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MANGA: Sugar-ism
Sugar-ism – Kuromame
Perpetually overworked salaryman Tetsudo gets a much-needed day off and goes to a pharmacy to buy sleeping pills. He meets his old college friend, Kamitezuna. The same friend who rejected him after he confessed 8 years ago…
This one-shot is about a depressed, overworked salaryman who wants to die. He buys sleeping pills from the pharmacy and meets his old college buddy who works there.
The two had a history together. Kamitezuna is described as a selfish guy who does what he wants. He’s the type who helps people even if they don’t want to be helped. He basically bulldozes Tetsudo to eat with him, takes him to his apartment and have sex with him despite all appearances pointing to him being straight.
Apparently there is a method to this madness as the mangaka gives a convoluted explanation about eros, thanatos and homosexuals that frankly sounded like homosexuals can’t be truly be happy because they can’t reproduce. There’s more blather. What I got in the end was something to the effect of Kamitezuna giving life to the Tetsudo.
Anyways, I just liked the art.
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MANGA: Sukiyanen Kedo Dou Yaro Ka
Sukiyanen Kedo Dou Yaro Ka – Chiba Ryouko
After his divorce and transferred to Osaka, the only thing Soga thinks about is getting through his day. One of the things that he takes great pleasure in is going to 26-year-old Sakae’s resturuant and eating the delicious food he creates. However, he doesn’t know that Sakae sees him more than just a frequent customer…
Two equally adorable gay-for-you stories revolving around food and Sakae’s restaurant.
Although I Love You, And You?: Divorced salaryman Soga loves Sakae’s food. He was surprised Sakae loves him! After a passionate confession that he doesn’t know what to do with came awkwardness and confused feelings. To which I say, if a man doesn’t mind kissing you after you throw up dead drunk, he must really like you.
You Can’t Say You Don’t Like It If You Haven’t Tried It: Super picky eater Nakatsu is constantly bugged by fellow customer Kaname to eat veggies after noticing he never orders vegetables. Proceeded to force feed him by having Sakae cook the veggies in creative ways.
Nakatsu is a demi making a rare appearance in manga. He found himself going through the motions of romance and sex. He never enjoys being touch until he discovered he doesn’t mind Kaname touching him at all.
I liked Nakatsu’s cool suit and tie vibe and his uptight personality. I enjoyed the contrast and his dynamic with loud and pushy Kaname. Although in real life, I’d punch a guy if he gets up in my face like that.
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MANGA: Amato Amaro
Amato Amaro – Basso
Economist Vittorio Conti wants to see what having sex with a man is like, and does what any reasonable person would do in his situation: ask his bodyguard if he wants to give it a try. Straightlaced Armando Pagani refuses at first, but for how much longer?
The third in an Italian-flavored manga trilogy about queer politicians and their lovers. This is a collection of interrelated stories, sometimes two chapters long, sometimes merely a sketch.
The plots could be deceptively simple and subtle but extremely nuanced. The character not the normal types found in BL manga. They are mostly men in their 40s, even one or two married to women and with children. The artwork is not the usual cutesy, pretty boy style but has its own appeal.
I highly recommend Basso’s work if you’re looking for a mature, sophisticated BL manga.
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MANGA: Hanaiki Kasoku
Hanaiki ~ Kasoku – Katsuaki Sassa
Symptom of Hanaiki: when your breath smells like flowers. Roughly 70% of youth have this. The symptoms occur when they fall in love for the first time.
This is a one-shot about a high schooler who couldn’t confess to his childhood friend for fear of losing him. So he tries to hide the flowers he disperses because of hanaiki.
I think this condition is pretty romantic if a little inconvenient. Specially if you have to keep your feelings a secret. This is my first time hearing about hanaiki but apparently it’s a thing in fanfic made famous by Korean girls. Gives a new meaning to the expression “coming up roses”.
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MANGA: Heart no Kagi Te ni Irero!
Heart no Kagi Te ni Irero! – Emi Mitsuki
Plain looks… average abilities… on top of that, my name’s “Suzuki Tarou”. I’ve always held a complex towards my overly ordinary self. One day, a super pretty, drunk boy appears on my doorstep! He tries to kiss me while crying about how I “look like his former lover”… Then some time later, that same pretty boy appears in my workplace! His name – Shiga Ryouta. Will meeting Shiga become my turning point?!
It’s a story about a drunken meet-cute with a guy clearly still hung up with his ex-girlfriend that led to an endearing friendship and conflicting feels. Generically-named average guy Suzuki Tarou proved he is The Suzuki Tarou as he doggedly pursue recognition from his father. His earnest determination won the heart of his angsty friend/co-worker Shiga.
Sweet and slow-burn.
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MANGA: Hate no Kouya de Vacances Wo
Hate no Kouya de Vacances Wo – Akagawa Sagan
Our Ever After: A cursed boy fell in love with a fiend
The Frog Prince: A high schooler too beautiful for his own good befriends a classmate who doesn’t care for his pretty face.
Vacationing at World’s End: An astronaut on a mission to colonize a faraway planet looks forward to the day he returns to earth. Meanwhile he is kept company by an AI designed by his boyfriend.
I knew when I saw the cover that this was going to be a good one! The artwork is lovely.
Our Ever After: The haunting one. Where a mysterious man named Magnolia tells a young boy the story of a monster and the boy who fell in love with him. For a minute there I thought it was going to be a tragic ending then it turned bittersweet.
The Frog Prince: The sweet and fluffy one. Where a high school student struggles with love when all people see is his pretty face. I love how he got to know his classmate who was obsessed with different animals.
Vacationing at World’s End: The heartbreaking one. Where an astronaut eagerly looks forward to returning home. Meanwhile he finds comfort in the AI who can take the form of the one he loves. All was going well until BAM! That twist had me crying!
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MANGA: Kuma to Interi
Kuma to Interi – Basso
Collection of interconnecting oneshots:
1) Con Te (With You)
A waiter, Neri, working in a high-end restaurant likes intellectual gentlemen and is currently involved in a “sexual relationship” with a third-class politician. Will the politican ever become the gentleman Neri prefers?2) Orso e Intellettuale (Bear and Intellectual)
A politican and a photographer meet during a holiday. But is the photographer really what he said he is?3) Manifesto
4) Discorso del Gelato (Discussion of Ice Cream)
5) Uomo che è stato Inseguito (Man Who was Chased)
6) La Camera del Primo Pomeriggio (The Room of Early Afternoon)
7) Sigaro (Cigar)
8) Ricco e Riparatore (Rich Man and Repairman)
9) Kuroyama-san no Nioi (Mr. Kuroyama’s Scent)
I’m so glad I discovered this mangaka. Their stories were quite refreshing. This collection, for example, featured politicians as the protagonists, something rarely seen in BL manga.
This josei manga is set in Italy and captures the vulnerability and internal conflicts of gay politicians. The art is clean and simple yet expressive. Highly recommend this for those looking into a more mature and sophisticated BL experience.
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MANGA: Naka-san no Nagare
Naka-san no Nagare – Basso
Naka Makoto owns a small ramen restaurant called Naka, where he serves a loyal clientèle, including his partner, Tomatsu Shimpei. Basso’s manga “Naka-san no Nagare” focuses on the lives of Naka-san and Shimpei, especially their mutual love of ramen.
Ramen is life!
An awesome, slice-of-life manga with super chill vibe and simple, wholesome plots mostly revolving around ramen. It could take getting used to but love the atypical art and lowkey feels.
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MANGA: Hana Naru Mono
Hana Naru Mono – Tsurumi Nishi
A beautiful dog has thrown the imperial palace into chaos. As the Heian period nears its end, Takasaki – whose lowly beginnings as the mere third son of a warrior family put him at a disadvantage in a society obsessed with rank and titles – has managed to climb the social ladder by spending the night with many a powerful man. Eventually Takasaki even becomes a favorite of the retired emperor himself. Stares of fear and envy have followed the gorgeous upstart at every turn, yet behind the gaze of Tomozane, the son of a powerful noble, lies a calm warmth, which makes Takasaki uncomfortable. But something happens that will change their relationship forever… It’s a tragic romance of passion and pride, and includes an epilogue drawn exclusively for this collection.
Didn’t see the “tragic” there until too late. I read this because that cover is lovely!
Written in the same vein as Genji Monogatari, where intrigues and betrayals exist at every turn. Upstarts use their body and scheme to bring other down to pull themselves up the social ladder. Sadly the true meaning of their motivations, actions and barbed poetry was lost in translation (heck, this is very tricky to translate) so I wasn’t that moved.
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MANGA: Seventeen Maple
Seventeen Maple – Ogeretsu Tanaka
The aftermath of confessing in impulse and love is…?!
This one-shot is Yuki going “Sane is the most adorable thing in the universe!“
Yes! Yes he is!
