What do you think?
Rate this book
その手をどけろ [Sono Te o Dokero] #1
Hands Off!, Volume 1
*As seen in Asuka Comics along side such popular titles as X/1999, D.N.Angel and Legal Drug *Kasane Katsumoto's work has been published in Asuka, Asuka Mystery DX, Shojo Teikoku, and shonen-ai magazine Ciel *Adapted by Lianne Sentar (Sailor Moon & Saiyuki)
Kotarou is totally stoked that basketball season has started and he can now fulfill his hoop dreams. Things look even brighter for Kotarou as he meets Mio, a beautiful upperclassman who's got the hots for Kotarou. Unfortunately he also meets Chiba, Mio's devious protector. With trouble afoot, Tatsuki and Yuuto must use their ESP to make sure there is no foul play!
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1998
3 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 24, 2017
Compared to other manga, I don't think the artwork in this book is all that pretty, but I have never read anything funnier. This series has a supernatural spin on the classic mystery story line. Kotarou has no idea that others' psychic abilities are augmented when they touch him, so when his cousin, Tatsuki, and his friend are trying to help him solve a mystery, they make up completely random excuses for touching him. Honestly, I've never laughed harder. Add that to the fact that Kotarou looks like a girl, and you have more hilarious incidents.
I really like the relationship between the three main characters. There's a lot of tension, but there's camaraderie, too. I'm looking forward to see what exactly happened between Tatsuki and Kotarou to change them from best friends to almost-enemies.
Volume 1 was a bit formulaic for me. There are three acts that all play out similarly. I hope that the future volumes add a bit more variety in the story line. I think once Tatsuki starts opening up, the story is going to have a lot more substance.
Hands Off! is a quick read that is guaranteed to make you laugh. I would recommend it for any manga fan.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I really like the relationship between the three main characters. There's a lot of tension, but there's camaraderie, too. I'm looking forward to see what exactly happened between Tatsuki and Kotarou to change them from best friends to almost-enemies.
Volume 1 was a bit formulaic for me. There are three acts that all play out similarly. I hope that the future volumes add a bit more variety in the story line. I think once Tatsuki starts opening up, the story is going to have a lot more substance.
Hands Off! is a quick read that is guaranteed to make you laugh. I would recommend it for any manga fan.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
September 20, 2015
Hands Off! is a comedy centering on Kotarou, a boy who augments others' psychic abilities without knowing it. With his friend Yuuto and his cousin Tatsuki, this threesome solves mysteries in and around school using ESP (and Kotarou). The story line mixes its humourous bits - such as the ridiculous excuses to touch Kotarou for an ESP brain blast - with its darker, more emotional moments very well; the balance between the two is good: Reika's meltdown left a huge emotional impact on me as a teen. Out of the first two volumes, it's undeniably the most memorable part.
The downside is that some of the situations Kotarou ends up in are a little far-fetched. He's tied up and kidnapped, involved in a house fire, and kidnapped a second time and dressed as a woman (which, by the way, happens on multiple occasions). Nobody's life is that crazy. Some folks suggest that the artwork is another downside - while it's not the most beautiful art, I personally don't think it detracts from the story at all.
I read this as a high school freshman and again as an adult - I appreciate it the nuances and humor much more now than I did then (high school me would give this book two stars).
The downside is that some of the situations Kotarou ends up in are a little far-fetched. He's tied up and kidnapped, involved in a house fire, and kidnapped a second time and dressed as a woman (which, by the way, happens on multiple occasions). Nobody's life is that crazy. Some folks suggest that the artwork is another downside - while it's not the most beautiful art, I personally don't think it detracts from the story at all.
I read this as a high school freshman and again as an adult - I appreciate it the nuances and humor much more now than I did then (high school me would give this book two stars).
May 17, 2020
I've honestly been waiting a ridiculously long time to get my hands on a copy of volume 1 of this manga and read it for the first time. This was a triumph and a treat.
To explain, the first time I ever heard of Hands Off! happened to be when one of my peers in the anime club in my freshman year of high school brought in her copy of the 4th volume of the series to a meeting, and I later realized after she left that the volume was still in the classroom where we'd had the meeting. I figured that I'd grab it and save it from inevitable doom of being left there to be discovered by whoever taught in that room the next day, and would return it to her the next time I saw her. Naturally I got curious and wound up reading the volume, and despite not being fully up to speed on previous chapters, fell totally in love with it by the time I finished. I wound up very reluctant to return it to her the next day, only to find out that she'd intentionally left the book there in hopes that someone else would just take it (I guess she got it as a gift from someone and either didn't like it, or didn't randomly like having a volume in a series she wasn't collecting.) Since then, I kept it and held out the hope that I'd see other volumes somewhere in a bookstore, but it never happened.
At present, I'm not actually sure what happened to that copy of volume 4, whether it ended up lost entirely or if it's packed away in a box of books in the attic to be sorted through, but when the series came up as a recommendation on Thriftbooks based on browsing history, I leapt at the chance to finally start collecting it as I'd always wanted. Admittedly, I had some worry regarding whether or not I'd enjoy this first volume; there was always the chance I'd overhyped the book in my head and that the reality would disappoint. I'm beyond thrilled to say that's not the case though, and I utterly adore each of the chapters/stories in this volume.
For those unaware, the summary on this volume's GR page isn't the actual summary for the first volume (it looks like the descriptions for all the volumes are janked,) but this is a drama series focusing on a trio of boys with varying psychic powers, and the surprisingly intense and arguably dark situations they get caught up in, and how their powers play into these issues. I was surprised by the intensity of theses initial three chapters, but I think that's part of why I loved the fourth volume as much as I did and why I was so excited to start reading the entire series. If you plan to try reading this, be aware of that. This starts intense and stays fairly intense, even with the interjection of the author's sense of humor.
Shocking absolutely no one, I loved this and definitely plan to hunt down the rest of the series as soon as I'm able. (And I might have to go exploring in the attic to find those boxes to see if I still have volume 4 hiding somewhere.)
To explain, the first time I ever heard of Hands Off! happened to be when one of my peers in the anime club in my freshman year of high school brought in her copy of the 4th volume of the series to a meeting, and I later realized after she left that the volume was still in the classroom where we'd had the meeting. I figured that I'd grab it and save it from inevitable doom of being left there to be discovered by whoever taught in that room the next day, and would return it to her the next time I saw her. Naturally I got curious and wound up reading the volume, and despite not being fully up to speed on previous chapters, fell totally in love with it by the time I finished. I wound up very reluctant to return it to her the next day, only to find out that she'd intentionally left the book there in hopes that someone else would just take it (I guess she got it as a gift from someone and either didn't like it, or didn't randomly like having a volume in a series she wasn't collecting.) Since then, I kept it and held out the hope that I'd see other volumes somewhere in a bookstore, but it never happened.
At present, I'm not actually sure what happened to that copy of volume 4, whether it ended up lost entirely or if it's packed away in a box of books in the attic to be sorted through, but when the series came up as a recommendation on Thriftbooks based on browsing history, I leapt at the chance to finally start collecting it as I'd always wanted. Admittedly, I had some worry regarding whether or not I'd enjoy this first volume; there was always the chance I'd overhyped the book in my head and that the reality would disappoint. I'm beyond thrilled to say that's not the case though, and I utterly adore each of the chapters/stories in this volume.
For those unaware, the summary on this volume's GR page isn't the actual summary for the first volume (it looks like the descriptions for all the volumes are janked,) but this is a drama series focusing on a trio of boys with varying psychic powers, and the surprisingly intense and arguably dark situations they get caught up in, and how their powers play into these issues. I was surprised by the intensity of theses initial three chapters, but I think that's part of why I loved the fourth volume as much as I did and why I was so excited to start reading the entire series. If you plan to try reading this, be aware of that. This starts intense and stays fairly intense, even with the interjection of the author's sense of humor.
Shocking absolutely no one, I loved this and definitely plan to hunt down the rest of the series as soon as I'm able. (And I might have to go exploring in the attic to find those boxes to see if I still have volume 4 hiding somewhere.)
December 1, 2017
This story involves three high school boys with psychic powers. Kotaro is slender and pretty (much to his dismay) and possessed of the purest aura you ever did see. We know this thanks to his friend Yuuto, an incorrigible playboy who has the ability to see auras. (Their colors tip him off about someone's mood, veracity, and hidden motivations.) But the most interesting—and angsty—is Kotaro's cousin Tatsuki, who doesn't want anyone (but especially his cousin) to know he's a post-cog. Herein lies the reason for the series title. Tatsuki avoids direct touches because he sees things that have happened. And these terrible, violent images have been haunting him since childhood. (Hence the angst!)
Lots of boyish brawling and scenes of violence. The plot progresses through a string of incidents/cases that the boys manage to resolve. The main draw may be the intriguing game of push and pull going on between the cousins.
Lots of boyish brawling and scenes of violence. The plot progresses through a string of incidents/cases that the boys manage to resolve. The main draw may be the intriguing game of push and pull going on between the cousins.
July 19, 2025
I read this manga series years ago but got excited to see that my library had it. I decided to give it a reread for nostalgia sake. I read the ending not too long ago so I still remember it, but I saw that there’s a sequel series so after I finish this reread I’m going to read the sequel. As for this first volume, it’s on the shorter side and weirdly uses assaulting the shorter cousin as the main plot device.
There’s a subplot of a brother trying to find his sister’s replacement but then he tries to kiss the replacement…
There’s a subplot of a brother trying to find his sister’s replacement but then he tries to kiss the replacement…
June 2, 2024
Listed as a comedy/drama, this plays out more like a horror! In the first volume, we see an old woman hanging (in a vision), attempted murder with poison, bomb that almost takes someone's hand... and so on. There is comedy and drama, certainly. I did really enjoy the story line, and it seems to be settling in for a long run.
January 24, 2018
Shonen ai, but I remember enjoying the series at the time. It was a precursor to yaoi for me.
January 2, 2023
I actually really, really, enjoyed this
August 6, 2023
This manga is about three boys with special powers and it seems pretty hilarious at first glance but when you look just a bit deeper, you realize that it's not all that funny, especially Tatsuki's story, his desperate loneliness, his depression and his fear of his gift destroying his life. The manga also deals with pretty heavy stuff, the boys actually deal with real crimes like kidnappings or violent attacks and stuff like that. In this first volume, Kotarou switches schools because he was bullied at his last place. He moves in with his grandfather and his cousin, Tatsuki, who has his own issues. Thanks to the funny bits, the really heavy stuff is easier to handle but the manga is in no way for kids.
August 16, 2012
Interesting bishonen manga about three boys with ESP who help solve issues with school friends. No out and out yaoi so far, but definite slashability. Compelling story, great characters and some really funny extras. Definitely a series to watch. Nice artwork too. Fans of things like Eerie Queerie and Love Drug anre definitely going to want to check this one out.
April 25, 2015
2.5 stars. This was confusing. I didn't know what was going on most of the time. It was also kind of boring, but that's probably because I was so confused. Also, normally, I don't mind cussing at all. But the amount of cussing in this manga for how short it was bothered me. I will not be continuing with this series.
June 17, 2016
Shounen ai feels~
Remind me of Blue from the Raven Boys who is also a magnifier of people's power. Only in this came, he doesn't know why his cousin refrain himself from touching him as he has supernatural power too.
Despite the grim undertones, it's a really cute story.
Remind me of Blue from the Raven Boys who is also a magnifier of people's power. Only in this came, he doesn't know why his cousin refrain himself from touching him as he has supernatural power too.
Despite the grim undertones, it's a really cute story.
February 28, 2012
1st. read: 6/3/05
July 27, 2012
Really, really good. Funny and didn't even need a romantic element. I so want to read the rest.
June 3, 2017
Have finally gotten my hands on a copy of this after reading it years ago, still really good.
Some of the people resolve there issues a bit quickly but not unbelievably.
Some of the people resolve there issues a bit quickly but not unbelievably.
June 22, 2018
Oh, I don't know; it's alright, I suppose.
Sometimes I feel like the author goes a little overboard with the bad guys. Like, the guy in the last chapter, with the sister complex: why did they have to make that into something [spoiler]sexual[/spoiler]?
My favourite character is Tatsuki, because he has cool powers, even if he is a little too stereotypically "nobody understands my pain" broody.
I would like Yuuto more if he wasn't so casual about his cheating habits (I place great value in honesty!). His empathetic powers are pretty cool, though, and somehow very useful to the plot.
I bought volumes 1-8 secondhand and I plan on reading them all, but I'm not sure that I'll keep the series on my bookshelves after I'm done. We'll see!
Sometimes I feel like the author goes a little overboard with the bad guys. Like, the guy in the last chapter, with the sister complex: why did they have to make that into something [spoiler]sexual[/spoiler]?
My favourite character is Tatsuki, because he has cool powers, even if he is a little too stereotypically "nobody understands my pain" broody.
I would like Yuuto more if he wasn't so casual about his cheating habits (I place great value in honesty!). His empathetic powers are pretty cool, though, and somehow very useful to the plot.
I bought volumes 1-8 secondhand and I plan on reading them all, but I'm not sure that I'll keep the series on my bookshelves after I'm done. We'll see!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews