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MANGA: Kowagaranai de, Soba ni Ite
Kowagaranai de, Soba ni Ite – Long Utsumi
I thought it would go well for you and me from here on after. “Let’s pretend it never happened. From the very beginning.”
Ono Shizuka is a baker who got into an argument with his partner Sakai and fell off the stairs. The accident caused him to forget about Sakai entirely. However, he now is very interested in the beautiful but lonely man.
Don’t Be Afraid, Stay By Your Side is a straightforward amnesia romance that nonetheless packs quite the emotional punch.
After an argument with his partner, Sakai, Shizuka accidentally fell off the stairs and developed amnesia. Following his accident and loss of memories of Sakai, Shizuka still found himself strongly drawn to the man who rescued him.
After being discharged from the hospital, Shizuka returned to work at his bakery. He saw Sakai again there and wanting to thank him for the rescue, Shizuka served Sakai his recommended cakes. Unaware of their history, he chose Sakai’s favorites—a gesture that pierced Sakai’s heart, knowing Shizuka no longer remembered their relationship.
The magic lies in Shizuka’s subtle yet earnest wooing of Sakai, doggedly determined to win over the beautiful, melancholy man despite knowing Sakai is in love with someone else. And so Shizuka competes with himself; each gesture is a shot to Sakai’s heart, closely mirroring pre-amnesia Shizuka’s behavior towards Sakai, who couldn’t bring himself to tell Shizuka of their connection.
It was painful, bittersweet, and so achingly poignant that it transformed a commonly used trope into a deeply moving second-chance romance that made my chest ache and made me smile. This is a manga that breaks a heart and puts it back together again.
Overall, love and memory can be rebuilt—layer by layer, just like the perfect strawberry shortcake.
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MANGA: White Pawn
White Pawn – Tobi Washio
Kuroki, a freshman in college, becomes infatuated with his senior Shirasawa, who enjoys dominating men, and plans to seduce him at the school’s entrance ceremony, but ends up being the one who gets captured. Despite the setback, Kuroki is determined to win over Shirasawa’s heart and comes up with a cunning plan to turn the tables.
White Pawn is another gem from Tobi Washio, mangaka of Hochichirui Hitoka and Enishi Majiwaru Haguremono.
Kuroki spotted the gorgeous Shirasawa at the school’s entrance ceremony and fell in love at first sight. One day, he was approached by Shirasawa, who asked him to be his model for a painting. Jumping at the chance to get close to his crush, Kuroki agreed and began his seduction.
He thought his scheme was working when Shirasawa asked him to come to his house. Kuroki thought he was a tiger ready to pounce, but Shirasawa proved that Kuroki was nothing more than a kitten.
Oooh, yandere in the wild! Not as common as tsundere because they’re not as endearing as love interest. It took a while for me to warm up to Shirasawa. He borderlined sekuhara Kuroki, but our boy wanted to sleep badly with Shirasawa, so yeah. The sticking point, if we may use the phrase, is that Kuroki wanted to top.
Quite a refreshing dynamic! Far from a tsundere, Kuroki loudly proclaims he’s in love with Shirasawa at every opportunity. Shirasawa boldly challenges Kuroki to flip the table if he can, and he will top until Kuroki does so. A challenge Kuroki is determined to win, only Shirasawa is a martial arts expert who can easily manhandle the taller Kuroki. But our boy isn’t giving up anytime soon.
My only complaint is that this is such a missed opportunity to switch. Vers couple is a rare thing in BL, and I was really hoping Kuroki gets what he wants. Maybe a sequel?
The whole time they were together, Shirazawa was seemingly just there for the dominance and sex. My favorite part is when Shirasawa’s big brother crashed the party to stir trouble, and Shirasawa had to stake his claim. Kuroki wonders if Shirasawa has any feelings for him. Only for Shirasawa to fervently declare, “It was never one-sided.”
I get such a thrill every time we get glimpses of the confident and unflappable Shirasawa’s deeper feelings coming to the surface, the rare times he gets flustered or passionate! And the gags were hilarious because we know Kuroki is never getting Shirasawa’s ass.
This is what happens when a cat thinks he’s on top, until a tiger comes along.
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MANGA: Fake Fact Lips
Fake Fact Lips – Suehiro Machi
Ryou and Zen are two men who hate to lose—especially to each other. From high school rivals to rival co-workers, these two men have always been locked in fierce competition. They’ve competed over grades, sports, and even the number of Valentine’s chocolates received! And now that they’re salesmen at the same company, their rivalry has reignited. One night, while out for drinks, the two begin arguing about who’s more experienced in love. Suddenly, their newest competition is set: the winner is whoever makes the other fall in love with them first! But will this competition of hearts really lead to a win or something far more complicated?
Fake Fact Lips is a rivals-to-lovers romance that once again proves that one’s biggest rival is one’s greatest love.
Ryou and Zen have been bitter rivals since high school. Their rivalry reignited when they found themselves working for the same company, and their competitive spirits were so fierce that they competed over everything, from sales records to who could finish a drink first.
One drunken night, they were so hellbent on winning, they came up with a brilliant contest of who could make the other fall in love first. Needless to say, their game quickly became a little too hot, a little too real.
Ryou and Zen became friends as their rivalry began. Zen’s drive to be on top came from an inferiority complex; Ryou felt pressure from his father to excel at everything. They bonded over dropping others’ expectations to focus on each other as worthy opponents.
The manga brilliantly portrayed Zen’s endearing mix of vulnerability and cockiness, his indefatigable desire to win warring with his slowly growing need for it not to be a game. And Ryou’s cool confidence and sudden bursts of passion hint at something fierce and deep. Because we know, oh, we just know, he lost even before the game began.
From the intensity of their rivalry, to the conflicting feelings, to all that delicious pining, and the glorious win, this is a rivals-to-lovers story heated to perfection!
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MANGA: Unmei to wa ie Kono Teido
Unmei to wa ie Kono Teido – Mineshima Nawako
Shirato has always had terrible luck, even with the simplest things. When it seems that he might have a bit of luck going to his usual ramen place, it’s stumped by the bawling, but very handsome person sitting beside him. Pitying the poor guy, Shirato offers him his handkerchief to comfort him. Turns out, the handsome person was Tatsuki Kurose, a famous actor and with his presence, it seems that Shirato’s fortune has gotten better. But when one night reveals that Tatsuki’s feelings for Shirato goes beyond friendship, Shirato’s not sure if his terrible luck has gotten worse. Did it?
That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles is two interconnected stories on the themes of luck and destiny.
Shirato is an perpetually unlucky middle-aged salaryman whose luck turned when he met the famous actor Kurose at a ramen shop. The actor was bawling his eyes out, and Shirato offered his handkerchief. Touched by the kindness, Kurose fell in love with him and proceeded to sekuhara his way into Shirato’s heart.
This could have been super cute and fluffy. It’s cute, but I thought Kurose could have just wooed Shirato in the old-fashioned gentlemanly way instead of harassing a drunk salaryman. Kurose is a heartthrob and has no problems charming people, so a charm offensive would have been a better approach.
The mangaka laid the age gap thickly with a grey-haired Shirato often referring to himself as “old man.” Dude is only mid-30s while Kurose is late 20s, so I think age shouldn’t have been a big deal.
Still, Shirato has that endearing cinnamon roll vibe, and Kurose has that adoring seme going for him, so I kinda enjoyed their story.
The second couple is Shinoda, a blue-collar worker, and Tozaki, a grad student. They had a high school connection that drew them together now that they were adults. They were reunited when Tozaki came into the convenience store Shinoda was manning, and soon, they became fuck buddies.
I did not like this story. Tozaki has no business groping a sleeping Shinoda, then sekuhara him a couple more times. Again, Tozaki has natural charisma so why not just use that? These two needed proper communication, and it took them a while before they talked.
The saving grace is the last chapter that brings the two couples together. This is my favorite part because they were enjoying themselves on their double date.
Overall, they went about it the wrong way, but was still lucky enough to get a happy ending..
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MANGA: Tonari no Metaller-san
Tonari no Metaller-san – Mamita
About to freeze to death on a day of heavy snow, Kento is saved by his neighbor Soushi. Dressed all in black, taciturn and scary-looking, Soushi seems hard to approach, but his eyes, almost hidden by his long hair, shine as if pleading for something. After that day, the two of them end up eating together every day for one year. Kento, while hiding the fact that he’s gay, doesn’t want the peaceful and happy time they share to come to an end. Can he keep a lid on his feelings…?!
As someone weaned on rock, I found this story of a metalhead and a non-music listener unspeakably adorable!
The Metalhead Next Door is a story of two neighbors, Kento, who was saved from being frozen to death on a snowy day, by Soushi, a metal-loving, all-black wearing, taciturn pastry chef. The two struck a friendship with Kento, frequently eating meals with Soushi, who enjoyed cooking for him.
Soon, Kento found himself falling for his quiet neighbor, but he hesitated because he did not want to ruin their friendship.
This is one of my favorite renditions of gap moe. Soushi looks so scary, Kento mistook him for a shinigami when he was waking up from his frozen state. The poor guy is actually a lonely, gentle soul who loves pastries and enjoys knitting.
Soushi has trouble speaking, and as a child was frequently bullied. He took to metal because the loud, frenetic sounds give him energy, and he doesn’t need to talk to people when he’s listening to music. His intimidating metalhead aura also scares bullies.
My favorite part is how Kento, who has zero interest in music, attends concerts and music festivals because he knows it’s important to Soushi. Our boy even endures crazy crowds, rain, and mud just so he could hold Soushi’s hands while they watch Metallica play. That right there goes straight to my kokoro!
I can’t begin to describe how perfect the cover is! That piggy bank hit me hard. It’s where Soushi saves his money for concerts. Kento realized Soushi used to go to concerts alone, but now they can go together. These two will be the death of me and I’ll die squeeing!
From the cozy domesticity of Kento and Soushi bonding over food and music, to Soushi’s heartbreaking yet endearingly brave attempts to overcome his speech anxieties, to Kento’s joyful celebration of everything Soushi, this poignant story beautifully resonates with the soul!
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MANGA: Hazureta Kubiwa wo Suteru Toki
Hazureta Kubiwa wo Suteru Toki – Jita
Is it so wrong for two abandoned souls to fall in love? Kuroda catches his boyfriend cheating and gets dumped on the spot, only to discover another man, Shirato, was also dumped. Out of pity, Kuroda takes the crying Shirato home, and their shared loneliness leads to a one-night stand. But what should have been a one-time mistake turns into something deeper, as Kuroda finds a strange comfort in being embraced by Shirato. But how can he confess his growing feelings now?
Here’s something you don’t see often.
Discarding the Misfit Collar is Kuroda hooking up with Shirato, the ex of his ex, when their three-timing ex-boyfriend dumped them at the same time, and already has a new boyfriend.
At first, it was just consolation sex, the more stoic Kuroda comforting the more emotional Shirato, who was badly shaken by the breakup. This led to more sex, then later a friendship as the two found they enjoyed each other’s company. As they start wanting more, they hesitate as the spectre of their cheating ex still looms large over them.
I was admittedly skeptical about this; Shirato and Kuroda seemingly couldn’t shake off their lingering feelings for their ex. It was slow going, but the slow burn worked its magic. The mangaka deftly depicted their heartbreak, the conflicting emotions and then their blossoming romantic feelings towards each other so convincingly and organically, I was left with no doubts.
All these evolving feels hit hard, and much like Shirato and Kuroda, who didn’t expect to fall for the ex’s ex, the manga’s charm crept up on me, and before I knew it, I was completely rooting for these two misfits!
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MANGA: Love Hug Therapy
Love Hug Therapy – Taka
I’m finally living alone like I wanted! … But university student Akizuki has started sharing a room with his friend Hayase. As soon as he moves in, he is bewildered by Hayase, who says he can’t imagine life without hugs, and for some reason he ends up hugging him every day…? And if he forgets his duty or doesn’t hug him, he has to pay a fine and do whatever he tells him…? Akizuki is gradually getting used to the skinship with Hayase, but…?
Love Hug Therapy is a roommates-to-lovers romance between two idiots hugging it out.
Akizuki and Hayase are two roommates who hit it off spectacularly. They got along so well that Akizuki couldn’t be more content with his housing situation. One day, Hayase proposed that they give each other a hug if any of them needed it or else pay a fine. He was bewildered by Hayase’s frequent hugs, but liked it too.
Then Hayase hugged Akizuki in public, which left him flustered. Later, Akizuki realized he might be attracted to Hayase but feared the consequences of dating a man.
Meanwhile, Hayase has been secretly crushing on Akizuki for a long time. Oh, the pining! The longing! The poor man was sniffing pillows and reminiscing about the kind gestures of his emotional support human.
The execution might be a bit clunky, but this is still a funny and endearing gay awakening of a young college student who has to learn some sad realities about society’s view towards gay men. Akizuki agonized over what his friends and parents might think, a realistic portrayal of the anxiety over coming out.
The big talk, when it finally happened, was cute, awkward, and hella sweet! There’s minimal miscommunication; I loved that Hayase and Akizuke communicated openly. The manga not only focused on developing the romance but also highlighted Hayase and Akizuki’s friendship.
It’s silly and ridiculous, also earnest and deep. Overall, give a hug, win a heart.
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MANGA: Tonari no Usotsuki
Tonari no Usotsuki – Rika Anzai & Shina Suzuka
While aware he’s attracted to the same sex, Takase has been living and lying because of his pride. One day, he gets to know Ito, who is always waiting for his male lover at a cafe. Takase, who was interested in how Ito always gave his true feelings to his lover, is strongly shaken by the unrelenting Ito whose tears are pure with the betrayal. However, even though he wishes to be more than friends, he can not say that he’s gay
The Liar by My Side is a charming salaryman romance about honesty and pride.
Takase frequently found himself waiting for his fiancée right next to Ito who is waiting for his boyfriend. Takase is intrigued, being gay but unable to admit it to himself. Later, his engagement was broken off, and he struck up a friendship with Ito after learning that he had broken up with his boyfriend.
Afterwards, the two started hanging out frequently. Ito was happy to have a straight friend who shares his favorite movies, while Takase wished he could confess he liked guys, too—especially Ito.
For a story about a liar, this is refreshingly non-toxic. Wholesome even!
Takase’s pride kept him from being true to himself, so he found Ito’s openness attractive and inspiring. Takase always treats Ito the way he should be treated, cherished, and adored, unlike the shameful way Ito’s ex treated him. Dude is first-time gay, but he’s turning out to be one of the best boyfriends out there!
You’d think Takase would be one of those stoic seme types, so I was thrilled to see his playful side during his dates with Ito. My favorite one was when he showed up with a fancy car, dressed like a yakuza, because Ito frequently mentions his face looked like that of a yakuza anti-hero in movies.
Another favorite is how the mangaka delivered the big confession. They had Takase and Ito in the streets, Takase speaking his heart out in the open, chasing Ito, a vivid contrast to all the lies and bottled-up emotions. It was quite a powerful scene!
Other key conversations were also in public, further reinforcing the theme of being out, with nothing to hide. The pacing is spot on, showcasing the development of Takase and Ito’s relationship in the most heartwarming way.
Overall, this slice-of-life manga is deceptively simple yet packs a punch, then soothes the pain with a whole lot of feel-good vibes. Truly, a keeper!
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MANGA: Hochichirui Hitoka
Hochichirui Hitoka – Tobi Washio
Eiji is a guy who loves animals so much he will spend his entire paycheck to celebrate their birthdays. Today, he is as broke as always! He is also constantly frustrated, muttering he wants to go at it too while watching two lions copulate. But then, he wakes up in bed with his straight-laced co-worker Mitsuru, doing it with another guy for the first time…!?
This is a romance inspired by horny gay lions going at it at the zoo.
Mammal, Hominid began when two zookeepers watched the lions, and Eiji, the senior keeper, grew wistful about wanting sex.
It’s his birthday, and animal-obsessed Eiji just blew his paycheck on bananas for the gorillas. His subordinate Mitsuru offered to treat him to ramen, and many drinks later, they ended up in Mitsuru’s bed. Dub con ensues.
An awkward morning follows, then an angry confession by Mitsuru left Eiji’s head spinning. But, if their gay lions are happy, maybe he and Mitsuru can work too?
OMG, this one is a riot! From the hilarious way the animals’ expressions were drawn to the humans being complete idiots, this manga had me LOLing!
Eiji is a dork with no filter, and useless except that he really, really loves animals. He’s also endearingly open, honest, and comfortable in his own skin. Unknown to him, he inspired Mitsuru years ago to be honest with himself, and because of that, Mitsuru never forgot the boy who taught him not to be ashamed of liking what he likes.
I lived for the confession scene where the contrast between Mitsuru’s anger at Eiji avoiding him while baring his soul and vowing to make Eiji fall in love with him was intense and hella swoony!
I loved how the two always commnunicated openly no matter how embarassing the topic. It was fun to watch them navigate their personal and work relationship and it was a joy to see them grow as a couple.
This is a humorous yet heartfelt story full of awkward moments, honest confessions, and shenanigans, both human and animal. Overall, a romance worthy of love-struck lions!
P.S.
Their nosy co-workers are complete idiots too! I want their story!!!
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MANGA: Yankee to Carameliser
Yankee to Carameliser – Umeshibu Chiuko
Yasokawa Akito, a high schooler social media influencer, discovered that his classmate, Maki Naofumi, a yankee, was uploading photos of the sweets he had made, onto social media.Akito’s influencer spirit is ignited, and he manages to persuade Maki, who is stubborn about not wanting anyone to find out, to shoot a video and publish it.Maki is cool when making sweets, and his face is cute when he gets embarrassed when Akito compliments him.Akito is happy to discover this unexpected side of Maki, but each time Maki releases a video, he gains new fans, and Akito becomes increasingly possessive of him even though they are friends.One day, he sees Maki coming out of a hotel room with a guy…?!
Yankee and Carameliser is a delicious take on gap moe featuring a delinquent, Maki, who secretly bakes the best desserts, and Akito, the social media influencer who couldn’t get enough of them.
When Akito learned Maki’s secret, he approached the other boy and did his damnedest to let him to record videos of Maki’s creations for social media. Maki agreed on the condition that Akito kept his face and voice hidden. The videos became viral, and Maki was flattered by the positive responses.
Then one day, when Akito saw Maki coming out of a love hotel with a guy, he realized he wanted to keep Maki to himself.
This manga is as sweet as Maki’s desserts! Akito’s cheerful nature contrasts perfectly with Maki’s tsundere charm. He supports Maki’s baking and documents his journey, always encouraging him.
There’s a slight angst on Maki’s part. He had childhood trauma because of his parents’ negative reactions towards his interests in cute and feminine things. And so Maki forced himself to conform to what society considered “manly,” including picking fights with other boys.
Blushy Maki is adorbs! Akito was immediately smitten, and the two are just too cute for words! The whole vibe is pure and kawaii with beautifully drawn desserts and recipes included. The bonus scenes were the cherries on top, my favorite being the one where the convenience store clerk realized Akito’s girlfriend is actually a boyfriend. And so, a fudanshi is born!
This manga would be fantastic as a live-action, and happily, we’ll have a sequel soon. Overall, there’s always room for desserts and delinquents!
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