• manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: Rajou Koizukiyo

    Rajou Koizukiyo – Saku Hiro

    “Who is the strange onmyouji (exorcist), who’s interested in demons?” Kon, an onmyouji, who lives in Kyoto, was immediately drawn in by a strange ship and the “other” world that it came from, the moment he set eyes on it. When he is asked to repair the ship’s barrier, he meets a former male prostitute named Ibaraki, a beautiful four-horned demon. The ship is a red light district?!

    An extraordinary Japanese-style fantasy BL woven by former male prostitute, Ibaraki-doji x demon otaku onmyouji.

    Roughly translating to Night of Love in the Ancient City, this is an enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance between a powerful demon and a young exorcist.

    The demon, Shiki, is, of course a HELLA GORGEOUS specimen of demonkind, fangy, with four horns. Coming from the Heian era, he wears fabulous flowy kimono that gives the art that extra oomph. He’s missing his right hand after a long-ago battle with his master against a group of samurai and exorcists. Formerly a sex worker, he’s currently working as a brothel bodyguard.

    The exorcist, Kon, is an nth generation scion of the Higashimikado clan, whose history goes back to the Heian period. They were, in fact, one of those who went against the demons in that famous battle. However, Kon is surprisingly sympathetic to the demon side. He volunteered to work with the demon brothel since his specialty is barriers.

    Kon, a self-declared “bad boy” because he prefers the company of demons, shows many acts of kindness toward the supernatural creatures. He’s especially kind towards Gara, a child demon that turns into a skeleton, which Shiki uses as a mode of transportation.

    The plot is one of those “arrangements” conveniently set up to facilitate smexy times. Here, Shiki contracted Kon to help restore his right hand thru futon shenanigans. But this is not a raunchy manga. The story is based on folklore, Genji Monogatari, Rashomon, and other historical and literary references I’m not familiar with, making it feel grander and epic.

    It is poignant and deeply nuanced with bittersweet undertones, but the full effect was lost on me. Aside from some unfamiliar cultural references, the storytelling didn’t flow smoothly. The narrative is frequently interrupted by flashbacks or glimpses of backstories that took me a while to connect to the main plot.

    However, I still highly recommend it. This is a beautiful manga with a moving story and lovable characters you’ll root hard for. The Spirited Away setting is magical and surreal while also inviting and strangely familiar.

    Lose yourself in this endlessly fascinating tale!


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  • manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: and310 ~ Hi-mote Hakase to Koisuru Android

    and310 ~ Hi-mote Hakase to Koisuru Android – Saku Hiro

    Dr. Nijo and his beloved android Mio’s love grows within this short period of time from the first day they met.

    Roughly translating toย An android in love with a non-Mote Dr. ~ย this is a story of Dr. Nijo forever trying to fix a bug that somehow refused to be fixed, resulting in the cancelations of his rental android, Mio. During one of his tune-ups, Mio suddenly confessed that he likes the doctor.

    It’s a heartwarming story tinged with melancholy at the thought that androids can live for eternity and humans have shorter lifespans. There was a notable portion of dialogue I skimmed, presumably discussing why relationships with androids are forbidden, procreation and homosexuality, and the doctor coming to terms with his relationship with Mio. After that, the manga picked up the pace.

    Among android romance stories, this tackled practical concerns, such as the issues mentioned above, the AI getting used to new sensations via newly installed genitals, etc. However, it still highlighted the softer, more joyful side of things giving the good doctor and the android a happy ending, even if it’s just a happy-for-now.


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