Manga Review: Given, Volume 3, by Natsuki Kizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2020

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to one another—always brings them back together again.

Uenoyama realizes he’s in love with Mafuyu and steals a kiss from him backstage at their first live performance. But now he’s even more confused—he hasn’t shared his feelings with Mafuyu and has no idea how Mafuyu feels about him. In contrast to their naive romance, Haruki has been harboring a secret desire for bandmate Akihiko, who’s already entangled in an intense, conflicted relationship with someone else.

Review:

 

Now that their first concert is over with, they get to deal with the aftermath. Uenoyama gets to recover from his confession and then how to proceed with his feelings for Mafuyu. This actually comes in the form of a surprise for him, since Mafuyu is so honest about his feelings.

I think it's cute how they consider the other bandmates' feelings, but that's all rather easily handled. It was pretty obvious to everyone where that was heading.

We finally get some real backstory for Haruki regarding his feelings, and then Akihiko with his roommate. I was actually a little surprised with the ending of the volume, though I really shouldn't have been. It makes sense.

It's a little sad, but it makes sense.

I'm interested to see where the side characters' stories are going from here, but I'm still 100% in this for Mafuyu. He's the sweetest, best boy, and I seriously just love him so much.

Manga Review: Given, Volume 2, by Natsuki Kizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: May 2020

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to each other—always brings them back together again.

As the band races toward their first live concert, Mafuyu struggles to write lyrics for their new song but can’t find the words to express the emotions burning within him. Meanwhile, Uenoyama hears rumors about Mafuyu’s past and is bewildered by his own feelings. The tension builds until the night of the show, when the band explodes into a raging, life-changing performance.

 

Review:

This volume reaches the penultimate moment in the anime—the concert.

The pacing is a little different in the manga versus the anime, so we're introduced to the two band mates slower, only given some insight into Kaji and his roommate in this volume. But we've also been getting more information regarding Mafuyu's past in this version. So while we're anxiously waiting to see the performance, we have some ideas.

I will admit that the anime hits hard, particularly because you get to hear the music and Mafuyu's voice. It's a little unclear how much of this he's planned ahead of time, but it's obvious where the song is coming from. It's also clear that Mafuyu finally feels like he can express what he's been feeling, and can try to move forward.

Mafuyu's struggle here is intense, and it's heartbreaking.

And then there's where the volume ends, which is adorable. Uenoyama realizes just how important of a moment that was for Mafuyu, though not quite what an impact he's made.

I'm pretty sure the next volume will go further than the manga did, and I am extremely excited to read more. I am utterly in love with this series at this point.

Manga Review: Jealousy, Volume 1, by Scarlet Beriko

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2020

Volumes: 4+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

The prequel to the popular yakuza rom-com Fourth Generation Head: Tatsuyuki Oyamato!

A yakuza head finds himself ensnared in the unwavering attentions of a sometimes impetuous but always cunning schemer. If being yakuza doesn’t get him killed, his new lover just might!

Uichi Rogi is in a bind, both literally and figuratively, when he meets Akitora Oyamato, the yakuza head who’s come to collect a debt from Uichi’s lover. Instantly smitten, Uichi schemes dubious and often dangerous ways of getting closer to the man, but his lies come at a heavy price—one he may regret having to pay for Akitora’s affections.

 

Review:

 

This is a spin-off of the one-shot Fourth Generation Head, featuring the stoic bodyguard of the yakuza with his little daughter.

I will say I'm intrigued by these two characters, and I find his daughter to be quite smart and cute. But most of this volume centers on Uichi and his past, what led to him being where he is today. Once upon a time, he was a young man, who had a hard time really connecting with people and feeling emotions, and he grasped onto the yakuza head at the time. He does several questionable things in order to get closer to him, leading him to very odd and sticky situations.

Uichi's obsession with the yakuza head is definitely dangerous and unhealthy. I'm curious where it's going, but I'm also very wary. Mostly, though, I would like to know more about his present situation, and I'm not sure when we'll get that.

Same as with the previous story, though, I tend to like the characters and relationships, more than the main, yakuza plot line.

Manga Review: Secret XXX by Meguru Hinohara

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2020

Volumes: 1.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Shohei’s just trying to find love in a pet shop, so why are all these bunnies making it so difficult?

Shohei loves bunnies! He loves them so much he’s even taken to volunteering at a local pet shop. Store owner Mito is as sweet and kind as the fuzzy critters he cares for, and it’s not long before Shohei finds himself wanting to cuddle with him as much as the bunnies! But Shohei is hiding a dangerous secret, one that makes this dream an unlikely reality.

 

Review:

 

Even though Shohei appears to be allergic to bunnies, he's started volunteering at a bunny pet shop, where coincidentally, there's also this really cute guy who runs it. When Shohei accidentally over exposes himself to the bunnies, his secret is revealed, and his real relationship with Mito starts.

This was a really cute one-shot. The full volume is taken up with the main couple, which I appreciate, but we also get to meet the main characters for the spin-off series. Shohei is inexperienced, but he's sweet and has good intentions, and he wants to take care of Mito. Mito is a little older and more mature, but he's also got some surprises for Shohei. In the end, they were kind of like a newlywed couple, including some drama with Shohei's parents. It was all really cute, though, with some very hot steamy scenes, as well.

I'm definitely going to pick up the spin-off.

Manga Review: Given, Volume 1, by Natsuki Kizu

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2020

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to each other—always brings them back together again.

Ritsuka Uenoyama is bored with it all—with school, with his basketball club, and even with his one true passion: playing guitar. That is, until the day he finds his favorite hidden napping spot occupied by a strange boy cradling a broken-stringed guitar. At first, Uenoyama is nonplussed by Mafuyu Sato and his slightly odd behavior, but when, on a whim, he asks Mafuyu to sing, the power of that song pierces him to the core.

 

Review:

 

I've heard so much about this series, I was actually wary of not liking it. My fears were in vain, because I was hooked almost immediately.

Uenoyama likes to nap during breaks in school, and when he goes to the stairway one day, he finds Mafuyu. Mafuyu is also sleeping, only he's holding a guitar with a broken string. When he tells Mafuyu that the guitar isn't ruined and can be fixed it sets off a tidal wave of changes for them both.

Mafuyu is a precious boy, and I only ever want good things to come to him from now on.

Anyway. I hadn't watched the anime when I read this volume, and have since finished the anime. The pacing is quite a bit different—we're given a lot more of an idea of what Mafuyu is going through here, whereas it took a lot longer in the anime. We also haven't been given as much information about their bandmates at this point. It hits a little differently, but it's still intense and it's still the same story.

I feel so strongly for Mafuyu, and I really just want good things for him. I understand why Uenoyama has a hard time saying no to him. And I feel for the fact that Mafuyu clearly has so much to say and is going through so many things, and yet doesn't know how to express any of it.

I feel very strongly for these characters, already, and I just badly need more.

Manga Review: Finder: Target in Sight, Volume 1, by Ayano Yamane

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: 2017.

Volumes: 10+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Pain and pleasure collide when a sophisticated underworld boss crosses paths with a naive photographer hell-bent on bringing him down!

This deluxe edition includes never-before-released material as well as a double-sided color insert and special cover treatment! Photographer Takaba Akihito takes on a risky assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld. When he captures its leader—the handsome, enigmatic Asami Ryuichi—in the crosshairs of his viewfinder, Takaba’s world is changed forever.

Freelance photographer Akihito Takaba is captured by the very subject he’s been stalking in his viewfinder—the handsome and enigmatic crime lord Asami Ryuichi! The older man ravages him, both body and mind. Does this mean the end for the naive photographer, or will he live to shoot another day?

Review:

I'd heard the excitement over this series being re-licensed, but I didn't look into it. The plot line didn't seem like my kind of thing, and I fell behind with it.

But when I realized Ayano Yamane, of Crimson Spell, was the mangaka of it, I was immediately interested and decided to pick it up during a sale.

This first volume definitely makes me think that this was only supposed to be a one-shot story at first. We meet the main characters, a photographer and a mobster. It's definitely a hot chapter, too, as Yamane is good at. But then quite a bit of the volume features other one-shots. Most of them are okay, nothing too stand-out, but good and hot stories.

I'm curious where the story will go next. There's definite plot options to go with, but since it felt rather one-shot-like in this volume, and I know it's a longer series, I'm curious how far it'll go and where.

Manga Review: A Strange and Mystifying Story, Volume 1, by Tsuta Suzuki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 2017

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Akio Yamane’s bloodline is cursed! Will his hot guardian deity break the curse…or merely his heart in the process?

Akio Yamane falls terminally ill, presumably from his family’s curse. Remembering his grandfather’s final words about their family protector, he follows the old man's instructions out of desperation and accidentally summons a god who promises to cure him—albeit in a rather odd and intimate manner!

Akio Yamane’s bloodline is cursed! Or at least that’s what his relatives would have people think. Now feverish and delusional from a terminal illness, Akio accidentally summons his family’s guardian deity. Little did he know this sinfully hot god would appear naked, sporting ears and a tail. Wait until Akio finds out the unconventional and rather intimate manner his protector plans on using to cure him!

Review:

Akio loses his last close family member, and is left alone with a supposed curse that kills his family off early in life. He's trying to get on in his normal life again, but he very quickly falls ill without a cure. Then he discovers who his grandfather left behind to watch over him—a demon named Setsu.

Setsu saves Akio by eating the demonic sludge in his body. It's honestly a rather odd and graphic detail. It's definitely being used to initiate some sexy times, but seeing Setsu suck up this black worm-like sludge is a little off-putting sometimes.

Aside from that, this was okay. Akio has it in his mind that Setsu is forcing him into this relationship and he must hate it, so he fights it and complains for a while. But since his close friends are surprisingly open about gay relationships, he's pushed to accept his real feelings rather quickly. Maybe a little rushed near the end.

After the main story, there were a couple of one-shots that were cute. Mainly I'm curious where the main couple is going from here. I feel like we might get to really know them more after this start to their relationship.

Manga Review: Punch Up!, Volume 1, by Shiuko Kano

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2012

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Architect Motoharu Maki is hanging out at the construction site ogling a particular hunky, well-toned construction worker when he is unexpectedly reunited with his lost cat, Shinobu. The reunion is all thanks to Kouta Ohki, a foul-mouthed young ironworker who found and cared for the lost cat. Unfortunately for Kouta, this act of kindness led to his eviction! When Motoharu agrees to take in young Kouta, will he be able to tame this feisty stray? Includes a bonus Play Boy Blues side story.

Review:

Maki is working when he discovers his long lost cat, and finds out he comes with a stray man as well. He accepts this, and they starts to grow comfortable living together, until doubtful thoughts are planted to make him reconsider.

This was just meh. The artwork is okay, not great. I didn't really get much from the characters, the romance, or the plot, honestly. I really wanted to like this, but I couldn't feel much for it in the end. I want to want to continue this series, as the volumes look so good, but I doubt I'm going to.

Manga Review: Crimson Spell, Volume 6, by Ayano Yamane

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: July 2019

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A cursed prince turns into a raging demon whose lust can only be calmed by the skillful hands of one powerful sorcerer!

Prince Vald is struck by a curse that turns him into a demon! He seeks out a powerful sorcerer named Halvir to help break the curse, and the two go on an epic journey full of danger—and lust—in search of clues to break the young prince’s curse!

Vald finally discovers the one responsible for placing the curse upon his sword, Yug Verlind, and it’s none other than court mage Limris?! Shocked and confused, Vald is then faced with his greatest threat yet as the immensely powerful sorcerer Asterdol wrenches his soul out of his body. His demon half, now in complete control, goes on a rampage, and Vald faces the real possibility of losing his soul forever!

Review:

It has been such a long time since the previous volume, and I expect it will be again till the next one, so that it's very easy to forget the intricacies of the plot and characters in this series. However, it is very easy to fall back into the main relationship.

Despite it being so long, jumping back in and being reminded of the struggles that Vald is facing was pretty fun. And now made more complicated, as the two sides of himself are forced apart in a much more literal way.

Of course, this leads to some pretty steamy scenes here, unintentional on the villains part. Both sides of Vald want Halvir, so it's no surprise that he's able to have his way with him. Still, it doesn't look like things are getting less complicated any time soon.

I'd definitely forgotten where the plot was at in this series, though I was surprised how easy it was to get back into it; I was excited to get a new volume nonetheless. And I will still definitely be picking up the next one, whenever it gets released.

Manga Review: Don't Be Cruel, Volume 8, by Yonezou Nekota

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2019

Volumes: 8+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1&2. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

When a playboy falls for a nerd, chemistry results in an explosive reaction!

Playboy Maya catches studious Nemugasa cheating on a test, and to ensure his silence, Maya blackmails Nemugasa into doing whatever he wants! But is this merely just a ruse so Maya can spend more alone time with him?

It’s been a while since Maya and Nemugasa have had any alone time, so they can’t help but go a little overboard when they finally see each other! But later that same night, Maya sneaks out to help his friend Ruka after he’s had a severe asthma attack. When Nemugasa asks him the next morning where he went, Maya quickly changes the subject. Is a bad habit from Maya’s playboy days rearing its ugly head? And what will Nemugasa do when he finds out the truth?

Review:

Ruka is still causing drama between Maya and Nemu. His attachment to Maya is honestly a bit off-putting, and how he's deliberately trying to cause issues. Some of it might have been explained here, but I still don't like it one bit. I don't like him.

Thankfully, though, Maya and Nemu are pretty good at communicating. They definitely read each other wrong sometimes, and have their fights, but they come together in the end. They talk it out and explain and make up. Usually in a pretty hot way, too.

This is a really strong couple in this series, and I like that. They've also got pretty good friends and family around them, and I appreciate that, too.

This is always a fun series to get more of, and I'm always excited for the next one.

Manga Review: Fourth Generation Head: Tatsuyuki Oyamato by Scarlet Beriko

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 1 (But has related series).

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A young yakuza boss has a sexy encounter with his wild side when his family’s dirty business becomes personal.

The last thing playboy Tatsuyuki Oyamato, fourth-generation heir to a yakuza family syndicate, wants is any responsibility for running the family business, especially when a recent erotic encounter with a male masseur has him totally preoccupied with questioning his sexuality! But Tatsuyuki’s forced to step up both in the sheets and on the streets when a hot hookup deepens his newfound attraction to men, while also drawing the attention of a mysterious man who seems dangerously obsessed with Tatsuyuki’s lineage…

Review:

Tatsuyuki is the playboy, next in line for his yakuza family business, so he's had a pretty easy life. When he's given new responsibilities in a new place, he finds himself in some difficult circumstances. Someone he doesn't remember from his past shows up, Koga, a guy who fell in love with him at a young age. Only this is being used against them.

I really loved Beriko's other release, whereas this one didn't hit quite as good for me. I think it's just cause I'm not a yakuza/mafia fan, and some of the matters handled here go dark and dirty, and not in a good way.

Other than that, though, it was good. There's some very good smutty scenes, from early on, too. I really liked Koga's character, too; he's a teacher, with a happy outlook, and he's sweet on Tatsuyuki. He fawns over him a little bit. Tatsuyuki didn't stand out quite as much, but he's a good guy deep down.

A good, very steamy yaoi volume in the end. Very good artwork. I'm still very much looking forward to the next series being released.

Manga Review: Seven Days: Monday - Sunday by Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2019

Volumes: 2 / 1 Omnibus.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The rules were clear: they could date for a week. But someone forgot to tell love!

On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit. Can Seryo put words to his feelings before Monday comes, or are old dating habits too hard to break?

Review:

I never caught this series when it was released before, and after realizing it was from Takarai (of Ten Count), I was definitely intrigued. It's clearly an earlier work, but still very good, and it's nice to have it all in one volume.

Seryo has started dating a different person every week, in an attempt to get over a past love. None of the romances have worked out thus far, and yet he keeps trying. On an impulse one day, Shino decides to ask him out when the new week starts. Because Seryo doesn't reject the first person to ask, he says yes. It feels like an impulse at first, and yet Seryo takes these possibilities serious, and soon enough both of them start growing attached.

This is definitely a sweeter yaoi series. Not very steamy, and actually not too dramatic, either. Seryo handles his emotions pretty maturely and analyzes his feelings as he goes. There's some minor miscommunication, and they don't discuss with feelings very straightforwardly. But things still work out rather sweetly, and without too much drama.

This was an easy volume to read, and very sweet. I'm glad they re-released it.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: Love in Limbo, Volume 2, by Haji

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 2.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A poignant story of love and atonement in the afterworld.

Calen, the new reaper in Limbo, develops feelings for his purehearted caretaker, Makoto. But can love flourish in a place where even existence can be fleeting?

New reaper Calen has spent many a peaceful day with his friend and lover Makoto, protecting the people of Limbo. But one day, the time for Makoto’s father, Seishin, to be reincarnated comes. With him gone, the power sustaining Makoto—who is nothing more than an animated clay doll—will cease to exist. With his precious love’s dissolution looming, will Calen find a solution or be forced to watch as his lover returns to dust?

Review:

Calen and Makoto are settling in comfortably together, despite knowing the potential future ending, up until they're given a due date. This forces Calen to go on an adventure, on a mission to find the solution for Makoto's problem.

This reveals an interesting issue that the underworld has been ignoring/hiding, and that Calen gets to help with in the future. It's an interesting solution for Makoto, too; it's a bit odd but makes sense.

Aside from the serious matters in this volume, it was still a lot of fun. The characters are fun, including the side characters. I like the chemistry between our main couple, and there's some nice steamy scenes mixed in, as well. This was a really nice little series, with a nice ending, not rushed at all. Just sweet and steamy, with a nice afterlife plot thrown in.

Manga Review: Escape Journey, Volume 3, by Ogeretsu Tanaka

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: SuBLime (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2019

Volumes: 3.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Naoto and Taichi’s turbulent high school love crashed and burned, but a reunion in college puts love back in the air.

Naoto and Taichi’s first try at love during their high school days crashed and burned. Years later the two unexpectedly reunite on their first day of college. Tumultuous love often burns hot, and the glowing embers of their previous relationship reignite into a second try at love.

Nao is hurting over his relationship with Taichi, and his new friend Nishina wants to help—but he ends up confessing his own feelings in the process! When two men are in love, the world can be a very callous place, and even friends and family sometimes hurt the ones they love. Can a couple like Taichi and Nao ever find true happiness?

Review:

I had some issues with the first volume, and then I skipped the second, and then I get to see how it all wraps up in this volume.

I definitely wish that this series handled the more serious issues a bit better, as there are some sketchy ways the plot points are handled. Especially because it's really steamy and hot for quite a bit of it, and I do like that.

This series might be a good guilty pleasure, to be fair. I have a hard time letting myself fully even like it for that, though.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!