Chocolate Surprise

Review by Kris

Kakiuchi is the hottest guy in class and has devised a game where there is a bag of chocolates (some spiked with an aphrodisiac), a group of girls, and the possibility of sleeping with Kakiuchi. The rules are whichever girl picks the spiked chocolate gets to sleep with Kakiuchi. One day Ogasawara, a guy, is invited to join in on the fun but they amend the rule that if Ogasawara chooses the spiked chocolate he can choose whichever girl he wants to (at least that’s playing the Mix Chocolate game.) When it turns out that Ogasawara picks the chocolate, he allows Kakiuchi to help him out. Is this the beginning of love?

Chocolate Surprise is a collection of sexy stories created by Lily Hoshino. Whatever you enjoy chances are Hoshino-sensei has covered here in Chocolate Surprise. I enjoyed most of the stories. There was one that I wasn’t too fond of, A Condition for Love, but the rest were rather enjoyable. The reason why I didn’t like A Condition for Love is because one guy confessed, the other guy said he’d only go out with someone experienced and offered to help the poor guy out with no intention of really continuing the relationship. Of course it gets the happily ever after moment, but it’s not really a story line I enjoy. The rest of the stories are much more enjoyable, at least in my opinion.
One thing I found somewhat exciting is in My Only King, published by Juné, continues the story between Ogasawara and Kakiuchi. It seems that Kakiuchi may have had a thing for Ogasawara long before either of them knew it.

Hoshino-sensei is a mangaka that has the tendency to grow on you. When I first started reading yaoi I wanted my men to look like men (I still feel that way but I’ve expanded my horizons a bit). In the case of sensei’s few titles on the market had very girly ukes on the front. I immediately judged her work without reading it and ended up eating my words (mmm…they’re tasty too). Yes, I will admit that her ukes can be a little bit on the feminine side but she is a very talented artist. When I finally read through my first title of hers (Love Quest published by Yen Press) I immediately fell in love with her apple-cheeked, dewy-lipped boys.

If you haven’t checked out any of Hoshino-sensei’s titles I think that Chocolate Surprise is a great starter book. It is on the graphic side of things so if you have issue with detailed art in intimate moments, be aware. The stories are short but are fulfilling, unlike so many one-shot collections out there. And not all of them are smutty either. A couple of the adorable stories that I love aren’t graphic at all. They’re just sweet!

Deux Press has knocked another one out of the park with this release. Not only is it a great collection of stories but they’ve done a great job. The translation seems smooth and I didn’t catch any editorial errors. They also did a bang up job on the cleanup. This is definitely one of their greatest achievements!

The Manzai Comics

Review by Linda Yau

Ayumu Seta is a new student at a Japanese middle school; he prides himself on being a normal person, but what happens when his classmate, Takashi Akimoto who is a guy no less, asks you to go out with him? And if this going out is more different than what you expect. Then what? This is what Ayumu experiences, as he is unexpectedly thrown in the world of Manzai comedy.

Manzai comedy is a stage performance where there is a duo that has verbal spars or plays on words, which would make it pretty funny for those who know of this culture. I see a lot of this being part of Chinese state comedy, or within Japan’s on culture as well.

This manga is not a strict bl story though. It plays on the stereotypes and assumption, which may surround guys who are seen as homosexual or effeminate, when their orientation is not. Taking from a bl-fan’s perspective, this manga might be disappointment. There is chemistry between the two characters; however as a light comedy with gender issues, I recommend it.

The rating for this story is 13+, and at a time when there are adolescent gender issues, this is a satirical look at it. Oh and throw in a jealous female childhood friend, Meguna Hagimoto, and you have yourself a pseudo love triangle Ayumu develops a slight crush on Meguna who chases after an oblivious Takahashi. I happen to like reading this book and it does have an interesting beginning, I look forward to reading the next installment.

Future Lovers vol. 2

Review by Kris

Since we last left Kento Kumagaya and Akira Kazuki the two had been dating for almost a year. In this volume the two continue their relationship but instead of the emphasis being on the joy of falling in love it focuses on their continuing relationship and the struggles they face. We have the opportunity to meet Akira’s mom and the man who inspired Akira to become an art teacher, Kento’s more serious side shows up in a few stories, and there are a couple more light-hearted stories that tackle some serious issues.

Akira’s mom doesn’t know he’s gay (or so we assume) so when the two are introduced Akira introduces them as colleagues. Kento is none too pleased to find out that Akira hasn’t shared this info with him. Akira knows all kinds of things about Kento but Kento knows so little about Akira. Can Kento catch a glimpse of the real Akira behind the mask?

If the description of the plot is so sketchy, I apologize. But the book covers their relationship by showing it to us in several vignettes. The two have been together for over a year now and have to deal with the problems that pop up in relationships. Not only do they have to deal with the ups and downs of continuing their affair but they also have to deal with the fallout that comes with being gay in a society that is not as accepting. It covers such things as how they introduce one another to family, friends, and acquaintances, how to keep things fresh in their relationship, dealing with family members who wish things worked out differently, and looking at their long-term relationship (and we even get a glimpse into the future!)

I really love this series. The art is sketchy and not as smooth as you normally see but because of the comedic aspects of this manga it works really well. Akira is gorgeous but kind of a slob and we caught a glimpse of his bizarro fashion sense in the first volume. If you thought his fashion was out of this world crazy in that volume, then you won’t be disappointed. Akira’s shirts are as crazy as ever! That is one reason why I love this series. Akira marches to the beat of his own drummer and is proud of that fact! Kento on the other hand is so stiff that it’s amazing that these two got together. Yet another reason why this is a great series to pick up. The sex is plenty, just like you want, but is tastefully done and really quite attractive.

Like all Deux Press releases, the publishing quality is top notch. The pages are crisp and clean and they use a higher quality paper that really showcases the artwork. The books are flexible and easy to open and hold. They did a great job on the translation and clean up. Banzai!

I highly recommend this book. Of course reading the first volume will help you keep the characters straight and introduce you to these characters. Read this series, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how great it is!

Other review links you may enjoy:
Future Lovers vol. 1 by Kris
Future Lovers vol. 1 by Linda Yau.

Naughty But Nice

Review by Kris

Mr. Wakasa is Kakeru Kiba’s homeroom teacher. Everyone loves Mr. Wakasa, he’s handsome and kind. But Kakeru is a bit of a klutz. Because of this weakness of his he learns that Wakasa is not the kind teacher he sees at school but is actually a bit of a jerk. What happened was Kakeru was out running errands for his mom when he saw someone that looked like his teacher being threatened by thugs. But this man was drunk and rather rude, so how could it be Wakasa? Just as the thugs go to punch out Wakasa Kakeru ends up distracting everyone, slips on a can, and pushes Wakasa into a river. Oops!

Feeling guilty, Kakeru takes Wakasa to his home. Once Wakasa wakes up he seems to be suffering from amnesia. Since Kakeru knows who he is Wakasa takes advantage of the situation by preying on that guilt and makes Kakeru take care of him. But once Wakasa’s memory comes back he’s still a jerk towards Kakeru. It seems that he behaves the way he does is because he had to be on his best behavior around his step-brother, but he’s really a jerk in sheep’s clothing (I know that’s not the metaphor but this describes him the best.) Kakeru is the only one who gets to see the Wakasa behind the mask. Because of this Wakasa is determined to make the moves on Kakeru and he doesn’t know how to deal with this!

Also included in Naughty But Nice is a one shot called Bouquet of Love. It is a sweet tale of a building owner who falls in love with a florist that works in a shop in one of the buildings that his family owns. There’s one downfall to falling for a florist though, the owner is allergic to flowers.

There are a few things that define Naughty But Nice as typical Naduki Koujima. First, it’s the art. Her ukes always have ginormous eyes that take up half of their face, but are well defined. She stated that she spends a lot of time working on the eyes to really bring out the emotion (I read that in one of the authors note sections at the end of one of her books…I think). Next is when her ukes are protesting they seem to grow fangs and look like adorable small, threatened animals. And trust me she has nailed the protesting uke and has turned it into her thing. Which brings me to my final point. It seems that in almost every Koujima-sensei title that I’ve read contains a very forceful seme and a loud, somewhat annoying, contradicting uke. I wonder if sensei is trying to corner the market on the “tsundere” character. She’s definitely mastered the “Your mouth is saying no but your dick is saying yes” type of story. Out of the two stories in the book Bouquet of Love is the better story. It’s a bit more believable and the relationship starts out more normally. Plus we don’t get the rape=love story line.

Naughty But Nice is the first of three in a series so there is always the hope that things will improve. For another insight into the story be sure to read April Kimm’s review!

Hitohira vol. 3

Review by Kris

The time has arrived! It’s the day of the school festival and by the end we’ll find out which club gets to stay and which club must close its doors forever. The Theatre Research Group has worked very hard and will do their best in performing the play. Of course Mugi is so nervous she continually passes out. But there is one problem that might be bigger than Mugi freezing on the spot. That problem is Nono’s voice. Nono has a vocal condition that causes her to lose her voice. Nono knows that this may be a problem but insists that the show must go on. The crew decides that if Nono’s voice is going to disappear she’ll give a sign and they’ll improvise their performance.

Things start off rocky. Mugi is so nervous you can barely hear her. But thanks to Risaki she is able to gain a little more confidence. But Nono gives her sign that her voice is gone and Mugi freaks, yet again, but regains her composure and gives a performance no one will forget. But will it be enough to keep the Theatre Research Group’s doors open? Plus Mugi’s friend Kayo seems to be hiding something from Mugi and Chitose (member of the official Theatre Group) has her own troubles dealing with her feelings for Takashi. Oy, it’s tough being a girl!

I am so glad that Aurora brought us this beautiful series (feel free to check out my reviews for vol. 1 and vol. 2). For some reason I’ve read in several spots that people are upset that Aurora is marketing this as a shojo title instead of a seinen title. I guess that Hitohira appears in a seinen magazine that appeals to men who like shojo story lines. If that’s the case I don’t see a problem in marketing it a shojo, especially if that helps sell more books. Hitohira is a fun coming of age story where Mugi must learn to step beyond her comfort zone and grow and that is most apparent here in the third volume. I don’t want to give too much away because there is much divulged in this volume that will propel the story forward.

The art never ceases to amaze me. It is truly gorgeous and must be enjoyed just for that fact. I can’t imagine how hard this mangaka works to get this title to look so good! Pick up this title if it’s just for the art and then get hooked on the series because it is definitely worth the time you spend on it.

Love Round!!

Review by Kris

Kaoru Komatsuna is very sensitive. He has a feminine name and has soft feminine features. Everyone knows that this is a hot button issue with him and not to approach it. Well, all but one person. Junya Kubo happened to pick up Komatsuna’s student notebook and made the mistake of commenting on his name. Next thing Kubo knows is that some adorable shrimp knocked him out, which is a shocking thing in and of itself. Why, you ask? Well Kubo is a boxer who is in training to become a pro.

Once Kubo has come to he decides that he needs to convince Komatsuna to train to become a boxer at his gym. Komatsuna thinks that boxing is the ultimate in manly sports and decides to take a whack at it. One thing that Kubo and Komatsuna didn’t expect is for Kubo to fall in love. Will Kubo’s determination be able to win over Komatsuna, who can only punch out Kubo every time Kubo makes a move?

Hinako Takanaga-sensei has a wonderful ability to write madcap comedy with the best of them. Love Round!! is definitely like a yaoi manga version of a Three Stooges episode. OK, bizarre comparison but I hope you get what I mean. Komatsuna consistently knocks Kubo out and Takanaga-sensei is kind enough to keep count for us (a total of 18 knockouts) just in case you weren’t keeping track for yourself. Another thing about the knock out scenes is there are always girls in the background screaming, if it wasn’t crazy enough that a kid half the size of the boxing champ is able to knock him out with just one punch. But that’s Komatsuna for you.

Takanaga-sensei has an interesting art style and is rather popular here in the states. She has some very dedicated fans. You’re able to recognize her work from a mile away. It’s sketchy and sparse but adorable nonetheless. Not only is Takanaga-sensei capable of drawing adorable schoolboys but she’s able to create some of the sexiest adult characters as well (but none of those appear in this title). Takanaga-sensei’s art compliment her story lines perfectly. In the case of Love Round!! there’s plenty of blushing and embarrassment to go around and makes for the perfect one-two punch (sorry for the pun, it’s pretty lame, I know).

Kubo and Komatsuna make an interesting couple but it seems to work well. If you are looking for a fluffy fun romance with a different feel to it I suggest picking up a copy of Love Round!! I enjoyed it.

The Manzai Comics vol.1

Review by Kris

Manzai: Japanese stand-up comedy style. It is usually performed as a duo with one straight man and one funnyman (basically Japanese Abbott and Costello type routines).

Takashi Akimoto wants to make it as a manzai performer but he can’t seem to find the right partner. That’s the case until new student Ayumu Seta transfers to his school. Ayumu has had a rather traumatic past and wants to put that all behind him and be a normal middle school student. He hopes that will be the case until Takashi approaches him and asks, “Please go out with me.” Being a bit weirded out Seta thinks that Takashi is gay, but Takashi only wants Ayumu to perform manzai. Ayumu eventually agrees, reluctantly. What Ayumu can’t figure out is why Takashi insists that he is the one to perform. Takashi wants to convince Ayumu that being normal is overrated and that Ayumu is special. When the school festival approaches Takashi and Ayumu have the opportunity to perform. Will it work out?

When reading this story knowing what manzai is is definitely a plus. Of course you learn what is through the course of the story, but when I first cracked open this manga I thought that it had something to do with comics (you know the kind you read in the paper, etc.) You quickly learn that no, it’s about stand up. I liked this first volume immensely, especially the humor. I loved Takashi’s mom. She owns an okonomiyaki restaurant and has become fond of Ayumu. Ayumu’s mom is a bit more solemn but knowing the past history of the family you can see why. She wants Ayumu to be a normal kid, but there just seems to be something special about Ayumu bubbling under the surface.

I loved the message that this manga presents. I know that in Japan standing out isn’t much of a positive quality but in this manga it recognizes and celebrates those that stand out. Hooray for the unique! I wasn’t a huge fan of the art but it’s not bad either. The story is what makes this manga stand out. You’ll laugh and be touched all at the same time. There’s even a touch of what looks like BL (boys love) in it but who knows what’s in store for us. This is a series of three volumes and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Let’s hope that the rest of the series is just as awesome! And remember being normal is highly overrated, I’d rather stand out and so should you, it makes life more interesting!