Flutter
by Momoko Tenzen
Juné Manga
Translated by: Jocelyn Allen
Release Date: July 24, 2012 (Japan: 2011)
MSRP: US$12.95 [BUY]

One of the first things that Asada learns about Mizuki when they get to chatting, is that the guy he's been ogling for ages is gay. The momentary victory was short-lived though, because Mizuki had some baggage. He had still been in love with the same person for years, and we get a full back story.

Despite all this, Asada doesn't scare off. Eventually, they get together, and cute things happen. While the novel itself is rated mature (18+), there is very little in the way of steamy material. Most of the book focuses on Mizuki and Asada's relationship and how they slowly come together.

What I like about the book is that both characters are on even footing. They both start off laying it kind of strong, but when it comes to actual romance, they both become shy. This isn't a story where one character is a clear "seme" while another is the "uke." There is no focus on this whatsoever, which is refreshing. All the dialogue is saved for the drama.

The drawings themselves are also refreshing and simplistic. It's easy on the eyes, and when they get bumping the art is censored (it barely earns the 18+ rating) or drawn in a way that you don't see "the act" in general. Though some scenes take place at work and others at bars and otherwise public places, there aren't many scenes or panels that involve any other characters besides the main two. There is only one other memorable character, and that's Yoshino (Mizuki's former love).

As for the pacing, I also enjoyed taking it down a notch and reading something slow. There was some anticipation for what we got at the end, of course, but I didn't feel like anything unnecessary was happening in the meantime. The story goes with the "flutter" theme of a nervous heart.

If I have one complaint - and this isn't the author's fault, it's just the one-book format - is that we don't get any kind of back story for Asada. The only things we learn about him are he's lonely, and he's too nice of a guy so he gets used or dumped often. It's turned into a positive in the course of the story because of his dedication and persistence, as well as Misaki's full understanding and acceptance of his character.

Flutter is a quick read, and I fully recommend it to any and all BL and Yaoi fans. If you're not really into explicit content but are OK with some brief scenes, this book is also A-OK despite its rating. If you just like to read yaoi for the steamy stuff, then you might find this story a bit slow or dull. Either way, I hope you'll pick up this lovely title! Bonus: it's also available for Kindle, so you could take your boys everywhere your eReader goes.

8.0 – Great. A great example of its genre (yaoi manga) that everyone should see, regardless of their interest.