moune's manga / #Childhood Friends(5)

"Do I want to be him, or do I want to be with him?" Nagisa was a confused high schooler who couldn't figure out how he felt, what he felt, and who made him have these feelings. Ten years later he's back in his hometown as an adult and he's still as confused as ever, riddled with guilt thinking that his feelings caused his friend Minato's death. Somehow, he thinks that sleeping with Kaito, the third member of their friend group, will help him atone for a death that he believes he caused. Good but not good enough: 3/5.

Goat guy and wolf boy are from an alien beast-like species. They are sent to earth to gather intel. This author sure loves her rapist bully tops and people eat it up. The story is very ABO coded with heat and rut cycles etc. Supernatural elements are a thinly veiled in-universe justification for rape: Aww poor guy he must've been in so much pain trying to stop himself from raping me, I must reward him with my ass right now. Also wasn't fun seeing a 13 year old kid rape his friend (wtf?) The rape doesn't even stop after they become an item. And if he was trying so hard to stop himself from sexually assaulting his childhood friend why did he repeatedly go out of his way to bully him and rub the fact that he raped him in his face? That emotional scene was not earned. Well, at least I learned some cool goat facts I guess. Story is ass, translation is awkward (finger fellatio??): 1.5/5. (2017-19).

Chiaki and Kazuma have been together for 8 years. Their childhood friend Tomoe decides to travel for her job as a wartime photographer and asks them to raise her 1 year old baby. Despite Kazuma's previous refusal, he decides to move in with his boyfriend so that they can raise the baby together. Chiaki and Kazuma are really cute together and you can feel that they have known each other for a very long time from their dynamic. They're also great parents and support each other so well. Ayu is adorable and grows up to be very brave and outspoken. The premise is very sweet (if you ignore the fact that the mother up and leaves her child) but the author slaps you in the face by the end by proudly declaring that she's a shotacon. Sometimes I wish BL authors weren't this weird. This leaves me very conflicted. I care a lot about authorial intent so even the scene where they bathe with the child gives me the ick now. Sigh. 3/5: Would've been much higher If not for the creepy author. Deserved a better translation. (2017-18).

A feel-good story about childhood friends in their senior year of high school who love and support each other. Their feelings deepen as Issa drops out to pursue his passion as a fisherman and Nagisa graduates. A simple premise with impeccable execution. They're so sweet to each other, their communication is lovely, they're both passionate, the art is gorgeous, the translation is done well. It's also one of the few mangas that get the meaning of "punk" right. So good: 5 ★ (2023-24).

Takeo comes out as bi to his friends which prompts his childhood friend Wako to confess to him in one of the more bizarre confessions in BL before running away. Takeo should've had at least one chapter from his POV. Missed opportunity. The character design is too good for them to just be high schoolers. 3/5. (2022). Spin-off to Cupid ni Rakurai.