As a polyamourous person who loves triads, it was so hard to read the love triangle in this knowing it wouldn't go where I wanted it to! I did like that Iriya wouldn't give Ryouta up when Kizu asked him to, and that he wanted to be with Ryouta forever even if it wasn't as lovers. Kizu was jealous but Iriya didn't hesitate to remind him that he was in it for the long haul. Also, Iriya brings up multiple times how Ryouta and Kizu have eyes for each other, the way they act, which made me happy. 😂

The character growth in this was enjoyable to see. Iriya went from being unsure of everything and just wanting to be alone to being confident in his relationship with Kizu and making new friends and reacquainting himself with old ones. Kizu went from being a loner trying to fix everything in his family on his own to realizing that there's people to lean on all around him and his parents weren't all that bad in the end. Ryouta also has a very interesting progression. He started off pretending to be weak and over time showed that he was more violent and moody in his natural state, though he could be puppy-ish when Iriya was around. Of course, a lot of the former was because of realizing his feelings for Iriya and watching Kizu go after him. There came a point where he realized what he stood to lose and straightened his act up a bit.

There are a few side characters that help round out the cast, I really like that in BL manga so it's not so tunnel vision on the main couple. There are side stories throughout the main story, I want to say there's 4. They're a bit darker than the main story and like half revolve around characters from the main story, like Ryouta's cousin Ryuuya and the main cast's friend Hikone.

Overall, there was plenty of melodrama, a little weird translations (or maybe it's the prose) and art here and there, some dark moments and the *gestures* love triangle but I did enjoy it.

I don't really know what i'm going to feel about this manga. It is so deep and wide that i can't grasp it. I don't really read this kind i'm more on fluffy kind but this catch my attention so i gave it a shot. The pace is slow and fast and sometimes like a wind, i don't know what's happenning sometimes, i'm confused. But the emotions are really strong the uke is so sensual, esp. His eyes it's so beautiful and fierce, the love relationship is a kind of subtle for me, in a scene it seems like they don't really love each other and they are only drowning in lust but on the almost ending scene they show how they love each other(probably?) because there is one conflict that made them realize that they are for each other, they want to monopolize and possess each other. I don't really get that "pool" probably it's their heart or something, well the ending is ok atleast it's not a cliffhanger. I must add this story is sometimes so poetic that makes it hard to understand, well if you like decoding i envy you.

The length is deserved and well used. I really liked this manga. The plot is interesting. The seme is perfect (if you like dark, a bit on the sadistic side, a bit childish, beautiful, understands "no", patient, and smart). The uke is a fresh breath (a male and understands that!, a bit shy, honest, loving, manly (not in the bara-type way), beautiful, and smart).

I love a manga where both characters a smart! They think about what they are doing, they wait and see, they try, and if they fail they try better. There aren't any big misunderstandings that pop up (which ruin so many mangas imo). It's well paced and it's understandable. You understand why the seme does what he does, you understand why the uke does what he does, you understand why Ryouta does what he does. It's very refreshing to read a manga where things are explained to the readers at the right times, and it never feels forced or manipulated in any way. It feels natural, realistic.

I had only 1 little issue with the manga, and it's not the mangakas fault, but rather reading it in English. And that is that there is about 2 chapters that are a bit confusing on my end. Kizu Ryouji is being called Ryouji and Kasuga Ryouta is being called Ryouta in very close timing with each other, or/and in the same scenes. And considering they are both black haired with piercing eyes, makes me confused at times to which is actually being talked to. Which ruins the mood for me a bit. If this was in Japanese, it wouldn't even be an issue, but in English, it came out awkward on my part.

Are all the mangaka's manga similar to this one? Not in terms of having the same plot but just having the same atmosphere. I was on the hunt for a yaoi manga with a lot of chapters. But Length doesn't equal Good so I was prepared for some disappointing reads or tragedies since it seems that mangakas think no beautiful yaoi manga is complete without a tragedy.

Anyway, this manga pleasantly surprised me. The romance was sweet and intense and the feelings of the characters were real and complicated. I can understand why some people felt that the story was confusing since there's a lot of symbolism(so don't read it if you're exhausted). But I liked that the actions of the characters became more child-like as they became more involved(much to their chagrin ) . They really seemed like little adults in the beginning chapters but then they did things and I couldn't help but think "Ahh this is youth".
I recommend anyone to read this and take it as it is because it's really a gem. This manga borders shounen-ai than yaoi so the smut is mostly implied and not detailed. However it does have one of the sweetest endings you'd ever see in any romance manga :3 PLUS it felt natural to go in that direction and not something demanded from the readers. PLUS PLUS how nice is it to have a seme that's aggressive, sexy and possessive but doesn't think it's okay to rape his uke? If that's the standard for this mangaka then I'll definitely look for more of her works

Does this story fall into cliches and tropes and such? Absolutely. Does it do it as painfully and in a manner as emotionally devoid as most stories? No, not for the most part. There definitely these issues, but the author handles them better than normal. And there are also some scenes that are better than normal.

Overall, I'd rate this above average. The characters are distinguishable in personality (if not in the art a lot of the time), and I liked the end chapter a lot. It was pretty dramatic, but they are high school students. Everything is a hill to die on for them. And I loved that Iriya and Kasuga stayed friends.

It's nothing astonishing or groundbreaking, but it is better than average and entertaining if you take your time with it.

Only into chapter 2 and I hate, hate, *hate* the Seme. I guess if you like men who bite people they find attractive but haven't even talked to yet, this manga might be something you would like. I'll keep reading it, because I'm OCD that way - gotta finish what I start, but my God, it's like wading through mud...

This is a lovely, absorbing, if long, manga. Don't be put off by the art - where the characters look very similar - and read it in a couple sittings and you should be fine.

I absolutely loved this; the plot, whilst not the most original, did contain original side stories and the typical love triangle was presented in a way that worked and deviates from the yaoi norm. The manga is very much about friendships and growing up, which is definitely a bonus for me, and the characters were all very well thought out (with the exception of Hanada, who I didn't really get for a while). The further you read into this manga there is a clear slice-of-lifey feel, with the character's thoughts getting deeper and the plot becoming more realistic and life-like.

Kizu was the character that made the manga, although I found Iriya a great uke (manly) and a unique character. Kizu just had that sexy, possessive wow factor that I immediately love. Unlike in many yaoi's, the mangaka of ANP actually presented these qualities very effectively and realistically, especially as the manga progressed (a favourite bit is when Kasuga, Iriya and Kizu are all in the inn).

Don't miss this, take your time and don't rush, savour it (and it's slice of lifey feel) and you will fall in love with this manga and it's characters. I think that the one problem with this manga (and therefore the result of a few bland reviews) is that if you attempt to read all 33 typical slice of life chapters in one you will get bored of it.

I didn't, and so I loved it.

... Last updated on September 3rd, 2013, 4:55am

Personally I found the story a bit mundane.
But Chapter 32 was so good it made up for the whole 6 volumes and the only reason I gave it such a high rating. Despite the on going 'gang-like' theme, I found only the emotions and actions depicted in Chapter 32 to be praise-worthy. The rest, especially the main story was boring in my opinion.
I was kind of looking forward to second (Ryouta) and Hikone side story, but that didn't happen, and neither did Hanada and the glasses kid. Oh well.

I fell head of heels in love with this mangaka. Truly, I was a little reticent in the beginning because every one was so bulky like - the height, the broad shoulders, the large clothes - and I was never really into it. On the other hand, the facial expressions did capture my attention right away and, though I staggered a little figuring who was who, from the very start there's this feeling to the characters, like you want to know more about them. I loved how Iriya and Kizu's relationship began and developed. Every moment between them was beast-like, two lions fighting for the herd (something, I believe, Kizu shared later on with Ryouta). Also, they were honest to each other and true to themselves, which is something I find somewhat rare in BL manga. Without being a couple of goody two-shoes, they are two extremely lovable characters, I think (but I don't need to rant much on that...).

I agree, however, that the story diverges a little towards the middle, especially with all the spotlight Ryouta is given (so much so even his cousin gets to star in two chapters). I liked Ryouta in the beginning and I didn't hate that he got hold of some of the attention, but then again, one or two chapters would be enough. We don't need almost a volume of it. That part bothered me a little, especially because I started to dislike him, which was something I really didn't want to happen. Even in the end, when all was said and done, I just couldn't stand to look at his face anymore.

Hikone, on the other hand, was perfectly developed, exactly to the point we wanted him to. And now we may even wish for a spin-off out of his story, which would be more than welcomed. Unlike Ryouta, of whom we've seen enough. Or too much (in my humble opinion, of course). This is not to say Iriya and Kizu's story doesn't get back on track. It does, thankfully, and it only gets better.

The storytelling was magnificent. Such beautiful inner-monologue, subtle to the very end. Throughout the whole manga I couldn't help but hear Kizu's ex-girlfriend's voice: "if you think that's love you better run away". It was the perfect line. Kizu has Iriya on a leash stronger, so much stronger, I think, than love itself. It's like an obsession, for both of them. I don't think their relationship is that healthy either, for instance, if we remember that crucial moment (somewhere in volume 4) when Kizu forces Iriya in front of Ryouta. But then again, no one makes much fuss about it and they slowly but surely overcome their struggles. I think this speaks for itself in the way it is presented: it's a positive message despite all the angst, the possessiveness, the obsession, the broken hearts.

Finally, of course, there's no describing these words:

"When another morning came, I was still a man"

Lovely. All of it.

... Last updated on May 28th, 2013, 3:56am

At first I didn't know what to think of this.
I found the story hard to follow and just disconnected with stuff happening all over the place.
Because of this, I didn't have much of a connection to any of the characters until way into the series.
I also found it difficult to tell apart characters sometimes, especially with all the relatives of Kasuga.
The art is ugly as well, but it's totally okay as long as you don't expect pretty boys.
Huge hands, awkward facial expressions and the occasional huge-body-tiny-head man.
Good points are that these are manly men and no typical uke boys who cry and suck lollipops.
They don't look 16, they have muscles and they don't treat each other with special care but instead can get rough. The tension and build-up between the characters is quite nice, some of the smut scenes are hot as well, and some are just meh.
Despite these being rather unusual yaoi characters, a strong uke, not much of a big confession of endless love and such, BUT, there is a lot of emotion in this manga anyway, and it's very nice.

All in all, it's not a bad manga at all. If you look for real men (even if they are only high schoolers), men who don't treat each other like fragile dolls, men who don't easily say "love"... you might like this one.

... Last updated on January 7th, 2013, 5:35am