VOTE: Manga Review of The Month (MROTM) - Nov. 2016

[Twinstar]

Please vote for your fav review.

Review #1

Manga title: Yoake e no Senkou
Manga artist: Miu Ootsuki
Manga cover picture:
http://i.imgur.com/F1V3Lln.jpg


Review:

Story (8/10)
Tozaki-kun is a university student aiming to become a lawyer. He works part-time in a law firm, but the relationship he has with his boss, Kuze-san, is more than just being a subordinate...

Characters (8/10)
When asked, Kuze-san told Tozaki-kun that he was straight. So why was Kuze-san being so kind and gentle towards him? Past relationships with girls never really worked out for Tozaki-kun, but he feels strangely comfortable when he’s together with Kuze-san. Emotional turmoil ensues…

Art (9/10)
Beautifully drawn, but even men with a beard may seem feminine to certain people with the way the author draws the eyes of her characters. If you don’t mind feminine looking men, you’re in for a treat.

Smut (10/10)
Very sexy and not over the top. Redrawers for this manga have done an amazing job: as you read over the chapters, the males’ “holy member” slowly become less than holy… as they increase in visibility! Something to look forward to…

Final verdict (9/10)
Overall, I found this manga very enjoyable. There are currently 5 chapters translated, each with around 20 pages. The last chapter remains untranslated, but from what I could see so far, seems very promising. If you’re looking for a good plot, a gentle seme, beautiful art with a pinch of internal conflict, this is the perfect manga for you.

Review #2

Manga Title: Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai
Manga Artist: Yoneda Kou
Manga cover picture:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...83af4ce2b1.jpg



Review:
This one is bound to join the ranks of a classic so let’s have a look… This is another manga that falls under the yakuza genre but unlike other mafia stories, this one takes a more in depth look at the psychology of the characters themselves. The story revolves around a character named Yashiro. He’s always been a troubled kid and eventually ends up working for the yakuza. It’s here that he meets a man named Doumeki, who is tasked to be his bodyguard. It’s the interaction between the two men that serves as the main relationship however, there is plenty to read as the shady dealings of the yakuza and internal conflicts are also brought to light.

The reason why this story is a good read is because of the complicated characters themselves. Yashiro is a masochist who will sleep with just about any guy and has only ever loved one person – his friend from high school. This friend, Kageyama, became a doctor, runs a clinic and still maintains contact with Yashiro. His character quirk is that he has a scar fetish – which is actually how Yashiro and he became friends. Doumeki is sort of stoic and is actually impotent as a result of a trauma he witnessed. Be that as it may, he finds Yashiro to be charismatic and beautiful and wants to dedicate his life to this man. Through their various interactions and the events they face, we watch as the characters change and develop and this is what really makes this story worthwhile. The art is done in Yoneda Kou’s unique style, which conveys the sense/feel of each character very well. This should be on your “to read” list because it’s a good blend of drama, action and comedy with a touch of the human element.

Review #3

Manga title: ZE
Manga artist: Shimizu Yuki
Manga cover picture:
http://i.imgur.com/Tgrl5mF.jpg


Review:

Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the house of Wakeari, where love and numinosity merge and the line between happiness and sadness is thin.

Plot ( 9/10 )
The plot revolves around the Wakeari household in which people are blessed with special spiritual powers. Being helpless in cooking and household chores, they hire a young man called Raizou as their housekeeper and so the story begins.
The first chapters and couple are pretty flat but as the story progresses it really amazes the reader by introducing other couples with different emotional webs and backgrounds. You may think that ZE is a shallow read during the first chapters but survive them and you are in for a real treat.

Characters (9/10)
ZE is a multi-coupled manga. You may think that this makes the manga confusing but it actually is ZE’s forte. Each arc is focused on a different couple but the solid chain of the main story remains unbroken.

Art (7-8/ 10 )
The art is not outstanding but it is nice enough to make ZE a pleasant read.

Smut (8/10)
Sex scenes are not tamed but also are not too hardcore.

Conclusion (9/10)
This manga is a must read. Some characters and moments can be rushed at times but you will find at least one of the couples or arcs unique and enjoyable, I’ll guarantee you that. So what are you waiting for? Hurry and pick it up!

Review #4

Manga title:
Pretty Babies
Manga artist:
Iwamoto Kaoru
Manga cover picture:
http://i.imgur.com/BHfSFxQ.png


Review:
Entertainment: 9/10
Plot: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

Pretty babies is a compilation of two stories that are interconnected through the protagonists of the series. On his first day to work, newbie detective Chikara gets assigned to senpai Ibuki, who is not only harsh to Chikara, but is also known as the lone wolf due to his complete inability to work with a partner. Ibuki outright rejects Chikara's attempt to follow him and fill in the long empty role of his partner, but Chikara is determined he will not take no for an answer.

You would think the story revolves around Ibuki and Chikara but the series follows a different template by developing relationships of these two with their respective partners instead of each other and explores their dynamics as a tag team. Part one of the story deals with Chikara's crush on a mysterious Priest who lives an alternate lifestyle outside church as a flamboyant gay man. The second part showcases the secret side of loner Ibuki, which he has only bared to his superior as well as his lover, Kiriya.

Iwamoto Kaoru throws in some interesting concepts into a short yaoi mix such as the gay priest, high ranking police officer with a secret life and foster siblings. Kaoru had some good ideas already laid out so I'd have loved to see a longer serialization with more insights into each character. The series has some visible unresolved plot threads, however for its short length and excellent interactions among the characters, I am willing to overlook it.

If you like strong male characters, detectives, and prefer meaningful development of relationships then I highly recommend this series to you. You will not be disappointed by following everyday life of the comical Chikara and Tsundere Ibuki.

[kerlyness]

We're getting more reviews, yay!

I went with #1 because of the section headings - which I love - and the writing is good and clear.

#3 also has headings and is good; it just came across as a little too sparse in parts for me.

[Dids]

Waow, I didn't expect so many entries.

#4 was well written and picked my interest, so my vote goes to this one.

[Hibine]

wow, so many

I haven't read any yet, hopefully choosing one won't be too hard

[angerbda]

#1 and #3 are pretty straightforward, clear and gives just enough to get an idea of the pros and cons and whether a reader would like the story or not.

#2 gives more of a summary of the manga, provides information about the style and the story... focusing on the story essentially

#4 is a mix of the two types of review, gives input on the story and a ranking, not talking about the art though.
I just have one issue with the last one, there is supposed to be an author and an artist for this one, if I don't mistake, script is written by Iwamoto Kaoru but the art is by Mamahara Ellie...


All in all, all reviews give the reader something to think about the manga they could pick to read... enough to make a decision there