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Love Stage!! #1

Love Stage!!, Vol. 1

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His father is a singer and his mother an actress, while older brother Shogo is the lead singer for the popular band “CRUSHERZ.” Though his family is packed with famous celebrities, Izumi Sena is just your average guy. Currently a college student, he is a huge otaku with aspirations of becoming a manga creator. But one day he gets roped into participating in a TV commercial and meets popular young actor Ryoma Ichijo. Could this be the same boy he starred in a commercial with over ten years ago?!

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2011

72 people are currently reading
2233 people want to read

About the author

Eiki Eiki

34 books207 followers
Japanese: 影木栄貴

Her real name is Eiko Naitou.

EIKI Eiki is a friend of ZAOU Taishi (TSUDA Mikiyo). She has published several solo manga, numerous yaoi doujinshi and one collaboration manga with Taishi Zaou. Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou go by the circle name Kodomo Keibitai and publish alone as well as with Zaougumi under the name Kozouya.

EIKI Eiki is the older sister of DAIGO (Daigo Naitou), the vocalist of J-rock band BREAKERZ, and her grandfather was the former prime minister (Mr. Takeshita) of Japan. One of her assistants was the very talented male yaoi artist UZUKI Jun.

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5 stars
1,985 (47%)
4 stars
1,185 (28%)
3 stars
728 (17%)
2 stars
203 (4%)
1 star
83 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
Profile Image for Reading_ Tamishly.
5,301 reviews3,472 followers
May 29, 2021
29th May 2021: Are you effing kidding me? I am watching the movie adaptation! 😆 I love my life 😝


22nd April 2020:

I would recommend the anime adaptation! It's really good!
Profile Image for Coco.
1,140 reviews581 followers
June 25, 2016
Me descojono totalmente JAJAJAJA
Si esto es así en el primer tomo, la que me espera xD
Profile Image for Sheziss.
1,367 reviews486 followers
December 11, 2016
This is a brainless funny story!



Very easy to read, and very enjoyable. Izumi is the youngest son of a family touched by fame: father is an actor, mother is a model turned into an actress, brother is a member of a successful music group. Izumi is the 'black sheep' of the family by choice. Once, as a child, he was forced to dress and play a girl role for an ad with a boy, and that was the last time he has ever been in front of the cameras.

Until the boy he shared stage with all those years ago comes back and demands the same girl to be with him in the new ad he's going to be a star of.

The problem is... Izumi is not a girl.

Double GFY. Very drama-llama, but in a humorous way. Bordering on exaggerated.

I didn't real all the books. The love story is pretty stablished by volume 3, so I didn't feel the pull to continue with book 4 and finish the series. That speaks by itself.

*****

Read in Manga Rock.

Read up to volume 3. Still 3 to go.

Volumes in the series:


Love Stage!! 1 by Eiki Eiki Love Stage!! 2 by Eiki Eiki Love Stage!! 3 by Eiki Eiki Love Stage!! 4 by Eiki Eiki Love Stage!! 5 by Eiki Eiki Love Stage!! 6 by Eiki Eiki
Profile Image for MaDoReader.
1,357 reviews168 followers
December 29, 2016
Cuando recogí este manga no estaba muy segura de mi compra , el anime, aunque gracioso, no me terminó de gustar, pero, sorpresa ¡en papel es muchisimo mejor!
El plot sigue siendo una tontada, pero esta vez me ha convencido, sin ser nada profundo.
Ideal para desconectar de lecturas densas.
Profile Image for Chesca (thecrownedpages).
323 reviews166 followers
January 16, 2020
Love Stage has an interesting set of characters to make it fun.

However, there's this problematic scene that was addressed in a comedic way even though it was something serious. I know it's meant to be funny in a way that embarrasses one of the characters, but it was just creepy when you think about it being brushed off.

There's nothing too exciting in this volume yet, so I'll give it 3 stars.
Profile Image for Mir.
4,975 reviews5,328 followers
July 9, 2018
Izumi comes from a family of actors. He wants to be a mangaka (although he has no talent) but his family keeps trying to get him involved in show biz.

This was much better than the previous Eiki I tried, although it still features disturbing non-consensual sexual activity. It wasn't as bad here because 1) the character is close to adult 2) it doesn't go as far, and 3) the older brother (Shugo is my favorite character) intervenes -- nice to see at least one Eiki character acting like rape is not okay. I get that non-con is a standard of yaoi just as for western bodice rippers, but I find it particularly odd that Eiki seems to recognize that it is awful and traumatic and yet retains it as a "romantic" trope. Here we have the character crying and then hiding in bed for several days after being assaulted, and even the attacker seems to acknowledge that it was wrong. But clearly they will end up together. Confusing.

Whether Izumi will ever learn to draw is less clear.
Profile Image for Ashley.
501 reviews88 followers
February 15, 2013
WAAHHHH! SOOOO CUTEEE!!
This manga is just soooo perf!!! Even if it is not a yaoi manga, it would still be adorable!!! OMGOMGOMGOfjiaefjaekgfhjaefij! All the characters were cute/hot! So many pairings!!! But gosh is Izumi/Ryouma cute or what??!!! SHIP SHIP SHIP!!

The manga had it all! Sweet, funny, "stimulating" *coughs coughs*. AHHHH! EEEEEEEEEE!!! KYYYAAAA!!

Ahem, well this is a bad review. But I really LOVE this! I can't stop reading it!!!
Profile Image for IzamaRi H. Fabela.
757 reviews91 followers
May 28, 2018


RESEÑA COMPLETA ➜ https://goo.gl/9PesdN

La familia Sena es una de las familias más famosas y populares en Japón, todo gracias al padre que es un cantate muy reconocido, a una madre que inició como modelo y que ahora es una de las actrices más populares y al hijo mayor quien es el vocalista de la banda del momento. Uno pensaría que con semejante genética iba a resultar fácil para el hijo menor entrar al mundo de la fama, pero tras un accidentado comercial hace diez años donde tuvo que vestirse de niña, Izumi quedó traumado y aunque la fama ha tocado varias veces a su puerta ha decidido ignorarla para alcanzar su mayor sueño que es ser un mangaka reconocido.

Pero la fama parece empeñada en atraerlo a sus redes pues ahora tiene que volver a filmar ese comercial que marcó su vida al lado del actor más popular de Japón, Ryoma Ichijo quien exigió volver a filmar el comercial con el cast original pues desde hace diez años no ha podido dejar de pensar en esa niña. Izumi y él logran grabar el comercial con algunos retrasos pero a la hora de decir adiós, Ryoma confiesa llevar diez años enamorado de Izumi sin saber que es hombre.


Siempre les he dicho que no soy muy fan del Yuri ni del Yaoi pues siento que a veces se enfocan mucho más en el fanservice olvidando la historia que están contando y eso de verdad me molesta mucho. Si claro, admito que un poco de fanservice viene bien de vez en cuando pero siempre y cuando este acompañado de una buena historia como es el caso de este manga que no sólo busca la atención de un público fujoshi sino que con su cómica historia busca llegar a un público mucho más amplio.

Pero me estoy adelantando un poco, primero permítanme presentarles a los personajes. Primero tenemos a Izumi, un chico de rasgos y complexión afeminada que pese a su linda apariencia prefiere esconderla y ser un otaku ermitaño. Izumi está obsesionado con un manga y su amor platónico por el cual haría lo que fuera es Lala Lulu, una guerrera mágica, es de hecho por este manga que su sueño de toda la vida es ser un mangaka pero su talento para el dibujo es más bien nulo. Es tan malo que ni siquiera es capaz de entender lo malo que es. Su personalidad es a veces demasiado infantil y mimada (y en este tomo la autora nos cuenta el por qué) y es demasiado fácil de manipular. Por ejemplo, acepto hacer de nuevo el comercial sólo porque Shogo le consiguió un despertador personalizado que le da los buenos días con la Seiyū de Lala Lulu (el talón de Aquiles de todos los Otakus xD).

Ryoma por su parte es todo lo que se espera de un actor popular. Es bien parecido y tiene una personalidad galante. La cosa es que cuando está con Izumi se vuelve un poquito menso pero ahí es donde está su encanto pues es demasiado divertido ver a este hombre serio perder los papeles.

También tengo que hablarles de Shojo, el hermano mayor de Izumi quien se ha encargado de mimar a Izumi desde que era pequeño y hasta el día de hoy se la vive sobreprotegiéndolo. La personalidad de Shojo es bastante infantil la mayoría del tiempo y eso lo hace demasiado divertido, sobre todo cuando está con Ryoma a quien se la vive molestando por cualquier cosita. Shojo también tiene por ahí una historia con Rei, el manager de toda la familia Sena que a diferencia de Shojo se muestra siempre serio y formal.

Creo que por ahora dejaré aquí esta reseña (o me pondré a fangirlear como loca) y ya les hablaré más de la historia con los tomos posteriores, pero antes de irme quiero decirles que no juzguen este manga por a las escenas subidas de tono que contiene ya que la historia de Izumi y Ryoma vale mucho la pena pues es una historia demasiado divertida y disparatada.


RESEÑA COMPLETA ➜ https://goo.gl/9PesdN


Profile Image for Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎.
1,310 reviews188 followers
June 30, 2022
I swear!! This is something!! And the art style is so adorable, with extremely interesting concept! I literally spent half of my extra hour staring at the character art—totally delish. There are indeed questionable scenes, like why the fudge did u do that boy, but I don't care, this is cute!! My friend won't shut up about this series, she's been recommending this to me non-stop since last December, and now I know why!
Profile Image for N.T. Embeast.
215 reviews27 followers
October 10, 2018

M'kay so. There are definitely some problematic things going on here that definitely come to play in, unfortunately, almost ALL BL manga, BUT. At least they attempt to address those things and talk about the fact that it's NOT GOOD TO RAPE AND FORCE YOURSELF ON PEOPLE. That being said, it still falls into the "One man is more feminine and the other is more masculine" trope that I hate with a burning passion, but the characters and story are interesting enough so I'll keep reading it. If it turns to shit then it'll be dropped. For now, I'm still entertained enough to keep going, and hopeful that more of the horrible tropes in BL series are addressed and discouraged.
Profile Image for Akckitty.
115 reviews12 followers
July 7, 2021
Sorry, what the fuck?

Nonconsensual sexual acts/rape by a love interest is not cool. Won't ever be cool. Please don't try and make it cool by making any of it seem like it was what the other person wanted “anyways.” Absolutely disgusting. Wow.
Profile Image for Lör K..
Author 3 books94 followers
May 4, 2017
Original Review – 4 / 5 - 5th March 2017
Re-review – 2 / 5 - 4th May 2017 – New review beneath original

Trigger warning: rape/dub con scene

I wasn't sure what to think when I picked this up. It seemed quite weak at first and I didn't really like the main characters we were introduced to. As I read on, however, I started to connect a little bit and was able to start to like them.

The plot line seems completely non existent. There does not seem to be something that is a constant fact. The story line itself is extremely strange. I have no idea where this yaoi is going but it seems to be good. I really want to read on and find out what's going on purely because I'm confused with where everything is going. 

I like the art work of this one, it's very fluid and very sweet to look at, easy on the eyes. The story line itself is well written, I like the small twists and turns, although the disgusting thing that Ryoma says to Izumi really turned me away. I might leave this one for a while before I read on, but this was enjoyable, and it's a fun manga.

--------------------


So I was glancing through this again last night and I can’t help but wonder, what the fuck was I thinking?

This story is pretty sweet, in a way. We have a boy playing a girl’s role in an advert when he was younger, and his co-star male is cute and innocent. Ten years later, the agency wants to do a reshoot with the whole original cast to continue the story of those the viewers saw in the original advert. This is where things go wrong.

Now first of all, let me admit, I do like the art style. The story doesn’t seem to have a plot which is annoying because you can’t tell where this is going to go. The first volume itself is pretty alright, but it’s not enough to make you want to read on. I’m saying this after flicking through it a second time so maybe it does make the reader want to read on during the first reading.

My problems with this lie in:

Eiki Eiki using rape as a plot device.

I’m sorry but no. After flicking through this again, I’m disgusted I liked it. Call me what you want, I just think it’s tacky and disrespectful to rape victims – as a victim of sexual assault – to use rape in a way that is merely for a plot device.

The male co-star pins our male lead to a couch, strips him and goes to kiss him and make things go further. If the main character’s agent hadn’t come in, I’m pretty sure this would have gone into full blown rape.

Previously, I turned an eye to this and warned other viewers that this was in there and thought nothing of it. Looking back again? Sorry, but no. Rape is not a plot device. It is not something for a character to “I thought I would fall out of loving you” thing. It is illegal, and for the main character (who actually goes on to fall in love with the main co-star) it would have been traumatic. Of course, in later volumes, he does run from the co-star, he does show signs of trauma, but then it just completely disappears as if this never happened because he falls in love with the co-star.

Of course, people are going to say “Well, Lor, you’re completely okay with it in the お金がないっ 1 Okane ga Nai 1 manga” and the truth it, I’m not. But it’s not used a plot device and the male dom (or should we call him a rapist? You decide) changes his ways and shows great sorrow and upset for what he’s done. Of course, the male co-star in this also does that, but then continues on to stalk the main character in ways that are just creepy, illegal, and downright unsettling.

This is such a lame excuse of a plot. This is not a plot. This is just gross, and frankly, to me, disrespectful. I can’t believe I liked this merely two months ago.
Profile Image for Beth.
1,436 reviews199 followers
September 25, 2018
This reader could spend some time pondering whether Izumi should pursue the career he's passionate for and not very good at, or the one that family destiny is pointing him towards. She could see Ryoma struggling between lust and consent, making mistakes and apologizing, and start a conversation about that. Or ask questions about why Izumi is all but asexual until he gets some overbearing sexual attention. Or roll her eyes seeing these college-aged kids act like they've just hit puberty.

Or she could just enjoy this as a silly, trope-filled love story and enjoy it on that level. Yeah, I think I'll go with that.

Ryoma is super cute. Usually I don't like the pursuer in this kind of story at all, but he blushes and over-the-top cries so much I just want to hug him. :)
Profile Image for Sarah .
963 reviews16 followers
November 22, 2015
Sorry, but I just can't give this a good review. I read it on a whim, and I'm sorry I did. It starts out cute, and the characters are goofily likeable... then this happens... Believe me, I get it that this manga is not meant to be real, but that's a deal breaker.
Profile Image for Jenna.
3,819 reviews48 followers
May 16, 2015
Read volume one.

I think my favorite by this mangaka is still the Family Complex series. This was just a bit too silly in plot and I really didn't find the non-consensual scene pleasant to read at all.... Drawing style also seems too pretty in regard to the whole seme uke differences. But it is a gorgeous drawing style in itself. Plot was a bit haphazard as well, but I do like the theme of loving someone as an individual rather than love restrained by gender.
Profile Image for Holly Letson.
3,847 reviews527 followers
August 29, 2015
This series is addictive. I started the series, and kept reading it till I had finished read all 4 of my Edelweiss ARCs (V1-V4) then went looking for scanslations online, so that I could read V5. What I found for V5 are actually illustrated summaries, but I loved being able to continue it. I really want more.

Izumi and Ryoma are perfect for one another.
Profile Image for Jeninne.
1,096 reviews32 followers
August 16, 2015
This manga is RIDICULOUSLY funny and cute and everything I have been craving for what feels like forever. I'm notoriously picky with my manga and this is pretty much as flawless as manga gets. I can't wait to read the next volume, and to eventually get started on the anime.
Profile Image for T..
Author 2 books27 followers
March 6, 2016
Not a great start. Kinda slow. Stunning art, though. Pretty dialogue/monologue heavy. Interested to see where all these seemingly platonic luvums are goin'. Hopefully without falling into old, easy habits of manga being just generally sexist as fuck.
Profile Image for Marianna Rainolter.
1,643 reviews23 followers
February 21, 2021
Recensione completa presente anche sul blog: https://bookmarksarereadersbestfriend...

Izumi Sena è figlio d’arte: la madre attrice, il padre un cantante di musical che gestisce una agenzia di talenti, e il fratello una rockstar. Il ragazzo però non vuole saperne di entrare nel mondo dello spettacolo nonostante le insistenze della sua famiglia e di Rei, il manager dell’agenzia. Ma questa volta non può rifiutarsi. Deve infatti rifare una vecchia pubblicità dove lui era comparso… ma vestendo i panni di una ragazza! Durante le riprese incontra l’attore del momento Ryoma Ichijo che ha accettato l’incarico per poter rivedere il suo primo amore… Izumi riuscirà a reggere la tensione? E cosa succederà quando Ryoma scoprirà la verità? Love Stage!! parte da questa premessa per raccontare la storia e la nascita del rapporto tra i due protagonisti. È un volume che introduce la storia, introducendo e raccontando bene Izumi e la sua famiglia, i suoi desideri e quelli degli altri, spiegando come è finito a fare una pubblicità vestito da bambina.

Vediamo il suo carattere testardo su cosa vuole fare della sua vita, il suo comportamento infantile, e come bastano dei gadget della sua serie anime preferita per convincerlo a fare tutto… Ma è anche un ragazzo un po’ tormentato e che non sa come rispondere alla sincerità e gentilezza di Ryoma, anche se la sua reticenza crea ulteriori problemi.

Nel mezzo del volume vediamo proprio i tormenti di Ryoma che, dopo essersi arrabbiato, inizia a riflettere su cosa prova per Izumi e se potrebbe piacergli anche se è un ragazzo. Un tema importante e da un certo punto di vista attuale; inoltre anche se trattano con divertimento non viene affatto banalizzato.

Il divertimento è presente in tutto questo primo volume di Love Stage!!, ma si gettano le basi per altri argomenti, legati alla sessualità, all’inesperienza, al voler fare cose che amiamo anche se non abbiamo talento. Izumi, infatti, non è propriamente una cima nel disegno, ma non si arrende anche se ha un certo talento e una bellezza che lo aiuterebbero nel mondo dello spettacolo. Il ragazzo però si ostina a rifiutare di entrare in questo mondo e la sua famiglia lo supporta poco nelle sue passioni da otaku anche se, vista la svogliatezza che lui ha molte volte, capiamo anche perché hanno molti dubbi…

Intravediamo anche la complicità tra Shogo, il fratello di Izumi, e il manager Rei (che i fan di Love Stage!! sanno che formano una coppia protagonista nella spin-off della serie, Back Stage!!), le dinamiche della famiglia Sena sono ben presentate, come anche i caratteri dei due protagonisti. Ci sono pochi momenti piccanti, ma non sono messi a caso, ma anzi necessari al proseguimento della storia e a far riflettere sopratutto Ryoma su cosa prova per Izumi. Perché infatti se per il ragazzo la pubblicità è capitolo da chiudere, capiamo invece che questo è l’inizio di un bello spettacolo…
Profile Image for Anastasia.
1,275 reviews177 followers
December 23, 2017
3.5/5

I've read this manga years ago, but I never finished it, cause it was ongoing. Now I'm finally up to the task!
This yaoi manga is hilarious and makes me do some weird screeching noises. I also love that it doesn't take itself seriously. Also, manga counts as a book. Fuck you if you disagree. Lots of love. ;3

What I didn't like and why I'm taking a star off is the use of sexual assault as a plot devise and never addressing the issue properly. I now it's a comedy manga, but assaults are not jokes. Could've lived without it.
Profile Image for Lex.
820 reviews145 followers
October 17, 2018
OMG!!! One of the best BL books! :D BL meaning Boys Love, or in Japan, YAOI. One of my favorites! *squeals* I'm currently reading the manga update and it's so effin' funny! :D

The drawing is soooooooo pretty! I really like pretty and cool drawings. One thing that draws me to this manga.

I love Izumi and his geekiness about animes and mangas. He's trying really hard to achieve his goal to be a mangaka. Then he met Ryoma. Oh damn. They are pretty goodlooking couple.
1,385 reviews44 followers
May 8, 2018
It started off light and funny enough, a typical mistaken-identity comedy of errors, but then in the last quarter it fell into the more-than-slightly-rapey pattern all too common in shounen-ai/yaoi. At that point I was completely turned off the rest of the story. Why can't we just have a silly rom-com manga without having sexual assault or stalking portrayed as a basis for 'romance'?!? *flings book across room*
Profile Image for Vex.
132 reviews5 followers
December 30, 2022
This reminds me of Zetsuai but it’s even worse somehow?? The nice art style was wasted on a trash story that made me feel creepy for reading it.
Mildly offended that an employee from the bookstore I frequent enthusiastically suggested I read this. Why would anyone ever tell a stranger to read this? Why?
Profile Image for Robert Pierson.
432 reviews4 followers
February 22, 2024
I remember finding the anime of this by sheer coincidence and thought it was cute and adorable no I did not like how forceful Ryoma Is with the main character at times it follows the anime pretty well so I’d have to say it’s all right it’s definitely a cute little story but since I’ve already seen the enemy I don’t know if I’m going to continue reading it.
Profile Image for Veronica.
1,545 reviews23 followers
September 27, 2017
Very stereotypical BL plot, but the characters were surprisingly earnest. I appreciate that Ryoma appears to have something close to a functioning sense of ethics, and that the narrative/other characters acknowledge when he's being a jerk.
Profile Image for Obed Alexander.
420 reviews
December 18, 2014
Me gusto el inicio de la historia pero lo sentía algo lento, necesitaba saber mas y ver como se desarrollaban las cosas y no veían tanta acción jeje
Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews

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