TOP MANGA OF THE MONTH

Shirafuji's feelings of physical intimacy between him and and a classmate, Arisaka, are piling up. He wants to know how Arisaka truly feels about him, but he doesn't have the courage to ask, without exposing his "true feelings." He is terrified of getting hurt, even a little, but now it seems that his love is about to lose sight of reality. Two couples from this volume have sequels in another of her works Agetai Kimochi. Arisaka x Shirafuji from ch1 here and ch8 in Agetai Kimochi. Eiji x Yuusuke from ch7 here and ch2 in Agetai Kimochi. Chapter 5 is hard shota content, and not scanlated for that reason.

Dining Bar Akira by Tomoko Yamashita centers on the happenings in a bar Kuimonodokoro Akira runs. Although the 32-year-old has never given thought to being in a relationship with a man, Akira seriously considers the proposition when he receives a sudden love confession from his male colleague, 26 year-old Torihara. It is no secret that new relationships can bring about their fair share of stress, but one with another man? And, with a colleague to boot? Finding himself in quite a conundrum, Akira struggles with his pride as an older man facing a younger and male pursuer, never mind that busy bar he is responsible for managing.

Set in feudal-era Japan, Yorube Naki Mono centers around prostitutes, assassins, and the grimier sides of city life. One night, a mysterious young man named Shikon is introduced as the newest member of Saiga's group of assassins for hire. Shikon is outgoing and flirtatious, but Saiga can sense there's more to Shikon than he lets on... A chance encounter on a moonlit night leads to two destinies awakening.

To his co-workers, Shin Yuukare appears to be the perfect elite--efficient, unruffled, and flawless, unlike his clumsy and easily flustered subordinate Mizusawa. It'd be hard to find greater opposites anywhere and yet when the puppy-like Mizusawa confesses to his idol, no one's more surprised than Mizusawa when Shin accepts and they start dating. But perhaps life is relative and no matter how elite you are there's always someone else you just can't measure up to and sometimes the most hopeless person move mountains if the right person believes in them. Can Mizusawa help Shin get out of the shadow of his little brother and can Shin let Mizusawa bask in the warmth of his heart?

The calm, composed and shrewd restaurant owner, Hatakeyama, is in love with Yamasaki, the cool, beautiful chef from a rival restaurant. In the past, Hatakeyama tried to embrace him and Yamasaki hates him for it. Despite this, Hatakeyama refuses to give up and aims to start again as friends. Although Hatakeyama often asks him out to eat, Yamasaki still doesn't show any interest in him... but what happens when a cool, good-looking fellow chef appears?

1) Mega You Freak 2) Mega Love Melancholy 3) Home 4) Cor Leonis - Lion's Heart 5) Destination - The bird and the plane 6) Café Hickory House 7) [i][/i]

From The Pink Panzer: Partners was first written 15 years ago, although it has been re-printed several times since then. It's a ground-breaking classic, in the sense that it's the very first manga to realistically depict the gay S&M scene. Set in New York in the late 1980s, Partners follows the lives of six close friends who also happen to be leathermen. The manga depicts their relationships -- both sexual and emotional -- with unabashed honesty. While the story practically explodes off the page with a continuous, unremitting and glorious parade of smut, it isn't "meaningless sex" -- these are committed couples in full-time relationships, where pleasure and pain are natural expressions of affection for one another. (You guessed it; that's where the manga's name comes from. They're "partners.") The six friends that star in this manga are split up into three pairs. The main pair consists of Marlon and Doug, around whose relationship the manga revolves. Marlon, a high-flying executive, plays sub and devoted masochist to the beautifully dominant Doug. Doug is, interestingly enough, a janitor at the very company Marlon directs; during the average workday, they barely even make eye-contact. The contrast between their private and public lives is as stark as it is lovely. The other couples also feature in major roles, and what we end up with is an intimate and moving glimpse at an otherwise unconventional lifestyle. Be warned -- these aren't willowy bishounen clasping each other in slender arms! These are very real, very authentic male bodies bending and contorting in well-established ways. If beefy shoulders and leather chaps don't do it for you, you might be in for a bit of a shock!

Collection of short stories: 1) Anohito to Nitenai Kuchibiru Kaji was in love with his sempai for years but his sempai got married and had a child. Kaji takes care of the kid and watches him growing up... 2) Kuchibiru Kara Biyaku Sequel to Anohito to Nitenai Kuchibiru 3) Blood When their father dies, the rival half brothers must sort through their feelings of anger, regret, pain and desire that their lives have been steeped in thus far... 4) Kagari Oni An exorcist solves a mystery involving demons. Not really a romance, just a historical fantasy story. 5) Datenshitachi no Yoru S&M relationship between step siblings is taken to extremes. 6) Double Snake A former gangster has turned into a regular office worker, but he still sleeps with his gangster lover. But one of the newbies doesn't like the fact that his favorite 'boss' is having a relationship with an office worker.

Senoo Kaoru falls in love with an attractive freshman he meets at the library, Shinohara Akira. Shinohara Souya is unable to let go of the memory of his beloved. And Akira is a lonely boy starving for love. No matter how strongly they wish for it, these feelings wrenching their hearts can never be requited. A secret past binds them together; and the shocking truth will be revealed in the end. What fate awaits these beasts hungry for love, in this tragic story by Hakutou Noriko?

Takayama is gay. While at work he begins to take note of successful and peerless Ishikawa, whom he eyes hungrily. Ishikawa finds out that Takayama is gay when he sees him in a compromising position with a hook-up, but surprisingly he does not out him at work. When a deal of Ishikawa's goes bad, he is infuriated. In a fit of rage, Ishikawa forces himself on Takayama. Takayama decides that he can forgive him for this one-time incident, but can this sordid physical relationship continue?

From Stiletto Heels: Alvin Dolce (nicknamed Al) is a self-proclaimed third-rate politician who is currently living together with his lover Neri. Things go well for the two until an impending campaign run urges Alvin away to Milano. Neri, uninterested in politics, turns down Alvin's invitation to join him there, and Alvin, distrusting Neri's loyalty in the relationship, takes off for Milano alone. Contains other stories about Al and about the boisterious and loveable people in his life.

Popular composer Shu Ooka has an older lover, a beautiful bully of a man, Shizuka, who is also his cousin. They enjoy a lovefilled life, together with his son Botan... Except, their neighbour, the popular stage actor Ryujin Takamura is actually on an amorous quest targeting Shizuka! Ryujin has real talent at playing the lead role of a lover. But he has also been Shu's rival since they were students! And now, Shizuka is helping Ryujin out with his housework making Shu's heart burn! Botan also appears in Emono no Kimochi

From Ultimate Manga Guide: Yaoi comedy about a student, Ikumi Amanume whose part-time job is to cook and do housekeeping chores for his next-door neighbor, Yuuji Touno, a notable scenario writer. Life seems pretty good except for a little problem that Touno-san tends to get too involved in his work and actually lives out the different characters that he creates! So Ikumi's head is kept spinning by the parade of extreme personalities that he encounters, especially when he starts falling in love with the real Touno who, it seems, never hangs around long enough to do anything about his own feelings for Ikumi...

From Baka-Updates: When his family dojo is forcibly taken by Yakuza due to his debt Yachiyomaru with his bodyguard Burai An stand against them in order to retrieve it! Before they know it, in prevailing over trials one after another, a deep affection is born between them...! Sakurai Shushushu gives you both love and eros in this insanely hilarious love comedy!

The hero in this manga has a split personality and each personality has it's own lover! Aki is right-hander and seme (but he denies his homosexuality), Ao is left-hander and uke (acts bad guy and reduces Aki's too much stress). One personality is afraid the other one will take over and destroy it. In the end, which will win? Ao feels he will be deleted by Aki and asks Sayuu to help him...

After his mother deserted them, senior high school student, Reo was living together with his mother's stern ex-lover, the very imposing uncle Shuuji. But 2 months ago, as he dropped by his home on his way with a friend one evening, an event occurred that changed their relationship forever. Since the day his uncle forcibly embraced him, the man demands his body time and again and Reo who has been suffering ever since seeks his close friend Kenta’s advice but… Contains another short story: Pretty After ~ After

Tsubasa and Eiji have been dating for over 2 years, but their bedroom action hasn't progressed far. Eiji, a man in his 35 who has needs that aren't being met, has been using a substitute, waiting for the day when Tsubasa wants to go all the way. Tsubasa, being younger, fears that his inexperience will turn Eiji away. Can these two come to an agreement in the bedroom? And why is Tsubasa in the living room naked with cat ears?

From P-S: Shirasawa, who sought a lover he could be dependant on, always dated married men old enough to be his father. At such a time, appears Nakatani, a student at the cram school he used to work part-time for. Nakatani passionately tells Shirasawa of his love for him, but Shirasawa doesn't seem interested in having a relationship with younger guys....

From BLU: From modern-day tales of romance in Seattle, to eerie stories from historical Japan, to Yoshinaga-sensei's depiction of the class conflicts that fueled the French Revolution... In these unforgettable tales, there's a little something for every BLU fan! And perhaps best of all, the characters Claude and Antoine (a young aristocrat and his butler) are introduced in this volume. Catch up to their later adventures in Fumi Yoshinaga's 'Lovers in the Night'! *Contains a oneshot called True Tenderness. 'Ai towa Yoru ni Kizuku Mono' (Sequel)

[from Fantasy Shrine:] Sakura Kazuki is a telepath who can sense negative emotions such as malice through contact. Despite his cute 17-year-old appearance, he’s in fact a 26-year-old rookie detective in the police force, Division One. Teamed with his seasoned, assertive partner/mentor, Shido-san, Sakura often works undercover. His disguises consist of a high school boy, an office lady, and he even gets to wear a cat suit!? Cosplay* (costume play) in the police force!? A thrilling love story.

The grandson of a commissioner absconds and force a police officer to take him in. extra story from the "Prize in My View Finder" series.

From K No Kouzu’s Intro Page & Backlash67: The beginning of a love story set in a school for eccentric artists. Kei Onodera, a college student majoring in science starts working part-time as a lecturer at an art prep school. Immediately, he catches the eye of the rough and wild sculpture teacher, Higa Rikimaru!!

1) Unfinished Perfection Shinohara Yuu is in love with his boss (Yae Gashi from Yojouhan Sweet Home), but his boss already has a boyfriend. So Kakinuma Daishi, his childhood friend, agrees to take the place of Shinohara's boss and sleep with him. 2) Present It's Daishi birthday, however Shinohara completely forgot about it. But don't worry - Daishi will find a way to take a suitable present from Shinohara. 3) The Assistant's Love Sonata Daishi is writing a scenario about the lives of secretaries. He uses Shinohara's office as reference material. 4) The River of Honeymoon Daishi takes Shinohara on a trip into the mountains. 5) To Climb Love's High Mountain Ushiie Shintarou, beloved sempai to Hokari Kei, was killed three years ago in an avalanche. Since then, Kei has returned every year to the mountain. This year he is accompanied by Kabashima, an underclassman who really likes Kei. Can Kei's heart experience love again after such a tragic loss? 6) The Smiling Assassin Editor Michihara grows frustrated with his assistant - Tamaki - for making too many mistakes, but Tamaki always apologizes with a charming smile that irritates Michihara.

Older cousin returns after six years to find his younger cousin has grown up really pretty.