Product Description: Relationships are tough, but relationships between friends can be even tougher. That's what Koreeda discovers when Noda - one of his college buddies - offers to become "friends with benefits." Until recently, Koreeda has had a serious girlfriend, but now he's on the rebound and looking for something different... something real.
one of the best yaoi i've read lately i usu. prefer full stories rather than shorts, but i enjoyed yamada's -close the last door- so much that i was looking forward to this. her art isn't the most typically gorgeous yaoi art, but even though it's a bit more on the cartoony side it has a lot of characterization and the seme's are always masculine and hot. not to mention the sex scenes (of which there are noticeably more than in the usual june/DMP release, although still not as explicit as other publishers -- see june's sister imprint 801 manga) which are steamy.
the two main stories are about college-aged kids, but the last story is about salarymen and there are two shorter stories about older/younger couples (in one the older of the couple is a sort of prostitute). one of the stories also briefly mentions a younger and older relationship as well, which is nice if you're into that. i was surprised at how much emotion yamada packs into these shorts, and now that i'm used to her art i enjoy it quite a lot and i'm def. looking forward to reading more by this mangaka.
So, so. I found this manga somewhat confusing at times. In the first story when they jumped from the past to the present and back again, wasn't clear defined. I had to re-read to make sure (and then sometimes I was still confused). I didn't like the 4th story. It was about a child who follows around this guy while he's with clients and stealing from them. It had nothing at all that appealed to me. To put it bluntly, while I did like the first story the rest just seemed to be fill-in material. If you see it at a book store and can read it there I would, other than that save your money for something else.
A lovely Yaoi anthology with distinct plots! By the mangaka of "Close the Last Door", this anthology consists of 5 stories. I love the same titled story "Picnic", which is excellent. "Picnic" traces the relationship development between 2 college mates. Noda and Koreeda are just casual acquaintances. All that changed one night when Noda (who harbored a secret love for Koreeda) took pity on Koreeda when he witnessed Koreeda slapped and abandoned by his girlfriend. Of course Koreeda is straight while the endearing Noda is already an experienced gay. Thereon, the mangaka does a wonderful job developing their love as they hover on uncertainties and doubts about each other's feelings. This story is most romantic, amusing as their planned trips together kept being interrupted, and of course Yaoi. I love both seme and uke here.
The second story tells of Noda's past lover falling for a much older man when he was a mere child. This one is short but effective. The 3rd one centers on 2 close friends living together. This one is outrageously funny as one experiened gay led the other "astray". The 4th story on a kid attaching himself to a bedroom thief who steals from his "clients" while engaged in sex is unique but rather sad. The last one on white collar workers is an appealing story on Andon, a rookie, awkwardly trying to pursue a book-worm Konishi, an older manager in the office. At times humorous and sometimes bittersweet this story is well told and could have ended on a sad note. Fortunately the mangaka gave us a nice closure.
I won't say this mangaka's artwork is gorgeous but there is a liveliness to it, the facial expressions vivid, and her marvelous plotlines more than make up for it. The sexual encounters are nicely drawn too.
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