Review 6: Momoiro Junjou Danshi

Art: 7.5
Plot: 7
Characters: 8
Sex: 8.5

From now on, I'll start off with a short recap of the manga. In Momoiro Junjou Danshi (Peach-colored Pure-hearted Boys), best friends Takagari and Yamaguchi are always playfully kissing in front of their high-school class to get amusing reactions out of the others. One day, however, they end up kissing when they're alone. It doesn't take long for things to get out of hand... WAY out of hand. After they sleep together, the two have to struggle with their feelings and figure out if they actually 'love' each other.

The art is decent, but not quite the style I like best. (I'm actually thinking of eliminating this section entirely, as I'm so picky about the art styles I like...)

The plot is honestly nothing surprising, just the classic 'friends becoming something more' idea that has been recycled many a time.

The characters boost up the manga quite a bit in my eyes. Both guys seem more realistic than your typical seme and uke, partially because they act and speak in a way that you'd expect of two best friends. Yamaguchi (uke) isn't overly shy or feminine, and Takagari, while masculine, seems much calmer than the token seme. Both take on their own personalities, and end up showing the reader a greater depth of character throughout the manga.

The sex - and extensive kissing - in this manga is really what makes it enjoyable. The casual, almost habitual way the two kiss in the beginning is as amusing to readers as it is to the other classmates in the manga, but soon enough it becomes more than that. The moment when the kissing begins to mean something is a really significant point with a fascinating mood. And, of course, the actual sex is pretty steamy, with the added bonus of actually paying attention to the personalities of the two involved.

All in all, this gets a 31/40. If the plot wasn't quite so flat it might have done a lot better, but I'm not really complaining. After all, you can't expect every yaoi to even have a definable plot, can you?

Recommendation: If you have hidden feelings for your best friend (awkward much?), or if you just enjoy sexual tension between two faux-straight guys, this is it. If you're looking for something more serious, or with a plot you can doggedly follow, you might have to move on.