will preface by saying i don't think this manga is Bad. it had Vibes, but...
it kinda dodged the exploration of shou's dark urges, or just diverts to a different direction than i was expecting. "what i was feeling for you wasn't an urge to destroy. it was love from the start" good for him but not the climax i was looking forward to... like taking a sip of orange juice that's actually milk. like, it's fine, but i wanted orange juice... even when shou smashes keijirou with a vase and ties him up, shou's just lashing out because he's hurt/jealous, not really exploring his sexual desires in that moment.
stepping into the dominant/sadistic mindset is a personal interest of mine because i feel as if a lot of bl always take the pov of the bottom. nothing wrong with that--often, it's people's preference--but it leaves us with a shallow understanding of the top's perspective at times. i want to see his anxieties. how do you balance someone else's pleasure, and your own? is there an internal battle? what about a callousness? if there's empathy or guilt, and to what degree?
and i guess i just never bought into the chemistry between them. they felt like temporary bandages to each other's wounded psyches. kei's loneliness leading him to date a minor. shou's secret twisted lusts drawing him to seek out strangers (and where are the twisted lusts hmmmm??! the initial build up is so good).
and the ending with the time skip was super rushed...
will preface by saying i don't think this manga is Bad. it had Vibes, but...
it kinda dodged the exploration of shou's dark urges, or just diverts to a different direction than i was expecting. "what i was feeling for you wasn't an urge to destroy. it was love from the start" good for him but not the climax i was looking forward to... like taking a sip of orange juice that's actually milk. like, it's fine, but i wanted orange juice... even when shou smashes keijirou with a vase and ties him up, shou's just lashing out because he's hurt/jealous, not really exploring his sexual desires in that moment.
stepping into the dominant/sadistic mindset is a personal interest of mine because i feel as if a lot of bl always take the pov of the bottom. nothing wrong with that--often, it's people's preference--but it leaves us with a shallow understanding of the top's perspective at times. i want to see his anxieties. how do you balance someone else's pleasure, and your own? is there an internal battle? what about a callousness? if there's empathy or guilt, and to what degree?
and i guess i just never bought into the chemistry between them. they felt like temporary bandages to each other's wounded psyches. kei's loneliness leading him to date a minor. shou's secret twisted lusts drawing him to seek out strangers (and where are the twisted lusts hmmmm??! the initial build up is so good).
and the ending with the time skip was super rushed...