Aug 7, 2022
Mukai no Heya no Neko was an unintended read. Not only because it had a very loud "yaoi" tag when I found it but also because the synopsis includes "masochist dork with glasses", but thankfully neither of those things are actually true.
The manga is about the relationship between Yuki, a shy college student with a "cat-like personality" and Kouki, a playboy who's always dating different girls. As a third character there's also Ikuji, Yuki's childhood friend and roommate who's also friends with Kouki. At first, Kouki only sees Yuki as Ikuji's friend and a guy who lives across the hall (and probably thinks Yuki just
...
straight up hates him because of his attitude), but as he finds out about Yuki's "secret" he starts to lean closer to him.
The feelings Yuki bear for Kouki and the burden they represent are well written and explored by the author. Their relationship develops slowly but it never feels unnatural or forced. Furthermore, it's easy to see how much Kouki is changing the closer he gets to Yuki.
The art is consistent. Ironically enough, the best art and design seemed to always be Ikuji's instead of the two main characters. It's not particularly good, but it does the job when it's needed.
Overall, it's a very nice read and a pleasant surprise. The characters are well explored and their development is natural and slow, their relationship feels real and their feelings for each other feel genuine, just about what you could ask from a good bl.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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