otakulys's manga / #misunderstanding(6)

Very cute so far. I'd like a little more clarification on some of their communication, but it might be a cultural thing. It's a tiny bit confusing in one or two parts, but I'm enjoying it. Very sweet and fluffy, a nice contrast to some of the other stuff I've been reading lately. I look forward to the continuation. EDIT: Awwwwwwww, I love this! I love the way the stories connect, and I love the whole ex-boyfriends and similar tastes thing. I really love how both of the ukes became good friends. It's just so cute all around. I want to read about these guys forever. D: I really enjoyed this. It was so sweet, and it made me cry. But in a good way. Plus, all of the characters are actually gay from the start! None of that bullshit "it's okay if it's you." I wish there were more like it out there, just focusing on the lives of gay men and not making every story about guys being into girls then randomly wanting one guy.

These guys are always cute. ^^

Uuuuuuggggghhhhh. Okay, the first half of this manga, I thought I had found my dream couple or something. It was so perfect. Then... a bunch of the usual cliches came dancing in and ruined the perfect high. I'll break this into pros and cons, I guess. PROS: * BEAUTIFUL art. Ugh. * Super hot boys. * Genuine love for one another. * True friendship that matters dearly, even if they'd stayed platonic. * Mutual affection from the start. * Some side characters that I really liked. * Funny, cute moments throughout. * Super hot moments, particularly the one that gets this whole thing started. CONS: * MISUNDERSTANDINGS. I hate this trope SO much, and it's in everything. A little bit is one thing, but when it just goes on and on to the point of everyone involved seeming mentally challenged, it becomes more annoying than anything. Using misunderstandings that could easily be cleared up with a little communication is lazy writing. It's a weak plot device, and I can't stand it. Sadly, it's often in yaoi--and things with romance in general--so it's tough to avoid. * "It's okay if it's you." This trope is another one that I can't stand. It was set up in a way to indicate interest in girls had been either passing or just forced, but since bisexuality can never exist in yaoiland, they just HAD to shove in that pointless exchange with him telling the dude he's only into chicks. Why does it always have to be an exception? The cons were fewer in that sense, but they're right below "rape to love" in my list of yaoi tropes that I hate, so it hit me pretty hard. I wouldn't have cared as much if I hadn't liked it so much from the beginning. You may have noticed that it still has five stars, however. If I just ignore those other things, this really is a very sweet story with an adorable couple at the center. I want to read more about these two. I want to read more about senpai and his boyfriend, especially! XD And the art is just so damn lovely. Hopefully some of the mangaka's other work will inspire me in the same ways without irritating me in the others.

I was excited when I discovered that there was a spin-off with these two, but I ended up a bit disappointed. The story seemed kind of random, disjointed, and confusing. Nothing really happened, but it dragged everything out anyway. I like the two of them, though, and I'm glad they end up happy together. I wish it had been written in a more satisfying way, but I'll settle for this weird, stalkerish, irrational "love from a distance" thing.

I understand why so many people are saying they felt unsatisfied with this manga. There's definitely something annoying about it. I feel like it would have been better if Kichou hadn't been so annoying and wishy washy all the time. At first, it made sense that he was doing things to protect Kagerou, but then he would lure him in and lead him on, then act like a dick, and all of it was supposedly because he loved him, but that didn't really add up overall. I hate how cocky and smug he was all the time. And of course the mildly rapey sex, all with that creepy smirk. So yeah, I'm annoyed, too. I wanted to really see Kichou suffer at some point and truly regret the way he handled things. I feel like I would have preferred an ending with Iwasaki getting what he wanted. But ultiimately, I am glad they have a happy ending. If I take out all the parts that annoy me, I really do like the concept of the story. Two boys, raised in a brothel, and their forbidden love--it was a recipe for a really good manga, and it could have been so much better. But it wasn't awful, and the translation was good. The art had weird moments but it was mostly rather beautiful. So 3.5 or so stars.

I have mixed feelings about this story, but there's still another chapter to go, so I guess we'll see by then. It has a lot of potential, and part of me likes it, but I feel like it's also sort of executed in an odd, rushed, or maybe clumsy way. I wish we could have seen more of the bullying in high school. All of the emotional stuff was just glossed over, and now the story is focusing primarily on misunderstandings, which I hate. But I am hoping the conclusion really pulls it all together.