Links (リンクス Rinkusu) is a Boys' Love manga created by Natsuki Kizu, the mangaka behind given, which was originally published in 2014 by Libre Inc. in a single volume composed of nine chapters and has been translated in English by Viz Media's SuBLime imprint as of 2022.
This manga is a collection of stories that follows four different pairs:
- The introverted radio DJ Masahito Sekiya and the energetic cafe manager Ryo Shibata, who loves listening to his voice.
- Akiha Nitsu, who is still hung up over his first love, and Yahiko Tsubame, his Friend with Benefits who wants something more.
- Yusei Ogikawa, a salaryman who was found collapsed in the rain along with a stray cat, and Aoi Kameda, who ends up taking them both in.
- Takaaki Sado, a yakuza who has had a love-hate relationship with his boss' son, Shinobu Nakajo, since they were in high school.
However, these stories are much more closely connected than one might think, like the links of a chain.
This manga contains the following tropes:
- A Dog Named "Dog": The cat from Ogikawa and Kameda's subplot ends up being named just "Cat".
- Anguished Declaration of Love: Sado finds Nakajo crying in their bed after he had been ruminating about his feelings for him. After a shouting match between the two about the latter kissing Kameda and the former moonlighting as a gigilo, Nakajo blurts out:Nakajo: How much do I have to pay to make sure you never sleep with anyone but me again?!Sado: W- Wait a minute. You're acting really weird tonight. You love me that much, huh?Nakajo: Yes, duh.Sado: Uh?Nakajo: Ever since the summer of our first year of high school. I've loved you so much it hurts. Ugh. I give up. I admit it. If you leave me, I'll die.
- Aroused by Their Voice: This is what initially drew Shibata to Sekiya, and it's how he was able to instantly recognize him when they meet in person.
- The Casanova: Sado's brother had a long string of boyfriends, with Akiha being the latest before the accident that claimed the former's life.
- Connected All Along: As the title of the manga would suggest, all four of the couples are connected in one way or another:
- Akiha owns the cafe that Shibata works at and Nakajo is a frequent customer.
- Yahiko is Sado's bodyguard and Kameda is Nakajo's.
- Sado is the younger brother of Akiha's lost love.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest: Akiha is hesitant to progress his relationship with Yahiko beyond being Friends with Benefits because the first guy he fell in love with died in a motorcycle accident when they were in high school, and he is still mourning the loss years later.
- No Name Given: We never learn the name of Akiha's first love, as Sado only ever refers to him as "my brother".
- Parental Neglect: For most of his childhood, Sado had thought that his father was just timid, but upon the death of his brother, he came to realize his general lack of involvement in the lives of his sons was neglect.
- Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Well, it's more like "Savvy Guy, Energetic Guy", but this is Sekiya and Shibata's relationship in a nutshell.
- Seme: Sekiya, Yahiko, Kameda, and Sado play this role in their respective pairings.
- Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer: Yahiko is the only main character who doesn't appear on the cover, which he lampshades in the yonkoma extras.
- Snow Means Love: All of the couples' romantic arcs are resolved on a white Christmas Eve.
- Survivor's Guilt: Part of the reason Nakajo stays with Sado despite how constantly they bicker is because Nakajo was the other person involved in the motorcycle collision that killed Sado's brother.
- Tears of Joy: Yahiko bursts into these when Akiha gives him his own key to the former's place, signifying their Relationship Upgrade.
- Test Kiss: Nakajo has his Love Epiphany towards Sado after kissing Kameda and realizing it doesn't feel the same as it does when he kisses Sado.
- Uke: Shibata, Akiha, Ogikawa, and Nakajo's role in their relationships.
