*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is recommended for mature readers.
This is a collection of short stories about four different couples. They all have a connection to one another and it’s very slice of life. I like it, it’s a cute mix of different types of love and personalities. It isn’t very graphic; more like suggestive. So, if you’re looking for a laid-back, low angst, slice-of-life romance that’s relatively clean, this isn’t a bad read. 3 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+.
Shin, who is so reserved he is typically typecast as a bad guy, is getting closer with a veteran actor, Tatara, who he has admired for some time. Shige, Shin’s boyfriend, is filled with jealousy at this growing friendship but still has to keep his relationship with Shin a secret.
They synopsis made this volume sound more dramatic than it actually is. There’s a lot of feels and exploring the character’s hang ups and Shige and Shin navigating their relationship around their jobs. This volume wasn’t bad but I expected a huge drama that didn’t happen. It’s pretty chill, actually; so if you’re into heavy angst, this isn’t it. 3 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+.
In this sequel to Sayonara Game, Ito and Arimura are growing closer but Arimura wants Ito to move in with him.
This was cute but fleeting. I like the contrast between the stoic Ito and outgoing Arimura but having a third character, Hozumi, appear as an antagonist to interfere with them is really cliche. I am aware this is cliche for a reason but this seems particularly generic. It’s obvious the main couple is too devoted to be fooled by this person, if they even bother to deal with him at all. Fun but we’ve seen all this before. 3.7 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+
Shizuma’s job as a veterinarian is keeping him to busy to spend as much time with his boyfriend, Hinato; who has some insecurities about their relationship because Shizuma used to date women.
For clarity, I have not read the original series. So, any backstory beyond this volume is a mystery to me. That being said, this is a cute, smutty story that reads fast and has a nice pair of characters. They contrast well, Shizuma’s nice guy attitude with Hinato’s more standoffish ways but it was a fun read. 3.5 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+
Apollo is still trying to resist Phi’s charms to break the rules of his job as a teaser. As the attraction between them boils, demons from Phi’s dark past come stalking him.
It’s interesting that the teasers also function as a type of bodyguard when the ‘birds’ are allowed to leave the brothel. I’m not sure if they’re qualified to deal with whoever is stalking Phi; as it’s clear that stalker is going to do something dangerous that will affect everyone at Shangri-La. I do like how the story treats the chemistry between Phi and Apollo even without the naughty scenes. 3.8 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+
This volume goes back to how Shin and Shige first met back in high school. We also introduce the conflict of Shige wanting to step back in his career to give Shin a chance to fight his typecasting.
I understand the book is trying to make their careers the source of the conflict here; their stage personas having adverse effects on how they manage their private lives but in my opinion, the possible impending love triangle or a guy directly trying to sabotage their relationship. The rest feels like filler. If I had the third volume in hand, I’d jump right into it looking for things to move forward. 3 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Aki has a crush on his classmate, Hashimoto but when he borrows an eraser from her, he sees she has Ida’s name written on it; he promises to keep it a secret for her. But when Ida sees the eraser, he thinks it belongs to Aki and that he as a crush on him.
First things first, I gotta talk about the art. While the regular scenes are lovely; soft and expressive like most in this genre, there are scenes of super-deformed faces that are unintentionally TERRIFYING. Not all of them but there were a few that had me cringe rather than laugh.
Aside for that, this is a hilarious mix up. It doesn’t take itself too seriously at all and is a light-hearted teenage drama (at least light-hearted for now, you never know). It is looking like we won’t get so much as a love triangle but a love dodecahedron.
Yes, I’m a geek. I love that world…
4 out of 5.
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+
Things have been a little awkward ever since Seven planted a kiss on Akamatsu and Seven understandably gives him space. But Akamatsu finds he actually misses Seven but Seven’s past he’s kept hidden comes back to haunt them.
This sure as hell took a turn! I mean, it was clear Seven had a dark past but I didn’t see how dark it got. Trigger warning for child prostitution and sexual assault in this volume. I thought this series would just be our two main leads fumbling around into a relationship but this is an angle I did not anticipate. It’s interesting, I want to know what happens next, but yikes… 3.9 out of 5.
Wataru Toda loves movies. While browsing the DVD racks in a store one day, he meets a classmate Chiharu Saeki; and they bond over a mutual love of films. But when Saeki confesses he has a crush on Toda, the dynamic changes and Toda has to sort out his feelings while the pair are on a summer mission to visit filming locations of the movies they love.
This is one of those manga that’s drawn so soft, you can just cozy up to it and read it with a smile. It’s pretty low angst and our main pair are really sweet. It’s a bit of a slice of life manga and isn’t graphic at all. If a teen wanted some LGBT friendly stories to read, this is a sweet one. If there is more, I wouls want to read it. 3.9 out of 5.
*This comic is suggested for mature readers.
Makoto is a young man with some serisously dark fantasies. Knowing no human being could ever fulfull them, he summons a demon to fulfill them. After selling his soul, the demon takes Makoto to hell with him where he learns he didn’t land just any demon, he sold his soul to J, an archduke of hell.
If you’re in the marked for some dark M/M, this is certainly an original entry; especially if you like unconventional relationships. Makoto and J have a strange dynamic and this is not for the faint of heart even if the art flubs what’s happening so it’s not overly graphic. You get it but it’s not along the lines of a guro manga or anything. 4 out of 5.
