Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 7, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 2017

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The next stage of boys’ love!

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator.

Read the sexy conclusion to Ryoma and Izumi's showbiz romance!

Review:

Izumi is getting stalked in this volume, and thus has to stay with Ryoma. No hardship for either of them, clearly. Though this does push Izumi to want to try being the top again, which causes Ryoma some terror.

Izumi is so very energetic. His friend sees him and Ryoma kissing, and instead of worrying even a little, he gets excited to finally tell someone about it. He's like a puppy as he tries to be the top with Ryoma, excited to be the “man”. Though, to be fair, Ryoma is also excited about their relationship, and doesn't worry at all what other people might think. It's rather nice, honestly.

This was actually quite a nice end to the series. This was an unabashedly fun series for me, even if it had some theme issues. It was fun. I do quite love Rei and Shogo, and would honestly love to see their story. It also seems like Kuroi might be starting something? I kind of just want more. I want to know their stories as well.

Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 6, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator.

Review:

We get the conclusion to the amnesia plot line here, and unsurprisingly the happy make up between Ryoma and Izumi. There's some sexy stuff here, and a lot of sweet moments. They exclaim their undying love to each other over and over.

It's over the top, but I still really enjoy it. I think they're cute, and it's not too exaggerated so as not to be too much.

After that, Izumi gets to be an assistant to his favorite manga-ka. Here, we get to see how useless he really is in making a manga. He's honestly awful at it, and it's also not a surprise that Ryoma is quite good at it. Since they're both quite busy working, they have to work around their schedules to make time to see each other.

I actually love Rei and Sho even more than Ryoma and Izumi. I seriously find them adorable and I want to read their story, if there is one. We get at least two scenes between them in this volume, including a super adorable one at the beginning, that I am just in love with.

This series is an easy, cute and sexy romance. I usually enjoy each volume more than I expect to, and am looking forward to the next.

Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 5, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2016

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: Light/No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator.

Izumi's career as an entertainer is in full swing. He's costarring in a TV show with Ryoma and showing extraordinary promise as an actor, but that only deepens Ryoma's anguish. Will they be forced to choose work over love? As the two try to figure things out, disaster strikes!

Review:

Just as Ryoma and Izumi are fighting, and we're seeing how seriously impressive Izumi's acting skills are, Ryoma gets hypnotized to forget all about Izumi. This causes a whole new level of frustration for Izumi, and he starts seeing how much he really loves and misses Ryoma now that he doesn't remember him and isn't paying him any attention.

It's interesting to see how Izumi attempts stepping up and seducing Ryoma, in ways reminiscent of how Ryoma did in the beginning. And Izumi really has no pride, or rather, no shame, as he has no problem coming onto Ryoma and confessing his love and relying on Ryoma even when he has no reason to accept it.

The volume ends with a sexy scene, the two of them trapped in a room together.

This is a fun series to read. By no means is it perfect, as some of the methods used are iffy and even Izumi can be annoying. But it's just fun to read.

Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 4, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2015

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator.

Mega otaku Izumi and famous actor Ryoma have finally confirmed their feelings for one another. Izumi successfully makes his debut in the entertainment industry, and everything seems to be smooth sailing in both his public and private life. However, as Izumi continues to do unexpectedly well in his new career, Ryoma starts getting nervous when work begins keeping them apart!

Review:

At the beginning of the volume, we see Izumi reacting to having sex with Ryoma, and I appreciate the different look this series has. Izumi wants Ryoma, but he also felt some pain and discomfort from sex and he doesn’t want that. I like how he finally admits this, and goes to Rei for advice. It’s funny and cute to see.

Next, a new character is introduced. He’s a bit of a sexual harasser, and Ryoma already has a past with him that left him scarred. It leads to some bad situations for Izumi, but ultimately gives the cliffhanger of a fight between the two. It should lead to some drama, but also some fun in the next volume.

In the extra at the end, we get to see some flirting between Rei and Shogo, hinting at a deeper relationship between them. There’s also some hot stuff between Izumi and Ryoma, but I seriously want to see more between Rei and Shogo. I find their relationship interesting, and I mostly just like Rei a lot.

This series isn’t too high on my list, but I still find myself wanting to pick up the next one when I can. It’s more fun than it feels like it should be.

Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 3, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: September 2015

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: Some.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator.

Review:

I really want to love this series. And I find it cute. The last couple volumes were really fun, and this one was as well.

I like how Ryoma just goes for it, he is unashamed of his love for Izumi. Even if he’s a little pushy at times, I mostly just enjoy it. And in this volume, Izumi realizes his own feelings for Ryoma. That leads to some sexy times, as well as some really cute moments. I love how Izumi just threw himself at Ryoma, and Ryoma tried to be respectful when he didn’t know what was going on. Izumi is kind of adorable at times, in the way that he relies on Ryoma, and Ryoma loves it.

My only real problem with this volume, is the attempted rape scene. The author tries to make a joke of it at one point, and that was distasteful to me, because it doesn’t change what the characters were doing. But it’s also used as an important moment where Izumi realizes his feelings for Ryoma, and I don’t like that he needed to be assaulted in order for that to happen. I guess I’m happy that he got himself out of the situation, instead of being saved, but otherwise it bothered me.

Aside from that, I enjoyed this volume. I like the romance between Izumi and Ryoma. I also enjoy Rei’s character a lot, and enjoyed the little glimpse we got between him and Shogo. The scene where Izumi asks Rei about gay sex had me laughing, too.

Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 2, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2015

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator. But right now, he’s somehow found himself stuck doing a commercial with popular actor Ryoma Ichijo. To make matters worse, Ryoma makes the situation even more awkward by professing his undying love. Izumi tries to convince him they should first start out as friends, but somehow things get more intimate. Has the romance flag finally been raised? (less)

Review:

Ryoma is determined to be around Izumi, even if it’s just as friends. Izumi isn’t so up for the idea, but he agrees.

I don’t really see what Ryoma does in Izumi. Ryoma is pushy, but he’s a nice guy. Izumi is obsessed with anime, which I understand. But he’s determined to write his own manga, but he sucks. He pushes Ryoma away at every instance, until he needs help with his manga. I do think Izumi is finally starting to like Ryoma back by the end of this volume, though.

There’s some nice sexy stuff in this volume. There’s also some iffy points. When Izumi disregards Ryoma’s feelings, it’s just rude of him. But then there are moments where Ryoma is a bit obsessive-stalker about Izumi, looking at him while he sleeps, kissing him a little. Pushing him more than he should. I should probably be more upset about these things than I am, though, honestly. Because I take most of it as the humor it’s supposed to be, and I don’t really mind too much. It hasn’t gone too far for me yet.

I’m still enjoying this series so far. I like the humor, I’m enjoying the romance and sexy stuff. There’s also more of Rei, Izumi’s family’s manager, and I think he’s great. He’s protective of Izumi like a mother, and I find him a great side character.

I’m looking forward to the next one.

Manga Review: Love Stage!!, Volume 1, by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 12, 2015

Volumes: 5+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Izumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator.

His father is a singer and his mother an actress, while older brother Shogo is the lead singer for the popular band “CRUSHERZ.” Though his family is packed with famous celebrities, Izumi Sena is just your average guy. Currently a college student, he is a huge otaku with aspirations of becoming a manga creator. But one day he gets roped into participating in a TV commercial and meets popular young actor Ryoma Ichijo. Could this be the same boy he starred in a commercial with over ten years ago?!

Review:

I didn’t know what to expect with this book, aside from that it looked very cute. So I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

The artwork is very pretty, and had a bit of a shojo feel, though that may have been because of the wedding setting. The cover is a good impression of what you’re getting.

Izumi was forced into a commercial, dressed as a girl, when he was little. He hated it, and has since become much of an otaku recluse. He wants to be a mangaka, and doesn’t see how bad he is. His family is filled with actors and singers and he is very much the odd one out, especially as he rebels against them. But then he’s pushed into doing a ten-years later commercial of the first one, with a very famous singer.

Izumi is all right as a protagonist. He’s shy and afraid and doesn’t want to be like his family. Ryoma, the singer, is very fun. He’s a bit exaggerated, and he thinks he’s in love with Izumi, which surprisingly doesn’t lesson when he finds out he’s a guy. Ryoma gets a little bit forceful at one point, but I didn’t mind it as much as I could have. Mostly I just enjoyed watching them both struggle with their attraction, especially Ryoma, who was feeling it more.

I thought that the humor was well done, I liked the characters. Ryoma was great, and Izumi’s brother was fun. I found Rei, their agent, quite an interesting character, and want to know more about him. The ending leaves me hanging, and I honestly can’t wait for the next one.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, and Erik Jansen from MediaLab PR. Thank you so, so much!