otakulys's manga / #realistic(4)

I loved the funny moments when they'd break character during kinky times, etc. I think this story could bother people who don't like rape, but it's ultimately a sweet and funny comic. I enjoyed it.

I really enjoy seeing a BL manga that dissects different elements of love and relationships. It's so rare to see an unhealthy relationship portrayed as such, and it's almost unheard of for a character to end up with a guy who's healthier for him in the end. Very sweet, though it was a bit abrupt and confusing in places. Still, I really liked it. I'd enjoy reading more about the main two, but I was still satisfied with what there is.

UGH. GOD, MY HEART. My face hurts from crying. I wanted so badly for them to be best friends forever. Regardless of what Kirino chose. The fact that they never saw each other again kills me. So heartbreaking. But their friendship was so beautiful and important. I'm glad they had it at all. Man, this manga was brilliant and tragic. You never see yaoi that really tackles the challenges of being gay in Japan, or just in general. It comes with so much baggage, navigating the good and bad, deciding whether or not to live a lie. This story really explores all of the outcomes based on different decisions and circumstances. My heart hurt so much by the end, knowing that not all of them would have the happy endings they deserved, but this was so well done, and so unusual. Typically, realistic seems to mean everyone dies or something, which honestly isn't realistic at all. It isn't all misery and despair. There are moments of hope, and moments of sadness. It may not have been perfect, but there's always more living to do. And it's never too late, really. Let's hope Kirino eventually finds the life that's right for him. Another thing I loved was the emphasis on friendship. It's so rare to have two gay male characters (though Kirino may have been transgender) without the two of them having romantic or sexual feelings for one another in yaoi. I really appreciated that they just loved each other platonically. They were best friends, which is very important, and romance didn't enter into that. It feels like we're so often told that romantic love is the most important, but I don't think that was the case here at all. Familial love, the love that comes with friendship, even self love. They're all so critical to happiness. "I'm sure there'll be a lot of people there... like us." That line broke my heart knowing that Kirino chooses to deny himself. It also hurts just knowing how isolated and scary it is for them, being gay, in such a small and homophobic community. The fact that they loved one another so much and were best friends like that... it just breaks my heart. The choices they made meant they couldn't be together, and that wasn't fair. That they'd even have to make those choices, to live the truth or to live a lie. They helped one another survive, and they never got to see each other again. Despite how much this manga killed me, I'm glad I read it. It really was beautiful, despite being so sad. I wish there'd been a more hopeful ending, but I enjoyed the good times when they were there. I'd love to read more just like this, only with them all being happy together in the end.

Awwwwww. I'm with everyone else: this needs to be longer! You can't leave it like that! It's so sweet and touching, and I want to see these two happy and growing together. I want to see more BL and such actually tackle the family and society issues. So much of it either glosses over it or resolves it way too easily. I want to see people learning and changing, discussions about why they're scared to be openly gay, etc. I feel like 99% of the time that's even addressed, the story has a sad or bittersweet ending. I just don't get why we can't see more of the hard stuff without a character choosing to just give up who they are to make their families happy or whatever. But yes, I love this, and I wish there was more. Alas.