Review Corner: Kiss All The Boys
May. 9th, 2008 07:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jukebox_csiThis is the first Deux Press book I've reviewed.
Title: Kiss All the Boys vol 1
Manga-ka: Shiuko Kano
Publisher: Deux Press
From the back of volume 1: Meet Tetsuo - Age 32. Occupation: porn comic writer. Marital Status: single, but he has a kid due to the folly of youth. Sexual Potency: currently...none. Given such circumstances, it seems only natural that all he wants is a kiss with enough "potency" to get him back to his "A-Game." Unexpectedly, life deals a strange hand when his estranged and gay son Haruka shows up! Then again, maybe someone is trying to tell him that if a kiss from the "opposite" sex can't cure him of his impotency, perhaps a kiss pumped with raging testosterone can take him down?!
In this first volume of Kiss All the Boys, we start by learning that Tetsuo is impotent. This is a fact that appears in the first few pages as he breaks up with his latest girlfriend, because he can't 'get it up.' It doesn't help that his son Haruka, who comes across as a tactless 15 year-old brat, clings to him while calling him 'daddy' in a very suggestive way; leading to the ex-girlfriend's assumption that Tetsuo is a gay man with a Lolita complex. But, that is erroneous. To say that the father and son are like oil and water is an understatement. For most of Haruka's life, Tetsuo has avoided having to be a father, and so the boy really doesn't feel much like his son. Instead, his Uncle Michiro, who is Tetsuo's best friend and editor at the magazine, seems to know Haruka better; having practically raised the boy. Haruka was conceived when Tetsuo was seventeen. He was drunk and seduced by Michiro's sister. But when the sister is offered a promotional opportunity in Europe, Haruka decides to live with his father, instead of moving. It isn't until a little later in the book that we learn the true reasons he wanted to move in with Tetsuo - not to learn more about his father, rather because Tetsuo's place is close to the boy that Haruka is in love with, Hiroto Tamaki.
Tetsuo discovers that Haruka is gay, and begins thinking about things in a different light. Tetsuo always assumed he was straight, but had an impotence problem. Women just don't seem to do it for him. But, he refuses to think he, himself, may be gay. In an effort to give his 'little buddy' one final chance to come alive at the thought of a sexy woman, he takes himself to a porno theater. There, he encounters virginal Kiichi Momoyama, who faints with a nosebleed at the billboard alone. Tetsuo helps him out and they watch the movie together. While it does nothing for Tetsuo, Momoyama becomes too excited, at which point Tetsuo decides to help him relieve the pressure. Once it's done, though, Tetsuo goes into shock over his actions and flees; only to come face-to-face with Momoyama the very next day when he learns the young salesman is his new neighbor. Momoyama can't forget what Tetsuo did for him, and has fallen into love or, at the very least, lust with the porn writer. Tetsuo finds him quite annoying, and calls him Homo-yama whenever addressing him. It doesn't help when Haruka discovers the new situation, thanks in part to Momoyama forcibly deciding to repay Tetsuo's hand job, and begins harassing his father. But, Haruka also has his own problems with Tamaki. A misunderstanding leads to hurt feelings. Tetsuo decides to intervene and talks with the shy boy, developing more fatherly feelings for Haruka's friends than he has for Haruka. Meanwhile, Michiro is hovering on the outskirts of this odd scene, reluctantly offering a shoulder to cry on whenever Tetsuo comes calling. All the while, Michiro wears a mask of indifference, when in actuality he is in love with his best friend. To complicate matters more, Tamaki appears to have developed at least a trust with Tetsuo; a trust that is shattered when he witnesses a sexual encounter between Momoyama and a drunken Tetsuo. Could it be that he has also fallen in love with Tetsuo? If so, it will be a love quadrangle as Michiro, Momoyama, and Tamaki all vie for Tetsuo's affections. And what of Haruka's love for Tamaki? The next volume of the series will, hopefully, hold the key to all these questions. I, for one, already know which pairing I'm rooting for.
I found this book to be quite hilarious. Tetsuo is a crass individual who thinks nothing of flinging about foul language as if it were candy in a parade. He's fairly selfish, but also lonely and, perhaps, misunderstood. Haruka is drawn as a sarcastic brat who is more mature sexually than his age suggests, but also effectively shows his insecurities when it comes to the one he loves. Michiro, the uncle, is so good about hiding his true feelings, that it is a surprise to the reader to learn he loves Tetsuo as more than a friend, while Momoyama is simply a lovely person who is a bit foolhardy and a touch annoying. Tamaki is rather tall for a 15 year old, but his "size belies his maturity." Shiuko Kano does a very good job of keeping all of the characters different from each other in appearance and attitude, making it quite easy to distinguish each one. Never once did I have to guess which character was currently being displayed, as is the case in some other mangas. The story, as well, was rather engaging. I managed to read through it in one sitting, losing myself in the story until the end.
I've read several Deux books, and have been impressed, for the most part, with their presentation. The paper has a curious feel that falls somewhere between copy and bond paper. It doesn't come across as cheap, yet it's also not quite top quality. I absolutely LOVE the fact that they translate their sound effects; something several other publishers could learn. But, they also leave the original Japanese. I imagine, this is a compromise for editing costs and such. It doesn't really bother me, as long as the English translation is there as well. One of the things I did find rather odd, though, is that sound effects are not the only thing that retains the original Japanese. Some of the smaller print text - character thoughts, mutters, etc. - also have the original Japanese with the translated lines to one side. Since thoughts and muttering speeches (which would be normally a smaller font) are usually several words or sentences long, it can be a bit distracting to see that much Japanese text on the page, surrounded by the English translation, when it is clearly something more than a sound effect. Still, I will take that over non-translated text any day.
In short, I recommend this book to any yaoi fan. It is funny and entertaining. It also has some seriously drool-worthy men, as I would expect from Shiuko Kano.
Title: Kiss All the Boys vol 1
Manga-ka: Shiuko Kano
Publisher: Deux Press
From the back of volume 1: Meet Tetsuo - Age 32. Occupation: porn comic writer. Marital Status: single, but he has a kid due to the folly of youth. Sexual Potency: currently...none. Given such circumstances, it seems only natural that all he wants is a kiss with enough "potency" to get him back to his "A-Game." Unexpectedly, life deals a strange hand when his estranged and gay son Haruka shows up! Then again, maybe someone is trying to tell him that if a kiss from the "opposite" sex can't cure him of his impotency, perhaps a kiss pumped with raging testosterone can take him down?!
In this first volume of Kiss All the Boys, we start by learning that Tetsuo is impotent. This is a fact that appears in the first few pages as he breaks up with his latest girlfriend, because he can't 'get it up.' It doesn't help that his son Haruka, who comes across as a tactless 15 year-old brat, clings to him while calling him 'daddy' in a very suggestive way; leading to the ex-girlfriend's assumption that Tetsuo is a gay man with a Lolita complex. But, that is erroneous. To say that the father and son are like oil and water is an understatement. For most of Haruka's life, Tetsuo has avoided having to be a father, and so the boy really doesn't feel much like his son. Instead, his Uncle Michiro, who is Tetsuo's best friend and editor at the magazine, seems to know Haruka better; having practically raised the boy. Haruka was conceived when Tetsuo was seventeen. He was drunk and seduced by Michiro's sister. But when the sister is offered a promotional opportunity in Europe, Haruka decides to live with his father, instead of moving. It isn't until a little later in the book that we learn the true reasons he wanted to move in with Tetsuo - not to learn more about his father, rather because Tetsuo's place is close to the boy that Haruka is in love with, Hiroto Tamaki.
Tetsuo discovers that Haruka is gay, and begins thinking about things in a different light. Tetsuo always assumed he was straight, but had an impotence problem. Women just don't seem to do it for him. But, he refuses to think he, himself, may be gay. In an effort to give his 'little buddy' one final chance to come alive at the thought of a sexy woman, he takes himself to a porno theater. There, he encounters virginal Kiichi Momoyama, who faints with a nosebleed at the billboard alone. Tetsuo helps him out and they watch the movie together. While it does nothing for Tetsuo, Momoyama becomes too excited, at which point Tetsuo decides to help him relieve the pressure. Once it's done, though, Tetsuo goes into shock over his actions and flees; only to come face-to-face with Momoyama the very next day when he learns the young salesman is his new neighbor. Momoyama can't forget what Tetsuo did for him, and has fallen into love or, at the very least, lust with the porn writer. Tetsuo finds him quite annoying, and calls him Homo-yama whenever addressing him. It doesn't help when Haruka discovers the new situation, thanks in part to Momoyama forcibly deciding to repay Tetsuo's hand job, and begins harassing his father. But, Haruka also has his own problems with Tamaki. A misunderstanding leads to hurt feelings. Tetsuo decides to intervene and talks with the shy boy, developing more fatherly feelings for Haruka's friends than he has for Haruka. Meanwhile, Michiro is hovering on the outskirts of this odd scene, reluctantly offering a shoulder to cry on whenever Tetsuo comes calling. All the while, Michiro wears a mask of indifference, when in actuality he is in love with his best friend. To complicate matters more, Tamaki appears to have developed at least a trust with Tetsuo; a trust that is shattered when he witnesses a sexual encounter between Momoyama and a drunken Tetsuo. Could it be that he has also fallen in love with Tetsuo? If so, it will be a love quadrangle as Michiro, Momoyama, and Tamaki all vie for Tetsuo's affections. And what of Haruka's love for Tamaki? The next volume of the series will, hopefully, hold the key to all these questions. I, for one, already know which pairing I'm rooting for.
I found this book to be quite hilarious. Tetsuo is a crass individual who thinks nothing of flinging about foul language as if it were candy in a parade. He's fairly selfish, but also lonely and, perhaps, misunderstood. Haruka is drawn as a sarcastic brat who is more mature sexually than his age suggests, but also effectively shows his insecurities when it comes to the one he loves. Michiro, the uncle, is so good about hiding his true feelings, that it is a surprise to the reader to learn he loves Tetsuo as more than a friend, while Momoyama is simply a lovely person who is a bit foolhardy and a touch annoying. Tamaki is rather tall for a 15 year old, but his "size belies his maturity." Shiuko Kano does a very good job of keeping all of the characters different from each other in appearance and attitude, making it quite easy to distinguish each one. Never once did I have to guess which character was currently being displayed, as is the case in some other mangas. The story, as well, was rather engaging. I managed to read through it in one sitting, losing myself in the story until the end.
I've read several Deux books, and have been impressed, for the most part, with their presentation. The paper has a curious feel that falls somewhere between copy and bond paper. It doesn't come across as cheap, yet it's also not quite top quality. I absolutely LOVE the fact that they translate their sound effects; something several other publishers could learn. But, they also leave the original Japanese. I imagine, this is a compromise for editing costs and such. It doesn't really bother me, as long as the English translation is there as well. One of the things I did find rather odd, though, is that sound effects are not the only thing that retains the original Japanese. Some of the smaller print text - character thoughts, mutters, etc. - also have the original Japanese with the translated lines to one side. Since thoughts and muttering speeches (which would be normally a smaller font) are usually several words or sentences long, it can be a bit distracting to see that much Japanese text on the page, surrounded by the English translation, when it is clearly something more than a sound effect. Still, I will take that over non-translated text any day.
In short, I recommend this book to any yaoi fan. It is funny and entertaining. It also has some seriously drool-worthy men, as I would expect from Shiuko Kano.
