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Manic Love
During the summer of his second year in high school, Maki Sonoda found love for the first time in the arms of his cram school teacher, Haruji Shirai. Blinded by the illusions of his first love, Maki can think only of getting to know Haruji more. But, things become complicated when Maki realizes that Haruji is really in love with high school teacher Mr. Mizuguchi. Three men find themselves intertwined in this tantalizing love triangle full of emotion.
168 pages, Paperback
Published September 22, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 30, 2017
A different kind of student x teacher story. The main character is a teen whose purpose in the plot is to get the two men he loves to hook up with each other. I guess it's altruistic motivation, as he knows the other two men love each other and not him, but it makes me wonder why he had to be the focal character in the story, since that's the case. It's just kind of strange.
The two older men were former (teacher-student) lovers and are now both teachers. The one man tells his student, the main character Maki, about the love affair he once had with "the one that got away." Maki then takes it upon himself to look the other man up and start sleeping with him. He knows the man doesn't love him and figures out he's still hung up on his ex. So the student tells his teacher about it and gets the two men back together and goes on his way.
I didn't hate it... The art is atrocious and the story is kind of depressing, but I still kind of liked it. I guess I would recommend this to someone looking for an atypical plot who cares more about the story than the pictures, as the plot is sort of unique but the characters are drawn with disproportionately large facial features and long limbs.
The one thing I really did NOT like is that the characters keep saying, "I love this guy and I love sleeping with him, BUT I'M NOT GAY!" I know there's a stigma in Japan against homosexuality (especially a decade ago when this was published), but come on. That's offensive. If you're writing a book about men having gay sex, just tell it like it is.
The two older men were former (teacher-student) lovers and are now both teachers. The one man tells his student, the main character Maki, about the love affair he once had with "the one that got away." Maki then takes it upon himself to look the other man up and start sleeping with him. He knows the man doesn't love him and figures out he's still hung up on his ex. So the student tells his teacher about it and gets the two men back together and goes on his way.
I didn't hate it... The art is atrocious and the story is kind of depressing, but I still kind of liked it. I guess I would recommend this to someone looking for an atypical plot who cares more about the story than the pictures, as the plot is sort of unique but the characters are drawn with disproportionately large facial features and long limbs.
The one thing I really did NOT like is that the characters keep saying, "I love this guy and I love sleeping with him, BUT I'M NOT GAY!" I know there's a stigma in Japan against homosexuality (especially a decade ago when this was published), but come on. That's offensive. If you're writing a book about men having gay sex, just tell it like it is.
May 15, 2022
Emotional rollercoaster that ended somewhat in an unsatisfying way
January 13, 2024
1 1/2 stars
May 26, 2013
This story is a bit different than what I normally read. I liked it, it was entertaining, but at the same time I didn't. The story revolves around Maki knowing Mizuguchi but having sex with Haruji. Haruji and Mizuguchi had a relationship years before but their pride made them break up. Haruji still loves Mizuguchi and Mizuguchi still loves Haruji. Maki is somewhere in the middle loving both of them but not actually 'loving' them. However, Maki knows all this so he does what he can to bring them back together.
To be honest, I found the story somewhat weird and I'm pretty sure I really only liked Ogawa as a character but I loved the art. It might seem weird but I love looking at faces in manga and most of them in this story I thought were appealing. I got confused a lot on who was speaking and what they were talking about. Also, Maki is sort of a 'free spirit' you could say (or a slut) but he's not gay. Although, he has a lot of sex with guys (although it seems monogamous). In the end, I was sure Maki would hook up with Ogawa but no such luck. I wonder if he'll get his own story?
So, not a bad book, it was different, but I'm not exactly sure if that was a good thing yet LOL.
To be honest, I found the story somewhat weird and I'm pretty sure I really only liked Ogawa as a character but I loved the art. It might seem weird but I love looking at faces in manga and most of them in this story I thought were appealing. I got confused a lot on who was speaking and what they were talking about. Also, Maki is sort of a 'free spirit' you could say (or a slut) but he's not gay. Although, he has a lot of sex with guys (although it seems monogamous). In the end, I was sure Maki would hook up with Ogawa but no such luck. I wonder if he'll get his own story?
So, not a bad book, it was different, but I'm not exactly sure if that was a good thing yet LOL.
March 19, 2016
I would rather give it a 3.5 than a 3 or a 4, but the rating system, ya know? I struggled with the stars on this one, but honestly, there's a lot of sex. Like, a good 80% of it is dedicated to sex scenes or necking scenes. And while most of them have purpose and serve to explain character flaws and motivations, that's so much sex. Especially when the quieter moments between characters sometimes were more poignant and intimate than the dirty stuff. It's a weird love triangle that ends up being like a love . . . square? Hexagon? Who knows. The art is stark and sketch-like and I like it muchly. Apparently, this is the semi-prequel to Fake Fur, which I haven't read - yet.
November 18, 2011
I don't really like either one of the three characters yet don't dislike them either. It's a story of undecided people who put on a very decided front met too-cheerful youngster. If I have to choose, the only person I like in this debacle is Ogawa who's not actually has hidden agenda as well. So everybody in this story doesn't show their true selves and feelings. :3
March 15, 2013
S'all right,
Easy to read.
Entertaining.
Easy to read.
Entertaining.
April 10, 2013
It was diffrent, in a very good way!!
January 6, 2014
I really do not know why I loved this manga so much, it was a great manga of course...but something about it made me love it and I do not quite know what it is yet.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews