Takaaki Kusaka's Feverish (Yaoi)

June Edition's cover will keep the cover illustration, but replace the Japanese copy with English text.

Rated “M” for “Mature Audiences 18+”

Feverish, from manga-ka (creator) Takaaki Kusaka, offers two love stories of hard won love.  This yaoi manga (comics which depict explicit sex between male lovers) preaches that a chaser won’t take “No” for an answer no matter how hard the chased can punch.

In the short stories, “Singles” and “Persons,” Kensei Okagawa works hard and long at a late-night restaurant and bar, so he needs his sleep.  His neighbor, Chihiro, feels otherwise.  Chihiro is madly in love with Kensei.  In fact, Chihiro sneaks into Kensei’s apartment every morning and wakes Kensei with his technique by which he takes care of Kensei’s… morning wood.  Kensei isn’t sure of his feelings for Chihiro, but Chihiro is sure of his.  He’s madly in love with Kensei, but will Chihiro’s lust cost Kensei his job.

Yoh Ootsuki is a bold and arrogant model, and he is used to getting his way and having his way with women – until he meets Ari Shibata.  Shibata is a talented and highly in-demand silversmith.  As soon as Yoh sees Ari’s silver jewelry, he falls in love with the silver jewelry and the silversmith, but Ari is picky about his clients and seemingly takes an instant dislike to Yoh.  In spite of Ari’s prickliness, Yoh isn’t giving up, but he’s in for a surprise about the object of his affections.

THE LOWDOWN:  Although its central focus is lovers playing hard to get, Feverish also has a lot of humor; even the conflict and drama are played with a humorous spin.  In a way, both of Feverish’s storylines come across like one of those Matthew McConaughey bickering couple romantic comedies, like 2006’s Failure to Launch.  Also, like most yaoi manga, both these love stories play out more straight than gay.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Female readers may enjoy the bickering romance or mismatched couple love story, as well as Takaaki Kusaka’s talent for drawing such handsome heads, faces, and hair on his male characters.

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