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Yakuza in Love #1
Yakuza In Love, Volume 1
Aoi Ichimura is a member of the Yakuza family known as The Hanagumi ("The Flower Clan"). Aoi has a reputation as a tough macho-man with guts to spare, but in reality he's just a timid guy with incredibly good luck. When he's assigned as the subordinate of fellow Yakuza, Yuji Sakiya, Aoi learns to be manly in a different way... trying to be the perfect lover for Sakiya.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2008
About the author
Shiuko Kano
62 books42 followersAssociated names :
初田しうこ
鹿乃西子
UIDA Shiuko
Name (in native language) : 鹿乃しうこ
Birth date : March 4
Zodiac : Pisces
Blood type : O
She is the younger sister of Kazuna Uchida.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 23, 2011
Aoi looks like a typical yakuza on the outside - rough, serious and mean - but he's actually a sweet guy who likes to take care of others and dislikes violence. Aoi is getting by in the yakuza by a great streak of pure luck and, when pressured, by doing things he hates and is terrified of. All those facets of his personality make him the weirdest mixture of a soft, weak character with a strong, hard inner core. When he meets Sakiya he sees the vision of the person he wants to be and slowly falls in love.
The subplot revolves around Junki which is another young member of the yakuza who is the opposite of Aoi; on the outside he looks weak and soft but on the inside he's hard and very jaded. The most interesting plot line in this series is between the side characters of Junki, Chihiro and Azuma in my opinion.
Though the artwork isn't what I would consider to be some of Kano-sensei's best, the story makes up for what the art lacks. Especially if you're a yakuza fan, you definitely want to read this series.
The subplot revolves around Junki which is another young member of the yakuza who is the opposite of Aoi; on the outside he looks weak and soft but on the inside he's hard and very jaded. The most interesting plot line in this series is between the side characters of Junki, Chihiro and Azuma in my opinion.
Though the artwork isn't what I would consider to be some of Kano-sensei's best, the story makes up for what the art lacks. Especially if you're a yakuza fan, you definitely want to read this series.
June 7, 2025
This was ok, I thought the concept would be really cool and while the main character is ok, this manga has a severe pacing problem. It goes too fast in all the wrong places and while the artwork is good, it is VERY hard to tell who is speaking, especially when the dialogue bubbles aren't well pronounced (it is hard to tell who is speaking in certain boxes which is where most of the negative rating comes from). I will try to read a summary of this to better understand what it was I just read but I hope it manages to pick itself up in the later installments.
October 16, 2008
This story confused me a little with some of the characters and who is working for who. But the main character makes me laugh. Everyone thinks he is touch, but he has never handled a gun before, he doesn't know how to fight. He is the boss backup but yet he can't protect him. It seems to be only Luck that has gotten him into the position he has now.
April 4, 2018
Look, I don't have a moral objection to yakuza romances, but they have to either take themselves completely seriously (Viewfinder) or not at all (Gokusen). This series is trying to straddle the line and it just doesn't work.
October 15, 2013
boring...
November 9, 2019
Intrigue, drama, comedy, and yaoi come together with a dash of action in a story which wavers between the hard-bitten and the humourous. Readers meet Aoi Ichimura, whom accidentally saved the perverse, but pretty new Don of the yakuza’s life. The new Don likes him entirely too well, would love to do naughty things to him, yet gives him to his rival, Yuyi Sakuya. Sakuya is a traditionalist, a stickler for honor, and a member of the old guard, even though he’s the new Don’s underboss. Sakuya is drawn to his clumsy subordinate, whom has the same name as a woman he once loved. Aoi Ichimura finds himself swiftly smitten with Sakuya, even as he’s taken under the wing of Chihiro Karasuma, one of Sakuya’s loyal lieutenants. Cheerful and flirty, Chihiro does much to attract the ire of Junki Ozawa, a rising young talent amist the yakuza with a smart mouth, an eye for dangerous men, and an obsession with Chihiro he thinks the older man will never return. Add to the mixture two very different gay bars along with two very different ways of running the gang and there’s a powder keg ready to go off.
The main conflict was simple, direct, yet involved some intriguing character layering, plus the author added a fascinating afternote about the Takurazuka which made me really want to see a Takurazuka performance. The art work wasn’t quite to my taste, but it was vibrant, striking, and brought the world to life, along with gritty and dark. If these qualities appeal to you, you’ll want to pick this up.
The main conflict was simple, direct, yet involved some intriguing character layering, plus the author added a fascinating afternote about the Takurazuka which made me really want to see a Takurazuka performance. The art work wasn’t quite to my taste, but it was vibrant, striking, and brought the world to life, along with gritty and dark. If these qualities appeal to you, you’ll want to pick this up.
August 5, 2019
Take the Japanese Yakuza and combine it with a colorful cast of characters, half of which should NOT be a Yakuza. The most interesting part about the story is how you get to see this contrast between the once old clans of Yakuza that ruled with honor and morals versus the more modern Yakuza that values money and power more. It's funny and has it's cute moments. I look forward to reading the other two volumes.
September 14, 2020
Un manga sobre yakuzas con relaciones gay, que más podía pedir.
Conflictos tanto internos como externos para hacerse del poder, traiciones, asesinatos, perversiones, intrigas, secretos, amor no correspondido, ilusión de un nuevo amor, lealtad al clan, ambicion de poder y dinero. Ahhh son muchas cosas que hay en este manga que me están haciendo adorarlo.
Conflictos tanto internos como externos para hacerse del poder, traiciones, asesinatos, perversiones, intrigas, secretos, amor no correspondido, ilusión de un nuevo amor, lealtad al clan, ambicion de poder y dinero. Ahhh son muchas cosas que hay en este manga que me están haciendo adorarlo.
August 24, 2017
I love this series, this is one of my all time favorites. Love the artwork especially! Interesting storylines and good pacing. I have v. 1-3 in paperback from Deux publishing-wish I had more of their books before they went out of business, the had some of the best titles!
May 7, 2023
Bruh even tho the art is not great but by god, the story is literally a pacing disaster. Everything just went so fast for me like I didn’t know wtf was happening, my head is spinning gawddd 🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈
January 31, 2024
A yakuza love story with a touch of humor. A fun read. Ichimura's face was scarred from an auto accident, making him look like a thug. But he's a big wuss at heart. He accidentally saves the yakuza don when he was actually trying to save a baby bird from being stepped on. Thus he's promoted and rises thru the ranks. Then he's assigned as bodyguard to handsome Sakiya, the underboss released from prison. And the romance begins. Not my favorite art, but the inserted cover art tattoos are beautiful.
January 14, 2015
omg!! this was cute and awesome!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews