I had written my entire review without even mentioning the incest. That’s because I don’t really care for it or about it. First of all, that’s just a concept created by society. If you’re not able to conceive (as two guys, for example), it doesn’t really matter if you’re related or not. You, as yaoi readers, you be more open-minded. Furthermore, if you do have a problem with incest, you haven’t read enough yaoi. I’ve been a yaoi reader for almost 15 years and I’m young, so there is really nothing I haven’t seen yet. If there is something you are getting surprised about, that just means you haven’t gotten deep enough into the genre.
Now back to what matters. I've started reading this manga because someone said it was the best portrait of yaoi incest they’d ever seen. While I can't agree with that statement, as I've read better ones with that theme, this is one of those rare, deep, intense stories that you should stop everything to read. But beware! After reading the first volume (roughly 130 pages), I was thoroughly disappointed. The first volume is a complete cliché. Nothing special, except the time-travel (which is never, at any point of the manga, explained). Though I like sci-fi, since this wasn't a story about that, I think it's better off that they did not explain the time-travel. However, the story was quite boring. Being transported to the past, having to make your own money because you have none of that time's currency, having to adapt...none of that was original for me. Also, the way Ryou and Konomi fall in love in the first place wasn't even surprising. Thunder, hugging and leading to kisses and sex, in two weeks? Boooring. And Ryou didn't even hesitate to kiss his father. However, I do think that can be overlooked as Ryou’s feelings might be a little more interesting. Even though that was not put out there at any point, I think part of the reason he fell in love with Konomi was because he wanted to feel close to his father in the first place.
With that being said, in the second volume, I understood. I finally understood why this manga is popular. The way the volume begins is already heart-wrenching and it only gets better from there. They struggle with their feelings the whole volume, like it should be always, in every single manga. After all, it's not a matter to be taken lightly. While I didn't shed a single tear, and I cry with just about anything, I do think the pace was just right: slow and difficult. One of my favorite things about this manga is the sexual tension. Since they are holding their feelings back so much, every time they see each other, it's so deliciously angsty. I also really like how there are no stereotypical attempts at making this manga like any other yaoi. No situations where a girl comes in and the other character is jealous and screaming (even if the extra is about that, it's just a cute, short story, nothing dramatic), no sleeping around until they realize their feelings for another...nothing. This is purely a story about feelings, and years and years go by before it can be resolved.
The artwork is quite good, though I don't really love Konomi's face. As for their personalities, I love Ryou. He's not a particularly outstanding seme, just hot, a bit sex driven, nice, a little but pushy and stubborn. Konomi is not my type of uke at all, as he's so whiny and annoying. I can't stand him when he's 14/15. When he's older, though, it seems like he gets a little bit better. There is actually a great point in this. It is very clear how Konomi has a different maturity level than Ryou, both when he is younger and when he is older than him. Past-Konomi is still a kid, scared and exploring the world. Adult-Konomi is actually more reasonable and, unlike Ryou, who acts on his emotions, he is very realistic and it shows that he is an adult and not an adolescent / a young adult.
I don't really enjoy how they cry so much in this manga too. I understand it is a hard thing to go through, but it seems like they are ALWAYS crying. The flow of their thoughts, on the other hand, is really good and well-constructed, and frankly, quite different from everything else I've ever read.
I did like the sex scenes. It's not always the seme that has to attack and give the uke pleasure - it works both ways. And I've seen mutual affection in the sex scenes in this manga. I do think the way they finally end up together is weaker and quicker (the scene on its own) than I expected, but the dialogue is absolutely beautiful and astonishing.
To summarize, this manga has both positive and negative points. I cannot give it a 10, as a lot of people have, because it is NOT perfect. But I will give it a high rating because that's what it deserves.
(-4)
(+102)
