I’ve been doing the majority of my comic reading on the iPad lately. The iPad’s form factor and crisp backlit screen makes it a natural fit for comics. My favorite general-purpose comic reader is the comiXology reader for iPad. It features a large selection of free and paid comics available for in-app download, including titles from Marvel and DC, but it has a very small selection of manga. That’s where the VIZ Manga App comes in.

This free app lets you download and read a selection of manga from VIZ, including titles like Dragon Ball, Vampire Knight, and Naruto. There are some previews available for free, so you can get a taste of how the app works without spending any money. And through the end of March 2011, all the “Volume 1″ books are on sale for 99 cents each, which is a great deal. Right now the full price books are $4.99 each, which is still a good deal considering these are around 150-200 pages each.

The actual content on this app looks great. When I read manga here, I feel like I’m basically seeing the same thing as in the paper version. The text is clear and legible even when it gets down to smaller sizes, and the app shows a whole page at a time, with no need to zoom in to read things (although zooming is supported). Swiping a finger across the screen scrolls to the next page without any noticeable delay.

One somewhat odd feature in this app is that it keeps track of what page you’re on in a book, but if you switch to a different book and then back to the original one, it will lose your place in the original manga unless you had manually set a bookmark. This is not really a problem once you get used to it, but it surprised me because I assumed it would work more like the Kindle app, which keeps track of the current page in all the books separately.

I like some of the quirky manga on the VIZ app, like Toriko, a story about a “gourmet hunter” who travels the world seeking the most delicious and exotic cooking ingredients. And my favorite manga so far on the app is Bakuman, which tells the story of two high school boys who are trying to break into the manga industry, one as an artist and the other as a writer.

Bakuman is written by the creative team behind Death Note and has a similar visual style, but none of the supernatural elements of its predecessor. In fact, it reads more like non-fiction. It could have been subtitled “Behind the scenes at Shonen Jump.” The reader (along with the main characters) learns all about the business side of manga: everything from how stories are chosen for publication, to the intense competition between editors to find and develop hits. There’s a romantic subplot too, but the main appeal comes from the insider’s view of the manga industry.

I recommend both the VIZ Manga App, and Bakuman as must-have content for it.

Review by Kris

In Shinjuku’s Nichome neighborhood (for those not in the know this is the neighborhood well known to cater to Tokyo’s gay community) is a small Detective agency run by Yasuie Kiryuuin and his assistant Yoshiyuki Nomura. There’s one problem they have no business and Yasu is terrible with money. Yoshiyuki seems to handle all of the business aspects of the detective agency and Yasu tries to drum up business by taking care of the cats of many of the ladies who work in Kabukicho (Tokyo’s red light district) and sexually harasses Yoshiyuki. They face a bleak future but they seem to get through it together until Yoshiyuki’s father falls ill. You see Yoshiyuki is adopted and when his adoptive parents have a child of their own he feels out of place. Eventually Yoshiyuki hits rock bottom and that’s when Yasu finds him and offers him a place to belong. That lasted for a while but his parents would like him to come back home, work in his father’s company, and start with marriage interviews. It seems like it’s going to be a tough decision for Yoshiyuki. Does he stay poor and follow Yasuie, the man who gave him a place to belong, or go home with a family and live a secure life?

Live for Love is a title that I’m going to have a hard time recommending. Why, you ask? Well many of the yaoi stereotypes are alive and thriving in this manga. I will warn you now that there is a non-con (non-consensual or rape) scene because Yasu is just so overcome by emotion when he finds out that Yoshiyuki is tossing around the idea of going back home. At least in this case Yasu realizes what a boneheaded move that was and would understand if Yoshiyuki would want nothing to do with him. Yoshiyuki is the typical tsundere type character; he seems to say one thing but means something completely different. Yasu has redeeming qualities, he’s a total goofball and that is something that I love in my semes, but he does push the line way too often.

While the story falls into typical yaoi territory the art is not really my style. Mayama sensei’s chibis are kind of weird looking and even the normal art in many places looks off. I liked the art on the cover and on the back but once I cracked it open I wasn’t as impressed. Juné did a good job on it though. I didn’t catch any spelling or grammar mistakes and they did a nice job on the production.

I will admit that there were a few spots where I enjoyed the humor. If you don’t mind setting your values aside involving non-con who knows you may enjoy this title. But I’m leaving the decision up to you. For another view on this title be sure to catch April Kimm’s review.

Review by Kris

Motoki Matsushima is one of the most popular guys in class. Girls are always confessing their love for him but there’s only one Matsushima has his eye on, Shoji Mashita. Mashita comes across as quiet and brainy but in all actuality he has a cruel streak. Mashita knows how Matsushima feels about him and Mashita enjoys teasing him mercilessly. The two are really close friends and the chances are pretty high that Mashita feels the same way. Unfortunately the secret comes out when Mashita gets jealous of a mutual friend (the friend, Natsuki, has known Mashita for a long time) because Matsushima was getting the dirt on Mashita. Mashita may be able to keep his cool in everyday situations but when passions are high its Matsushima who’s in control. Will these two be able to get together or will Mashita’s inexperience with the physical aspects of their relationship hinder these two from moving forward?

Sorry for the poor synopsis but action packed this manga is not. It feels like it moves slowly but it’s over before you know it. This definitely falls into a unique category. When I first read it it took me a while to get the right name with the right face because the names are just too similar (at least in my mind). But once I got past that aspect of story I was able to sink in and truly enjoy it. Matsushima is like a giant puppy and an ongoing joke is that he grew out his hair because the person he liked said it reminded him of his dog’s hair. Of course Mashita has a dog and the two do share similarities. Mashita does have a mean streak but it’s pretty obvious to everyone (except Matsushima) how he feels. Of course true love does not run smooth so there are a few bumps that these two will need to overcome.

As always I rather enjoyed this title. It is, of course, a Momoko Tenzen title and will get my attention simply for that fact. She is a rather interesting story teller. Not only does she approach things in a little bit different way but she doesn’t always follow the yaoi conventions. Like in this story it’s the uke who seems to be the cruel one in everyday life. Now following the typical conventions it’s almost always the seme that has the cruel streak. I noticed, too, that at the beginning of the manga we jump right in to the middle of their story and then backtrack a little bit (I noticed the same pattern in her title Suggestive Eyes.) But the thing I love most about this title is the art. Tenzen-sensei’s men are impossibly beautiful (with thick lips and windswept hair) yet still have an everyday man quality too them. She isn’t shy to include beauty marks on her characters (that is a statement over all, none of the characters in La Satanica have any that I’m aware of but in some of her other titles you’ll catch them) which makes them more realistic to me (no one has flawless skin). Because much of her stuff falls into the realm of drama there isn’t much need for chibis but when she inserts some humor her chibis are darling.

When it comes to Tenzen-sensei I’m running out of things to say because I’ve said it all once before in previous reviews. She continues to be a favorite mangaka of mine and unless she ends up writing some really weird, distasteful manga she will continue to be a favorite of mine. I really enjoyed La Satanica for the storytelling, the art and the pacing. Some may not feel the same way. But if you enjoy pure romance you’ll like La Satanica.

Review by Kris

Nanami and Shouzo are back in the second volume of Brilliant Blue. It seems that Shouzo has flipped Nanami’s switch. It’s obvious that the two of them are attracted to each other but being in a small town does have its drawbacks. Things haven’t progressed but when a college friend from Tokyo, who also happens to be female, comes for a visit Nanami becomes jealous and finally admits to Shouzo that he’s in love with him. Shouzo feels the same way and the two enter into a relationship. But things don’t move as smoothly as one would like. The first problem they encounter is Shouzo getting Nanami into bed. He’s ready to move to the next level but Nanami can’t seem to read the mood. Next problem happens to be the two families. Because of the Douwaki mess in the first volume Nanami’s protective older brothers are even more overprotective. In Shouzo’s case he won’t be able to have a family to inherit the family business. Soon after their date Nanami’s brother finds out about the relationship between the two. Will these two be able to show their loved ones that they do truly love each other? Also included is an extra story that takes place six months after the end of the main story.

I have to say that I do really like this series. There were times when I really struggled with a few things but overall I found this to be an enjoyable manga to read. Your characters aren’t typical for the genre. Really the only thing I struggled with was trying to figure out what was up with Nanami. He’s not stupid seeing how his math skills are top notch and has quite the memory. But he seems like he’s emotionally stunted and that what stands in the way. Does he have a disability like autism or is it something else. In reading the series quite a few times I’m trying to figure out what the author intended. The way I’ve decided to look at it is that he’s been babied by his older brothers to the point where he really can’t do too much on his own. And his brothers failed him because instead of challenging and helping him they’ve mollycoddled him and if anything was too hard they just let him quit. At least that is my take on Nanami.

The extra story at the end is just like a cherry on top of a sundae. It has the feel of a day in the life of these two lovers as they deal with working together and their interactions with their coworkers around them.

This is another quality release of a DokiDoki title. I kind of like the smaller size, it makes it easier to throw the manga in my purse and take with me to read later. They also did a great job editorially, thumbs up to DokiDoki.

I recommend this title for those who want to read something a little different within the genre. School boys and salarymen are great but sometimes you need to read something with a different angle. There is a little sex but it is very brief and very tame so if you want something more explicit you won’t find it here. For another viewpoint be sure to read Linda Yau’s review as well. You can also read my review of the first volume and Linda Yau’s review of the first volume, too.

Review by Kris

Shozo Mita never planned on coming back home. Even though he followed in his father’s footsteps and entered into the construction management field he had no intention of working in the family business. That was until his father sustained a back injury and is laid up. Living in a small town things haven’t changed much, you know everybody knows everyone and their business. But one thing has definitely changed, Nanami Ushijima. Nanami once was a heavyset kid that everyone teased but now he looks like he just stepped out from the pages of a shojo manga. Even though Nanami may have changed physically he’s still the somewhat childlike person he was in high school. You see Nanami isn’t the brightest when it comes to some things but he’s extremely good at his job as an electrician and has a knack with numbers and complicated diagrams.

Now that Shozo’s back in town Nanami seems to have taken a shine to him and it’s entirely possible that Shozo might have developed some feelings for Nanami as well. But there’s a bit of a problem. Because of Nanami’s childlike innocence he finds himself in some pretty strange situations. It seems that he’s in a strange relationship with one of Mita Construction’s clients and it doesn’t look Nanami is enjoying it. Will Shozo be able to help Nanami and win him over?

I found myself enjoying Brilliant Blue. It is a great tale of two socially awkward people (Nanami seems to have some learning issues and Shozo has no tact or inner monologue) coming together and making it work. It’s not your typical yaoi which made it that much more enjoyable. There isn’t much yaoi content within the pages. There is a sweet little kiss on the forehead towards the end but that’s about it. The story does move a bit slowly but who says that that’s a bad thing. There were a few scenes that were a bit hard to digest. Those were the scenes between Nanami and Douwaki (Mita Construction’s client.) Other than that the book was rather enjoyable. If interested be sure to check out Linda Yau’s review as well.

I like the look of the DokiDoki line. The books are smaller, about the size of an 801 Media title (and Juné’s new size) and instead of having a tacky branding bar (I was never a fan of Juné’s pink bar on the bottom of the books) the imprint’s name is in the corner with a scrolly (I know that’s not a word) design in a color that blends with the colors used in the illustration. Visually they did a good job. I didn’t notice any major spelling goofs or grammatical issues. Good job guys!

I found Brilliant Blue to be a great addition to my manga library due to the fact that it isn’t a typical run of the mill yaoi tale. With pretty art, cute chibis and an interesting story I feel comfortable recommending this title and I definitely can’t wait to read the next volume. But if you are looking for something a bit more explicit you may want to sit this one out.

This is the press release that was released:

Kodansha and Random House Transform and Expand Their U.S. Manga Publishing Relationship

New York, NY – October 4, 2010 – Kodansha Ltd. and Random House Inc. have announced their plans to change and expand their manga publishing relationship in North America. The companies are shifting from a licensing relationship to a sales and distribution arrangement as of December 1, 2010.

The current relationship between Kodansha and Random House began in 2003, with the first titles debuting in 2004 under the latter’s Del Rey Manga imprint. Since then, more 500 volumes have been published, including many bestselling manga series.

Under the new arrangement, Kodansha’s subsidiary, Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC, established in 2008 and led by Yoshio Irie, will be publishing Kodansha-originated manga themselves directly in the U.S. English-language market with strong support from Random House Publisher Services (RHPS), Random House’s third-party distribution division. Del Rey Manga associate publisher Dallas Middaugh will remain with the program, transferring to RHPS.

“We are very excited to extend our relationship with Random House,” said Yoshio Irie, president and CEO of Kodansha USA Publishing. “Both companies see opportunity in the American manga market, and we look forward to working together to further the distribution and exposure of manga in the United States.”

“We are thrilled to have a publisher as distinctive as Kodansha USA Publishing join the Random House Publisher Services portfolio,” said Jeff Abraham, the division’s president. “Kodansha is one of the great worldwide publishing brands for the manga category, and we will do everything to support their efforts with our many booksellers and distributors who love selling manga titles.”

Del Rey’s ongoing manga titles which were licensed by Kodansha will be gradually taken over by Kodansha USA Publishing on a per-title basis.

Tokyo-based Kodansha established Kodansha USA Inc. on the occasion of their company’s 100th anniversary. Kodansha USA Publishing began by publishing Akira and The Ghost in the Shell in 2009 under the Kodansha Comics imprint. They plan to expand their strong line-up of manga under this exciting new collaboration with Random House Publisher Services.

Review by Kris

Akihito Takaba can’t seem to stay away from Ryuichi Asami for very long. Always searching for the next big story Takaba is approached by another cop (you’ll have to read the first volume for the details on that whole scenario) and he has special access to the exclusive Club Sion, run by Asami himself. Once inside will Takaba get the story he’s looking for or will Asami show up and foil Takaba’s plans?

The majority of the volume is dedicated to Fei Long Liu’s backstory, how he and Asami met, and why there is some massive animosity between these two crime bosses. Fei Long was adopted into the Liu family and was raised like the head of the family’s own son but Fei Long didn’t feel as though he truly measured up to his older brother. Yan Tsui was ruthless in his treatment of both Fei Long and his enemies. Because he was the older of the two it’s expected that Yan Tsui will be taking over the family business but it seems that Fei Long is more capable and more liked. But all is not well in Hong Kong’s criminal underworld and Asami seems to have a hand in it.

The final part of the book is a new chapter starring the two students from Plants in Love. This time around it’s DNA in Love and Mizuno has it tough. His mom is out of town and his dad is in charge. It soon comes to the attention of Hiyama’s dad that his lover’s son happens to attend the same school as his own son and uses Mizuno’s illness as an excuse to head over to the Mizuno household. Not only do the dads seem to get some action but Hiyama and Mizuno enjoy some alone time as well.

This is a rather advanced review but I was given the opportunity so I figured that I’d take it. Luckily I still had my friend’s copy of the second BeBeautiful release and was able to handle it the way I did with the first volume. In comparing the two volumes the art hasn’t been changed. In the comments section of my own website one person commented that BeBeautiful did edit some of the artwork in the second volume if you compared it to the original Japanese version. I don’t have my original Japanese copies yet (I’ll probably be getting them later on in the year or the beginning of next, like y’all needed to know that.) At least compared with BeBeautiful’s version everything is the same, with the exception of the original interview conducted by BeBeautiful’s staff and that the book licensed by Juné is the one released by Libre in 2007 so the author’s afterword is different as well. Even though the artwork hasn’t changed Juné’s version is far superior. The translation is of a higher quality and they’ve included a full color cover sheet that is simply beautiful.

I love Yamane-sensei’s art, it is truly gorgeous. I’m still hanging in there in hopes that the story will truly hook me. I would like to see more of the Takaba x Akihito relationship. I have enjoyed it but I’m not as rabid about this series as others are in the fandom. So far I think I prefer her other English released titles (The Crimson Spell and A Foreign Love Affair) but I haven’t given up hope yet. There are still 3 more volumes to be translated and it is still an ongoing series. If it continues on its current trajectory chances are I’ll be converted.

Review by Kris

Akihito Takaba is a freelance photographer who got a hot tip and a huge scoop involving politicians and the criminal underworld but unfortunately the story was quashed. The crime boss Ryuichi Asami won’t have Takaba butting into his business so to intimidate Takaba he kidnaps and rapes him. But that won’t keep Takaba down. He’s determined to get the story one way or another. But he’ll need to watch out now that he’s entangled in Asami’s world. Not only is Asami after Takaba (he’s attracted to him) but it seems that Takaba’s caught the eye of the Chinese Mafia and their boss Fei Long. Man, poor kid! How will he handle these rough (but gorgeous) men? Also included are a few one shots: Love Lesson involves high school students, Plants in Love feature two classmates who find out their dads seem to be having an affair, and Risky Society is about a secret crime fighting group where the members have superpowers. Sorry for the poor synopsis but I really don’t want to give away the story.

This has to be one of the biggest, and most anticipated, releases of the year. Since the demise of BeBeautiful fans have been clamoring for any yaoi publisher to license this series. Earlier this year Digital Manga, Inc. announced that they had acquired this license just on the heels of the announcement that Ayano Yamane was going to be this year’s guest of honor at YaoiCon. Digital Manga announced that the title would be released through their Juné line. Initially there was excitement to be had but then worries about the fact that Juné was releasing it and not 801 Media (Digital Manga’s more explicit boys love line). Since Juné is Digital Manga’s mainstream BL line it’s a known fact that in the past they’ve been known to make some content edits to make it possible to sell their titles in more places i.e. brick and mortar stores like Borders. To try and quell the fear Deb Aoki at about.com spoke with the folks over at DMP regarding this title (click here for that article.) Now just to let all of you know I don’t own the original Japanese tankobon (I will eventually) or the BeBeautiful series that was released several years ago (by the time I started reading yaoi it was out of print). But thanks to a friend of mine she did have a copy of the first two volumes and lent them to me so I could compare the two against each other.

Now I can inform all you rabid fangirls out there that you have nothing to worry about. This is a beautiful release and you will be pleased. In my opinion it is a far more superior than the BeBeautiful version. They’ve included a full color cover page. The translation read smoothly and they’ve kept the honoriffics (-san, -sama, etc.). For someone who is new to the series and only read the BeBeautiful version right before the Juné volume the Juné translation was clear and made it easier for me to understand what was going on. In the volume Finder is only the first third of the book and the rest are brief one shots. In the BeBeautiful version the one shots Love Lesson and Plants in Love have aged up their characters and either state that they are university students or imply they are college age. But looking at the artwork they look like they are high school students (uniforms and the like). In the Juné edition it is vague. There is no statement of their ages but you know they’re high school students. With the new translation I was able to enjoy Risky Society a lot more and it made much more sense. And finally no artwork has been altered in any way, at least comparing it to BeBeautiful’s version. All in all I have to say that the Juné’s is miles ahead in quality over the BeBeautiful volume. I’m sure that there are people who will prefer the other volume but for me Juné wins.

Ayano Yamane-sensei is a fan favorite and I can see why. Her art is simply stunning and her men ooze sexiness from every pore. The sex is hot, explicit and leaves very little to the imagination. Yamane-sensei is also known to be very protective of her work. She insists on the highest quality and won’t settle for less. Because of this fact I was one of the few fans (of sensei’s, not of Finder seeing how I haven’t read it until now) that knew that Finder would get the best treatment and there wouldn’t be anything to be worried about.

All of the characters are impossibly beautiful, extremely ruthless, and everything you would expect in the criminal underworld. You can’t help but feel sorry for Takaba getting roped into all of this. The Finder story starts out with non-con and some pretty kinky stuff so if that isn’t your thing you may want to stay away but this series is a piece of yaoi history created by one of the genre’s most gifted artists. Do you want to be left behind?

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!