Customer Reviews

Tough Love Baby (Yaoi) (Deux)

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

 

 

Yoshino is a 26 yd old waiter. He is back again in city after three years. He left when he realized he had feeling not for his girlfriend, but for her little brother Sachi. Now Sachi is 19 yd old and fate wants that Yoshino goes to live near him. When he sees again the boy, he almost doesn't recognize him: Sachi is a big guy and he is also in a street gang. But after some days of iceness between them, Yoshino and Sachi finally admit their feeling.

Tamotsu is Sachi's best friend. He remembers how Sachi has suffered when Yoshino left years before and he doesn't want that Sachi would be wonded again. But he can't do nothing, Yoshino will be always first in Sachi's heart. And then Tamotsu has met a young guy, Sora, 16 yd old and so gentle and shy. After some years of innocent relationship, they become lovers and Sora goes to live with him when he starts college. But Sora is not more the boy he met, and growing up he becomes a man, with all the needs of a man. Tamotsu will be able to acept this new side of Sora?

Without doubt the second couple, Tamotsu and Sora steal the scene to Yoshino and Sachi. To be sincere, I really don't understand well Yoshino and Sachi's relationship, and felt interest only when Tamotsu was around. Instead the second story is more involving and interesting, and also complete.

The graphic is very sexy, even if both the story are almost "chaste" (with only some sex hints from the second couple). Sex is more told than drawn. But the "tough boy" looks of Sachi and Tamotsu are very "cool".

A great cast of characters, a mix of angst, sexiness and comedy. If you like the manga-ka's other work, 'Yakuza in Love', then you'll enjoy this one, too!

I have always been a big fan of Shiuko Kano's artwork. Her boys are very hott indeed, and this book is no exception. It follows a kind of love quadrangle. It starts out with Yoshino and Sachi meeting again after many years. Yoshino had been dating Sachi's sister, but had left after realizing he had more feelings for Sachi. Sachi was brokenhearted when he left. The other story is about Sachi's friend Tamotsu, who is in love with him, but Sachi, of course, is in love with Yoshino. However, a younger classmate named Sora peaks Tamotsu's interest. The story was good, and there were some touching scenes, etc. Not enough graphic ones, in my opinion, but there were a few:p

I really liked other works by this author (Shiuko Kano), such as "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone" and "Maybe I'm Your Steppin' Stone". This manga is less explicit (it's one of Shiuko's early works, written in 1995), it does not have any frontal nudity. But it does have some nice sex scenes, and the stories are just outstanding: very romantic, warm, and witty, with interesting and fun-to-read plot. The last chapter ("Switch?!") was particularly funny (it's on "role reversal"...). The book centers just on 2 couples (who all know each other); there are no "bonus" short stories.
This is one of those yaoi manga that can put a reader in a good mood right away. I enjoyed it more than "Yakuza in Love" (another work by Shiuko Kano), for instance, as the plot is much more believable and "down-to-earth". In short, I recommend it to all hard (18+) yaoi fans (though with a warning that it's not that explicit, and is not really a "hardcore" yaoi. However, it does contain some mature material).

While I'm a fan, I really didn't enjoy this story as much as I thought.