Spiritual Police 1 by Nitta Youka

Rating: 7
Sublime 2013 - Shinshokan 2012
1+ volumes
Translation: Adrienne Beck

This book had been lying around for a while since I'd bought it, I didn't know anything about the series and the cover art and title didn't stir much enthusiasm (bland cover and what? magical police?), but when I finally got around to reading it, I whipped through it in no time at all. It's a page-turner of a suspense drama, loaded with melodrama and angst, with an intrigue-laden plot that steers you at a brisk pace towards a cliffhanger ending. While the packed plot makes for an exciting read, it comes rather at the expense of character and relationship development, which is a disappointment coming from the creator of my most beloved BL manga couple (see Embracing Love). Though this Spiritual Police couple don't quite have my affection, they're caught up in a conspiracy that threatens to tear the lovers apart and their tragic story does more than enough to elicit my sympathy and support; I can't wait to find out what happens to them in volume two.

Nitta Youka can always be relied on for an interesting plot and she doesn't disappoint with Spiritual Police. Nagatsuma is a serious minded policeman who, stressed from work, is referred by a colleague to a physical therapist. The therapist, Aoi, is blind but claims to be able to "sense" things; by touch alone he diagnoses a stomach problem. Nagatsuma is dubious of this power but as well as the physical, Aoi also has an uncanny way of pinpointing the reasons behind Nagatsuma's mental stress and the policeman leaves the clinic with his mind full of the therapist. Later, a prediction of Aoi's comes true and Nagatsuma begins to believe that his supernatural powers are for real.

No sooner does he meet Aoi than Nagatasuma learns that the therapist is the subject of a police investigation. Despite being on different sides of the law, the two fall in love, but circumstances conspire against them and as the investigation proceeds it becomes increasingly difficult for the pair to be together. It all gets a bit tragic and by the end of the volume I am absolutely rooting for the couple to get their happy ending. But like I said earlier, they have my pity more than my liking, this being one of the weakest couples Nitta has written in a while.

A large part of the problem is the set-up, it's a love-at-first-sight sort of scenario where they confess and consummate their love terrifically fast but just as fast, obstacles come tearing them apart so there's hardly any time for the relationship to develop. What Nitta does cram into their few meetings is intense, emotional and just about believable, but there isn't enough time spent on savouring the moments, the feelings, before the plot goes racing off onto the next piece of action.

I didn't find the two main characters particularly appealing either. Aoi is quite cool, easy-going, direct and forthright, but his supernatural 'feelings' take some getting used to, a leisure that the reader isn't given. Nagatsuma's personality is more of a problem; "Do you have to be so melodramatic?" one character says to him, voicing the thought that every reader must have, but naming the problem doesn't solve it. His character has more layers to his personality, a stoic front belying an emotional mess, which makes him the more interesting of the pair, but his occasional wallowing in drama doesn't do him any favours. Nitta always writes her stories with a strong psychological slant so it's as much about the discovery of self for a character as it is the unfolding of a plot, and it's no different for Spiritual Police; the characters are certainly interesting and you do get involved in their story, but I find this pair are harder to relate to personality-wise than other Nitta creations.

Though it doesn't quite pack the emotional punch that it could have, Spiritual Police is still a highly entertaining read and very much recommended. I'm looking forward more to the next volume of this series than Sublime's other Nitta series Starting With A Kiss, though it looks like it'll be a wait for both, considering the slow rate of releases in Japan.

The Man of Tango by Okadaya Tetuzoh

Rating: 7
Sublime 2013 - Ohzora Shuppan 2013 (this edition)
Magazine serialisation 2008
1 volume
Translation: Ivana Bloom

"Che Tango Che
You drugged me
Confused me
Led me
Jerked me around
Excited me
Played me
You threw me away
You hurt me
And yet you were the only thing that truly loved me."

The story begins with a friend telling Angel "Angie" Almodóvar that he is a man very much like tango itself; he loves with passion, without deceit, and even if the affair is fleeting, his lovers are grateful for the memory of it. However, he gives so much of himself that there is nothing left at the end of the affair; the friend worries for his future. Flash forward many years, Angie is older, jaded, and simply feels nothing by the end of a relationship. He is a dance instructor in Tokyo and teaches his students that tango is like a conversation through dance; in private, he tells his dance partner, Bene, that his seemingly passionate dancing is just an act, much like his relationships, that it isn't the real him. Then he meets Hiro, a half-Japanese, half-Latin office worker, who ignites the true passion in both Angie's dance and heart.

The Man of Tango is a sexy seductive story, befitting of its tango theme. It's a pretty straightforward romance at its core but the dancing adds an extra dimension to the story. "Che Tango Che", the title of the prologue chapter, is the title of an actual song. In the mangaka's commentary, she recounts her discovery of the CD that sparked her interest in Argentine tango, and along with Che Tango Che she uses lyrics from another of the album's songs (Años De Soledad) in the manga. Although the story is split something like 80% romance/20% tango, Okadaya's love of the dance and its music colours the story and the characters, adding vigour to the basic romantic plot.

There aren't many characters that can pull off being seductive without sounding corny, but Angie is one of them. He's a smooth talker but sincerity rings through all his words so that you believe he means every word and there really is no resisting the guy. Hats off to Okadaya for making this character work and thanks to Sublime for the sympathetic translation. Apart from a few confusing passages, on the whole I thought this was a fluid lyrical translation which really benefited the character of Angie.

Beyond his buff muscular exterior, Hiro (the crew-cut guy on the cover) is actually a cute clueless uke. He's normally aloof and detached but he loses all his cool before Angie's advances and turns into a flustered comical character; most of the laughs in the manga come from his reactions to Angie's smooth moves. I'm usually not a fan of flashbacks or memory montages but there's a really good brief montage of Hiro's sad past which I think is actually the best sequence in the book. The prose throughout the volume treads the line between passionate and cheesy, no more so than the very beginning when the reader is thrown straight in at the deep end and is expected to embrace the ardent language, something I found hard to do initially; Hiro's montage was the first step in pulling me into the story emotionally, and from then on it became easier to accept the mood and rhythms of the story.

There's a lot I like about this manga (one of which is a rare likeable female character, Bene) but its biggest problem is that it feels incomplete. We're not told anything of Angie's past. The friend who appeared in the prologue chapter seemed to foreshadow tragic events but he never appears again in the remainder of the book. There's a huge gap in time between the prologue and first chapter that's not referred to at all. More importantly, though I can understand Angie's attraction to Hiro, we don't see how their relationship progresses beyond the initial hookup so there's nothing much to convince the reader that this might not be another of Angie's fleeting affairs; it doesn't feel like the long-lasting love that the story set out to achieve for Angie. It's not that the story feels rushed, I think the pacing is nice and steady, it's more a case of there being a lot of story left untold. This was probably not the fault of the mangaka, in her commentary she has profiles and back stories for many of the side characters that appear in the book (and a couple that don't), which leads me to wonder if there are other stories that weren't compiled in this volume? Or did she not have the opportunity to publish those stories? Whatever the case, the volume as it stands needs a lot more story to beef up the plot and background.

A few words about the art. Well, you either like the style or don't. It's not to my personal liking but I always put way more onus on the story than the art so I tend not to be fazed by much. I'd say that even if you find the style off-putting, the story is good enough to overshadow any aesthetic aversions. Having said that, there are some drawings where the anatomical proportions are a bit off, something I find more distracting than the style of the art itself.

Milva and Astor Piazzolla - Años De Soledad (Live at the "Bouffes du Nord" / En vivo en Paris, 1984)

Though Okadaya doesn't mention the name of the album nor artist of the CD that first got her into Argentine tango, I think, from what she does say, that this is the album referred to. Something to get you into the mood for the story!

Blue Morning Sublime Translation Issues

I've bought many Sublime books since they started up and have been mostly happy with their translations so far, that is until Blue Morning. When I read volume one of Hidaka Shoko's Blue Morning (translation by Jocelyne Allen), there were a couple of passages that I found somewhat confusing; I put it down to the cryptic nature of the plot and didn't think too much of it. However, in the very first chapter of the second volume there is a passage confusing enough to distract me and call into question the accuracy of the translation.

I've compared it to the Japanese text and really think it could've done better. My Japanese is pretty mediocre, my translations are done with the help of a dictionary and I'm totally not sure if they're correct, but even so, they still seem to make more sense than the Sublime version.

This is the passage beginning on page 23 of the print edition, where Akihito finds an odd book in the library.

Sublime text:
"Was this book always here?
Wasn't there a poetry collection here?
It's totally different from the other books."

It's implied that there isn't currently a poetry collection there and that the book in question is not a book of poems. However, Katsuragi goes on to explain that the book was placed there by a former student who was fond of poetry and the like; this implies that the book actually is a volume of poems, which contradicts the above text.

Japanese text:
"こんな本あったか?
この辺り詩集の原本 じゃないか
他の書物とは全く毛色が違うな"

Romaji:
"Konna hon attaka?
Kono atari shishuu no genpon janaika
Hoka no shomotsu to wa mattaku keiro ga chigauna"

My translation:
"Was there always a book like this here?
Aren't all these books here original editions of poetry collections?
This one is a completely different type from the other books."

So what I think Akihito is saying is that it is a poetry book but of a different kind to the other poetry books around it.

~~~

Here's a comparison of another passage from chapter 1 where the Sublime translation just seems incorrect, page 6 of the print edition.

Sublime text:
"The houseboy Amamiya informed me that you're quite strong in Math and languages, but poor in theory, reading and the like.
He intimated that your head is somehow too thick and that finances can't make it through."

Again, there's a slight contradiction here, Katsuragi's good at maths but bad at finance? Sure, there's more to finance than maths but the remark doesn't quite follow on from the previous criticism of his theory/reading.

Japanese text:
"書生の雨宮から聞いたが, お前は数学や語学には強いが論読などは苦手なようだな
どうにも頭が固すぎるというか, 融通がきかないという口振りだったが"

Romaji:
"Shosei no Amamiya kara kiita ga, omae wa suugaku ya gogaku ni wa tsuyoi ga rondoku nado wa nigatena you dana
Dounimo atama ga katasugiru to iu ka, yuuzu ga kikanai to iu kuchiburi datta ga"

My translation:
"I heard from the live-in student, Amamiya, that you are strong in Math and languages but weak in discourse and the like;
that somehow you are too obstinate, that you are not adaptable in your opinions."

The two translations of the second line differ significantly due to the phrase 融通がきかない . 融通 on its own can mean finance, but 融通がきく taken as a phrase means to be flexible (きかない is the negative conjugation of きく). Also, I've used a different meaning of 論読, translating it as 'discourse' instead of 'theory/reading'. I can't find a dictionary entry for 論読 but 論 can mean theory or discussion so the word 'discourse', meaning written or spoken discussion of a subject, sounds appropriate to the context.

~~~

Another line that I immediately knew was wrong from the context, chapter 8 page 97, when Amamiya visits the Kuze house.

Sublime text:
"My! All that aside, it really is only the maids I don't know!
No matter how many years have passed."

This line indicates that Amamiya knows everyone in the household except for the maids, yet he goes on to say that it's only Kiku who recognises him and that he was nearly chased out, which is clearly a contradiction. Even without checking the original text, it's easy to guess that he's actually saying he sees only unfamiliar faces.

Japanese text:
"いや, それにしても知らない女中ばっかりだねえ!
いくら十年ぶりとはいえ"

Romaji:
"Iya, sorenishitemo shiranai jochuu bakkari danee!
Ikura juunenburi to wa ie!"

My translation:
"My, even so, I really don't know any of the maids!
Even if you say it's been ten years."

~~~

These examples are the few that I remember off the top of my head, I'm afraid I can't be bothered to check both volumes line by line but it's likely that these are not the only questionable lines dotted around. Some readers might have read or heard of the infamously bad DMP translation of Yoneda Kou's Doushitemo Furetakunai and won't be surprised to learn that the translator of that manga is the one and same now working on Blue Morning.

Again, I must stress that my Japanese is shaky at best (I learn from playing BL/otome games lol) so please do feel free to slap me down and correct me where I'm wrong. However, even if my translations are way off the mark, the above examples still serve to illustrate the inconsistencies in the text which should have been spotted by the editor. The majority of the translation reads fine so it's not like there are mistakes on every other page, it's just unfortunate that even a few blips can be enough to cast doubt on the entire translation.


Update: Another translation comparison added.

This is a passage from volume 1 that I found confusing and, sure enough, it doesn't bear up well under comparison. Selected lines from chapter 4 pages 149-150.

Sublime text:
"I asked the Dean and he said he'd attend.
...
As long as he brings in money, he can hide his origins.
...
I doubt he takes after his mother to that extent."

Japanese:
"学園長に聞いたが首席だそうだな
...
金さえ積めば出自など隠せるものだよ
...
あそこまで母親に似るとは思わなっかたからな "

"Gakuenchou ni kiita ga shuseki da sou dana
...
Kane sae tsumeba shuuji nado kakuseru mono dayo
...
Asoko made hahaoya ni niru to wa omowanakkata karana"

My translation:
" I asked the school Dean and it seems that he's the top student.
...
As long as you have money, even something like his origins can be covered up.
...
I didn't think he'd come to resemble his mother so strongly."

Blue Morning 2 by Hidaka Shoko

Rating: 6
Sublime 2013 - Tokuma Shoten 2009
5+ volumes
Translation: Jocelyne Allen

Volume 1 ended at an extremely unsatisfactory point with student Viscount Kuze Akihito forcing his butler Katsuragi Tomoyuki into a relationship in exchange for acceding to Katsuragi's mission of promoting Akihito through the ranks of society. Most of the volume had been spent on setting up the story, its characters and background, and when the romantic storyline made a first showing late in the volume, it did so rather abruptly and unpleasantly with an act of sex shadowed by violent overtones. I didn't think much of either character by the end of the book and hoped that volume two would change my mind. Which it has done. This volume has totally got me rooting for the couple and fearing for what can only be a future laced with tragedy for them.

The main problem with the first volume was that there was very little to like about Katsuragi. The story was mostly told from Akihito's point of view which established the character of Katsuragi as a cold, efficient, unflappable butler. This second volume is told mostly from Katsuragi's point of view and what a difference that makes because finally we get a character we can sympathise with. The reader is fed tidbits about Katsuragi's mysterious past through the course of the volume and confirms what was hinted at in the first volume, that Katsuragi is not a biological son of the Katsuragi family and was taken in by the former Viscount Kuze with a view to raising him as the Kuze successor, a plan that ended with the birth of an heir, Akihito. The story paints a picture of a young boy, rejected by what he thought was his birth family, given the chance to begin afresh with a new family only to be rejected again, in the end not belonging to either family and having no place in the world except for the job given him by the former Viscount. It's easier to understand Katsuragi's obsession with his task of raising Akihito, given the sad circumstances of his upbringing.

What really makes Katsuragi a likeable character, and not just a pitiable one, however, is the change in feelings he experiences, the thawing of his coldness. Akihito is relentless with his love, demanding that Katsuragi look at him as a person and not as the Viscount Kuze, and bit by bit, Katsuragi does start seeing Akihito for the person he is, for the man he is becoming, and as new feelings develop inside Katsuragi, he begins to stray from the single-mindedness of his mission. He's never known love of any kind in his life and he doesn't know how to deal with Akihito or his own emotions. As despicable as Akihito's behaviour is, his very forcefulness turns out to be his redeeming feature as nothing less will get through to the Katsuragi so entrenched in the belief that he must fulfil his duties to prove his worth.

This second volume is all about the romantic storyline and it's developing into a strong one; unfortunately, this happens at the expense of everything else. To put it bluntly, Hidaka just isn't very good at writing intrigue. The plot requires Katsuragi to be a manipulator but the bare bones scenes of him wheeling and dealing in business and society are not particularly interesting. There's a distinct weakness in the secondary characters. Their sole purpose is to provide information about Katsuragi and Akihito and there is not a single one that I find interesting in and of themselves. Anything of consequence that happens in the plot, and there is very little that does happen, only occurs in order to further the romantic storyline. The result is that whenever the story strays from the romantic thread, it becomes rather dull and has the feel of a mandatory scene required to move the plot along. However, Katsuragi and, to a lesser extent, Akihito are strong enough characters that they carry the story comfortably, enough so that the slower patches of the narrative can be endured for the sake of learning more about the pair.

On the romantic front, volume two has delivered and I look forward to seeing how this relationship unfolds. On the story front, I'm disappointed. The plot is thin and I see little hope of that improving. On the series as a whole so far, it's interesting but not exciting. I'll still continue reading but I doubt I'll be jumping on the fan bandwagon for this particular series.

~~~~~

There are some issues with the translation which I've written about in a separate post: here.

Embracing Love 1-2 by Nitta Youka

Rating: 10
Sublime 2013 - Biblos 1997/Libre 2007
14+ volumes
Translation: Adrienne Beck

GO BUY IT.

The end.

No, really, that's my review, go buy it. If you've not read it before, what's stopping you? It's one of the most well-known and popular BL manga ever so you've probably heard of it. Is it the age? The outdated art and fashion? (The perma-tans are scary, I admit) That's understandable but all surface, there's a reason Sublime are publishing this in 2013 and that's because it's a thumping good read that's stood the test of time; it's as close to a modern BL classic as you can get. It's a must-read manga, not because you'll definitely like it, obviously there's no such thing as a universally-loved piece of work, but because in the case that you do like it, there's a big fat massive chance that you'll not only like it but love it.

And when I say go buy it, I mean, go buy it, don't read the scanlations, because they are shite. The English scanlations are poorly translated pretty much through all the volumes, with early volumes missing entire conversations. Do yourself a favour, skip the headache of deciphering crappy translations and just go buy it. Sublime have done a decent job and even left in the honorifics (which they don't usually do) to please the fans who clamoured for them when the license was first announced.

Embracing Love (which I'll refer to by its abbreviated Japanese title Harudaki because I can't think of it as anything but that) is probably my favourite BL manga of all time. I say probably, because there's so much manga that I love and it's hard to choose between them, but while other series have fallen in and out of favour, Harudaki has always remained, unbudging, at the top of the pile. The story begins with a pair of porn actors and rivals, Iwaki and Katou, competing for a role in a movie that promises to give one of them a break into mainstream acting. Eventually, they both break through and fall in love along the way, and the series follows their relationship over a number of years.

I think this is the only fictional relationship of any genre, of any medium, that's made me think, I want a relationship like that. This person understands me, this person accepts me for who I am, this person loves me. It sounds simple enough but we all know what a rare thing it is, but Harudaki manages to depict just that sort of love. It's an emotional struggle all the way but as our couple gradually learn more about one other, bit by bit they come to love each other, step by brutal step they tear down the other's defenses and eventually embrace love, souls bared. Do I sound overly dramatic? Well, this is dramatic soap opera kind of romance, it's emotionally charged and tense, there's no room for wishy-washy feelings here, these are manly men and their love is bold and manly, too. Not that it's lacking in sensitivity, Nitta's skill is in how she guides her characters towards understanding of themselves and of others; all too often, here and in reality, it's a matter of learning to accept yourself before you can allow others to accept you.

The series is one of those rare manga that goes beyond the honeymoon period and also explores how a relationship changes after the love is established. A person changes with age, with life, and the story shows how the couple adapt to each other and how their relationship continuously evolves. Of course this doesn't all happen in volume one of this omnibus edition, which sees the relationship getting off to a rocky start, but we do see the seeds of love being sown and can look forward to at least another six omnibus volumes of that love blossoming.

A couple of notes on this 2-in-1 edition: the cover uses the original volume one cover illustration but unfortunately, the original volume two cover is not included inside. Even more of a shame is that all the chapter title page illustrations are missing. I assume this is because of the tracing controversy that forced Nitta to bring the series to a hasty conclusion a few years back. It was brought to light that Nitta traced photo spreads from fashion magazines for several of the title page illustrations in the Harudaki series. I think she only did this for some of the latter volumes but I suppose the publisher (probably on the Japanese side) decided to remove all the title page illustrations for good measure.

False Memories 1 by Natsume Isaku

Rating: 7
Sublime 2013 - Shinshokan 2012
1+ volumes
Translation: Adrienne Beck

I want to read volume two already! Natsume Isaku pops out consistently good manga one after another and False Memories does not disappoint.

Nakano and Tsuda were good friends in high school until one night of lust changed everything. After ten years out of touch, the two are reunited through work and though this necessitates a good working relationship, Nakano finds it hard to forget the past.

Without being particularly exciting, Natsume Isaku is a mangaka whose work I look forward to reading every time. Not avant garde but not clichéd, she's an all-round good writer who occupies a sort of happy middle-ground in BL manga with very readable, enjoyable stories that you can pretty much rely on for happy endings. She has a penchant for writing nice-guy characters, I find it to be the common trait that runs through her leading men, whatever their personalities; you won't find too many arseholes screwing people over in her stories (of the figurative sense, literal types are duly represented), her guys tend to be thoughtful and considerate, and so her stories consequently unfold at a measured pace with careful consideration of the characters' feelings.

False Memories is all about coming to terms with feelings, old and new. All too many of us have regrets in our past but how many have the chance to rectify old mistakes? Nakano and Tsuda are given that second chance, to clear up past misunderstandings, re-examine those emotions of yesteryear with the benefit of hindsight and maturity, and, as will no doubt be the case as the series continues, eventually be able to put the past behind them and start afresh. It's a predictable enough plot but these guys are so likeable that I want to see them get their happy ending. Each chapter's point of view alternates between Nakano and Tsuda so that the reader can understand both characters, though it's Nakano who gets the major portion of our sympathy. He's the one who got his heart broken all those years ago and is now desperately trying to protect himself from being hurt again. First we have to wait for Tsuda to wake up, smell the coffee and realise that he's gay!

The first volume ends on an intriguing cliffhanger where Nakano runs off with Tsuda's colleague (they both work in toy manufacturing companies), a slovenly otaku who bides his time as a minor character for the bulk of the volume until the last chapter when he transforms into a bishie, with the aid of some hair gel, a shave, and a suit. I'm already hoping this side character will get his own spin-off series!

Sleeping Moon by Miyamoto Kano

Rating: 8
Sublime 2013 - Tokuma Shoten 2008
2 volumes
Translation: Christine Dashiell

If you've never read any Miyamoto Kano I suggest you immediately go read some, if only to discover the variety available within the BL genre. Miyamoto deviates from the norm, she pays little heed to standard tropes but carves out a distinctive style and world of her own. If you have read some before but have never been taken by it then I urge you to give her another try, I find that sometimes you have to be in a certain mood to read her work; I'd say that she doesn't write instant gratification material, you sometimes have to be prepared to be unsettled to appreciate her stories. Sleeping Moon, an eerie supernatural tale of time slips, ghosts, and fleeting romance, is one of her best and a good showcase of her qualities as a writer that set her apart from the crowd; a more plot-focused story than her usual fare, it's even won over many readers who were not fans of her work before.

In Akihiko's family, there is a legend of a curse that brings early death to its male descendants. Approaching his thirties, Akihiko is worried that he is next and so he returns to the ancestral home, where his Aunt and cousins live, to investigate. One night, he experiences a time slip and meets Eitarou, an ancestor from a hundred years ago who is also studying the curse in his own time. Together, the two work to unravel the family mystery before the strength of the curse grows too strong.

It sounds pretty corny but it never is. Miyamoto doesn't do melodrama, it's not in her or her characters' style. There's no thunder and lightning shock and awe but rather the imagery of the story is the ethereal light of the moon over a rural landscape blanketed by softly falling snow. It's a beautiful, evocative ghost story calling on traditions of old Japanese folklore with a spookiness that creeps slowly upon you. However, the story never gets heavy or morbid thanks to a couple of typical Miyamoto characters to ground everything in reality. Realistic but offbeat is how I'd describe her characters. She doesn't write romantic heroes, rather, her characters are always very fallibly human, riddled with quirks and weaknesses that lend them so much authenticity. Akihiko, thankfully, doesn't behave like a stock character from a horror movie but has very believable reactions to all the supernatural activity, often amusingly so, the humour serving to dispel any overt tension, and the story remains an easy approachable read throughout.

The story works well as a straight mystery but just as intriguing is the developing love-triangle between Akihiko, his cousin Ren, another male descendant cursed to an early death, and their ancestor, Eitarou. Slipping through the time stream to meet a hot guy under the gleam of the moon to solve a mystery, it's probably the most romantic set-up Miyamoto has ever written. Back in the present, Ren presents a more typical Miyamoto relationship, a casual sexual relationship that might or might not turn into something deeper. Ren is bisexual, has a casual attitude towards relationships, and, attracted to Akihiko, comes onto him with the line, "No matter what we do, we're going to die soon anyway, so why not enjoy the short lives we have left?" Akihiko initially puts up some trifle resistance but soon enough goes with the flow. Whom will he end up with? With Miyamoto, you never know what to expect.

I could write pages about her characters but I'll spare you with just a few lines. When it comes down to it, it's her character writing that sets Miyamoto a cut above the rest. Her characters are awkward, indecisive, weak, irresolute in their ideals and feelings, in short, they have personality which makes them realistic. When I say that you have to be in a certain mood to read her stories, I mean that you have to be prepared for that touch of realism, that you shouldn't expect a perfect love story or a perfectly resolved plot because life is never so neatly managed in reality. Sleeping Moon combines well the romantic supernatural with the fickle strains of realism, a fine balance that makes this one of Miyamoto's best stories to date.

Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love by Sakuragi Yaya

Rating: 7
Sublime 2012 - Kadokawa Shoten 2008
4 volumes
Translation: Satsuki Yamashita

Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love is an enjoyable easy read that I can readily recommend to any BL fan, as long as you're not expecting anything different from the norm. While it is generic through and through from its setup to its pairing (no prizes for guessing who's uke and who's seme from the cover illustration) it is a solid, well-written series that avoids cheesiness and clichéd dialogue. A polished romantic comedy from a veteran of the BL scene, it's the sort of bread and butter series that keeps the industry going.

Ao is a refreshingly proactive uke, no emo suffering for him. A carefree horny teenager who doesn't think too deeply about his actions, when he starts having wet dreams about his childhood friend, Ryoumei, it doesn't take long for him to blurt out, "I want to do dirty things with you".  Ryoumei, who's around ten years or so older than Ao and has always seen him as a little kid, is understandably freaked out. And so begins Ao's optimistic courtship (?) and Ryoumei's pointless resistance. 

Ao and Ryoumei are a likeable comedy duo, Ao the one coming out with outrageous lines and Ryoumei playing the straight man with his shocked responses. I like Ao for not being one to dwell on the negatives, for although he suffers setbacks he doesn't prolong the moping around but soon decides on a course of action, even when the decision is to take a step back from the relationship. Ryoumei is a tsundere type who's the sweetest kindest guy who's always gone out of his way to help Ao but likes to maintain a cool grownup image in front of him. It takes him a while to come to terms with the fact that Ao is no longer a child and his flustered reactions along the way are cute and funny to see.

Four volumes gives the story time to progress leisurely and for the relationship to develop naturally to fruition. It's a really easy manga to get into quickly and zip through without distraction. I don't know how much of it is down to the author or editor but this strikes me as a well-edited series; the layout and flow of the panels effortlessly draw you in and along, and the pacing is handled so smoothly I'm at the end of each volume before I know it. There's a decent cast of supporting characters populating the story. The best of them is undoubtedly Ryoumei's deadpan best friend, Shuji, who gets kicks from teasing Ryoumei the 'cradle robber'. Shuji is a character so well-liked that he gets his own spin-off series, also licensed by Sublime and soon to be released as Hide and Seek.

I like authors who cling on to their characters, even the supporting ones, it shows the affection they hold for their creations and this is something that you can feel in this series, there's a genuine warmth throughout. I bet Sakuragi had fun coming up with unexpected lines and antics for Ao to torment Ryoumei with. I certainly had plenty of fun reading and it's a series I know I'll dip into again in the future when I want some fuss-free lighthearted entertainment.

Blue Morning 1 by Hidaka Shoko

Rating: 6
Sublime 2013 - Tokuma Shoten 2009
4+ volumes
Translation: Jocelyne Allen

"At only ten years of age, Akihito Kuze suddenly inherits the Kuze viscountship after his father’s death. The family's capable butler, Tomoyuki Katsuragi, takes over the task of raising the boy, serving as his tutor. However, the handsome and intelligent Katsuragi, well respected even among the aristocracy, remains cool towards his charge. Akihito finds himself relentlessly drawn to Katsuragi, frustrated by the distance between them and driven to discover the reasons why." (Sublime)

Hidaka Shoko has been a consistently popular BL mangaka for the past few years and Blue Morning is one of her most popular works to date. It arrives on western shores on the waves of much hype and enthusiasm from fans in and outside of Japan and, having liked a number of Hidaka's other titles, I've been eager to check this out.

What struck me as I read through this first volume is that the story is intended from the start to be a multi-volume series, which is not the norm in BL manga where the more common practise is for magazines to test the waters with one or two chapters and go from there depending on reader reception. Afforded the luxury of so many chapters to work with, Hidaka really takes the time to set up the plot, flesh out the characters and create a believable period setting for those characters to inhabit. You'd be forgiven for forgetting that you're reading a BL romance since there's hardly any sign of a love story until the last third or so of the book. Instead, the bulk of the story is used to establish the complex relationship between the protagonists as guardian and ward, set against the backdrop of, what I take to be, Taishou-era (1912-1926) aristocratic society.

Hidaka has an easy measured writing style, her characters are intelligent and articulate. The story is serious in tone but never melodramatic. The period setting provides an interesting study of the sociopolitical classes of the time. It's nice to read some plot-driven drama in BL for a change and though the intrigue elements are rather superficial, the story remains engaging throughout. I enjoyed reading this first volume and it shows potential for a good series, however, I was never gripped by the story, and certainly not by the romance, what little of it that is seen near the end.

The story is told mostly from Akihito's point of view but the central figure of interest is undoubtedly the enigmatic Katsuragi. No mere butler, Katsuragi is the acting head of the Kuze house, in charge of the estate's considerable finances as well as being guardian to the young viscount. Katsuragi himself is the third son of a prominent, though untitled, family, taken in by the Kuze household at a young age, for reasons as yet undisclosed. He's a masterful operator in society, well connected and something of a financial whiz. He's also not adverse to using his body in order to curry favour with influential people of both sexes, as Akihito discovers early on after witnessing an intimate scene. Akihito is fascinated by his exceptional butler from their very first meeting and wishes to earn his approval and affection. However, the cool Katsuragi makes it clear from the start that there is to be no such affectionate relationship and maintains a firm distance between them throughout Akihito's youth.

Katsuragi is an interesting character and it's easy to understand Akihito's fascination with him. What is harder to do is to find much in Katsuragi to sympathise with. He creates a bad impression from the start for being so heartless towards a lonely orphaned kid yearning for affection. Yes, he must have his motivations but since they remain shrouded in mystery for the remainder of the volume it's hard to sympathise. He's single-mindedly set on carving out an illustrious political future for Akihito, regardless of Akihito's feelings on the matter. Since we learn little about his past and don't know why he's so driven towards this goal, it's more natural to feel for Akihito who's being railroaded along. Of course, there wouldn't be much of a plot if everything was explained in the first act but in the meantime I, for one, need a bit more to like about the guy. His attitude towards Akihito ranges from strict to outright mean. I feel sorry for Akihito for falling for such a jerk. It's implied that Katsuragi is an alluring man with many admirers but since we're shown only the most fleeting glimpses of that side of him, a tame kiss here, a dishevelled appearance there, I'm nowhere near sold on his appeal yet.

Akihito is an easier character to like, that is, until the romantic thread of the plot kicks in and his frustrations lead him to a desperate act, after which I'm holding off judgement on him until the next volume. The romance, which begins abruptly and very unpromisingly late in this volume, needs considerable work doing to it before it becomes even palatable. At the end of volume one it consists of pathetic one-sided love on Akihito's side and stone-cold indifference on Katsuragi's. It promises to be an angst-ridden relationship though I hope we'll see a kinder side to Katsuragi in coming volumes and better behaviour from Akihito.

I have confidence in Hidaka's writing that the story will improve and so I'm still looking forward to the next volume. Despite my rather negative review, I do consider this a good start to the series and I know sensei is good at writing slow-burning love so I'm hopeful that the next volumes will deliver.

~~~~~

There are some issues with the translation which I've written about in a separate post: here.

Starting with a Kiss 1-2 by Nitta Youka

Rating: 6
Sublime 2012 - Libre 2011
 2+ volumes
Translation: Adrienne Beck

I should start by saying that Nitta's modern classic Haru wo Daiteita (to be published by Sublime later this year, whoop!) is probably my all-time favourite BL manga, which colours my opinion of her other work, though not necessarily in a bad way; if anything, I'm more critical than a nonpartisan reader since I will always be making comparisons with her biggest hit and inevitably nothing can compare. Starting with a Kiss is no exception though it's a solid enough series from Nitta, displaying many of her signature elements including proud hot-blooded men, lashings of sex, an involving story, and a love for which the course never runs smooth.

It's a yakuza story and, surprisingly, is actually Nitta's first yakuza story, as we learn in the afterword. Why she held off for so long in writing one I don't know because the yakuza world suits her type of characters perfectly: strong prideful men with hidden agendas. Tohru is the son of a yakuza boss and Mutsumi is the son of the gang's second-in-command. When a gang feud threatens to erupt, the two are packed off to a remote island to keep them out of harm's way. Two young horny guys alone on an island in a BL story, what could possibly happen? Sure enough, serious studious Mutsumi is immediately attracted to the beautiful fiery and impetuous Tohru and the pair are soon going at it like bunnies. However, because this is Nitta writing, things are never as straightforward as they seem.

Tohru was charged by his father to persuade Mutsumi, an elite Tokyo University student, to join the gang. When Tohru sees that Mutsumi is falling for him he is conflicted on a couple of fronts. First and foremost, his pride as a man coupled with the insecurity he's always had over his effeminate looks make him doubt Mutsumi's feelings and wonder if he's merely using Tohru as a woman-substitute. If Mutsumi's love is real then Tohru doesn't want him to join the gang just for Tohru's sake. Mutsumi, ready to swear his life to Tohru, wants to join the gang exactly for this reason.

The first volume explores these complicated feelings and sets up the beginning of an interesting relationship between the two. In volume two the pair are back in Tokyo and a proper tale of yakuza drama and intrigue unfolds, centered around a battle for power and succession rights. The yakuza narrative alone is enough to keep me reading, which is good because I find that I'm not that into this couple. While I find their personal conflicts interesting I'm not particularly rooting for them as a couple and I think this is mostly because of Tohru's personality. On the one hand he doesn't want to tie down Mutsumi to the gang just because of love but on the other he can't get enough of his dick and still has sex with Mutsumi. Mutsumi has to be stoic and accept whatever Tohru gives. There's an inconsistency to Tohru's character, whether intentional or not, that doesn't agree with me.

I hope that Tohru improves with future volumes and that I'll come to like him more. There's no question that I'll continue with the series, even with its problems Nitta's intelligent compelling writing ensures that it's still more interesting than the majority of BL titles out there.

Punch Up! by Kano Shiuko

Rating: 8
Sublime 2012 - Libre 2006
4 volumes
Translation: Adrienne Beck

I put off reading this series for a long time because I've read some Kano Shiuko before and I'm familiar with her MO: muscular guys having hot sex with not a lot else happening; smutty but shallow. The first volume of Punch Up begins in much the same vein, man meets man and soon enough they hook up and have hot sex. The story charges ahead with no attempt at subtlety and no need to engage the brain. I was set for the habitual superficial smutfest when on nearing the end of the volume I realised I was enjoying this Kano title more than usual. Bring on volume two and it keeps getting better. By the middle of the volume I'm in full-on gush mode. This is by a mile the best I've ever read from Kano Shiuko, a must-read for all fans of smut (that would be everyone?) and for anyone who likes sweet loving relationships because this couple is one of the sweetest I've seen in ages.

Maki is a successful architect, a playboy with a taste for manly muscular men. Kouta is a young construction worker with a quick temper which, when triggered, unleashes a foul mouth and fast fists. The story begins with Kouta in the middle of an argument with a colleague. Maki, who is the architect on the building project, rushes to intervene and promptly catches a punch face-on from Kouta. Kouta apologises but ends up arguing with Maki as well with the result that neither man has a good impression of the other. It is then that Maki spots his lost cat on site and finds out that it was Kouta who found and took care of it, and even got evicted from his apartment which doesn't allow pets. Maki agrees to let Kouta stay at his place for a while and so the two grudgingly begin living together.

Punch Up is a spin-off of an earlier series by Kano called Play Boy Blues (PBB). I've not read PBB but found that, plot-wise, it wasn't a problem, the story reads fine as a standalone manga. The only problem was that many of the side characters in Punch Up were originally from PBB and the mangaka assumes the reader already knows them and does very little by way of introduction or characterisation, so initially they're rather confusing to keep track of. Fortunately, the series revolves entirely around the main couple and the PBB characters don't intrude too much.

Maki and Kouta get together rather too hurriedly in the first chapter and a series of clumsily contrived incidents occur in the volume so that the more they learn about the other the more they like. Plot development has never been a strong point for Kano and it's no different in this series. What is a revelation is that in spite of the awkward plot devices Kano manages to create two very likeable characters and it's enjoyable to watch them fall for each other.

Maki is a funny character. He's a horndog with a roving eye and poor Kouta is constantly troubled by Maki's perviness and dubious of his ability to stay faithful. Often, a scene will be building up to a touching moment, only for the mood to shatter with a silly pervy remark from Maki, but this is behaviour typical of him that keeps you grinning through much of the story. Kouta is the more serious of the pair. He talks tough but is riddled with insecurities. He has a history of bad relationships with men and has pretty much given up on love. Maki has to earn Kouta's trust bit by bit and it's wonderful to watch their love grow. Maki discovers the joy of having someone special in his life after years of empty casual affairs but the real delight is in seeing Kouta open up and allow himself to be happy.

Most of volume two is like the couple's honeymoon period and is a smorgasbord of sweetness. The two are an idiotic lovey-dovey couple and I pretty much squeed my way through the whole volume. In the latter half we are introduced to the character of Yuya, Kouta's first love whom he bumps into having not seen him in years. Yuya's appearance marks the end of the honeymoon and the beginning of troubling times. Kouta's first experience of love was a traumatic one as we are shown in a beautifully written bittersweet chapter at the end of volume two. The tone of the story turns more sombre and angsty from this point on and never does it hit the sweet highs of the second volume. Midway through volume three an awful cliché of a plot device is thrown in and again I'm rudely reminded of Kano-sensei's weakness at plotting. It takes the rest of the series to resolve this story line and it's a frustrating read in parts but at this point I'm so heavily invested in this adorable couple that there's no question of not seeing it through.

I haven't mentioned the cats yet but they are a bonus cute factor though really, Kouta is the cutest thing with no competition! After a stumbling start the story really takes off and hits such glorious heights it reminds me of why I love BL manga in the first place. The weaker latter two volumes prevent this series from becoming a true great for me but it's still a series I'd heartily recommend to any fujoshi.

Honey Darling by Akira Norikazu

Rating: 8
Sublime 2012 - Libre 2008
1 volume
Translation: Christine Dashiell

Despite being a huge Akira Norikazu fan, when I first read Honey Darling I didn't think much of it and wrote it off as one of Akira's weaker offerings. However, for some reason I kept returning to the book and after countless readings it's become one of my favourite go-to comfort manga, like an old jumper it's something I reach for when I can't be bothered with anything else and just want to snuggle into something warm and familiar. That rating of 8 that I've given it is more like 6 parts for story and 2 parts affection.

It's an extremely simple story that doesn't try to be more than what it is, and that is a sweet romance between man and man (and man and cat). Chihiro is a young man drifting through life with no dreams or aspirations, working at a pachinko parlour to pay the rent, and just living day-to-day. One night he comes across an abandoned kitten in a cardboard box and takes her home. He soon falls in love with little Shiro and looks forward to coming home to her every evening. One night Shiro falls ill. Running through the streets in a panic searching for the local vet clinic Chihiro bumps into Kumazawa, who fortunately turns out to be the vet. Chihiro is grateful to the vet for treating her but Kumazawa is not so impressed with Chihiro and gives him a lecture on what a responsible pet owner should be, pointing out that Chihiro should have looked up a vet clinic when he first took the kitten in. Chihiro is chastened and slaps himself on the cheeks to Kumazawa's surprise. Chihiro tearfully apologises to Shiro for not taking proper care of her; touched by the scene, Kumazawa says he'll take those tears as payment for the medical bill. A flustered Chihiro realises the vet is not as scary as he first thought and on spying a recruitment poster in the clinic he asks for the job on impulse. Kumazawa says he can't hire Chihiro as a veterinary assistant but can hire him as...his wife?! Turns out he means a live-in housekeeper and so Chihiro and Shiro move in with Kumazawa to begin their life together.

On the face of it, there's nothing eye-catching about this manga, the setup and plot is standard romantic fare, the characters are pretty generic and conform to usual yaoi seme/uke stereotype, the writing is simple and unfussy; just what is it about this manga that keeps me coming back for more? And when I think about it I have to bow down in admiration of Akira-sensei all over again. Simply put, I enjoy every moment of this manga. Akira is good at capturing all those moments, from Chihiro's genuine affection for his kitten, to his confusion over the growing feelings he has for Kumazawa, to the seemingly mundane moments that make up a daily routine which, with Akira's skilled pen, we see as moments of stress or fun or satisfaction for Chihiro as he gets used to his new job. I already know what happens in every scene but I still enjoy experiencing those moments each time I pick up the book.

At twenty-something pages each, all the chapters are quite short and because she does it so effortlessly you almost don't notice how good Akira is at quickly establishing characters, situations and the mood with a few deft strokes of her pen. Her artwork is expressive and varied, and a single illuminating facial expression can pull you right into the scene in the space of a panel. In the first chapter all it takes is a few panels for the reader to see Chihiro's attachment to Shiro or to feel his anguish when he fears for her health. Kumazawa is a silent stoic type so by default is hard to connect with emotionally yet with a single transformative smile Chihiro, and the reader, is struck by the kindness in his expression and know that there is more to him than meets the eye.

I have no idea what the title Honey Darling refers to but it's most likely something to do with the overflowing cuteness in the manga. Akira regularly uses 'chibi' art where Chihiro has cat ears and Kumazawa has bear ears (kuma means 'bear' in Japanese) and these comical moments are funny and cute. Kumazawa views Chihiro as a stray cat, hence the cat ears, and treats him as such; Chihiro often has to remind him that he's human and not a cat. The real cat, Shiro, is adorable and in several asides the mangaka notes that the story is turning into a cat manga rather than a boys love one (chibi Chihiro pops up with a goofy expression to say that there's nothing wrong with that).

This story is pure fluff and certainly won't be for everyone but for those who love a sweet slice of romantic fuzz, this cat manga masquerading as BL is an easy recommendation.

His Favorite by Tanaka Suzuki

Rating: 7
Sublime 2012 - Libre 2008
5+ volumes
Translation: Adrienne Beck

In the postscript, the mangaka tells us that the series started off as a one-shot chapter for a collection of 'ugly' boys' love romances (lol) and refreshingly, the protagonist Yoshida really is no looker and there's no attempt to pretty him up at any point in the manga. There are many other manga that have 'plain' boy characters but they're either drawn in standard bishounen style and not particularly convincing as plain boys, or they're the hidden bishie type whose beauty is revealed once his glasses are whipped off or he gets a makeover. There's no such respite for Yoshida, he remains weird-looking all the way through, but man is he adorable in an ugly-cute way.

From the back cover, "Awkward Yoshida is hated by all the girls in school for his perceived closeness with hot guy Sato, who uses hanging out with Yoshida as an excuse to turn them all down". Yoshida has no idea why Sato, whom he barely knows, keeps picking on him despite all of Yoshida's protests; this being a BL romance, the reader can easily guess why.

His Favorite is an easy, fun read that I'd recommend to anyone who likes romantic comedies. I read the story with a constant smile on my face, poor Yoshida is constantly flummoxed and flustered by Sato's teasing antics and you have to feel for the little guy. He's a clueless innocent type of uke and his odd looks just make you sympathise with him more. Sato is amusing with his sadistic streak that's reserved only for Yoshida but you like him because it's through his eyes that we see how cute Yoshida can be.

The plot is based on a one-trick premise but the relationship develops at a leisurely pace so readers can enjoy watching the romance unfold for this endearing couple over the span of a few volumes without the joke wearing too thin. Later on the story takes an unexpected turn delving into the frankly bizarre past of Sato and one starts to wonder if the series is being dragged on too long, but at that point the reader is already invested in the story and in for the long haul, rooting for the couple to the very end.

Awkward Silence by Takanaga Hinako

Sublime 2012 - Libre 2004
4+ volumes

Fangirl rating: 10!

Subdued Rating: 8
Translation: Tetsuichiro Miyaki

The fangirl rating should tell you what kind of review this will be and that is basically one big squee because this is one of my favourite BL manga! I love cute romantic comedies and this series is one of the cutest and sweetest out there. If you're a fan of this type of story I implore you to check this out. If you're more a fan of alternative BL then this probably isn't for you, it's very generic and mainstream as far as BL goes, though I would argue that this is one of the better examples of its kind, not original but good at what it does.

Written by popular mangaka Takanaga Hinako of The Tyrant Falls in Love fame, this is my favourite work of hers by a long shot. Whereas Tyrant had a non-con aspect to its couple's relationship that was slightly off-putting to some readers, Awkward Silence is sweetness all the way.

The story's charm lies with its lovable protagonist, Toono, a quiet expressionless boy who's bad at communicating his thoughts and emotions. He's shocked when his longtime crush, Tamiya, the popular outgoing ace pitcher of the high school baseball team, confesses to him. The story follows the ups and downs of their budding relationship. Toono is pretty much the make-or-break factor in this series; if you find him super-adorable, like I do, then you'll enjoy the series and watching Toono's struggles to overcome his natural reservations and learn to express himself; if you find him to be just another stereotypical uke then there isn't much else in the story to recommend itself. There's no plot to speak of, the first chapter is about them getting together and the rest of the series sees them facing minor misunderstandings and obstacles thrown their way. However, if you like the couple, then you'll want to read about them no matter what they get up to. In later volumes the focus shifts to a secondary couple but I find myself looking forward to the brief moments when our main couple reappear, such is my affection for them.

What could have been a very pedestrian work is elevated to another level by Takanaga's expressive art, lighthearted humour and well-paced balance between romance, comedy and angst. Toono could have been a difficult character to depict since he's supposed to have an inscrutable face but Takanaga compensates with cute chibi faces that show his inner thoughts (see above cover illustration) and in the rare moments when he does reveal his feelings he is all the more adorable (and Tamiya is suitably smitten). I find most of sensei's works to be very well-paced, and this manga is no exception. The story is never rushed, the couple are given ample time to develop their feelings, explore their anxieties and then resolve their problems through better understanding of themselves and as a couple. There's usually a generous bit of smut to close out chapters as well, which is always welcome.

If you like manga that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling then I'd say that Awkward Silence is a good bet.