The cover copy had me thinking that there might be some incest here, but that was one thing that was thankfully absent. What I wasn't prepared for was how genuinely funny this book was - Tetsuo's over the top reactions, the absurd situations, Momo's deceptively shy blushes - I was giggling the whole way through. And there's more to it than just that - the broken father/son relationship between Tetsuo and Haruka, the innocent relationship that's budding between Tama and the rather less innocent Haruka, and even Michiro's incompletely hidden feelings add up to a book that's fabulously well written and executed.
Humor that just works, well realized characters, and a story that leaves the reader guessing but dying to know more - it's hard to go wrong with this combination. I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume. Highly recommended. --Danielle Van Gorder - Mania Entertainment
This was a fun, fun read. Shiuko Kano takes an eclectic group of characters and puts them through their emotional paces. Tetsuo, age 32, writes porn comics for a living. The irony is that he s impotent, and has been for two years. His estranged 15 year old son has just moved in, and the two clash constantly. A father at the tender age of 17, Tetsuo never felt like a father, and doesn t want to start now. After snooping through his belongings, Tetsuo discovers that his son, Haruka, is gay. Argh! What s a self-respecting, sexually frustrated father to do?
The characters make this story an absolute blast. Tetsuo is a bit of a loser, having fathered a son with his best friend s sister when he was in high school. He wanted nothing to do with the child, but Izumi decided to keep the baby and raise him herself. When she is offered a promotion and has to relocate to France, Haruka refuses to move with her, and instead insists on moving in with the father he barely knows. Why? He s in love with Tama, and doesn t want to leave his classmate behind.
Right from the start, Tetsuo is no match for the smart mouthed, wise beyond his years Haruka. There s no love lost between the two, and Haruka admits that the only reason he wanted to move in with Tetsuo is because he lives near the same high school that Tama attends. He thinks of Michiro, his uncle and Tetsuo s best friend, as more of a father figure than Tetsuo. With all of this conflict to greet him at home, Tetsuo isn t usually very eager to spend much time there, which leads to the "incident."
Walking home one day, events conspire against Tetsuo, and he finds himself in an adult movie theater with Momoyama, a complete stranger. With his little problem, Tetsuo really has no interest in the movie, but as Momoyama becomes aroused, Tetsuo finds himself helping the other man find a little release, without really stoppipng and thinking about what he s doing. Touching another man! There? A complete stranger, to boot? When he comes to his senses, Tetsuo realizes that he s made a huge blunder, but he can t help himself from thinking about the incident over and over. Things take a decided turn for the worse when he learns that Momoyama is his new neighbor! Argh!
There are so many romantic entanglements crammed into this book. Everything is presented with a sense of humor, as the writer teases both the characters and the readers with ridiculous and silly situations. Even Michiro, Tetsuo s usually unflappable friend, isn t immune to the sexual tensions suddenly rife in the air. Hormones get kicked into high gear, and nobody is safe from their rampaging testosterone. Crisp illustrations and attractive character designs round out the reading experience, and at the end of this volume, all I wanted was the next! Between Kiss All the Boys and Yakuza in Love, Shiuko Kano has become a must read artist for me. --Julie - Manga Maniac Cafe
This was a fun, fun read. Shiuko Kano takes an eclectic group of characters and puts them through their emotional paces. Tetsuo, age 32, writes porn comics for a living. The irony is that he s impotent, and has been for two years. His estranged 15 year old son has just moved in, and the two clash constantly. A father at the tender age of 17, Tetsuo never felt like a father, and doesn t want to start now. After snooping through his belongings, Tetsuo discovers that his son, Haruka, is gay. Argh! What s a self-respecting, sexually frustrated father to do?
The characters make this story an absolute blast. Tetsuo is a bit of a loser, having fathered a son with his best friend s sister when he was in high school. He wanted nothing to do with the child, but Izumi decided to keep the baby and raise him herself. When she is offered a promotion and has to relocate to France, Haruka refuses to move with her, and instead insists on moving in with the father he barely knows. Why? He s in love with Tama, and doesn t want to leave his classmate behind.
Right from the start, Tetsuo is no match for the smart mouthed, wise beyond his years Haruka. There s no love lost between the two, and Haruka admits that the only reason he wanted to move in with Tetsuo is because he lives near the same high school that Tama attends. He thinks of Michiro, his uncle and Tetsuo s best friend, as more of a father figure than Tetsuo. With all of this conflict to greet him at home, Tetsuo isn t usually very eager to spend much time there, which leads to the "incident."
Walking home one day, events conspire against Tetsuo, and he finds himself in an adult movie theater with Momoyama, a complete stranger. With his little problem, Tetsuo really has no interest in the movie, but as Momoyama becomes aroused, Tetsuo finds himself helping the other man find a little release, without really stoppipng and thinking about what he s doing. Touching another man! There? A complete stranger, to boot? When he comes to his senses, Tetsuo realizes that he s made a huge blunder, but he can t help himself from thinking about the incident over and over. Things take a decided turn for the worse when he learns that Momoyama is his new neighbor! Argh!
There are so many romantic entanglements crammed into this book. Everything is presented with a sense of humor, as the writer teases both the characters and the readers with ridiculous and silly situations. Even Michiro, Tetsuo s usually unflappable friend, isn t immune to the sexual tensions suddenly rife in the air. Hormones get kicked into high gear, and nobody is safe from their rampaging testosterone. Crisp illustrations and attractive character designs round out the reading experience, and at the end of this volume, all I wanted was the next! Between Kiss All the Boys and Yakuza in Love, Shiuko Kano has become a must read artist for me. --Julie - Manga Maniac Cafe
