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Review Archive

To see a list of reviews in alphabetical order, please see our review index.

Review: Blue Sheep Reverie (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, January 12, 2009

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Manga-ka: Makoto Tateno
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “Sweet young Kai and the doctor Maria shared a bond that they thought no one could destroy… until Maria’s brutal murder tore her from Kai’s arms forever. Now, Kai wanders the pitch-black streets of the inner city – searching for the man who stole Maria’s life. With both a mysterious electronic freqency and a strange, powerful man named Lahti shadowing his every move, Kai must slay his new-found enemies… or fall prey to their desires!”

After the murder of his girlfriend, Maria, Kei finds himself drawn to a dangerous city renowned for its warring rival gangs. Determined to get close to one such gang, and inparticular one man within it, Kai makes a bold move in requesting to be bodyguard to the powerful Lahti. Once inside this circle, however, some deadly wheels start turning as assasins target Lahti and Kai finds himself defending the one person whose life he seeks to take in vengeance.

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

Review: Ruff Love

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 9, 2009

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Manga-ka: Tamaki Kirishima
Publisher: Deux Press
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: August 2008

Synopsis: “Shiba, the once-beloved dog of Taketora’s grandfather, comes back in the form of a human (yet with dog ears and tail intact) to repay the kindness his master showed him. However, Taketora’s grandfather passed away twenty years ago, so Shiba decides to focus his appreciation and affection on Taketora. Shiba is clumsy, cute and eager to help around the house. How can Taketora not come down with a bad case of puppy love?!”

Ruff Love is the story of Shiba, a dog who’s come back to life with a humanoid form in order to repay kindness given to him by his last owner. Unfortunately for him, his owner died years ago leaving his grandson, Taketora, in his old residence. Taketora is a struggling writer who works part time at a bar to make ends meet. It’s all-good to Shiba however, who dedicates himself to his new master with the utmost revere and admiration. As a light in his otherwise tiresome life, Taketora falls for the innocent little pup and welcomes him into his home.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, Deux Press

Review: Hissing (Vol. 05)

Posted by Marsha Reid on Thursday, January 8, 2009

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Manhwa-ga: Kang EunYoung
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: November 2008

Synopsis: “Weighed down by the connection between his family and Da-Eh’s, Sun-Nam plans to get the truth out into the open. When Da-Eh and Da-Hwa show up to meet their boyfriend and half-brother respectively, they’re both shocked to find they’re waiting for the same person! Already frustrated with matters of the heart, Da-Eh blames her younger brother for complicating things further. But her anger quickly dissolves into sorrow when an unthinkable tragedy occurs.”

The love triangle is relentlessly trying to shed one of its corners in this fifth volume of Hissing, but it just can’t seem to shake either of the heartthrobs off. Everytime one of them starts to move further away from Da-Eh, they get pulled right back in by her smack-talking, sentimental attitude. Being boys with lovely faces, I guess it’s their destiny to be attracted to the only girl who doesn’t appear to care about how they look. With all this going on, one can’t help but wonder how on earth she’s going to meet the deadline for that manhwa contest!

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: Sea View

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, January 7, 2009

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Manga-ka: Ayumi Kano
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “Kei’s grandfather is a well-known architect, and the young boy cherishes every letter from his beloved relative… until the notes suddenly stop. Now, Kei must visit his grandfather’s distant island home and solve the mystery for himself! Upon arriving, he meets the shy and aloof Michuru, a serious student at the school where Kei’s grandfather once taught. Michiru may have the answers to Kei’s burning questions… but will he cooperate?”

In its title story, Sea View follows a young boy named Kei who enrols himself in a architertual school with the hopes of finding his grandfather. A man reknowned for his talent in the trade, Kei’s grandfather sent Kei building blueprints and notes for years until one day the notes stopped, leaving Kei looking for answers. When he reaches the tiny island that his grandfather called home and his school sits on, he meets a bit of an odd boy named Michuru who may hold all the answers. Following this story is a tale of a photographer who is granted access to a home that’s said to have a beautiful secret garden, one he discovers is tended to by the beautiful but alluringly delicate son of the household.

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

Review: +Anima (Vol. 10)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, January 6, 2009

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Manga-ka: Natsumi Mukai
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “In this final volume of +Anima, the secret of Cooro’s past is finally revealed as the group makes it ‘s way to Astaria. But when they learn of the relationship between Cooro and Fry, this friendly team may be torn apart. What are those who are seeking the +Anima really plotting? And what choices will the characters make when given the opportunity to rid themselves of their animal selves… forever?”

With the characters’ adventures coming to an end, foreshadowed effects take centre stage when the travelling friends find themselves in Cooro’s childhood village. Staying in the church that raised him, Huksy, Nana and Senri all come to learn more about Cooro and that their friendship may not be based on intent as innocent as they assumed.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Tokyopop

Review: The Antique Gift Shop (Vol. 06)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, January 5, 2009

3 Comments »

Manhwa-ga: Lee Eun
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “Donning a disguise complete with a pair of antique galsses for an impending (and potentially embarrassing) doctor’s appointment, Bun-Nyuh never expected to find true love in the waiting love! But when the handsome young physician seems equally floored by her, a romantic escapade might just be around the corner. However, love at first sight is not all it seems… especially when you’re looking at the world through someone else’s glasses…”

Some womanly concerns send Bun-Nyuh to a doctor but embarrassment over the possibilities leave her bundled under a disguise. But one look at the doctor and it was love at first sight! And maybe the same from him…?

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: A Capable Man

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, January 4, 2009

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Manga-ka: Hinako Takanaga
Publisher: BLU
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: November 2008

Synopsis: “Shingo has always liked guys who are exceptional. His best friend, Koji, is the smartest, fastest and hottest gy in the school. But what Shingo doesn’t know is that Koji has worked hard to be so exceptional – and he’s it to impress Shingo! Why? He’s in love with Shingo of course! But all is about to be revealed, because when Shingo’s just-as-impressive cousin comes into town, Koji realizes he’ll have to confess everything or risk losing his one true love forever…”

A Capable Man is a collection of short stories by Hinako Takanaga, each with its own set of characters and their own little worries, issues and fetishes. Ranging from bad hair days to masochists, there’s plenty to surprise and entertain readers in this assortment of boys’ love.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, Hinako Takanaga

Review: Black Cat (Vol. 17)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, January 3, 2009

1 Comment »

Manga-ka: Kentaro Yabuki
Publisher: Viz
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: November 2008

Synopsis:
“The final stage of the battle begins! Now that Train and the Sweepers have reached Creed’s hideout, there is no turning back. But for Train, it’s not about avenging Saya’s death anymore. He’s risking his life to capture Creed as a member of the Sweeper Alliance.”

No surprise after the last volume’s pace that volume seventeen is brimming with action. What remains of the Sweeper Alliance forges their way to Creed’s estate, determined to see him defeated once and for all. But before they can finally face him, more of the powerful members of Tao resurface to cause problems and it takes every one of the characters, major and minor, to make it through.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Black Cat, Shonen Jump, Viz Media

Review: Cynical Orange (Vol. 05)

Posted by Marsha Reid on Friday, January 2, 2009

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Manhwa-ga: Yun JiUn
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: October 2008

Synopsis: “The gaiety of the school festival takes an unexpected turn when Ma-Ha is accosted by a group of his former girlfriends! Unabashed, Ma-Ha introduces them all to a shocked Hye-Min: How can they all stay friends with him when he’s such a player? But with Hye-Min’s popularity at an all-time low, she is surprised to find such good friends among Ma-Ha’s slighted exes. Hye-Min finds herself in a group of companions, forcing her to look closely at the cold, isolated person she’s always been.”

It’s a new beginning for Hye-Min, as the life of being girlfriend to the famous playboy, Ma-Ha, takes her down new roads. Her past has been full of elegant silence, but there’s no way Ma-Ha will let her get away with sitting on the sidelines anymore. Dragging her into his world by the wrist, she is forced to find out that other people aren’t so bad, and there is life beyond the walls of Piper.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: The Dawn of Love

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, January 1, 2009

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Manga-ka: Kazuho Hirokawa
Publisher: DMP
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: November 2008

Synopsis: “When law student Masahiro Matsunaga has his eye caught by the beautiful, seductive Takane, it’s lust at first sight. No matter what, Masahiro simply must bed his gorgeous classmate, even if it amounts to a one-night fling. After discovering his goal was easier to achieve than he’d realized, Masahiro finds he’s in another dilemma – once is not enough! It becomes all Takane all the time as far as Masahiro is concerned, but the object of his obsession has no lack of other “sex friends”. For Takane, committing to one lover is a ridiculous proposition, one he’d never consider, unless Masahiro can make the case for monogamy. Is it possible for animal lust to grow into true love?”

The Dawn of Love had a few things in its favour as far as I was concerned the moment I got mid-way through chapter one. Most of all, the two leads are already gay. They’ve come out, had their share of lovers and have no regrets as to the matter, eliminationg the need for the most-often required acceptance that two boys in a yaoi will fall in love with eachother with little thought to their sexuality or consequences. Our two college students are quite comfortable being gay and a not a moment is spent questioning otherwise, leaving time for the big question that rules the majority of the book: ‘Can monogamy work between two men?’

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