Boys Next Door Reviews

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Anything Shuiko Kano does I love. I don’t care how weird and odd the stories are; I always find something about them that makes me really and truly happy. See, I don’t want to like Tetsuo. He’s pretty much a rotten guy whom I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw, but because he’s so unlikable and goes through so much angst, he becomes real to me. I find myself sympathizing with him even as I want to smack some sense into him.

After some deep soul searching and numerous masturbation scenes, Tetsuo has come to the realization that females just aren’t doing it for him. What he really wants is the one thing that he shouldn’t be lusting over–the male object of his teenaged son’s affections, Tamaki.

Making things even more complicated is the fact that Enomoto returns the feelings for Tetsuo, which has them both afraid of breaking Haruka’s heart. It all works out and of course there are happy-ever-afters abounding, but it’s a rocky road to get there and Kano’s pulling out all of her tricks.

I’m not sure if Kano is my all-time favorite manga artist. I think that position is still firmly held by Mamiya Oki and Ayano Yamane with some Mika Sadahiro, Kazuma Kodaka and Masara Minase thrown in for good measure, but I think that she’s right up there on my list of ‘must-buy’ authors.

Rating: ♦♦

I’m starting to think that this series would have fared much better as a one shot. It’s cute and all, but we’re going over the same information that we went over in the first volume. Rei is an incubus and feeds off of the lust that flows off of Fujimaru. Fujimaru doesn’t want to be looked at as a snack and would much rather be humping females. So, he rebuffs Rei even as he accepts being molested. Fujimaru looks for ways to be rid of Rei, up to and including exorcism, but Rei’s not giving up on a sure and easy meal.

Yeah. So, this is the same thing we saw in the first volume with a few minor twists thrown in. We find out that Rei was cursed by a witch for cheating on her, and that one of the members of the exorcism club was a succubus that was cursed into being a male and now has it in for Rei.

I don’t mind rehashing some of the same themes, but when you’re doing the same thing over and over again, it gets a bit tedeous. At this point, I’m not even sure if I want to put the money into getting the third volume. What’s the point of me throwing away ten dollars when I’m just going to end up writing a cranky review, then giving the book away at a yaoi panel? I’m all about supporting the fandom and supporting the companies who make it possible for me to have gorgeous men fucking in my books, but I don’t like to waste my money.

Rating: ♦♦♦

This one kind of surprised me. I was expecting to like it, then halfway through I didn’t like it at all. Then the last chapter threw me for a bit of a loop and now I really want to read the next volume to see what’s going to happen. I like being surprised like that. I just wish it happened more often.

This is an odd release which plays on one of my favorite themes–past lives and meeting up with people you knew before. In his past life, Kounosuke was a samurai who was madly in love with his male page. After the fortress they were at was attacked, Kounosuke committed suicide, promising to meet the page, Kageya, at some point in the future.

Enter in the modern Kounosuke. He’s recovering from a car accident and has lost his memory. Well, sort of. See, Konosuke remembers his past life as a samurai, but nothing about the life he was currently living in the modern age. He is very clear on one thing, though–he must find Kageya. To make things even more interesting, Kounosuke has three caretakers, three generations of Kageyas. So, he must now decide which Kageya is the reincarnation of his Kageya, before the fake Kageyas try to do him in.

When he finally discovers the true Kageya, things go along well except for the fact that Kageya seems to have no interest in him sexually. This gets frustrating after a bit and this is the part of the manga that lost me. It sucked me back in with the last chapter when we find out the reason behind some of Kageya’s coldness.

It’s pretty, well drawn and it seems to be an interesting story. I’m going to see where this one goes before I decide whether or not this one deserves to go on the keeper shelf or not. I think I’m going to end up really liking it because I enjoyed the other release by this artist that June put out, WARU, far too much.

Rating: ♦♦♦

I’m sick of anthologies. Really, really sick. After reading so many of them from June, they all start to blend together for me. This volume, while being semi-charming and having good art, has nothing working against it. I think it would be a pretty good volume for someone who enjoys anthologies, but I just couldn’t find anything that made it stand out for me. Sweet stories with a dollop of angst, check. Bland sex scenes, check. Happy ever afters, check.

It has got everything that every other anthology that June releases has. I just can’t get excited about this one, but there’s nothing really wrong with it. Nothing that makes me want to rant, whine and tell you all to stay far, far away from it.

We start off with the story of Kazuto, who’s a bit of a party boy. One morning, he wakes up in a bed in a hotel room to find a handsome man in bed with him. The handsome man is Takasugi and he announces that he’s bought Kazuto for a month. Kazuto, needing the money, goes along with it. Now, we all know where this is going, right? I don’t need to go into it because we’ve seen it all before. All the stories are like this–familiar plots with happy endings just packed a bit differently.

I shouldn’t complain, but I am. I want better from June, yet I keep getting filler-fluff anthologies. I wonder if this plethora of crap is part of a deal that June made with the original publishers. Something where they would sell the rights to a really good series, but in return June has to take some of this crap and release it over here as well. Otherwise, I don’t see why June would keep releasing these.

Rating: ♦♦♦

I’m sure that I shouldn’t be finding a farce about someone with a multiple personality disorder amusing. I definitly shouldn’t find it be as charming as it is. Yet, as insane as the plot is, it manages to keep my interest. Now, when I say that this plot is insane, I don’t mean your average, run-of-the-mill, BL insanity. No, this is all of that plus the insanity that can be found in daytime soap operas. So, you can see where I’m not sure why I’m finding this charming.

Yu has two other personalities aside from his own. He created these personalities to love him because he thought that no one else would. When the personalities take over, Yu’s appearance changes. There’s Kaname who’s a high-powered lawyer and looks the part, then there’s Ryo, a playboy with a short temper. The problems start when Yu starts to fall in love with one of his customers at the flower shop where he works. This dismays his other personalities as they’re afraid that they will disappear if Yu finds someone to love him.

Oh, yes, Yu and his personalities interact with each other. Don’t ask me how this is possible, it just is. Yet, the personalities don’t disappear after Yu finds love. They go and find lovers of their own, which leads to an amusing scene where the suitors are waiting for their turn at Yu’s body with their personality of choice.

The art was really cute and the story kept me engaged even though I was shaking my head the whole time at the utter absurdity of the plot. It’s all around cute, but I’m not quite sure if it’s good enough to land on the keeper shelf.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

We’ve come to the end. As I said in my last review, I’m happy to finally have all of Love Mode in my hot little hands. Yet, I’m kind of sad, because I won’t have it to look forward to. I’m happy to say that the last volume was charming, sad, sweet, and full of what makes Love Mode one of my all time favorite series.

This volume is mostly a flashback. We go back in time to where Aoe was traveling the world, trying to escape his troubles with his family. While in England, he runs into an oddly dressed street performer who fleeces him out of his money. Aoe then runs into Takamiya, who uses him to fend off an amorous suitor. Now, keep in mind that at this point Aoe doesn’t know Takamiya at all. This is all making Aoe very cranky and the hotel he was planning on staying at losing his reservation just feeds the flames of the level of crankiness.

So, Aoe’s miserable and has no place to go. To make up for using him as a human shield, Takamiya invites Aoe to come and stay with him. Aoe, seeing no other recourse, accepts. Much to his surprise, Takamiya’s roommate is the street performer who made off with his money. Shiki is Takamiya’s uncle as well as his roommate and the atmosphere of welcome and relaxation they have in their house starts to thaw out Aoe. Shiki gets under Aoe’s skin, so much so that he and Aoe develop a relationship. One of the only healthy ones that Aoe has ever had.

Of course, this bliss can’t last for long and their peace is shattered when Aoe hears that his father was killed in a plane crash, leaving Aoe as the head of the family.

Like all Love Mode stories, this one broke my heart. I really couldn’t ask for more in a volume. As much as I would like more of this series, I’m happy that they ended it so well and left me wanting more of it. If you’re not already a fan, this series should definitly be on your must-buy list!

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Oh, Shiuko Kano, you provide me with the best crack-like manga. I knew that I was going to enjoy this release, but I didn’t realize just how much and just how wrong and filthy it was going to be.

So, when we last left our heroes, Junki had been kidnapped by a rival gang and was facing all kinds of unpleasant things. Things start off quickly in this release with the Flower gang rushing in to save Junki. Now, Chihiro goes a bit nuts after he sees a video Junki’s captors have sent them of Junki being raped and tortured. Chihiro’s been hiding his feelings for Junki under the veneer of brotherly affection, but this is enough to bring his true feelings to the forefront.

What amused me the most was not the happy-ever-after ending, but the fact that Kano included an alternate ending that was just hot, dirty and all kinds of wrong. I must really have my wires crossed when I find Chihiro all half-naked, bleeding and getting his brains fucked out to be really hot.

Kano is one of my favorite artists because she does not take herself or her art too seriously. It’s a treat to have something that’s absurdly hilarious on one page juxtaposed with something that will pull on your heartstrings on the next page.

I’m going to miss this series. I don’t know if it’s one of my all-time favorites, but it’s right up there with series like Yellow and Our Everlasting that I want to read over and over. I’m hoping that some of the other new releases that Deux has up their sleeves are going to be as addictive.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦

I did not have high expectations for this release. The story seemed a bit silly and I didn’t think that I was going to enjoy the art. Plus, I didn’t recognize the author’s name, which is pretty weird, given the fact that I really like the other release by her that Deux brought over, Say Please. So, I’m very happy that my first impression was proved wrong.

Haruya is a talented writer who is unmotivated to finish any project. He’s happy to just putter around in his small house by the sea, letting life flow around him. His peaceful life is rocked when he meets a troubled young man, Maki. Maki can’t stand to be touched and is trying to escape from an unhappy family situation. Haruya doesn’t quite know what drives him to help Maki, but he finds that Maki becomes something he doesn’t want to live without.

It’s not the easiest relationship–Maki has issues, Haruya has an ex-lover who’s jealous enough to cause some problems and let’s not even get into the age difference. Still, with all those obstacles, they end up being far better together than they are apart and this is what makes this release a fulfilling read.

Add to all of this a cat and I am in heaven. I am a cat person. I like cute drawings of cats. Just like in Love Mode, my enjoyment of the story is increased by the addition of cute cats. Maybe that’s the secret to getting me to like a release–adding a feline.

I’m really looking forward to more from this artist. One thing that I especially enjoyed was her non-stereotypical portrayal of Haruya as a gay male. It’s nice to have a departure from the typical BL rules. Haruya is comfortable with that he is gay–it’s just who he is. There’s none of the typical angsting where he’s trying to come to terms with his feelings for another male. It’s such a nice change from the early days of BL where the guys fall in love with each other despite their gender.

Do I think we will ever see a realistic portrayal of a gay male in BL manga? No. Normally, this fact doesn’t bother me. It’s not supposed to be realistic, but a character like Haruya is a refreshing change.