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Review: About Love

By Shannon Fay on Tuesday, February 28, 2012

2 Comments »

Manga-ka: Narise Konohara
Publisher: June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: February 2012

Synopsis: “Asaka is a dedicated wedding planner who’ll do anything to guarantee his clients’ happiness. Sadly, his own love life has all but vanished thanks to his ridiculous work schedule! But when Asaka’s first patron resurfaces, the precious spark of true love may finally fly for him. Can he plan the perfect affair…or will it just have to happen by chance?”

About Love is less a yaoi and more a straight up drama. It’s the kind of the story that could possibly happen in real life, but upon hearing about it your first thought would probably be ‘Geez, that’s messed up.’ This manga was uncomfortable to read at times, but even when I winced I still had to keep reading.

Tuesday Twitter Treats – DMP and SuBLime Announce New Licenses

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Twitter Treasures From Digital Manga and SuBLime

Both Digital Manga Publishing and SuBLime had fans glued to social media sources tonight when representatives from both teased they’d be announcing a number of new licenses this evening. I was following them both via their Twitter accounts (DMP/SuBLime) for the news.

Digital Manga (blog post):

The Man I Picked Up – CJ Michalski (June)
With a Dictionary and No Skirt – Tomoyuki Enoki (Project-H)
Colorful Harvest – Ponkotsu Works (Project-H)
An Ideal Day to Fall in Love – Ponkotsu Works (Project-H)

CJ Michalski’s The Man I Picked Up is about a club-owner who finds an injured young man outside his establishment. It’s a one-shot, love-at-first-sight boys’ love story by the same creator as That Was Good, which DMP published last year.

With a Dictionary and No Skirt, Colorful Harvest and An Ideal Day to Fall in Love are all one-shot volumes as well, all three published under DMP’s hentai imprint, Project-H. Colorful Harvest is the story of a young man returning home to help with his family’s vineyards where he meets an old childhood friend.

SuBLime (blog post):

Kiss Ariki – Youka Nitta
Awkward Silence – Hinako Takanaga

Both these new boys’ love titles are scheduled for digital and print releases (yay!) with their first volumes due out this summer.

Kiss Ariki is currently being published in English by Animate USA on the Kindle. Since August 2010 they’ve published seven chapters. Presumably SuBLime will be doing their own translations and typesetting. Several other Youka Nitta titles have been released by Animate USA and other publishers over the years, including DMP’s White Brand and Otodama. Her series, Kiss Ariki, is about a yakuza’s son sent to a deserted island for his protection. Along with him is the son of his father’s second-in-command. Two young men + deserted island? You guess the rest!

Hinako Takanaga’s Awkward Silence is my favourite announcement of the night. As a huge fan of the creator’s work, I’ll always be happy to have more of her books to purchase. This title in particular I’ve been buying in French and I’m super excited to get a copy in English (my French reading skills are more than a bit rusty these days!). It’s an adorable story about a young man whose shyness leads to trouble speaking and expressing his feelings. When asked out by the classmate he has a crush on, he begins to open up to both him and his friends. Very cute and often funny! I’d recommend this series to those who enjoyed Hinako Takanaga’s Little Butterfly.

Categories: Digital Manga, Licensing, Manga, News, Project-H, Sublime, Yaoi/Boys' Love | Tags: Hentai, Hinako Takanaga

PR: Animate USA – February 2012 Releases for Amazon Kindle

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

ANIMATE USA – NEW RELEASES IN AMAZON KINDLE STORE

TOKYO, JAPAN – February 21st – Animate U.S.A., Inc. is pleased to bring you four new releases this month in February. The month may be shorter, but we’re not holding back on our releases! This month brings with it three new installments of continuing series and a brand new one-shot story from Kou Yoneda. Youka Nitta’s yakuza romance story, “Kiss Ariki,” continues this month, as well as a bonus story to Shiuko Kano’s popular “Play Boy Blues.” These two stories, along with Kou Yoneda’s “Kanjou Spectrum,” are all exclusive to the Kindle. And Naduki Koujima’s next chapter of “Selfish Love” also debuts on the Kindle this month. Be sure to check them out and get your monthly yaoi fix from Libre Publishing!

For more information, go to www.animate-world.com and www.libre-pub.co.jp Your love for Youka Nitta doesn’t have to stop with Kiss Ariki! Check out her website nittayouka.com for recent news, comments, wallpapers, and more. You may not be able to read anything by Yamane Ayano this month from us, but be sure to stop by yamaneayano.com to see updates, artwork, and author commentary! Support your favorite authors by visiting their websites!

February 2011:

Youka Nitta – “Kiss Ariki – Episode 7″ KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
Kou Yoneda – “Kanjou Spectrum” KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
Shiuko Kano – “P.B.B. Play Boy Blues – Bonus Episode” KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
Naduki Koujima – “Selfish Love Vol.2 Part 4” KINDLE DEBUT

“Kiss Ariki – Episode 7″ by Youka Nitta

Tohru, the son of the Suki clan, was born so beautiful that when he rides in a crowded train, he’s likely to be groped. One day, amid whispers of who will succeed the Suki clan, a rumor surfaces about an illegitimate child of the clan’s boss!

“Kanjou Spectrum” by Kou Yoneda

Even if you’re in a crowd of people wearing identical uniforms… Even if I can only see your back from far away… You are the only one that I’ll never fail to recognize. My gaze is always yearning for you. I had already fallen for your before I realized it. Teenage love doesn’t need a reason.

” P.B.B. Play Boy Blues – Bonus Episode” by Shiuko Kano

A series of short stories about Shinobu and Junsuke’s relationship. A collection of 4koma stories, from a flashback to their lives five years ago to Yukata Day at the Host Club. See how their love continues to grow and show itself in new ways, and more! Take a break from the main story and spend a little time laughing and saying “aww” at these cute side stories.

“Selfish Love Vol.2 Part 5” by Naduki Koujima

The Unexpected Climax! Orito, the President of the Honors Society, won’t take “no” for an answer. He refuses to stop pursuing the affections of Ryuuya, the Vice President. After all, according to Orito, the Vice President is supposed to be his “right hand man.” The advances keep escalating, and Ryuuya’s honor is at stake! Will he remain pure and defiant, or will he give in to Orito’s strong and sensuous game of love?

Read more…

Categories: Press Releases, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Sleepless Nights, In These Words – New BL Titles Scheduled For Print

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, February 18, 2012

2 Comments »

New BL Titles Scheduled for Print

A few different tidbits of boys’ love news rounded up from the week today. Always makes me happy when I can write up about more books heading to print!

Continuing a recent trend of license announcements, Digital Manga has posted news of their license for Sachi Murakami’s one-shot story collection, Sleepless Nights. The title is scheduled for both a digital and print release, with dates yet to be revealed. The book’s title story follows two men who, after sharing a sexual relationship when younger, meet years later and become roommates.

Over on Amazon, I also came across a listing for a print edition of Guilt Pleasure’s In These Words. The Guilt|Pleasure website confirms this book will have a summer release. As a big fan of Jo Chen’s artwork (Guilt Pleasure is her group name for her boys’ love work), I’m thrilled to see In These Words coming to print in English with some wider distribution. It’s listed as being published by Digital Manga’s 801Media imprint, also an exciting note for the branching out it symbolizes for the company. Digital Manga already offers several originally English-language titles on their digital eManga website such as a Teahouse preview and Yaoi Press books but this is the first time they’ve published one in print.

A text version of the story can be read over on the creator’s website and you can drool over her gorgeous artwork on the site’s blog. A short synopsis from their site for In These Words is as follows:

“Asano Katsuya is an US trained psychiatrist who had been recruited by the Tokyo Police Department to provide a profile through the victims’ data. Based on Asano’s profile and recommendation, an elaborate plan was put in place to lure the serial killer out. It was within months the plan bore a successful result. After three years and twelve victims, Shinohara Keiji was finally in the police custody. Shinohara had promised a thorough confession, however, on the absolute term that Asano has to be the one to receive it. Besides the curious request by the killer whom Asano was only familiar with on paper, disturbing nightmares began to plague him as soon as he was given the case…”

Yaoi Press – a publisher of boys’ love content from artists around the world – is returning to print publishing with a new title due out in the summer as well. The company has focused almost exclusively on digital BL novels via their Yaoi Prose (18+) imprint since 2009. Punishment is a one-shot graphic novel written by the company’s owner, Yamila Abraham, and illustrated by Yifeng Jiang. A synopsis and larger cover image for the book can be seen over on the Yaoi Press website. I’m really happy to see them returning to print publishing for a couple titles, and even more so that it’s a simultaneous return to fully illustrated releases.

And lastly, in digital BL news, SuBLime has released another title for purchase and download this past Valentine’s Day- Isaku Natsume’s Devil’s Honey. Originally scheduled for the same day, volumes two of Love Pistols and Husband, Honeymoon have both been pushed back to February 29.

Categories: Digital Manga, June, Licensing, Manga, Manhua, News, OEL/GlobalManga, Sublime, Yaoi Press, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Review: The Tyrant Falls In Love (Vol. 04)

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, February 15, 2012

3 Comments »

Manga-ka: Hinako Takanaga
Publisher: June Manga
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: August 2011

Synopsis: “It’s been a long and winding road to victory, but Souichi has just moved in with Morinaga! Sure, it’s only meant to be temporary…and he’s got to do all of the cooking…and the cleaning…but these are small sacrifices for the sake of love, right? Too bad Morinaga is still struggling to keep Souichi out of his pants! Will he surrender control and let his stubborn heart lead the way?”

The Tyrant Falls In Love returns with another 200 pages of will-he-won’t-he as Morinaga continues to romantically persist after Souichi. A lot of the same material may be rehashed here (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) but this book really steps things up with some drama you won’t expect. Finally more than their sex lives is now at risk. This fourth volume proves one of the most enjoyable yet as Souichi wages a one-sided war against a stalker and Morinaga fights to survive helping him with it.

Otaku USA: On The Shelf – February 9, 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Otaku USA: On The Shelf - February 8, 2012

There was no On The Shelf article last Wednesday because of a week without any new manga releases on my schedule list – how depressing was that? Well I guess we’ll accept those mini lulls now and again, especially with big release days like today following it up.

It’s Viz Media‘s big shipment of the month with nineteen new volumes of manga, including the first volume of A Devil and Her Love Song. You can read the full list of titles out this week over at Otaku USA’s On The Shelf article this week. Along with a slew of new volumes of shonen and soujo series, there’s also new volume of the well-loved Finder series from Digital Manga and two new of their Project-H books. Hopefully something for everyone – enjoy!

Categories: 801Media, Digital Manga, June, Kodansha Comics, Manga, Manhwa, News, Project-H, Release Lists, Vertical, Viz Media, Yaoi/Boys' Love | Tags: Bleach, Hentai, On The Shelf, Otaku USA, Toriko

Digital Manga Licenses Shoko Takaku’s ‘I’ve Seen It All’ BL

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, February 4, 2012

3 Comments »

Digital Manga Licenses I've Seen It All

Digital Manga’s newsletter this week announced a new boys’ love title license – Shoko Takaku’s I’ve Seen It All. The series currently has two volumes released in Japan, though Digital Manga’s announcement doesn’t specify if their license is for the first or both.

09/02/12 Update: ANN has confirmed with Digital Manga that their license includes both volumes.

I’ve Seen It All is about a doctor who specializes in male genitalia. He spends his days helping men with a variety of issues and becoming more and more disenchanted with the notion that a male can be attractive between the legs. Enter a man named Asano! I’m sure you can guess the rest. You can read (in Japanese) a more detailed description and see a close up of the cover on Amazon.jp. Sounds pretty entertaining to me!

I still get nostalgic seeing Shoko Takaku’s work since their title Passion was one of the first boys’ love released in English (excluding Gravitation which had strong BL elements). It was thus the first BL title I bought. I still remembering running to the store from school to buy it the day it came out and being the first in my group of friends to proudly hold up a boys’ love book. Her work was thus the first BL to hit my bookshelves and the start of many more to come! Along with the four volume series, Passion, Digital Manga has also released two Shoko Takaku one-shots, Kissing and Shy Intentions.

There’s no news yet on when I’ve Seen It All will be published.

Categories: Digital Manga, June, Licensing, Manga, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

SuBLime Launches First Digital Titles, Fans Note Censorship

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, February 3, 2012

SuBLime Launches First Digital Titles - Oku-san's Daily Fantasies

SuBLime – a boys’ love publisher in association with Viz Media – released their first digital titles today. While select SuBLime titles will be published in print, their premiering four titles – The Bed of My Dear King, Oku-san’s Daily Fantasies, Love Pistols (Vol.01) and Husband, Honeymoon are all digital-only. Upon purchasing, you’re able to download a PDF edition of the book(s).

A couple fans pointed on via Twitter and SuBLime’s website that Oku-san’s Daily Fantasies has been censored when compared to its run in Libre’s Be x Boy magazine. Genitals were removed/covered with the infamous-by-now blank glowing shape. SuBLime’s editor assured readers that they do not censor any of their titles and that these edits were done by the original publisher. They appear in SuBLime’s edition the same as they do in the original Japanese collected edition.

I hope these titles sell well for SuBLime – as the largest manga publisher in English, and with a lot of resources at their disposal, Viz Media is a company we definitely want to remain confident in the boys’ love market. I’m torn on their digital releases though – I don’t read manga digitally but I want to support titles in hopes they’ll actually be sent to the printers someday. A situation like this is where I think a fundraising program like Digital Manga has been doing would work better. SuBLime has already licensed the title, completed it and put it up for readers to preview and/or purchase to read in full at their discretion. A Kickstarter-like system could be used for readers who want it in print, where interest could be gauged with something more dependable than a simple poll, and serve as a pre-order system that only goes through if enough interest is shown. I’m not ready to pay for a digital copy I likely won’t read on the slim hope that means it gets printed but I would definitely pledge money towards a product presented like this to get published.

Categories: Manga, News, Sublime, Viz Media, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Digital Manga Licenses Recent Momoko Tenzen Title – Flutter

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 27, 2012

Digital Manga Licenses Momoko Tenzen's Flutter

As a little end of the week treat, Digital Manga announced via their Twitter account that they’ve licensed Momoko Tenzen’s one-shot, Flutter. It’s one of their most recent works, published in Japan just this past October. Digital Manga confirmed on their Twitter shortly after that Flutter is one of their standard licenses, meaning it’ll go to print and have a digital edition.

Flutter is about two businessmen who come into a relationship after being paired together on a project at work. The book also includes another short story titled Sleepless Siesta.

Digital Manga has released seven other Momoko Tenzen one-shots in the past and each one was under their boys’ love imprint, June. Flutter will presumably be published under the same imprint as well. If curious about the creator’s other works, Shannon has reviews posted for La Satanica, Ciao Ciao Bambino and Suggestive Eyes. I also wrote a review for Momoko Tenzen’s Manhattan Love Story.

Categories: Digital Manga, June, Licensing, Manga, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

PR: Animate USA Adds New Kindle Titles for January 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 13, 2012

ANIMATE USA – NEW RELEASES IN AMAZON KINDLE STORE

TOKYO, JAPAN – January 12th – Animate U.S.A., Inc. is excited to announce its monthly releases for January! New this month is a never-before-published story by You Higashino, “Theorem of Desire.” It continues the previously released story “Aphrodisiac Kiss.” Also available in January is the one-shot story “Platinum Pasta” by Youka Nitta and the continuation of Naduki Koujima’s popular “Selfish Love” series. “Platinum Pasta” and “Theorem of Desire” can only be found on the Kindle, so you can’t get them anywhere else!

For more information, go to www.animate-world.com and www.libre-pub.co.jp If one release from Youka Nitta isn’t enough to satisfy you, check out nittayouka.com for recent news, comments, wallpapers, and more. We don’t have an Ayano Yamane release this month, but you can always keep up with her on her website yamaneayano.com complete with updates, artwork, and author commentary! Support your favorite authors by visiting their websites!

January 2011:
Youka Nitta – “Platinum Pasta” KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
You Higashino – “Theorem Of Desire” KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
Naduki Koujima – “Selfish Love Vol.2 Part 4” KINDLE DEBUT

“Platinum Pasta” by Youka Nitta

It’s been a year since Mamiya opened up his Italian restaurant at a coastal resort. Stocking up on top-class ingredients from a fisherman named Ohsuga and an herb garden owner named Eiji, his restaurant has skyrocketed. Then one night, Mamiya happens to see a lover’s quarrel between Ohsuga and Eiji, and he begins to plan an intervention…

“Theorem of Desire” by You Higashino

Never before published in print, it’s finally out for the Kindle!
It’s the sequel to “Aphrodisiac Kiss.”
Ayashima was about to be attacked, but he was saved by Takamura.
Takamura’s kisses melt his stubborn heart from his painful past and draw out his sexual desire…

“Selfish Love Vol.2 Part 4” by Naduki Koujima

The Unexpected Climax!
Orito, the President of the Honors Society, won’t take “no” for an answer. He refuses to stop pursuing the affections of Ryuuya, the Vice President.

After all, according to Orito, the Vice President is supposed to be his “right hand man.” The advances keep escalating, and Ryuuya’s honor is at stake!

Will he remain pure and defiant, or will he give in to Orito’s strong and sensuous game of love?

Read more…

Categories: Boys-Luv.com, Licensing, Press Releases, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Media Blasters Reveals Lay-Offs for 60% of Full-Time Staff

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Media Blasters

AnimeNewsNetwork has heard from Media Blasters that the company has just laid off 60% of it’s staff. The full-time staff was at 15 and has now decreased to “five or six regular employees”. The Media Blasters’ CEO, John Sirabella, said they’ve offered continued work in the form of freelance to the employees laid off.

This news following Bandai’s continues to carry 2012 off to a rocky industry start. The loss of jobs for Media Blasters’ staff is really unfortunate – my sympathies to those laid off, it’s a terrible experience. From a consumer point of view, the silver lining is that Media Blasters hasn’t shut it’s doors altogether. Surprisingly, the company has stated it will continue releasing titles as normal.

Crimson Spell (Vol.01) Unfortunately there’s no news of any upcoming manga publishing. Last we heard concretely from MB about their manga line was back in June 2010 when they cancelled a handful of their boys’ love titles. Stock on existing Media Blasters’ manga titles has also been difficult to get a hold of online or via the direct market with only a select few available for purchase on sites like Amazon unless you’re willing to shell out some hefty dollar values for used copies. If you’re looking to buy Media Blasters’ releases, RightStuf still has quite a few of both their manga and anime releases in stock however. Their Kitty Media titles – including their very entertaining selection of boys’ love titles – is sectioned separately on the site’s search. I also recommend finding their booth at any convention they attend, it’s often pretty sizable and stocked with just about every title they have.

Media Blasters has been running very low-key for a while, especially in the past two years following a large lay-off of full-time workers in March 2010. While they have an occasionally updated Facebook page, their Twitter account has been silent since July 2010 and their website – though broken as it was – was replaced with only ads to standalone promotions for anime titles and a link to their Facebook account. Their only recently updated website seems to be their Kitty Media (18+ only!) website which was relaunched in December as a member-only site to watch their hentai titles.

Hopefully we’ve got some good news coming our way after these two industry blows. I’m grateful Media Blasters has at least survived its latest belt tightening. With all companies in flux, hopefully they can get a more solid footing in time, helped in part by some great recent anime releases like Magic Knight Rayearth Remastered and Bakuman in their hands.

Categories: Media Blasters, News, Yaoi/Boys' Love | Tags: Bakuman, CLAMP

Year In Review: Lissa’s Favourites of 2011

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, January 1, 2012

7 Comments »

Lissa’s Favourites of 2011

There are no shortage of ‘Best Of’ lists this time of year. While I like popping around to different peoples’ sites and seeing what they thought, it’s a bit of a frustration that I can’t seem to write one myself. How people choose a solid list containing five or ten favourites, from across different genres and subject matters, is just something I can’t seem to muster the brain power for. Not enough conviction I suppose? There’s just so much to love!

But I can’t overlook the perfect chance to look back at all the great titles a year had to offer and 2011 had some really fantastic ones. So then where is this going, oh rambling one, you ask? My semi-traditional equivalent to the yearly best of – the random Lissa’s favourites and best-ofs list! Which really just means you get a lot more titles broken into a lot more categories so I can remain a lot more loving to a lot more series. And in some cases not so loving… From the Best Release Quality to the Favourite Fan Service and even to the most Gag Worthy – here are a bunch of my favourite titles from 2011!

Digital Manga Gifts With New License – Secretary’s Job

By Lissa Pattillo on Monday, December 26, 2011

Digital Manga License's Secretary's Job

Digital Manga announced a new title license for their print line earlier this week, just in time to head off for holiday vacation – Miki Araya’s Secretary’s Job. It’s a one-shot title by the creator of Digital Manga’s previously released I’ll Be Your Slave. There are no further details on the imprint or release date, but it’ll likely be under the June line based on Miki Araya’s previous title.

Secretary’s Job is about a “legendary secretary” who is assigned to the son of a company’s president. An office romance springs from a sudden kiss. Also included in the book is another short story titled ‘Fried Rice’. The book was originally published in Japan this past September.

Categories: June, Licensing, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

SuBLimeManga.com Launches Website and Adds a New Title

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 22, 2011

SuBLime Website Launches

Just as promised when news of their existence was announced, SuBLime has launched their website this week. No titles are yet available to purchase but they have release dates listed for their first four titles due out January 31, 2011.

I really like the website’s design – simple, fast-loading and quite visually cute while simultaneously rather classy. There’s a newsletter you can sign up for, as well as registration for the site itself which will allow you to comment and purchase and download the digital editions when they’re available. The forum is currently marked as ‘Coming Soon’.

Tonight SuBLime also announced a new title – Iwamoto Kaoru and Fuwa Shinri’s Yebisu Celebrities. The first volume was originally released by BeBeautiful back in 2007. SuBLime will be releasing this five volume series digital-only, starting in March 2012. The story takes places at a design firm, one where only the talented and attractive are allowed, as the new part-timer catches his boss’s eye. As part of the new license, SuBLime will be doing some related giveaways in January when the staff returns from holiday vacation.

Categories: Licensing, Manga, Misc, News, Sublime, Yaoi/Boys' Love |