I Thot You Was a Toad's manga / #slice of life(123)

New family, all brothers, should be gay paradise, but no smexing.

Slice-of-life story about advertising production manager, Daisuke, and his favourite photographer, Nishioka, a man who hides his attraction for "Dai-chan" under the disguise of acting like a spoilt infant terrible. Together, they weather office intrigue and unprofessional conduct in job settings that actually resemble real life jobs. Touko Kawaii's usual flair for great characterization turns ordinary things into extraordinary fun. The only complaint is that any text which runs along the page gutter by the spine in the second volume is almost indecipherable.

Three brothers with no housekeeping skills are left to fend for themselves, so the oldest hires a male housekeeper who comes with a surprising twist.

A beautiful and realistic slow-paced story about Kido Yuusuke, a young gay man fresh off recent heartbreak, who tries to play it cool with the casual dating scene, but has the misfortune of "Grindr-ing" Kamiyama Kouki, whose own tragic past has made him a kind and considerate lover beyond the norm. What else can Yuusuke do except fall for him in a big way? But does the older Kouki even want those feelings from such a young and untested partner? The second story is also a sweet one about a gay man, with a history of being exploited by closeted homosexuals, who becomes flatmate with a straight man. Asou Mitsuaki's soft and very beautifully drawn pictures have a quality about them that reminds me of 19th-century European engravings.

Jin, a stock trader and used bookstore owner, takes his friend, Touma's, recommendation to use Seina, a tattoo artist, to cover some messed up ink on his back. Seina intrigues him, and they develop a friendship before Touma drops the bombshell that Seina is his estranged brother. Jin refuses to get involved in Touma's family problems, but when Seina discovers that Jin is friends with Touma, their friendship takes an unorthodox turn. A gentle and slow-paced friendship-into-love story with some striking tattoo designs.

The lives and loves of cheese shop ikemen in an "every boy is gay" yaoi paradise.

A series of earthy oneshots based on the hilarity and weirdness of sex, its humiliating aspects more than its transcendental romance. In this sense, the stories are truthful and realistic, but not easy going. Some of them are almost painfully embarrassing, but there is a kind of beauty in that. I have a lot more respect for Aniya Yuiji after this volume than I did before. Her artwork used to bother me, especially the sweatier, gruntier images. Now I appreciate what she's trying to say. The last story really sums it up. It's worth reading for that alone.

A businessman and chronic liar meets an honest and forthright young college student at a drinking party. The kid has his number, tells him off and leaves his ego hungry for revenge seduction, but agrees to try him out as a dating partner for a month to see if that perception is skewed or not. Good art and interesting start.