Length: Single Volume / Short Series / One-Shot
These works are very short. If they are, or were to be published as, physical editions, they would be single volume works. If they are part of a series, they either have less than 30 episodes (in terms of webtoons) or are shorter than a trilogy (in terms of books).
Manga Review | Beast’s Storm: Touch Me Baby! by Morry Kuroi
Post-Partum Pheromones and Enemies-to-Lovers
Manga Review | Cut-Over Criteria by Koala Omugi
Title: Cut-Over Criteria
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.
Manga Review | Hand in Hand by Ayu Sakumoto
Title: Hand in Hand
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?
Manga Review | Beast’s Storm: Hug Me Baby! by Morry Kuroi
Title: Beast's Storm: Hug Me Baby!
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?
Manhwa Review | Him and Him and Him by LeeNaeRi
Title: Him and Him and Him (Pocket Comics) | The More the Merrier (Lezhin)
Seah Yoo is your average office worker. She’s also had a partner for many years, but none of this is enough for her. Every day is routine with mindless tasks that would bore anyone to tears. Seah, though, is more disturbed by this routine than anyone else. Why? Because she has a preference toward group sex. She desperately longs for a chance to be ravaged by multiple men simultaneously, though she would never say so out loud. As a result, she ends up breaking up with her long-term partner and going to a club in hopes of meeting the partners of her dreams.
As luck would have it, she is approached by Hangyul and Hangyum, twins who ask her outright: “Are you interested in group sex?” How they knew such a thing is beyond her, but she takes this opportunity to finally lead the stimulating life she’s always dreamt of. As it turns out, they have a third person to add to the mix, their uncle Doha, who likes to watch people have sex before he joins in himself. With this odd mish-mash of people, Seah wants to make this a night to remember, as it will surely be her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… right?
Manga Review | I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love by Suzumaru Minta
Title: I Didn't Mean to Fall in Love
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?
Novel Review | Until I Meet My Husband by Ryousuke Nanasaki
Title: Until I Meet My Husband
This is the story of Ryousuke Nanasaki. From the time he was small, he always knew he was different. Whether it was the way he spoke, the way he walked, or the things he enjoyed, he never could mesh with what the world expected him to be as a little boy. This only became all the more apparent when he began going to school and was incessantly bullied for being a “girly-boy.” Whether it was by adults or his peers, he was always treated as an “other” until he met Tsukasa. Of course, Tsukasa was Ryousuke’s best friend, but more than that, he was his unrequited first love.
This starts a journey of self-acceptance, self-love, and the journey for true love for Ryousuke Nanasaki. Ryousuke has never been what the world perceived as normal, but that would never stop him. He wants true happiness with the one he loves and wants that for everyone, no matter who you choose to love.
Manga Review | Beast’s Storm: Kiss Me Baby! by Morry Kuroi
Title: Beast's Storm: Kiss Me Baby!
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?