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A stunning erotic melodrama set in what amounts to a fetishistic fantasy world. The glamorous setting of high-end footwear is transformed into a BDSM-adjascent realm of sexual favors and intrigue; the logic of the main couple's dynamic is so exaggerated it creates an environment unique to this manga that just works. If you're feeling decadent, like you want to eat a sweet, arsenic-laced candy that, in spite of its absurdity and sensuous excesses of its premises, satisfies, check this out.
So much better than the description makes it sound - wonderfully kinky, but not PWP. The story and character development are compelling and plausible, and it has a little more realism than similar BL. Could have been 5 stars, but it drops the ball with an overly quick and neat resolution. That being said, check this out if you want some well-written kink wrapped in a mildly angsty story about self-discovery that is interesting in its own right. Really enjoyed this one.
A nuanced picture of how two people learn to adjust their outlook on life as a result of meeting one another. The leads feel like real people, not the usual idealized types you see in most BL, so not a story to pick up if you want something with an easily digestible lesson or pure romance. Recommend if you enjoy a slower paced story that takes its time with its characters and appreciate a more mature, nuanced, and measured understanding of love and sexuality.
A great example story elevated by outstanding art, featuring beautiful, expressive, idiosyncratic character designs. The characters are a little atypical (handsome but boring straight man and a plausibly drawn disaster gay), but the uniqueness of the manga is in the art rather than the writing (which isn't bad, to be clear). Recommended if you want quality smut with a compelling (if not groundbreaking) plot featuring a straight divorcee and a gay bartender.
Starts out as a romance/comedy with a goofy premise, but about halfway through morphs into a tightly-paced, well-written gangster romance thriller that is very moving in places and absolutely engrossing. While I found the start slow, by the end it grabbed my attention, and I think most BL fans would enjoy this one. Recommended if you're in the mood for a long tale that has good worldbuilding with a hearty dose of both fluff and intensity (and some of the best sex scenes I've read).
Maybe Basso's best work to date, showcasing her strengths as a mangaka: concern for ordinary, unglamorous people, attention to the minutiae of the inner lives of her characters, and principled disregard for the easy or sentimental. Her attention to mundane detail makes Hayama's transition from desultory observation of a stranger on a train to a personal revelation and deep feeling achingly plausible. Beautifully observed and tightly paced, recommended to anyone who likes thoughtful, mature BL.
An historical story attentive to the specificity of its setting while being very human in scale. As a romance, the buildup is written plausibly and maturely, with interesting leads and pitch perfect pacing. Highly recommended if you want an historically textured story that is well-plotted, beautifully illustrated, non-formulaic, exquisitely written.
The main characters interact with one another more like actual people and (eventually) lovers rather than the more over the top, demonstrative way that BL couples are often depicted. The realism of the characters is enhanced by the setting, in which homophobia is very much still a thing and is shown unflinchingly. Highly recommended if you want a more grounded sex friends to lovers story, shown realistically while managing to still be very romantic.
Modern takes on classic tales, a master class in visual storytelling, with striking visuals and a keen sense of pacing and scale. Each story has a different mood and approach, ranging from fanciful kink to tragic melodrama, every one a delight. Like folk and fairy tales, the stories don't go into a lot of detail or depth, but remain nevertheless evocative and satisfying. Recommended if you're in the mood to sample a series of quality shorts inspired by folk tales with a variety of tones and mood
Terrible cover, good story. The reserved but dedicated everyman Tsunayoshi serves as the POV character as he gradually transitions from feelings of fear and unease to curiosity, compassion, and eventually love for the vivacious, dangerous, and strangely vulnerable young man he picks up. For a BL, a surprising number of refreshingly dynamic & tense scenes. Highly recommended if you are in the mood for a road trip story that has sex, adventure, some sadness, and a blossoming romance along the way.
Red Theatre