Customer Reviews

Togainu no Chi Volume 1 (v. 1)

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

 

 

As you can tell from other reviews of this manga, there isn't going to be that much shonen-ai (at least in the first 6 books, or so I've heard). However, I think the problem that most people have is that they start reading expecting the genre to be first and foremost shonen-ai. Having read the first 2 books, I have to say that it is action first and shonen-ai on the side, which I actually like. Even if there isn't any more obvious shonen-ai than has already occurred in this first manga, I would be happy with the series.

I don't understand why anyone who has read the description of the story would expect the series to be strongly romance. The description instead seems to suggest that the series will be strongly action, so I think that some of the criticisms are a bit harsh. Plot development is important to a good story, and I have to say that it seems that previous critiques of the story seem to not care if there is plot or not, they just want to see boys kissing, which I find to be an immature and unrealistic way of looking at romance. I know that the series is based off a yaoi BL game, but it is only based off of it, it isn't an exact replication of the game into manga format, and it doesn't have to be.

All in all, I think that if you actually read the description of the series, you will expect exactly what you receive: an action with some BL (Keisuke has a very obvious crush on Akira, although he hasn't acted on it). It's a nice variation from other shonen-ai in that the romance isn't the whole point of the manga.

Let me start off by saying I bought this manga by mistake. Several months earlier, I had stumbled upon a fan scanalation of something called Togainu no chi, and although the story wasn't that interesting (it's based on a video game), the drawings were very attractive. So when I saw it licensed, I just added it to my cart without thinking much. It turned out I hadn't done enough research. There are two manga series with this title; the one I was impressed with was drawn by Tomoe Sato and as far as I know, it's not licensed for release in the States.

The story revolves around a street-fighting game sponsored by a drug cartel in a war-torn district of former Tokyo. A government organization offers Akira, the main character, the chance to get out of prison if he manages to destroy the drug cartel from the inside. In order to do so, he must participate in the game.

The art style annoyed me the most. It's computer drawn, with a tablet, and shaded in Photoshop. It's an action series, but the pages are mostly crammed with tiny panels and so much text it took me much longer to finish this volume then it ever did for any other manga. As a result, most pages look blurry and hard to follow, with poor line quality and oppressive shading that looks the same everywhere. I may be old-fashioned, but I much prefer pen on paper and sticky screen tones.

While I'm still somewhat interested in knowing what will happen to Akira, Keisuke and other characters, I'm not sure I'll be buying the next volume of this. Maybe I can just find a kind soul who will tell me how the story ends, so I don't have to subject myself to several more hours of a poorly executed manga. Since I got it here on Amazon for a discount, I shouldn't complain too much, but for the store price of $10.99 (which is what TokyoPop charges these days for new manga), it's a rip-off. Save your money and get something else instead.

When you see a manga based on a raunchy and violent boi love game, naturally you'd assume there'd be more than a hint or whiff of yaoi somewhere. But a whiff is all you get here. I get they're trying to string readers a long with pages and pages of plot, babbling and exposition in an effort to stretch out the story and sell books. But I'd think they would take cues from all the successful yaoi manga out there and throw yaoi fans a bone every now and then. Preferably 2 of them. There's way too much talking, not even enough action or fighting or violence if I were to look as this as if it were just a violent shonen manga. It just fails on both accounts. But I do enjoy the character designs and the characters themselves, I just wish they DID something. I don't know if i love them enough to pay for more manga where nothing happens on the slim chance they may stop talking ><

The story is really so it'll get you hooked once you start reading it. It makes you want to know whats gonna happen next, so keep reading/buy it!