Happiness Recommended by Himawari Souya

Rating: 5
Juné 2008 - Houbunsha 2003
1 volume
Translation: Melanie Schoen

I liked Himawari Souya's Right Here, Right Now that
Juné put out in 2011 so I thought I'd check out this earlier title of hers but although happiness is recommended I'm not entirely sure it's delivered, for the reader, at least. 

Yukiharu's grandfather has died and left him orphaned and alone in the world, until he learns that his parents didn't die in a car crash when he was little, as he was told by his grandfather, but that they are still living and he also has six brothers he's never met. It turns out that when he was young his grandfather thought his parents too irresponsible to raise Yukiharu and took him away. It appears that the parents haven't improved a jot because when Yukiharu goes to meet his family, the parents have done a runner and left the brothers to fend for themselves. Flat broke, his brothers don't appreciate gaining another mouth to feed and Yukiharu worries about fitting in with his new family. On top of that there's the strange neighbour, Makoto, who calls him 'Haru-chan', says Haru-chan has always been his favourite, and hugs him at every given opportunity.

Happiness Recommended is a light romantic comedy that can't decide whether it wants to be a family drama story or a romance (a point that the mangaka admits in the afterword). On the whole it veers more toward the family drama and makes a rather half-hearted attempt at the romance. I like Himawari's relaxed flowing narrative but the story doesn't quite have the chops to make it interesting enough as a stand-alone family drama. There are too many characters, not enough time developing all those characters, and though a few of them showed signs of life there just weren't enough chapters to do them justice. You get the sense that Himawari bit off more than she could chew with this set-up. I might've scored the manga higher if she'd made up for it with the romance but that side of the story ends in a decidedly unsatisfying manner. As if there isn't enough going on, there's a secondary romantic couple, the 2nd brother x Makoto's twin (gah, too much confusion when they all look alike), whose story threatens to steal the show but, frustratingly, is only teased at. 

It's an enjoyable enough read but it doesn't leave you with a feeling of fulfilment because there was too much that went unexplored both in the familial and romantic relationships. This is a volume destined for the 'one-off read' pile, methinks. I still like Himawari's writing a lot and though the story was a tad too thin here it hasn't put me off from reading more of her work in the future. If you've never read any of her work before I'd recommend finding a copy of Right Here, Right Now and leaving Happiness Recommended for some time when there's a lull in your BL-buying schedule.

My BL Bedroom's Half-arsed 801 MMF

Over at one of my favourite blogs, Otaku Champloo, host Khursten is holding a yaoi fest 801 MMF, with fujojos (not sure what that is but sounds fun) submitting articles and favourites lists. This got me thinking about how I could celebrate all the yaoi goodness that Japan has gifted us with over the years. I could do a favourites list? Nah, too hard to decide on. An A-Z of BL manga! Way too ambitious. An insightful article on some aspect of yaoi? Hampered by lack of insight. So instead, here's an unorganised random little award ceremony of sorts to celebrate the best (and weirdest) of yaoi!

Yummiest BL manga: Yummy in a literal sense and the hands down winner is Antique Bakery by Yoshinaga Fumi, not strictly BL, until you count the pornorific doujinshi that follow the main series... Every time I read this beloved series I get uncontrollable cravings for French cakes and must fight the urge to jump on a plane to Paris (my bank balance can be counted on to restrain me).

Most alcohol consumed in a manga: Close the Last Door by Yamada Yugi. I haven't totted up alcoholic units but man they get through a lot of booze in this series, they might have washboard stomachs now but it's gonna be beer bellies for them in a few years time. Has there been a BL character with a beer belly?

Character most in gay denial: There are many contenders for this title but I think it's got to go to Tatsumi of The Tyrant Falls in Love by Takanaga Hinako. Accept it already, Souichi, Morinaga's screwed up your body past the point of no return.

Richest BL character: BL is full of dreamy billionaires who inevitably end up with poor guys who don't care about the money (so give me the money) and the richest of them are probably the Arabian princes that BL mangakas seem so fond of, so I'll give this one to Sakurai Shushushu's The Desert Prince who spends $100 million (paid in gold bars) on an antique piece of stone to woo his uke.

Poorest BL character: Of the multitudes of poor BL guys drowning in debt, one of the most pathetic has to be Ayase from Okane ga Nai by Shinozaki Hitoyo and Kousaka Tohru, forced to repay his debt by traditional BL means i.e. with his body; a worthy winner of this most unwanted of awards.

Most fucked-up character: I like to keep my head in happy places so I tend not to go for gloomy drama but a couple of manga that have stuck in my mind for being seriously fucked up are Aniya Yuiji's Men of Tattoos, the entire cast of which is disturbed, among them a slutty and violent police officer and an ex-con out to inflict revenge by infecting his partner with AIDS, and secondly, Motoni Modoru's Shiikugakari Rika, where the high school's power hierarchy is based entirely on rape. They get to be joint ensemble winners in this category.

Weirdest premise: Love Pistols by Kotobuki Tarako is one of my all-time favourite manga so I must give it the award for its weird-ass premise of humans that are not evolved from apes but from other animal types like dogs or bears or even mermaids, and who have the ability to mentally superimpose their animal form on their physical body, I think...I'm still not sure how the animal manifestation thing works after years of rereading. It's crazy and funny and I must take this opportunity to give it a plug and tell everyone to read it, if you haven't already.

Cutest Pet in BL manga: I adore the pets-cum-lovers in Ogura Muku's Sentimental Garden Lover - not bestiality, the pets are cats that can transform into humans. The humans in chibi form are super-duper cute too.

Blindest love for a pet: goes to Kano Shiuko's Bull to Arukeba... in which an uncontrollable bull terrier dog humps every dog it meets in the park, bites bums and generally causes a lot of trouble for his besotted owner, who then has to compensate with sex, cos this is BL.

Biggest hands in BL: There are many strange anatomic proportions in BL manga but Nakamura Shungiku's Junjou Romantica gets its own special prize for its seme characters having freakishly huge hands that span an uke's entire torso.

Strongest cock in BL: I wanted to do a 'biggest cock' category but I can't remember which manga the one I'm thinking of appears in, however, in my, ahem, research, I came across the strongest cock! Another award for Sakurai Shushushu, in Vibrator Company an uke almost gets crushed by falling weights in the gym but the seme covers him in time and even lifts a weight off the uke with the power of his erection...tada!

Vibrator Company can win a whole host of awards by itself like biggest dildo, oddest company building (shaped like a dildo), most dildos featured in a manga, and so on, you get the picture...

Strangest superhero powers: In Shimada Hisami's Desert Moon, the protagonist can transform into a superhero...by drinking semen. Cos this is BL. So the poor guy has to stalk back alleys and give random men blowjobs in order to transform into a defender of justice.

Sexiest dancing in BL: goes to the stars of Inoue Satou's gorgeously alluring 10 Dance, ball room dancing has never been so sexy. For adult sophisticated sexy, this is the manga to read.

Most astonishing thing to happen during sex: ...overly vigorous thrusting results in the seme's body breaking in half and his innards spilling out...luckily he's a zombie who can put his body back together in Naono Bohra's short story Naive Gespent, and though his uke is at first understandably freaked out, he's soon able to welcome back the lover who came back from the dead for him.

Teacher I most want to have detention with: The seme teacher from Ougi Yuzuha's Abiru Junjou, just cos he's delish.

School dorm I most want to infiltrate: I think it's got to be Bell Liberty Academy from Spray's Gakuen Heaven! One of my first BL games, the manga were good adaptations too, I love all those boys to bits.

Right, time to stop or this list will go on forever...

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.

Amazon JP 2013 Mid-year Ranking Top 20 BL Manga

Amazon Japan releases lists of their overall bestselling books twice a year, a mid-year ranking and an end of year ranking. Here is what's been selling in BL manga in the first half of 2013, period covering Dec 1 2012 - May 31 2013. The publication date follows each title in the list.

1. NightS by Yoneda Kou
    9/2/2013

2. Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai 1 by Yoneda Kou
    30/1/2013

3. Crimson Spell 5 by Yamane Ayano
    25/3/2013

4. Michi to no Souguu by Koshino
    9/3/2013

5. Junjou Romantica 16 (premium edition) by Nakamura Shungiku
    19/12/2012

 6. Sunao ja nai Kedo by Sakuraga Mei
     28/2/2013

7. Junjou Romantica 16 by Nakamura Shungiku
    28/12/2012

8. Bokura no Mitsudomoe Sensou by Shoowa
    26/11/2012

9. Punch ↑ + Jinan Joutou by Kano Shiuko
    9/3/2013

10. Bukiyou na Silent 4 (special edition) by Takanaga Hinako
      9/3/2013

11. Stroboscope by Yamashita Tomoko
      10/12/2012

12. Kachou Fuugetsu 2 (limited first edition) by Shimizu Yuki
      30/4/2013

13. Kachou Fuugetsu 1 by Shimizu Yuki
      30/4/2013

14. Hana wa Saku ka 4 by Hidaka Shouko
      24/4/2013

15. Yoso wa Yoso, Uchi wa Uchi (limited first edition) by Kitakami Ren
      30/1/2013

16. Nawa ga Nakutemo Daijoubu by Shoowa
      29/1/2013

17. Koishii Akuma by Madarame Hiro
      24/12/2012

18. Hana no Miyako de by Takarai Rihito
      9/3/2013

19. Hakkenden - Touhou Hakken Ibun 12 by Abe Miyuki
      28/12/2012

20. Aitsu no Daihonmei 6 by Tanaka Suzuki
      10/4/2013

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.