Customer Reviews

Loveholic Volume 1 (Yaoi) (v. 1)

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4 star:		(1)
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I love this manga. I'd vaguely heard the name before but never paid attention to it until I stumbled across it on Amazon and read a few reviews, then decided to just go for it. I'm so glad I bought it!

I tend to like character development in my yaoi/shounen ai and get a little irritated with the stories that have characters go from thinking they're straight or not questioning a relationship with someone they know to sleeping with them in 0.002 seconds. That's not the case with Loveholic. I'll try not to repeat too much of what other reviewers have said though I agree with the fact that this is a great manga and I love the expressions. I actually like the art as well, and Nishioka is adorable in his glasses.

So aside from the fact that this story has a plausible plot, good character development, and likable characters (Nishioka yells and complains a lot but I find it endearing for him and Matsukawa's gentle, reserved nature conveys a sense of almost sadness at times without it ever explicitly being stated), what I actually loved the most were tiny little details in the art that made the people seem more realistic. For instance, there's a part where Matsukawa is leaning between elevator doors and the way he's posed is how I've seen real people pose in similar situations. In another part, Nishioka is staying late and he's troubled, has a lot on his mind, and is trying to act casual so his assistant doesn't notice; rather than having him sitting statically at the table, he's drawn leaning against the table with his upper arms, one leg supporting him on the ground, the other bent and resting on a rolling chair next to him. I saw that and thought, "I've done that before when I was in a particular mood."

The expressions and poses of the characters convey their own sense of emotions and thoughts without needing little bubbles all over the place stating, "And now Nishioka is feeling sad." I never realized before how much that can impact a story, and how little other manga does that, until I started noticing the details in Loveholic.

Another thing I love is that there are two little stories included in this volume that show an excerpt of each of Nishioka and Matsukawa's pasts, giving a glimpse into why they are the way they are now, and also giving an explanation as to why they could accept having some sort of relationship/ sexual relationship with each other. The flashbacks/back stories are well done, in my opinion, although Nishioka's did briefly confuse me because I couldn't tell if it was a flashback or something current and the borders around the panels weren't black. But I figured it out in the end.

I seriously wish I could buy the entire series right now. I can't wait for Volume 2...

This soft core Yaoi between Matsukawa, a successful executive, and Nishioka, an independent photographer, is just the type of heartwarming and emotional romance I expect from Toko Kawai. Her artwork may not be the best but I marvel at her ability to inject so much feelings into the facial expressions of her characters. Her words may be simple but they are underlined with emotional depth and her story telling skill is remarkable.
Both Matsukawa and Nishioka are well developed characters. They have been badly scarred by their unhappy pasts and therefore afraid to love again. On the surface they seem to drive each other nuts. But deep down they do care for each other as their feelings caught up with them over the years. Here the mangaka does a marvellous job building up the emotions, from the subtly hint of attraction to full blown need for the other. Her plot is well thought out, credible, engaging, warm and sprinkled with humorous moments. The revelation of both men's unhappy pasts does catch me by surprise, especially Matsukawa's story which is deeply touching and tragic. Finally the last bonus short story is especially sweet.
A great release from Junemanga and I definitely look forward to the evolution of their love in Loveholic 2.

i have been a fan of this series for a long time when it was scanlated by fans, and could barely contain my eagerness to see it in print in english. loveholic displays all the delicate touches inherent to all the works of kawai-sensei, and then some. compared to her earlier works, the themes, characterization and the writing in loveholic is a testament of her maturity as an artist and storyteller.

the manga revolves around two seemingly opposite characters; nishioka the eccentric and temperamental photographer and matsukawa, the cool, calm and collected advertising executive. both are involved through work and despite the differences in personality, both actually shares a long history and friendship. the volume slowly explores the growth of their initially platonic relationship as it deepens into a more intimate bond. nishioka and matsukawa recognizes - subconsciously or otherwise - the strong attraction to each other, and takes their time in figuring out what exactly they want from the other. their cautiousness stems from the fact that both has been scarred by personal tragedies in their past. on his part, matsukawa's maturity comes at a bitter price, while nishioka still struggles to reconcile with his past.

the sedate pacing underscores the poignant revolution of their love story and showcases the intricacies of human relations. in this sense, it is truly an adult romance. kawai-sensei's gentle touch graces the tale with a sensitivity that is often overlooked by many yaoi (even traditional romantic) mangas. it is not to say that the characters does not resonate on a sexual level; they do, but it is their deep understanding of each other that serves as the foundation of the plotline, making the manga utterly beautiful and fulfilling.

the art, as always, is typical to kawai-sensei. her character designs are lanky and gorgeous, the lines simple and uncomplicated. the facial expressions are delicate and expressive, which reflects her themes and writing style very well. i enjoy the chibi-fied forms as well. her panels are generally simple and clean, but not too sparse. the plot, while angsty, is interspersed with many comic moments, with a natural flow to it and she makes some of the most memorable supporting characters, especially kumi, nishioka's perky assistant. like most of her work, loveholic so far remains soft yaoi with not too revealing love scenes. those looking for racier mangas should look elsewhere.

this volume is a magnificent start to the loveholic series. i look forward to the continuation of the adventures of nishioka and matsukawa in the future. being a big fan of touko kawai fan, i may be biased, but this is one of the better offerings in the genre, and worth a check.

I actually read this book waayy back when it was fan-translated and I made SURE to get my very own copy! The translation is better and tighter then the fan work- which is how it should be, but often is not.

Toko Kawai's art is beautiful and her characters tend to be more adult,less hormonal. Hey, these guys have carreers that DON'T depend on sleeping with the boss or a co-worker. The story itself has a slow build for most yaoi fans, but the resulting relationship is cute as brash photographer Nishioka comes to realize he has feelings for his contact in an advertizing co Matsukawa, and comes to realize that said contact has always, quietly been watching him since they first met- 5 years ago.

And hey, if you're anxious for action, the last chapter and the short- showing 18 year old spoiled, directionless Matsukawa and reveals the reasons why he is so gentle and patient TODAY- should be right up your alley!

The story involves Nishioka, a hot-headed photographer and the cooler, Matsukawa, an advertising agent, who frequently find themselves working together.

The story isn't really plot based- instead we really just watch as the two characters interact and slowly recognise the feelings they have for each other over time. This might not sound like anything too exciting, but the story is handled very well, which makes this a really engaging read. Both characters are well developed and the story just instantly draws you in. It's also pretty light-hearted, which makes it an entertaining read.

If you like Toko Kawai's other mangas, this definitely won't disappoint. As ever, her artwork here is beautiful and the story and characters have a lot of depth. There isn't anything that explicit but across the two volumes there are a few pretty hot scenes.

If you're looking for a solid, sweet read, I really recommend this. Over time this manga has really grown on me- it's definitely one of my favourites!

This is a soft yaoi about Matsukawa a manager of an adversiting company and Nishioka a photograher who are always agruing with each other. The story starts of slow but as you go along it get interesting as they realize each other's feelings for one another.

Toko Kawai artwork is pretty good but I like the way she puts more emphasis in the characters expressions as the story develops.