Customer Reviews

Hot Steamy Glasses (Yaoi Manga)

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

 

 

Giving this book a bad review is somewhat akin to kicking the proverbial puppy. It's so good-natured, and kind of cute in that ugly way, and it's trying so hard to please that one can't help but feel like a big meanie for rejecting it. Then again, I am a big meanie, and more importantly I can't in all good conscience recommend it.

DMP/June has made a point about playing up their co-publishing arrangements with Japanese houses like Oakla and Taiyo Tosho, but so far the results (this book being one of them) haven't been too impressive. Whether it's by sheer chance or whether the publishers are actively trying to select titles that they think will appeal to a broad readership (Heh. Sorry.), these manga are redolent of "safe," of publishing by committee.

So back to "Hot Steamy Glasses." The story doesn't stray from the usual BL pastures: successful businessman Takeo (he with the glasses) has been pining for his friend Fumiaki since they were both children. Fumiaki, after the obligatory but-I'm-not-gay protestations, start to reconsider his position (ahem). A metaphorical gold star for you if you can predict how the story ends.

The mangaka, Tatsumi Kaiya, executes this with an efficient competency, ticking off the boxes as she goes: avowals of undying love and devotion (check), comic-relief supporting characters (check), one characters gets sick and is nursed back to health by the other (check)--all of it rendered in a similarly pleasant yet static art style. Yet after a few chapters I would've gladly traded a ream of competency for some inspiration, or at least just one little bit of the unexpected.

I picked this title up because I liked the idea of a "nerd" (being one, myself) getting the cute guy in the end. Following a rather ho-hum and classic set-up (one reviewer put it much more eloquently than I), I felt the ending and "climax" fell way short. I didn't feel that either character really changed for the better in the end, and left me wishing for more depth to both of them, or a possibly different relationship for the main seme altogether (i.e. Shogo).

There is a bonus story after the main one about two other characters that came out of nowhere. I didn't care about the bonus characters at all and I would've liked to have had more closure on the main characters, instead. But the art is nice enough with a good, clean style.

All in all, nothing significantly groundbreaking in this manga. I'd put this in the "last resort" category.

This one is a lovely surprise. The characters are lively and appealing, the romance sweet, amusing and light hearted, with some anxious moments in the beginning. It would have been better if there is more explicit sex but the story line and characters more than make up for it.

Takeo is the rich and smart nerd. He has everthing except for the love of his life, Fumi-chan. You just have to take your hat off to Takeo for his diehard persistence. He has been chasing after Fumi-chan since childhood, constantly declaring his love for his seemingly unfriendly Fumi-chan, forever asking Fumi-chan to move in with him. Takeo has my full sympathy in the beginning chapters as the "poor" rich guy keeps on being rejected by the not a very "nice-guy" Fumi-chan. Does not help if Takeo comes across as just nerdy with his glasses and sweaty hair and a otaku to boot.
Then there is Fumi's younger brother, Shogo, and Takeo's tough as nail female employee, Kawahara. These 4 characters are appealing, their interaction lively and well done. As in "Party" (the mangaka's earlier release), we have again a bitchy and tough female supporing role, Kawahara, doing the lecturing and pushing, with some pretty hilarious scenes here between her and Fumi-chan. I enjoy the development of the romance and the last few chapters as Fumi-chan has a change of heart, are well done.
There is another short story which could have been more but like a short story it leaves one wanting.
Nice artwork and lively dialogue, I am glad to have this soft Yaoi in my collection.