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Posts Tagged Boys’ Love/Yaoi

Review: Suggestive Eyes

Reviewer: Shannon Fay


Manga-ka: Momoko Tenzen
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: April 2009

Synopsis: “Megumu Okazaki is a well-liked college grad student, still reeling over a recent break-up. When younger classmate, Hisashi Kina, catches Megumu on the rebound, one thing leads to another – and to bed. Now, the two of them are involved in a relationship together that’s a little less-than-defined. Megumu has no interest in continuing to sleep with someone he doesn’t love, but for Hisashi, real feelings are definitely involved. To complicate the situation, Megumu’s not sure he’s truly put his past love behind him. How can Megumu understand his own feelings for Hisashi, or even be fair to him, when his heart is being pulled in so many different directions?”

This manga takes very little time to set things up. Within a few pages you’re right in the middle of Megumu and Hisashi’s problematic (but not dysfunctional) relationship. Eventually the manga does flashback to show how these two got together, but I liked how it started with them as an established couple.

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Review: Clan of the Nakagamis (Vol. 02) – The Devil Cometh


Manga-ka: Homerun Ken
Publisher: June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: May 2009

Synopsis: “You’ve already met Keiichi Maebara and his mischievous friends in the Abducted by Demons Arc. But Oyashiro-sama’s curse is poised to strike anew in Hinamizawa village. When Keiichi spots tomboy Mion working at a maid café, he can hardly believe his eyes! But it’s not Mion after all — it’s her identical twin sister, Shion. Keiichi’s never heard of this “twin sister” before and suspects it’s just another one of Mion’s pranks. But through Shion, Keiichi is able to see a quieter, more feminine side of his best friend, even if it is all an act. As Keiichi spends more time with Shion, however, Rena grows more accusatory…”

I’m going to start this one out by saying I’m not really a huge fan of yaoi. I don’t mean that I don’t like it; I just don’t have a tendency to actively seek the stuff out. That aside, I couldn’t put Clan of the Nakagamis: The Devil Cometh down. Though I can’t personally say how clichéd the characters might be, I can honestly say that for all I know they struck me as charmingly unique in all the right ways.

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Del Rey With Kodansha Listings, Digital Manga Picks Up DQ License

Makoto Tateno's Premonition, Yotsuba and Akira

Some note-worthy new listings popped up on Amazon over the week and this time one of them even comes with a confirmation from the company.

Two new Digital Manga listings of interest: one is for another omnibus edition of a previously released series of theirs, this time Hinako Takanaga’s fantastically charming Little Butterfly (big recommendations from me on this one!). This joins the already confirmed omnibus for Makoto Tateno’s Yellow.

Speaking of whom, Makoto Tateno’s boys’ love series Yokan is now listed on Amazon from Digital Manga under the name Preminition. Some yaoi fans may recall this title as having been previously licensed by the now defunk DramaQueen (under the title Omen). Word is that several of DQ’s licenses have begun to expire after years of no releases, which means there’s a likely possibility for more license rescues in the coming future. Preminition, along with a couple other newer licenses, are now listed on Digital Manga’s website.

Other Amazon finds of interest includes two editions of Yen Press’s upcoming first volume release of Soul Eater, one of which apparently coming with a presumably-snazzy slipcover. Extra attention for a series with a big fan base? Speaking of big fan-base (which should be bigger still!), Yen Press will be releasing not one, not two but six volumes of Yotsuba&! this September!

And lastly, though my Twitter followers heard this from me a couple days ago, listings for Akira by Kodansha Comics (previously reported as one of the most solid pieces of Kodansa-related news the English manga world has gotten so far) are now all being listed as the following: Akira Volume # (Akira (del Rey)).

This isn’t the first time I’ve noted overlap in publishing credits between Kodansha Comics and Del Rey, who already has a close connection with the company and releases their titles predominantly. Of course this could just be a slip-up on Amazon’s part, though some other retail sites have the publisher for Kodansha Comic’s rereleases of Akira and Ghost in the Shell listed as Random House (of which Del Rey is an imprint of). Is Del Rey merely helping Kodansha find footing in North America? Or could Kodansha Comics show up as another Random House imprint as a more all-inclusive joint agreement for manga releases? Time will (we hope) tell for sure!


Review: Love/Knot

Reviewer: Shannon Fay


Manga-ka: Hiroko Ishimaru
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: February 2009

Synopsis: “On his way home one peaceful night, Keigo Someha, detective-by-day/assassin-by-night, discovers a boy collapsed on the street. He takes the boy home, but soon finds out that he’s taken in something troublesome. For one thing, the boy, who introduces himself as Emiya Nozaki, asks to be allowed to stay in Keigo’s house permanently. Emiya doesn’t seem to know much about household chores or ordinary everyday stuff. He seems to be keeping a huge secret, and he seems to have a knack for finding missing people- something that is invaluable with Keigo’s “official” work.”

At some point, being a detective replaced being a hairdresser as the stereotypical job for gay men, if yaoi manga is anything to go by. Keigo, however, is not just any gay detective, he’s also an assassin! And Emiya isn’t just any cute waif with psychic powers, he’s… well, actually, you’ve probably seen both of these characters before, not just in yaoi manga but in various mediums. And you’ve probably seen them done much better than in Love/Knot.

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Makoto Tateno To Appear At Yaoi Con, Yellow Omnibus Announced

yellowyaoicon

A press release sent out yesterday reveals that popular boys’ love creator, Makoto Tateno, will be appearing as an industry guest at this year’s Yaoi Con 2009. Digital Manga will be hosting her appearance and have already released numerous Makoto Tateno titles in North America, including both her boys’ love and shoujo series. This will be the artist’s first time attending the Yaoi-centrique convention which takes place in San Mateo, San Francisco. You can read more about Yaoi Con at their website.

Along with this news, the press release also makes official announcement of the omnibus release of Makoto Tateno’s Yellow series. The first of the two-book set  is listed for release in November 2009 and will include some “unseen artwork and unpublished content!”.

You can read the full press release here, along with other recent manga PR in my Press Release category. Edit: Some information corrected. Thanks, baramanga.


PR: MAKOTO TATENO Appearing At Yaoi-Con 2009

Gardena, CA (July 20, 2009) – Digital Manga Publishing is excited to announce their special guest for Yaoi-Con 2009, prolific yaoi mangaka, Makoto Tateno! Makoto Tateno has long been a fan-favorite of the yaoi community, and she is pleased to be coming to the US to meet her fans in person this October! Her published works in the US include: Hero Heel (June’), Steal Moon (June’), Blue Sheep Reverie (June’), Angelic Runes (DMP), Red Angel (DMP), King Of Cards (CMX) and the much loved Yellow. In another first for Tateno, Digital Manga Publishing will be putting out her first DokiDoki comedy title, Happy Boys, which revolves around the lives of five young men who work in a butler cafe’, and was recently made into a Japanese television live-action comedy series. This will be Makoto Tateno’s first appearance at Yaoi-Con!

To coincide with Tateno’s US appearance, Digital Manga Publishing is also proud to announce the reissue of Tateno’s first yaoi title in the US: Yellow. Collected into two omnibus editions, The Yellow: Omnibus Edition v.1 collects the first two volumes of the series into one special collection, with some new content. For fans who attend Yaoi-Con, they’ll get their hands on advances of this reissued title first, and they can get it signed in person by Makoto Tateno!

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Review: Falling Into Love

Reviewer: Shannon Fay


Manga-ka: Takashi Kanazaki
Publisher: 801Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: November 2008

Synopsis: “High school student Hisashi has admired top model Tomohito for years. His only goal in modeling is to get a contract at the same agency. By sheer coincidence, the two happen to be at the same shooting location. Looking to put some fear into his rising competition, Tomohito snares Hisashi into a passionate kiss claiming “I just wanted to wipe that prim look off your face!” But even the best laid plans are bound to have complications. Instead of running off the competition, he may have just gotten himself a suitor!”

I previously reviewed another manga by Takashi Kanazaki called His Arrogance. Both books share a cast of characters but focus on different relationships. In Falling Into Love, we meet Hisashi as a high school student who’s just breaking into the modeling world. When top model Tomohito takes an interest in the younger model, it sparks a rivalry that quickly becomes something more.

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Review: Pure Heart (Vol. 01)

Reviewer: Shannon Fay


Manga-ka: Hyouta Fujiyama
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: February 2009

Synopsis: “Tozaki is a freelance writer who, through a coincidental assignment, is reunited with his first high school crush, Kurata. Certain that the once-popular athlete doesn’t remember him, Tozaki confesses his past feelings after a night of drinking together – but Kurata does remember. Curious enough to agree to a one-night stand, will Kurata develop the romantic feelings Tozaki always hoped for? Or is the relationship that follows between them merely Kurata’s way of humiliating his bookish, former schoolmate?”

If there’s one thing I like best about Pure Heart volume one, it’s that the characters are adults. Maybe it’s because I’ve been on a bender of high-school romances lately, but there’s just something refreshing about characters that have to worry about their career as well as their romantic entanglements.

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801Media Confirms Yellow 2, Omnibus Edition

Makoto Tateno's Yellow

Fresh back from this past weekend’s Anime Expo, the 801Media blog has been updated with information regarding Digital Manga’s upcoming omnibus edition of Yellow and the semi-mysterious listing of Yellow 2 that popped up on Amazon sometime ago.

I recieved a few e-mails from people asking if I could clarify my own hypothesis regarding the listing, and though I couldn’t offer anything info-wise before, now 801Media has confirmed my suspicions were correct. Yellow 2 will in fact be a sequel series to Makoto Tateno’s Yellow, a set of short stories that have thus far only been released in Japan on cellphones.

“These are called Yellow 2: Episode 1. It’s a sequel to the Yellow series. These have never been published before, but they have been distributed only in Japan via cell phones and hand-held portable devices. DMP is extremely lucky to be able to license these series! Yes, there are many more to come, of course. Episode 2, 3, 4 … etc etc These will be hitting the US market as a short-comic style, containing approximately 60 pages or so. It’s a classic Makoto Tateno!”

These are “tentatively slated for October 2009” and there will be limited copies available at Yaoi Con 2009.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m pretty excited to have something released here so fresh and first-to-print. Even more so excited that it looks like we’ll be seeing it long before another semi-similar project that’s been leaving us fans waiting a long time. Fingers crossed for more projects like this from Digital Manga in the future. Don’t let their efforts be for naught, boys’ love fans :)

Edit: To clarify, it was the 801Media website that confirmed the releases but they’ll both be printed under the June imprint, just as the original Yellow series was.


Review: Don’t Rush Love

Reviewer: Shannon Fay


Manga-ka: Mio Tennohji
Publisher: 801Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: January 2009

Synopsis: “Morino is the new arrival at an all-boys university prep school, who finds himself rooming with over-achieving honors student, Kusama. Apparently, Kusama keeps a secret that has him sneaking out late at night, barely returning in time for morning roll call. Morino becomes convinced it has to do with Kusama’s feelings for their teacher, Kanzaki-sensei. Are the two carrying on an illicit affair under the cover of darkness? To make matters worse, Morino finds his own fascination for his new roommate growing day by day. A simple kiss leads to more, and soon, exactly what Kusama is doing when he should be sleeping turns into Morino’s obsession.”

For Morino it’s pretty much love at first sight when he sees his new roommate, Kusama. But things aren’t so straightforward for Kusama. He has a one-sided crush on their teacher, and sneaks out every night for meaningless sex. When Morino finds out about Kusama’s nocturnal activities, he convinces Kusama to stay in the dorm and use him instead of strangers. Morino knows that for Kusama their relationship is just based on sex, but he holds out hope that one day Kusama will come to love him in return.

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