Mar 9, 2009
Honestly, if I could, I would give the art a solid 12 on 10 coz Toma Rei is that skilled at sketching some serious bishie meat! There is barely a sprinkling of intimate scenes in all stories, none of them excessive or tasteless, and every beautifully drawn kiss is integral to the plot.
Solely S, Absolutely M:
Exquisitely delicious artwise AND storywise. Automatic 10 rating! Mamiya is a grade A hottie who is much in demand but this wasn't always the case. Early on, Sawako was the only one who took an interest in him, and thus he thinks quite highly of her, as opposed to
...
the rest of the female population. A little too highly perhaps, enough to make those feeling unrequited. Anyway, he treats her like a queen and she's accustomed to this servitude but misses it when he takes a stand and demands more from her. While this plot is not entirely unknown, it's handled charmingly with little scenes depicting just how deeply infatuated Mamiya really is as well as how much he desires her affection. Little things he does like shielding her in the subway from a jostling crowd are brought out beautifully to portray his devotion. Dialogues in this one were delivered cleverly enough, some quite suggestive of the characters' shared history which is well thought out. It's a short story, so not much chance for character development, though some happens. The ending is not rushed and flows smoothly from a series of events which imparts an overall content atmosphere to the story.
M's Dejection:
Includes a short scene which would have occured early on in the previous one shot as well as character insights from the other one shots.
Jitter Bug:
Another very well written, and thoroughly enjoyable tale of finding a new family in a... new family!
Akane has recently lost her mom,who she loved dearly and comes home to find three siblings playing the melody she's so used to hearing from her mother. Her father greets her and informs her how they'll live together from now on. While initially overwhelming, she begins to recognise her brothes for who they are as well as the beautiful music they play which brings back many memories for her. Tokiwa, the cheeky piano player especially strikes a chord with his passion for music as well as his charisma. But isn't liking your brother a little too much unthinkable? While Akane struggles with this realisation, she grapples with a harsh truth kept secret uptil now.
Some scenes in this manga emote very strongly, such as when they play their separate instruments, when Akane lovingly prepares a bento for her brothers, when one of them flirtatiously hits on her, and of course when Tokiwa spins her around in the jitter bug. It's such a tender romance surrounded by a well knit tale of how you try to find a place in completely changed circumstances if you have love and support. All the brother-sister interactions were integral to character development as were the dialogues. Some scenes are drawn in funny exaggeration which lends humour even though the subtle romance element stands strong on its own.
My Dear Cat:
This one had a surprisingly novel premise where a girl follows a striking neko down a path to run into a boy with the same striking feature... different coloured eyes. This boy though falls down at the moment and Mizuki brings him home to tend to him until he's well enough to be on his way. She has a boyfriend after all! But Rui appears unwilling to depart and when he does, his moves are unexpectedly feline. Not only that, she finds herself anticipating their next encounter while studying with her boyfriend. Hmm, not the key to a healthy relationship!
The story is replete with sweet moments between Rui and Mizumi who is treated with fond adulation and gentle affection by him. He speaks little but intensely. Since backgrounds were an integral part of the story, they are desingned very beautifully. However, apart from a boy appearing cat like, the diaolgue and plot aren't well executed and seem contrived or forced. Maybe a three chapter story would have been better suited. Regardless, it's an OK read solely because it relies heavily on the established chemistry between uncertan Mizumi and seductive Rui, a 6/10.
Bet!!:
Touko tends to stumble a lot and Saeki just happens to be around to catch her. This makes him quite the hero in her eyes and in her haste to take a picture as a keepsake, she accidently stumbles (different kind this time!) across him and his friends indulging in some questionable acts in school. She's in no mood to delete that photo so the confident Saeki wagers the deletion of said incriminating photo on her falling in love with him within a week. Then begins her heartthrobbing journey of being courted by the smoothest fellow around!
This one started off with promise, but then falters for a number of reasons. The hero is made out to be supremely confident and cheeky but comes off as conceited and assinine in my opinion. I didn't like his presumptuous air which was evident in every dialogue he delivered. Moreover, he thoughtlessly toys with Touko with only his ulterior motive in mind, forgetting that her true feelings are at stake here. If this were just a high school story, that kind of a character is excusable, but in a one shot shoujo romance, the hero shouldn't behave despicably right up until the end when saying aishteru solves everything! Touka herself starts out strong but degenerates into one without resolve and lacking any sense of self respect. The artwork and somewhat dreamy dialogues and a couple of humourous scenes right at the beginning can't excuse the paper thin storytelling and negative character development. At the end of this one, I wondered why was this story written in the first place because it certainly didn't reflect true love in any form. But if you read it for the art and cheeky dialogue delivery, I'd give it a 7/10.
Love Planetarium:
Satoko is going to transfer out soon and her boyfriend breaks up with her thinking their isn't any point if they aren't together. Though, she wants to protest, Satako is too diffident to speak her thoughts and walks away tearfully. She walks into the cute and pensive Kouki who seems unexcited at the prospect of comforting her but thoughtfully guides her through the planetarium he's created in a classroom. She's fascinated, both by the stars and by his proximity, which is why he's finally disarmed and gives in to placate her desolateness. One eventful shared umbrella walk in the rain later, senpai confesses to her but she's unsure of his true intent. Being the no nonsense fellow he is, Kouki huffs out telling her he doesn't have time for those who question their own worth. Harsh! Surely she can make amends, if only for the rest of the week before she transfers... Hmm but it's not easy for someone as shy as her is it?
This story is told in a straightforward manner without much beating about the bush or hanky panky and is refreshing in how the planetarium provides an intimate ambience for two strangers. However, it is much too short and while enough character insights are made during that walk in the rain, both funny and personal, you don't get a sense of fulfillment as to why both characters love so dearly. The end seems to arrive too soon and while little familiarity is established, enough intimacy is portrayed to authenticate the depth of their feelings. But you're left thouroughly dissappointed with how little you've beeng given and are left wanting more. Maybe it's just Toma's gambit! Overall a 7/10.
I wholeheartedly recommend this volume in its entirety for devoted shoujo and romance readers because some of the tales are moving and others are light frothy romances, all of which successfully entertain you. The re-readability of almost all stories here is quite high.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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