BL Purchase #2: ZE series by Shimizu Yuki
I finally bought my first english BL manga in print!!!
It's not really my first BL purchase because I initially bought Durarara!! doujinshis last August which I eventually sent to Dear Marionette scans last December to be scanlated including the works of Nalis and the Sweet Emotion dj by Cassis which made me quite broke,hahaha
Sweet Emotion is now in translation phase so I'm excited for that release
And I also bought titles from suBLime, though they're in digital form, which I'll write a post about these upcoming days.
Anyways, this purchase would not be possible without Eiwa Manga Store, a local online seller, which I didn't know, sells English BL manga,too. I'm really such an idiot.
If I have known that they're selling ZE volumes last year, even the rare volume 6, I would snag that volume.
The prices are affordable about $13-$17 or P500-P700 each with cheap shipping. All my orders arrived after two days, all shrinked wrapped :D Sounds like I'm advertising them, hehehe.
But seriously, shipping prices of Amazon and Akadot,besides Book Depository, are super expensive so I'd rather choose a local seller.
So I just read ZE around December and I fell in love after reading Genma and Himi's story. It's cute that Genma is the one who fell in love first when Himi innocently kissed him to heal his wounds. But when Himi died while protecting Genma even though he's not bound to him, I cried like shit because I don't know if he will ever be revived. The angst is so heavy in volume 4 that it evoked heaps of tears from me. Revived Himi's desperate attempt to be accepted by Genma is so so heartbreaking.
Thankfully, they did get a happy ending when Genma realized that Himi protected him because he had finally fallen in love with him. It's like he just needs a confirmation that Himi did love him. I have this feeling that when he learned that Himi protected him out of love, he had finally moved on. Yes, MOVED ON and chose not to linger in the past but to embrace the new Himi who was old Himi's response for his love. I was somewhat confused at first if Genma actually moved on or he just sees old Himi into the new Himi. But when I've read his response to Waki's jeers when Asari retained his memories in volume 9, I've realized that he came to love the new Himi as a new love or rather as a whole different person and not just a sole extension of the original Himi. After all, the flash back in volumes 3-4 are Genma's POV.
Shoui and Asari is my second favorite couple. I really like the feisty attitude of Asari and how Shoui is so determined to be an acceptable kotodama-sama for Asari. I really cried when I've read their backstory in volume 9. Thank God for Chuiyi's translations of volume 9 up to chapter 56 of volume 11.
I've also read Waki's story but it kinda feels rushed for me, maybe I just wanted to see more of Waki and Magane's interactions. And I want more smut from them.Haha. Thank God for the extras and the bonus comics that cpr34 scanlated.
I'm also fond of Raizou and Kon's story although I find it a bit lacking in terms of exposure in the latter chapters. Of course, the other volumes focused on the rest of the Mitou family but I just maybe want to see moreee from this cute couple.
I also like Moriya and Ryuusei's story. I like their bickering and Moriya's reserve to not be a hakushi. Also, Ryuusei's crush on Himi is so funny that it makes Genma utterly jealous. Unfortunately, only volume 5 was scanlated so there's this desperation to find the sequels.
BUT, volume 6 was already sold out and as of now, there's no news of its reprint. So I decided to preorder volumes 7-8 via Book Depository.
Somehow, I'm kind of disappointed because the November release of volume 8 is changed to March 2014. Seriously?
Volume 7 will arrive this September and even though I already saw it in Chinese, I can't help but be engrossed in Kotoha's cuteness and Konoe doting on him.
PS. I still have some titles to feature and I'm kinda excited that volumes 4-5 will arrive this July.
