It’s been a while since the last
time I made a manga review or more like manga spoiler (lol). But of course,
it’s not because I stopped reading but I’m just lazy (laughs). This time I’ve
read another amazing manga and I feel that I really want to write something
about it. It was a long read however it was really worth it.
The title of the manga is Love
Mode by Shimizu Yuki-sensei, an eleven volume manga of boys love, suffering,
friendship, brotherhood, happiness and sadness. It was really fun reading it
because of the good plot and flow of the story. You wouldn’t expect the things
that you would read. In the first volume, a comedy romance of Izumi and
Takamiya was fun to read. And I didn’t even think that the story would go from
those two to the best friend Aoe-san. I was really laughing on how Izumi and
Takamiya’s relationship developed. Yuki-sensei did a great job making the story
start as enjoyable and comedic.
Reiji and Naoya |
Aoe and Takamiya |
The second volume came Aoe Reiji and Naoya’s fated meeting. A meeting that caused them both to be together. This volume was fun to read because I totally liked Reiji despite his personality (lol). Their relationship didn’t develop quickly however, as the story continues, the next scenes became more interesting. There were a lot of mysteries behind each character, and would think that Naoya was someone very important? Of course, me! XD I mean, well, they’ve been a lot of the same story like your relatives died and someone was there to get you after all the year blah blah..but still, it was good to make Reiji pressured so he could be more honest with his feelings (laughs).
Izumi the host of B&B’s story
was good as well, however, I wasn’t that attached to him since he first
appeared but well, he and Arashi were lucky to have one book for themselves!!
The side story that I loved the most was Seiichi and Tomoki’s!!( omg ) would
you believed that after Izumi left the 1st spot of being a host,
Seiichi, the one who succeeded the spot had sex with a 14-year old brat!! At
first when I still haven’t known his age I didn’t thought he could be that
young! But well, Tomoki’s really cute and I really liked him but (sobs) I
really wished that they ended up being together for a long time. It was a
beautiful yet sad story.
Now now..I shouldn’t forget about
the guy who has never left the scene! I mean, he was always there in the
sideline and I’ve only found it out later that he had really an interesting
past!! What I’m talking about is Kiichi, Reiji’s older brother. Who would think
he has a past like that, moreover a father like that. Yes, Aoe-papa was someone
I don’t know if readers would love but for me I liked him (yeah am I an idiot
or what?). But let’s talk about Aoe-papa later; I want to talk about Kiichi.
Kiichi is such a good man. When I was reading the manga, the story was really
fun especially because of Kiichi. He was always there bugging Reiiji and even a
side character when Reiji’s story started (he really love his young bro). And
as a lover, Haroumi’s such an understanding person! I like Haroumi too and then
this and that happen. There appeared a guy who looked like Haroumi and I was
like “omg who the fuck is this guy?” because he was talking like “it’s been ten
years since the last time I heard you voice”. ;A; and he said that to Kiichi! I
was really curious who he was and then BAM! Wahhhwahhh someone shut my mouth I
really feel like telling it! This review of mine’s a spoiler already! Hahahaha
XD okay so yeah, he was someone who was so close to Haroumi when they were
young. Their story was in the volume 8, and omg it was really interesting I was
controlling my screams because I was reading love mode past 12 am already!
Aoe-papa came to the scene and
everything became like “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HIM?”. He was really a
cruel person yet despite that I found myself liking him (even though he was
really a hateful character). He treated his sons like toys and crushed everyone
he didn’t like. It was really hard for Kiichi and Reiji and Haroumi as well.
Especially Kiichi since he was treated as a mere tool by his own father. But
you see, Aoe-papa san was like that because he only valued one person. Yes
Aoe-papa was really in love with Nishiki, I can conclude that. He was ready to
do everything for the sake of Nishiki yet he was not honest enough to express
it gently and treated him like a hole. But however you see it, he loved Nishiki
too much to even care about anything but him. This is the reason why I like
Aoe-papa. Stupid but romantic wasn’t he?
aoe-papa <333 |
he's actually attractive XD |
And then, the last volume. During the previous volumes, with Reii and Takamiya having a birthday celebration in the past, there was this long-haired guy who came to the picture for a small number of times. Yet the curiosity in me was so much that I was dying to know who he was. His name was Shiki. And the last volume was his moments of glory. He was someone who was very special to Rieji. It was Reiji’s happy and comfortable times when he was with Shiki and Takamiya but odds weren’t in their favor and they ended up losing Shiki. It was really saddening but still, Reiji ended up with Naoya so it was still happy ending right? In this volume, Aoe-papa finally gave Reiji the life he didn’t wanted by passing away with an aircraft crash but since the only body that was found was the pilot’s, I concluded that Aoe-papa wanted to escape his current life and live with Nishiki somewhere so he fabricated it and went away (he’s really selfish). He only wanted an heir so he could pass his properties because that was what Nishiki wanted but I don’t think Nishiki was a bad person. Well, well, the only explanation is because it was love. Yes love made them that way and as a whole, the story was very good as well as the art.
There were also a few more
characters like Jin-san and Katsuki and Ian and Rin but I’m sorry for not
saying something about them. hehehe…my mind’s too caught up with the Aoe
family. XD well, I like jin-san coz he’s a hot oldy!(lol)
I know I’m really an idiot for
only knowing about love mode now because it started years and years ago I’m
sorry I only became interested with yaoi last 2011 and now I’m using a list
when I choose a manga to read. It’s in alphabetical order of managaka names and
currently I’m in the S part so I was able to read Shimizu Yuki-sensei’s works
just now. And I really love it! Ahh I really am lucky for discovering and
loving the yaoi genre..
For those who haven’t read love
mode (thought maybe almost everyone already have read it. OTL) please
please..if you want to read a manga that would interest and capture you and at
the same time make you smile and laugh, read LOVE MODE!! It was a really
amazing read, I will rate it 10/10 (hahaha). Thank you for reading my blog! And
oh- the epilogue was really nice. It’s was so heartwarming ^^
SUMMARY from mangatraders:
Mistaken identities, bizarre accidents and pratfalls, tragic pasts and plenty of broken hearts, and that is just for starters! Love Mode tells the story of the lives of the men involved with the classy male escort service, Blue Boy. Love lines intertwine and cross, friendships are made and broken in this boy's love classic!
Sakashita Izumi, your typical straight high school student, gets into a sticky situation with a gay translator, Takamiya Katsura, when he gets mistaken for Izumi - an escort from B&B (Blue Boy)! The two go on a date, Takamiya goes all the way with the young Izumi, and now the older man's in love with him. Tiny Problem: Izumi is slightly homophobe. Will he eventually convert in that which he fears?
Reiji, owner of B&B and other sleazy clubs (and seemingly not gay) finds out his girlfriend had been cheating on him - just after dumping her. He bumps into a young, family-less, money-less, trustless high school named Naoya who at that moment gets knocked out by a pot that Reiji's vengeful ex-lover drops on his head. Reiji accompanies the young boy, feeling bad that this is partly his doing, only to find that now Naoya is homeless since his apartment burned down and finally ends up taking in this "stray cat".
This serie contains more stories than just these couples.
Lover's Mode Extra:
Businessman Aoe is trying to leave so his student lover can study. But that is proving to be difficult.
Love Mode Unlimited:
A look into the future with Naoya and Izumi grown up
SUMMARY from mangatraders:
Mistaken identities, bizarre accidents and pratfalls, tragic pasts and plenty of broken hearts, and that is just for starters! Love Mode tells the story of the lives of the men involved with the classy male escort service, Blue Boy. Love lines intertwine and cross, friendships are made and broken in this boy's love classic!
Sakashita Izumi, your typical straight high school student, gets into a sticky situation with a gay translator, Takamiya Katsura, when he gets mistaken for Izumi - an escort from B&B (Blue Boy)! The two go on a date, Takamiya goes all the way with the young Izumi, and now the older man's in love with him. Tiny Problem: Izumi is slightly homophobe. Will he eventually convert in that which he fears?
Reiji, owner of B&B and other sleazy clubs (and seemingly not gay) finds out his girlfriend had been cheating on him - just after dumping her. He bumps into a young, family-less, money-less, trustless high school named Naoya who at that moment gets knocked out by a pot that Reiji's vengeful ex-lover drops on his head. Reiji accompanies the young boy, feeling bad that this is partly his doing, only to find that now Naoya is homeless since his apartment burned down and finally ends up taking in this "stray cat".
This serie contains more stories than just these couples.
Lover's Mode Extra:
Businessman Aoe is trying to leave so his student lover can study. But that is proving to be difficult.
Love Mode Unlimited:
A look into the future with Naoya and Izumi grown up
You're never too late in discovering more yaoi manga ;D
ReplyDeleteI didn't really enjoy the drawing at first 'cause it's old-style and couldn't get used to it, but I slowly started getting used to it and liked it so. :D It was a good read even for me~
I think Aoe Shougo (Reiji's father) loves Kiichi in a way or in his way which is different from ordinary fathers'. I mean, he is the kind of man who believes if a person is pushed to the limit, he will achieve more or it is the bitter way to become stronger. He is not the kind or spoiling type. He is the achieve-my-very-high-standard-or-receive-my-severe-punishment, iron rod type. But I think he loves Kiichi in a way. Condiering the 'dirty' and complicated business the heir of the Aoe Family is going to inherit and do, Shougi really needs a son with very strong mental strength and a cruel enough character who is ready to slash his business/political opponent's throat. So, although he treats Kiichi cruelly, one can says that it is a kind of training. He also used harsh words to belittle Kiichi. You can see it as evidence that he dislikes or doesn't care about Kiichi. But I think one can also sees it another way, which is, a harsh way of making someone strong. There are some kind of people who will pesevere in very difficult times because they remember how people look down on or laugh at him, and he is determined not to give up because he wants to succeed in the end and revenges on those who have hurt him or bullied him. I think Reiji is this kind. Without those sarcasm and attacks from his father, or may be simply, without hate, he may not have this much urge or hunger to be stronger. Either love or hate can motivates people to become much stronger. Both is a source of great strength/power. And I think Shougi believes in the strength of hate. (It is a bit like Itachi Uchiha from Naruto, who wants his younger brother to hate him extremely, so that he can become much much stronger than he could if he had not hated his elder brother for taking everything he loves from him.)
ReplyDeleteShougi once said if that tutor dared to rap* Kiichi, he would kill him. Also, haruomi is a very important person to Kiichi, but don't forget it was Shougi who gave Haruomi to Kiichi. If Shougi really didn't care about or dislike Kiichi, why should he give Haruomi to Kiichi? He must know Haruomi can become a very important one to Kiichi, since even Reiji can see that. Shougi is smarter than Reiji (somehow). I am sure he can see that Kiichi will fall in love with Haruomi. Why should he give this wonderful gift (Haruomi) to Kiichi, if he relly doesnt care about Kiichi?