Got this softcover based partly on the widely-mixed reviews - I was curious to know where it fell on *my* spectrum!

And... kind of in the middle (surprise!). The book opens with a three-part story about Takashi, a wide-eyed little 17-year-old who's been in love with his childhood friend for ages, and is delighted to meet him again - only to have the friend seem to ignore him. So Takashi goes after him, big time, which would be rather charming except that he's drawn as such a little kid next to grown-up Wakana that it looks a bit creepy. There's also a lot of "I don't like guys - but if it's you its okay", which can be an interesting story element sometimes but which, here, feels totally superfluous.

The rest of the book deals with another couple, starting with "Playing Kitchen". There's salaryman Kumaki, who daydreams about finding true love with another man, but generally discovers that the guys he likes are straight. Cue a meeting with the handsome Naoto, some rather amusing verbal fencing as each tries to figure out where the other is on the "available" spectrum, and then a rather tumultuous affair (with some of the most awkward sex-talk I can remember reading in a manga - I didn't know whether to credit the author for inserting real-world awkwardness or just to cringe!).

I admit I'd expected more "kitchen" from the title, as in lust-among-the-food-preparation or some such thing, but apparently it's one of those "gotta come up with a title" things. Ah, well!

I'm adding this book to my Yaoi Manga shrinking bookbox, which will set out on its first leg tomorrow. (See the bookbox journal here for mailing order and contents.) Hope someone enjoys the book!

i got this from the bookbox and had to read it right away b/c it's been on my wishlist for ages since it's one of the few early june titles i haven't read. the art is sketchy, but i didn't mind it too much. in terms of the two halves, the first half (teacher + young student who were childhood friends) was pretty typical and cliche, and the student was drawn pretty girly (and even wears a skirt at one point for comedic effect). the second half was about two men and was more about one guy trying to figure out if the other guy went "that way". it had more slapstick-style comedy and was generally more entertaining, although it's a little off-putting that the title has absolutely nothing to do with either story.

glad to cross it off my list but it's not a keeper, so throwing it back in the box.

This book came home in the yaoi bookbox today. Where next, I wonder...

I plan to trade this book in at the Used Book Superstore for cash or credit with which to buy more books (I can never get out of this store without a stack!). Hope the buyer enjoys the book!