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Bond(z) (Yaoi) | 
| Author: Toko Kawai
Publisher: 801 Media, Inc.
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $8.26
You Save: $7.69 (48%)
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 497014
Media: Paperback
Pages: 192
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7 x 5.2 x 0.6
ISBN: 1934129003
Dewey Decimal Number: 741
EAN: 9781934129005
ASIN: 1934129003
Publication Date: April 21, 2007
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| Customer Reviews:
 Very Good Stories! September 14, 2007
Shad Shadow
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Nothing too explicit, but does show a bit. This oneshot collection is pretty good. Bondz is the best of the collection, but the others are good as well. I like this one a lot (like a guilty pleasure).
 Pretty good. May 8, 2007
T. LaPonte (Connecticut)
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
This is both my first Toko Kawai manga (dunno how I've overlooked Our Everlasting all this time) and my first 801media title. I thought I'd be disappointed since most of the "compilation" yaoi titles I pick up end up having disappointing title stories and underdeveloped filler shorts. However, I was not disappointed with this title, which was both surprising and refreshing.
I didn't have a problem with the translation like the previous reviewer, though that might be because I have come to expect lower standards in yaoi localizations (and have read a lot of mediocre scanlations in my time). The packaging (not the dust jacket, mind you) actually had one color picture, which I wish more manga did (for the price we're paying they can throw in a bonus color page, right?). The dust jacket itself features the apparent mascot of 801media, 801-chan, a sailor-uniformed yaoi fangirl. She reflects in the inside rear fold in a four panel extra comic that an uke is not supposed to be taller than his seme (possibly alluding to the fourth story pairing in the book), much to the chagrin of her boyfriend standing nearby. Very funny.
The first of the four short stories in this volume is definitely the strongest. It being the title story it is also the longest and probably the most explicit of the book, though most of the book is pretty tame by general yaoi standards (love scenes, but not particularly graphic or drawn out). I'd have to say my absolute favorite panel in the book, though, is in the second story, Situation, in which the main character, Yoh, reflects as an adult on his former childhood teacher's words of discourangement for his love of his male best friend: "Thanks for implanting those words into my head... You b****. Please die." The panel just jumped right off the page and I was hooked.
None of the stories are particularly original in their content, but Kawai does not seem to be the type of mangaka that sacrifices story depth for graphic bits. Her love scenes are reserved for the genre and her characters are very human, not polarizations of seme/uke stereotypes. They are presented as kind-hearted men with real life issues, many of which focus around their conflicting feelings for one another (cliche, but effective). Even in the "fantasy" story, Kitan Garden, even though Prince Fiona is from a magical flower kingdom and finds himself in the human world as a naive and cute boy, he still struggles with his short time to enjoy the company of the human man that he has come to love. It also helped that Kawai's character designs were never particularly girlish. It's hard to believe a yaoi situation about "normal" men when half of them might as well be flat-chested girls.
My only real disappointment was in the unresolved feeling I had about a couple of the story arcs. I felt like the first story in particular could have benefitted from one last passionate love scene between the two men in their reunion. It would have helped give a little more closure to the story, especially with the anticipation Kawai created earlier in the "piercing" scene. Getting us excited about something and then not following through is called "teasing," you know.
In all, I'd recommend this title if you want some short reading without lingering attachments. If you're looking for the really hardcore stuff, you'll better be served somewhere else, though.
Early stories from Kawai-sensei May 1, 2007
pgrape (The North Country)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
The stories presented here were originally published in 2000-2003, and show the development of this manga-ka. Her author's notes at the end are not the usual hyper-humble fluff--she is very candid about what she tried to do in each story, and about the last one, "Sakura," she begs to be excused from saying anything at all. "Sakura" is, indeed, a cliched piece--but even so, Kawai-fans will see the beginning of several themes and character types here that will be used more effectively in her mature work.
Typically for this kind of collection, the longest and best story is the first one. "Bond[z]" is one of the most explicit stories in the Kawai canon. As with all the best of her work, though, it is the emotional shocks that really stay with you. The other two stories in the book are good reads--neither of them are typical of her later work, but they are still distinctively Kawai.
I was surprised at how poor the translation is. The quality is several notches lower than the average DMP/June book (801 Media is an affiliated publisher of DMP). In a couple places the dialogue makes no sense. Most often, though, it is just awkward and clunky. It's a shame DMP couldn't maintain quality in this area, because the other production values for this book are very good.
Glad to add this Yaoi anthology to my collection April 14, 2007
R.Parklane (Tokyo, Japan)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
4 stories here by my favorite mangaka. The 1st one of the same title centers on the relationship between 2 close friends, Tomo and Keita. They have girl friends but one summer day changes everything. This story is kinky, sexy, emotional and "angsy" as Tomo and Keita become obsessed with each other, their passion escalating after each secret encounter. The sex here is explicit.
The second one is my favorite and just so heartwarmingly sweet, touching and cute. Yoh and Akira are childhood friends. They obviously love each other. But their relationship is hurt by one teacher's remark. Both seme and uke here are extremely likable.
The 3rd one is the mangaka's first attempt at fantasy. This story between a gardener and his rose is melancholic, bittersweet and really gets to you.
The 4th story is think "Roman Holiday". The plot here is predictable but still pretty enjoyable.
Overall a great collection to have indeed!
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