i still re-read this manga and its sequel every now and then. it's just too powerful a story to just forget and pass over. i'm impressed the mangaka made the characters so complex and relatable WITHOUT making them "likable" characters. in fact, there isn't much to like about either character; kyouichi is spineless and unfaithful while imagase is obsessive, insensitive and insanely stubborn (although he has his super cute moments). the magic in this manga is that you can identify with some of the characters' deeper flaws and relate to some of their feelings during certain circumstances. you want them to be together, but at the same time you realize the reality of the mess of their relationship.

... Last updated on July 24th, 2017, 2:36am

...by the so-so art an the kinda wierd plot an the not-very-likable charachters - 'cos it gets better... an better an BETTER - till at the end i was holding my breath an blushing an getting embarasingly hot an bothered XD the art doesnt get much better actually - the chrachters profiles and fronts don't match, the faces look just wierd at times and ears stick out at strange angles =P but once you get used to it u start seeing that despite that it conveys all the appropriete emotional niceties at all the appropriete moments, and quite eloquantly - which is a feat - but the STORY gradually becomes SO much more realistic, the charachters vivid, beliavavle, until u start actually liking their flaws; some of the dialogs are just BRILLIANT! like in a well written book!

so - well - what can i say - i loved it - it is actually very rare that i like something enough to comment - but there ^_^

I was hoping for more from this mangaka. I found myself unimpressed with almost all of the characters (Imagase excepted), uninterested in the story or where the relationship (or ships it seems) was headed and underwhelmed by the art which felt a bit recycled after having read other works by Mizushiro-sensei. Realistic but boring.

The way the author unfolds this story is truly beautiful. The tones of this manga are dark and serious and very deep. The emotions and actions taken by the characters in this manga are realistic and moving. Its dramatic, but realistic. These things do happen in real life. It was well executed unlike the drama that often happens in lets say shoujo mangas. I felt as if i were watching a movie! It left me feeling "wow" at the end..the feeling you get at the end of movies. It was THAT good.

... Last updated on July 11th, 2011, 1:22pm

I don't know how MIZUSHIRO Setona did it. She is one of those rare authors who can build her characters with all the flaws that I find very annoying but they somehow fit in together so well to create an amazing & unforgetable story. Cornered Mouse is definitely one of the best yaoi drama I have ever read. The story is very well drawn & narrated that makes it so easy for me to suspense any disbelief.

The story started with a cliche of a Imagase (kouhei) blackmailing Kyouchi (his former school senpai, unrequited love) into a physical relationship in exchange for keeping quiet about Kyouchi's infidelities from his wife. As the story progresses, we see more of the complex & sometimes unflaterring sides of each character: of how Imagase recklessly threw aside his current lover while declaring his undying love to Kyouchi over the phone and how he shamelessly installed himself as part Kyouchi's life after the divorce. Kyouchi is far from blameless - he was indeed a serial adulterer due to his spinelessness. When you think their relationship is resigned to a lot of ambiguity, Sentona sensei introduced a catalyst in the form of Kyouchi's former girlfriend & the ex school mate of both - who eventually forced both guys to choose the direction of their relationship.

I love everything about this manga - the art, the character building (so realistic) and the frank, engrossing conversations that read more like a novel than manga. I love it so much that I took the time & pain to put it on my Kindle 2 so I can take it & read it anywhere because I am tired of waiting around to see if any US publisher will license & publish in English or not. In my opinion, the English literate audience definitely deserves this glorious manga!

... Last updated on June 18th, 2011, 6:47am

I swore off yaoi the other day. No, really - I did. I've read so many yaoi titles that were just big disappointments. I'm not into smut so much as good stories and likable characters. I'll read anything from any genre, so long as it entertains me. Unfortunately, I kept being let down by yaoi in particular... So I swore it off.

Then I decided to read some more of Setona Mizushiro's work and... Well, here's a yaoi title by her. Well, whatever. I took a chance and read it. Am I ever glad I did.

This is, by far, one of the finest yaoi titles I have ever read. The characters are amazing and well-developed. The story has depth and cohesion. The relationship is realistic and full of emotion. The art is lovely and easy to follow. Everything about this manga is good. Good, good, good.

Don't shy away from it if you're not a fan of yaoi (or if you've sworn it off, like I did ). The story and presentation far surpass the genre of the work. This isn't a yaoi manga with a good story... This is a good story that happens to be yaoi. If only there were more in the genre like this one!

Definitely give it a try, no matter who you are. It's excellent.

... Last updated on January 10th, 2011, 5:21pm

I've read this manga and it's sequel over and over again. Mizushiro actually created a beautiful and believable story out of a couple of yaoi cliches and it all had to do with the strength of the characters she created. It was the first manga I read where I didn't have to suspend disbelief while watching a straight man fall in love with a gay man because it made sense. Even Imagase's obsessive stalker behavior was within the realm of the believable. Every character in this manga was deeply flawed but still likeable, and that includes the female characters which is a rarity in yaoi. I didn't even dislike the adulterer, I felt sorry for her and understood why she was doing what she was doing even though I didn't approve.

The plot was strong and character driven. It built up naturally and didn't feel rushed or forced even when it came to the climax. And though cliches were used, the story itself never felt cliche. I just can't say enough about how much I really, truly loved this story and the characters in it but I'm hungry so I'm going to stop here and recommend that you read it for yourself so you too can know that joy of reading a well constructed, realistic and moving romance between two men. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish it was licensed in English so you could proudly display it on your bookshelf even though it freaks your mom out.

What a manga, I mean it, but it becames awesome when you read this one and the sequel. In fact something I feel sad it took me so long to find... I wish I could find mangas this good and nicely elaborated like this one. Such a jewel. If you feel like reading angst, then this fits perfectly. It talks about the scape of real world when u fall in love with same sex person and how to face the world and your own morals in the afterglow. So much passion and tears, for real, my collection was incomplete without this amazing manga.

This story's plot boggled my mind.

Kyouichi's indecisiveness and infidelity pissed me off to no end, like some other people. He always seemed to have an excuse like "I was forced to do it... I had no choice... She cornered me, blah, blah, blah." The Mangaka excused this stating that he's just a kind guy with good intentions but has a hard time of saying no...He does seem kind but because of his nature he hurt a lot of people around him


On the other hand, Imagase creeped me out a little bit. He took advantage of Kyouichi's infidelity, using it to blackmail him so that he could "kiss" him. On a side note, I never knew kissing could be that steamy >w<. His love for Kyouichi was very obsessive, which made his character more twisted and dark. His love for him didn't make sense to me even though he did mention it was love at first sight. I just didn't think that was reason enough for him to pursue Kyouichi so passionately. But hey, is there really any reason in love?

While their character traits didn't sit well with me, I also liked them, to a certain point because they were just so realistic. And so is this story. This manga portrays two adulterated, lonely men trying to have a relationship (the "trying" part was one-sided at first but that soon changed). But the thing is, Kyouichi is -or was- not gay, and that was the suspense of the whole story: whether Kyouichi would turn gay for Imagase or not. I think the mangaka fit Kyouichi's indecisive nature very well into the story, seeing that he later has to make a choice (which he's bad at doing): sleeping with a gay man or just live life normally as a straight man.


To sum it all up, this manga is definitely worth your time, especially if you like melodramatic scenes and stuff. Although this manga wasn't very dark, just dramatic.
Yaoi isn't my preferred genre but I enjoyed it, so Yaoi fans would probably enjoy it more.

I hate sounding like i'm trying to sell you something but honestly, this manga is worth reading.

Yeah, the begining is ridiculous (and the quality of the art bothered me at times, since it is as important as the story itself for me) but I understood why later on. I'm not into melodramatic stuff, but this is something different, it is more like reality itself.

I'll not rate this, just because I can´t separate it from the sequel anymore, as I read somewhere down on the comments, it only makes sense if you read it.