Shoko Hidaka (native name: 日高ショーコ) is a Japanese mangaka unit. The drawings are by Shoko Hidaka, and the stories are by Takie (タキエ) but the author name is always "Shoko Hidaka".
Il terzo è stato un volume davvero interessante, in cui vengono esplorate diverse questioni. Cominciamo dal rapporto tra Sakurai e Yoichi: l'attrazione è ormai reciproca, ma entrambi hanno dei dubbi. La differenza d'età e il divario a livello di esperienze (in campo sentimentale e non solo) iniziano a giocare un ruolo chiave, soprattutto dal punto di vista di Sakurai. Yoichi, dal canto suo, cerca disperatamente di comunicare i suoi sentimenti, le sensazioni che gli provoca la vicinanza con Sakurai - uno sforzo che il ragazzo cercherà di portare avanti anche in ambito familiare e in università. Il rapporto tra i due prende una piega interessante, ma all'orizzonte potrebbero esserci diversi problemi: uno su tutti, il trasferimento di Sakurai, per non parlare della presenza un po' ingombrante di Fujimoto. Ampio spazio viene dato anche alle dinamiche all'interno della famiglia Minagawa. Shota, nato da una relazione extraconiugale e quindi trattato sempre con disprezzo dal parentado, vuole tagliare i ponti con il padre e con il resto della famiglia. E per questo non vuole proseguire gli studi, ma trovarsi un lavoro e diventare al più presto indipendente. Takeo non sa bene cosa fare del suo futuro, ma di certo vuole continuare a prendersi cura dei cugini e a costruire qualcosa con loro. E se i fondi dei Minagawa possono essere impiegati per qualche progetto importante, perché precludersi la possibilità di usarli? Yoichi sembra fare i primi passi per uscire dall'ombra del padre - di certo Sakurai sembra apprezzare il suo talento, senza sentire il bisogno di paragonarlo a quello di altri. E poi c'è Fujitomo che porta avanti un corteggiamento a senso unico, visto che ormai il rapporto tra i nostri protagonisti ha spiccato il volo, e che continua a parlare a vanvera. Che tipo irritante.
Tercer volumen perfecto de esta preciosa historia donde vemos ya una gran evolución en el personaje de Yoichi gracias a sus sentimientos por Sakurai y lo que este no sólo le hace sentir sino el darse cuenta de muchas cosas en las que antes nunca había pensado. Además que Sakurai me encanta y en cada tomo me gusta y más y más normal que Yoichi esté enamorado de él jajaja.
Además que también en este tomo conocemos al padre de Shota, uno de los primos de Yoichi y esto hace que sepamos más cosas de la familia Minagawa y también del propio Shota y que Take (mi personaje favorito) se luzca. Sus escenas con Shota me encanta y yo los shippeo mucho juntos (y Hidaka lo hace a propósito porque hay una escena con bl encubierto, what de fuck?? XD).
Como nos tiene acostumbrados Hidaka en sus historias de más de un tomo (vamos Yuuutsu na asa) el desarrollo de la trama es lento pero constante, delicado, realista, con sus tempos y sin forzar ninguna de las situaciones.
Una obra intensa amb un protagonista que arrossega uns vincles familiars complexos i carregats de trauma, amb la pressió de viure a l'ombra del seu pare artista, incapaç de mostrar els seus sentiments ni interessar-se per res de cop i volta s'enamora d'un home 20 anys més gran i que té un context familiar semblant. M'ha agradat molt més aquesta obra que no pas Blue Morning, però el final m'ha semblat poc satisfactori i mancat d'un clímax a l'altura de tanta intensitat i introspecció... Tan difícil era mostrar la seva vida passats els 3 anys, si finalment fan públics la relació i què carai acaba passant amb la casa???? :/ els tres primers volums són els millors, un crescendo d'emocions en què la relació evoluciona del rebuig a l'atracció total. 3 estrelles l'últim volum pel final.
Youichi is slowly changing.. Falling in love will make you brave. Sakurai is nervous about the age gap. I mean, he IS double Youichi’s age!!! He wants to make sure that he’s not taking advantage of Youichi’s naivety. I’m glad that he’s aware. Adults shouldn’t be as impulsive as teenagers/young adults.
OK the drama is soooo end of the 90s and early 2000s but I'm a total slut for that. I enjoying all the characters, but now i have to switch to the on line edition because they never ended this serie in english and is non existence in spanish so wish me luck.
After that kiss with Kazuaki in the last volume, the interloper art student Fujimoto does his move and he is the cliché seme guy now and basically attacks Youichi. It's nice to see that Youichi is far enough in exploring his emotions that he has no problem really shoving him away and making it stick - I mean he's no fragile flower, anatomically.
He does promise to go to lunch with Fujimoto, though, he doesn't resent the attack, from what I can see, it helps him think about what he does WANT and what NOT.
Kazuaki, however, isn't quite sure if his increasing desire might not damage the just-now emotionally evolving Youichi and draws back, which makes Youichi doubt his impressions of their relationship and he actually acts on it! By asking his cousin for Kazuaki's cellphone number and calling him.
Kazuaki himself acknowledges that he is unable to stop reacting on his feelings towards Youichi - and the whole situation develops into the two realising they want to know more about each other and that they do share certain interests. Lovely. This then leads into the second kiss, but Youichi is emotionally not as far as Kazuaki - nor is his body, heh.
Fujimoto is used again as an outside perspective on life in the old boarding house and then we get some more Youichi pondering on why that kiss at Kazuaki's flat didn't go any further, on what Kazuaki might expect of him, on how he comes across to people - and this makes him reach out to other art students at the university. And he starts trying to communicate his feelings in words.
Then there's an interlude with Shouta's father, which leads into more explanation of the cousins' past and a very bitter confrontation (I am sort of rooting for Take/Shota, but if they don't feel find with that okay). I liked that while Shouta's father is an autocratic idiot, he actually cares for his illegitimate kid and Shota knows it. Doesn't make family any easier, but that's real life for you.
An upset Youichi and a solicitous Kazuaki finally openly address their mutual feelings. As a matter of fact Youichi confesses clearly and embarasses Kazuaki in some ways, in other ways there's one of Hidaka-sensei's excellent desire scenes, which Kazuaki would like to lead to less talk (more action ^^), but Youichi doesn't want to be shushed, now he finally has found his voice ^^. Yay Youichi!
They even make a date for a sleep-over at Kazuaki's flat, with all that implies, heh. However... Kazuaki has accepted an appointment to head an office of his company in a different city...
The mangaka has said that the original title of the manga actually translates into "Will this flower blossom?" - considering this seems to be the newest volume and it was released in 2011 and the story is clearly not over... well, I wonder. I don't mind if this should be the stop, they're both at a good point in their relationship and Take and Shouta are also moving forward with their lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Does the Flower Blossom? se ha revelado como uno de mis favoritos, ya la tengo en mi wishlist y en cuanto la editen completa en inglés (que la saquen en español ni me lo planteo, así está el mercado del BL en este país), compra obligada.
Es una historia pausada y muy de sentimientos, muy adulta, nada de despliegues sexuales, el acercamiento cuesta y sabe a victoria, he disfrutado sobre todo los 3 últimos volúmenes, y el final... bueno, se me queda corto, pero me encanta como la mangaka ha sido realista y no ha edulcorado todo.
Un aplauso para Hidaka Shoko, a la que empiezo a seguirle la pista desde ya