Customer Reviews

Only the Ring Finger Knows (Yaoi)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

first of all, this manga was published under the yaoi series, which is kinda of stretching it... so fellow buyers beware. this is strictly shounen-ai territory. heck, there isn't any groping at all, other than a few really beautiful kisses... heh heh heh.

non-yaoiness aside, i really, really enjoyed this manga. the plot is not strictly typical and i think both characters are well portrayed; although for the most part it's shown through the eyes of wataru. this highschool student's life takes a rather drastic turn when his fate became entertwined with that of the older, uber-cool and nearly perfect school idol yuichi kazuki. readers basically know that there's more to it than meets the eye, but the authors were able to entice readers with tasty tidbits along the way but still retaining the suspense (if i can label it that) until the very end. it helps that both wataru and kazuki are believable, both showing unique characteristics and quirks that added to their appeal. in fact, i can't really say which of them i find more appealing; the normally hot tempered, straightforward (albeit sweet) and understandably bewildered wataru or the cool and collected kazuki who behaves cryptically only towards wataru. i also appreciate the way the authors manage to make wataru seem confused by kazuki without relegating him to the category of weepy, spineless ukes (he's really spunky) and the understated way they portray unguarded moments in kazuki... one can't help but sympathize with the situation faced by these two.

now on to the art... i really like the way odagiri draws the manga. it's soft, beautiful and strangely calming without being too shoujo-ish. although both kazuki and wataru are slender and beautiful, they never seem girlish. it's a very tricky line to tread, and the illustrator manages it phenomenally. i adore the way she draws the eyes, for a single look really conveys a multitude of meanings in the way she handles them. the background art is neither too detailed nor opulent but it fits the overall look very well.

what i regret is the fact that this is a single volume manga, which is based on i think a series of novels by kannagi. i really wanted to see the continuation of this manga, and unless the novels are translated and published here, the further adventures of both wataru and kazuki remained a mystery for us english readers.

all in all, a very satisfying read and money well spent.

Yaoi fans will be thrilled with the recent releases of English translations, after relying so long on 1) fan translation (at best) 2) raw Japanese yaoi (no clue about story dialogue etc.) 3) years of Japanese classes just to get the Sound Effects right.

Only the Ring Finger Knows isn't strictly Yaoi, but don't let that stop you. The story and dialogue is worth the trade in for the few explicit scenes that would have pushed this into Yaoi category.

The story is sweet and angsty, and the dialogue translation conveys that sweet/painful boy love crisis that's so satisfyingly painful and enjoyable to read. Snarky fights? Denial brigade? No silly weepiness? o yeah!

Plus, the art. Clean lines, gorgeous modern eyes (a mix of Chi-Ran and Takakura Row - but sharp and spare, reminiscent Higa Sakia) and lush jaw lines. The boys are in high school, so the clothes are mostly school uniform, but the 3rd and 4th parts has modern street casual black that is quite droolworthy. The school uniforms with loosened tie and collars, and black pants are worth a dozen explicit scenes. And if you're a fan of long and lean lines, bony but sexy arms (even the elbows are a turnon in this volume), this is the style for you.

This is one where even the side chibi versions are cute (pretty) rather than cute (ridiculous).

Definitely one of the best selections out there, at the tail end of 2004.

Quality: The sheer quality of this product was what struck me the most. Though it is a bit bigger and therefore more costly, I found the size very fitting to see all the subtle things that is in the stylized art. The coloured shiny dust jacket was a nice touch even though I found it unnecessary, especially when I noticed the greyscale duplicate underneath. Nice overall binding and paper quality. This company knows its stuff even if you have to chock up a few extra bucks.

Art: Very stylized and resembles the classic bishounen style. Long wispy strands of hair, large eyes, impossibly long lean bodies, and expressive delicate fingers. The expressions are nice and are not heavily overexaggerated but believable. Subtle. Light. And very clean with few tones so it doesn't take away the overall look of the page. The cover wasn't that attractive to me (though the colouring was nice and soft) but the page art fits the romantic story. Unfortunately, I did notice a few inconsistency in the artwork and at times can't tell the two main characters apart (sometimes the hair colour switches for dramatic effect).

Character/Plot:In general, a basic shonen-ai relationship with a fairly easy to follow story. The twist in the end doesn't come out of the blue so it doesn't leave the reader in a confused dazed. Not overly angsty. And a happy ending. The characters are believable with their own faults but have a somewhat cliched personalities. However, this does not make them any less lovable. Do not pick up expecting to see sex scenes. Instead, be statisfied with very very very wonderfully paced kisses. It leaves you feeling satisfied but eager for more.

Overall, one of the best romantic mangas I've read. I can even see myself loving this even if its a girl-boy relationship. Great layout of panels, thus allowing fluid eye flow and a 'movie' like feeling whilst reading. If you were to introduce any one to the yaoi/shonen-ai genre, this would be perfect. Let's review the reasons why:

1. Its a one shot. A simple quick read but leaves a lasting impression without suspense in the end.
2. An art style that is common in the world of yaoi/shonen-ai (shojo in general really) but still retains its own originality.
3. I can't say enough of the impressive quality. Say what you will but quality has alot to do with how a person views what is inside the covers.
4. I have to rave about the panel flow. Though subtle, it is a key factor in a good manga read without a headache.
5. No major shock factor(IE sex scences, gropage, not even sexual talk/implications). Just simply sweet kisses.

And even for a veteran, this is a nice break from those heavy scenes, neh? Shame it is a one-shot. =/ I would be one of the many who would eagerly pick up a sequel just to experience it anew.

Hi there, I hope this review helps you if you are interested in the BL genre of Shonen-Ai or YAOI.

Storyline: *****
Artwork: ***
Nudity: none
Kissing scenes: 3
Did it keep my interest: Absolutely

Wow. This book is hard to put down, and the twist at the end is incredible - worth waiting for. If you are a shonen-ai fan or love romance you'll love it, but if you are a firm YAOI fan with decidedly 'adult' tastes, you'll be disappointed (try the Kizuna series for more satisfaction).

Wataru is a cute high school student who has a crush on the most popular attractive guy, a senior named Kazuki. They bump into each other for the first time at a wash-basin where they accidentally mix up their identical rings. The story winds its way around the subsequent interactions between them, with Kazuki often appearing cold towards Wataru - and yet he conveniently runs into Wataru often enough! Every interaction between these two has a spark in it, and you will be left wondering what's going to happen in the next interaction, how each is going to react, and eagerly anticipating the next encounter.

The feel of the story is angsty, and the ending is highly romantic. A tasteful, beautiful love story. I admit I *almost* cried. But I'm not that sentimental, so I didn't. :-)

For my tastes, the artwork is pretty enough, but the two main characters look very much alike.

Great story, well presented plot with fabulous twist near the end.

Being new to the manga world, but a huge fan of anything japanese, i borrowed this from a friend. I've pretty much only been into fighting manga, but lately i've been giving in to my inherent romantic... and this story was perfect for that. Not only was I going "ooohh... pretty..." but i was also going "damn, kind of hot..." and "awww... so cute!!" and i always love it when guys are awkward... these characters are definitely real and have their own unique "styles" (they don't seem like exact replicas of each other). There were a couple frames where I got the flow mixed up, but I sorted it out when i read it again... and again...

i wish there were more!!

*sigh*

tastefully done. my heart soars!

(oh, and i have the same birthday as kazuki--that's cool!!)

It's labeled as yaoi, but it definitely falls into the shonen-ai category. Still, I loved it. The plot is emotionally heart-wrenching and very believable, and the art style is crisp, clear, and beautiful. You just root for Wataru and Yuichi to get together throughout the whole manga.

The manga is basically from Wataru's point of view. One day, he meets the senior Kazuki Yuichi. Yuichi's rumored to be one of the nicest guys in the whole school, but he's strangely harsh when it comes to dealing with Wataru. Their personalities clash during their subsequent meetings, but Wataru somehow finds himself falling for Yuichi. But you'll have to read the manga to find out how it ends.

Other reviewers mentioned the bold words, but I didn't find that they detracted from the manga. However, the translation of -san to Mr. left a bit to be desired. A few awkward phrases here and there, but overall, it was pretty good.

From the author's and artist's notes, the manga seems to be based on Kannagi-san's novels. Unfortunately, these novels are pretty hard to find. They're not even available on amazon.co.jp. It's a pity, as I can hardly put my manga down, even months after buying it. Idefinitely want to read more about this couple.

When i first saw this book on Amazon i thought 'Oh look, another love story with school kids, that's never been done before'. i was highly sceptical. on first look at the book cover i took a look at one boy (i now know he's called Wataru)and had assumed that he had fallen into the Yoai trap. To me this is when one of the two boys looks like a girl and has so much mannerisms of a girl they might as well of been a girl. the boy that whines all the time, cries all the time, gets borderline hysterical (drawing parallels to Gravitation here). it ain't cute, it's annoying.
But then i actually read the book, and it was absolutely
brilliant!! i wouldn't call it a yoai, rather a shonen-ai as there was about 3 kisses and 2 hugs (i'm only human...plus yoai obsessed)but it was still damn good! The best part was that Wataru actually acted like a boy! He didn't cry shamelessly once, yet the emotion was done beautifully. there was no obvious stereotypes, and the plot had the odd twist to keep you going to the very end.
You MUST add this book to your collection. It creates the sensitive mood for two boys who realise they love each other, without going overboard and creating two characters that can BOTH be liked.
The only bad thing is that i wondered when the the second volume was coming out...heartbroken!

This was definitely a good manga in disguise for me. I was browsing through the yaoi manga, trying to find something that wasn't rated above 16+ but that I hadn't read before, and lo and behold, I stumbled upon this. If you pick this up, be prepared for a wonderful manga.

This is a one-volume manga - something that is actually rather disappointing - so don't look for anything more. Don't let that turn you away, though! Even though I would very much enjoy another few volumes of this, even the one was brilliant. Even if you dislike homosexual relationships, I would still recommend this - the yaoi title is very misleading, because it's definitely shounen-ai, with a definite emphasis on love.

The artwork is lovely - it's somehow the classic bishounen style and yet is so new and awe-inspiring that some pages you could look at for ten minutes without moving (especially if you're a shounen-ai lover like me!). It is the same sort of effeminate bishounen that tend to be common, so some people might be put off by that, but again, don't be misled! The true beauty of this manga is not solely in the beautifully rendered artwork but also in the storyline.

Yes, this was a novel before it was transformed into a manga, and it shows in the wonderful plot. The story might sound a bit silly and immature, but it's very serious and almost heart-wrenching in places. It's got quite a bit of angst in it as well, from beginning to end, but it's a feel-good story that you really can't pass up. Each page and each line flows very well together, and almost all of it is told from Wataru's point of view, which lends the manga a first-person feel.

Indeed, the characters make this manga one that you simply cannot put down. They are so realistic and likeable despite their flaws - or perhaps because of them. Their emotions and thoughts and actions are so wonderful to piece together and try to explain and figure out - which you naturally do with regard to every character, especially Kazuki (as he is the object of Wataru's attention). Kazuki's contradictory nature and Wataru's awkward, defiant confusion draw you in almost immediately, and there are hints and little occurrences littered all throughout the manga that keep you intrigued and interested until the very end.

It's left in its original, unflipped format; however, the translation does seem to be a bit off in a few places, namely where they have removed the suffixes and attempted to translate them into English instead. It's also a bit larger than most other manga - about an inch is added to both height and width - but this is actually a plus in that it gives us bigger images. The yaoi label would probably be more accurate as shounen-ai, as there are only three kissing scenes, which are actually rather chaste in comparison to other shounen-ai and yaoi manga. It's rated 16+ for said kissing scenes and alcohol use, but the rating is still a little high

Only The Ring Finger Knows is full of sweetness and angst that's bound to leave you overflowing with glee at the end. The bittersweet storyline is original and far above and beyond that of most manga. With only one volume, it's well worth the buy just for the stunning characters and the lovely storyline. This is a manga that no-one should be without.

I must admit, with a title like "Only The Ring Finger Knows" I was a afraid to read this manga, especially since some of the yaoi graphic novels are indeed a bit too graphic for me! My sister convinced me to read this though, and boy am I glad!
The whole story is incredibly cute, almost nauseating at times, and the little twist at the end just makes you go "awwww, that is SO kawaii!" So people, if you're looking for some cute shonen-ai, buy this! If you want some good boy/boy action, then sorry - this will leave you unsatisfied.

I picked up this book, because I am a big fan of shonen-ai. I did not know what to expect, and was very pleased. It turned out to exactly the type of story I was looking for. A nice love story between two pretty boys. I hope that Digital Manga continues to release books of this caliber. I recommend it to anyone who is even a tiny bit curious about yaoi.