Hero Heel 1

Hero Heel #1

by Makoto Tateno

Der noch etwas unsichere Nachwuchsdarsteller Minami erhält die Hauptrolle in einer Fernsehserie für Kinder, er soll den Helden spielen. Den Part des Schurken übernimmt der attraktive, schon etwas ältere Schauspieler Saweda. Minami fühlt sich mehr und mehr zu Sawedas schurkischem Spiel hingezogen. Als er diesen in einer Drehpause auch noch beim Küssen eines anderen Mannes beobachtet, ist es um ihn geschehen. Doch Saweda scheint an Minami nicht interessiert zu sein... Zumindest ist das zunächst der Fall.

Genres: Manga, Yaoi, Romance, Boys Love, Graphic Novels, LGBT, M M Romance

177 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Name (in native language): 立野真琴

Birth Date: March 23

Also writes under the pen-name of Shinjuku Tango.

Makoto Tateno is an extremely prolific mangaka, having created 30+ series of manga in both the shoujo and BL genres. However, she is probably most well known amongst English-speaking audiences for her yaoi series “Yellow,” published by DMP. She debuted in 1986 with the short story "Yuraete Tamago Boys," published by Hana to Yume.

Reviews

[Christine (AR)]

Backstage at a liveaction superhero TV show. Soap-opera-like, definitely, but the art is gorgeous, the story is interesting, I love the characters (who all look like actual men) -- this is definitely worth reading. The only problem is that the concluding volume (3) isn't going to be released until December, and I have a feeling that date isn't exactly set in stone. Still, really good yaoi.

[R E]

I ordered this 2005 BL as part of my research into manga for a university class I'm teaching. So, my interest was more historical - analyzing both the story structure and characters as well as the art and design of the book. Surprise, surprise - I came away really enjoying it, and I've ordered the next two volumes.
​​
​​Minami is a young actor whose just landed a gig as the hero in a live action sci-fi series. Sawada is a gay actor starting as the seriess' super villain. At first, Sawada mentors Minami as it's his first major job, but when Minami sees Sawada kissing one of his many lovers, Minami freaks out. Given that this is BL, you know the rest - Minami starts to fall for Sawada, Sawada spurns his advances, and the resulting tension spills onto the set affecting the show's production schedule.
​​
​​The old style art combined with the old style tv show trope is a lot of fun, and the interaction between the characters has a snap to it that I find engaging. It may not be one of my top ten, but it's a fun golden (silver?) oldie.
​​

[TT]

I'm hit and miss with this mangakas work, i'm not a fan of a lot of it as it gets repetitive but I love the storyline for this series. I got rid of some of this mangakas books I owned but I wont get rid of these three!

[Alice]

I remember liking this when I was younger and more of a silly fangirl back then. I remember liking the art style a lot. I don't have any actual memories of the manga.

[Rebecca]

3.5 out of 5

[Kelsey Riggs]

I would have liked this more if i had the other volumes once I finished vol. 1

[Kaelatx]

I’m a sucker for drama and trauma! Toxic situations? I’m all over it. I didn’t think I’d like this series but I can’t wait to finish it to find out what happens.

[Sophie]

3.5 stars, and boy, do I need to find some consistency with my ratings. Anyway, in Hero Heel we meet Misami, an actor, who reluctantly agrees to take the leading part in an action series for kids. There, he meets Sawada, who's playing the main villain. Sawada has acted in this sort of series before and immediately realizes that Misami doesn't think too much of that kind of work. Finally, Misami is forced to realize that he really does have to do his best there, as well, and that there's some merit to this kind of show, too. When he goes to thank Sawada, who's mainly responsible for that realization, he sees him kissing another man. Later, Misami realizes that he too, has fallen for Sawada, but Sawada claims he doesn't returnt he feeling.

There's a lot in this that I like - the angst and the drama of it all, and the seduction scene was - well, it wasn't nice or pretty, but it was done in a way that pushed a lot of my buttons. Can't wait to read the rest of this one.

[Derekica Snake]

I don't know if it's just me, that time of the month or something else but at the end of volume one I was bawling my eyes out. Our young actor (is assumed to be hetero)falls into confused lust, threatens his desire with exposure to the media and then falls into bed with him. After it's said and done the object of his affection rejects hims and tells him he never wanted to do it and then THAT is when our youngster realizes that he is so in love that he stupidly did whatever he could to get the man's attention. The scene ends with him crying in the shower...gah...

As a side note, I only gave this 4 stars because it shredded me. Maybe it should be 5 because it did shred me but I'm being petty...I don't like crying over my bishies.

Now, out of left field, I have looked at my physical book shelves and realized that even though I haven't set out to do it, I have a crap load of Makoto Tateno manga. Not that it's a bad thing but I guess I do like the artwork.

[Amy]

Update:
Sooo...I guess I read this almost 10 years ago and thought it was pretty meh.
I enjoyed it much more the 'second' time and gave it an extra star.
Yes, the angst was a bit much, but I love the creativity and the show that they are working on. It has a nice pace to it.

It was okay. Nothing that made me go WOW.

There are more in the series, it looks like, but the library doesn't carry them.

The story is moving a bit too fast.

Straight guy gets curious, then falls madly in love with his costar. Costar screws him, but doesn't love him back and tells him it is just a one-time thing. Guy is devastated and heartbroken and all angsty. Ooooookay.

[Leila Anani]

First of three books in this yaoi romance story between two actors on a super-hero TV show, one playing the hero, the other the villain.

Emotionally engaging this left me feeling as sad as the hero by the end. Our hero is in love with his co-star and finally gets his idol to sleep with him even though he knows that the other man feels nothing (or does he?) and tells him to forget it ever happened.

Has Tateno's usual high standard of artwork.

Looking forward to book 2.

[Sparrow]

Second time around and I actually like it better (which is weird considering I'm falling out of my manga phase). I think the translation for this volume was excellent. I love Tateno's drawings. I think the film world was portrayed beautifully here. And, honestly, the angst at the end of the manga was some of the best I've read without falling in the cliched zone. Really an excellent manga. I probably won't finish it because I would rather finish it with the angsty note instead of a love note.

[Nia]

This is not the type of yaoi I particularly care for. I do not care for the whole 'love via hatesex' trope and I think it was shittily done in this yaoi. The one who was supposed to be top was truly heinous and I really didn't care for the bottom either. There was absolutely no mushy feelings. I hope that their super hero suits explode quite honestly.

[Eric]

This series is rated Mature. It is a little bit graphic.

Minami, an actor that doesn't care about his new role as a superhero, falls in love with his co-worker Sawada. Minami is overly confident and almost childish, while Sawada is cold and a playboy. They have a passive-aggressive relationship (both when they are just co-workers and when they finally sleep together).

[Elizabeth]

Oh gosh, Makoto Tateno has done it again! I adore her art style, and her stories and characters are real and have issues any reader can relate to. It's going to be hard to wait for the next volumes... this one ends in quite a cliffhanger. But! It's so worth it. :D

[Peggy]

I decided to try out some yaoi, being the slash fan I am. And, um, if they're all like this, count me out. All the main character did was cry that the guy he couldn't admit he loved was secretly ~*homosensual*~. I wanted to slap everyone involved. Yuck.

[Mal]

It's very clever, it makes me laugh XD
Slightly fast paced as you go on but the chapters are also longer than regular mangas, but I still think it's great though.
Haha they remind me of power rangers, lol.

[Josephine (biblioseph)]

Non-con?
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3HXKE0A...

[H. Givens]

Really liked the setting and the romance has potential, but I didn't get super invested in the characters here. We don't know much about them or what they want/need out of a romance, so it's very one-note. I'd give the other two volumes a try, but I probably won't go out of my way to find them.

[Reader17 Der]

I loved this book. I was so interested in finding out about these two actors. Just by the way they really didn't seem to like each other and the way they acted.

[Julia]

Very angsty yaoi series.

[Halvéen]

I wished for another pairing in the end but well... liked the manga anyway

[Rvn]

Should I love this book, or not?
I admit the story is beautiful, but so pointless! They can be together from the start if there's no fear nor pride. What makes you guys so hard to understand? =___=

[Erin Elizabeth]

This Yaoi features two stars of a Kamen Rider style Japanese superhero show. The hero and the villain of course. It's cheap fluff, but I want more!

[Molly]

I read this because it was being challenged in some library. For being challenged yaoi, I guess I had hoped it was sexier. :D It was alright, but nothing I feel compelled to pursue.

[Coyora Dokusho]

it was *okay*

[Lissa]

Well, what can I say? The first volume of this just warms us up for more, but the feelings of the characters comes through nicely. Both good and bad.

[Brandon Henriquez]

Story is meh