Dom/Sub Universe / Dom/Subverse / Biokink
A fantasy setting with various rules depending on the author or creator. The key feature includes individuals born with or manifesting secondary genders known as dynamics that can consist of dom, sub, normal, and occasionally switch.
– A dom is someone who, on a biological level, wants to dominate, punish, and praise.
– A sub is someone who, on a biological level, wants to be dominated, punished, and praised.
– A normal is someone who does not have a secondary gender and does not require the dynamics involved in a dom/sub relationship.
– A switch is someone who, on a biological level, can fulfill the role of either a sub or dom, depending on their partner’s needs or preferences.
Manga Review | Pain, Sweet Pain by Fuyu Touji
Title: Pain, Sweet Pain
Yuma is a sub. He wasn’t always a sub, though. Back in high school, he actually tested as someone without a dynamic. No big deal. That’s better. Yuma has seen what chaos dynamics can do to people, and he was just fine not having one. His friend Mao, however, manifested as a dom as a child, which is exceedingly rare and indicates just how powerful his dom tendencies are. Despite their differences, the two grow close, so close that Mao feels an innate pull toward Yuma. No matter how desperately he wants to deny it, Mao wants to dominate Yuma, but he does his best to avoid it for the sake of their friendship.
Graduation comes along, and the two are talking about their futures. Mao, though, is distracted. His longing to dominate Yuma is coming to a head, especially since this is his last chance to be so close to Yuma. Unaware, Yuma continues talking and laughing, enjoying the final hours with Mao, when Mao suddenly grabs and bites him. That single moment caused Yuma to suddenly manifest as a sub. Of course, it would have happened regardless, but Mao’s bite triggered it to occur earlier than it would have.
Wracked with guilt, Mao distances himself from Yuma. On the other hand, Yuma spends the rest of his time chasing that bite. It’s impossible for him to stay with any dom partner for very long because they’re unable to give him that same satisfying bite Mao did when he awakened as a sub. In order to find that sweet pain, he goes through a matchmaking service with his doctor. To his surprise, he’s matched with the person who introduced him to the pleasure of pain to begin with: Mao.
Manga Review | Learning to Love at Your Feet by Atono Matsuri
Title: Learning to Love at Your Feet
In this world, there are secondary genders and sex characteristics known as dynamics. As part of dynamics, there are doms, subs, switches, and normals. Doms are those who wish to control, praise, and punish. Subs are those who want to be controlled, earn praise, and be punished. There are exceedingly rare switches, and they can take the role of either a dom or sub during play. Then, there are normals, those who aren’t inclined or in need of any dom/sub play. Kippei is a sub but would like nothing more than to be anything else.
Kippei has lived his life trying everything he can to avoid the fact that he is a sub. He’s relied on medications to keep his needs at bay, but unfortunately, the time has come. He’s developed a resistance to the meds, so now he needs to find a partner. He’s not too keen on hunting for one organically, so he signs up for a government-run matchmaking service. What are the odds that the person he is matched with is his coworker Sota? With his secondary sex exposed, Kippei agrees to establish a partnership with Sota in exchange for his discretion.
Over time, Kippei begins to learn the joys of being a sub, but as he grows closer to Sota, he wonders if Sota sees him only as a sub or as something more.