eep! Sorry for the lack of posts!

Hi Readers (if there are any left):

I am so sorry I neglected to post anything on this blog recently. I kind of went through a transition of loving Yaoi, hating it, loving it again, then loving Shoujo, then willing to give Yaoi another try while still loving Shoujo. Whew!

I still have about 100 Yaoi GNs I could review for you (minus of course the DramaQueen and Be Beautiful titles since they're out-of-print). I don't know where to start, but hopefully I'll have another review up soon. There's also a lot more discussion to be had, too.

You may have already found out, but I'll repeat it here that Kitty Media has licensed a new manga for release in March '09 called 'Yokai Hunger' by Naono Bohra. Also, Kitty Media is releasing the fourth instalment of the 'Scandalous Seiryo University' series called 'Class Reunion' in February 2009. Also, BLU Manga has decided to continue the 'Tea for Two' series, and volume 3 should come out in May '09. Should be hot!!

People actually read this thing?

After my daily perusing of mangablog.com, I found an article about Yaoi mangas that would satisfy the bored reader. The article mentions reading Fumi Yoshinaga, Est Em, and Kano Miyamoto titles, and I certainly agree with that. On the blogroll was menonyaoi, and I'm quite shocked and thankful that people are reading what I have to say (however unimportant it may be). The blog is "Fujoshi Librarian" and I recommend all my readers to check it out.

As you may have noticed in past posts, I have somewhat strayed away from Yaoi. Just recently, however, I have gone back to purchasing a few new Yaoi titles to clog my bookshelves. What becomes the problem is that Yaoi is hard to read if I'm not super-motivated to read it. It takes less energy to read some unattached Shonen or Josei manga, but with Yaoi, it's always different.

Satisfied with what I've got

Well, because of the high price point of Yaoi, I just don't find myself buying the books anymore (It's a good thing Be Beautiful isn't printing, then). I suppose I should change the name of this blog, but I've grown attached to it. I still have my eye on 'Voice or Noise' just because it is a BL manga for the non-BL lover.

I am currently enjoying CLAMP's lighthearted fare (compared to their climactic X/1999, T Babylon, and RG Veda). 'Genshiken' is also an appealing title because of the care taken in representing otaku. I've also pledged to buy volumes of 'Tsubasa' and 'xxxHolic' simultaneously, but have been procrastinating.

I just purchased 'Bride of the Water God' manhwa and the art is stunning, but the story doesn't seem in stride (the artist would rather move the plot along with pictures, which explains the lack of dialogue).

New manga avenues

Sometimes I need to take a break from Yaoi, so I am now seeking out new, non-Yaoi series' from Tokyopop (for some reason, their line fascinates me). I am currently reading "Aria" which is a beautiful manga, as well as "Chobits". I also have a strange hankering to read, "Cardcaptor Sakura". I am one of those people who doesn't consider himself a CLAMP fanatic, but actually does have a soft spot for their manga.

$12-15? Then serve it to me on a Silver Platter!!!

Here is an understandable rant of mine: when visiting the bookstore to view its manga offerings, I was disappointed that I couldn't buy some titles because of their condition. Whether a book was bent out of shape from being read by too many non-paying hoodlums, or simply the paper was yellowing due to being exposed in constant fluorescent lighting, I couldn't bring myself to pay for such shoddy product.

The lighting is unavoidable, but I still can't buy a title that was printed before January 2008 just because the paper (on the surface of the top of the book) is yellow because it has been sitting under that blazing light for a long time! Eew! What do I do? Buy at a comic shop? Maybe. The lighting is darker in comic shops (and the books are cheaper, too!) I have been lucky with a certain comic shop that lets the women do the stocking and filing. These books just need tender care.

Consider this message in warning, beware of the books you find at major bookstores. They could have been handled several times a day by who knows? And the the paper yellows very fast. If it's not a new release, it belongs in the "NO" pile. I don't think the idea of selling manga in chill dark rooms is gonna fly, so I suggest you think twice before picking up that swiftly-aged tome.

Dust Jackets vs. No-Jackets

Because I am too damn lazy to write reviews (seriously, folks, it's hard to read a manga 3 times in a row unless it is an epic!), I will provide topics for discussion (just as good, in my opinion).

I was staring at my Yaoi shelf today (I group books by publisher), and I was noticing the ones with dust-jackets vs. the ones without. My personal preference is no-jackets because I believe in practicality over bells and whistles. It's easy for me to pick up one of my Be Beautiful books and start re-reading just because of its basic quality (huh?). It's true, when I pick up a book that has a dust jacket, I usually just end up flipping through it, taking off the jacket, putting it back on, and not reading the book at all. The bells and whistles of the manga should be a stellar translation, and the title itself. Have you ever bought a manga just because it looked pretty? Did you get burned?

When I pick up one of my jacketed books, I tend to focus on its quality rather than its contents. I know the publisher wanted me to get it because it dolled it up so I would THINK that it's a good buy. The only publisher who has the Dust-jacket down to an art is DQ. The gorgeous jackets accompany the flimsy and gentle books quite well, whereas June's jackets clothe a pretty large, heavy, and stiff tome. Same with 801, except smaller.

While this discussion is all very nit-picky, it's actually what companies consider before marketing themselves. Kitty Media and Be Beautiful, being two of the first English Yaoi companies, had no idea that fans might want the pretty dust-jackets and colour pages. As for this fan, I can do without.

Mysterious New Yaoi Titles!!

I came across some exciting news all by myself!! I found new Yaoi titles listed for release in 2009 on chapters.indigo.ca:

"Bound by Time" by CJ Michalski (lols!!!)
"Noodle Shop Affair Volume 1" by CJ Michalski (double lols!!)
"Take Me To Heaven" by Nase Yamato
"Naughty But Nice Volume 1" by Naduki Koujima
"Love Round!!!" by Hinako Takanaga

The publisher wasn't listed for any of these titles, and I looked for any official announcement, but could not find it. I suspect it to be Deux Press, but wait and see.

*edit Aug. 7, '08: kris (see comments) has confirmed these are Deux Press (Aurora) titles (see Amazon.com entries)

New Poll is Up/Kitty Observations

Hi everyone, sorry I've been stale on the review front. I want to begin reviewing some Kitty Media books in the near-future because I just like to promote the little guy.

Speaking of Kitty Media, they've been quiet through this whole ordeal of publishers' troubles and the Biblos breakdown. They have still been able to get us the books, no matter what. Sure, some people have had complaints about their printing choice, but we don't always need our manga to have so many bells and whistles. They're also the only North American publisher to bring over works by Row Takakura. Some may see her works as a more feminine, but her style just reminds me that the whole genre of Yaoi is about Beautiful Men. I wish to see more Row Takakura works in the future. (Also Haruka Minami!!!! lol)

Please wait for my reviews! I will get to them this summer.

Sorry...

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. The two big events were Yaoi Jamboree and Anime Expo, and those were already well-covered by other websites. I suppose all this blog is useful for is reviews (and I am just too lazy to do those).

All I can say now is that Yaoi has hit a road block with two of its best publishers not releasing their books (for now, hopefully). I was hoping they would try publishing at least some books for 2008, but it just has not happened yet. I'm losing hope each and every month. The whole CPM/Libre thing has got my knickers in a knot because I don't get to see more volumes of Embracing Love. Also, the Be Beautiful had updated their site at the beginning of the year to say "2008 Catalogue", but nothing yet has been released.

DramaQueen's investor-stalling situation is really unfortunate because their books are just so gosh-darn beautiful. Plus, their licenses are incredible.

To be honest, I am not going to be buying books from other companies just because they're available. Rather, I'm saving my money for when the big time comes and DQ and/or BB have new releases. Just because June is releasing 5+ books a month, doesn't mean the licenses are spectacular.

For all Hinako Takanaga fans who, like me, are desperately waiting for "Tyrant", Blu has picked up two of her newer works for the latter half of '08. Also, 801 is releasing Black Sun from Uki Ogasawara in November, so all is not lost. "The Crimson Spell 2" should come out this Summer from Kitty Media as well. Have faith, Yaoi fans!

You're My Love Prize in Re-Negotiating (2)

Sorry to all those who read this blog hoping for new posts in a long time.

I just want to clarify an issue that I wasn't clear on before. Regarding my May post about the re-licensing of the popular "Finder Series"(here), I was off on some details. The article in question from Manganews.net listed links to other blogs, and eventually linked to Libre's staff blog(Japanese publisher of "Finder"). The translation of Libre's blog (however reliable it is) stated that there was plans of re-publishing it in English, but it did not say whether it was going to a new publisher, or staying with CPM (Be Beautiful's Parent Company). The translation of another Japanese post also noted that the release would be far in the future (perhaps when Finder 10 is released in Japan? Who knows?!). Don't hold your breath, folks.

Of course, all this information was gathered from the internet, so please question the reliability of sources and assume nothing. All I know is, there's many exciting Yaoi series being steadily published into English that deserve just as much attention. I'm starting to get hooked on the "Takumi-Kun Series", as well as, "Voice or Noise", and "Junjo Romantica". It's not really a Yaoi drought when a few series are put on hold, since there are *gasp* like ten other publishers!!!

Another Yaoi Publisher?! Again?!

Yes, more perusing around the internet has found me info on a collaboration of sorts in the BL publishing world. Apparently, DMP announced at Yaoi Jamboree that it was partnering up with Japanese publisher Shinshokan (which publishes Dance magazines and BL??), to form a new BL line called "Doki Doki" (the Japanese sound of a heart beating). The original article is at Boys on Boys on Film, so check it out.

So, this new publisher plans to release BL titles that June would have licensed anyways? Except, this time, all the titles will be from Shinshokan? You know what? If they had said "Shinkosha" (Japanese publisher of Virtuoso and other DQ titles) instead, I would have been thrilled. That's not to say Shinshokan is a ho-hum publisher of BL, it just raises the question, "Well, what's the point?"

Shinshokan is the publisher of the magazines, "Dear+", "Wings", and "Boys JAM!". Maybe we could see licenses from "Boys JAM!". Just look at that sexy cover! --->

Go to http://www.shinshokan.com/comic/ to learn more.

Crash and Burn

Yes, folks. 801 Media's poetry contest has ended, and I am seething with rage that I didn't win! If you don't know about this, find it on their blog yourself. I wrote about the journey of love since love really is a journey. There are going to be pitfalls and struggles, but the stronger love survives these. What's not to love about that? The prize? Yeah, THE Uki Ogasawara artbook with her breathtaking images from Virtuoso and other works. God, I really hope DramaQueen survives.

Anyways, check out the letter I left on DramaQueen's forum: click here.

The End of DramaQueen?

Wow, some scary things have been popping up on the 'net concerning our favourite publisher.

In a blog post from mangablog.net, a translator working for DramaQueen, L.L.C. states that the investors may not pull through for DQ after all. Our beloved publisher seems to be disappearing off the face of the Earth along with Be Beautiful. Read that post here.

What has happened? Is this a sad time for the Yaoi Kingdom? Is it a genre destined to fall? Two Publishers already bowing out of the game (DQ, Be Beautiful), new Publishers taking their place (Deux, Yaoi Generation), and too many titles being licensed(June, DQ) all spell trouble for this ailing genre.

Methinks Yaoi is not as popular as the Publishers think. They need to re-evaluate the situation and look at license choices. For example, I read "Say Please" from Deux Press, but I would have rather read "Naked Jewels Corp." or "10k Lover"(Aijin Ichimanyen). These titles may never see the light of day as English releases, but they're the type of licenses I want to see more of.

Another Yaoi Publisher?!

Dear Readers:

While searching the 'net for new Yaoi developments, I came across a brand new website supposedly of a new, strictly-Yaoi Publisher. What does this Publisher plan to offer us so late in the Yaoi game? Why, 2 books/month and a new six-issue annual magazine, that's what.
Go to this website: Yaoi Generation

Being that I am so damn poor at the moment, I wonder if I will be able to buy any books at all from this publisher. I have no care for the magazine (as I think it was hinted that they are taking OEL submissions) so what I'm hoping for is a cheap price point, and good licenses. There is so much that needs to be licensed in English, it's crazy. If they begin to charge $12.99-$15.99 for their books, I might just stick to DQ since they are licensing the proper Yaoi titles (and 801 to a lesser extent). Again, I'll have to see the actual titles to know if I'm gonna buy 'em or not.

DRUG me

Hey y'all, I'm in pretty high spirits and here's why. I'm just starting to get interested in CLAMP's works and, being a yaoi connoisseur, I just had to check out "Legal Drug" from Tokyopop. To my dismay, I could not find the first volume...anywhere.

I was however, ecstatic when I popped into my fave USED bookstore and found not one, but the first TWO volumes of "Legal Drug" for $4.99 each (in not bad condition, mind you)!! Being a completest, I went and bought a new copy of volume 3, and that's why I am happy. It only cost me $20 for the whole (for now) series.

This manga is...nothing short of amazing. It's not Yaoi, and it's not quite Shonen-ai, but there is some element of Boys' Love in there to enjoy. This is one trippy fantasy manga. Our couple, so to speak, is Rikuo and Kazahaya. They work for a pharmacy where they have the option of doing "side-jobs" for extra money. These side-jobs are where the manga gets trippy. Kazahaya and Rikuo encounter strange missions where they have to retrieve symbolic objects, or just simply watch a movie. Observing how the events play out really pulls you deeper and deeper into the story.

CLAMP really shines when it comes to representing deep emotions and themes in their manga. Whereas most Yaoi manga I have read all seem to be quick and forgettable thrills, "Legal Drug" stuck in my mind after I finished the last page. It just offers something more beyond the budding romance and fantasy elements.

If you haven't yet got your hands on these volumes, I suggest you do so now. I was afraid I wasn't even going to find the first volume at all. So if you passed "Legal Drug" in the bookstore with nary a thought in mind, now's your chance to read a very fine manga.

P.S. For those who are wondering if CLAMP is going to continue this series or not, the buzz around the internet is that they ARE in fact going to resume production soon, most likely after they've finished "xxxHolic" and "Tsubasa"

Most Wanted Yaoi 2008

Hello All! (P.S. You can vote for as many titles as you like in the poll)

As I keep getting poorer and poorer, I tend not to splurge at the comic store for all the Yaoi that they stock. Instead, I like to read whatever reviews I find on the 'net to weed out the stinkers. Then, I look at all the titles I would probably enjoy and pick the best ones. I find this method helps me the best when I'm trying to save money. Here are some titles that sound reasonable and/or are must-haves for upcoming 2008 titles:

Of the "Coming Soon" DramaQueen" releases that most likely will come out this year, I would most likely get "Cage of Thorns" because of the hot banner on the DQ BL Portal. "Naked Jewels Corp." and "Worthless Love" also seem worthy of a purchase. Surprisingly, I'm not that interested in "Tyrant Falls in Love", so sue me!

Of the 801 Media titles soon to be published, both "Black Sun" and "Meeting You" caught my attention. "Black Sun" for me, is a definite must-have.

The Deux Press schedule looks alright with titles like, "Mister Mistress" and "Freshmen". It looks like their later releases improve with appeal.

From Kitty Media, every upcoming release seems to be a good one with, "Dog Style 2", "The Crimson Spell 2", and "Family" (by Yuuya). If nothing else, I will just get Kitty Media books for the rest of the year as they are cheap and also must-haves.

June always has a lot books announced but for now, only "Pathos" seems like a Best Bet.

Well, there's the rundown of my list of good, upcoming releases. I know this post may seem selfish, but you can use this information to save money and help you decide for yourself which books are worthy of your hard-earned cash, and which ones you just have to leave on the store shelf (or online catalogue).

Great Place High School

Let me start off by explaining the format of this book. Basically, the book is divided into four sections in this order: 4-panel comics, manga-style story, more 4-panel comics, and then a manga-style story. As a bonus, and this is rare for a June publication, there are 9 full-colour pages for you to enjoy! On the downside, the paper quality is noticeably lower than other books from this publisher.

There are many characters in this book and all the stories take place at this GP High School. The first couple introduced to us, is Ryouichi and Minami. Minami is the cutest little Uke I have ever seen and he is a beloved character in this book. This couples' story is told through the 4-panel comics and as such, the characterization and jokes are above average.

After the 4-panel comics end, and the manga-style story is introduced, the book loses me. These manga pages are devoted to an entirely new couple named Rin and Eichi, the heads of the student council. While they do interact with the members of the computer club, the story mostly centers on their strange behaviour and bizarre romance. This is a story I did not care for. Why would Koujima want to devote a manga-style story to two, totally undeserving characters?

However, when the 4-panel comics start up again, the book falls back to its hilarity and awesome characterization *within the computer club*.

Now, the Rin x Eichi stories aren't painful to read, the book just forces you away too quickly from the cute antics of Minami x Ryouichi and the other members of the Computer Club. In the back of the book, Koujima says that she loves to draw Rin x Ryouichi the most, so that's why they get special treatment.

If you want to sample Naduki Koujima's style, but you don't want to commit to her longer series, "Our Kingdom", you should get this book. It has a lot to offer the reader in terms of variety. There is only one or two soft sex scenes because this book mainly focuses on the characters' exploits.

You're My Love Prize in Re-licensing

Here's a little tidbit of news you may or may not have read about.

An article on manganews.net states that the re-licensing of the popular "Finder Series" is now underway. Since we've heard nothing about the release of our fave titles from Be Beautiful, we can now rest assured knowing that one of the wonderful series' will be published by a more responsible company. See that article here.

The article did not mention which company was going to get the license, and it's pretty much up in the air at this point. If this article is true, it gives me hope about the other titles that Be Beautiful has. Hell, I wouldn't mind even if Kitty Media started releasing "Embracing Love" (Gosh forbid), at least they publish books on time and on a regular basis. While it may be unfortunate about what happened to Be Beautiful (whatever it was), it is absolutely crazy to make fans wait more than a year for consecutive volumes of their fave series.

Be Beautiful has charged us the highest price for the most popular Yaoi without including any extras like colour pages and high-quality paper. It's about time other, more reliable companies took their licenses and really gave the fans what they wanted.

the image above has been slightly altered to save this blogger's ass, it is NOT the property of Men On Yaoi and any of its affiliates (i.e. Men On Humping, Men On Top Of Eachother)

Review and Other Stuff

I'm reading "I Can't Stop Loving You" Vol.1 by Row Takakura currently, and I really enjoy the art that I have been seeing. Admittedly, Yu, the Uke, looks very feminine (is that what gay guys call, "Femmy"?), but the Seme, Kyouji, is loads attractive with his long, flowing hair and big, masculine body. It was a real turn-on when a ghost possessed Yu and decided to ravish him by making him touch himself, very creative! The visuals are pretty, the story's an easy read, and it's the cheapest Yaoi you can get without stealing it.

On another topic, my last entry may have been a little grim, but I just felt that I have missed out on a lot of great non-Yaoi series. You see, I kept my manga obsession strictly to Yaoi. As my interest for reading Yaoi weakened, though, I have taken a shine to Shonen manga such as Death Note. Shonen means boy, and I'm a boy, so why not?

Reading Shonen manga again (I stopped when I discovered Yaoi) has brought enjoyment. There are way longer series than Yaoi could ever have and the progression of the story happens faster. Of course, in romance, things tend to slow down but as a male, I feel entitled to read some action series now and then.

I am also very happy that people have been discussing Yaoi in the comments section of some posts. I am sorry I have not posted many reviews, but it's hard for me to sit down and think about what I'm going to type about one book. Maybe I'll just mention bits and pieces about books I find along the way.

Wow, which direction am I headed?

I realize that this blog is called, "Men on Yaoi". Thus, readers presume Yaoi will be discussed from a male perspective. That hasn't happened very much at all, has it? I have posted 2 reviews so far from a point-of-view that doesn't really exist. You see, in my collecting of 70+ volumes of Yaoi, I still do NOT understand the genre. That is because-it's now painfully true-Yaoi is solely entertainment for women. There's really nothing there for men, gay or straight, at all.

I have some 70+ books I could review for you, dear readers, but I will say now which ones truly have touched my heart. These manga are: Virtuoso di Amore, Ichigenme Vol. 1, Only the Ring Finger Knows, and Poison Cherry Drive.

Virtuoso di Amore was my first foray into DramaQueen's quality BL line and still remains the only profound book of the bunch. The dark and complex plot coupled with the gorgeous art in painstaking detail made for the most dramatic night reading I've ever had.

Ichigenme Vol. 1 was my first book by Fumi Yoshinaga. It went beyond the typical Yaoi stereotypes and presented a wonderful story of an ACTUAL gay relationship progressing through law school.

Poison Cherry Drive seems like a strange choice, but it remains dear to me as my first ever explicit yaoi. Being that it had only some explicit sex, as well as weird jokes only a crazy person would understand, I know that I am in the minority on this one.

And saved for last is the most heartfelt Yaoi manga I've ever opened, Only the Ring Finger Knows. Way back when, I was at my major book retailer. There was only one Yaoi manga sitting on the shelf at the time. I picked it up instantly and found myself so enthralled, that it remains as one of the most memorable manga that truly stuck an arrow in my heart.

I won't be buying Yaoi like a lust-starved and hormoned-driven maniac anymore. I've just invested too much hard-earned cash on it. This was cash I made while toiling away serving customers thousands of ugly hamburgers and boxes upon boxes of greasy fries.

To all the readers of this blog, I urge you to spend your money more wisely and choose only the titles that mean something to you.

Say Please by Kano Miyamoto

This is is my first book from Deux Press and I have to say I am pretty impressed with their publishing quality. The cover art on this book is just beautiful and the paper is top-notch. Dialogue flows very well and the SFX are translated and placed next to the original japanese.

"Say Please" features two men named Sakura and Ryoichi who first meet at a brothel one night where it was supposed to be just a paid one night stand. The two men realize they have deep feelings for eachother and therefore start dating. Sakura has a troubled past that he wants to keep secret, but Ryoichi wants to find out more so he can help Sakura be a better person. It is a romantic yarn featuring the devoted Ryoichi and the somewhat scarred Sakura. There is also a short bonus story featuring a somewhat different plot, but similar characters to "Say Please".

Miyamoto really creates stories that make you care about her characters. Her art is sketchy, rather than pretty, and so her men look more on the realistic side of yaoi spectrum. It is a casual read and should not be taken very seriously. My only complaint about this book is that it did not include any full-colour pages for the $12.99 price tag.

Birthday Post!

Hey y'all, it's my birthday today, so if you want to send me those volumes of Yaoi, now's your excuse! It is my 19th birthday and I have now a total of 73 Volumes of Yaoi! Not a lot, but that number is growing!

I have a lot of Yaoi I want to review, but I don't want to flood my blog with so many reviews. I'm getting all three tomes of "Scandalous Seiryo University" sooner or later from my good smut gods at World's Biggest Book Store so I might just post a 3-in-1 review for that.

I still need to finish "Prime Minister's Secret Diplomacy" because I'm lazy about finishing it. I really appreciate the work Youka Nitta puts into her stories, though.

My current fave publisher is... KITTY MEDIA for being so smuttastic!

Have a good day and don't forget to reread your favourite books!

Gerard & Jacques Volume 1

On a whim, I bought "Gerard & Jacques Volume 1", published by BLU, yesterday at World's Biggest Book Store. I don't have many Fumi Yoshinaga books, but this is because I deem her covers too ugly to be worth a purchase. I was, most definitely, proved wrong!

I think Fumi Yoshinaga's books are well-suited to male readers because her characters share much more in common with gay men than your average Yaoi manga. Even though Yaoi manga is fantasy, Yoshinaga-sensei will present her stories with a realistic quality that will appeal to gay readers.

Rather than being pretty, Gerard and Jacques are expressive and raw men compared to, say, Haruka Minami's doll-faced boys. Jacques is not a bumbling uke, but rather a loyal subject to Gerard and would do anything for him (in Yaoidom, this means sex as well). Gerard met Jacques at a whorehouse, then promptly freed him and took him as his servant. The story gets more interesting as Gerard's full back story is told later on in the book. There is no plot device here that forces these two characters together for no reason. They all meet and develop their relationship logically.

I have been avoiding Fumi Yoshinaga's books, and for that matter, BLU's books, for the longest time now and now realize what I was missing. It was a fast read, but definitely a memorable one. The explicit sex was more meaningful between these two characters, and I really appreciate what BLU was trying to accomplish: a well-written, memorable read for fans of Yaoi, but equally suitable for gay readers as well.

May 9, 08 EDIT: Please do not get the impression that this is a gay men only blog. I wish for Gentlemen AND Ladies to gain insight from my reviews.

First Post!

I have been wanting to write about Yaoi for a long time for others to see and I'm glad I finally up and did it!

This blog will feature Yaoi reviews and opinions from a male perspective (a male with raging hormones, obviously). I invite Yaoi Connoisseurs of all genders to read my blog and gain some insight on yaoi from a male's perspective.

Let the fun start now! Don't forget to vote in the poll!