Having read books 1-5 as Blu release and further chapters as scanlations, I'm sorry to say I'm a former fan.
It starts with great promise: there are animal-descended people in the world, and pretty much the first thing Kunimasa does to our spirited little protagonist Norio is jizz on him like is was the most obvious and normal thing to do. Turns out Kunimasa is quite a ladie's man and a highly potential Bastard Boyfriend — and he wants Norio to have his babies. Literally. Norio is Not Okay with this. It all smells like a dramatic, intelligent, fun BL ready to subvert, avert, and zigzag the daylights of those pesky iron-cast BL conventions.
Sadly, this is about where the side story cancer sets in. Chapter after chapter we meet more and more characters, who eventually get highlighted in their own little love stories, while Kunimasa and Norio's situation barely advances at all.
That's pretty much it. It's not like I don't like those side stories—it's just I'd like to see the main plot develop. Whenever something happens between Kunimasa and Norio it's all very yummy, but those instances are too far and between to motivate me as a reader.
This I could have overlooked with patience had the Blu release continued its existence. Sadly, the effortless and even clever official translations end with volume 5. After that it's lack-luster, even frustrating scanlations, and this comes with a big ol' grain of salt. Wading through this material only to find more side stories and no major development of the main plot, I have given up. (Please drop me a note once the manga and scanlations are finished though.)
This is not to say that the series is bad. Over-all the manga is heart-warming and amusing, and at times appropriately dramatic. The drawing style is personal and not saccharine, which in my books is a plus. Adult content is rather minimal but exists.
Promises much, fails to deliver
Having read books 1-5 as Blu release and further chapters as scanlations, I'm sorry to say I'm a former fan.
It starts with great promise: there are animal-descended people in the world, and pretty much the first thing Kunimasa does to our spirited little protagonist Norio is jizz on him like is was the most obvious and normal thing to do. Turns out Kunimasa is quite a ladie's man and a highly potential Bastard Boyfriend — and he wants Norio to have his babies. Literally. Norio is Not Okay with this. It all smells like a dramatic, intelligent, fun BL ready to subvert, avert, and zigzag the daylights of those pesky iron-cast BL conventions.
Sadly, this is about where the side story cancer sets in. Chapter after chapter we meet more and more characters, who eventually get highlighted in their own little love stories, while Kunimasa and Norio's situation barely advances at all.
That's pretty much it. It's not like I don't like those side stories—it's just I'd like to see the main plot develop. Whenever something happens between Kunimasa and Norio it's all very yummy, but those instances are too far and between to motivate me as a reader.
This I could have overlooked with patience had the Blu release continued its existence. Sadly, the effortless and even clever official translations end with volume 5. After that it's lack-luster, even frustrating scanlations, and this comes with a big ol' grain of salt. Wading through this material only to find more side stories and no major development of the main plot, I have given up. (Please drop me a note once the manga and scanlations are finished though.)
This is not to say that the series is bad. Over-all the manga is heart-warming and amusing, and at times appropriately dramatic. The drawing style is personal and not saccharine, which in my books is a plus. Adult content is rather minimal but exists.
Recommended:
Not recommended: