Reviews written by Demeter

I am not really sure why I loved this manga -my ratings are not exceptional at all, and I couldn't bring myself to rate higher- but the fact is I did.
Akemi Takaido has a way to make even the most insignificant details interesting, and it's precisely because of them -be it a movement, a look, a smile, a silence- that substance and depth are brought to her characters. I found them interesting and anchored to reality, those colourful but bittersweet characters: "normal" jobs and lives, relationship problems, unrequited love, what path to choose... With, as usual, a very minimalist artstyle that fits the atmosphere.
Just a warning: if you're looking for a romance story, this manga is not for you. As hinted in the summary, Honda is torn between two men, and even if it's a comedy, it's still not the happily ever after kind of story. A slice of life story really.

A gay Romeo and Juliet, or better yet, a gay West Side Story. Two members of opposite gangs are uncontrollably drawn to each other. But where do they go from there? Between violence and guilt, can they protect those unwanted but needed feelings? A very dark setting, a very heavy atmosphere, characters desperately trying to feel something, anything, while surviving. It's definitely not the average happily erotic yaoi. Sometimes a bit confusing, the story and characters still hold definite depth and edge that are not so frequently seen in yaoi. One of the first Setona Mizushiro, and you can already see and feel her touch for desperate and angsty characters and situations. I was not drawn at all by the art though, it shows that it's one of her first series, and I even found it ugly at times. But it didn't stop my enjoyment and interest.

One of Youka Nitta's first manga, and it's pretty obvious considering the artstyle, and the plot. Even thought she's not yet at her best level, you can still find the elements that made her success: interesting characters (even if I would have liked a bit more depth in some parts), sensual drawings, hot sex scenes… The story is ok enough to follow without being bored.
There’s also 2 oneshots included, that are not, let’s be honest, her best ones.
All in all, a very pleasant and honest BL, better than many, but far from Youka Nitta’s best ones though.