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MANGA: Flip Flip Slowly
Flip Flip Slowly – Ohtako Mame
In this new BL one-shot manga, an older city man looking to find solace in a small country library and a curious young librarian who can’t help falling for him. A simple, moving story about two men finding common ground despite their overt differences, and the way love can sneak up on you when you least expect it…
In a rural country town where nothing exciting ever happens, a new face suddenly appears at the library: a former city man who starts to show up every week without fail. With each visit, the librarian, Hagiwara, can’t help but notice little things about this new regular, Yabumi–his punctuality, his demeanor, his strangely methodical approach to reading every single book by a single author… Slowly, without realizing it, that simple observation blooms into a deeper interest that draws Hagiwara in, until he can’t help it! He wants to get to know Yabumi better. But how will he bridge the distance, when there’s no talking in the libraryFlip Flip Slowly is a library meet-cute, but really, a hurt-comfort for a traumatized older man by a determined younger man who likes to spoil him to bits.
Yabumi, a 34-year-old anthropology professor from Tokyo, returns to his hometown after his estranged father passed. He has unpleasant memories of his town after a bitter experience in high school. The man needed some TLCs as Hagiwara soon discovered.
Hagiwara is the 23-year-old librarian who was attracted to Yabumi and longs to close the distance between them. He invites the older man for a drive to the sea, where they spend the day reading in his car. It became their routine until feelings were made known but rejected. To Hagiwara’s relief, they remained friends and continued their long drives.
Hagiwara and Yabumi are two people who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company so much that multiple rejections and blunt words didn’t even make a dent in their connection. It only drew them closer and helped Yabumi find closure.
Love ourselves some library romance, and this one is an angsty slow burn on tippy toes, catching you right in the kokoro just when you thought it would be nothing but long drives and the sea. This isn’t a romance of seduction and sweet nothings, but one built on friendship, companionable silence, and hard truths.
Not to say this isn’t without passion and burning desire, because lord, it’s pretty obvious our poor boy Hagiwara is holding himself back! So that breathtaking seaside scene drawn in a full-page single panel dropped my jaw to the floor!
This is a beautiful manga that celebrates the solace of a library, the pleasure of long drives, and the thrill of closing the distance.
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MANGA: Vampire Itadakimasu
Vampire Itadakimasu – Abuku
Momoichi Kuroda just wants to become stronger. He may have won all the fistfights he’s ever fought, but he just can’t help but think there’s a way to be even stronger than this. When he sees his classmate Shirato in a compromising position, he gets to witness his deepest, darkest secret – and the rare kind of “strength” Kuroda could only dream of having. So the question now is, will Shirato turn him into a vampire already!?
Let’s Eat Vampire is a story of a delinquent who desperately wanted to be a vampire that he bit one.
Momoichi is your typical shounen anime hero who wants to be the strongest and discovers his vampire classmate Rui is stronger, hence the above. Momo values strength above all. Even when he gets his ass handed to him, he speaks with glowing admiration of his opponent’s strength.
Momo pursues Rui with the dogged determination and boundless energy of a labrador retriever, never, ever taking no, and shamelessly throwing himself on the very reluctant and very grumpy vampire seme after Momo’s bite suddenly caused the delinquent to feel very hot and bothered. Rinse and repeat in empty classrooms all over school.
I didn’t expect to like this, but I ended up loving this manga because it was pure chaos and mayhem! The dialogues are manic, with Momo’s hyperactive speeches always delivered at the top of his voice.
Momo is such a fun character! I want more stories about him and Rui. I love how he’s so comfortable in his own skin and speaks with direct honesty. He goes after what he wants, and no vampire harem is going to stop him!
Rui was swept away by this unstoppable force. Despite his best efforts to stay away, found he couldn’t let go of the loud, annoying boy, especially not when his pot-stirring older brother Rio just got handsy with the punk, and therefore earned a kick in the nuts.
The scene that followed is where Rui simply stopped resisting, and it was pure BL magic! I died squeeing!
With their cat/dog dynamics, Rui and Momo eternally squabble, getting horny while doing so. It’s ridiculously silly, and cute, and adorbs, and swoony and I can’t get enough of these two idiots!!
Japanese men are the best at styling their hair, and I have a moe for this. The bonus scene of Rui and Momo styling their hair is the cherry on top!
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MANGA: Yukue Fumei
Yukue Fumei – Kanipan
“Now, both of us are murderers!”
Kaede, who works as an unassuming janitor, and Ryo, who leads a decadent life as a kept man, were once childhood friends. They share a secret neither of them dare reveal to anyone else. After eight years, they reunite. Kaede, having killed someone for Ryo, desperately runs away with him, caught up by their passionately desire for each another. As they flee, Ryo’s past sins begin to surface. Bound by a deep love for each other, but both stained by blood. Will their journey lead them to salvation, or will it be their downfall?
(Source: J-Publishing, translated)
Missing is about two estranged childhood friends-turned-lovers, Ryo and Kaede, on the run from the police and mostly from their guilty consciences after Kaede stabbed the woman who attacked Ryo.
Their time on the road is spent reconnecting and fucking, because Ryo is an insatiable horndog when it comes to Kaede. The plot alternates from flashbacks to the present day. Their past were days of intimate friendship and escaping abuse by an alcoholic father. Their present are hours of driving and desperate coupling to make up for lost time and ease hurts.
The scenes are full of pining and longing, especially with the boys separated for 8 years before that fateful day of their reunion and the murder. Ryo is the more confident but also the more clingy. Kaede is more tormented by guilt and insecurity, with self-sacrificing tendencies that could lead to rash decisions had Ryo not held on tight.
There’s an undercurrent of fear and a reckoning on the horizon. When it comes, it’s both painful and freeing, and it hits the boys hard. Equal parts smutty and angsty, this manga takes you on an emotional ride of love, lust, and atonement.
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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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