two covers.

I do not have much time (heeeeeey everyone!) but I wanted to post these because they are just so unfffff yesplz. ;A;

The first is for Takarai Rihito’s Hana no Mizo Shiru. I’m surprised to see this one up on amazon.jp already considering the cover still hasn’t been posted up to the b’s-garden website. It’s very pretty, as expected of something illustrated by Takarai Rihito. Then is Coga Mayumi’s first tankoubon as well as one of the first tankoubon releases through Canna Comics, Blind of Mind. If I recall correctly, the title is from her story in volume five of Canna.

Two very different art and coloring styles from two amazing mangaka. I can’t wait to actually read the contents!

today in BL manga

♔ → I was able to reach my goal on MAL! I got my general list to 1615 and my completed list to 1104. That would have been much easier if I weren’t too lazy to input the manga I own into their database, but that’s a pain in the ass. I was able to read a couple of the few Kano Shiuko manga I hadn’t read yet, which was enjoyable. Even when it’s weird and kind of plotless, I really like Kano Shiuko’s manga. They’re dirty while still retaining a vaguely sweet, loving atmosphere. I used to not read her work because I wasn’t so fond of her art, but through caving and just reading what she has to offer I’ve come to really love her.

I also read a bunch of oneshots, including Kimi wa Samishigariya no Hana by Nomori Mina, which I found to be quite brilliant for some reason. I always like BL manga that doesn’t include the line “I’m not gay, but I love you!” to be honest. It’s a nice sentiment but I always cringe internally when I see the boys so quick to be disgusted by the idea that someone thought they were gay. That’s not cool. :< So a BL manga where the characters are open and active about their homosexuality is always a nice break from the norm.

Then a read some Sadahiro Mika manga, which… uh… 8D;; I know I like dirty stuff, but she is really too much for me. Too much cheating on significant others and just all-around icky sexual behavior. There’s being very sexually active and kinky, and then there’s being a dick and Sadahiro Mika’s manga just always crosses the line for me. Perhaps I’m too conservative haha. But I was able to read the final chapter of Asou Kai’s Sono Mama de and I then felt better about the world.

♔ → For the post I wrote about Canna Comics, the dates seem to be a bit off? I posted the ones Kijitora reported, but then Asu posted that January with be Monzen Yayohi and Coga Mayumi, February will be Umematsu Machie, and then March with be Yamada 2choume and Sunae Hata. I’ll just have to see when I get my own copy haha.

♔ → I didn’t buy BOY’S Pierce this month since I put my order in before the cover was released, and BP just hasn’t been doing it for me lately. I generally get it for Ootsuki Miu, but for the past two issues she’s been absent. And I haven’t really had the extra money to just buy magazines because I might like them, regardless of whether of not a mangaka I particularly like is in it. But now I’m kicking myself:

New Ootsuki Miu chapter of PLAYZONE. :< The other mangaka are also quite good. So sad I’m missing out on this. I guess I’ll just have to get it next month. Also, admittedly, the Kano Shiuko DVD is a bit more interesting to me than the Sakira one. Do they show Kano Shiuko working? That would be really cool. *w* I’d like to see her drawing process.

♔ → But I’m mad at Junet, because they announced their tankoubon for January and still no Ootsuki Miu! Booooo! However, HertZ also posted their January releases and one of them was MatsuMieco’s Sawatte mo Ii ka na which I absolutely love so I’m still excited. That means Coga Mayumi, Hino Garasu and Matsumoto Miecohouse for January!

Another release announcement I’m pretty giddy over is Kitazawa Kyou’s Aishite Daddy for February. It’s not an incest story (sorry, if you’re into that!) but instead a kozure story through Daria about a young man who falls in love with a young, single father of an adorable little boy and how he tries to fit into their family. Sexy and dramatic parts aside, this manga is seriously so cute and I can’t wait to have the completed volume in my hands.

♔ → Rutile came in the mail yesterday! But I’ll wait to post about that later when I have my camera out. :9

Canna Comics

Today Canna volume 08 was released! Obviously, I do not have my copy yet or anything. (Soon enough!) But Kijitora, the author of my very favorite BL blog, already bought and read her own. As I believe I talked about before, in this issue of Canna they were planning on announcing their upcoming tankoubon, which many people have been anticipating even since Canna’s fifth volume was released. And announce they did! Here’s the information from Kijitora’s blog:

Starting in January 2011, every month on the 27th Canna Comics will be releasing a tankoubon. For January through March, the tankoubon will be by Umematsu Machie, Coga Mayumi and Sunae Hata. April will have a release by both Monzen Yayohi and Yamada 2choume.

I am shocked (no Okadaya Tetsuzou??) but also very pleased! I was hoping for Sunae Hata or Coga Mayumi, but instead I got both!! Very exciting. And, of course Umematsu Machie? And Yamada 2choume and Monzen Yayohi? Could things get any better?

Then after the next issue of Canna (volume 09) Kojima Lalako’s Kimi to Parade will supposedly be completed and I’m sure a tankoubon for her will be upcoming in no time. I wonder who will release something new for her first? It seems like she has been in quite a few of the magazines I read but she has yet to even release her debut tankoubon. I have my fingers crossed for a proper book by her in the coming year!

Comic Anthology Canna vol. 04

Okay I’m finally getting this done! Sorry it took so insanely long. I just have no drive lately since winter is coming and it’s so cold out. Better to lay in bed all day doing nothing. But I’ve finally finished reading this volume of Canna, and once again it’s quite fabulous I can assure you.

Usual warning for R-18 content applies.

Snippets 020

Again? Already?? I know, I know. But this is actually all new stuff from yesterday. orz;; I guess BL fandom is quite active lately.

♔ → Jaryuu Dokuro updated about her tankoubon release. In her post she alerts everyone that the book was officially released and then thanks everyone who buys it for their support. She also talks about autumn a bit. She sounds a bit overworked and exhausted, so I hope she’s able to rest up and keep in good spirits.

♔ → For those who read the review and are interested in sampling it before you’re sure if you want to buy it or not, RuTiLe Sweet added the first chapter of Yamamoto Kotetsuko’s Lucky Number 13 tankoubon. They also added a sample story by Hirakita Yuya, who writes very cute stories. If you have time I highly recommend checking out those two chapters!

♔ → Est Em posted her NatsuComi information to her blogspot account. It seems she has at least two new books and then that *UCK shirt she created, and then three older books for sale. NatsuComi started today/yesterday, didn’t it? Are any of you going?

♔ → The cover for moca volume three, illustrated by Monchi Kaori, is quite stunning. You can check it out here. Gives off a very sensual feel.

♔ → In slightly more ‘serious business’ news, Junet just recently released a new anthology that has a few fujoshi upset. Omocha Pierce is a new shota anthology (that supposedly comes with an actual vibrator as the ‘free gift’), released by the same publishers as BOY’S Pierce and Boy’s LOVE and many other hardcore BL anthologies and magazines. You can see one review here on Chill Chill where a fujoshi raises her concerns and speaks her disappointment with the publishers for releasing something like this at such a turbulent time in the BL industry. She asks if the person who made this decision is someone who hates BL, or is maybe a man who doesn’t understand how delicate a situation this is for the reputations of females who enjoy BL. Personally, I am just sad that Gojoe Tiger is in it because I love her and wish to read all of her stories, but I’m not really interested in things like hardcore shota. Sorry, Gojoe.

♔ → Dear+ have updated their site with the cover and information for their latest release as well as information on the upcoming issue. The two color pages for this issue are quite stunning, especially the Hanamura Ichika one. Her art is really quite beautiful. Kobato Mebaru is in this issue, but will not be in the next one. However, one thing that will be in the next issue is a novel illustrated by Kazuaki complete with a color page.

♔ → drap has a new gijinka anthology coming out with a pretty amazing mangaka lineup. The names that stand out most for me are Ootsuki Miu, Jaryuu Dokuro, Yamanaka Hiko, Yamada Torico, Mai, Coga Mayumi, Yamamoto Kotetsuko, etc. but there are a lot of different names so I recommend clicking the link since I’m sure there will be many who interest you as well.

Comic Anthology Canna vol. 03

In keeping with my goal to finish this one by today, here it is! The review for the third volume of Canna. I have to say, this anthology is fantastic. With pretty much every story I was left with a feeling of “uwaaaa amazing!” Granted, I am a pretty easy person to please compared to most. But I really think Canna is something special.

General warning for R-18 content. Canna is usually pretty subtle with the sex scenes (unless this is Ootsuki Miu we’re talking about…) but there are still some things not meant for young virgin eyes.

drap 08/10

This is a quickie post just for the hell of it since I only read half the stories in drap anyway and I want to flail about some stuff haha. That’s the difference between my love for Canna and Canb and my love for drap, I guess—one makes me very dedicated and diligent and the other just makes me want me want to spazz.

Warning for R-18 content and complete lack of story descriptions.

Comic Anthology Canna vol. 02

I’m sorry it took until after the release of the third volume for me to get my ass in gear and finish this one. I’ve been so lazy lately when it comes to writing out full reviews so this one overwhelmed me a bit. This time around there is no Kojima Lalako, Marei Kengo, Yamada Torico, etc. but some new artist were brought in and they’re all pretty interesting as well.

As  usual, warning for R-18 content abound. There aren’t many sex scenes and such in this book but they do exist. Also, I’d like to apologize for the crappy dark quality of the pictures—I took them outside as usual but did it in a shaded area late in the day. Oops.

Canna volume 03 previews

It’s that time again! Yesterday and today Canna posted preview after preview of its upcoming stories, which includes quite a few new faces as well as the return of many of the usual mangaka. They also posted a high-quality image of the cover, which is very adorbs.

(full cover illustration by Kojima Lalako)

Comic Anthology Canna vol. 01

This took me a while because I was quite overwhelmed. Unlike with most magazine or book reviews, this is the first volume, meaning 100% new material. With magazines where the stories are already established, I always feel like I can skip ones by artists I don’t like since I didn’t read the other chapters anyway, etc. I don’t get that excuse here lol. But I tried to read everything to the best of my ability, so I hope I do an okay job. /o\ However, because of that this post is going to be obnoxiously long. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! It’s literally 3000+ words.

As anyone who reads my blog on a semi-regular basis knows, I was super excited for Canna’s release. From finding the release papers to googling ‘オリジナルボーイズラブアンソロジーカンナ’ to finding the Twitter account, I’ve been really looking forward to this release. First because of Ootsuki Miu, then because of Sunae Hata and Kojima Lalako, then Coga Mayumi and Yamada Torico, but I’m excited about pretty much all of the authors now that I’ve read it.

Warning, as always: there will be sexually explicit content behind the cut. Ootsuki Miu’s story, especially, has some pretty filthy panels (which I’ll of course be taking pictures of). Please only click the cut if you can handle such content and are of legal age etc. etc.