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TL;DR: 8/10

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This story guys. I can’t… Gah, it feels good. I mean, there are some cliches here and there but it touches them so very gently.

Everyone looks the right age, the characters are built well and even when everything goes wrong I don’t feel like sticking my head in a bucket of water called my tears. Not that this is terrible, some would say that’s not entirely good either, I love being frustrated and to the point where I wish to throw my laptop at the wall. When it comes to rom-coms like this, this should always be feeling they ... try to achieve. Everything is set up so well… except the time break.

It’s a jarring break because it’s not transitioned properly. It took me a few page flips to find out how many years had passed from a certain plot point. Even with that singular, though rather big problem, I would definitely recommend it.

TL;DR: 8/10

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While still fitting with Junko’s tone of style, this story is has very interesting main character that you want to invest in. Of course, Mister Showa… I mean Kouhei, does exhibit signs of being the stereotypical misunderstood punk with a heart of gold, it’s expressed in a way that is very refreshing even if close to being a trope.

I don’t really have any problems with this manga other than I find Hiroshi’s relationships to everyone seems to be portrayed as negative or non-existent (I mean, his parents are way too passive for a child who is a middle school drop-out in ... city-life Japan), but it fits the back story.

I’ll definitely be reading this again when I have the time (and yes, it’s favorite among my many bookmarks so I don’t forget it’s existence this time).

TL;DR: 6/10

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At first, you might think it’s fluffy, but Junko has a surprising way of inserting dark elements without breaking the tone... The story has it’s equal parts and Junko doesn’t try to hit you too hard with tension and it all seems very natural. I really like how Chihiro’s perception of Akira is a bit exaggerated around the edges about certain events that happened in their childhood (like what children do) and how the two of them both have to take a closer look at themselves so they could see the other better.

There are some flaws, the story line of the ... characters is very much a cliché. So cliché things happen a lot and the story is predictable, but it’s still rather enjoyable.

The characters are well designed and a have a unique look to them. I mean other than her uniquely fresh style, she doesn’t have what I like to call Yuu Watase Syndrome, where all the characters look the same even if they are not the same at all. Though, in regards to style, they don’t look their age. Chihiro is going to University, but they look very much like the two of them would be going to high school together.

Overall, it’s a good manga to spare the time, I don’t know if I’ll read it again, but I might if it crosses my path.

TL;DR: 10/10

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Why: Best paced yaoi ever! You know that “when was yesterday, what is tomorrow” itch that I always feel like it needs scratching? The one I keep whining about so far in my these past few reviews? Asou-san scratched it pleasantly and then gave me a massage and then hired Masaharu Morimoto to cook me a personal dinner in a luxury hotel suite of yaoi story perfection.

The two main characters, like Iron Chef Morimoto’s cooking, are thought out down to the last detail, balanced too. Not only that but they are surprisingly realistic. I have seen people just like them in ... this world! Technically, I could say that for some of Asou-san’s other works more than this one, but this one pegged a few of my own acquaintances straight between the lungs so that their hearts are bleeding all over my floor.

The side characters are exquisite, making you want to know more about what happens to all of them, and she teases. She teases so bad! Truly evil of you Asou, yet it’s heaven sent. You need the tease because life is just a tease and if she delved too much into them, it’d detract from this beautiful story she’s cooked up.

Best part about all of this, there is not really any clichés here. I’m sure there are some tropes that could be said, but it’s handled realistically that I call dem tropes bein’ human!

However, like all the greatest masterpieces, there is a mistake. A rather perfect imperfection really, so minuscule in the story.

So you know how it’s so beautifully paced that it makes me die twice?

Well… you see, after this beautiful, complex and true to life three-act story arc (not three chapter, three-act story arc) that really connects these characters and binds them to your soul and gives you it’s happily ever after (sex and all), there’s more to read.

There’s nothing wrong with this! In the manga business this is a good thing, it gives the hard-core sex fans something to suckle on. I would blame the industry, but it’s not bad!

The stories after the arc are more… like extra chapters. They give you extra delicious and not really needed, rich desserts. They’re very episodic in nature, and they aren’t awful, they’re just there. Which is why they don’t affect my grade because they’re after the story and you can tell the shift in tone and everything. It’s not like you think the story isn’t over and then bam, this happens. This is just more of like, canon fan fiction if it was carved by a actual writer? I don’t really know how to describe it but the manga still gets it’s high ranking in my life.

I hope you will take the time and read these, and if they ever get published in your country (I know her artwork has, but not her actual stories), you should buy them. I know I will!

TL;DR: 8/10

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Why: Okay, without fangirling too much like I’ve already done for you poor things about this author in the beginning, I really love this character design, or maybe it’s the art style. But oh man, they’re handsome.

You have no idea how many yaoi mangas I’ve gone through where I’m having to flip back a few pages just to double check gender. Now to each there own, I understand some people enjoying a good androgynous character, I enjoy it myself (especially if gender is satirized, that is genius).

It’s not only the art design, but the characters. They aren’t just women ... in a men’s body. They are working men who have jobs that work at their separate companies who happen to live together under strange circumstances. The plot isn’t too out there story wise. There’s no rape (consent is heaven sent; you have no idea how rare it is in this genre). It’s a slow cooking passion that starts off lukewarm slowly boils you alive.

My only problem? Under utilized side characters? Hayama has a few close friends he hangs out with constantly and they never really explain why one of his friends is so gosh darn protective other than because he understands him so well. It doesn’t take away from the story, just a bit disappointing for potential.

This wouldn’t really be a problem, except ex-lover doesn’t really show up ever, then again story, then again gaaaaaah. It’s difficult to explain without spoiling the story. I mean, technically, the ex-lover get’s his own extra chapter, but it’s an extra chapter! It’s like a deleted scene in a movie where you wonder why they deleted it in the first place. I think I’m spoiled and want all the drama I can get, especially with how many tears I spill over this the last six times I’ve read it (oops, did my inner fan-girl show, here let my show it again).

All of Asou-san’s mangas are re-readable so yes (even the ones I don’t mention), hearing me say six or ten or a million should be expected.