tomoya's Reviews

I never thought Polaris would get licensed before Ore to Joushi no Kakushigoto... But that aside, I've been following this BL since vol. 1 came out in Japan. It seems cute and fluffy, though the student-teacher relationship might put people off... But please look past that. This story is SO much deeper. Vol. 1 is just worldbuilding. There's also a good amount of foreshadowing in it, so pay close attention to details! Polaris quite literally changed my life. Kosei in particular has captured my heart with how much he grew in the story. Yes, he's a brat! He's just some teenager that's growing up! That trait of his is what makes his development so much more heartwarming than if he wasn't so selfish and pushy. Next, you got Ayato. He does set boundaries (but Kosei tries to pass it) and also carries a bit of Something that's a spoiler. His development is great as well. Actually, all of the characters are great and the plot is too. Genuinely Kashima's best work by far and my current hyperfixation, LOL. I'd also like to mention that Kosei's and Ayato's names connect to the title! "Kosei" means "glittering star." The first kanji in "Ayato" relates to space from how Orihime weaves fabric by a river and the second kanji means "big dipper"! Kosei in particular actually represents Polaris, which people use to guide themselves. "Dawn" represents new beginnings...which is a good thing to keep in mind while reading! I could say so much more, but character limit. TL;DR: PLEASE READ POLARIS!

Oh my god... Chiaki Kashima, my favorite BL mangaka, FINALLY having an English license? Deserved, truly. This title of hers in particular holds a special place in my heart. It's actually a spin-off of her older title, Akihabara Fall in Love, but she improved GREATLY since then. Satoru and Masumi's dynamic is really fun and both characters are great on their own too. It's really hard for me to explain why I love this title so dearly, but I just want to tell everyone to Just Read It and also check out the rest of Kashima's works! Just take note of how she LOVES to do the bait-and-switch trick, haha.

I actually first found this BL through the mangaka promoting it on Twitter. This magazine, and publisher in general, typically releases pretty mid titles with a few exceptions, of course. This is one of those exceptions. The name sounds normal instead of it sounding like a JAV, and the story itself is pretty engaging. The art is really good too. Having lived in Okinawa myself, this brings back some memories, LOL. I love a good romcom. Looking forward to the rest!

Honestly? I'm so invested in their strange relationship. They do love each other... It's just that they don't ever want to be direct with their words for some reason. It's hilarious to me. This series getting a drama adaptation was surprising to me considering how suggestive it is, but they pulled it off somehow! I'm looking forward to seeing more of these two if Taino ever decides to continue it!