Kizuna: Bonds of Love

Ahhhhh, Kizuna... do I really need to summarise this one?

Kizuna is one of the rare yaoi manga that charts an established relationship rather than a budding one and it achieves far more depth of character and story because of it.

Ranmaru is a former kendo star and though he has been forced to give up the sport due to a tragic accident, he still maintains an air of strict discipline that contrasts greatly with his partner Kei who is loud, brash and clownish (think Dee from FAKE).

For those of you who don't already know (how could you not know!?), you may assume that Ran is the seme but you'd be wrong. It's one of the things I love about this manga: that an unbeatable kendo champ (except for one occasion) is our uke.

Kei is fiercely loyal and protective of Ran, largely because of the accident that cost Ran his kendo career. He's also a randy little bugger who can be relied upon to supply the sex scenes we hentais demand. These scenes are HOT. Seriously. The art is a little dated and the facial angles often awkward but the bodies are well and realistically rendered.

Another thing I enjoy about this manga is the occasional focus outside of the two main characters in a way that supports the story rather than detracts from it.

The catalyst for this story is Kai, the mysterious son of a yakuza boss who begins making a play for Ran. Could there be trouble in paradise?