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Are you tired of love triangles where one hero obviously has the edge and even before the underdog has confessed, you know who’s gonna get the girl?
Are you equally frustrated with seeing the heroes unequally matched with one being sweet and gentle but unable to move the maiden’s heart while the other is brash and unkind but the word soulmate oozes from his very being?
Do you finally want a shoujo romance where the triangle in love triangle is somewhat equilateral rather than horribly bent in one direction?

Well then this story is IT for you!

Our heroine Ryou has the hugest rack you can physically imagine, and is OF COURSE frustrated about this unwanted asset because it brings her unpleasant attention from horny boys all over! But there isn’t any time to bother about that right now! She needs to study for her high school entrance examination, and who should show up to tutor her but a very lovely, very upstanding and (unfortunately) very disinterested Misaki-kun who studies at her dream school. So obviously, he insists on completely silent and hanky-panky free tutorial sessions. All Right! Ryou will just grind her teeth and get to work. But then why is the next day’s session so drastically different with a relaxed, playful even slightly sexual atmosphere?! Hey wait a minute, does Misaki-kun secretly like her? No! That can’t be!

The title is pretty self explanatory as far as the plot goes but don’t take it too literally, there aren’t actually boys who like to inflict pain or get hurt in this. Well, there are… but it isn’t too overt! S+M is about sadism and masochism in relationships, it’s about a pair of boys named Misaki and Shingo, it’s about the girl named Ryou who can’t make up her mind between these two equally delicious bishies and it’s about So Many SMutty deeds that happen along the way! (S…M… get it?! Probably not. )

Story: Seriously original in Shoujo Universe and very well executed in a novel, realistic and somewhat head-on fashion. There are no princes in this story, neither are their thuggish delinquents, every character has their dark traits as well as their merits. Length is perfect for this story, though it will many wanting more. Twists and turns aren’t always predictable, a welcome change. There are also many revealing side stories littered about which throw light on the leads and the events which shaped them.

Dialogue: While there is no comedy to lighten tense scenes, unexpected twists lend drama and peak interest in the plot. There will rarely be a moment when you think “Damn, this is going nowhere… next!” However, the last volume unexpectedly includes a lot of physical humor with hilarious twisted poses and childish puns.

Smut: Good, but it’s not all that’s going on, there is a story to be told here too. Though when you do finally get down to the smut, there isn’t anything dreamy or gentle about it! Not with a chest that impressive! Uhh, a particular scene was disturbing and left undealt-with later on (You’ll know what it is when you reach it), but it was central to plot development, so it’s not like the author is just being perverse for smut sake.

Art: Very dated in the overall look and feel though the actual characters are drawn in light strokes which lends a bit of an ethereal feel to them. Nothing groundbreaking in how the bishies or shoujos are drawn, so you’re probably not going to get wet dreams about these boys. The backgrounds and panels are mostly bare unless a location change is in order. Limited, almost threadbare expression, though never lacking in relaying emotions. Overall, art isn’t why you should be reading S+M as there is very little to leave a solid impression here.

Characters: The heroes actually have reverse tsundere characteristic. The player is actually gentle and concerned while the prince is a bully- rough and selfish.
The shoujo is a huge disappointment to feminists everywhere, not coz she’s conscious of her boobs, no we’re allowed to feel the way we like about our bodies, but for constantly being whiny, weak willed and easily swayed. Well, if she were decisive, there wouldn’t be much of a love triangle, but this one seriously lacks self respect!

Hmm, so then if it’s got such mediocre elements going for it, why should you read S+M? Because it is one heck of a smexy, un-put-downable, whirlwind read which makes you cringe and gasp when cruel or unbelievable events transpire, grin wickedly when Prince Charming doesn’t fall for the heroine right away (“That’s right! Make her work at it!”), and sigh when the underdog gets a sweet kiss… all feelings central to a good shoujo romance! read more

This compilation comes with five one shots, only one of which has been scanlated so far, as the others come, I hope to add their reviews as well.

Story 3: Itazura Ouji

Whoa! His eyes were twinkling when Sai The Bishie made his first appearance~! Although his hair look a little thorny in some panels, him thumping a credit card onto Mayuri's forehead to unburden his unintentional first kiss guilt kind of puts him in my good graces, hehe.

This is a very very very short story about a girl(Mayuri) meets boy(Sai) because her father works for the boy's father. They end up seeing each other a few times and somehow a romance sparks. I don't know, don't ask how, there was barely time to ask surnames! But there are a bunch of very poignant scenes which including one hug/inhale scene which especially appealed to me. Personally couples don't smell each other enough when fully clothed in mangas for my taste!

This one shot focuses on how relationships develop unexpectedly and unwillingly sometimes, despite your best efforts or judgement. It places emphasis on fleeting, seemingly insignificant actions leaving memories and invoking emotions neither parties thought they were capable of (because at 15/16, who hasn't figured out everything there is to know about everything right?!) and of course above all, being a shoujo, it highlights the many stages and nuances a girl's mind goes through when she falls in love for the first time.

The artwork is very detailed and beautiful, sometimes humourous. Mayuri being pushed by the butler's speech bubble was hilarious, it really added to the scene. As did her puppet like actions whenever she was in a vexing situation.

In one particularly dramatic scene, Sai goes from very pensively and handsomely reading a book one second, to assualting the girl the next! It's unexpected scenes likes this which carry this sweet story forward and make it a fun five minute read. read more

You know some of those stories which make you want to cut out the heroine and paste your own face on her body just to be able to live out the story even more vicariously than is already possible? This is that times 20! Kiss/Hug is exactly as the title suggests, all about x's and o's and the squeal inducing in between moments of two of the most unexpected yet refreshing shoujo characters you'll come to love...

Yukino lives a comfortable existence in a community where she has friends, the caring and handsome senpai, her mother and younger brother and her late father's flower shop where she loves to work. But she is also thoughtful and instinctively kind so when she encounters a foreigner who appears to be wandering, she offers him help and thus ends up in close proximity with Ryuu, who for some reasons possesses an MBA, but still wound up as an exchange student in her school!
Been there done that? Wait for it... Ryuu had no intention of being a womanizer when he first came here but can't quite get over Yukino's spontaneity and spunk and Yukino has never encountered such a forward but charismatic kissing fiend! What is she to do but restrain herself from falling for him and punching his lights out when he looks at her with those sidelong glances and catches her unawares with a peck?! But above all, why is okasan taking Ryuu's side in all of this?!

This is a shoujo romance, but thankfully I see no constantly-on-the-edge-of-tears heroine who is insecure or timid about her feelings. Yukino is a boon to shoujos everywhere with her confidence and feistiness, and these are the qualities which appeal to Ryu. Plenty of character development occurs from both sides and each chapter peels off another layer to their personality. None of the scenes make you cringe because of their lameness or trite dialogue, and the overall pace is geared towards making this a delicious read.

Art is different from what you've come to expect with the bishi, but is very pleasant with the pretty and delicate Yukino and the vivacious backgrounds. First off... Ryuu's facials... they come off a bit... formidable and scary sometimes, especially when he's impassioned, which is often. Granted, he's supposed to be intense, what with English genes, sky high ambitions and that blue eye, black hair rarity, but that face can look a bit harsh at times! So he's not the generic prince, but more of a whirlwind presence in Yukino's life who mixes everything up and challenges her to open up her world and experience all the rollercoaster emotions associated with being the object of his over the top affection!

Doki doki... Oh my god, every other page! And each one of these semi intimate moments are mini orgasms in themselves! Never has romance been so chaste yet so capable of making your hear race! None of it is the expected, "Yeh, now she's gonna trip and he'll spontaneously materialize to catch her and (finger quote) accidentally (/quote) kiss her", rather the mangaka works hard at creating genuine tender moments which take the reader by surprise and feel character generated rather than for the sake of the plot.

Enjoyment, let's see... HOT cast, amazing art style with very detailed character movements and absolutely adorable chibi moments, which despite their abundance, don't get on your nerves in the slightest or detract from the romance. Yukino's novel reactions to Ryuu's brazen advances are extremely entertaining! Well thought out supporting characters that all retain mystery about their motives and intentions throughout. You can never completely figure out what Ryuu is thinking behind those brilliant eyes of his, but rest assured it makes for good storytelling! Add to this, well written and humorous dialogue which is comedic and passionate in equal parts and a realistic plot with moving circumstances and you have a great shoujo read, one you won't regret investing your precious manga time in! This is one you're gonna pick up again and again! read more

Initially, I’d ignored this title, even though I liked Ayane’s Desire Climax. But that’s just because the summary doesn’t do this beautiful and colourful story justice and belies its true frivolous nature, instead making it seem pedestrian and predictable. However nothing in this one follows any standard manga stereotypes! There are no teary eyed shoujos who run the other way from their bishies, there is no dashing hero who’s waiting in the shadows to jump to the rescue every time she trips over her own clumsy feet, and there are no scheming best friends! Yay!

The starting scenes are perhaps the funniest. Our heroine Chitose suffers from a particularly over the top imagination and is caught salivating when daydreaming about a fictional boyfriend declaring his undying love for her, in class (We’ve all been there!). She’s banished outside and has to stand in the most ridiculous pose holding two buckets (full of water) in her hands while balancing contraband manga on her head! But her fantasies aren’t over yet, and soon she sinks into yet another one where she strikes the infamous titanic “I’m flying!” pose! Why am I so painstaking in her various stances? Because when you’re done reading this for the first time, these are scenes you’ll return to day after day to enjoy Ayane’s excellent sketching skills as well as to roll over in giggles over the sheer outrageousness Chitose manages to get up to.

Anyway, she gets hit in the face (Kapow) with a flying football and enter Bishi on Heroin, Yamato, who is clearly concerned for her well being and so begins their cat and mouse game. Yamato is in the host like business of selling his kisses and Chitose absolutely refuses to pay for any of them and will have them all to herself! And she’s not opposed to using any means possible to “rehabilitate him” as she declares (to no one in particular)! Her dogged determination easily stands out throughout the 7 chapters.

Why should you read this one instead of the hundred other mangas in which the heroine takes it upon herself to pursue the hero? Because well… frankly, you’re not going to find those kind easily, and also because the kind of heartwarming and genuine characters you’ll find here, who act not along some script, but how you and I would, are not to be underestimated. Each scene with Chitose and Yamato either makes you smile inwardly or mortifies you beyond belief with the daring antics Chitose pulls off only to keep Yamato exclusive! It’s not like she’s unabashedly courageous, she just likes Yamato so much that she gathers enough guts to play interference or pursue him wildly to sneak a Polaroid or two!

But this is not to say that these two are the only ones who contribute to the story. There is a good natured supporting cast which adds comedy and shots of drama to the plot whenever it starts to settle down into something mellow, including the supportive and caring best friend, the two naughty albeit kind cronies to Yamato, and the besotted third wheel. That’s another plus. There are no malicious one dimensional characters presented here. Neither is anyone unnecessarily victimized or glorified.

While the plot and the novel little situations that the mangaka cooks up are all original and very unprecedented, the dialogue is ordinary in comparison with no groundbreaking wit or dry humour. Cliches are exposed and therefore carefully avoided by Chitose. Her internal monologue is deeply personal, including her initial insecurity and subsequent fixation.

The artwork is a little busy at times, but not so much that it distracts from the characters and their many adorable expressions. Each panel depicts a new and totally credible facial from each of the characters, which is another aspect the manga excels at. Some panels are accompanied by the occasional roses surrounding the couple, but only to point to the maudlin emotion in a satirical sense. Both the leads are appropriately dreamy with long eyelashes and kissable lips!

Do I recommend this to you? Hell yes! This one is for the feminists, coz not only does Chitose set her mind to an apparently impossible task, but she goes about it with the kind of tenacity lacking in the best heroine nowadays. Her frankness is appreciated and applauded and whenever you think she’ll do something, she thumbs her nose at your instinctual response and does just the opposite! For the romantics, what’s more swoon inducing than a bishi being floored by the sincere efforts of the heroine and for everyone else, there’s plenty of comedy and drama to keep you hooked right till the end. A well deserved 9! read more

S.P.Y. starts out with an interesting enough premise. Olympic gold medalist Suzugawa Maki's daughter Nagi hopes to become as great a swimmer as her mother, but first, she needs to find her mother, who she hasn't seen since she was very little. The circumstances surrounding her mother's departure from her life are left foggy. So she sets out of her small town to set up base in a prestigious school in Tokyo with an acclaimed swimming program where she hopes to train as well as continue her search for her mother. Oh, but what's this... The pool is abducted by a bunch of disinterested looking boys, who are much too selective when it comes to letting Nagi join the team. Grr... So begins her mission... and the number one item on the agenda is to learn to swim 25 meters without drowning!!

Lots of characters are introduced here, though you're unsure of which male lead will be the hero after a couple of chapters, which is refreshing and quite unexpected from a romance. Nagi, while a fierce and headstrong lead, is a bit simple minded and childish. It doesn't translate into annoying though, it's just the right mix of vivacity. She provides much humor to the script and is shown to be very determined when it comes to learning how to swim and improve herself despite many obstacles, physical and emotional.
The other male leads though barely show too many redeeming qualities. In fact while one, shown with highly gruff habits, goes on to slap Nagi (unapologetic later on!), the other gentler one is cruel towards her feelings as well. I think this may have been set up to show them developing over a period, but then the story was rushed and they suddenly transformed within the space of one chapter instead of a couple of volumes, which seems very unbelievable.

The rest of the supporting characters barely get a line in here and there, including Nagi's one dimensional mother, who again suffers due to the abruptly shortened storyline. They contribute little comedy or drama to the plot.

The art is similar to Ayane's Desire Climax, though the romance and subsequent steaminess is very much toned down. Much emphasis is placed on swimming, and the actions there seem well depicted. Despite many bishies and one shoujo appearing half naked most of the time, very little "action" occurs on that front with much plotline devoted to friendships rather than relationships. Expressions are portrayed in much detail which lends sincerity to the scenes, especially the dramatic ones.

In my opinion the storyline for the first volume was developed with the notion that this manga would run for at least 4 volumes or more, so that each character introduced was shrouded in enough mystery to allow his past, his motivation and his subsequent role in the story to be adequately elaborated over the 4 volumes. So a lot of circumstances are left unexplained in the beginning with the effect that the reader feels there is a lot more to come. But then in volume two, suddenly too much starts happening at breakneck speed compared to the previous chapters. The pace suddenly becomes abrupt with sporadic climaxes. Too many conflicts arise, sudden confessions and heartbreaks are realized and much confusion ensues. The end was barely justified, not at all satisfactory and too many questions and scenarios are left unanswered.

So would I recommend this manga? If you're completely gung ho about sports shoujo manga, maybe, otherwise, there are better shoujos, better romances and definitely better dramas than this one, so if you were planning on reading this because you liked Desire Climax or Biyaku Cafe, you're in for some major disappointment. read more

When reading one shots, we often complain "Oh too short" or how the plot wasn't developed enough or how the characters were weak and slaves to the dialogue. But here is one shot where everything just... sits... really well. It’s barely 8 pages, yet you feel you've experienced an entire lifetime in the shoes of the protagonist, which is kind of the premise of the story in the first place.

Here the piano is personified into this very skillfully drawn girl dancer who dances every time someone plays her (the piano). This is evident right off the start, so it's not like reading the story will be confusing at the beginning. Her expressions are so tender and heart wrenching, that you can't believe she's supposed to just be a piano. Her lifetime right from the time she was first purchased, how she changed various hands and all her suitors (piano players) and their environment is what forms the plot, yet it seems to pack so much detail into each panel, the kind that normally takes a couple of pages in other one shots, so you're not left wanting at the end of 8 short pages.

The art oh oh oh the ART! It's not easily classifiable into emo or gothic or Lolita or edgy it's... just plain darn awesome! Exaggerated features suit the mood the story and the costume designs are charmingly detailed. Ditto for the actions and expressions. Backgrounds are drawn painstakingly and it shows. The tone of this story is not just plain black and white, but it includes yellow and red as well, and both colours are used to much advantage, so much so that this story feels like a piece of artwork I want to frame and put on my showcase rather than read once and leave in paper format!

I would definitely recommend this short one shot to any reader who enjoys a story well told. It doesn't fit into a particular genre, maybe slice of life... But the genre isn't always important when such a beautiful story needs telling, by the most original raconteur possible! read more

For mature shoujo readers, this story isn't worth the minute it'll take you to find it online to read, so you're better off not bothering. The artwork is beautiful, but nothing exceptional, and the story is so trite, you'll wonder how it’s taken so long to finish. I'm not complaining about the premise. It could have definitely been something great, only the execution and abruptness of the plot and scenes pulls the potential down.

So Rin's father owes the Sagiri family a LOT of money, and as collateral, Rin is taken "hostage" by Kaoru, not hostage really, but she's staying in their house for the remainder of the repayment period, and Kaoru has made his intentions of what to do with her after the week is over VERY clear! So ok, you expect a bit of forced kiss here and an indignant shove there, but surprisingly you find neither. Instead you find a rational heroine who doesn't give into the attractive Kaoru but stands up for him when the occasion calls for it. Also, Kaoru isn't riding the hedonistic wave that he should be, considering his clichéd role in the story, but he has a gentle manner and does thoughtful things which endear him every once in a while to the reader.

If you were to read a harlequin romance of 180 pages in 3 pages, this is how the plot would turn out. The story just wasn't able to develop two solid characters enough to lend them credibility. To the mangaka's credit, she tried to weasel in lots of developments and conflict oriented scenes in the one shot, but the dialogue was unmoving and the expressions remained a bit staid and static. Overall, there are a few well drawn tender scenes as well as some you'd expect to culminate differently than they do, so you applause the mangaka for steering clear of predictability.

If you absolutely must read another underdeveloped shoujo, then you may like this one for the moral uprightness of both the characters as well as the artwork, but you won't end up enjoying the sporadic pace too much. You want to be able to sympathize with the characters, but you don't get enough time to. Ultimately, this is a somewhat forgettable read albeit one with subtle differences which sets it apart from the dime a dozen shoujo romances with the heroine finding love after being forced into close proximity with her prince in wolf's clothing. read more

Minami Kanan delivers what she does best! Smut which takes your breath away with the mere beauty of the characters and settings involved! While the artwork isn't as magnificent as that of Kyousou Heaven, in fact Seri looks a bit unbecoming a lot of the time, the storyline is longer, though not complex or linear, more repetetive and predictable (and honestly, annoyingly maudlin) at points.

So Seri is excited about entering high school and wishes to do so with a boytoy at her side. Enter childhood karate partner and pain in the ass Tamaki with his raging hormones and undeniable sex appeal! How is Seri to blame if she ends up his "toy" because she lost a match she shouldn't have taken up in the first place?! Regardless, so starts their torrid little affair which steams up the entire 8 volume saga. And yes, it is a saga, and no, the drama is not going to keep you on the edge of your seat, but the smutty moments in between make up for it!

As the mangaka herself mentions in the author talk often, she wanted to push shoujo boundary with this story. In that, she wanted to introduce realism in some aspect into the love between Seri and Tamaki. So while tons of absurd things have to be accepted for the sake of the plot, like a drug which simply on coming in contact with your body immobilises you and how another drug turns you on so much, you will attack the helpless girl next to you, even though you're noble enough to tell her to make a run for it; she does introduce one element which I think hasn't been dealt with too much. The heroine's wily hormones! Of course this is just one subplot which deals with how Seri is a victim of her own body as well as a tawdry villian, but it was a little disturbing to read. Another even more disturbing villian is introduced later with a Norman Bates like fetish which is even more unsettling considering this IS a romance after all!

But yes, villians seem limited in their malicious intent almost upto the end, "must separate lovebirds". But each villian is dealt with sympathetically once they've done their dirty deeds, how there is a reason to why they are vicious now, but were gentle once upon a time. It gets annoying after a point. It's OK! Not everyone NEEDS to be a good human being! Another odd aspect that attracts attention to itself is how rushed the ending feels. After volume 7, when the author feels she's put two 17 year olds in as much jeopardy as is humanly possible, she rushes through the last volume trying to incorporate a whole year's worth of drama into 5 chapters with a conflict which doesn't sit well with the feel of the manga.

Feminism... Hmm, well, Seri should technically be able to protect herself against the repeated assaults she's exposed to panel after panel, but we'll surmise she's just delicate and in shock when the situation arises. Once or twice, she does try to put all that Karate training to use, but she fails miserably. Maybe THAT's why she doesnt bother defending herself other times, why embaress herself?! She doesn't appear too pathetic as she's not in love with an abusive fellow, so she doesn't need to be on her toes all the time. As for the love scenes between her and Tamaki... STEEEE-AMY! They are one naughty constantly-hot-for-each-other couple! Well, he more than her! He gets it going on in so many unexpectedly public places, that you'll think twice about occupying the ice cream parlour booth next time! But he is so loving and fixated, that you forgive his rabbit like ways.

Character development is weak. The hero is apparently flawless his only weakness being his possessive love, while the heroine is perhaps the most medioce girl ever. She's not a good cook, is clumsy, easily lead, and a victim of her own desires more often than not. But he loves that part of her! Villianous characters on the other hand have, as mentioned, tons of grey shades in themselves. Overall, it's not a great thinker's manga. The smut is delicous as is its delivery. The couple is forever ready to entertain the voyeuristic reader and Kanan never denied that this is her forte in the first place. read more

I was torn giving the overall rating for this one 'coz really, it completely depends on the reader's interpretation of shoujo, as to whether they'll be left bemused with the overly maudlin storyline or whether they'll greedily gobble up the gorgeous artwork and the smut that accompanies it. I fall in the latter category.

I think the mangaka may have attempted to make this story a one shot right off the bat, so she introduced us to the duplicity of the hero, Shoei as a delinquent by night but straight laced prince by day character. Then she thought, hmm this has potential, and she went ahead to make a couple of volumes, so she gave the two leads a past, which is verrrry slowly dissected and not made completely clear right until the end of the seventh volume! That's good storytelling undoubtedly, but it also leaves the reader very confused during lots of plots. Then along the way, she thought, this childhood destined lovers bit is getting old, so she added every other bathetic element that springs to mind... incest, sister complexes, abandoned heirs, past love affairs, elopement... you name it! Of course, all of it is done thoroughly and with clear character development, so none of it seems abrupt while you're reading it, but when you think back to the beginning, you realize, whaaa... how the heck did it turn out like this?!

Let's start out with the leads, Mio and Shoie. Mio may have started out as the ingénue completely lacking in backbone and sexual restraint once aroused, but she learns from her mistakes and soon develops a sense of conviction and stands up for herself on numerous occasions against Shoei which is admirable, considering the very obvious pull he exerts on her. She is also a very responsible daughter, working her butt off to pay off the family's unending bills and ensuring her younger brother doesn't have to work and can concentrate on schoolwork. She loves her family very much and regularly visits her mother in the hospital and even agrees so work (and continue working) at Shoei's estate simply because her mother emotionally blackmails her into it both times! But relenting into such wishes never makes her appear weak willed, only devoted to her family. She is also resourceful and determined when the occasion calls for it, and takes any job she's handed very seriously, including disciplining Shoei... No time for hanky panky on the job!

Shoei, though a bit stereotypical in his behaving cruelly towards the heroine from time to time for no apparent fault of hers, is also portrayed as a complex mixture of tenacious lead, fiercely possessive lover and formidable foe whenever opposed or challenged. It is an arduous task for naive Mio to keep up with his constant mood swings where he shifts between attacking her from one moment to confessing his childhood love for her to heartlessly treating her like the maid she works as at the Jinnai house. He is also given to ignoring her ruthlessly and taking a nonchalant attitude with very often, especially after some particularly intense exchange between them. It makes for interesting plotlines, but you end up wanting to punch him in his beautiful face frequently! He is clearly sexually competent and never hesitates to prove just how much to Mio which takes her unawares more often than not.

Lots of supporting characters are introduced right at the start with each playing a significant role from start to finish, which again makes you wonder whether the convoluted storyline was originally intended or the characters just happened to weasel their way around to it. You can never completely peg down a character to play the good guy or the villain, so it's always unpredictable and surprising, the twists they become part of.

There is no unnecessary weeping from the heroine's side, though there is relevant internal monologue. But that serves to strengthen the somewhat tempestuous relationships she develops with various characters. Shoei lives up to his carelessly authoritative role with dry quips now and then interspersed with thinly veiled commands which Mio gives into despite herself. Some of the dialogue is unexpectedly racy and humorous at the same time, while avoids being completely clichéd due to timely appearance of certain characters during intimate scenes. There is no outright comedy, but it's made up for by the rib tickling expressions and poses.

The artwork is deliciously detailed and evidently painstaking, though clean. There's none of the chibi crap which can ruin romance settings so often, but there are exaggerated facials which lend a scene levity. The smut was exciting at most places, though its appearance can generally be well predicted by experienced shoujo readers. The romance builds up steadily, and it's not just a girl falling in lust with an asinine dominating character and confusing it with love after considerable abuse has been inflicted on her.

Overall Desire Climax isn't a story you'll remember the next day, but it's one with high rereadability potential none the less, because it takes the reader on a whirlwind journey just when you think you've settled into a nice groove with the plot. While it's clearly intended for shoujo and drama readers, none of it makes you despise a character or thumb your nose at the storyline, so it's not something you'll tire of midway and abandon. read more

I have been a Fushigi Yuugi otaku since the past 9 years now, so when I finally got around to checking out Watase's other works, Zettai obviously stood out for its more swoony description and the unbeatable bishi artwork. You'll be hard pressed to find a dreamier android boytoy than Night Tenjou! Or a more thoughtful one. Though that's not all Zettai boasts of...

You obviously know that a girl unwittingly orders herself an android-like boyfriend online, but what arrives is nothing robotic or even human. Superhuman maybe! He's charming and makes her weak in the knees but obviously, just when a couple has found happiness, the boy next door (literally) has to suddenly confess his undying love for the heroine. Grr. Trials and tribulations ensue, though not all of them are of the hackneyed kind. Some situations like sticking together in a couple's spa despite running naked and protecting your boyfriend's chastity by climbing up a balcony are pretty darn novel! It's not something you stop crying for even after the fifth or sixth read and that's really saying something about a 6 volume manga!

Art wise, I see similarities in how Night and Tamahome and other Watase bishies are drawn, it's almost identical, but I guess dashing knights in shining armors always end up looking equally swoon-worthy! The few action sequences, combat or otherwise are done masterfully, with each character's motion and style being unique. Riico is drawn well enough but what really stands out in this manga is her and everyone else's chibi expressions! Really, the range of facials these SD characters are capable of puts us lowly humans to shame! Each page is littered with plenty of them, and you can especially look forward to Gaku being his eccentric self, chibi and otherwise with plenty of smart ass dialogues and odd angles to his eyebrows which induce the giggles only too easily.

Each character is thoroughly invested in, they aren't just cardboard cut outs of ideal boy, naive love starved ingénue, and infatuated boy next door.
I adored how Night was portrayed as this naive but besotted lover figure that is hopelessly devoted to making Riiko happy and is still learning the ropes... Though maybe he goes a bit far sometimes like when he asks Soshi if he knows what Riico's sensitive spots are! However, his quixotic view of his undying feelings for Riico despite his physical limitations fully exonerates him of any slights he may have made along the way. Little things he does like remake a broken bracelet and offer his own services to help make money which he's not supposedly programmed to do, make him an endearing character.
I'm not a huge Soshi fan, so I can't appreciate him as well, but the fellow had his moments. He was always coming to Riico's rescue when he could, and was forever on the lookout for semi-vulnerable moments where he'd entrance Riico with his personal understated charm. He was depicted realistically, as being shy and hiding his feelings at first with incessant teasing but only realizing their true depth when his position as No.1 Comforter was threatened.
Of course Riico is the lead in so many ways. Though she appears to simply be looking for a (read any living, breathing, capable of physical intimacy) boyfriend, she shows a lot of moral restraint throughout the story as well as moments of unprecedented maturity and personal sacrifice whenever Night's safety is in question. Sure she's clumsy and mediocre and prone to jealousy and insecurity, but really, which 16 year old isn't? She's just a character we're supposed to relate to, so it's expected of her to have tangible flaws.

Secondary characters lend the most flair to this manga, and Gaku tops that list hands down! His cheeky delivery of in-your-face dialogues along with outrageously lurid suggestions regarding Riico’s virginity makes him a most likeable candidate for comedic relief. Then there's Riico's new friend who brings her own back story into the plot. Clever little side characters like Riico and Soshi's boss at the restaurant assure you that the manga is not taking your sense of humor for granted and surely wants to titillate your palette right through the end.

Hmm, most importantly of course, being that it's shoujo, there are plenty and I mean PLENTY of those almost intimate moments that make your heart scream ba thump ba thump. There's enough fan service courtesy Night to keep you up at night cursing Riico's great fortune and drooling at his physique at the same time. And there are also some heart wrenching scenes with both Night and Soshi to make you lose your train of though for just an instant and simply stare into the character's (magnificently drawn) faces!

I think you should definitely give this a read. The plotline becomes less trite and predictable after the first three chapters, and you're sucked into this beautiful realm where the only ideal in a bishie's existence is to be the best boyfriend possible at all costs! Personally I feel the ending is a little abrupt and unfinished somehow, but not something that makes you regret reading Zettai. If Watase were to come out with a sequel or related work even after some years, I know I would be an instant fan.

While shorter than Fushigi Yuugi, Zettai Kareshi invokes the same passionate responses in readers that FY possibly did. You fall in love with characters and their weaknesses and strengths, you cheer for a couple to stay together and feel oddly anxious when they face obstacles (So much so that you want to jump into the panel and rip apart the occasional villains and just force Night on Riico!). I think Yuu Watase is very skilled at making you really become a part of her fascinating world like this. You want to vicariously live Riico's life here and once you start the manga, I'm pretty sure you won't have the control to put it down without devouring it whole! read more