The art wasn't as good as in Nightmare, but it was reasonable...
It was good.
I really liked how both of them weren't "perfect goody goody" people...
Messed up stories are always to my liking.
Made me sad all the way. Kind of tragic really... This story had little joy.

The sad story of an unrequited love, done in a unique way.
Realistic characters, which are more messed don't apeal to everyone, so think before you dive in.

I wanted to kill the black-haired guy so much that's hard to count how many times that happened but I guess that's closest to reality than some "I'm going to make that hetero fall in love in... 3...2...1.... got him ;D"

This is one of the best works I've read in a really long time - a lot of thought and maturity in the plot and the characters in the story are very real... nothing fairy-tale like and fluffy.
This piece of work got me interested in the rest of this mangaka's works - unfortunately it seems as though this style of hers seems to be rather recently developed.. But it's a great start and I'm looking forward to more good works in the future.

I love how the mangaka weaves the story around human flaws. To me, this is a very mature piece of work- whether or not this sort of "love" can exist forever is questionable- it's a snapshot of a point in time within a relationship. This inner struggle is what I find compelling. It's very real- and very gritty, too.

At first, I wasn't drawn in by the art, but this is more about the story. Totally recommend this to Josei readers- to anyone over 25 who knows that life isn't just about storybook endings. And anyone who loves Miyamoto Kano should read this one too. It's THAT good.

P/S: I wasn't expecting this from a shoujo mangaka. She makes it absolutely clear that they're both men, not a man and a "woman-wanna-be".

... Last updated on November 18th, 2008, 8:57am

all right, some how I can understand what Imagase is goign through, since I have been involved in a one sided love myself so I can sympathize with him but what I really don't like about him is how he is pushing his sempai into a corner until he has no way except accepting him in his world. it is cruel, meaningless and totally shallow and low. he uses of his lover's weak points, his loneliness, his fragile heart and uses those for making him feel guilty. he knows well Kyouichi is a typical good guy, some one who can't say No, he always ends up in unwanted relationships because he can't refuse, because he is too nice and caring for people's feelings and still Imagase makes him feel horrible by playing the role of a hot, jealous lover... this is not love, this is an obsession, a mad, cruel obsession.

I really liked this one, it was TRULY realistic in the sense that it makes you say this happens in real life... I must say that I didn't fancy the ending that much but if the ending of the story would be any different, like say fluffy, it would've been the ruin of the whole series... I truly commend the manga-ka for this... The art could've used some improvements but it was still worth it... I totally recommend this even to those who aren't yaoi readers simply for the sake of the great plot it's got...

This book, The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, is an atypical josei book. First of all, it's heavy on the yaoi (not that josei isn't heavy on the smut, it just tends to be of the heterosexual variety). Secondly, this is not a book of misunderstandings, dubious consent, or flowery declarations of love. Both of the main characters have their own issues to deal with, and both of them have character flaws that make it hard to completely love one or the other.

Yet what this book does is make you believe that a one-sided love can be so strong that it draws two people together, even when the odds are stacked against them. It shows that people can be human, make mistakes, and be forgiven. Mizushiro's endings are rarely definite or definitive, and this one falls into that category, but it leaves you hopeful, believing that these two men will work out the problems that plague them and finally be comfortable in their love. It is not a "fluffy" story, but neither is it "angsty." It simply is a story about two men who have to find out where they stand with one another and face the trials life throws at them. Mizushiro's new art style is a beautiful sight to behold, but her gift for storytelling hasn't changed at all. The only reason it doesn't get a perfect 10 in my book is because the first chapter is a little weak. Chapter 5 is one of the most cruel, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming chapters I've read in a book for a long while.

Oh my god, this series! It's kind of mean, and very intense, and although I was a bit dubious about Mizushiro Setona's new style at first I don't think the old style could have done such an amazing job getting that across (or at turning me into an astonished fangirl wreck). Reading the more pivotal scenes feels rather like being punched.

I don't really *like* either of the main characters, and thankfully I don't think we're supposed to: this is a complicated situation with complicated people. These aren't picturesque flaws - the normal yaoi window dressing - and it's all the stronger for it.

ETA: Ahhh, I forgot to mention: it's *really* hot.

... Last updated on July 14th, 2008, 2:42pm

The plot doesn't seem to be very complicated, but it's not completely pointless either. The characters feel real enough and don't fall into typical for yaoi cliche (which is expected from this particular author). There is one remarkable change in author's style: those horribly deformed profiles are finally gone, which is a plus on it's own and while the art has somewhat changed it still has the elements that make it recognizable, so it doesn't fall into "modern generic" trap.