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Tag Archives: yaoi manga

Lenni Reviews: “That Blue Sky Feeling” Vol. 1 by Okura and Coma Hashii

27 Wednesday Jun 2018

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*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

High school student, Noshiro, is the outgoing type determined to get along with everyone. When he notices his classmate, Sanada, all by himself, Noshiro immediately tries to fix that; much to the stoic Sanada’s dismay. But rumors of Sanada being gay have Noshiro’s classmates telling him to stay away from Sanada. Undaunted, Noshiro makes it his mission to befriend Sanada, get their classmates to come around, understand his sexual preference, and possibly learn a little more about himself.

This manga is too damn cute. Despite the fact if you’ve read any manga ever you can see what’s coming in the plot a mile away, Noshiro is so lovable and Sanada is so relatable, it’s not so bad traveling down this road again and I can’t wait for more. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “A Strange and Mystifying Story” vol 2 by Tsuta Suzuki

05 Monday Mar 2018

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Even after his illness is cured, Akio still has Setsu living with him as Akio wished for the demon to stay. Now Akio struggles with his own feelings and doubts Setsu’s feelings as he knows so little about the demon’s past.

We do learn about Setsu’s past and his previous charges. I enjoy this insight into his background and how he came to be what he is. Akio’s barriers come down a bit as well so we get our characters actually talking about what they feel and what they want… Sorta… While they’re boning, of course, making this just as 18+ as the previous volume. But it is a fun story still. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “A Strange and Mystifying Story” by Tsuta Suzuki

07 Thursday Dec 2017

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*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

After the unfortunate death of his grandfather, Akio Yamane has no family left and believes he will soon join them. The Yamane family is cursed and Akio is indeed terminally ill. Delirious with fever, Akio desperately prays to a talisman his grandfather said would protect him and summons a demon he names Setsu. Akio begs Setsu to cure his illness and never dreamed how intimate Setsu’s “treatments” would be.

Setsu is a straightforward character and he’s written in a way that his brusque nature doesn’t come off assholeish like Eiri Yuki from Gravitation. You can tell he cares for Akio yet since he isn’t human he doesn’t bother with the niceties or waste time yet remains likable. Setsu and Akio play off each other well and the story doesn’t waste too much time on the typical slapstick. The sex scenes are mildly censored; naughty bits kept in shadow or vague outline and strategically placed word bubbles abound. But it’s still hot and the story is cute. 3.5 out of 5.

Note: There are also two side stories: Nylon Vinyl and The God’s Don’t Exist. The first is a contemporary teacher/student relationship and the second is a historical romance. They are pretty short so there isn’t much time for development but they were amusing sides to the main story. It would have been interesting to have them tie into Setsu somehow; as he has been bound to Akio’s family for many years. But they’re still cool.

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Release Announcement: “A Strange and Mystifying Story” by Tsuta Suzuki

28 Tuesday Nov 2017

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The awesome folks over at SuBLime have announced the release of a new title: A Strange and Mystifying Story. The lovely cover and press release are below! 😀

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

GLOBAL YAOI MANGA PUBLISHER SUBLIME RELEASES THE FAN FAVORITE SERIES

A STRANGE AND MYSTIFYING STORY

Fantasy Series About A Japanese God And A Cursed Man From Renowned Creator Tsuta Suzuki Returns To Print

 

San Francisco, CA, November 15, 2017– SuBLime, the leading global English-language yaoi manga publisher, delivers the launch of new series A STRANGE AND MYSTIFYING STORY, available now after being previously out of print.

The series, by creator Tsuta Suzuki, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers. Print editions carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN each. The digital versions carry an MSRP of $6.99 U.S. Readers have two methods of digital access to the series on SuBLimeManga.com – via a DRM-free downloadable PDF, viewable on any enabled eReader device and computer, as well as via the online manga viewer. Readers can also purchase a digital version through the NOOK, Kindle and Kobo eReaders as well as on Google Play. SuBLime will publish subsequent volumes of the seven-volume series on a quarterly basis.

In A STRANGE AND MYSTIFYING STORY a man named Akio Yamane falls terminally ill, presumably from his family’s curse. Remembering his grandfather’s final words about their family protector, he looks to where his grandfather pointed and finds a tooth. Upon holding it, he accidentally summons a god who promises to cure him, albeit in a rather odd and intimate manner!

“Fans have requested that SuBLime pick up and finish releasing all volumes of this series, and we are excited to add A STRANGE AND MYSTIFYING STORY to the SuBLime catalog. We will make the series available in its entirety,” says Hope Donovan, Managing Editor. “Readers will not want to miss what happens as the relationship heats up between a deity and this seemingly cursed, but decidedly handsome, man.”

A STRANGE AND MYSTIFYING STORY is Tsuta Suzuki’s second English-language release, with her first being Your Story I’ve Known. Formerly working under the penname, “Yogore,” she has also published doujinshi (independent comics) under the circle name “Muddy Pool.” Readers can find out more about Tsuta Suzuki on her Pixiv page: Pixiv.net.

Visit SuBLimeManga.com for a complete array of additional yaoi manga titles that are available digitally in a download-to-own format for $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and are viewable as a PDF on any enabled eReader device or computer or accessed via the online manga viewer found on the web site.

For up-to-date news and release information, please visit the SuBLime website at SubBLimeManga.com, or follow SuBLime on Twitter at @SuBLimeManga, Facebook at facebook.com/SuBLimeManga, Tumblr at http://sublimemanga.tumblr.com/, and Instagram at @sublimemanga/.

About SuBLime

SuBLime is a global yaoi/boys’ love manga publisher presenting English-speaking fans everywhere with a broad selection of high quality titles. SuBLime offers titles digitally worldwide at SuBLimeManga.com, with many available in a Download-to-Own format, and selections in print also available in English-language editions worldwide.

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Lenni Reviews: “Jackass” vol 1 by Scarlet Beriko

11 Friday Aug 2017

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

Keisuke lives with his sister boisterous sister, Akiko, and walks to school with his best friend Katsumi. Katsumi is openly gay and scandalously dating the school nurse and Keisuke finds this out when he accidentally stumbles upon them kissing in the nurses’ office. Akiko’s pantyhose had gotten tangled up in Keisuke’s school uniform so Shinoda, Keisuke’s best friend, offers to cover for him by taking him to the nurses’ office but when Shinoda sees Keisuke’s runner’s legs in the pantyhose, he can’t help but touch them. But what starts off as simple touching turns to more for Keisuke.

This is a very sexy friends to lovers story with asides to some other relationships; including a boy who bullies Katsumi for being gay who of course is doing so because he has a crush. All the conflicts are handled logically and nothing ever blows up into horrid dramatics; like the whole school turning on Katsumi because he’s in a relationship with a staff member. And for an uke, Katsumi is a strong, assertive character. He may be young and sweet but when backed into a corner, Katsumi doesn’t wait for a savior. Things play out in ways where you can see real people making these decisions.

The art is well done and all the sex scenes are so detailed you will blush while reading. And all the encounters are CONSENSUAL! So, you actually can connect with these pairings and want to see them happy. Great manga, despite being a little confusing when it starts out. 3.7 out of 5 and keep em coming!

This title is scheduled for release on October 10th, 2017 from SuBLime.

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Lenni Reviews: “Don’t Be Cruel” vol 5 by Yonezou Nekota

24 Monday Jul 2017

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

Maya and Nemugasa have grown since the first volume and now are at the point in their relationship where they even wear couples rings. But Maya is getting some interesting networking contacts and Nemugasa finds himself getting jealous. At the same time, Shimakawa, who knew Maya as a child, sees an opportunity to make a move on Nemugasa behind Maya’s back.

Our main pair is a cute couple trying to figure out how their relationship is going now that they’re in college and if you forget how they started out, they are a couple you root for and want to see happy. The art is soft and flowy and I have to admit they toned down the sex scenes as compared to the first volume. It’s still explicit but more time is spent about their thoughts and search for jobs than boning. It’s still an ok series, though! 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Finder Deluxe Edition: Target in Sight” Vol. 1 by Ayano Yamane

12 Monday Jun 2017

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*I received this book in exchange for an honest review and is rated for 18+

*This review is cross-posted at Otakus and Geeks

This manga is a series of yaoi short stories:

Finder: Asami catches photographer, Akihito Takaba, taking photos of him and corners Akihito for smexy times as punishment.

Fixer: Akihito gets caught up in the Chinese mafia and Asami has to save him.

Love Lesson: Class President, Takato Ichijo rescues Yusuke Sakurai from a groper on the train and when Ichijo finds Yusuke smoking on the roof of the school, smexy times ensue.

Plants in Love: Mizuno has a crush on his classmate, Hiyama. When Hiyama sees his father and Mizuno’s father together, he thinks they’re lovers and the boys decide to stay at the same hotel as they do and see what they’re up to.

Risky Society: Rei Yukimura is training new recruit Akira Todo for inclusion in the Risky Society but Akira gets injured on his first mission.

This collection was a very quick read and is a nice sampler of yaoi if you’re not looking to dive into a really long series. The art is whispy but sensual and the characters are very easy to tell apart; their looks are very stylized. The amount of non-con or dubious-con is a tedious trope but it’s there (what is WITH that?!). Thankfully, it’s not in all the stories. I’d rate it a pretty solid 3.5 out of 5 since some of the stories left me wanting more since the plot was so interesting.

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BishounenCon 2017!

06 Monday Mar 2017

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*This is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

This year was the first time this event took place and it was very obvious. Vendors and artists alley in the same room, tiny little panel rooms and such… Very small but let me tell you, I have never felt so much love at a convention before. All the authors, vendors, artists, and other attendees were kind, funny, and so amazingly understanding. And I say understanding because I walked into the Yuri!! On Ice panel and was very likely the only one in the room who never saw the show. I came there to see what it was about and everyone was excited to share.

The same could be said for the author panels (which, I attended for obvious reasons) where I learned a great deal about tropes in LGBTQ fiction and how to represent a wider range of characters.

I also got some swag, of course:

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I will be reviewing these books, of course. And those first two books are signed! 😀

If this con keeps going (PLEASE DO) next time, I would make a weekend out of it. I ended up having to miss panels I really wanted to see because I didn’t want to be driving back home at 1 am. People get stupid on highways normally so add dark and bridges to that and NOPE. Lenni would rather not, thanks.

Overall, I learned a lot, I met some fun people, I gave out a bunch of cards, and I have some fun books to review. I would love to attend next year and I hope it was successful enough to warrant a yearly event.

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Lenni Reviews: “Ten Count” volume 2 by Rihito Takarai

27 Tuesday Sep 2016

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*This volume was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is intended for 18+.

*This review is cross-posted at Otakus and Geeks.

Even after agreeing to keep his distance, Kurose still has feelings for Shirotani. Shirotani however, has virtually shut down after Kurose insisted on not seeing him anymore. With the help of his co-worker, Mikami, Shirotani finally agrees to meet up with Kurose; who confesses he wanted to stay away because it was not appropriate for a counselor to be in love with his patient. Not only that but Kurose wants to touch Shirotani; whose condition makes him sick at the thought of being contaminated. Shirotani finds that while his germaphobia still affects him, Kurose’s touch also makes him excited.

And WHOA does it ever make him excited! Remember in the last review when I said there was no smut but a good build with the characters? This volume earns its M rating. Kurose and Shirotani go from tentative interaction to touching naughty bits. But as sensual as they get, there is still something traumatic in Shirotani’s past that’s only being hinted at in quick flashbacks. Shirotani “endures” very intimate touches but something simple like Kurose ruffling his hair sets him off. We’ll have to wait to find out what happened but I give this volume a 4 out of 5.

This volume will be released November 8th, 2016.

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Lenni Reviews: “Ten Count” volume 1 by Rihito Takarai

20 Saturday Aug 2016

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*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

Tadaomi Shirotani works as a secretary for a CEO while suffering from germophobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. One day, his boss is nearly hit by a truck and a young man named Riku Kurose; who is a therapist, saves the man from being killed. Kurose notices Shirotani’s condition and offers to help him work through it. Kurose has Shirotani make a list of 10 things to get over in order of discomfort from least to most. Shirotani is only able to come up with 9. They make a deal to meet regularly to work through the list then Shirotani will come up with that 10th item, but he finds he develops more than just a friendly attraction to Kurose.

Unlike a lot of yaoi manga with an M rating, this first volume is very innocent. Our two main characters meet, get to know each other, and slowly build what will likely be a deeper relationship. There’s an author’s note in the back expressing concern that readers will be disappointed with the leisurely pace but I like it. The art is beautiful, the writing on point, and I think I would like to see Shirotani and Kurose take their time so I can enjoy their story. 4.5 out of 5.

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