No Touching At All

Title: No Touching At All

Volume: 1 of 1

Author: Kou Yoneda

Illustrator: Kou Yoneda

Type: Manga

Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing

Genres: Drama, Slice of Life

Age Rating: 18+ Mature

The Story

What I Didn't Like - The story itself is pretty atypical - two salary men working in the same office discover they have feelings for each other, thus drama ensues.  There aren't any real surprises with the plot, it just sort of meanders through the lives of the characters.  Also, it reads a bit oddly - there were several occasions where I had to double back to try and figure out who had said what.  Once I got used to it, it was fine, but by then I was half done with the book.

What I Did Like - I like the story's pacing.  The main characters' relationship isn't something that happens immediately; the reader is introduced to them as individuals and gets to know them, just as they are getting to know each other.  Even once they're together, things aren't rushed - they just sort of go at a "real life" sort of pace.  This made me feel more involved with the story in a way that I don't think I would have have been otherwise.

The Characters

What I Didn't Like - The main couple's back stories felt...contrived.  They're supposed to be all angsty and dramatic, but I just didn't really feel anything for them as their pasts were revealed to me.  As for the rest of the characters, they pretty much stayed in the background - except, of course, for the obligatory "male friend who knows the main characters are gay and supports them."  He plays a small role and is used mostly to move the plot forward.

What I Did Like - I like the role reversals of the seme and uke.  In this story the seme doesn't fit into the typical dark and brooding stereotype that generally follows them around like the plague.  Yes, he has some darkness in his past, but overall he's a pretty happy-go-lucky guy.  Whereas it's the uke that tends to be dark and brooding and has to be pulled out of his shell by the seme.  I also like that the characters each have their own flaws - they aren't the "perfect" men that seem to invade a lot of yaoi these days.  In many ways, this made them easier for me to relate to.

The Artwork

What I Didn't Like - To be honest, there wasn't anything I disliked about the artwork.

What I Did Like - Good proportions, nice angles, solid lines - what's not to like?  The men are handsome in a playful sort of way that really appeals to me, and their facial expressions do an excellent job of conveying even subtle emotions.  I also enjoyed the artist's choices when it came to using poses to convey specific emotions; these were all wonderfully executed.  

The Sex

What I Didn't Like - For me, there wasn't anything not to like.  However, I'll use this section to describe what others might not care for, because this really is just a matte of tastes.  The sex was what I would classify as softcore - it's obvious what the two men are doing and they're obviously unclothed, but the really "naughty bits" are alway (in my opinion) tastefully hidden.  As for the amount of sex in the book there were a total of 6 scenes - more than enough for me, but others may beg to differ.   ;)

What I Did Like - I like that the seme didn't take the uke by force the first time - something that seems to be a common occurrence in yaoi stories.  I also liked the gentleness most of their sexual encounters conveyed - it's almost tentative - a feeling that works very well with who the characters are and why they've fallen into this relationship together.

Overall

For me, this book was enjoyable enough to make it a keeper.  While the story itself isn't very strong, the main characters and their budding relationship make this one worth reading again.