I've been in love with this since the very beginning~! No...since the DESCRIPTION already!!
First of all, Tsundere characters are just my type! BUT, as a bonus, the seme isn't stupid either! For some reason, in every yaoi manga either the seme sucks or the uke does. Here this doesn't happens! Morinaga is actually quite a perv, but his strong feelings are sweet at the same time. And this just made me realize that...I DO like clingy semes! Running to their ukes like dogs is actually quite cute. But at the same time, struggling with his feelings, but also being pushy when he needs to, for lack of response coming from Souichi...he's perfect!
The couple is adorable since the first time they have that "forceful" sex, and it's really hot even so! But I don’t understand how people can call what happens in yaoi rape. It’s NOT rape. It’s forceful, sure it is, but Souichi LETS Morinaga do it, even if it’s only because he can’t resist the pleasure. He’s weakened by the drug, but he didn’t honestly ask Morinaga to stop, he just struggled like he does even when they’re together afterwards. Rape is what Masaki did to Kunihiro, because then Kunihiro didn’t have a choice.
Anyways, I found myself smiling for no reason while reading this ^^
Normally, I don't like it when the main subject of the couple is sex, but in "Koisuru Boukun" Takanaga-sensei actually managed to make it cute and funny, so every single time they're in bed is like the first time ♥
It DOES have a lot of sex, but it’s not like it’s a bad thing. It’s the exact opposite, because each time makes Souichi get more into it and slowly acknowledge he won’t be able to escape his feelings much longer. Also, Takanaga-sensei’s made those scenes so sexy and caring that’s impossible not to love even when it happens that many times. It’s not meaningless, it’s an important part of their relationship, and each time is unique and changes a lot of things between them, even if subtle.
Also, I like that their relationship is unrequited at first and gets deeper little by little. It makes it more intense this way, to see Souichi slowly realizing he’s in love with Morinaga.
What I think is most interesting is that we, readers, can see the exact moment when Souichi falls for Morinaga: when Morinaga threatens to leave town. And Morinaga doesn’t realize it because Souichi himself hasn’t. But he wouldn’t do so much as have SEX only to stop his so-called friend from going away, unless he loved him. But a series of things have to happen before he can start to really feel something’s “weird” – as he calls it - with him.
It's incredible how Takanaga-sensei can make it so long and still interesting, not boring at all! That's because it always lacks something from Souichi, so we keep expecting him to do just a little more effort and don't mind waiting. Of course, you do have to be patient, but it makes you yearn for it. Can you imagine Souichi’s face when he finally says he loves Morinaga?! I can’t wait. The way it’s developed makes it more similar to reality, too. The characters are SO tridimensional that you actually believe it would take them this long to get together, so it couldn’t be any shorter.
I also L.O.V.E.D how Kunihiro and Masaki ended up! Although Masaki is an idiot, he got to be my favorite character.
I haven’t read “Challengers” yet because I don’t like the main couple and it didn’t really seem appealing to me, but I will eventually have to, only to understand more about Morinaga and Souichi.
I’ve always liked Takanaga-sensei’s work, but this is by far her best manga. I cried and laughed all along it, felt the characters’ emotions…I didn’t think I’d love it that much when I first started reading it. I thought it would be just another ordinary yaoi that’d spent some time on and then forget. But I’ve read a LOT of yaoi and this one is pretty new and original. Among all yaois I’ve ever read, this is one of my favorites, and I’m really picky, so that means a lot!
The situation where the uke is only gay for the seme isn’t uncommon, but the way Souichi resists for such a long time and is so stubborn is beautiful.
Also, the art is beautiful too, simply amazing~!
PS: I LOVE Igarai. He’s always scheming and is cute and nice and helps Morinaga and Souichi’s relationship in his own way! I wish there was a story only for him…