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IMPORTANT NOTE: This post is about sub-genres of hentai manga. Not all readers will want to hear about the sexual content therein. Hentai means "pervert" in Japanese. "H" (or ecchi) is often used to refer to sex- or porn-related subjects. In English, we use hentai as an umbrella term for porn manga and anime. We use "ecchi" to refer to less intense eroticism that is more along the lines of softcore porn that mainly focuses on bouncing breasts instead of actual sexual intercourse or complete nudity. This post will be focusing on yaoi hentai, which is about sexual same sex male relationships. This genre is sometimes called shounen-ai (少年愛, "boys love"), although that mostly refers to more romantic stories. Yaoi (やおい) is the far more erotic version, and features many sub-genres, including bara (バラ, "rose"), relationships between hyper masculine men. Same sex female couples have their own genre (shoujo-ai, 少女愛; or yuri, 百合, "lily"). Perhaps I will write about girls love manga another day.
I do hope that I am not being insensitive by admitting to having a collection of boys love manga. I do not mean to fetishize gay men. I actually think part of why I enjoy this genre of hentai is that it is generally written by women for women, which means that the relationships in the stories range from superficial to overly gushy and cliche, all the way to very human. Many yaoi writers put a lot of work into the art style, the character development, the story, and the interactions, mainly because those elements build anticipation, which is the best aphrodisiac.
Some artists actually get their start working in the yaoi hentai circles. For example, Yana Toboso is famous for writing the popular series Black Butler, but her early works were boys love series such as Glamorous Lip. (I happen to own her book Rust Blaster, which, like Black Butler, has themes that are borderline boys love but never go full romance.) Even the writer of Zetman, a dark superhero story, got his start writing heterosexual ecchi manga like Video Girl and I''s. My point is that hentai and ecchi manga artists and/or writers are not always looking to write something perverted. Sometimes they want to write something that encompasses many human delights, and hentai helps them launch their career. Other times, hentai is their calling.
That brings me to the artist and writer in question: Bohra Naono (直野儚羅). I stumbled across her work on a website somewhere while I was in late high school and first exploring the world of boys love manga. The way she drew her characters was so unique that at first I was not sure if I liked it. They don't look quite like traditional manga characters with impossibly massive eyes and crazy tall hair. Her characters look more plausibly human, and often more believably Japanese. And once you adjust to the realism, they are beautiful. She has a real talent for eyes and expressions. The characters all really look like individuals. Her fashion sense is subdued but charming. She also has a sense of human insecurities, and good comedic timing; she has a real talent for Tom and Jerry style funny pain. The cherry on top for me is that she likes macabre themes and fantastical plot lines. While I admit that she can fall into certain cliches of the trade, I feel that is inevitable for someone who writes so much material. I love her work more than any other manga artist's.
So, let's explore some books and storylines! I will describe my favorites and break them down based on which book they were published in. You can find a whole list of her work here: https://myanimelist.net/people/2625/Bohra_Naono
Arrested Man; Toraware no Mi (囚われの身) - 1997
This was the first set of stories by Naono Bohra that I ever read. Like most of her work, it is a collection of one-shots—manga short stories—that focus on new characters and situations each chapter. Some are high fantasy adventures or horror-tinged tales, while others are about realistic situations. The book generally carries a darker tone, as might be apparent from the name, although comedy and love are definitely mixed in, as is her style. The theme seems to be that each character has one thing or another keeping them from growing as a person or a lover. These stories have lots of dark imagery, but the situations themselves are mostly lighthearted, which keeps the grotesque portions from overpowering the sexy scenes.
Arrested Man - Iori is a seemingly heartless man who is suddenly kidnapped by Naoki, a young friend from years ago. Back then he talked young Naoki into sex, then proceeded to run away to the city to get away from the guilt. Now, Naoki keeps Iori tied up in his apartment as a sex slave as revenge, coming home bloody from fights. Despite all this, the two show concern for each other, which Iori realizes is ridiculous. Naoki takes good care of him for the most part, and Iori tries to talk Naoki into not fighting and getting into dangerous situations.
Memories of the Snow - Yukina remembers a dream he had as a child of getting lost in the snowy forest and being saved by a mysterious long-haired man. When he is a teenager, a handsome man called Shiratori comes to stay with his family and Yukina is suspicious of him. Is he really human, or a snow spirit?
Night without Motion - Kouichi is terrified of sex because he was forced to watch disgusting horror films about worms and rotting corpses as a child and now is almost incapable of looking at a naked human body, let alone his boyfriend's genitals.
Naive Gespenst - A man dies in an accident, but comes back as a zombie to be with his boyfriend. There is a lot of dark imagery mixed with the humor of a zombie trying to be a good lover.
Sigh's Temperature - This is my favorite chapter. It is about a man who lost his foot in an accident, which led his wife to leaving him. In a drunk moment of loneliness, he calls a service using a card left behind by his wife that sends him a male prostitute. Taken by his sad eyes, the prostitute decides to do what he was paid to and they sleep together. In the morning, the man does not remember any of it, and the prostitute makes up a story about how he hired him as a carer. They settle into life together until the lonely man wonders if it is unfair to tie down anyone, especially as he developes feelings for his carer.
Shape of a Glance - Two high school students are best friends and have always been together because the one is colorblind. However, he has started to resent the burden he places on the other and becomes distant.
Body by Body - A man battles loneliness in the absence of his lover, only to have his lover come banging through the door.
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Fingertip Love; Yubisaki no Koi (指先の恋) - 2001
This is one of Naono's few books that features only one story from cover to cover, stretching across all included chapters. Maizuru Motoya (family name, personal name) runs a small detective agency with his assistant Nakagawa Toki, a young man with good looks and a charismatic personality. Motoya keeps a carefully guarded secret about himself: he can reads people's minds by touching them. Therefore, he is terrified of touching anyone but his old friend Yamashita, a police detective who enrolls their help during difficult violent crime investigations. It is apparent that after only a short time the young Nakagawa has developed a strong crush on his boss and his interactions with Yamashita make him jealous. On top of that, he cannot understand how Motoya is so afraid to be touched by him, yet will throw himself into danger when it comes to getting close to suspects. For a while Nakagawa thinks Motoya is a brilliant and reckless detective who does not care for him, and so he quits the agency, until Yamashita comes around to talk some sense into him, explaining Motoya's strange power, which was the result of his ex-fiance trying to have him killed. Motoya was able to read her mind after coming to and discovered her true intentions for him, causing his intense mistrust of anyone's thoughts besides Yamashita's. The rest of the book follows their blossoming relationship as Motoya learns to trust Nakagawa despite those moments when his thoughts reveal what his words do not about which clients he is helping or what trouble he is in with his wealthy family. The story is an odd mix of very happy, funny moments and extremely dark subject matter. Motoya sees glimpses into the minds of killers, and reveals a darker side of himself in the presence of those who harmed him.
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Three Wolves Mountain (狼人與守墓者) - 2003
Interestingly, the cover of this book features two names: Three Wolves Mountain written in English and a second Japanese title that means something like "wolf grave guardians." Like Fingertip Love, this is a full book about one couple and their friends. It chronicles the meeting of Susugi Kaya, graveyard guardian and cafe owner, and a pair of half-werewolf brothers Jirou and Tarou. After the brothers steal Susugi's dinner while he is patrolling the graveyard, despite his gruff attitude, he kindly lets them stay with him, even after the shock of discovering Tarou is a talking dog. Jirou begins working in the cafe out of gratitude, as he is a sweet-hearted individual completely smitten with Susugi, and all three go patrolling together in the graveyard. Within the first chapter we learn that the brothers transform on the full moon, revealing the full extent of their half-werewolf origins. Jirou grows ears and a tail, and Tarou becomes more man-like. Each chapter follows them through one problem or another: grave robbers, the ghost of Susugi's abusive older brother, the birth of the werewolf brothers' sibling, etc. Everybody gets stabbed or shows off their coolness at least once. The side characters are funny. This is one of the rare examples where Naono explores the possibilities of a couple that switches positions, something that is pretty hard to come by in all of yaoi.
Picture found on Mangakalot.com
Shamless Night; Hajishirazu na Yoru (恥しらずな夜) - 2004
Not every set of stories can be connected with a theme as well as Arrested Man can. In this case, like in that one, the name of the collection comes from the name of one of the short stories. Personally I would say that this collection deals with the idea of forbidden love, although the taboo might only exist in the characters' minds.
You at the New Moon - Teruya practically lives at the temple that Kawaru-sensei and his son oversee, esepcially in regards to martial arts training. Years ago Teruya met Ishizuka Kawaru when his parents died and has been smitten ever since, never thinking of Ishizuka as a father figure the way everyone assumed he did. Now that he is more grown up and independent, he has become determined to win his mentor's affections, or least spend a night with him to find some closure. Meanwhile, gruff Kawaru-sensei cannot imagine why a young kid like Teruya would want to be with him.
Unloved - Twelve years ago, Juurouta was a delinquent kid being chased after by a detective named Andou, only to be saved by Andou when a truck was about to hit him. Andou lost his foot in the accident and Juurouta, shocked that someone would do something like that for a punk like him, changed his life to become a veterinarian. Now Andou is retired and Juurouta goes to his house to spend time with him, trying not to wish for something more because he feels responsible for Andou's injury. After getting tangled up with a teenager who proclaims his love for him, Juurouta begins to wonder if he is just a burden in Andou's life after finding out from the kid that Andou does not wear his false leg when Juurouta is not around.
Gentle Warmth - A man wakes up the morning after a meet-and-greet to discover another man tied up in his bed and covered in hickies. Did he do this? Why? To make things worse, he never has people over to his apartment because he has an extensive collection of teddy bears.
Shameless Night - Hikawa is a beautiful man, to the point where he is approached with love notes or sexual harrassment nearly every day. He relies on his friend Wataru to protect him. So, what should he do when he discovers that Wataru is one of the people who has attempted to kidnap him?
Sweet Body - En was practically given to Ayumu, the one-armed heir to a wealthy family estate. Meant only as a playmate, En has become Ayumu's sex servant, paid with cakes and sweets because (1) Ayumu believes he loves them more than anything, especially since he thinks no one would want to be with a one-armed guy like him, and (2) it would be inappropriate for En to admit that he loves Ayumu and would do things with him even without payment like that. This long held misunderstanding leads to a lot of heartache.
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
Happiness of Cowardly Boy; Ikujinashi no Shiawase (意気地なしの幸せ) - 2007
This collection's theme could be summed up like this: characters who are too cowardly to admit the truth. Every chapter features someone with some burning desire or intention that does not come out in a timely fashion, leading to obstacles. The first three chapters are all connected. The last two are not.
A Coward's Happiness - Mori Yuuki is a college student with a part time job living in an apartment. One day he is left with no food after buying too many books and, in a fit of hunger, tries to steal from the local rice shop, only to collapse with the huge bag in hand. The owner of the shop turns out to also be Kawata, the owner of the apartments Mori lives in and an understanding person. Notably, Mori is extremely tall while Kawata is extremely short. They begin spending a lot of time together as Mori helps in the shop and Kawata cooks to make sure he is eating enough. Before long, Mori is completely in love, especially after having the brief opportunity to hold Kawata in his arms during an earthquake. What Kawata does not realize is that Mori's part time job is working as a host in a club.
Slave of Love - Mori's manager at the host club is Teshirougi Mitsuo, long time acquaintence of the owner, Sakuramiya. Little does he know that Mitsuo still practically lives with the owner and cooks for him. Mori confides in Mitsuo that he wants to quit so he can devote himself to his lover and work in the rice shop more, but Mitsuo says the owner will not let such a handsome host go so easily. However, the owner begins to get jealous, suspecting that Mitsuo's talks with Mori are about their own relationship, and when word reaches him that Mori wants to leave, he throws Mitsuo out too.
Revenge of Love - Sakuramiya is a possessive lover and a control freak, as well as a bit secretive. Mitsuo ends up getting kidnapped by a rich teenage girl looking for revenge against the host club owner.
Homemade Vampire - Harumi unexpectedly has Raito, a college student he knew as a child, comes to stay with him. He begins to get suspicious of Raito after they end up sleeping together, and it is revealed that the college student is really a vampire!
A Child's Secret - Kaname and Mori are cousins currently living under the same roof. Kaname is something of a bully, and he makes the discovery that naive Mori falls down unconscious after one alcoholic drink. He begins taking this opportunity to mess with Mori, making him ejaculate in his underwear to wake up embarrassed. However, this prank is beginning to make him think of Mori in a different, sexier light and he gets jealous of everyone, including Mori's swim team friends.
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Temptation & Sentiment; Yuuwaku Sentiment (誘惑センチメント) - 2008
Naono writes a lot about couples who are very different yet drawn to each other for reasons they have a hard time understanding. This collection is another one of those. The tone is set by the first two stories, each focusing on one individual in a set of twins, each of them in love with a faculty member at their high school. However, the title of "The Mole and the Sun" is a more apt description of the characters' feelings in a lot of cases.
Alluring Sentiment 1 - The Hoshino twins are completely identical in appearance, but their personalities are opposites. Subaru is the cooler one while Shin is a very sweet. Little does anyone know that Subaru has been blackmailing the principle into sleeping with him, an older man who cannot understand what Subaru is trying to get out of it.
Alluring Sentiment 2 - Shin has feelings for the school counselor and ends up getting some advice from his brother Subaru. Unfortunately, there is a major roadblock: the counselor happened to spot Subaru and the principle kissing, and mistook Subaru for Shin. He now thinks sweet-looking Shin is after all the faculty, not just him.
The Mole and the Sun - Masaru is a huge fan of model Hiroyuki and happens to live next door to him! However, he is a shy guy, hiding his natural fighting nature from everyone. The two begin spending time together after Masaru beats up an aggressive admirer of Hiroyuki's, but it is difficult because Masuru likes Hiroyuki so much that he calls his name while sleeping with other men. He considers moving to get away from the stress.
You are only mine, and I am only yours - Mika and Honda have known each other for years, going back to the time when Mika was very cute and was bullied and Honda helped him. Now, Mika is a successful gay model while Honda runs a cafe, and they still spend time together. Mika does his best to think of Honda as nothing more than an important friend, but it is impossible.
Angel's Confession - Yuuya is only 15, but he is determined to sleep with Moegi, his older neighbor who lives with his parrot. He comes from an unhappy home where his parents fight all the time and he uses Moegi's house as an escape.
Time for Love - Mamoru and Ryuuichi have been together for some time, but Mamoru is wondering if the relationship needs to be spiced up a bit to ensure its longevity. At work, Mamoru begins spending time with Yoshida, a younger coworker who is clearly interested in a relationship, but Mamoru is blind to all love but Ryuuichi's. Unfortunately, in the process of getting advice, Mamoru makes it seem like he is dating Yoshida on the side.
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
Harem Days (ハーレムデイズ) - 2008
In this collection, the stories do not have much in common with each other. Perhaps you could say they subvert expectations with their character types, such as a delinquent just wanting to be loved deep down or a doctor who is not just a nice guy.
Harem Days 1 - Madoka (nicknamed Enman) was a delinquent, but now he works in an office known as "the harem" due to all the pretty ladies who work for the boss Suzunari. He is basically an errand runner and despite how they get along, Suzunari works him hard. Eventually we find out that Suzunari was just like Madoka when he was younger and has taken a real liking to the ex-delinquent.
Harem Days 2 - Enman and Suzunari's relationship is not kept completely quiet. Still, Suzunari begins to wonder if he is just another plaything for the boss, especially when he discovers that Suzunari is close to the director, who personally encourages Enman to quit.
Light of the Clear Night Sky - Tomoharu, a doctor, meets his neighbor Tatsuru on his way home one night after being ambushed by some thugs while he was in the middle of being sad that people see him as nothing but a "nice person." Tatsuru was a delinquent at one time and the thugs have come around trying to get him back in the gang. The two end up hanging out a lot, and Tomoharu develops feelings for Tatsuru, but the thugs have yet to leave him alone, wanting him to stop influencing Tatsuru.
A Secret Since Way Back When 1 - Yuuya has returned home after failing to make anything of himself in the city, where he babysits his neice and nephew while his sister works, his father is in the hospital with a broken leg, and his mother cares for his father. While there, he runs into their blind next door neighbor Asato, who Yuuya fell in love with years ago. He ran away to the city after Asato got drunk one night and Yuuya had to walk him home, then took advantage of Asato in the entryway, performing fellatio on him. Now, Yuuya still likes Asato, but the guilt is overwhelming. Meanwhile, Asato remembers that night and has never understood why it happened. Now, misunderstandings abound and Yuuya mistakes Asato's caretaker for a girlfriend, and Asato thinks Yuuya's "Ai" is a girlfriend and not a cat. He does not know what to do when Asato gets drunk again at a family party and asks him why he did that thing all those years ago.
A Secret Since Way Back When 2 - Yuuya has gotten a normal job, but still lives at home. Certain misunderstandings are cleared up about the caretaker and the cat. However, Yuuya and Asato are still separated by the belief that the other must hate them. Will things change after Yuuya saves Asato from being hit by a car?
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
Actual Condtion of Physical Love; Hada no Ue no Renai Jijou (肌の上の恋愛事情) - 2009
This collection is almost a ful book, as most of the story revolves around two couples who know each other. The last chapter takes place in a fantasy world Naono has written about many times, but rarely twice in the same collection.
Actual Condition of Physical Love - Tsukishima is a very handsome salary man in a relationship with Yamaji, a middle school art teacher who some might say is a bit pudgy. Standing next to Tsukishima, they certainly are very different. Their chapters chronicle their struggles with body confidence, as Yamaji does not feel worthy of such a beautiful lover and Tsukishima wonders if his aesthetically pleasing body is the only thing his artist boyfriend likes.
Love Affair - Tsukishima's coworker Aoki also has a taste for older men, but he has a crush on the janitor Mizusawa at the office, who he met after being caught when falling down the stairs. Unfortunately for Aoki, despite being pretty upfront, Mizusawa cannot believe anyone would want to spend time with him and is constantly suspicious of the handsome salaryman.
Permitted Song - Raika is a wealthy merchant living in a land where ogres (magical people with horns) are routinely captured to be personal slaves, laborers, and gladiators. He purchases a potentially dangerous ogre called Zai, who knows spell songs that he could use against Raika. Zai is perplexed by Raika, who uses him both as body guard and sex slave, and insists he wear expensive collars.
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The Circle (サークル) - 2009
The first two chapters of this collection are related, as two characters are friends. Then the last three chapters are all about the same couple and their family. After that, there is some bonus material, as there is in a lot of Naono's books.
The Circle - Tachikawa is the good-looking captain of the karate club, who everbody has something of a crush on. His friend Andou is especially interested in him romantically, although Tachikawa does not really take him seriously. Tachikawa does not think of himself as an attractive guy, despite all the attention. He begins to notice Furuta, a very good looking and talented member of the club, and is surprised when the two of them end up spending time together. He quickly begins to fall for him.
The Box - Andou is having a hard time accepting that Tachikawa is with Furuta. At the same time, a taller guy called Higa has begun stalking him and proclaiming his affections. However, it is an uphill battle, as Andou is prone to punching and Higa is not above kidnapping.
Blood Hope - Hisae is a professional potter who happens to pick up a book on the ground, giving himself a paper cut, and reading a few nonsense verses on his way home from grocery shopping. It turns out to be a spell book that was trapping a demon named Hakuou. The demon offers Hisae a wish to reward him for releasing him, which he refuses. So, Hakuou decides to go home with Hakuou until he thinks of something. As it turns out, Hisae's family has cursed blood that cannibalizes itself to continue the bloodline, leading to the death's of Hisae's late wife and his daughter's husband. When Hisae's granddaughter is hit by a car, Hakuou offers to use the curse to save her in exchange for Hisae's life.
Blood Trap - Hakuou now lives permanently with Hisae's family, masquerading as a pottery trainee. Unfortunately, a cherub from Heaven appears to trap the demon once more.
Blood Chip - Hisae has been telling Hakuou to get rid of some of his awful pottery that cannot be sold. Apparently, it is not only ugly; it attacts dark things. Hisae is trapped inside a vase by something terrible.
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
A Place in the Sun; Hinata (日向) - 2010
This volume contains all the stories from a previously published book called A Bird Flying in a Dream, which was my favorite for years. That volume contained sequel chapters to the Hinata story. This new volume contains all of Hinata, making it a thicker volume.
Hinata - Kakeru (17) endures constant abuse at home. He has finally decided to take a razor to his wrists, but before he can do anything a baby comes crawling by and he has to catch her before she goes right off the bridge. Her name is Rurika and her father Youichi (45) catches up, only to see that Kakeru has many bruises on his face. He brings the boy home and lets him stay as a babysitter, making sad discoveries about Kakeru's state of health such as his one deaf ear and a permanent scar by his eye. Youichi is a photographer, so Kakeru knows what his deceased wife looked like. Youichi even took sexual pictures of her with him, opening the conversation between Kakeru and Youichi to sex.
Sun at Midnight - Rurika is now one year old and walking. Kakeru now lives happily with Youichi and Rurika, but he feels like a burden, so he considers taking a modeling job offered to him by Youichi's friend.
Moment - Atsushi goes to his sister and brother-in-law's bar to take their advice about getting out a little, but his long hair, work outfit, and glasses do not fit in. Suddenly a handsome regular with dreadlocks named Ichirou passes by and Atsushi is smitten. He enrolls his sister's help in looking a bit better, and that very night Ichirou asks him out. They spend the night together, and Atsushi drunkenly admits his intense feelings. For a little while he is stuck at work, and when he returns to the bar to try bumping into Ichirou again, he sees the handsome man get kissed by a girl, so he tries to get on with life. His sister and brother-in-law both try to comfort him, going grocery shopping with him or hugging him, which Ichirou sees and now believes Atsushi to be sleeping around.
The Way to Go, Calling the Moon - Otsuji is stabbed while walking in a dangerous park, falling into the lake where a demon guardian lives. The guardian has been alone for a long time, so he takes Otsuji in, heals him, and tells him he cannot leave the lake and live. Otsuji gives him the name Akagi because of his red hair, and they live together under the water, until Otsuji comes across Akagi eating the body of a woman who was probably killed and thrown into the lake, since Akagi eats all trash and dead things thrown in. Upset by Otsuji's reaction, Akagi admits that he has been keeping here forcefully and sends Otsuji back to the surface. However, he continues to watch him from afar and Otsuji misses Akagi.
How to Keep a Lover - Two coworkers begin a relationship.
The Flower and the Storm Too - Kouta is 25, but looks like a child. Takerou is 15, but looks like a handsome, scary adult. In the past Kouta was like an older brother to Takerou, but now Takerou is big enough to overpower Kouta like a wolf with a little pig.
A Bird Flying in a Dream - Souichirou is a clothing designer who wakes up in his room after getting hit by a car, only to realize it is two days before the accident. This realization causes a profound change in him, as he expects the same thing to happen at the end of these remaining two days and he believes this is the revenge of a pet bird he accidentally smothered as a child. Previously he had a fight with his boyfriend Yuugo over a voicemail from a female friend. Now, he is determined to treasure every last moment and finish sewing an outfit for Yuugo's birthday.
Everyday Life Smiling - Two coworkers start dating. One smiles almost no matter what, even when he is hurt. The other cannot seem to smile no matter what he does.
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
Opposite & Dilemma; Urahara to Dilemma (裏腹とジレンマ) - 2012
The name for the theme here is pretty apparent; people can be opposites and that creates dilemmas. The first set of stories deals with two drastically different looking people from very different wealth backgrounds. The next deals with a significant age gap. And the last is the romance between an innocent deaf man and a good man who happens to write erotic stories. The last one is one of my top five favorite Naono works.
Opposite and Dilemma 1 - Tachibana is saved by Kimihiko one night when he is being beaten up by some troublemakers. While Tachibana is a tall, handsome college student, Kimihiko is a short, glasses-wearing guy with two body guards, Hayashi and Satake. He offers Tachibana a room in the very cheap apartments he manages, and so Tachibana ends up hanging around a lot, especially in Kimihiko's bookstore. It is not long before Tachibana confesses his feelings for Kimihiko, which are not returned, and then is kidnapped by Kimihiko's wealthy father.
Opposite and Dilemma 2 - The body guards' condition for the relationship between Tachibana and Kimihiko is that Tachibana learns self defense martial arts to ensure Kimihiko is protected from those who would use him for ransoms. (This is an interesting couple sexually, as the much shorter man is the seme.) We also learn a bit more about the body guards' relationships.
Power of Love / Please Give Me! - Naohisa is sweet-looking, but is actually a talented, strong figher due to growing up around his mother's bar. Makiya loves a fight, but sucks at it. When they meet, Makiya brings Naohisa home for a bandage, where Naohisa encounters Makiya's single father Mariya. Without Makiya realizing, they begin an odd relationship.
Talkative Fingers - Tsukahara is a writer of erotic novels who has just moved to a new area. When he gets lost one night, he comes across Tooru, who has a large scar on his face and is deaf from a motorcycle accident. Unfortunately, Tsukahara accidentally scares Tooru that evening, but he finds him a different day at the park and apologizes via the notebook Tooru has with him. They begin spending time together, mainly at Tsukahara's apartment. With Tsukahara's encouragement, Tooru begins carrying a cane to make his handicap apparent and works on his sign language. Little does Tsukahara know that Tooru can read lips to a point and he happens to see Tsukahara admit his attraction.
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
Electrified Boy; Denki (デンキ) - 2013
This book was previously published as Dakishimetakunai, or I Don't Wanna Hold On You. It is one of my favorites, partly because it is thicker than others, and I bought my copy in Tokyo after spending several months looking for it.
Electricity - Kouza looks super tough because his mangaka brother uses him as a reference, so his high school classmates are afraid of him. Tooru, on the other hand, is interested in being friends. Having been struck by lighting, covering him in scars, and now going back to finish high school at 20 years old, Tooru does not care what other people think. However, he does care what Kouza thinks. Oh, and Tooru carries an electrical charge these days.
I Don't Wanna Hold On You - Tatsuya is a host at a club who happens upon unemployed Masato in the park. He employs Masato as a kind of sex servant, although Masato begins cooking and cleaning of his own volition. The obstacle here is that Tatsuya believes Masato is still married and Masato believes Tatsuya is a lot older than he really is.
Reason for Desire - On a winter night, Yuuichi comes across reckless Natsume, who picks a fight with him for no real reason. Feeling sorry for the beaten kid, Yuuichi brings him home to where he lives with his grandfather. Their relationship is turbulent and Natsume initially tries to run away, but something brings him back and he ends up caring for the grandfather while trying to figure out Yuuichi.
Pining You and No Good Me - Yamano is the oldest brother of a set of five children and has been something of a parent to all of them. Now, at 36, he is a bit lonely but doesn't know what to do about it. One night he substitutes for a friend at a bar, where he meets Lance, a blonde foreign exchange student. Lance begins courting him, although Yamano cannot understand why. Furthermore, Lance sees Yamano with his siblings and does not realize they are his brothers and sisters only.
Secret Knife / Rose and Knife - These two stories follow an underground hitman who is saved from death by a shinigami (death god). Never in his life has the assassin known kindness, love, or a gentle touch.
Sweet Body - See the volume Shamless Night.
Picture found on MyReadingManga.info
A few other notable works that I do not own are:
1996 Organic - In the future, many people are almost as much machine as they are flesh and blood, and robots are coming into a place of consciousness.
2001 Voice in the Forest; Mori no Koe (森の声) - This is a collection of stories from a fantasy world where magical people called ogres are routinely kept as servants, guards, and pets.
2003 Covetous You and Insensible Me; Hoshigariana Kimi to Futsutsukana Boku (欲しがりな君と不束な僕) - This is a really great collection. Handsome foreigners, Edo period samuri, a construction worker in love with a stranger...
2004 The Future I Whisper to You; Kimi ni Sasayaku Mirai (君に囁く未来) - The whole volume follows Renji, who is prone towards suicidal thoughts, and his possessive lover Kazuki, who dies in a plane crash, returns briefly as a ghost, then reappears later after being reincarnated.
2006 A Desire Boy; Yokubou Shounen (欲望少年) - There is not a particularly clear theme here, but the stories are all really solid one shots. One of my favorites is about a shy writer who loves coming to a certain quiet cafe to eat the food and see the owner.
I think part of what makes Bohra's story style so good, aside from her talent for tender scenes, is that she is willing to touch on subjects that are often pretty taboo in Japan, or any society. In a way, I think she uses those topics to her advantage. There is a lot of emotional drama to be had. These topics include:
Scars
Deafness
Blindness
Masculine-looking women
Amputation; missing limbs
Blood
Kidnapping
Age difference
Crime
Prostitution
Domestic abuse
Divorce
Career women
Male stay at home parents
Negative body image
Depression; Suicidal thoughts and scars
