Ok, let's get started! Complete the dialogue for each volume. They will gradually become more difficult. Since volume 4 is expected in about three weeks, I am making the end date of the contest July 24, 2011. 

 

Volume 1: End of first love scene. "If you want to survive in this world, you must become smarter. Hone your instincts, so that your eyes may…" 

 

Volume 2: End of Asami and Feilong's last scene together. "How foolish of me… to be so deeply affected by the warmth you've shown me that I can't even bring myself to…"

 

Volume 3: This time I'm not telling you where to locate the dialogue or how many words I'm looking for. "I don't want this. It's as if I'm falling into a trap, slowly succumbing to…"

 

Once you have your answers, email your entry to info AT theyaoireview DOT com or just use the "Contact" tab above. DO NOT PUT YOUR ANSWERS IN COMMENTS!!!

 

Good luck!

 

~Jennifer LeBlanc

 

 

 

 

“Katsuhiro keeps to himself and doesn’t show much of an interest in others. In fact, he’s perfectly happy to spend each and every day buried in the stacks of his used bookstore! But when Masafumi – an old face from his college days – shows up with a translation job too good to ignore, will these two total opposites end up reconnecting and finding a common language… of the heart?

 

No One Loves Me takes a bookworm and a go-getter on a ride through the crazy ups and downs of a high-stakes publishing job… and a once-in-a-lifetime shot at love! Katsuhiro knows that he has to let down his guard if he ever hopes to show the energetic and domineering Masafumi how he truly feels. But can these two “friendly rivals” find a way to write a happy ending to their non-traditional romance?”

 

 

The two main characters in this story are Katsuhiro Kusaka, a used bookstore owner, and Masafumi Iijima, a salesman from a publishing company. Although the book synopsis calls these two “friendly rivals”, I don’t really think that applies. Katsuhiro since childhood has always been quiet, a bit quirky and straight to the point and unfortunately those around him including his family misunderstand this as being aloof and cold. I think it’s this personality trait that ends up making him an unintentional ladies man and that’s really where the only rivalry between he and Masafumi exists (and it’s not a rivalry Katsuhiro even wanted to begin with). Katsuhiro knows how his personality is perceived and really struggles with how to fix this and even Masafumi has his own struggles with how to interact with Katsuhiro. It’s through these struggles that some of the best dialogue in this book shines through.

 

Katsuhiro:

 

“Do you have to say ‘yes’ when someone confesses to you? Do you have to hold them?”

 

“There are some things you can’t change even if you do know.”

 

Masafumi:

 

“Of course I thought about the fact that we’re both guys. The old me would have only focused on the fact that I’m attracted to Katsuhiro. But now, I think I may have been treating him like a woman this whole time. I may have been trying to feel secure by placing under my protective care a guy who’s probably more masculine that anyone I know.”

 

In addition to the great dialogue is a great story. It’s different and detailed, and I really enjoyed how much Yugi Yamada delved into the background. It’s not your typical ‘working at a publishing company’ type story. We see Katsuhiro’s love of books through the time spent with his grandfather and how he feels about his own books and bookstore. I really got into his translating of the Czech books and even felt like I would love to read one of them when he was through!

 

 

One thing I really enjoy about Yugi Yamada’s characters is how different they are from each other and the various quirks she gives them. Somehow they seem more real to me. Katsuhiro has a depth that doesn’t come from the same old sad stories we always hear, like parents dying when he was young and having to raise his siblings on his own. Katsuhiro has a family just like everyone else and his personality stems from having to grow up with them, flaws and all; no tragic past, just family that doesn’t always mesh. When his uncle was introduced into the story, what he does to Katsuhiro made my heart sink but you know what? That’s how families are sometimes and that was real to me.

 

Masafumi on the other hand is a bit of a hot head, but he’s got a soft spot for Katsuhiro. I really like that Yugi Yamada didn’t emphasize the ‘but we’re GUYS!’ element in this story. Masafumi falls for Katsuhiro and it really felt natural to me. I could believe in their love story and that was nice.

 

As a bonus, we also have an additional couple that is part of this story although a smaller part. Both couples interact with each other and the way they all come together is smooth and makes sense. I never felt that any particular part of the storyline was rushed, but at 306 pages there was certainly room enough to explore the storyline as well as the characters!

 

 

 

“Shoichi, the oldest Honda brother, is a stiff and serious young man who works as a tax collector. His life isn’t exactly full of surprises… and he definitely never expected his long-gone sibling—the globetrotting, sexy Shunji—to show up at his doorstep! Will Shoichi ever erase the memory of the secret, scandalous night that he and Shunji spent in one another’s arms 10 years ago? Or maybe the most important question is… does he even want to?

 

Open the Door to Your Heart proves that some attractions, no matter how shocking, are just too strong to ignore! Shunji left his family’s home to travel the world after a single passionate encounter with his older brother left both young men too confused to carry on. Now, a decade later, he’s returned to the scene of the tryst… but will be find things as he left them?”

 

 

If you haven’t already made the connection, Open the Door to Your Heart is a side-story of Close the Last Door. The two main characters in this story are Shoichi and Shunji, the two older brothers of Kenzou (aka Honda) from Close the Last Door. If you want to read the books in order it would be Close the Last Door V1, Open the Door to Your Heart and then Close the Last Door V2, but only because Honda introduces Nagai to his brothers in this book. That being said, it isn’t necessary to read them in order as the story will still make perfect sense.

 

Open the Door to Your Heart is much different than Close the Last Door. There is no love triangle and the characters’ personalities are much different. Shoichi is very straight-laced and acts much like the oldest child would, whereas Shunji is the middle child and has a very carefree, jovial spirit. The two are opposites, but they play well off each other and that leads to some nice chemistry.

 

One thing I really enjoyed in this story is how realistic their lives are. We get to see Shoichi’s work as a tax collector and get to meet some of his clients. It’s through these clients that the story develops and Shoichi is brought back into his life. The story is solid, full of sweet angst and I think you’ll enjoy it.

 

There is a short 20-page unrelated story at the end called Diary of a Domestic and I must say that I loved it even more than the main story. It’s told from the perspective of a very young domestic about his young master and the young master’s lover. It’s sad in some ways, bitter sweet in others but I think Yugi Yamada did a wonderful job with it.

 

 

There is great angst between Shoichi and Shunji and that really helps with the development of their characters. Shoichi is struggling with his past encounter with his younger brother and with his identity as Shunji’s brother. Although Shunji is very carefree and always smiling, you can see the sadness in his eyes as he sees Shoichi struggle night after night.

 

In addition to these two we also meet two of Shoichi’s clients and I must say, I absolutely LOVE Yo-chan. Every scene she’s in just kills me and she brought the most comedic zest to the story in my opinion. Here’s a picture just so you can see what I mean:

 

 

There isn’t a lot of sexual content in this book. More like a lot of small snippets of them being together in different ways but I found it worked for the story so I didn’t really mind. I don’t feel it would have done the story justice to rush the sex just to have more in the story or to make the first sexual contact more than what it would have been in real life.

 

 

I’ve said it before and it continues to remain true for this story as well, but Yugi Yamada isn’t the most detailed of artists. I do love how her characters express themselves and her awesome ability to draw comedic situations. There are few mangaka in my opinion that can draw comedy as well as I think she can. I always find a chuckle in each of her stories and it’s usually from a comedic face or comically drawn situation.

 

 

If you like the Honda boys then you’ll definitely want to pick up Open the Door to Your Heart. It’s a great addition to the Close the Last Door series and it goes in its own direction so you don’t feel like you’re reading the same thing. As icing on top there is a bitter sweet one shot at the end that I feel will add to your enjoyment of Yugi Yamada’s storytelling.

 

 

(best keyword search: DMP, June, 801 Media, manga, Yaoi manga, Digital Manga Publishing)

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That's all for today's digital updates! 

 

~Jennifer LeBlanc

(NOTE: This is smaller than volume 1)

Quick Synopsis:

“Nagai and Honda have been a (mostly) happy couple for an entire year. In fact, they’ve dealt with teasing in-laws, competitive gift-giving… and even an exhausting hunt for their own apartment! Bust just when everything seems too perfect to be true, sweet and sneaky Saitou pops up to cause a little broken-hearted mayhem. Will this face from the past succeed in tearing Nagai and Honda apart for good?

Close the Last Door teases and tempts with the story of a love triangle that refuses to topple! Nagai, Honda and Saitou love to push one another’s buttons in and out of the bedroom. But can these bold men bear the strain of secret meetings, business trips and non-stop flirtations? It’ll take a little flexibility and a lot of hard work if this threesome is going to keep everyone happy!”

Plot/Readability:

Close the Last Door Volume 2 continues the love triangle started in volume 1 between Honda, Nagai and Saitou except this time it comes to a head and decisions have to be made. In volume 1, Saitou’s actions come off as very innocent whereas in this volume his intentions and desires become clear. As our couple Honda and Nagai go through many relationship ‘firsts’ (holidays and living together), Saitou starts to wedge himself further between them causing much friction. Honda grows more and more insecure when it comes to Saitou, and Nagai is pulled between his love for Honda and his friendship and longtime crush on Saitou.

We are introduced to Honda’s (Kenzou’s) brothers Shouichi and Shunji in this volume (although Sensei swears we met them in volume 1, it was actually in Open the Door to Your Heart, which was published just prior to this one where Nagai meets Honda’s two brothers). Although they are a pretty good part of this story, don’t feel like you have to have read Open the Door to Your Heart first. You can easily read this volume and then go read their complete story in Open the Door to Your Heart and it will still make sense. For me it actually made more sense this way.

If I have one complaint about Close the Last Door Volume 2 is that it seems very disjointed. The individual acts are really individual stories and although they do push the story of the relationship further, they just don’t seem to flow as well as volume 1 did. That being said, if you are a big fan of the OVA and want to know the outcome, you’ll be very happy to read this. I know after I watched the OVA I was left feeling desperate to know more and volume 2 filled that need.

Character Development:

The three main characters develop nicely in this volume. Although Nagai is competitive and very much his own man, you can see how deep his feelings have become for Honda. Saitou also develops more into his little devil role and some of his actions I think will surprise you. Honda tries to be the cool, collected seme but his insecurities about Saitou show a lot more.

Sexual Content:

There is good sexual content in this volume with most of the longer scenes happen towards the end. I found I enjoyed the sexual content in volume 1 more than this volume although I wouldn’t say there is anything wrong with this volume. If anything, Nagai becomes a much more willing partner and experiments more.

Illustrations:

As with volume 1 and most of her works, Yugi Yamada’s strength is more in how she shows her characters expressing themselves than in the detail of the illustrations themselves. They are still rather simple but I still enjoy her style and you won’t confuse her characters with any other mangaka’s.

Final Thoughts:

I was a little disappointed in the flow of this volume or lack thereof and the fact that DMP decided to go with the smaller size when they had already published volume 1 in the larger size. That being said, I am very happy with the story itself and it has filled the void from the lack of a 2nd OVA. If you have volume 1 already, you’ll definitely want to pick up volume 2.

Plot/Readability: B+
Character Development: A-
Sexual Content: B+
Illustrations: B

Overall Grade: B+

 

Quick Synopsis:

“Nagai is just your typical office guy… except that he’s had a secret crush on his coworker Saitou for ages. But with Saitou’s massive wedding just around the corner, Nagai realizes that it’s finally time to retire his illicit desire for the adorable young man. However, sly Honda has a few teasing tricks up his own sleeve… and once the beer starts flowing, there’s no telling where the night will end! Is this love triangle destined to tumble, or will it evolve into the most tantalizing tryst ever?

In the buttoned-up world of business, you have to find a few ways to let off steam! The men of Close the Last Door! are definitely open to a range of relaxing options… as long as a few drinks, wandering hands and rumpled sheets are involved. It’s all flirtatious fun and games until someone gets their feelings hurt. Who will play the game to win, and who will crack under the pressure of passion?”

Plot/Readability:

This is a classic ‘gay for you’ story as not one of our characters in this love triangle is gay. It’s mentioned more than once that they are men, they don’t like other men, they just like who they like. It also takes A LOT of beer for the action to happen throughout. That being said, there really is a great story here and this has been one of my all time favorites.

To further clarify the above synopsis, our three main characters are Nagai, Saitou and Honda. Nagai is indeed in love with his coworker Saitou, but they have in fact known each other since college. Saitou is now getting married to his fiancée Remi, who happens to be Honda’s coworker and former love interest. It’s at the actual wedding that Nagai and Honda meet, each soothing their wounded hearts at the bar. You could say the rest is history, but then you’d be wrong. It wouldn’t be a love triangle without another person and that’s where Saitou comes in, or back in so to speak.

Character Development:

I really love these three characters as each is very different from the other and as the story develops we start to see the layers of their personality peel away. Nagai struggles with his feelings for his best friend yet isn’t so blinded by his love that he isn’t open to Honda’s advances. Honda comes off as the comforting playboy yet he can’t seem to leave Nagai alone. Saitou is initially portrayed as the clueless friend who is not aware of his friend’s feelings but is this really the case? The dynamics between these three as their relationships with each other develop makes this a very interesting story. It is one where you find yourself second guessing just who should wind up with whom.

Sexual Content:

The sexual content is varied including kissing, mutual masturbation, oral sex and one full sex scene. There isn’t tremendous detail and the scenes are not long but there’s something about how Yugi Yamada paces them that makes them so nice. I love how she will devote eight panels to one kiss alone. There’s something so sensual in a well drawn kiss that will make me forgive a title for not being overly explicit.

Illustrations:

Yugi Yamada is not an extremely detailed mangaka from the works I’ve seen. Her illustrations are not very detailed or refined and they tend to be rather simplistic. I think where she excels in this particular story is in the pacing of her panels as well as the humorous facial expressions she uses. Without them, this would not have been nearly as funny as it actually is.

Also, Yugi Yamada has a very distinct style so once you’ve seen one of her works, it is very easy to recognize her other works and that is something I really appreciate.

Final Thoughts:

I’ve had my copy of Close the Last Door! for a few years and I would definitely consider it a boys’ love classic. The chemistry between the three points of this love triangle makes this story worth a read in my book.

Plot/Readability: A-
Character Development: A-
Sexual Content: B+
Illustrations: B

Overall Grade: B+