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Posts Tagged June

Review: Dry Heat

By Shannon Fay on Saturday, May 22, 2010

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Reviewer: Shannon Fay

Manga-ka: Yugi Yamada
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: April 2010

Synopsis: “Little Tatsuhiko says to Itaru, “…when I grow up, I want to become a politician and change the law so two men can get married. Will you marry me then?” Ten years later, his family members are notified that Tatsuhiko left a note and disappeared from his prestigious academy. His family servant is asked to find him, only to discover that time changes people and learns things aren’t the way it used to be…”

When was the last time you read a yaoi manga and couldn’t predict what would happen next? Or read a yaoi that had characters who were actual people and not just stock roles? I was surprised by how much Dry Heat caught me off-guard – a yaoi manga that actually puts the plot first and the smut second.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Manga

Review: The Lonely Egotist

By Jaime Samms on Saturday, May 1, 2010

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Reviewer: Jaime Samms

Author: Hikaru Masaki
Manga-ka: Masara Minase
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: March 2009

Synopsis: “Minami has gotten a hot start as a young interior designer. In fact, he’s just been chosen as the primary designer of a new luxury hotel. When Minami enthusiastically goes out to meet his client, Asakura, the hotel owner turns out to be a dazzling, sexy man. On top of that, the overwhelmed Minami finds his contract is actually for a love hotel! Seeing as how Minami lacks experience in this particular area, Asakura promises to show him the ropes. But is it really necessary to try out ALL the beds…?!”

To start off with, I have to share a bit of a personal preference. I’m not a huge fan of forced ‘seduction’. I know, it’s an often-used device in uaoi, and a legitimate plot within the genre – it’s just not one of my favourites. So, that said, now let’s now put my personal preference aside and talk about the book… it’s good.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Light Novels

Review: Secret Moon

By Jaime Samms on Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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Reviewer: Jaime Samms

Author: Siira Gou
Manga-ka: Sato Tomoe
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: December 2008

Synopsis: “Nearly a hundred years ago, a spurned lover ended Tomoe’s life. Madame had given him new life, but this gift was not without its limitations. Living again in Japan after an extended time abroad, Tomoe was on the prowl for a new lover. But he may have gotten more than he hoped for in young Taichi Yamagami. Influenced by the ebb and flow of the moon, he could be a sweet, naive intellectual, or a rough, demanding lover. Tomoe has never had a lover quite like this…”

This is by far one of the most interesting yaoi light novels I’ve read. Both characters are flawed, fascinating creatures with at once super human abilities and very human foibles. Tomoe has known too much loss in his life. The idea that he could lose this newfound love he’s discovered leads him to make poor choices. It’s natural that those choices could end up turning Taichi away from him anyway.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Light Novels

Review: Physical Attraction

By Shannon Fay on Wednesday, April 21, 2010

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Reviewer: Shannon Fay

Manga-ka: Tatsumi Kaiya
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “I first met the cool and handsome Narusawa in college. Interested, I approached and said to him half-jokingly,”Let me do you next time.” …that very same day, he was the one who ended up doing me! Then, just when I thought I’d talked myself into believing ours was a purely physical relationship, I came to a sudden realization-I was in love with Narusawa! But I’m always the one calling to see him, and never the other way around. The booty-call has been our only connection-so how can I tell him,”I love you,” now…?! –Kurata”

Physical Attraction is a series of short yaoi stories, ranging from college love to work place drama to a bit of political intrigue. Most of the stories use some kind of boys love cliché as a starting point, but even when the stories are unoriginal they are still solidly told.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Manga

Review: La Satanica

By Shannon Fay on Thursday, March 25, 2010

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Reviewer: Shannon Fay

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

Synopsis: “Even though Mashita and Matsushima have known each other for years, they’re having trouble admitting their true feelings. If the two are in love, then what’s holding them back? Mashita likes to play games with Matsushima’s head and heart, forcing Matsushima to try and figure out what he can do to make Mashita happy. But when the real fooling around starts, will they allow their relationship to take off, or will there be hell to pay? The heat goes up as Mashita and Matsushima come to realize that love isn’t just about fun and games. Momoko Tenzen (Seven, Unsophisticated and Rude) shows how twisted romance can be, and how devilish love always is, in this full-length, high school romance!”

Oh my goodness, childhood friends who want to be something more? Why that’s…just like a dozen other yaoi manga out there. Well, sometimes amazing art can lift up a bland story. That’s not the case here: the art is cute, but hardly mind-blowing. And yet despite having a fairly standard story and serviceable art, La Satanica still manages to be entertaining, ending up as something greater than the sum of its parts.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Manga

Review: Eat or Be Eaten

By Jaime Samms on Saturday, March 20, 2010

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Reviewer: Jaime Samms

Author: Jinko Fuyuno
Manga-ka: Yamimaru Enjin
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: June 2009

Synopsis: “Masaki Ashizawa is hired by a restaurant mogul to find a world-class chef for his new French restaurant. He finds the perfect candidate in Shuichiro Tsubaki, the gruff master chef of a small restaurant. But the proud Tsubaki is happy calling the shots in his own restaurant and Ashizawa must go to all new lengths to convince him to accept the offer. What will it take for Ashizawa to clinch the deal? And what secret form his past is Tsubaki keeping form Ashizawa?”

Jinko Fuyuno has created a great cast of characters in this book. So much yaoi relies on pre-fab character constructs but here the author has dared to take those constructs and flip them inside out. She’s still written the book from the uke’s (the “bottom”) point-of-view, but Ashizawa is no wallflower or a timid man unsure of his desires. He has a successful life he’s created for himself with hard work and determination. He doesn’t take no for an answer, or back down from a challenge, even when the challenge requires a lot of self-examination. This attitude of moving forward makes him the perfect candidate to head up the Grand Maison Master Chef’s plan to open a new kind of restaurant. Ashizawa’s first duty—find the best chef for the job.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Light Novels

Finders-Keepers for Digital Manga

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, March 12, 2010

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On the one night in who-knows-how-long that I decide to go to bed a few hours early, Digital Manga goes and finally drops the F-word! You know the one, boys’ love fans. But I can’t complain about having good news to wake up to. Fans rejoice – Ayano Yamane’s popular Finders series is no longer in English-license limbo!

Digital Manga has announced that they will be releasing the Finders Series under their June boys’ love imprint. It looks like it’ll be printed at their 801Media cut-size. Digital Manga has set up a website specific for the release at FinderSeries.com. Along with the press release, the site has short character bios and the series’ synopsis.

“While our on assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld, the photographer Takaba crosses paths with the dark and mysterious leader Asami. Asami takes Takaba captive, in an attempt to subjugate and possess him. But when the son of the Chinese mafia enters demanding evidence that Takaba may have, will Takaba be able to survive being caught in the crosshairs of a deadly underworld feud?”

The first volume of June’s edition of Finders will be in summer 2010 – which isn’t that far off from right now. It’s almost as if they were conveniently timing it for some event with overlapping interest…

Though the excitement over this news is already apparent, it’s been long-anticipated along with the concern from fans that by being published under the June imprint could mean that the Finder Series will face minor edits and censoring of the original work. Many assumed that because of the graphic nature of Finder Series it would be published under their 801Media imprint to avoid this (myself included admittedly), as they have with other of Ayano Yamane’s series. While Digital Manga has censored some of its June imprint work in the past, these edits were very minimal and this does not mean that the Finder Series will have changes.

Those interested in the news can check out Digital Manga’s complete press release which also includes word directly from Libre Shuppan, Japanese license-holders of the series.

As a short history lesson, the Finder Series was previously licensed by the now-defunct BeBeautiful which released three volumes of the 5-book series, all of which have spent years selling for inordinate amounts of money after they went out of print. Those who couldn’t afford $200 a book need weep no longer.

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Categories: Licensing
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, DMP, June, Manga

PR: Digital Manga Licenses Finder Series For June Imprint

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, March 12, 2010

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Gardena, CA, March 11, 2010—Digital Manga Publishing and Libre Shuppan are proud to announce the licensing of the Finder Series by Ayano Yamane! The Finder series has been one of the most heavily requested series from our readers, and has been considered by fans of the yaoi genre to be the quintessential yaoi title. From one of Japan’s top-selling yaoi mangaka, Ayano Yamane, DMP is proud to release the Finder series beginning with volume one in the summer of 2010 under the June’ imprint. For more information, news updates, and to keep on top of all things Finder, visit the Finder website at !

From our friends at Libre Shuppan:

We are pleased to announce that Kazuma Kodaka’s KIZUNA-絆- and Ayano Yamane’s Finder Series, both of which were previously licensed by Central Park Media, are now acquired by Digital Manga Publishing (DMP). For these series, all volumes will be newly translated and will be published under DMP’s June imprint. Finder Series is set to be released in Summer of 2010 and Kizuna is scheduled for September of 2010.
For further inquiries regarding this matter, feel free to contact us at rights@libre-pub.co.jp or Digital Manga Inc, at contact@emanga.com We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for reading our books and for your continued support.
FINDER VOL. 1: TARGET IN THE VIEWFINDER, Rated M+ (for ages 18+), MSRP: $13.95, Available: SUMMER 2010, SIZE: B6, June’ Imprint

While out on assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld, photographer Takaba crosses paths with the dark and mysterious leader Asami. Asami takes Takaba captive, in an attempt to subjugate and possess him. But when the son of the Chinese mafia enters demanding evidence that Takaba may have, will Takaba be able to survive being caught in the crosshairs of a deadly underworld feud?

Read more…

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: DMP, June

Review: 9th Sleep

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, March 11, 2010

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Makoto Tateno
Publisher: June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “The planet had died once before… On the day of Despaira, a god appeared in the sky and saved the world. His name was King Shishioh. But now with the throne of the king empty, a vicious battle between two brothers is unfolding. Who will ascend the throne?”

The story follows Luke, a young man who finds himself hunted by a man claiming to be his brother. When the truth of his existence is revealed the two brothers set into motion a series of events doomed to repeat themselves in a battle for the world’s throne that transcends a life time – and perhaps a readers’ level of patience despite its whimsical platter of eye-candy.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Makoto Tateno, Manga

Review: Desire – Dangerous Feelings

By Jaime Samms on Friday, March 5, 2010

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Reviewer: Jaime Samms

Author: Maki Kazumi
Manga-ka: Yukine Honami
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: January 2009

Synopsis: “I wonder why, when I look at you, I get turned on.” With a few simple words uttered by his best friend Ryoji-Toru’s world flips upside down. It doesn’t help that Toru has secretly been in love with Ryoji for some time. But whereas Ryoji wants a purely physical relationship to satisfy his curiosity-Toru wants more. Can the two ever come to terms with how they really feel about each other?

I must be getting used to the different writing style, because I don’t mind saying I had a lot less time to notice the writing in this book, as I was so taken with the story and the characters. As I think back, I’m not sure exactly what it was that caught my attention so thoroughly, but I will say that I was reading on the bus and I missed my stop – twice! The story line is pretty run of the mill – best friends and unrequited love is not new to the genre, nor is the push and pull of unspoken feelings and poor communication. Seems boys just don’t tend to talk to each other.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Light Novels