Rules

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Japanese: ルールズ

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Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 3

Chapters: 17

Status: Finished

Published: 2002 to 2007

Genres: Boys Love, Slice of Life, Erotica

Serialization: None

Authors: Miyamoto, Kano (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 7.99¹ (scored by 1,690 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: N/A²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #5750

Members: 3,423

Favorites: 68

7.99

Ranked N/APopularity #5750Members 3,423

MangaMiyamoto, Kano (Story & Art)

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Volumes: /3

Chapters: /17

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Synopsis

Konoe, a high school student, is confused about his sexuality. He meets Hikaru in the sleazy gay district, and sleeps with him. They begin to play at being lovers, but Konoe's heart belongs to Atori, his friend and classmate. Can Konoe come to terms with his sexuality and reveal his feelings to Atori, and where do Hikaru's true feelings lie?

(Source: BibloEros)

** For the Rules Series Timeline, see the More Info tab above.

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Related Manga

Prequel:	Rules/Hydra Short Stories, Lovers and Souls, Please, Hydra
Sequel:	Rules dj - If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?, Rules dj - Song Birds, Rules Booklet - Another Day on the Planet, Rules dj - Double Trouble, Rules 2nd
Side story:	Rules dj - Hello Again

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Characters

Taira, Hikaru

Main

Shinomiya, Tooru

Main

Suzuki, Atori

Main

Konoe, Yukio

Main

Hitomi, Naoyuki

Supporting

Reviews

May 8, 2010

Athena

Recommended

Rules, with its realistic portrayal of homosexual relationships, deviates from the norm in that it does not come across as a yaoi fangirl's idealized view of the lovey-dovey relationship between pretty boys. It contains none of the negative clichés and stereotypes associated with the BL genre, i.e. non-existent plot, two-dimensional characters and cheesy dialogue. Like many good yaoi, though, this wonderful story was an absolute page-turner.

Part of Miyamoto Kano's highly popular Rules Universe that has spawned numerous fan fictions, the events described in this manga take place after 'Hydra' and 'Lovers and Souls', this time focusing on Hikaru and Tooru, as well as two new ... characters in the form of Yuki and Atori.

The story starts out typical enough: Yuki, having realized he's gay and in love with his straight classmate, sleeps with a stranger he meets in a gay district to alleviate his sexual frustration. That's where the typicality ends. What follows is an intricate, yet still grounded, depiction of how the four main characters' relationships change as their lives intertwine. The smooth flow of the story makes reading the manga akin to watching the lives of people you know unravel before your eyes.

If there is one thing that distracts the flow, it would be the somewhat abrupt shift in focus onto different characters that occurs after Volume 1. Although the shift could have been executed better, it's not a huge issue as the story remains compelling throughout.

As mentioned previously, there are no clichéd character archetypes; it's completely irrelevant who play out the seme and uke roles. Instead, with their unique personalities and development throughout the vast Rules Universe, they act like real people would. Yuki and Atori experience teenage insecurities, confusion and even carefreeness, and grow from the experience. Since they've appeared in previous titles, the development in Hikaru and Tooru's characters are even more evident; at times, how they act may seem odd or even unreasonable, but it's easy to understand why they do what they do when the Rules Universe is read in chronological order.

The art, in keeping with the storyline, looks realistic. Miyamoto adds even more realism to Rules with her little quirks, like changing the characters' hairstyles as the seasons pass or altering their expressions with the slightest stroke so that they're never exaggerated. Their appearance are also modified to correspond with their moods or to signify their growth as individuals, like how a certain character is given a haircut after a relationship he was in ended.

Several things stand out in Rules that set it apart from many other works, including how well issues such as sexual confusion and prostitution are dealt with. The sex is not superfluous, but rather a tool to further the plot and character development. Also, while such stories could very easily become an angst-fest, Rules avoids that by keeping it moderate, though it's not completely absent; after all, what teenager is completely devoid of angst? Finally, Miyamoto understands the minutiae of the Japanese gay community, and this knowledge is apparent in Rules through the use of language and lifestyle details.

While personally I don't have a problem reading yaoi with all its glorious clichés, Rules was a great change of pace. It's a wonderful manga I'd recommend to people who like character-driven stories.

- Written for the Miyamoto Kano Society -

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Jun 20, 2009

katzenjammer

Recommended

Preliminary (16/17 eps)

Rules revolves around characters Yuki and Hikaru, who had developed a relationship after Yuki came across Hikaru to relieve his sexual tensions.

The story, as i see it, has been carefully thought through. Even the psychology of the plot and the actions the characters took seemed real enough that it could be happening in reality. The various conflicts of emotions and interests give this series are really interesting edge. It's like the things that went in this manga could have happened in real life. I'm not really bothered with how much angst there is, because in reality, i know people act like that even if ...

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Poll: Rules Chapter 10 Discussion KitaTsuki - Apr 1, 2012	1 replies	by inzaratha »» Jan 2, 2014 10:55 PM
Poll: Rules Chapter 4 Discussion KitaTsuki - Jun 18, 2011	1 replies	by inzaratha »» Jan 2, 2014 10:50 PM
Poll: Rules Chapter 2 Discussion KitaTsuki - Apr 16, 2011	1 replies	by inzaratha »» Jan 2, 2014 10:49 PM
Poll: Rules Chapter 1 Discussion KitaTsuki - Mar 29, 2011	1 replies	by inzaratha »» Jan 2, 2014 10:48 PM
Poll: Rules Chapter 11 Discussion KitaTsuki - Nov 19, 2012	1 replies	by inzaratha »» Jan 2, 2014 10:47 PM

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