I Thot You Was a Toad's manga / #Naono Bohra(9)

Naono Bohra can write unconventional yaoi. In this one, Lune, the past life wifeykins, was a helluva woman. So much so that, even in his present reincarnation, ultra-manly-man and mercenary bodyguard, Araki Kyosuke, hasn't quite got what it really takes to top her ... him ... whatever ... even if he can jump out of second-storey balconies without busting his ankles. But there is another secret at play in this love story.

A series of oneshots in which violence and control are sub-themes: (1) an abused boy finds love in the arms of a kind widower with a baby daughter; (2) a middle manager who cannot smile falls for a new office worker who can't stop smiling; (3) a pair of salarymen negotiate their way through a master/pet relationship; (4) a pair of schoolboys with deceptive appearances negotiate their way through a master/slave relationship.

A series of short stories based around the theme of various disparities in physical stature, income, prestige, age, experience, strength and ability, all of which provoke insecurity and must be overcome. There is a lot of physical aggression, abuse, defense and fighting, not with the shock that horror stories convey, but as an existential reality common to Bohra's characters. It seems as though the stories are meant to be comic, but because the problems are often realistic and pitiable (not laughable), it comes across more manic and zany, than hilarious. Commitment is demonstrated by the resolve and endeavour to overcome differences and to live autonomously within the partnerships — so that may be inspirational. And, typical of Bohra, there's lots of great sex! :-)

A series of short stories by Naono Bohra, one of which cannot be beat for sheer crack: Chapter Three's hilarious Love Snatcher, in which a man wishes upon the moon for a better world and is whisked off to a desert island to become the bride of the Tiger Spirit. Mpreg isn't plausible at the best of times, so might as well go Full Loon.

The theme of paintings, stolen or given away, as the means of owning a piece of one's beloved's soul underscores these stories about men who are too timid to admit their attraction for each other.

An arms dealer purchases an enslaved magical human-like entity with the power to kill or heal by singing. The creature won't sing, until the arms dealer connects with him through other means.

(1) A conventional sex-for-goodies story—in this case, the hot designer and his clothes—turns romantic when it turns out that the designer got more than just a toy-boy out of the deal. The continuity isn't quite as seamless, however, so read carefully.

It's Souya and Kazuki against the world, or at least against Kazuki's nasty, mean, horrible, no-good, prestigious and ancient family. Souya, who's one of those supermodel novelist types, is determined to look after his poor, oppressed, ordinary Joe of a part-time wine-shop waiter stepbrother, in exchange for loads of bottoms up. That's got Daddy and real brother in a tizz. All we need is Queen singing in the background, "Mammaaaaa, I just killed a man ...."