I Thot You Was a Toad's manga / #Sugano Akira(6)

This final volume in the Mainichi Seiten series is about the relationship which develops between introspective and care-ridden, Akinobu, the studious middle Obinata son, and ex-gangster family friend, Ryuu, whose turbulent past haunts him and who can't stand seeing him cry alone. The relationships, backstory and conflicts are established early enough that this story works as a stand-alone. I'm not fussed about the artwork, but Akinobu is drawn with precision and delicacy.

Manic-paced soap opera, the first 2 volumes in a long series of family dramedies, with the main emphasis on comedy, about the Obinata family of orphaned boys—except for the oldest, their sister Shima, a fire-breathing tigress of a journalist off on the hunt for wild news stories on a continent where she's likely to find some doozies, and who provides the pivotal engine that gets this plot driving, a marriage, followed in rapid succession by a desertion—and the two new Lost Boys who land in their The-Whole-World-is-Gay Never-Neverland constructed just for fujoshii. This one focuses on the love story between the eldest "Lost Boys", Taiga and Shuu, whose reticence to merge is informed by past hurt. Boisterous and noisy as any household of boys would probably be, there is just enough realism and slice-of-life to keep it interesting. The art is old school. Some of the scans are hard to read, but it's important to get this one under your belt if you plan to read the series. My favourite, so far, is the final one of the series, Hanaya no Nakai de. Respect is due to Sugano Akira for generating enough story and character to keep this series going on so long. It's up there with Kodaka Kazuma for massive volumes of entertaining boy love.

A spin-off and continuation of the series started in Mainichi Seiten where an all-male family of 2 moves in with an all-male family of 4. This story deals with Yuuta and Mayumi, both 16-year-old "stepbrothers" (not biologically connected) who share a bedroom. Mayumi's cheerfulness and pluck seems like a front to Yuuta who senses that there are some serious issues being blocked from resolution, and who resolves to find out what the problems are before this destroys Mayumi. The story also addresses the reality of being lovers in an overcrowded house (poor neighbours!) A lively and interesting tale with spirited, realistic characters.

Second sequel to Mainichi Seiten, the series about the all-gay Obinata household. After the dramatic revelations and realizations of Kodomo wa Tomaranai, schoolaged co-habitating "stepbrothers" Yuuta and Mayumi get to relax into acting their age—except they have grown up desires and aspirations which conflict with their maturity and ability to handle conflicts. There are trust issues, matters of self-responsibility, even little things like spending money. There is a very good reason the story is called Children's Time, even if it is about those children growing up. This story also brings in the character of Ryuu-nii, a figure from the Obinata past, and a very funny extra story at the end. Not sure I care for the rationalization which Yuuta gives for hating women. Don't believe that a bad experience with one person gives a person carte blanche to judge an entire gender, race, age group, body type or religion, and or to justify horrible behaviour toward them. I don't like yaoi or shounen ai which thinks that the cavalier treatment of girls or women is cool just because girls and women like hot guys getting off on each other. Loss of stars for that.

Fourth installment in the Mainichi Seiten series about the all-gay Obinata household. In this one, Shouu's unflinching honesty about his relationship with Yuuta causes his adopted son to come face-to-face with the traumas of his past and how he was formed by them. Unable to cope, he runs back to the neighbourhood of his youth, leaving everyone behind ... even Mayumi?

Second to last in Sugano Akira's sprawling Mainichi Seiten series about the noisy all-gay Obinata household, this volume deals with a disagreement between the explosive eldest, Taiga and Akinobu, the quiet and studious middle son, over an offer of university study overseas. Taiga is gripped by a past of deprivation and want, and it colours all his efforts and sacrifices when it comes to his family, but is this what is even troubling Akinobu, who hasn't been able to sleep? And how much of Taiga's frustration is also blue-balls syndrome, since his relationship with Shuu still hasn't been consumated (seriously)? Whenever Taiga is featured, the storyline goes a bit wackadoo and zany, because the guy can't seem to communicate without shouting at the top of his lungs. This tends to pitch the story into bathos, but it's important to read as a set up for the final and most interesting (in my opinion) story in this series, Akinobu and Ryuu-nii's relationship in Hanaya no Nikai de.