Lorsqu’Asagami est entré dans la vie active, il a perdu de vue son camarade Fubuki, alors un jeune homme timide et innocent. Mais lors de leurs retrouvailles quelques années plus tard, Asagami découvre que son ami a bien changé et que désormais il prend ce qu’il désire sans hésiter… et dans le cas présent, c’est de lui qu’il s’agit !
[review originally written for the french website Manga Sanctuary]
Piyoko Chitose is a mangaka as famous as controversed and as soon as we open this anthology (with a long story in three chapters + one bonus, a spin-off of it, and a one-chapter standalone story), we understand why thanks to an abduction followed by a rape. Not the best way to begin a book, even if the characters already had a crush on each other, and Fubuki later gets an interesting redemption arc, but... it just wasn't necessary. At all. Neither Fubuki putting an aphrodisiac in a clueless Mikoto's food. However, this is not as bad as you might think. First, Fubuki's behavior is never showed as normal, on the contrary presented as problematic all along ; and he learns and evolves as the story progresses. There's also a whole subplot about the family business. In the end, the author quite sorted things out in a good way. It's still a relationship beginning as a toxic one, but...
« L'éducation d'un homme » (« A man's education ») is set in Fubuki's company, the hero being his workaholic secretary. Here, the less virile character is the one knowing what he wants and working for it while the other discovers love. The problem is all of that is quite rushed.
In « Love me ♥ », the mangaka once again plays with limits, beginning with a teach-student relationship... or not. We soon discover the first one preys on his students, changing places to not getting caught, while the other meets a fellow, benevolent classmate appreciating him like he deserves to be. And it's really well-done.
There's one sure thing : sex is *very* present everywhere in the book, without censorship. There are close-ups, fluids... in short, it's no less than an hentai not hetero, where we don't know which one out of erotism or story is a tool for the other. If you follow my reviews, you know I often read hentai, but if it's not your thing, this book might as well not too.
Luckily, the author draws very well male bodies... and hair, with a taste for shoulder-lenght haircuts (a delight). However, the faces are less convincing, sometimes a bit strange, with a bit of old-school feeling. Anyway, the book was released more than one decade ago already.
As for the publishing job, the paper is still white to this day, with almost not transparency, the binding seems strong and I didn't saw typos. Good job from Tonkam.
So, good or bad reading ? It all depends of what you're looking for. If you prefer complex plots and feelings, it's probably not for you. Pure erotism ? Maybe. Something between the two ? There, you'll likely have a not unforgettable reading time, but enjoyable anyway.