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Kizuna [絆] #1
Kizuna 1
蘭丸（♂）と圭（♂）は恋人同士。大学生になって一緒に暮らしはじめた。二人の毎日は順風満帆。しかしそんなある日、圭の義弟・佳が二人のスウィートホームに転がり込んできた。何やらトラブルの予感が……。
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1992
6 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
About the author
Kazuma Kodaka
114 books94 followersAssociated names :
КОДАКА Кадзума
小鷹和麻
K2 Company
K2COMPANY
Name (in native language) : こだか和麻
Zodiac : Scorpio
Blood type : O
Kodaka-sensei made her debut in 1989 with Sessa Takuma! in Shounen Champion. Today she is one of the most popular Boys' Love authors. She is famous for her work on designing the characters for Triple X's BL anime Boku no Sekuhara (My Sexual Harassment) and is also the beloved author of Kizuna.
Matoh Sanami taught her how to draw using a shoujo-style. Sanami Matoh and Kazuma Kodaka are actually very good friends.
Her doujinshi circle is called K2 Company.
Name in Chinese characters for the Chinese Market: “小鷹和麻”
Location: Saitama, Japan
twitter for doujinshi: https://twitter.com/kazu_k_el
pixiv: http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=33...
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 28, 2017
I love this series, but Volume 1 is not that great tbh.
I don´t like the art (Kazuma Kodaka improves so much as this particular series goes on), the pacing is off and I wouldn´t get most of the plot if I didn´t already now all the other Volumes, because it´s all over the place. (I know we get more backstory in the next one, but still... it´s annoying.)
Totally forgot about the non-con, too. (Why are you doing this Kai? I know that I like you. But you´re being a dick right now.)
The humor is already shining through and I do genuinely love these characters so much, but I can´t bring myself to give this more than 3 stars. (5 stars will come later on though, otherwise this wouldn´t be one of my favourite BL series.)
I don´t like the art (Kazuma Kodaka improves so much as this particular series goes on), the pacing is off and I wouldn´t get most of the plot if I didn´t already now all the other Volumes, because it´s all over the place. (I know we get more backstory in the next one, but still... it´s annoying.)
Totally forgot about the non-con, too. (Why are you doing this Kai? I know that I like you. But you´re being a dick right now.)
The humor is already shining through and I do genuinely love these characters so much, but I can´t bring myself to give this more than 3 stars. (5 stars will come later on though, otherwise this wouldn´t be one of my favourite BL series.)
September 18, 2011
When I read this for the first time, I gave this volume four stars, and I stand by this rating. The five stars are for the series as a whole.
I started reading yaoi about four months ago, and when I started I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount. I had no idea where to start, so of course I googled around for a bit. Kizuna was one of the series that was mentioned a lot, so I ordered the first volume at our store. Actually, I wasn't entirely sure whether I should do it because of the German cover (I admit I was a bit embarrassed - it's not like what I like to read is a big secret, but the cover was pushing it. At least that's what I thought back then.) Anyway, it was good that I ordered it there because thanks to that I discovered that one of our trainees likes yaoi, too, and I was able to borrow the whole series from her. (The only problem was that she was on vacation after I finished reading volume 6... it's a good thing the ending wasn't that much of a cliffhanger and that I had so many other things to read.)
Anyway, I finally finished reading the last volume today, and decided to reread the first volume to see whether my feelings for the first volume still stand. And it turns out they do! Here's what I wrote about the first volume right after I finished reading it:
Once I got past the fact that what is happening in this book has absolutely nothing to do with what it says in the blurb on the cover (the German version), this was fun. I mean, the blurb says something about Kei Enjoji and Ranmaru Samejima having been friends since high school, but then having lost contact when in the story they're pretty much a couple all the time? Maybe I'm missing something, but anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of this series and I want to know more about the characters.
The back blurb really is hopelessly confusing, especially when you're new to manga. In the beginning, I was still getting the hang of reading them, and a lot of the time you pretty much get thrown into cold water, having to figure out who the characters are and what their relationships are etc. And the German blurb has nothing to do with Kizuna whatsoever.
But if you ignore that, the first volume is entertaining enough. It didn't make me fall in love with the characters, exactly, but it made me want to know more, and that's something.
The best thing about this series for me was Kei's and Ranmaru's relationship. Kai and Masa - well, in the end I didn't hate them, which was a big step up from my first feelings for Kai. But if you're a sucker for long-term relationships, this series is a must. Despite the yaoi-typical beginning, it develops into something very real and beautiful. I could have done with a little less of Ranmaru's protests during sex, but that's a minor complaint. I also loved all the side characters, from Ranmaru's family to Kei's father.
So yes, long story short, this is definitely worth reading.
I started reading yaoi about four months ago, and when I started I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount. I had no idea where to start, so of course I googled around for a bit. Kizuna was one of the series that was mentioned a lot, so I ordered the first volume at our store. Actually, I wasn't entirely sure whether I should do it because of the German cover (I admit I was a bit embarrassed - it's not like what I like to read is a big secret, but the cover was pushing it. At least that's what I thought back then.) Anyway, it was good that I ordered it there because thanks to that I discovered that one of our trainees likes yaoi, too, and I was able to borrow the whole series from her. (The only problem was that she was on vacation after I finished reading volume 6... it's a good thing the ending wasn't that much of a cliffhanger and that I had so many other things to read.)
Anyway, I finally finished reading the last volume today, and decided to reread the first volume to see whether my feelings for the first volume still stand. And it turns out they do! Here's what I wrote about the first volume right after I finished reading it:
Once I got past the fact that what is happening in this book has absolutely nothing to do with what it says in the blurb on the cover (the German version), this was fun. I mean, the blurb says something about Kei Enjoji and Ranmaru Samejima having been friends since high school, but then having lost contact when in the story they're pretty much a couple all the time? Maybe I'm missing something, but anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of this series and I want to know more about the characters.
The back blurb really is hopelessly confusing, especially when you're new to manga. In the beginning, I was still getting the hang of reading them, and a lot of the time you pretty much get thrown into cold water, having to figure out who the characters are and what their relationships are etc. And the German blurb has nothing to do with Kizuna whatsoever.
But if you ignore that, the first volume is entertaining enough. It didn't make me fall in love with the characters, exactly, but it made me want to know more, and that's something.
The best thing about this series for me was Kei's and Ranmaru's relationship. Kai and Masa - well, in the end I didn't hate them, which was a big step up from my first feelings for Kai. But if you're a sucker for long-term relationships, this series is a must. Despite the yaoi-typical beginning, it develops into something very real and beautiful. I could have done with a little less of Ranmaru's protests during sex, but that's a minor complaint. I also loved all the side characters, from Ranmaru's family to Kei's father.
So yes, long story short, this is definitely worth reading.
January 18, 2022
I truly love and enjoy this series. The artwork may be a cross between old style and new, but still amazing. The men look like men, and oh, so sexy they are. This first volume introduces Kei and Ran as an established couple living together attending college, with flash back to when they first met in elementary school. It also introduces the complexity of both their backgrounds and families; Ranmaru raised to be a Kendo champion, Kei finding he has ties to the Yakuza and a half brother Kai. So family has a strong foothold in this series.
February 8, 2026
⭐ 7/10
It’s been ages since I last read a proper old-school BL! The evolution compared to more recent ones is impressive, but they’ve got this undeniable charm. The artwork is genuinely beautiful, and I particularly love the care put into the facial expressions.
It’s been ages since I last read a proper old-school BL! The evolution compared to more recent ones is impressive, but they’ve got this undeniable charm. The artwork is genuinely beautiful, and I particularly love the care put into the facial expressions.
March 14, 2026
Se nota que es de los 90, con todo lo bueno y lo malo que eso conlleva.
June 13, 2023
Re-read #2: 14 years later, I came back for a re-read. And I had to raise the star rating to 5. Because I realized that, after all this years, I still adore Ran-chan and Enjoji, that they stayed with me all these years and that's really something. Their love for each other truly gives me warm fuzzies.
The final volume of "Kizuna" is out, vol. 11, but when I picked it up, I realized that I had no idea what happened in the previous ten books anymore. Thus a re-read was in order. I admit that I've always been a bigger fan of the Enjoji/Ranmaru pairing than of Masa/Sagano. But I love the way Enjoji and Sagano bicker, they really are brothers!
The final volume of "Kizuna" is out, vol. 11, but when I picked it up, I realized that I had no idea what happened in the previous ten books anymore. Thus a re-read was in order. I admit that I've always been a bigger fan of the Enjoji/Ranmaru pairing than of Masa/Sagano. But I love the way Enjoji and Sagano bicker, they really are brothers!
March 24, 2026
Haha, kirja jonka luin osana Desucon Frostbiten BL-gachakirjasto-ohjelmaa! Innovatiivinen ja hauska ohjelmanumero iltaan, ei tuota voinut jättää tsekkaamatta. Minulle arvottiin tällainen helmi. Siis ensinnäkin, tää piirrostyyli on ihan oikeasti upea, vaikka kantta ehkä katsookin vähän silleen että jahas. Ysäri-BL on aliarvostettua ja jää suotta 2000-luvun alun karmeuksien alle. Harmikseni juoneltaan tämä oli haasteellinen. Tätä oli jotenkin tosi sekavaa lukea, en millään meinannut erottaa hahmoja toisistaan ja vikana asiana vielä tulee jotain outoa shotaa ja pseudoinsestisettiä, apua. Ehdottomasti kuitenkin odotettua parempi.
August 14, 2010
Love it! Love it! Love it! This book is exactly the reason I fell madly in love with Kazuma Kodaka. Kizuna is exactly what I enjoy reading in Yaoi. Her characters are solid and forever evolving as the story continues. Kei Enjyoji is my favourite in every sense of the word. He's bold, humorous and strong, and he never gives up on his lover, Ranmaru Samejima, no matter the man's indifference! Awesome!
June 3, 2019
¿Qué tenemos aquí?... ¿Una historia de mafia y kendokas, o sea, violencia y deporte? Póngame cuatro.
Está claro que el estilo de Kodaka no estaba nada pulido al principio, pero, madre mía cómo mejoró esta artista. Mientras, ¿y lo que te ríes? Ay, madre. El drama: oh, oh, oh. El homenaje a León: The Professional. Los modelitos de Kai. Masanori Araki, todo él. Porfaplis. Esta serie es todo lo que deberían ser las series yaoi: un desmadre.
Está claro que el estilo de Kodaka no estaba nada pulido al principio, pero, madre mía cómo mejoró esta artista. Mientras, ¿y lo que te ríes? Ay, madre. El drama: oh, oh, oh. El homenaje a León: The Professional. Los modelitos de Kai. Masanori Araki, todo él. Porfaplis. Esta serie es todo lo que deberían ser las series yaoi: un desmadre.
January 11, 2018
I have a love hate relationship with this series. I tried to collect it for years from other swappers after it went out of print. Its a book that's up and down in demand. I finally got about 5 books in and read it and found out that while it was an ok series it wasn't a favorite. So all that work and I didn't even like it. Think I sold/swapped it away but this series drove me crazy for years.
April 17, 2024
Well, this was a lot more humorous than I expected. The pacing is a little weird - I'm assuming it started out as a short story that gradually got expanded on - but it gets better by the end.
Still not sure what to think of it. It wasn't half bad despite the storm of old school yaoi clichés.
3.5 stars
Still not sure what to think of it. It wasn't half bad despite the storm of old school yaoi clichés.
3.5 stars
June 22, 2018
It was okay.
October 4, 2019
It was a little hard to follow for a sec so I thought I might be missing pages, but then it was ok. It’s a little over the top.
September 25, 2023
SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL
December 21, 2023
Cute story but I feel like it was all messy or something? Gonna read at least one more volume to see if it improves tho.
December 28, 2016
Series Review:
Kizuna is a brilliant piece of fiction and even though it suffers of some tropes and afflictions of the BL genre, the sheer brilliance of Kodaka's characters will always shine through. At the beginning the story can feel a bit episodic, but it soon picks up a coherent narrative and what an interesting ride it is. The setting with Kei and Kai as sons of a Yakuza boss is unusual and interesting yet it never feels too far out there. (Sometimes, maybe. Never in a bad way though.) What is also wonderfully explored is the kendo background of Kai and Ranmaru, I truly love the way the sport is drawn and explained. What truly shines in this story is the wonderful depiction of relationships, especially a homosexual love in a country such as Japan. But it isn't only the love stories that make this manga stand out, I also truly enjoyed the two different sibling relationships it depicts and the importance of family in this story.
Kodaka's art while still rough around the edges in the earlier volumes is beautiful. I enjoy her clean lines and facial expressions. (Also, she knows how to draw beautiful men. Oh yes, she does ;))
This series is one I've read every other year since it came out and it is always wonderful to return to these beloved characters that feel as if they're family by now. Especially Kei and Ranmaru have a permanent place in my heart.
Kizuna is a brilliant piece of fiction and even though it suffers of some tropes and afflictions of the BL genre, the sheer brilliance of Kodaka's characters will always shine through. At the beginning the story can feel a bit episodic, but it soon picks up a coherent narrative and what an interesting ride it is. The setting with Kei and Kai as sons of a Yakuza boss is unusual and interesting yet it never feels too far out there. (Sometimes, maybe. Never in a bad way though.) What is also wonderfully explored is the kendo background of Kai and Ranmaru, I truly love the way the sport is drawn and explained. What truly shines in this story is the wonderful depiction of relationships, especially a homosexual love in a country such as Japan. But it isn't only the love stories that make this manga stand out, I also truly enjoyed the two different sibling relationships it depicts and the importance of family in this story.
Kodaka's art while still rough around the edges in the earlier volumes is beautiful. I enjoy her clean lines and facial expressions. (Also, she knows how to draw beautiful men. Oh yes, she does ;))
This series is one I've read every other year since it came out and it is always wonderful to return to these beloved characters that feel as if they're family by now. Especially Kei and Ranmaru have a permanent place in my heart.
Did Not Finish
December 31, 2012Thought I'd pick this up from the library because I'd never read yaoi before. Turns out it's not for me.
March 2, 2015
great read!!
August 31, 2013
Kizuna is the best yaoi manga I have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews