Ranked #98

Haru Wo Daiteita (Manga)

Holy~ AV actors???

In case you didn't know, AV means Adult Video. Yes that's right, this manga looks at the life of two young and aspiring AV actors who are trying to gain fame in the acting world, the long-haired blonde hunk Katou Youji and the serious black-haired Iwaki Kyousuke. At first glance, this looks like your typical, boring, predictable yaoi manga: They fight for their positions, get (insert some bad interaction here) with each other, and the next thing you know, they totally absorb their roles and fall in love.

But no, this is not your typical yaoi anime. Not at all.

Sure the plot seems to be a normal, "ho-hum I've seen this 9762726 times in drama before" kind of thing, but as the story progresses, you begin to see the untypical part of this yaoi manga: LE GASP! It actually has PLOT! Most yaoi manga (or even the mention of the word yaoi) either contains hard-pumping hot sex with NO plot at all (take Asami Tohjoh and Yugi Yamada for instance), or too much plot with hardly any love scenes. But Haru wo Daiteita is so balanced, a ballerina would fall off her feet on a balance beam! Well okay maybe not THAT balanced but you get the idea.

Now don't get me wrong. I love yaoi from the bottom of my heart. It's just that Haru wo Daiteita moves so beautifully, so smoothly, that even extras in the middle of some chapters actually fit into the plot! And the good thing is, as a reader, you can feel the extreme chemistry and TRUE TRUE love between Iwaki and Katou. This, in my opinion, is the first ever yaoi that has featured REAL, TRUE, GENUINE love. Sure, some yaoi has that "owh I love this guy and I'll willingly die for him" kind of thing, but what makes HWD different is that they ACTUALLY put their words into actions. And OMG you cannot believe this: It features marriage. Yes, the first yaoi manga I've read that features marriage. This further proves their true love for each other.

One thing I don't like about is how it gets too sappy at times ^.~ It's the "give me a break, I'm getting a toothache" kind of sappiness. Especially since they use overly tired lines such as "Owh Iwaki-san I love you so much I'd die for you" or something of that nature.

This manga is excellent in the way it was plotted out: not too much or too little sex scenes, balanced showing of their business and private lives, and the occasional love triangle plot (Miyasaki and Kikuchi and that reporter guy who looks like Iwaki XDDD and numerous others). It certainly satisfies all people who like yaoi, even those who don't like seeing sex scenes very much. Because sex-scenes here are different: while in most yaoi, you can't really feel the love, in HWD sex-scenes give you goosebumps and just leave you in awe, "wow, they really love each other..." and to quote Miyasaki, "a beautiful thing".

And... I gave this a low character rating because in my opinion, although Katou and Iwaki's character developments are excellent, is that they're another part of the overused, ready-made characters. Iwaki, a serious guy with black hair who has a hard time expressing himself. Katou, a hot-headed blonde who is extremely possessive. Ho-hum, I mean, how many times have we seen characters like this? And also, the art is beautiful and elegant, but as I am an extreme CLAMP fan, I find the art style to be semi-old and think that it would have been better if they were drawn as skinnier, cuter bishies. Of course, that's just me fangirling. XDDD

Overall, this manga is a MUST read for those who love yaoi with plot. It, in my opinion, satisfies everyone, including those who look for hot sex-scenes and those who look for just something sappy that will give them goosebumps all over. If you like yaoi, no matter how you like it, this is definitely something that should be on your list. If you, as a yaoi fan, don't read this, you have just missed one of the greatest yaoi ever made. Too bad for you. read more

Even though I wasn't a Youka Nitta fan; I picked up this title out of boredom, after putting it off for a long time, and I was blown away.

Haru wo daite Ita begins with two actors, Iwaki and Katou, that are trying to make it to the big screen. Iwaki is quiet and humble, a strong man who is deeply ashamed of his past as an adult film actor. Katou, on the other side, is an arrogant and proud young actor who thinks of Iwaki as a rival in the adult film industry.

It’s only natural that, when they try for the same part, their competitive personalities clash against each other, turning the audition into a decisive war. To their greatest surprise, the director has different plans for their future and they end up working together on a project really different from usual. How much are they willing to bet for the sake of their dreams? Will their careers finally explode to stardom like they both expect?

Focusing mainly on the characters' inner growth, this piece is different from your usual "I love you, let’s have sex" story. It shows the lives of two men with strong personalities who work equally to feed and maintain their love, as they deal, sometimes together and others individually, with hardships, jealousy and trust issues through the years.

We can see the several obstacles that come with commitments, not only in their relationship, but also in their job as performers, shaping this story into a rich and complex masterpiece. There's more that meets the eye here than just a tale about romance; in my opinion, this piece is an essay on long and successful relationships.

Now, when it comes down to reviewing the artistic side, this autor's work is original and appealing, but it's not especially pretty. Being the first title I read from Youka Nitta, I have to admit that it was a little hard for me at first, but I ended up getting used to it quickly, finding it beautiful and very fitting with the story. So, don’t pay much attention to the covers; what’s inside is way better.

Besides Katou and Iwaki, this title features several couples in related and non-related oneshots. It also contains a special volume with the story Fuyu No Semi; a tragic but epic tale about two men in love having to face one another in the battlefield during war, while they hide and struggle with their feelings.

There are two anime adaptations for this series, one for the main story and the other for the extra one; the former doesn’t make justice to the manga, only contains up to the third volume and it's not up to the mangaka's art , so don’t hold high expectations for it. In the other hand Fuyu no Semi seems to be quite a good adaptation to the extra story, the animation is still the same, but the story has been well portrayed.

In the form of 14 volumes, Haru wo Daiteita is one of the most known and acclaimed works in the genre, proving that real men in real relationships are a better read than the overdramatic or unrealistic cliché that the industry is often trying to sell us. If you haven't read this, go do it, you won't regret it at all.

--- Zetsuboshita & Queen2408 for The Anti Girly Uke Yaoi club. You are invited to join and participate in the discussions. read more