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MANGA: Bocchan to Wakagashira-san
Bocchan to Wakagashira-san – Shimaji
High schooler Minorikawa Narumi becomes an orphan after losing his mother. One day, his grandfather who he never knew comes to offer incense and shares he’d like Narumi to take over the company he is managing. However the company he’s talking about ends up being a yakuza organization..!? Suddenly addressed as “Bocchan,” the once lonely Narumi begins to gradually open his heart up to the kind Wakagashira, Ioroi, who is in charge of his daily needs. In fact, as they spend every day close together, Narumi becomes obsessed with the “charm of an adult man,” that he awakens to for the first time in his life. Every day, he strives to appeal to Ioroi, but—!?
Content warning: There’s a 20-year age gap, and a 36-year-old man is paired with a 16-year-old boy.
Bo-chan and Wakagashira-san is about a recently orphaned high-schooler, Minorikawa, who finds himself living in his estranged grandfather’s home. His grandfather turns out to be the big boss of a yakuza clan. To his surprise, the members treated him warmly and considered him family, and he felt more at home.
Minorikawa was placed under the care of the clan’s Wakagashira, Ioroi, the second in command. Ioroi is dedicated to his job and would take a bullet for his young master. The man oozes cool with fab tattoos and sharp suits.
The high schooler began crushing hard on his bodyguard/caretaker, and with helpful tips from his school friend, tried very awkwardly to make Ioroi treat him as an adult.
Minorikawa is naive but earnest and hella persistent. In fairness to Ioroi, the man did his damnedest to resist. It’s amusing to see the scenes where he internally commands himself to “do nothing,” especially with the boy plastered to him in his futon and the grandfather, a.k.a. big boss, just a paper wall away (they live in a traditional Japanese house).
Because to make things more complicated for Ioroi, Minorikawa developed a habit of sleeping in Ioroi’s room every night. It started innocently enough when the boy was grieving, needed comfort and couldn’t sleep. But then puberty hit, and with Minorikawa crushing on him, well … the boy requested a helping hand (ordered really, since he’s the young master).
Soon, sleeping together was sleeping together.
The two MCs have fantastic stoic bodyguard/bratty boy dynamics. The most fun part is how Ioroi puts Minorikawa on a pedestal and treasures him while said boy wreaks havoc on his bodyguard’s self-control, all cute and blushy, asking to be sullied.
Despite Minorikawa being a pervy brat and a damsel in distress, this is an endearing and nuanced exploration of a boy’s coming-of-age and first love. I would love a sequel with an adult and still pervy Minorikawa and not-holding-back-anymore Ioroi, now the big boss (since Minorikawa is not yakuza material).
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MANGA: Koibito Keiyaku Chuu ni Tsuki
Koibito Keiyaku Chuu ni Tsuki – Matsuda Io
Yanaka is troubled by the frequent advances made by the women around him and one day, he ended up lying that he’s in a relationship with his friend and colleague, Moriyama.In exchange for pretending to be Yanaka’s lover, Moriyama has some conditions set out and they are…?
During A Lover Contract is a fake boyfriend salarymen romance between two long-time friends.
Yanaka is being pursued by a very determined woman, and to get her off his back, he declares he’s dating his co-worker Moriyama. Moriyama agreed with the scheme in exchange for something that was way out of the straight Yanaka’s comfort zone.
The manga is mostly from Yanaka’s POV. He’s a bit clueless, sweet, and always willing to lend a hand, which is what got him into trouble in the first place. The more time he spent with Moriyama, the more he’s pushed out of his comfort zone and found that he’s enjoying it.
The vibe is light-hearted. Had we had Moriyama’s POV, we’d be drowning neck-deep in angst and longing. Because you guessed it, our boy has unrequited feelings for his clueless friend.
My favorite part is how Yanaka finally returning his feelings impacted Moriyama, which made the shift to his POV so damn moving. The way the mangaka drew the confession scene was a devastating shot to the kokoro, devastating in the best way. Also the part where Moriyama had to take a moment, incredibly overwhelmed and half-believing it’s all a dream, I felt that too.
Overall, a poignant tale of indecent proposals, pure motives, and a dream come true.
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MANGA: Musubime wo Hodoitara
Musubime wo Hodoitara – Ichi Bom
While drunk at a pub he was forced to go to by a fellow seminar member, Nishina reunites with Hase Ryosuke, a tea ceremony practitioner who captivated him with his beautiful manners at tea ceremonies when he was a child.When he gets drunk and asks for love advice, Hase presses him, saying, “Well, why don’t you try it with me?” Behind his carefree facade, Ryosuke is tied to the traditional family business and his family, and Yuzuru faces him honestly despite being pushed around – the path of first love that is forged by the tea ceremony.
Source: MU
Once You Loosen the Knot opens with a tea ceremony, a drunken rambling, and a proposition.
University student Yuzuru and tea ceremony practitioner Ryosuke began exploring their connection after meeting in a pub. Yuzuru recalled admiring Ryosuke as a child while watching him perform a tea ceremony. Now both adults, Ryosuke confessed to being bisexual after a spectaularly drunk Yuzuru revealed his curiosity about falling in love.
As a tea ceremony master, Ryosuke cuts a poised, zen-like figure, especially in a kimono. This sedate image belies a surprisingly forward and passionate nature, especially when Yuzuru is involved.
Yuzuru is discovering the joys of his first time everything and occasionally lapses into moments of insecurity regarding his relationship with the more experienced Ryosuke.
The manga’s vibe is wholesome and angst-free, with Ryosuke and Yuzuru smoothing any wrinkles through open communication like sensible adults. It’s a healthy relationship that’s total goals. Admittedly, the execution was somewhat blah, but overall, it’s a sweet story about first love.
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MANGA: Otogibanashi wa Awa to Kie
Otogibanashi wa Awa to Kie – Jyanome
Oka, the manager of a ramen restaurant in Sapporo, has been in a friends-with-benefits relationship with his high school classmate, Akemi, ever since graduation. As much as they seem to have mutual feelings for one another, Oka is still hung up on the memory of his unrealized first love back in high school, while Akemi, shunned as the son of a yakuza family, has resolved to live his life in solitude.
But just as Oka is trying to convince himself to finally let Akemi go and end their relationship, someone connected to his fleeting first love appears…
Fairy Tales like Bubbles Burst starts with a moment forever frozen in memory.
Ramen shop manager Oka will forever remember that time in the library when he saw a boy crying. Now an adult, he looked back on it as his first love. Meanwhile, he’s enjoying the benefits of his best friend Akemi, which started on their high school graduation day.
It has always been casual with them until Oka meets the boy he thought he saw in the library who’s now a salaryman, openly gay and has just asked him for a date. It is what he has wanted all along, but why does he feel so conflicted?
Oka and Akemi’s relationship is both simple and complicated. Simple in that they’re fuck buddies, have been friends since childhood, and both have been single since high school. It’s complicated when Oka suddenly realizes his true feelings, and Akemi’s family background comes into the picture, putting a wrench between him and Oka.
Suguru, the salaryman, would have been easy to hate in his third-wheeling ways. But the man surprised me, not only by being a buttoned up salaryman by day and a vision of fabulousity at night, but he turned out to be the best wingman the lovelorn Oka could ever ask for! I love Surugu so much I want his manga. I wouldn’t mind a poly because last I heard, he has three boyfriends!
Childhood connections and little acts of kindness the doer has forgotten yet are very memorable to the receiver are frequently used in manga. The mangaka delivered particularly poignant moments that made my chest ache. The mutual pining and longing are so palpable that they hit me right in the kokoro. There’s also a heartwrenching separation and a happy reunion that made me smile!
The romance was developed so beautifully, the relationship between Akemi and Oka evolving while remaining constant. Also, they go at it like rabbits so this manga is hella smutty.
The artwork is stunning! The characters are lovingly drawn, and their expressions convey so much emotions. Which is just perfect because this is a manga you truly FEEL!!!
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MANGA: Sankaku Twilight
Sankaku Twilight – Hakata
Pure-hearted sentimental love depicting the complex love triangle of an emotionless handsome half-Japanese boy and a dedicated Kansai dialect-speaking delinquent high school boy. A new story is born.
Miki, a delinquent who enjoys fights and is feared by those around him, ends up becoming a library committee member with Ikkei, who is his complete opposite. While they clash due to their contrasting personalities, Ikkei learns one day that Miki has a crush on his childhood friend and senior, “Watarun”. Despite the surprise, Ikkei supports Miki without prejudice and somehow becomes cherished.
Initially, Ikkei couldn’t stand Miki, but as time goes on, he starts to find him adorable…?
Triangle Twilight is a love triangle romance and a sweet story of first loves.
High schoolers Miki and Ikkei were on library duty. Ikkei is a popular half-Japanese, and Miki is a known delinquent. They initially got off the wrong foot, but when Ikkei saw Miki’s incredibly cute expression when looking at his senpai and childhood friend Wataru, he realized Miki was in love.
The two started getting along when Miki learned that Ikkei had kept his secret and that he was willing to lend an ear to his love woes. The longer they spent together, the more Ikkei fell for his new friend. But could he compete with Miki’s beloved senpai?
Miki is a sweet, loyal soul, like an adorable puppy who follows his senpai. When he smiles, he smiles with his whole being, lighting up the room. The only thing missing are little fangs. Ikkei is thunderstruck by that smile and would have been content to be Friend #2 if not for some encouragement.
I normally steer clear of love triangles but the way the plot unfolded, how the feels developed, and how the triangle was resolved, it was heartfelt, satisfying yet painless. Ikkei and Miki were two of the most lovable characters, and I was rooting hard for them.
Wataru is an interesting character and cause of conflict. He learned some lessons at the end and I’m looking forward to his manga.
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MANGA: Naisho no Stalker-san
Naisho no Stalker-san – Hiro Haruyoshi
Kadoya is a resilient, hardworking, and gentle person so, he’s often pushed to do a lot of work. He has this certain “secret”. He is living strangely with someone he can’t see. When he comes home completely exhausted, there’s a hot bath and meal prepared for him. And at night… “He” comes to his side and holds him. Kadoya feels so perfectly supported in everything, from housework to letting his sexual frustrations that it feels like he can’t live without “him” anymore…!
My Secret Stalker is about the overworked salaryman Kadoya having a stalker problem.
Interestingly, this is not one of those nuisance stalkers who leave disembodied doll heads or notes written in blood. Kadoya’s stalker is as helpful as a shoemaker’s elf, cleaning his house, preparing his dinners, and even engaging in somnophilic shenanigans to help the perpetually exhausted Kadoya sleep better.
Conflict comes when Kadoya starts hanging out with his kohai Yakumo, who is friendly, sometimes flirty, and always ready to help. Kadoya’s stalker is becoming jealous. Kadoya fears he might disappear, just when Kadoya was dependent on him,
The stalker thing is creepy but it floats Kadoya’s boat, him being lonely, needy and wanting to be taken care of. Also, the TLC, the humor and the pretty characters offsets the cringe aspects.
It wouldn’t take much brain power to guess the stalker. I mean, he’s just there.
This is a fun and smutty manga with a cute-ish romance about a guy with good intentions going about it the wrong-ish way.
To paraphrase Kurt Cobain, “I’m so creepy. That’s okay. My will is good.”
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MANGA: Ore ga Suki nara Kobitemiro
Ore ga Suki nara Kobitemiro – Sato Tsubame
“No one in their right frickin’ mind would fall for you!”
Matsuda and his rival Katou belong to the sales department at Touto First Bank’s head office, where the competition is cutthroat for its elite employees. But when Matsuda is in a drunken stupor one night, the two end up going at it…on his own bed! And the next morning, Katou kneels on one knee and proposes!!! Matsuda, who’s always been straight, refuses to accept that the two have slept, so there’s absolutely no way he’d develop feelings for the likes of Katou…right? Right?! When passion and stubborn pride are pitted against one another, which will prevail? Find out in the epic conclusion to this battle for love!
(Source: Taiyo Tosho)
If You Love Me, Be All Over Me is the sequel to Ore ga Sukinara Hizamazuke.
In the last chapter of the prequel, there was a proposal. This installment seems to put the two MCs a few steps backward. Matsuda is still in denial and tries to find attraction in girls but can’t get the insufferable Kato out of his mind.
Kato still dub-cons his way into Matsuda’s pants, which should make him unappealing as a love interest. The mangaka strongly plays Matsuda’s tsundere personality as a foil to Kato’s forwardness. While I don’t approve of Kato’s methods, his feelings for Matsuda are palpable, and I loved how he subtly and overtly supports and admires Matsuda.
The romance secretly unfolds while the plot focuses on workplace happenings with realistic dialogue. I really glossed over most of them but the manga is far from boring. There is plenty of office drama, and romance is compelling.
There are lots of supporting characters adding humor or conflict. Also, I am convinced Kato’s and Matsuda’s supervisors are fucking or should have their own manga.
There is a promise of forever in the end but I wish there was a scene where we see Kato and Matsuda dressed like that in the cover. Flawed as the characters are, it’s not a warm fuzzies kind of relationship. I’m not even sure it would work, but somehow, the manga has me convinced.
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MANGA: One Side In Room
One Side In Room – Mitsuko
Oka, a student, whose gaze could be considered menacing to others and which has led him to be apart from the rest, is in love with Saeki, a handsome student who attends his university.
A few days after the entrance ceremony, during the welcome party of his club, Saeki kisses Oka and tells him: “you’re adorable”.
Ever since that moment, both of them start sharing more and more time together in Oka’s house. They even had more intimate interactions than just kisses. Oka thinks Saeki might be with him on a whim due to his relaxed personality. However, Saeki might be actually taking his actions towards Oka quite seriously…One Side in Room is a closed proximity, tsundere romance between two university students with opposite personalities.
Oka has a resting bitch face and crippling social anxiety, which prevents him from interacting with other students. He’s attracted to the super popular Saeki, who caught Oka staring at him often.
Saeki met Oka on the train after witnessing the introverted man kindly offering his seat to another passenger. When they were both at a drinking party, Saeki took his chance and kissed Oka. Since then, Saeki kept showing up at Oka’s apartment any chance he got.
This would have been your run-of-the-mill opposites attract romance, but Saeki won extra points for being the only seme who’s concerned about how his uke felt after seducing him.
While there is no dub-con, Oka goes along with the flow, wondering why Saeki is doing what he is doing. Our boy is pretty much resigned that his crush was experimenting and will soon go back to girls.
A part that pinched the heart was Oka, always leaving space on the other side of his bed, just in case Saeki arrived in the middle of the night. Saeki often does, attaboy! The biggest emotional arrow to the kokoro is that Saeki and Oka have heartfelt things to say to each other, and they don’t know how. Oh, the agony!
The romance was slow-burn, angsty, and full of delicious pining. This allowed the characters to grow and develop, making their connection feel genuine and relatable. Oka is my introverted spirit animal, and Saeki proved himself worthy by staying true and speaking from his soul.
Their story, especially the beginning reminds me of this Arctic Monkeys song:
Stop makin’ the eyes at me
I’ll stop makin’ my eyes at you
What it is that surprises me is
That I don’t really want you to
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MANGA: Gomidame no Garnet
Gomidame no Garnet – Inuno Mageyuishi
Kanae, a hitman, encounters a half vampire named Sara at a dump site and is attacked. With nothing to lose, Kanae is completely indifferent to having his blood sucked or his home invaded.
Sara, a bloodthirsty defective vampire abandoned by his parents, offers Kanae a deal: “In return for taking care of your decrepit lifestyle, become my food…”
What begins as a physical relationship fueled by the arousal of bloodsucking, brings a warmth they’ve never known, melting away the loneliness they’ve both carried — A love story where two lost souls find each other amidst a cruel and unforgiving world.
The Garnet That Sparkles in Junk is a story about an arranged codependency between a half-human vampire and an apathetic hitman who agrees to provide him with blood in exchange for keeping the hitman’s apartment tidy.
After a meet-disaster where the vampire, Sara, literally fell from the sky, hitman Kanae lets him stay in his house and drink his blood without so much as batting an eye. It was later revealed that Kanae’s extraordinary apathy stems from his tragic childhood. He was taken in by an old man he calls Gramps, who gave him “jobs”.
The plot follows the evolution of their relationship, Sara’s conflicting thoughts about his human and vampire nature, and the changes in Kanae due to his connection with Sara. There’s plenty of cozy domesticity, and the pace and vibe are slow and sweet.
As much as liked the dynamics between Kanae and Sara, the feels didn’t ping my squee-meter. Something felt missing, though I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was. Maybe the stakes weren’t that high, even during the part where Kanae was held hostage by a gang, or maybe Sara’s dilemma was really a non-issue.
All in all, great premise, and an enjoyable read, just needs more oomph.
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MANGA: Ore no Itoshii Kaijin R
Ore no Itoshii Kaijin R – Katou Susu
Kureno Rei, the straight-laced, over-serious president of the student council, is the type of person that treats everybody equally. Day after day, he strives to carry out his duties. Suddenly one day, an evil monster called “Dark Genesis” came flying in from space. His aim is “to obliterate the hero who’s occupying the body of a student in the academy”. In order to protect the students, Rei let himself be possessed by the monster…! And then, showing up in front of Rei’s eyes is Fuwa Minori, a delinquent who had no idea that he’s the hero. Rei wanted to clean up the villain in the most amicable way possible, so he approached Minori and deepened their relationship. However, Minori got attracted by Rei and when Minori confessed to him, Rei’s body changed into a monster’s. The way for him to return to normal is through the hero’s kiss…?!!
My Dear Monster R is a story of an evil space monster about to wreak havoc on Earth when it met the student council president.
Kureno Rei is the high school’s beloved student council president, known to champion students’ interests first and foremost. He’s dedicated, serious, and caring so when an evil monster from beyond the galaxy invaded his body looking for the hero among the student body, Rei transformed into the gentlest villain to ever exist, seeking the hero .
Although he’s a delinquent, Fuwa Minori comes from a family of heroes. His dormant powers awakened when Rei approached him, though he was initially confused by Rei’s friendly approach.
The student council president politely asked if he had any concerns he wanted to share, as Rei was willing to lend an ear and assist. Soon, Minori found himself falling for the president.
Then, one day, Rei’s monster form appeared, and only Minori’s presence made it disappear.
The story takes the hero and villain archetypes and gives them a fun and spicy codependency twist. The monster boyfriend is virginal, straight-laced, and vulnerable, with a self-sacrificing streak, always putting others before his own needs. The hero is popular, laid-back, not-so-academically inclined, a former playboy who completely adores his dear monster.
The two had to watch out for those touch-and-go moments when the monster was about to rear its ugly/kawaii head, and they rushed to a secluded area to do something about it. The rest of the plot highlights the increasing difficulty of getting rid of the monster and the development of their physical and emotional connection.
Our boy Rei is willing to do what it takes to save the world, a.k.a., the students. Minori will do what it takes to save his boyfriend. All in all, the friendliest, most fun, and hella delicious way of vanquishing evil!!!
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