I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT TRAGEDY WAS TAGGED IN THE GENRE PANEL!!! Ok so the first story was sad. It's not really regrettable that they didn't end up together, really. But Shiki's state after what happened is what I find the most depressing. Won't spoil what happened, just read it (and suffer with us lol)

The second story promotes rape (well hello, mediocre yaoi) so I don't really feel happy about it

While the last story was sooo cute!!! I literally laughed out loud at 4 am when Zeid said "Japanism" lol

... Last updated on March 3rd, 2017, 12:29pm

The first story is really nothing for people who want romantic love and happy endings.
Especially the end just left me saying "Whoa?!" because it was so harsh and unexpected.
I really liked Shiki and hoped he would have a good ending with the person he loves.
I still like the story a lot, especially because with the way it goes, it's a totally unique and different approach than your usual yaoi manga.

The middle story is not bad, and the last one is funny and cute! So you've really got a mix here of genres, and if you really can't take stories that are bitter and kind of disturbing with a twist then you might wanna skip over the first story (first 3 chapters).

... Last updated on September 23rd, 2012, 7:43am

First story left me stunned like none other story I had read. The plot is somewhat plane with a customer-prostitute relationship progressing way too fast for either of the characters. Yet the story aim is to show the very difference between infatuation and love. We find the doctor suddenly falling for that unique freedom, where in fact he is trying to escape from the boring life set out before him. Eloping with the exotic looking prostitute isn't just a sign of love and courage, it is a selfish need of defining oneself.

On the other hand we have Shiki, who is somehow broken by the world he is living in, blindly seeking out a saviour yet afraid of betrayal. Shiki's psyche and his relationship with his protector is much more complex than the author lets on. The workplace we find them in is very hard for an outsider to comprehend. Shiki himself is quite confused and doesn't understand until the very end where his heart truly lies. That is why it is easy to be confused by the ending.

Lastly we have the patron Tatetsu if I remember correctly. A man who was willing to keep a promise to his dead friend and took his child under his wings. A man who would protect the child even if he had no means to do so. Even if he let man after a man take Shiki's body he always kept him safe to the extent he would rather let him go to the arms of another man if that meant Shiki's happiness. A very bitter man indeed but a man in love nonetheless.

The true difference between love and infatuation is ability to let go the person you love if it means their happiness.

Truly beautiful and very tragic story.

I was left scratching my head at the end of the first story. Sure you need to read the subtle signs of what exactly ended being the outcome, but it's so unromantic to me, that i was left wondering why....Also as someone else mentioned, the time period is impossible to figure out, especially with that last scene at the end. I feel like it could have been great, but it was not exlored deeply enough to bring out the characters true potential?

Like all the other stories in this future universe, "Blue Grey Dream" is compelling but somewhat incomplete. Still, the story telling process is enjoyable.

"Tokimeku Oujisama" is light and fun--and put a smile on my face as well as a bit of a jump in my pants! <3

The second story tries to deal with serious subjects like forgiveness, but,  like stories in the Pavillion series, this one too has dissatisfying development. 

All said, Honjou Rie is one of my most admired mangaka. She has a lot of great stories in her head and a ton of manga structure talent. I'm glad she produced these short stories; they have tense pacing and page-turning, gut-rolling effect, but they could be improved. Indeed, they are so good, they at least serve as great prompts.

... Last updated on June 9th, 2011, 3:42am

i knew there was gonna be a tragedy, and i figured out early on that it was going to be the story with the prostitute, so it didn't come as a surprise. but i don't think it would have affected me anyway; i don't think honjou can write tragedy that touches me. i don't connect enough with her characters, so smut is fine, and comedy is fine, but for tragedy i definitely need more depth. i also couldn't figure out what time period this was supposed to be in, and that kept distracting me; at first i thought it was early showa, but the background didn't fit with that, and yet shiki's obsession with the difference in their status felt like something that's unikely to happen now. so yeah, i didn't buy it.

the other stories were no more memorable, unfortunately. smutwise this is, as usual, pretty good, but i don't think i can rank it higher than 6, and 6 only because the art and smut are decent.

The 1st story was reallyyy good for the first few chapters but I'm a person who likes happy endings...so if you don't like "unhappy" endings then don't read this, you've been warned O_o



yeah...not really my cup of tea ending

It been a while since i read a tragic/sad manga. I was hoping that maybe finally Shiki will find true love. But alas...

The others stories where okay but the first story though was the best.

... Last updated on December 11th, 2014, 10:09pm

it was bitter and tragic, but if your in the mood for it, it can bring emotions.

wahhhhh because of the first story couple was so sad and bitter that , it just felt terrible but yet so good. am i a masochist or something its just plain beautiful and bitter and ugly yet somewhat real.

although i say this about the first story if possible i would like to see a better ending or continuation for shiki and ootori, and now im a romantist