of my favourite moments is the one of their long-awaited reunion, when Conor went to Simon's apartment and waited for him and then Simon arrived and saw Conor asleep: that was so sweet and emotional! Then, in general, I liked all the moments where they were taking care of each other and simply being there for each other, like when Conor would hug Simon and comfort him and viceversa. And of course I loved the ending, with my boys finally married and happy together! And going back to play again on stage together as well...the future they always dreamt for is finally here in their hands! Such a beautiful happy ending! [The author said Simon's voice should be kinda like that from Sick Puppies' vocalist!] [While the story presents a sort of american / european ambient, it's not set in any real, specific country but in a fictitious place called Van Tescosa] # Traumatic Past, Unconditional Love, Violence, Racism, Homophobia, Discrimination, Dark Ambience, Drugs, Bullying, Americanish|Europeanish Ambient, Childhood Love, First Love, First Kiss, Breakup, Ex-Couple Back Together, Adult Couple, Flashbacks, Music Band, Mutual Pining, Non-Linear Storytelling, Past Plays a Big Role, Interracial Couple, Framed, Trial, Marriage Proposal, Gay Marriage, My favourite Duo|Couple Spin-off: Guardians of the Lamb - Gale, Simon's step-brother from Dark Heaven, is a character of this story.
Nana
.୧୨. I could go on forever talking about Nana, about all the things I loved and all the feels it gave me, but I'll just say that it's one of my all time favs and it was really love at first sight for me! Since my first contact with it, I loved everything...the plot, the characters together with their style, circumstances and emotions, the music scene...EVERYTHING! Seriously, it's like a drug for me, every now and then I feel the necessity to re-read the manga and watch the anime again! Nana is a MASTERPIECE for me and it will always have a special place in my heart, and that's why, being so precious to me, it's actually painful that it's been on hiatus for years already! ╥﹏╥ 21 Volumes (Hiatus) Anime + Live-action
Back Stage!!
Adapted from: Back Stage!! (Novel) - novelupdates.com / series / back-stage / Main Story: Love Stage!! > It's the story of Shougo (Izumi's older brother / singer) and Rei (Senapro's Manager). Finally we get to see more of the time Rei started living with the Sena family and of course his first encounter with Shougo! > In ch. 33.5 of Love Stage!!, they get married! (ღゝ◡╹)ノ # Seme Falling in Love First, Sex Friends Become Lovers, Ex-Delinquent, Strong Uke, Bisexual Uke x Straight Seme (? well, Shougo says he had never done it with a guy but could get it off if it's Rei).
Gravitation