Review by I-hsiu Lin

Next stop is Minami-Kitazawa Station…please step away from the closing doors.

Fall has come to Minami-Kitazawa and Asahi Saruta has been there for some time working as a station staff along with his incredibly good looking senpais, dealing with crazy events that are all part of the schedule in that particular station (and some events that are not part of the schedule but are still crazy.) Their policy is ‘Service with a Smile’…and everything that it entails. But Asahi pops the question that might as well have echoed through everyone’s mind: “When did Minakita become the ‘Legendary Station Where Good-Looking Guys are Chose to work’…?

Actually, my question is…who are the guys on the cover?

Time for a flashback or two….

Volume 3 of Train Train reveals the back story of how the Minakita station changed from an ordinary train station to one with cute staff catering to hordes of fangirls. But as a back story, it doesn’t just reveal the legend, it also reveals more of the personalities of certain characters. As to the identity of those on the cover…it doesn’t take long to find out within a few pages of the story. (Or you can read the Japanese kanji on their nametags.) As fans and followers of this series, we have come to expect the out-of-the-norm antics that occur, but Eiki Eiki-sensei continues to surprise with plot devices that seem out of the blue. (But according to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ omake panels, they’re not so abnormal after all. I won’t mention what it is exactly since it will spoil such an entertaining storyline. We’ll just file it under things that happen ‘Only in Japan’. XD)

In the previous volume, we went into the back story of Hikari and Kaiji. Some of the flashbacks in this current volume reveals the relationship between Hokuto and Tsubasa. (Boys love fans relax, I’m not referring to that kind of relationship…but it’s not hard to imagine.) Tsubasa is usually very nonchalant about things around him and he really doesn’t take as much of an active role as the others. But circumstances have changed and he is taking center stage in the story. After being offered a movie role, his agent advises Tsubasa to devote his time fully to his acting career…which means leaving his job at Minakita. With that to consider and a the station event of ‘Station Master for a day’, we are thrown into a whirlwind of events that really wouldn’t make much sense…. But through it all, we learn more about the thoughts of the person hidden behind those clouded frames.

I mentioned about the season being Fall in the story…but Spring may have finally come for Asahi as his heart skips a beat over…a girl! She was caught in his eyes and memory for only a few moments, but he felt something there. A spark of love? As the old adage goes, the course of love never did run smooth, but our main character rises to the occasion…if only for only those few chapters.

Eiki Eiki pulls together another hilarious manga. It would be difficult indeed to NOT be able to make a story this entertaining with characters as diverse and unique as the Train Train cast. But it takes almost a type of artistry to place them in situations that almost seem real (and some cases are real…only in Japan XD) and with that believably to hook readers and have them accept this as a plausible story. Perhaps I speak too much as a fan, but apart from that, it is truly an entertaining read and even casual readers won’t get bored with something like this.

As it is repeatedly said, Train Train is not a BL manga though we have enough scenes in the story to keep fans of BL happy for the time being. (What doesn’t appear on the page can always appear in our imaginations. ^-^) Eiki Eiki-sensei understands that well enough being a BL mangaka…and being surrounded by her assistants who each have a pairing that they love. *points at omake* The omake also includes a behind-the-scenes look at the drama cd recording. (It occurred the same time as the Princess Princess drama cd recording, so Tsuda Mikiyo-sensei has the same omake in Princess Princess vol. 4.)

The story of Train Train is not over, although it seems that the hiatus will continue on for some time before Eiki Eiki-sensei decides to finish this story. Volume 3 came out in 2005…and being that it is already 2010 with no news of new chapters, we have quite a bit of wait. However, it shouldn’t deter anyone from picking up this series. As part of the slice-of-life genre, the episodic nature of the stories can be standalone chapters. With this volume, we conclude all the background stories of various characters. Now, we just have to wait and see if Asahi can overcome his obstacles and strive to be a train operator. Or submit to being a pet and fawned on by his senpais (with continued sexual harassment by Hokuto.)

We’re rooting for you, Asahi-kun! ^.^

Review by Kris

Review originally appeared at Manic About Manga at http://www.manicaboutmanga.com. Check it out!

It’s so hard to write a synopsis for the final book in a series. You don’t want to give anything away yet you want to be informative as well. I’ll try my best without spoiling too much.

Arata and Yanagi have finally expressed their feelings and are ready to move forward. But there is a huge obstacle in their way. That would be Ten, Arata’s younger twin. Ten will stop at nothing to keep his brother out of the clutches of anyone, not just Yanagi (read vol. 4 for more details). Now that Ten knows that Yanagi and Arata are back together he’s turned into a raving lunatic. After locking Arata in his room he’s roped Kashiwagi (more like threatened him) into his plan by taking him to Yanagi’s home. Yanagi was worried when he sent Arata home seeing how Ten would blow a gasket if he found out that they spent the night together (too late). Luckily Ten failed to confiscate Arata’s phone but when Yanagi calls to make sure everything was OK Arata was unable to warn him on what horrors await him. What will happen to our lovers and the psycho brother?

The final volume of breath contains the ending of the main story, a side story featuring Yanagi and Arata, and two chapters starring Ten and the man he meets after leaving his brother. I feel that the ending was a bit rushed but I’m pleased with how things turned out. I don’t mind angst as long as there is a happy ending. The only thing missing is the steaminess between Arata and Yanagi. We don’t get any sex whatsoever. Another thing that was missing was a true ending regarding the situation with Ten. I really wish that there was more closure but I’m satisfied nonetheless.

Now the book isn’t devoid of sex, trust me. It just shows up in the side story featuring Ten and the sexy doctor that he shacks up with. In these chapters we are able to see Ten in a different light and it redeems him in my eyes. He definitely has some major issues going on upstairs and I would have liked more development but beggars can’t be choosers.

This is a great series and I’m glad that Yaoi Generation brought it to us. To me breath started out as a story of sketchy, but super hot, consensual sex with a bully of a seme and a spineless uke. I quickly changed my tune as we got to know these characters and saw them in a new light. As the story progressed it truly hooked me and made it so I couldn’t wait for the next volume to come out. The characters that started out as kind of stereotypical, stayed somewhat stereotypical, but morphed into characters with more depth and made it a more interesting story.

For a first off series Yaoi Generation did a great job. I must say that I appreciate the fact that they started the series and finished it instead of getting over their heads and publishing several titles all at once. In today’s economic times and the closing or missing manga publishers starting series and then going under before they finish them I really like the fact that Yaoi Gen started the series then finished it before moving on to the next. If they keep up the great work and continue to license interesting titles and release them with their fantastic production qualities they’ll continue to get my support!

If interested here are my reviews for vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3, and vol. 4.

Review by Kris

On Kaname Imai’s first day at work is somewhat jazzed up when he saves young Yuuta Fujimoto from some aggressive men. Initially Kaname thinks Yuuta is an adorable young girl but Yuuta is all male. Kaname is a cram school teacher and a year after he saved Yuuta; Yuuta attends his cram school. It seems that Yuuta has developed a crush on Kaname, but there are some objects in the way. Kaname is a college student and kind of clueless and Yuuta is a middle school student and likes to look out for Kaname’s best interest. A relationship at this juncture is not in the cards but Yuuta is determined that one day he’ll seduce Kaname.

A related story called Honey Citron features Yuuta’s two friends Kei and Makoto. It seems that Makoto may have developed a crush on Kei but doesn’t know how to deal with the possibility of the change that may appear in their relationship. The volume is rounded out by Brand New Wednesday, which is the tale of a high school student falling for his tutor.

This is a title that I really wrestle with. Any time there is a student/teacher pairing I always proceed with caution. When we deal with a high school student I’m usually able to look on but in this case we are dealing with a middle school student here and it just doesn’t sit quite as well. I guess the only thing that makes it a bit more palatable (only a bit, not very much) is that Yuuta is the aggressor in the relationship. Kaname also seems to be a bit reluctant to enter into a more physical relationship. But still there is a seven-year age difference and we’re not really sure how old Yuuta is when they finally consummate their love. He’s still in school but I don’t know if it’s middle or high school.

The other two stories are great though. Honey Citron shows us the turmoil that Makoto finds his feelings in. Kei is rather clueless and Yuuta worries that he was the one who planted the idea that Makoto likes Kei as more than friends. In this case we see first love develop and we are dealing with characters that are of the same age. Brand New Wednesday was also a good read. The age spread wasn’t as large and Kana (the student) is in high school. It is a little older story and features some of Tenzen-sensei’s older art. I have to say that I much prefer her newer art style because some of the features are softened somewhat.

Art wise this is a beautiful volume. It features typical Tenzen-sensei art, which are thin lines, perfectly windswept hair, thick lips, and long lanky limbs. She is rather detailed with her character sketches but backgrounds are sparse yet when there is a background involved it is done with painstaking care and are very detailed as well. I think that Juné is a great publisher for Tenzen-sensei. She’s not terribly explicit but is a great mangaka in her own right. With Juné’s larger trim size makes it that much more amazing to look at. Juné’s new branding is an improvement over the pink branding bar by leaps and bounds.

I’m going to struggle with recommending this title because of the issues of dealing with a relationship between a middle school student and his college aged cram school teacher. It’s a must have for Tenzen-sensei fans which I am one but I’m leaving this up to you to decide.

Review by Kris

Momoko Tenzen-sensei seems to have a thing for schoolboys. Unsophisticated and Rude is an anthology chock full of high school and college guys.

The book gets its title from the first story in the collection, Unsophisticated and Rude. Satoshi has a crush on Nao-sempai, a member of the same basketball team. What he doesn’t know is that his best friend Hiroto also has a thing for Nao-sempai. Who will Nao-sempai choose? Pretender is about Katase and Manaka. These two attended the same junior high and have a lot in common now that they are in high school. Katase fell in love with Manaka but kept it hidden even after Manaka confessed to him. Will these two ever get together? The third story is by far the best in the collection, Midori Vivid in My Eyes. Takamiya “rescues” the campus eccentric from a caterpillar attack. Sonoda is so grateful to (and taken by) Takamiya that he begins to shower him with expensive gifts. Takamiya doesn’t know what to do because he’s finding himself somewhat attracted to Sonoda as well. Will Takamiya be able to look beyond himself and accept Sonoda’s attention? Second Love focuses on Haruno and Uenaga. At an elementary school class reunion (they have those?) Haruno recognizes everyone but Uenaga. It seems that despite Haruno’s amazing memory he just can’t place Uenaga. The two again strike up a friendship but not remembering Uenaga annoys Haruno and Uenaga doesn’t want to bring up the past either. Will Haruno remember the past and if he does will the new friendship end because of it? The final story is I Want to Be Your Number One. Not only is this story the oldest of the collection but it’s also the most formulaic. Tomo and Yukihiro have friends for a long time. Now that they’re older Tomo seems to be making the moves on Yukihiro. The thing is Yukihiro doesn’t know if Tomo is joking or is serious. When push comes to shove will Yukihiro be able to recognize Tomo’s true feelings as well as his own?

This is the first anthology collection that I’ve read from Tenzen-sensei. The only other one that might come close is Manhattan Love Story but those stories are all interconnected so it really doesn’t fit in does it. That is one of the things that I like about Tenzen-sensei, she has the tendency to focus on one story for a volume of manga. But even in anthology mode I still enjoy her work. The stories have the usual BL feel to them and are somewhat predictable but because she creates beautiful characters, lush backgrounds, and a feel of pure romance I feel that she does a great job. She utilizes fine lines, thick lips, and windswept hair to make all of her characters absolutely stunning. Be they women or men they all inhabit a very attractive world. The art has a somewhat sparse style but that is what makes it so great. It has a very sophisticated look to it.

This book features Juné’s new look. What I mean by that is there is no dust jacket (even though they look great and it’s kind of nice that I don’t have to wrestle with the dust jacket but every once in a while I miss them.) They’ve also moved the branding bar to the side with the binding and have designed it to fit in with the look of the cover. No more noxious pink branding bar at the bottom of the book. Good work!

If you like your stories sweet and romantic or are a fan of Momoko Tenzen-sensei you’ll definitely enjoy this title. But it is an anthology and if you are a bit tired of them then you might want to stay away. Another thing is Tenzen-sensei isn’t terribly explicit, there is sex in this volume and it’s steamy but if you like your sex plentiful and graphic then you’re probably not going to enjoy it. I really liked it but I’m going to leave it up to you to decide!

Review by Kris

We all know that breakups are hard. Megumu Okazaki is a popular grad student who is trying to put his life back together after a heart-wrenching breakup. Hisashi Kina is a handsome 3rd year college student who seems to have fallen for Megumu. The two end up in bed together after Megumu runs into his ex. The problems arise when both Kina and Megumu have no idea what direction their relationship is headed. Do they love each other or is Megumu only using Kina as a rebound fling to heal his broken heart?

Another couple, professors at Megumu and Kina’s university, also makes an appearance in their own story. Kikugawa and Shibata attended the same college and now teach at said college together. Kikugawa is quiet and comes across as somewhat aloof. Shibata, on the other hand, is social, personable, and gets along with everyone. This is truly a sweet romance where opposites attract and that if you are truly compatible you can have long, fulfilling relationship.

Suggestive Eyes is definitely the style you’ve come to expect from Tenzen-sensei. The stories are dramatic, romantic and beautifully drawn. But the way sensei presented the story is somewhat interesting. Instead of starting the story by introducing us to the beginning of their story, we jump into the middle of their romance. Kina is unsure of Megumu’s feelings and Megumu wants to end their relationship because he’s doesn’t know what his own feelings are. When we pick up the second chapter its there that we find out how Kina and Megumu met. Megumu is a grad student working with Shibata-sensei and Kina is a 3rd year student. After witnessing Megumu crying over a pack of cigarettes (which Kina actually left in the classroom). Megumu seems to be drawn to Kina but when Kina finds himself being somewhat attracted to Megumu he finds out that Megumu was only interested in the cigarettes. It comes out at a drinking party that Megumu dated a guy that smoked the same brand and the relationship ended badly. Once we finish this story then we continue on with what normally would have followed what happened after the first chapter. It is really kind of confusing if you ask me, but upon the third and fourth readings I found the lineup intriguing.

The couple who really makes this manga worth picking up is the story of Kikugawa and Shibata. They may be professors at the same school but these two have a rather long history together. They started out as classmates. Kikugawa can be rather intimidating but it’s just because he’s quiet. Shibata is bubbly, friendly, and has the tendency to be the center of attention. The two struck up an unlikely friendship and soon found themselves attracted to one another.

With this story I liked how even though this book featured two different couples the two stories are intertwined and the four of them have to interact with the others. I liked the Megumu/Kina story but I would have to say that the better of the two is the one that features Kikugawa/Shibata. It is very romantic, which you come to expect when you read a Tenzen-sensei manga. Her soft, thin lines and excruciating detail make what could be a typical yaoi story something beautiful and entertaining. Tenzen-sensei could illustrate boring instructional manuals and I would automatically pick it up and enjoy it.

The book is up to Juné’s usual standards and is beautiful. The translation seems smooth and I don’t remember seeing any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, but it’s entirely possible that I over looked them because I have to turn off my proofreading mode sometimes. I have to give my thanks to Juné for licensing and publishing works by Momoko Tenzen. She is a gifted mangaka that I recommend!

Review by Linda Yau

Imagine always having the ability to see micro-organisms with your naked eye. What would it be like? Would you embrace this ability, shun it, or would you learn to cope with it? That is how Tadayasu Sawaki lives his life. He stopped speaking about this unique ability, but learned to cope with it. Now the story begins with him starting as a freshman at an agricultural college with his friend Kei Yuki, and this is a story of their experiences.

I have been waiting to read this manga, and I am pleased about this book. There are several reasons why I feel this way; one is because of the cute representations of the micro-organisms. There are explanations, foot notes, and parodies about the behaviors of micro-organisms that live in every day life. Second issue is on the explanation of agricultural science. People hear about farming, and agriculture, but for urban cities dwellers, it makes it harder to realize an education or efforts out there are to provide resources for feeding the planet. Third is the theme or message of a possible way to look for alternative sources in producing food.

In this book there is the introduction of Sawaki and Yuki, along with a colorful cast of supporting characters. My favorite scenes were when the Professor was bringing out the smelliest foods, and the reactions of everyone around him. Also outside of volume 1 being a good beginning of this story, I am not sure how the story would turn out in the rest of the chapters. There has already been a hidden agenda revealed by the professor, and how Sawaki would tie into the equation. His skill of being the only person that can see the cute micro organisms can undoubtedly alienate people. What happens if everyone else finds out of his ability?

There are currently eight volumes in Japanese, and with the second English volume of this series being published soon. Moyasimon is a cute story that would please readers of slice of life, and wanting to maybe take a glimpse into a scientific field.

Review by Kris

Food… its something that we all need. Not only do we need it to sustain life but it also is very important to society. We all have dishes that are essential to our culture and one mention of these meals people immediately know where that food comes from. Scotland has Haggis, Russia and borscht goes hand in hand. When you think of Italy pasta comes to mind and where would America be without its apple pie. Even though food is essential you wouldn’t imagine making an entertaining manga out of it. Well it has been done, and done very well.

Oishinbo A la Carte focuses on the Teito Times and their project called the Ultimate Menu. Shiro Yamaoka and Yuko Kurita are the two employees in charge. It turns out that Yamaoka is the son of renowned gourmet and famous artist Yuzan Kaibara. Yamaoka and Kaibara have been estranged for many years and the two don’t get along. They have very different views on how gourmet food should be approached. Yuzan feels that only those with culture and discriminating taste should be recognized as gourmets. Yamaoka feels differently. He feels that everyone should be able to enjoy good food and that gourmet meals can be found everywhere, not just in super fancy and expensive restaurants.

Oishinbo A la Carte is presented in a new and interesting way than most manga series. Usually they start a series with the first volume and follow the stories in the order that they were published. In the case of Oishinbo A la Carte it is handled like the title implies, a la carte. The volumes focus on a food type and each story focuses on that particular menu item. They introduce the series with a very apropos food choice, Japanese Cuisine. Each chapter focuses on a menu item. Not only do you have the food but the interpersonal relationships between the characters that make the manga interesting. You find yourself drooling over the manga while reading the descriptions of the dishes. Not only do you get an interesting look into Japanese culture through the dishes that have been passed down through the generations but the folks at VIZ have provided recipes for a dish or two that were featured in the volume (they may have been included in Japanese volumes but I have no knowledge of that).

Some of the artwork in Oishinbo A la Cart does have a somewhat dated look to it and some of the stories take place several years in the past. Oishinbo is a series that was started in 1983 and is still ongoing. According to mangaupdates.com there are currently 102 volumes out and it’s still plugging along. This is one of the first VIZ Signature titles that I’ve checked out and I have to say that I’m impressed with quality of this release. The books are a little bit bigger than a usual VIZ release (they’re about the same size as a DMP volume). They don’t have dust jackets but have attached flaps that give it a higher scale look. The paper is also a heavier stock and has an heirloom quality to it. The recipe pages are presented in color to make the food look that much better and drool worthy. Because of these features the books are little more expensive but because of the high quality and overall great job in production it is worth the higher price.

For a manga about food I have found myself truly enchanted and I’ve found myself hooked by this series. What better way to learn about a fascinating culture like the Japanese than through their culinary feats!

Review by Kris

There is a somewhat strange tradition at the all-boys Fujimori Academy. Instead of having a more traditional style of mascot (you know something along the lines of Jaguars, Cougars, Spartans, Bees, etc.) they have the Princesses. A few of the prettiest boys are chosen to dress in drag and cheer on the various clubs on campus. Mikiyo Tsuda introduced us to the Princesses in her series Princess Princess and continues the concept in Princess Princess Plus.

Kiriya Matsuoka and Tomoe Izumi have been chosen to be this year’s Princesses. Both decide to take on the job but for various reasons. Being a Princess has a few perks but is also very hard work and the two new princesses will have to go through a crash course to learn the ins and outs of the job. And their new drill sergeants are none other than last year’s princesses Tohru Kouno, Yuujirou Shihoudani, and Mikoto Yutaka. Becoming a princess is hard work but Matsuoka and Izumi take it all in stride and work very hard together. But things change very quickly when Izumi invites himself over to Matsuoka’s house. Matsuoka and his siblings lost their parents when they were young and they live in a small apartment. Izumi on the other hand was born into a very rich family and wants for nothing, except a true friend. Izumi assumes that because he and Matsuoka are now princesses together the two should become close friends. But when Izumi tries to get to know Matsuoka better, his plan backfires and soon Matsuoka comes to despise Izumi. Things get so bad that even the previous princesses notice that something is wrong. Will Izumi and Matsuoka be able to set aside their differences and become friends, or will pride continue to get in the way?

Princess Princess Plus is one of the first books released by Digital Manga Publishing’s Doki Doki line. Doki Doki is a partnership with the Japanese publisher Shinshokan (in Japan Shinshokan publishes the manga magazines of Wings, a shojo mag, and Dear +, a boys love magazine). This line seems to focus on shojo and boys love titles aimed mainly at a young adult level (Juné and 801 Media titles are geared toward adult readers). For their first book Princess Princess Plus isn’t too bad of a choice.

Mikiyo Tsuda has created an entire universe that these characters inhabit. There are a couple of spin-offs that feature the Princess Princess characters (The Day of Revolution, Family Complex, and of course Princess Princess). The original Princess Princess series was published by DMP and contains five books (if you are interested in reading Ginger Mayerson’s review of this title click here). In the original series the story focuses mainly on the job of being a princess and stars Kouno, Shihoudani, and Yutaka. In Princess Princess Plus the princess responsibilities take a back seat to the personal story between Izumi and Matsuoka. Matsuoka has a huge complex because he lost his parents when he was young and his older brother works as a host to make ends meet. Izumi, on the other hand, is the only child born into a very wealthy family. Because of this wealth he is generally taken advantage of by his friends but he yearns to find a friend who will see him for him and not for the money his parents have. The point of this story is to watch the friendship between Matsuoka and Izumi blossom.

With this being one of Doki Doki’s first titles I was looking forward to how they were going to look production-wise. The books are the same size as 801 Media titles (sister company to Doki Doki) but have about the same quality and price point as a Juné title. Another nice feature is that instead of using a bar on the bottom of the book to brand it they used a nifty scroll pattern with the Doki Doki logo in the corner. One thing I did wonder about was how they were going to handle the under the cover comic. Mikiyo Tsuda is famous for throwing in a gag comic underneath the dust jacket. With this title there is no jacket but luckily it is printed at the end of the book.

Overall I did enjoy this title because the story focused on the interpersonal relationships between the characters whereas the original series seemed to be focused mainly on the princesses’ duties and costumes that they wore. The personal stories seemed to be secondary. It is assumed that you’ve already read the first five volumes of the original series so they figure that you know the basics of the story (like why they have princesses as mascots as opposed to anything else). This can be read as a stand alone title but it does make more sense if you’ve read the first series. It is also a one-shot because Tsuda-sensei mentions in her ending comments that she’s done all she can with it and it has been a very fulfilling project for her. This is one that Tsuda-sensei fans won’t want to miss. I will however make the comment that you may want to avoid this title if you don’t have a thing for cross-dressing in your manga. It can get tiring after a while. While I’m not a rabid Tsuda-sensei fan I found this to be a fun title that is a great distraction from everyday life!

For another point of view be sure to check out I-hsiu Lin’s review.

Review by Kris

Everyone says that their family is crazy (believe me I’ve used that excuse a time or two) but in the case of the Nakagamis, they are truly crazy. You have a family obsessed with the middle son Tokio, an older son who is a cross-dressing shojo artist, and a younger brother who is somewhat gullible when it comes to his older brother. But the siblings are just the tip of the iceberg. The mom and dad are eternally youthful and look much younger than their children and the grandfather is the youngest looking one out of the bunch, if you didn’t know any better you’d think he was around the age of ten or so. If you’re interested in checking out reviews for the first volume you can read mine or a great male perspective by Tom Good.

Things seem to going OK with Haruka Iijima and Tokio Nakagami but they aren’t moving fast enough for Iijima thanks to the butting in of the rest of the Nakagami clan. But an ominous wind blows in the son of the head of the family and president of the Nakagami Group, Hibari Nakagami. It seems weird to the rest of the family that Hibari just shows up out of the blue to collect Grandfather Mitsuru (the ten-year-old looking grandpa). But instead of leaving with Grandfather he seems to have taken Tokio’s heart with him leaving Iijima, and the rest of the family worried. Only they’re worried about different things, Iijima feels that Hibari is taking his beloved sensei away from him, and the Nakagami clan figure that Hibari is using the fact that Tokio once had a thing for him to take advantage of him and his youthful appearance. Will Iijima and the rest of the Nakagamis be able to rescue Tokio before anything horrible will happen to him?

The second half of the book features a story starring Takamaru (the third son), Hibari, and Kijinojyo (the eldest son and the cross-dresser). Takamaru gets lost on an island famous for its mushrooms and its pirate legend while searching for a legendary mushroom that will save Tokio from a dreaded family disease (which turns out to be just a joke that their father told them). But who knew that while on the island they were going to be roped into the mystery of the pirate treasure.

This series is honestly a hidden gem. There are many hardcore yaoi fans that wouldn’t pick up this book because it has a YA rating. Usually with that rating it means that the sexual content isn’t as prevalent. But if you haven’t read this series you are missing out, big time! It is absolutely hilarious. The story is far-fetched but that’s what makes it fun. There is a scene in the first story where Hibari and Tokio are having dinner but to protect Tokio’s innocence Iijima, Kijinojyo, Takamaru and eventually Gokurakuchota (the father) show up in various types of dress but they’re all wearing different types of neckties because it is a requirement for men (and Kijinojyo is in his cross-dressing mode). I laughed out loud, which I usually don’t do (I choose to just snicker to myself). The storytelling is done well and the story moves rather quickly. It is a quick read but definitely worth you time.

Not only is the story great but I have found that I really like Homerun Ken-sensei’s art style. It is very clean and detailed and the characters actually look Asian (which often times the look is more generic). Everyone is gorgeous and beautifully designed. The art will really blow you away (at least in my opinion). The art and the story work really well together and the characters are well developed.

Since Juné decided to lose the dust jackets they store better and look rather nice on a shelf. I do admit that I miss the dust jackets because on the inner flaps you usually get a blurb written about the author. Without the jacket you don’t get them and I miss those comments, they were always good for a giggle. But, oh well, I think I’ll live. The translation was done smoothly and they did a great job on the clean-up. But Juné usually does a bang up job when it comes to high production value.

I don’t know if there is a third book in the works but in the Afterword sensei makes it seem like the chances that she’ll (I assume it’s a she) continue the series. I really hope so because not only do we have the Tokio x Iijima pairing, but we also have the new couple of Takamaru and Imaizumi, and there is the building sexual tension between Hibari and Kijinojyo. I’ve found myself completely entranced by sensei’s work and hope that more will be brought to the English-speaking market.
If you haven’t checked out Clan of the Nakagamis, you should really pick it up. You can read it as a stand alone story, but I do recommend reading the first volume before you read The Devil Cometh. It makes more sense that way and is way more enjoyable. I do recommend this series and I think you ought to check it out!

Hey, Class President! vol. 1

Review by Kris

For any yaoi reader you know that when you have an all-boys school there is going to be hooking up. In Kaori Monchi-sensei’s Hey, Class President! there is plenty of sex to go around.

Kokusai and Chiga have been in the Judo club together but recently Kokusai has been elected as class president. It seems that the school’s tradition in to elect the most wanted guy. And that guy is Kokusai. Kokusai gets to select his vice president and that lucky soul is Chiga. Chiga doesn’t understand why on earth anyone would want to elect Kokusai as the class president. He’s slow and clueless to things that are going on around him. He’s a stalker and pervert magnet and he’s always being groped by strangers on the train. Now that Chiga is in the picture he keeps creeps at bay. Chiga is a known womanizer and never has a shortage of girlfriends but since he can’t seem leave Kokusai alone he finds himself attracted to Kokusai as well. What will happen to these two?

With Hey, Class President! I’ve found it hard to explain the plot of the story because I don’t really understand what is going on. Not only do you have the things going on in the school and the dealings with Kokusai and Chiga but you also have other things going on outside of school. There seems to be a stalker making the rounds in Kokusai’s neighborhood and actually has set his sights on Kokusai. Since this is the first of four volumes we won’t find out who the stalker is for a while. One thing I have figured out is Monchi-sensei writes whatever she wants regardless of whether it makes sense or not.

Right now I don’t know if I like the series. The story is kind of all over the place and doesn’t make sense in some places but that might clear up as the series goes on. The art is definitely unique and you can tell immediately that it is Monchi-sensei. The sex is hot and plentiful towards the end (you get a lot more in the second volume.) And I must say that this has one of the longest self loving scenes I have ever read in a manga. Dang!

With this being an 801 Media release you know the smut factor is going to be high and with this one it is definitely smutty. I like 801’s productions values. The books are about the same size as the Japanese originals and they always include a full color cover sheet. One thing I really liked was the font choices. Normally I take it for granted, but when the font is off it really pulls you out of the story. 801 (and DMP in general) always do an amazing job on their translation, cleanup, and design.

Do I recommend this title? Well… it’s still early in the series. Since it doesn’t make much sense to me right now doesn’t mean I’m ready to give it up (besides being obsessive/compulsive like I am once I start something I finish I have to see it through.) So let’s all give this a chance, cool?

Love/Knot

Review by Kris

By day Keigo Someha works as a somewhat unsuccessful private investigator. But for his evening job, an assassin for hire, he’s much more successful. On his way back from his evening job he finds a young man who’d collapsed in front of his house. This young man has a unique look and piques Keigo’s interest. When the young man awakens in a strange environment, he freaks out. Keigo, like a good host should, introduces himself and learns the young man’s name, Emiya Nozaki. Emiya is very wary but poses an interesting proposition. Since Keigo is not the best detective, Emiya gives him some information about a person he is currently looking for. If the info is correct Keigo has to let Emiya stay with him. Of course Emiya’s information is spot on so Keigo allows him to stay. But while on another job he that a top secret government experiment escaped and that he may be getting a call. It turns out that Emiya is the government experiment. He possesses a high intellect and seems to have ESP abilities. Now that Keigo has accepted Emiya into his life will he be able to hand him over to the government, or will he protect him from having to go back to the place he tried so hard to get away from?

Oh man, the plot had so much potential but sadly it falls so very short! If the story focused on building the relationship between Keigo and Emiya it probably would have worked better. But we were introduced to the characters and then almost immediately they were professing their love. With the opportunity to have a great action/love story Love/Knot misses the point. I had hoped that there would have been more action because Keigo wants to keep his assassin side hidden and Emiya would have been fighting to stay out of the government’s clutches but as quickly as these points are made they are quickly forgotten. Everything is just disjointed and things are kind of messy (just like this review). I found myself hoping for the ending to come quick which isn’t a good sign for any book, manga or otherwise.

Digital Manga always does a great job when it comes to the physical production of the book. With the larger trim size it makes it stand out on a shelf and the illustrations are clear. I do kind of miss the dust jackets, but they are easier to store. Juné brought us another Hiroko Ishimaru title, Total Surrender and honestly preferred that title to this one.

I will admit I do like the art and the characters are all very attractive and are well proportioned. If you choose to read it at least the art is appealing. The story is not new and sadly Love/Knot hasn’t really changed my life in this presentation of this story line. I’ve seen it done over and over again, and better. But I’m going to leave it up to you; you may really like it!

Awaken Forest

Review by Kris

Yoshimori is a newcomer to the editorial department but for some strange reason he’s been tasked to retrieve the manuscript of the well-known and very talented author, Orito Suga. He had the opportunity to meet Suga-sensei and his brother at a work function. These two brothers are beyond handsome and Yoshimori is looking forward to spending a little time with these two handsome men. But behind these two gorgeous yet mysterious brothers lies a secret that can be the end of these two, and with Yoshimori not only living with the Suga brothers but also feeling an attraction to Masato something dangerous seems to be lurking.

Included with the main story of Awaken Forest are two short one shots. Loose Bonds is a tale of two childhood friends, one of which has had a crush on the other and will do anything to keep his friend by his side. Be With Me ‘Til Morning and Be With Me ‘Til Night is a story where a playboy realizes that his friend is the only man for him.

You might recognize the art in Awaken Forest. Yuna Aoi is another penname for Tamotsu Takamure the artist who created Jazz, also released by Juné. I never read Jazz and after reading Awaken Forest I probably won’t. The story in Awaken Forest is a bit jarring with an incest angle. Plus throw in some non-con sex and that’s about all there is to Awaken Forest. There is very little story, honestly. It goes from newbie editor going to authors house, finding out the secret behind the two brothers, being raped, to end of story. I sat scratching my head thinking “What crap did I just read?” Then following the story of Awaken Forest you have Loose Bonds which is almost as disturbing as the first story. Ren has had a thing for Aki since they were kids and will go to extreme lengths to make sure that Aki depends on Ren only. Ren has been pulling all kinds of crap to deceive Aki to keep him in his clutches. This type of story line doesn’t appeal to me either. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with angsty plots but in the case of these two stories I didn’t like them one bit. The third story is the only one that is half-decent but is rather typical of the genre.

Not only was the story lackluster but the art was rather unimpressive as well. There is little detail and the characters seem to all look alike. The only difference is the hairstyles on the characters. They seemed to have unnaturally large eyes, especially when children were portrayed. It really pulled me out of the story, which is bad when I’m not really fully invested to begin with. Honestly this title is one that you can miss. If you want to read it I say go for it but just know that in my opinion the only story that is half decent is Be With Me ‘Til Morning and Be With Me ‘Til Night.