What great story i really enjoyed it. In fact this is one manga i would have loved for more volumes but also happy that it came to an end. This sensei has become one of my favorites!

... Last updated on December 22nd, 2007, 6:55am

i must say.. it's such a good story that i read it all in one sitting... the beginning's believable, and moving.. it draws you into the story, the feelings and the pain of the characters really well... however as the story draws to a close... it becomes a little blurry about what happened... i'd prefer a more conclusive ending though...

I'm so glad there was a little more of this series, even a strange, disjointed-dream extra. Frankly, I loved the whole thing, and I don't think it could have ended any other way if both of the main characters were expected to achieve any sense of normalcy or a happy ending, and I'm glad they did. I've never cried so much reading manga before, and I almost never cry while reading. It's really rare to see such believable characters that go through so much heartache and hardship and make your heart hurt right along with them; it really makes you feel like they earned their happy ending. As for the artwork, I absolutely adore it. I find it comparable to Akimi Yoshida's work Banana Fish. It's very clean, with dynamic expressions, excellent proportions, and sparse in terms of "pretty-fying" people, but that's exactly what makes it so good and believable. I really loved Negai Kanae Temae, and thank you volyund for your excellent translation.

... Last updated on August 17th, 2007, 12:49am

This manga was truly good, and there is really no reason to complain about it. You get easily used to it and kind of found it fitting.

The first half was just stunning - I was breathtaken and amazed how good this manga really was. But the last part.. .I fell like it lost its track and wasn't so taken by it. For some reason, the ending - or how it turned out - was a disapointment for me. (If I haven't misunderstood its ending though)

So I'll give it "just" a 7, because for me it lost its track.

it's too great ...

I haven't read anything like this for a while now. You won't stop until you're finished. It's just beyond words.

people keep saying that her art is rough around the edges, or that it would be great if she could draw. i want to take issue with that -- her art isn't rough around the edges, it's just very spare. if you look at her characters' positions they're always perfectly natural; their proportions are correct, and the perspective isn't off. she is a vastly better artist than most IMO. i know that in a genre that goes very much for the pretty her style is not going to be valued as much as say, minase masara's, and i don't fault people for preferring the pretty; heck, i like the pretty myself. i just wish people wouldn't mistake conscious style choices for lack of ability. her art is very observant, and while it's not detailed, it hones in unerringly on important elements of her stories -- and her stories are original and interesting. this is my favourite yakuza story in all of yaoi, and after miyamoto kano she is probably the mangaka whose releases i most look forward to these days.

One of the best yaoi stories I have ever read. The drawings are a bit rough, but they did not bother me at all. Besides the main "love" story, the story about the yakuza is very interesting and worth the read too. There is nothing at all stereotypical about this manga. It's very refreshing to read something so interesting and original.

edit after reading the whole thing : I also agree it loses something in the last few chapters and ends kind of on a low note. I didn't like the last arc and the conclusion. The first half was very good though. I did like the idea of what she was going for, but in the end I don't think it was executed very well. The scene where you finally see why it's called what it is was very good, but in the end it kind of didn't work for me because of events that happen later. I'll have to lower my rating to an 8. Still, I would read it. It's really great.

... Last updated on August 16th, 2007, 10:52pm

Admittedly, the art isn't very polished, but the story shines. I've rarely seen such realistic characterization in a yaoi story, not to mention such a deep, thought-provoking and moving plot.