Embracing Love, Vol. 4

春を抱いていた / Haru wo daiteita #4

by Youka Nitta

"Be Beautiful has released an excellent version of Embracing Love."-BoysOnBoysOnFilm.com

Drama and passions ignite when Katou and Iwaki are selected for the leads in opposing drama series. As their busy schedules keep them apart, each man's yearnings surge within until they reach a boiling point. When Katou finally reaches his limit and rushes to Iwaki's work, the two lovers consume each other in a parked car. Is this the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their lives, or the last gasp of a love that's finally run its course?

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, Romance, Boys Love, Contemporary, LGBT, M M Romance

208 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Youka Nitta (新田祐克 correct pronunciation: Yuuka Nitta) is a Japanese manga artist.

Her illustration debut was in 1994, in 小説Charade.
She is one of the few Boys' Love manga-ka whose works are enjoyed by both straight women (the main target audience) and gay men.
Her manga debut was Be-Boy's 1995 release of "Groupie."
Recently she temporarily quit writing manga after a scandal involving her plagiarism of many magazine photographs.
According to The Yaoi Review (2009-12-31), she is back with a continuation of an ongoing manga to be released in English in February.
Her moe point is older ukes.

Reviews

[MaDoReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

In love con estos 2

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iwaki concentradíssim en la seva feina perquè té un paper en una peli de metges (i li recorda a com no va poder acomiadar-se de sa mare). El Katou ultragelós del nou ajudant de l'Iwaki perquè és un noi jove i guapot. I ja per culminar el volum, passat megatèrbol entre el Sawa (productor sèrie?) i el seu jove amant Yukihito, m'he quedat de pasta Ö El Sawa, expolicia, és el tiet del Yukihito que viu un fet molt traumàtic que el deixa mut durant una temporada: son pare mata sa mare, la germana del Sawa. Enmig d'una operació policial antidrogues, s'adona que potser és gai i que sent atracció pel maquillatge. Quan el Yukihito veu el seu tiet maquillat té una catarsi, se'n recorda de sa mare... i acaba vivint amb el tiet. MOLT FORT. Veig que la dinàmica de la sèrie és "estimem-nos malgrat la voràgine de drama que ens envolta", okay...

[Moon19 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't know why the artstyle is so wacky in the first few chapters but if you just get through the first 5-6 then it really changes for the better! Embracing love, especially if we take into consideration that it was written and illustrated back in 1999-2009, is a very well-written story, not perfect but very enjoyable! The main characters (Iwaki and Katou) really draw you in with their personalities and you just can't put the story down. Of course, you'll have to keep in mind that this is a yaoi so many explicit scenes are included.

[Ester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me quedo sin palabras a cada tomo. Nitta sabe lo que hace y punto. Me encanta todos los problemas que presenta en cada episodio y lo bien que lo hace. Además que por fin tenemos a Iwaki haciendo se seme. Pocos mangas nos muestra una pareja reversible.

[Daesy · Rating 5 out of 5]

See review volume 1

[Izar · Rating 4 out of 5]

El último capítulo... (☉｡☉)

[fedepigeons · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5

[Kynthos-the-Archer (Kyn) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iwaki really need to work on being more attentive and sensitive towards Kato's feelings. Kato is quite right that it was always him that make the first move and to open his heart. And it was always him that kept reassuring Iwaki of his love. Iwaki almost never do so for Kato. No wonder Kato is so insecured and would get jealous easily. Anyhoo, I am pleased to note that Iwaki did make some improvements on this as the story progresses. He is now able to express himself better. At least, Kato gets to feel needed and loved.

In this volume, Iwaki gets a new manager as Shimizu san is away on extended leave due to her pregnancy. A young handsome guy by the name of Asano was to relief Shimizu san for the time being. This manipulative new character threatens Iwaki and Kato's relationship as he comes with ulterior self-serving motive. I disliked him instantly although he may have a pretty face - the hairstyle sucks tho. People like him are rotten on the inside - I felt like growling at him whenever he made an appearance. Sigh... I guess, the entertainment world is a dark place and fame does have a price.

By the way, there's a hot and sexy scene where Kato kun made Iwaki san do a striptease for him during dinner. He had once again gotten Iwaki san all riled up and then the follow up sex was quite intense - oh so male... rough and passionate and I love it! Oh, I nearly forgotten to mentioned about the impromptu car sex initiated by a very desperate Kato kun. <3 So yeah, this volume's sex scenes are pretty scorching hot.

Aside from that, there's a short background story of Sawa Tsuneo in this volume. He is one of the important side character, a famous LGBTQ author who has indirectly started off both MC's love story. We will get to know how and why he becomes a cross-dresser and also now a famous author.

Wrong Body, Right Mind - Gender Dysphoria

[Click here to enlarge picture]

This side story of Sawa Tsuneo's struggle with Gender Dysphoria is the most compelling and poignant chapter in this volume imho. He was having such a hard time trying to synchronize his own body with his mind and to stay a filial son to his parents.

I am glad he is strong enough to be who he chose to be. There's nothing wrong in that. What's wrong is society's own narrow perception over gender categorization. If we do not or cannot love ourselves, who would? Is there a point pretending to be someone we are not? Will that bring us happiness? We are who we are. Who are those who has the rights to say otherwise? Do they own you? Even our parents does not own us. We owe them yes but we are not an object to them nor should we ever be one. Real caring and loving parents would love you just the same no matter who you are. And they would know true joy as long as you found lasting happiness.

We ARE all unique and I celebrate uniqueness and diversity. Thank god for the colors in our life. It makes the most vibrant rainbow to behold and treasure.

[L. J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Repeated review.

Okay, back in the day, I loved this series. Why? Because gay. That’s literally the only reason I loved it, alongside a lot of other yaoi manga. But then, I got older, smarter, and learned some fucked up shit about life, and then, I returned to most of the yaoi manga I once read. And absolutely hated a lot of them.

All of them, that I ended up hating later in life, involved incest, toxic relationships, rape, borderline rape, slavery, underage, and cringe. You decide which of those fits best with this series.

[Mati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iwaki and Kato were slowly settling to the life as couple with all his dramas and pains. Kato and Iwaki was kept apart due their busy working schedule until Kato could not bear the separation anymore and rushed to Iwaki's work and yes there was the hottest sex in the car scene, which I have ever saw in manga. The series has increasing quality and plot line is intriguing as well as sex scenes.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is getting better as it progresses. However, I do have to say that both Iwaki and Katou have a tendency to make a big drama out of very small things; something that isn't exactly unusual considering the genre, but it can still be a bit much. This reads like a daily soap, but a very enjoyable one with the added bonus of hot sex scenes, so I'm going to keep reading this.

[Aoi]

Now that the initial misunderstands are done away with, Kato & Iwaki settle into life as a celebrity couple. There are some slice-of-life issues explored here- making time for a relationship when you don't see each other for weeks. The sub plot dealing with Iwaki coming back to his conservative family was sensitively handled.
The plotline is getting interesting by the volume.

[DeeNeez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooh, jealousy and possessiveness abounds when Iwaki's new acting agent/manager is a real hottie. Katou doesn't trust him, knows he's after Iwaki.