manga spotlight #1: G-senjou no neko by Miyagi Tooko
Preface: As my manga list on MAL gets so big, I realized I don't even remember some of those I had read before, so I decided that from time to time (depending on my energy level or lack thereof) I shall post a little spotlight on a manga I've loved. I mostly read BL manga (not always, really) and most of them are sadly, crap... but since I've read so many already, I've found some good ones that I liked.
I know I have a certain taste and it's subjective, but this would be like a referral list for me so that in a few years I could check the tag and rememberthis title why I liked it! And maybe on the way, someone else might enjoy my picks :)
My first pick (which I've just read a few days ago)
Title: G-senjou no neko (Il gatto sul G)
Author: Miyagi Tooko
Genre: Yaoi, shoujo, romance
Rating: mild R (soft yaoi)
Status: complete (3 volumes, all have been published in English)
my tags: music, drama, angst, high-school
This manga is one of the most emotional stories I've read. I loved the story so much I didn't even care there was no (or very little) boy on boy action. This is the story of Narukawa Riya, a talented violinist who studies at a prestigious music school. His father is a famous virtuoso who trains his son very strictly from a young age. While his father is setting plans for him to study in America, Riya develops a case of multiple personalities disorder and runs away, cutting his fingers.
The story actually begins with Ikeda Atsushi, a simple college boy, who finds Riya unconscious and bleeding near his house. Since he's always picked up stray cats as a kid, he can't help but taking in this stray cat too. Riya appears to be bratty, ill-mannered and hating his talented "twin brother". This is "Black" Riya, who doesn't know how to play the violin and doesn't resemble "White" Riya, who is polite, kind, shy and submissive. Whenever "White" is in control of the body, he has no recollection of "Black" or what he was up to during that time, so of course he's very confused to find himself in Atsushi's house. While "White" has an apparent connection to his senpai at school, "Black" develops an attachment to Atsushi, looking for him when he's escaping so Atsushi entrusts a key to his apartment in "White"'s hands which causes some misunderstanding and then some incidents when the senpai (who's of course in love with Riya) sees him with the key.
I love how this story slowly develops. When Riya's cousin (Saki, who later gets a manga of his own which I want to read!) comes for a visit and finds out about Riya's case, he hires Atsushi as a live-in maid and aside for cleaning and cooking and watching over Riya, Atsushi also has to report to him on all the "Black" incidents. Saki also reveals to Atsushi where the disorder have stemmed from. Atsushi wants to help Riya and he's the only one that sees both personalities as one.
Things get a little angsty, with "White" Riya feeling like he's losing grasp on himself and his sense of reality, the senpai trying to force himself on Riya without knowing anything, "Black" Riya feeling inferior and unwanted and Atsushi who realizes he doesn't just love Riya as a little brother and fights to control his urges because he doesn't want to take advantage of Riya's fragile mental state (he's such a good boy!).
Don't worry there's healing and sex (healing sex? x3) in the mix and the conclusions are very satisfying. I even shed some tears at the end(but I was on my period so it could have been the hormones...).
The art is very beautiful, and the characters are detailed. It's a very character driven story and I got sucked in that I didn't really notice anything bad. This story is just perfect in my eyes, though the sex scene might have been too soon after the first time Atsushi tries to fight his urges when "Black" wants him, but since it's only 3 volumes it couldn't be helped. The sex is not graphic at all, but in this case I don't have a complaint, it fits the style.
If you want to read a good emotional story with pretty boys that isn't just about the gay sex (the homosexuality is a non issue in this story), you should give this one a try.
I know I have a certain taste and it's subjective, but this would be like a referral list for me so that in a few years I could check the tag and remember
Oh yeah, I'm not going to provide any download links here - as someone not living in America who can't readily buy manga, every time scanlations are not available anymore it creates a problem for me so I won't be exposing the sources where I get the manga publicly. When there's a manga I really love (like this one) I do buy the book(s) (usually in Japanese and then use the scanlations as practice but I have bought some in English as well), but I prefer to only buy what I love and not blindly buy a manga for the reason I brought up before (also the shipping fees are atrocious, especially when it's a pile of books so I have to be selective). If you can buy manga, of course I encourage you to buy, if you want to sample it first like I do and can't find links, just PM me and I'll gladly help.
My first pick (which I've just read a few days ago)
Title: G-senjou no neko (Il gatto sul G)
Author: Miyagi Tooko
Genre: Yaoi, shoujo, romance
Rating: mild R (soft yaoi)
Status: complete (3 volumes, all have been published in English)
my tags: music, drama, angst, high-school
This manga is one of the most emotional stories I've read. I loved the story so much I didn't even care there was no (or very little) boy on boy action. This is the story of Narukawa Riya, a talented violinist who studies at a prestigious music school. His father is a famous virtuoso who trains his son very strictly from a young age. While his father is setting plans for him to study in America, Riya develops a case of multiple personalities disorder and runs away, cutting his fingers.
The story actually begins with Ikeda Atsushi, a simple college boy, who finds Riya unconscious and bleeding near his house. Since he's always picked up stray cats as a kid, he can't help but taking in this stray cat too. Riya appears to be bratty, ill-mannered and hating his talented "twin brother". This is "Black" Riya, who doesn't know how to play the violin and doesn't resemble "White" Riya, who is polite, kind, shy and submissive. Whenever "White" is in control of the body, he has no recollection of "Black" or what he was up to during that time, so of course he's very confused to find himself in Atsushi's house. While "White" has an apparent connection to his senpai at school, "Black" develops an attachment to Atsushi, looking for him when he's escaping so Atsushi entrusts a key to his apartment in "White"'s hands which causes some misunderstanding and then some incidents when the senpai (who's of course in love with Riya) sees him with the key.
I love how this story slowly develops. When Riya's cousin (Saki, who later gets a manga of his own which I want to read!) comes for a visit and finds out about Riya's case, he hires Atsushi as a live-in maid and aside for cleaning and cooking and watching over Riya, Atsushi also has to report to him on all the "Black" incidents. Saki also reveals to Atsushi where the disorder have stemmed from. Atsushi wants to help Riya and he's the only one that sees both personalities as one.
Things get a little angsty, with "White" Riya feeling like he's losing grasp on himself and his sense of reality, the senpai trying to force himself on Riya without knowing anything, "Black" Riya feeling inferior and unwanted and Atsushi who realizes he doesn't just love Riya as a little brother and fights to control his urges because he doesn't want to take advantage of Riya's fragile mental state (he's such a good boy!).
Don't worry there's healing and sex (healing sex? x3) in the mix and the conclusions are very satisfying. I even shed some tears at the end
The art is very beautiful, and the characters are detailed. It's a very character driven story and I got sucked in that I didn't really notice anything bad. This story is just perfect in my eyes, though the sex scene might have been too soon after the first time Atsushi tries to fight his urges when "Black" wants him, but since it's only 3 volumes it couldn't be helped. The sex is not graphic at all, but in this case I don't have a complaint, it fits the style.
If you want to read a good emotional story with pretty boys that isn't just about the gay sex (the homosexuality is a non issue in this story), you should give this one a try.