Double Mints

by Asumiko Nakamura

“I’ve killed a woman.” The overbearing voice on the phone was that of a high school classmate named Mitsuo Ichikawa. Buried memories from the past resurface within the heart of a man who carries the same name, Mitsuo Ichikawa. Events drag him right back into the passions of the past. The two reunite as accomplices, yet their relationship as master and servant slowly changes into something different…

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, Comics, Queer, Graphic Novels, Romance, Boys Love

ebook

First published July 24, 2009

About the author

Asumiko NAKAMURA (中村明日美子) is a Japanese manga artist.
Born in 1979, she is one of Japan's hidden gems. The artist has penned a lot of titles since 2002 and has reached critical acclaim for her sensitive protrayals of romantic narratives featuring a wide range of characters - men and women, young and old. Nakamura has worked in a range of genres for an equally broad range of audinces winning recognition in every category.

Reviews

[Mayu · Rating 1 out of 5]

¿Como explicar de que trata Double mints? La historia mezcla el pasado con el presente y es así como poco a poco se va desenvolviendo esta retorcida historia. Los dos protagonistas se llaman igual (nombre y apellido), y cuando se conocen en la escuela asumen el rol de victima-abusador. Esta relación se mantiene por años pues para el moreno el otro chico es un perro que deberá obedecerle de por vida, y para el rubio su amo es su obsesión una vez acostumbrado a los malos tratos.

**

A veces no comprendo este mundo, y en eso incluyo que se publiquen obras como estas, donde como dice mi amiga Vero, la autora parece necesitar un psicólogo. Este manga es tan querido que incluso ha conseguido que exista una película real. La autora es tan querida que incluso en España ya han publicado 3 series de ella. ¿Donde ven la belleza?

La narración de ésta obra me parece muy pobre, los dibujos son feos y como hechos al descuido. La trama es tan absurda y oscura que no me la creo, pero si me la creyera estaría con cara de susto de que estos dos tíos sean tan retorcidos y estén tan locos.

Las mujeres dentro de la obra son usadas sexualmente, y la imagen es: "son mujeres, se acuestan con todos" y me cabrea que una mujer envie este mensaje subliminal sobre nosotras.

Volviendo a la sucia relación entre los personajes, me parece de vergüenza que esta clase de toxicidad sea aplaudida y requerida en las obras. Necesitamos muchas cosas diferentes pero ¿estas? no. Y en cambio estas venden muchísimo y tienen el aprobado de la gente. Yo ODIO este tipo de relaciones, donde dos personas solo se aportan locura. Todo lo que viven juntos es sucio y no tienen ningún tipo de moral.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Double Mints is more than just another yaoi story. The plot is complex and filled with unexpected twists. Two guys, both called Mitsuo, have a complicated relationship since high school, they hardly could be called "friends": Mitsuo is openly cruel to Mitsuo who never seems to be resentful . They spend some years without see each other until the night that Mitsuo calls Mistsuo to tell him that he killed a woman and needs help to hide the body. This is just the beginning of a renewed tempestuous and erotic relationship between the two men with a lot of sadistic and masochistic elements. Both characters are deeply enthralled with each other and seem to enjoy themselves all the time, even when the situation gets dangerous and confusing or when they get very hurt as consequence of their own extreme actions.
It's very refreshing to read a very original yaoi story where there is no judgment or the traditional yaoi clichés - except when the mangaka plays with these clichés in a very humorous manner; the two men are not worried about their sexual identities, they know exactly what they want and do all that they can to get it.
Double Mints is a hot and good love story stuffed with explicit sex scenes and lots of dark humor.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly crazy that Asumiko Nakamura is the same person that wrote Doukyuusei because their other works are so different.

I'm not quite sure how I felt about this one. You've got two guys with the same name who've known each other since high school. One bullied the other into becoming his "dog" and the dog follows him around and follows all his orders. It starts off with one mitsuo calling up the other to tell him he murdered a woman and it goes from there. It's a story about obsession for the most part. One mitsuo is obsessed with the other. The other mitsuo is stuck in some bad shit. I kind of hate that they have the same name. I get why she did it, but it just makes it confusing to me. And I don't think it played into the whole we are one thing quite enough.

This was okay. I think the obsession aspect was interesting, but the story itself feels like it's missing something.

[小さな N (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

[Jasmine Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nakamura sure has an interesting take on anatomy.
The story is alright, but some of the panels were kind of hard to follow.

[^•^ Liss ^•^ · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me imaginé que la historia fuera tan retorcida. Bastante sorprendida de que la escritora sea la misma que la de Classmate (Doukyuusei)

Esta historia es totalmente diferente. La definición sería: "Dos cuerpos separados que en un principio eran uno. Son el reflejo del otro pero que una vez unidos no pueden vivir sin su otra mitad" Un Dark romance y al que le guste puede ver la peli ☺️.

[Yuu Sasih · Rating 3 out of 5]

The trailer of this manga's movie adaptation is what kickstarted the opening of my newest work. For a long time I wait for the movie to come, but somehow failed to realize that it's based on a manga. lol. From the Dokyuusei mangaka, no less! I love that story.

This story is about two ex-classmates with the same name. One Mitsuo is the bully of the other Mitsuo in highschool. One day, the bully Mitsuo called the victim Mitsuo and said that he killed a woman and asked victim Mitsuo to help him bury the body. It's a beginning of their twisted relationship, in which their bully-victim relationship started to turn into something more like a stockholm syndrome.

I enjoy the two Mitsuo's twisted relationship, but the crime itself is still downplayed with easy and "happy-end" resolution. So I think this is not that "dark" in term of relationship and mystery. The victim-got-stockholm-syndrome thing is also a recurring theme in many japanese manga so. Great--and inspiring--beginning, but so-so in general plot.

[Miky · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Wasting Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this by chance. The movie was being hyped up by a friend, and I decided to look it up and discovered there was a manga, and the rest is history.

I feel like this story is one that will either be loved or hated by the reader with no in-between. No middle ground. I actually loved and hated this story because it left me with a sense of happy confusion, which is a tough emotion to explain. This story delves into some dark topics and subject matter, so please take a glance at the trigger warnings - I am sure someone has them posted here (or elsewhere).

Now to the root of why I loved this story, I love it because it doesn't make sense. But they were never meant to make sense, and I feel like that is what the author wanted us to feel. A vague sense of watching this toxic mess fester, but in watching, having a strange sense of understanding with the characters. The obsession is messy because it was meant to be messy. The character couldn't explain it, for it's just what they felt. (Not sure if this was a spoiler, but wanted to block it out just in case).

I hated this story because the toxic mess of these two.

Also, I think the artist/writer did a fantastic job of naming this.

[Lucía · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5
He reescrito este comentario tantas veces... no hay palabras para este manga. Lo leí porque me gusta mucho el estilo de dibujo que tiene Asumiko Nakamura y también porque amo Doukyeusei (En la Misma Clase, Classmates) y pensé ''la portada se ve atractiva y los personajes me recuerdan físicamente a Kusakabe y Sojou, le daré una oportunidad''. Creo que no fue buena idea.

Comenzando con que la historia no la entendí en absoluto y es aburrida; a partir de que se ''resolviera'' el caso de la mujer asesinada del principio no se entiende nada y que los protagonistas se odian, usan roles de perro y dueño porque aparentemente les gusta o algo por el estilo pero ¡eh! que no falten las escenas de sexo sin cuento alguno. Cuando acabas la obra puedes llegar a entender que parece que se gustan físicamente debido a ciertas decisiones tomadas pero vamos, son muy tóxicos y raros entre ellos.

[July Sinag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in passing, it was nice. Not too gruesome as one might fear. It did reaffirm some desires within me that have been laying dormant. But I must say, Nakamura has a way of subverting norms in her works, but at the same time playing into them in a satisfying manner. She would write characters you'd think would take on a more submissive role, only for them to not be. And at the same time, have gentler tendencies. I appreciate that she doesn't write them for pure sexual consumption. There is an actual interesting story, one that could captivate you and make you reflect on your own. To find the same truth within you if it exists, or to empathize if the echo resonates a little close to heart.

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una història bastant retorçuda entre dos nois que es diuen igual, que es coneixen a l'institut i s'estableix una relació de poder molt xunga entre ells (master-dog) amb xantatge emocional i violència pel mig. El rerefons de l'abusador sí que s'explica i podria ajudar a entendre el seu comportament (que no justificar-lo, això mai), però l'altre protagonista, més enllà de fer de submís, queda força desdibuixat... La narració és un pèl caòtica i fa la sensació que barreja massa elements, tot plegat amb grans dosis d'intensitat, girs de guió i les magnífiques il·lustracions de la mangaka que salven els mobles.

[Crimson Splash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is first and foremost a dark, psychological drama that just so happens to center around the erotic yet toxic relationship between two men. Nakamura manages to make this manga transcend its Yaoi label and letting it become something more. With that being said, the story shoots for the stars but its ending kinda falls short a bit. Regardless, this is quite the worthwhile read.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow!

Not quite sure what to say about this one.

The artwork was amazing. It’s so different from the gentleness in “Classmates”. I’ve been spoiled.
This one is an erotic thriller. It’s Showtime in the 90’s, Skin-e-Max, Red Shoe Diaries. I appreciate an author and an artist that can explore the gentle and the rough.

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very angsty story (which I enjoy), cool unconventional art style (soft lines, but harsh angles). Would've liked it more if it was longer so there would be more time for the backstory and character development.

[Heido · Rating 2 out of 5]

J'avais envie d'aimer parce que j'adore l'autrice mais c'était pas ouf malheureusement 😞

Pour moi, ça n'avait pas vraiment d'intérêt et les personnages m'ont laissé de marbre... Heureusement ses dessins ont toujours été très beaux, ça rattrape les dégâts.

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

こういう系の痛々しさを描いた話は好きなので、2人の心情にもっと深く入りこめたらよかった。もっと話が長かったらなぁって思うけど、自分の読解力、想像力が足りないだけかも。絵と話の雰囲気がピッタリ。

[Autumnbabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

not me forgetting that i've read this yrs ago & rereading it nd noticing at the end lmao

[Vivian Lu · Rating 2 out of 5]

What the fuck did I read? This was most certainly toxic-bad, but if you want a twisted and cruel relationship then look no further.

[Freija · Rating 3 out of 5]

uno dei miei preferiti della nakamura

[pumpkin p. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
ค่อนข้างชอบเรื่องรองมากกว่าเรื่องหลัก

[Anna C · Rating 4 out of 5]

So... setelah kelarin karya2 Nakamura-sensei yg fluffy and comedy itu, sekarang aku fokus buat kelarin yg dark angst and twisted.

Aku baru pertama kali baca karya Nakamura-sensei yg twisted, dan baru Double Mints ini yg kubaca, so aku blm bisa tau apakah sama bagusnya dgn karya Chise Ogawa atau lebih mantap?

Nah, menurut reviewer di GR, masi ada yg lbh disturbing dari Double Mints ini, dari karya2 sensei. I'm getting there though, sudah didaftar urutannya judul2 mana yg harus dibaca duluan, hehehe.

So, Double Mints... Twisted? yes. Disturbing? kinda. Like it? mixed feeling. Good plot? yes. Interesting? yes. Plot twist? didn't expect that. And that's why I gave it 4 stars. Well, it's not really mind-blowing that I've to give it 5 stars.

So, Double Mints adalah twisted story tentang 2 org yg punya nama dan marga yg sama. Dua2nya twisted. Dan hubungan master/servant mereka dimulai sejak keduanya bertemu di bangku sekolah, saat mereka mengenal satu sama lain. Mengikuti kisah hidup mereka yg "gelap" ini bnr2 serupa nonton film mafia. Dan entah kenapa bikin aku teringat drama mafia Korea yg pernah kudengar (cuma nonton preview aja) : Time Between Dog and Wolf. Menurutku kalo manga ini difilmkan pasti bagus. :)

[nikita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had originally given this manga 3 out of 5 stars when I first read it. Now that I have finally seen the movie, I kind of have a newfound appreciation for it? oops lol. I bumped my rating up and now I’m rereading the manga. I’ll buy it one of these days. It’ll be in Japanese, but I suppose that’a alright. Perhaps it can help me study the language. I already purchased Doukyuusei and I don’t regret it. Nakamura-sensei’s works are magnificent and unique. I never cease to be amazed by her style.

[yengyeng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Came across this mangaka's work in an issue of the Gothic & Lolita Bible where she re-worked Alice in Wonderland and was blown away by the art. Double Mints is a pretty gripping story about two guys with the same name but with completely different personalities dealing with control issues, obsession, physical abuse and a missing dead woman. Nana with a warped s/m slant.

[Talia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um. How do I feel about this.

It was...disturbing. Yet good. And still not as disturbing as J no Subete. I'm really not sure what to feel about this masochistic/abusive relationship between a gangster and his...dog? (Not a literal dog, of course.)

Um, if you like interesting, well-written, abusive love stories, you might like this one. I liked it. I think.

[Nadya Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't go wrong with Nakamura's book wheather it's fluffy love story or the twisted angst one. I kept reading this over and over!

[Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my god.

[kathrinamontr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Datemi pure della pazza ma lo trovo davvero carino. /(*^*)/