(Review of whole series, volumes 1-3)

Why I read it: Praise from a broad spectrum of manga reveiwers. Didn't sound horribly original but I hoped it would at least be free from certain things that frequently bug me about yaoi and of a quality where I could at least find it pleasantly enjoyable.

Pros: Sweet and free of possessive semes, he-liked-it rape, etc. Story was about more than just romance, weaving in coming-of-age themes centered mainly around making friends and family drama.

Cons: Characters have little personality beyond outgoing-and-earnest and outwardly-aloof-seeming-but-earnest. What tension there is in the romance for the last 3/4 of the story is artificially created by one character not understanding something that was blatantly obvious (that the other DID like him romantically, but was just not ready for sex yet). Family drama full of cliche over the top (mostly mental if I remember right) abusiveness/negligence and failed to be interesting.

Conclusion: Almost more a coming of age tale than a romance, but not a particularly good one. That fact alone does make it a little different than a lot of the yaoi you might pick up, but still not particularly enjoyable or memorable to me. ( )

I have mixed thoughts on this. Guy has a father who hits him, a mother who's crazy and in some weird religion, and so he wants to run away. But instead, he gets to know this kid in his class. They become friends and he falls in love pretty quickly. While the other kid isn't sure how he feels.So, sort of cliched angst. But the boys are rather sweet. And the story was moving quickly and it was a fast read.I'd like to read the next two volumes, but I'd rather not have to buy them. Alas, it seems volume 2 is missing from the library I borrowed it from and it was the only library in the state with it.Dilemma. ( )

The story appears to have been told before. A popular boy decides to make friends with the "bad" boy who is an outsider at school. This yaoi really throws kink into that scenario when you find that "bad" boy has a terrible home life, complete with emotional and physical abuse. It lends more drama to the tale, making the love these two have more poignant. Unfortunately, it's still a school-based yaoi, and the uke looks like a little girl. I liked the story enough to read the next two volumes, but I wish this hadn't had those problems. ( )