~ RECS ~ YAOI MANGA ~ N-S ~

NAMONAKI TORI NO TOBU YOAKE

mangaka : Hirotaka Kisaragi
details : yaoi | PG-13 | heaven, hell, angels, demons
summary : Karasu, an angel of heaven, is assigned to track down a demon who's masquerading as a priest. He is thrown into a dilemma, when the demon Shirasagi turns out to be beautiful, genuinely kind-hearted, and persistently stubborn in staying on earth. As their tentative, forbidden friendship grows deeper, they gradually find themselves isolated by both heaven and hell.

comments : The intriguing plot itself is well worth your time. The worlds of heaven and hell are explored through the bleak eyes of both Karasu and Shirasagi, and you feel their isolation when it becomes quite apparent that they have no place in both worlds. The art, Hirotaka-sensei style, is clear, bold, with clean lines, and I love her depiction of angels and demons, and heaven and hell. Very dramatic.

NEJI NO KAITEN

author : Sadahiro Mika
details : hard yaoi | NC-17 | angst, romance, ncs
summary : Hayato is a 15-year-old plagued by his dad's incestuous advances. One day, he gets abducted out of the blue by 20-year-old college student Ryu who wants to use him to get back at his Professor-lover (yes, Hayato's dad). Without further ceremony, Ryu takes Hayato by force. Then comes the sudden turn of tables when Hayato decides that Ryu is his means of escape from his father. Thus begins the heady, twisted but sexy affair between Hayato and Ryu.

comments : The story sounds perverse, doesn't it? Well yeah, it IS hentai. But despite it all, I find the couple to be truly fascinating. And...cute, even! Hayato is young, innocent but possesses a growing devilish streak, while Ryu is the playboy college student who finds himself inexplicably drawn to Hayato. And together, they're pretty explosive. ^_~ The incestuous edge adds a darker shade to the story, but as the story is a study in twisted morality anyway, you just find yourself carried along. Also, this manga is a celebration of the Reversible pairing! Our couple switch positions often, and no matter which way, the sex is always hot (Sadahiro-sensei has a true knack for drawing lemon, trust me).

NETSURYOU CALORIE

mangaka : Sakuragi Yaya
details : yaoi | R | college boys, friendship-romance
summary : Toshiyuki has been suffering unrequited love for his best friend Yasuhira for a good 15 years, until Jun comes along. Jun, the friend of both boys, makes the offer of being a date for Toshiyuki. Toshiyuki naively and rashly accepts, and everything goes fine for a while, until Jun and Toshiyuki fall in love for real - without each other knowing it!

comments : This manga is sweet without being saccharine, and kawaii without being grating, which is why it's so likeable! The love story between the two boys goes from friendship, to that very awkward dating stage, then to the voila!in-love bang at a very nice pace. Furthermore, all three main characters are adorable, from cute Toshiyuki to the gentle Jun, and even the boisterous Yasuhira. As for the art style, Sakurag-sensei has a way of depicting the boys' relationships in a very sweet, clean, lightly-humourous way that you'd surely fall for! Her art is also very distinct, especially the way she draw the guys' faces.

OASIS PROJECT

mangaka : Ohya Kazumi
details : yaoi | PG-13 | schoolboys, men, rest inns
summary : After getting suspended from school, Yagi is sent to stay at the rest inn operated by his uncle Akira. Uncle Akira turns out to be relatively young and gay, there's a sweet policeman Matsuno who's marriage has hit the rocks and he's seeking refuge in Akira's company, and to add to all this, Yagi falls hard for his neighbour, pretty schoolboy Yashiro who also happens to be Yagi's classmate. And under the roof of the inn, all four bishounen try to work out their issues and relationships. ^.^

comments : Ohya-sensei's art is really sweet, consistent and pretty. Much like her stories in fact. She does more shounen-ai than yaoi, and this work of hers really shines. Yagi and Yashiro are the young, impetuous and angsty teenage couple, while Akira and Matsuno provide a really interesting counterpoint as the older would-be couple with adult issues. Both pairings are engaging in their own rights, and I also like the inn-setting. Of course you can look at it as an excuse to get all four of them under one roof, but hey, it's still a cute backdrop!

OKI NI MESU MAMA

mangaka : Sakufu Ajimine
details : yaoi | R | mention of rape, angst, romance
summary : Young Prince Ashide, a thoroughly spoilt playboy, gets a bride by chance. It was just his luck that the bride turns out to be a lovely, although scarred, young man called Galante. While being Ashide's lover and swordsmaster, Galante is discovered to be a deported officer from rival country Ishuugal. Would political strife and ghosts from the pasts break up the newly-married couple?

comments : The story is cute, and refreshing enough, and the art is very pretty. The characters are also lovely. Ashide is the flippant, cavalier, but thoroughly tempting little prince, and Galante the troubled, and darkly sexy lover. The humour in the manga is appreciated, although I do feel that the mangaka needs more work with her comic timing. It may be just me, but I thought the mood change between angst and humour is just too abrupt. However, on the whole, this manga is definitely enjoyable, no less helped by the bickering, but pretty couple! ^_~

PUNCH DRUNK BABIES

author : Reiichi Hiiro
details : semi-hard yaoi | heavy R | angst, romance, boxing, some violence
summary : We follow the stories of 4 couples as they live their lives around the boxing ring. Yes, this is a boxing manga. But because this is also a very yaoi manga (^_~), we also get to follow the ups and downs of the men's romances.

comments : The multiple couples are the most striking part of the manga. Various couples are featured in each chapter/volume so you never get sick of any one couple. Also, multiple pairings mean there's one for every reader. There're brash but sincere Kyouhei and lovely, reticent Yuuya; devious, sexy bastard Masato and deadly, beautiful Minami; jaded Chiaki and youthful, exuberant Hayato; lovelorn Itsuki and overlooked Ryuuchi. All of them are fascinating in their own ways, you'd never get bored reading about them.

RENAI JUNKIE ~ ADDICTED TO LOVE

mangaka : Tohjoh Asami
details : hard yaoi | NC-17 | schoolboys, angst, romance
summary : After losing his girlfriend through his own foolishness, a moping and discouraged Haruki bumps into the cold and rather unsympathetic Atsushi. The latter offers comfort in the form of delinquent-type activities, and yes, sex. But as Haruki falls in love with Atsushi, he begins to realise the mysterious background of his lover.

comments : Tohjoh-sensei is one of the most popular mangaka around, and this is my favourite work of hers so far (I've read quite a few). For some reason, the couple is very endearing. Brash, persistent Haruki and aloof but vulnerable Atsushi just make such a great pair. I truly enjoy how Atsushi slowly draws out the mature side of Haruki, and how Haruki keeps on knocking down Atsushi's barriers to reach his heart. Also, another distinctive element of the manga is the reversibility of the couple at the end. It just places such a new spin to what would made an already attractive conventional pairing. The sex is very, very erotic, and really hot. ^_~

RENAI SHINAN

mangaka : Takatsuki Noboru
details : yaoi | R | salarymen, humour
summary : Hatano, a smooth ladies' man, is asked by his supervisor, Honjou, to help him in the art of romance. Basically Honjou is a scruffy geek, but after a makeover by a rather blah Hatano, Honjou turns out to be really gorgeous. Somehow Hatano and Honjou find themselves falling for each other despite the difference in their personalities. A very awkward relationship and even more awkward sex follows. ^_~

comments : The art is really pretty - Noboru-sensei is my new idol - and the dynamics of this couple are so fun! Hatano, although the uke, is the decisive, domineering and sexually superior one. And Honjou, although the seme, is such a completely clueless (but charming) dork, lol.

RIKARA

note : taken from manga titled [Rikara]
author : Mizukami Shin
details : hard yaoi | NC-17 | period-drama, angst, ncs, romance
summary : With his kingdom lost in a war, Rikara, the beautiful and spirited king of the Han Chinese, is captured by the enemy. Trapped in their clutches, he is used for their pleasure and games, until he meets Seiten, the young illegitimate son of the enemy king. Would the Seiten be able to free Rikara from his father's grasp, and win his heart?

comments : It is this manga that really got me hooked on Mizukami-sensei's art. She has a way of drawing that REALLY suits period settings (robes, flowing hair, ethereal settings). And the WAY she draws period men. You'd be drooling all the way! The particular story stands not for its exotic period setting, but also the pain-ridden romance of the main pairing. It'd sweep you away. *nod*

RUB IN LOVE

mangaka : Sadahiro Mika
details : hard yaoi | NC-17 | murder, het, threesome
summary : After seeing his wife Hoshiko shot in front of him, Ruma is so severely traumatised he loses his memory. In steps his best friend Taiki, who vows to support and help him. However, Ruma soon discovers that Taiki's idea of support is physical intimacy (hot sex, to be more accurate), which strangely feels familiar to Ruma's body. As the two men lose themselves in each other, the memories start returning to Ruma, and he realises that Hoshiko's murder is far from simple, and that the relationship between the three of them is way more complicated than he thinks.

comments : A tightly-packed and nicely-paced story of betrayal and twisted love. I thoroughly enjoy this manga. It's RARE to come across yaoi manga that contains beautiful graphic sex, AND a good plot. Usually, one has to be compromised. I love how the mystery and intrique surrounding the three main characters are played out, and how little discoveries are fed to the readers so we know a bit at a time until we reach the climax of the story. There's a hint of perversion to the story however, but for me, it just makes things all the more interesting.

RYUU NO YUIGON

a.k.a : Legacy of the Dragon
mangaka : Senju Kitasato
details : yaoi | PG-13 | romance, dragons, fantasy
summary : Half-dragon, half-human Asagi is sworn to protect the demon-lord Tenran-sama ever since birth. What makes things difficult is that said Tenran-sama turns out to be a boyish-looking, flighty blonde who exercises a great deal of time and effort in getting Asagi to sleep with him (gotta love demons ^^;;). Not to mention the number of rivals who are looking to steal Tenran's immense powers.

comments : To put it simply, this manga is addictive. I can't seem to describe it properly. The story is refreshing, with the interplay between dragons and humans and other fantasy characters, but not particularly striking. The art is clean and pretty, but not very distinctive, IMO. And YET, everything comes together to form a very compelling manga. It could be the characters, who grow on you unawares until you find yourself just attached to them. It could also be the little twists and turns in the plot that keep you irresistably hooked. Or you know what, it could be just Tenran-sama's powers at work. ^_~

SAIKKYOU LOVER

mangaka : Takahashi Kanzaki
details : yaoi | R | bodyguards
summary : On the outside, Saji's one cool, daring and excellent bodyguard, and Ryosuke's his stoic, lethal partner. But on the inside, Saji also happens to be gay and unresponsive Ryosuke's exactly his type. While coping with work and sexual tension, the two men are sent on a new mission. And it is only when Saji gets hurt, that Ryosuke's icy exterior melts...There is also a side story in there of a cute but dense highschooler who doesn't realise that his love rival is actually in love with - yes, himself!

comments : Takahashi-sensei's works are very fun, in an adventurous way. This time, we have two gorgeous bodyguards with the moves, and the hots for each other, lol. I like the balance between action (assailants, hostage-taking, all sorts of things you'd come across as bodyguards) and the sizzling chemistry between our main couple! The bickering, the sexual tension, and the very real concern the two men have for each other just make them so fun to read!

SENSITIVE PORNOGRAPH

mangaka : Ashika Sakura
details : yaoi | NC-17 | general romance
summary : A collection of short stories evolving around pretty men and their romances. Fluffy, sweet, lemony in general. Stories include a gentle mangaka and his younger lover, a pair of childhood best friends who grew up to find that old promises die hard, an animal lover who finds that his latest pet-sitting assignment involves a pretty 'bunny' who is not just any ordinary pet!

comments : I think this is a good addition to anyone's manga collection. While none of the stories in the manga is particularly brilliant, as a whole, they make up a very good read. Each story varies in dosages of angst, lemon and cuteness, but they all share the same core of yaoi sweetness. The art is semi-graphic, pretty, with the characters tending to look rather young (the manga is NOT shota, though!). A very pleasant manga, definitely.

SENSUAL SKIN

mangaka : Ikushima Miya
details : yaoi | R | period, prostitution
summary : A dreamy boy-prostitute looks forward to the visits from a special customer - the handsome and troubled Master Kasukabe. Although in love with someone else, Kasukabe loses himself in the arms of the young prostitute. Not only until Kasukabe sees that it is impossible with the object of his affections, that he realises that the one he truly wants has been with him all this time.

comments : This is a short story that leaves a more lasting impression that many longer manga. The art is a tad raw, but pretty. The romance, which of course is the centrepiece of the story, is refreshing in its lingering sweetness and angst. Both main characters are well-characterised. The seme for one, is the more emotionally-vulnerable of the two. And the uke, although so young and fragile-looking, is really the solace for the seme. The fact that they're further separated by the client-prostitutue boundary just make things more bittersweet.

SHINYUU HENJOU

mangaka : Mizukami Shin
details : hard yaoi | NC-17 | schoolboys
summary : Shino and Mamoru are best friends, except Mamoru is totally in love with pretty Shino. Shino is oblivious, until they both enter high-school and are very abruptly introduced to the VERY yaoi atmosphere in school. To escape the attentions of the other boys, the two of them pretend to be boyfriends. Would this 'pretend-relationship' ever become something more?

comments : Very, very adorable and solid manga! The high-school setting is old stuff, but the blatantly yaoi backdrop is just amusing. Watch as Shino gets lusted after by the other seme-type boys, while Mamoru has to fend off the adorations from the 'sisters' (or ukes!) around him! The progression of our main couple's relationship is of course, the highlight of the entire story, and both of them are definitely endearing in their own rights. And surrounded by bizarre but amusing side-characters, you have the ingredients to a good high-school yaoi manga! The art style is striking and bold, and the yaoi scenes are most certainly - HOT. ^_~

SONO UDE DE BOKU WO DAITE

mangaka : Megumi Minami
details : yaoi | R | period drama, mythology
summary : This is a manga made up several different, unrelated stories. Each is distinctive in its own right. I shall just introduce the first story since it's what got me so hooked on the manga. Here goes : The Sun Emperor, ruler of the land, is a debauched and cruel young man who never gets enough of vice. Messara, his slave-master, is responsible for procuring an endless chain of slaves for his enjoyment. Beautiful and uncaring, Messara finally meets his match in the indomitable Dorogu. The forbidden love that ensues is shadowed by the dangerous presence of the Emperor.

comments : This manga is gorgeous. The stories are refreshingly unique, with some Roman/Greek influences (or Anglo-Saxon? pardon me ^^;;), and richly-detailed. Her art is lovely, with an intricacy that is just right for period-setting stories like these. Another element I have to mention about this manga is the angst of the romances. Understated, but bittersweet.

SYMPATHETIC PINS

mangaka : Takakura Rou
details : hard yaoi | NC-17 | humour, culture clash
summary : Genzou is a beautiful acupuncturist working at a clinic. Utterly bored with facing the scores of old people who visit the clinic, Genzou finally perks up when he gets a visit from a promising young American swimmer. Blond, blue-eyed and absolutely gorgeous, Chris Kidman quickly becomes Genzou's obsession. Making full use of cultural misconceptions and his leverage as a doctor, Genzou practices all sorts of unorthodox methods on Chris - mostly centred on Chris' well-endowed 'package'. Things come to a head when Genzou starts to realise that he's falling in love with the naively-adorable Chris, and decides on a final solution to snag the man.

comments : One of my all-time favourite smut manga, this one! If there's one thing you have to know about Takakura-sensei's works, it's that there's always this energy in all her manga. A lot of interaction, action and fun. ^^ Oh, and the fact that she draws such great smut doesn't hurt either! The main couple in this manga is hilarious. ^^ Genzou is wonderfully devilish and gleeful as the besotted acupuncturist (my, just look at the things he can do with his needles!) and Chris, the unwitting seme, is just so puppy-dog cute. And together, they make a damn hot pairing!

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