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Manga Review | Cut-Over Criteria by Koala Omugi

Title: Cut-Over Criteria

Author(s): Koala Omugi

Artist(s): Koala Omugi

Seto is a project manager of a group of developers. The work environment is fast-paced and stressful, but he enjoys what he does. Programming for Seto is organized and formulaic, and he applies all he knows regarding programming to his daily life. The program of his life is going very well until a new bug is introduced into the system: a new hire named Jin.

Jin is a young guy who just graduated and is already super skilled. Seto likes working with him until Jin comes out and confesses that he likes Seto romantically. While Seto is fine with being attracted to men or women, he isn’t ok with dating a subordinate, especially one as young as Jin. But Seto underestimates how persistent this bug in his code is.

As annoying as Jin might be, Seto finds himself not wanting to patch him out… and instead make Jin an update in his life.

Title: Hand in Hand

Author(s): Ayu Sakumoto

Artist(s): Ayu Sakumoto

Yuasa is beautiful, which has become more of a curse than anything. Yuasa can’t make real connections with most people as they only see him for his good looks and nothing else. So, he’s cultivated a close group of three friends and doesn’t go beyond that unless he has to for school or work. While in the library, he ends up brushing hands with a freshman named Satoru, a jewelry craftsman. There’s nothing remarkable about the situation, and Yuasa fully expects that any interest Satoru has in him is rooted solely in Yuasa’s looks.

To his surprise, though, Satoru couldn’t care less about Yuasa’s face. Instead, Satoru only cares about Yuasa’s hands, which he dubs his ideal, dream hands. As it turns out, Satoru has an intense hand fetish, manifesting in an obsession with touching, taking pictures of, sketching, and making jewelry for Yuasa’s hands. While Yuasa is disturbed by this weird turn of events, he can’t help but find it refreshing to meet someone who likes him for something other than his face. So begins Satoru and Yuasa’s push-and-pull relationship of Yuasa keeping Satoru at arm’s length while Satoru does everything he can to get close to those hands.

However, the more time they spend together, the more Satoru’s love for Yuasa’s hands begins to encompass all of Yuasa. Will Yuasa be able to accept Satoru’s evolving feelings? Or will he run away in fear of another superficial relationship?

Title: Beast's Storm: Hug Me Baby!

Author(s): Morry Kuroi

Artist(s): Morry Kuroi

Dr. Akira Miyaji is a Bestia, a human with beast ears, a tail, and the ability for either gender to mate and give birth regardless of sex. Akira used to hate being a Bestia, but having met Sougo and given birth to his child, Akira has never been happier being a Bestia. Unfortunately, while his personal life is pure bliss, the pressures of his work life are slowly leeching into his happiness at home. Akira never imagined how difficult it would be to work and raise a family as one of the few Bestian doctors at his hospital.

The pressure only intensifies when his father-in-law, Sougo’s father, pulls Akira aside and asks him, “Do you have any intention of leaving Sougo?” Of course, Akira has never considered such a thing, but Sougo’s father does make a few good points as to why Akira should let Sougo go. Sougo is an ideal specimen. He should be able to spread his genes to as many Bestian as possible to keep the Bestian line at its best. But Akira just can’t allow it because he wants Sougo all to himself.

Is he just selfish, or can Bestia be monogamous with each other, instincts be damned?

Title: Love Stage!!

Author(s): Eiki Eiki

Artist(s): Taishi Zaou

Izumi doesn’t fit in with his family. His mother was a model and is now a famous actress; his father was a stage actor and founded the SenaPro talent agency, and his older brother is the frontman for a famous band. It would be an understatement to say he has talent running through his veins. However, no matter how much innate talent he may have in the entertainment industry, Izumi has no interest in pursuing a career in that field. Instead, Izumi has dreams of becoming a mangaka, just like the creator of his favorite series, Lala Lulu. There’s just one problem: he’s terrible and has no idea.

That’s the least of his worries, though, as he is now faced with a new issue. His mother wants nothing more than to act alongside one of the hottest actors of the time: Ryoma Ichijo. Fortunately, the opportunity arose as she asked to reprise her role in a wedding commercial she, Izumi’s father, and Ryoma starred in a decade ago. Unfortunately for Izumi, he’ll only take the role if the original cast returns. He hopes that he’ll get to meet the little girl he worked alongside in the commercial, as he’s been in love with her since they met all those years ago. Unbeknownst to Ryoma, that little girl was none other than a cross-dressing Izumi.

After some convincing and bribery with Lala Lulu merch, Izumi agrees to take the job. How will he handle Ryoma’s advances? More importantly, though, how will Ryoma handle finding out the woman he’s held a torch for all these years is actually a man?

Title: I Didn't Mean to Fall in Love

Author(s): Suzumaru Minta

Artist(s): Suzumaru Minta

Yoshino is nearing his thirties and has never been kissed, much less had sex. He’s not totally innocent, though, as he has been playing solo for a long time now. But it’s just not enough anymore, and with Christmas on the horizon, he’s desperate to experience the real thing at least once before he reaches his lonely thirties. So, after listening in on a conversation between his coworkers, he discovers a gay bar and makes his way over after work on Christmas night, which is also his birthday.

While there, he finds himself pretty popular among all the regulars. This bar is unique, though, with two separate sections, one for platonic drinking and fun. In the back, though, is a place for anyone looking for hookups. Before Yoshino can even make his way back there, a silver-haired young man named Rou jumps up to join him. Rou is charming and relaxed and gives Yoshino all the feelings. It isn’t long before they head upstairs for a steamy night together.

With the deed done, Yoshino assumes that would be the first and last time he’d ever have with Rou. Even as he’s accepted this, though, he can’t help but be drawn back again and again for the warm college kid he shared his first time with. So, is this what love is, or is it simply lust?

Title: Beast's Storm: Kiss Me Baby!

Author(s): Morry Kuroi

Artist(s): Morry Kuroi

Akira Miyaji is no longer that gloomy, single Bestia he was approximately a year ago. Instead, he’s come into his own as a Bestia and partner. Despite his distrust and dislike of Bestia, he is now married to his partner Sougo, and as fate would have it, he has even given birth to their son Shouta. While he is overjoyed with the turn his life has taken, it has only gotten much more complicated with the addition of a husband, a child, and a new earless coworker at work.

With life only becoming busier and busier, it’s becoming much more complicated for Akira to be the best partner, mother, and doctor he can be. As he suspects Shougo might be seeing other Bestia on the side, Akira feels like he’s failing on all fronts, and those negative feelings toward Bestia begin to rear their ugly heads again. Before he even realizes it, he relies heavily on his earless coworker and Sougo’s friend for comfort. Can Akira do it all? Or is Akira destined for failure because he is Bestia?

Title: Golden Sparkle

Author(s): Suzumaru Minta

Artist(s): Suzumaru Minta

Himari Uehara has a fear of women. It all started when he was a child, just before starting school. He has a mother and a sister. His father left to work overseas, so he assumed all women were exactly like his mother and sister, with no one to tell him otherwise. When he starts school, he finds that women can be pretty terrifying and bullies, and as such, he fears all women outside his family. To keep himself safe, he makes himself less enticing, bleaching his hair to look like a delinquent and being unapproachable in general. So when he gets the chance to attend an all-boys school, he jumps at the opportunity, able to finally relax.

Unfortunately, due to his avoidance of women and his father being out of the country, Himari has never really had the “talk,” nor has he had any interest in sex. This all comes to a head when he begins to have wet dreams but has no clue what they are or what they mean. While in class, his classmates discuss porn, sex, and the like, all of which fly over his head. While alone with his closest friend, Gaku Asada, Himari takes the opportunity to figure out what all of that stuff means. Shocked and intrigued by his naivety, Gaku invites Himari to his dorm room. There, Gaku takes the time to teach him exactly what sex means, and while they enjoy the lesson and continue enjoying each other’s company, this only complicates their relationship.

Can two friends do things like that with each other and still be friends?

Title: Adorable And Impossible

Author(s): Owal

Artist(s): Owal

Tatsuya has decided to take a part-time gig teaching graphic design at an art college. He doesn’t have a passion for teaching or anything like that, but he needs money to help support the business he wants to start, so he accepts the dreaded task of educating the youth. One such youth he finds himself teaching is a particularly bubbly young adult named Tsumugi. Tsumugi wants to be a fashion designer, but he is often late to class, is quick to play around, and often comes in hungover or buzzed, which doesn’t convince Tatsuya that Tsumugi is all that serious about his goals.

That is, until one day, after a class training students on a program that allows people to design things, Tsumugi ends up begging Tatsuya for personal training after hours. While Tatsuya isn’t fond of working for free, he can’t help being moved by this serious Tsumugi he’s never seen before, so they stay after and train on the program together. Once again, Tatsuya is surprised by how serious and diligent Tsumugi is about this. He’s really drawn to his student for the first time… until Tsumugi decides to reward him with a sexual favor.

Tatsuya, though he is swept up in the heat of the moment, knows just as well as anybody that this can’t happen again, but after the first time, Tsumugi seems to be obsessed with getting him back in bed by any means necessary.

Title: Beast's Storm

Author(s): Morry Kuroi

Artist(s): Morry Kuroi

Dr. Akira Miyaji is a doctor, but not just any doctor. He specializes in Bestia care, a new form of humanity where people are born with cat ears and tails and go through cyclic mating periods known as heats. One especially unique variation in these humans, though, is that all genders can carry children, which has caused an explosion in their population numbers. Dr. Miyaji is actually a Bestia himself, but he was born to two earless parents. It isn’t unheard of, but because of his background, he often hates himself for being Bestia and being at the whim of his instincts and biology.

On the other end of the spectrum, one of the directors of the hospital where Dr. Miyaji works is Sougo Kijima. Unlike Dr. Miyaji, Sougo was born and raised among Bestia and had no problems letting his instincts guide him. Unfortunately for Dr. Miyaji, Sougo’s instincts are leading him straight to him. Despite all of Dr. Miyaji’s best efforts, he can’t help but be drawn to Sougo in kind. Their relationship quickly evolves from a doctor-patient relationship into a physical one. Does Dr. Miyaji like Sougo simply because his instincts tell him to, or are these feelings the real deal?

Title: Raveled Tightrope Knot

Author(s): Ship Hita

Artist(s): Ship Hita

Natsuki has carried a torch for Haruomi since they were in high school together. Unfortunately, due to his own insecurities, Natsuki rejected Haruomi when Haruomi confessed to him, and from that point on, they never really spoke again. Years pass, and at a wedding, Natsuki runs into Haruomi. However, Haruomi is no longer the shy, nerdy kid he knew in high school. Instead, Haruomi has become alluring and hypersexual. He’s nothing like the innocent Haruomi he tried to protect by rejecting him all those years ago.

To make up for lost time and for his regret over rejecting Haruomi, Natsuki is determined to get close to Haruomi once again. Though Haruomi still cares for Natsuki, he’s no longer the shy and innocent boy. He’s got jealous lovers Natsuki has to contend with, plus Haruomi is quick to put up a wall between them. Can Natsuki win back a distrustful Haruomi’s heart? Or will a decision he made in high school ruin any chance he has with his long-lost love?

BL Manga

Manga Review | Cut-Over Criteria by Koala Omugi

Manga Review | Hand in Hand by Ayu Sakumoto

Manga Review | Beast’s Storm: Hug Me Baby! by Morry Kuroi

Manga Review | Love Stage!! by Eiki Eiki

Manga Review | I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love by Suzumaru Minta

Manga Review | Beast’s Storm: Kiss Me Baby! by Morry Kuroi

Manga Review | Golden Sparkle by Suzumaru Minta

Manga Review | Beast’s Storm by Morry Kuroi

Manga Review | Raveled Tightrope Knot by Ship Hita

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