Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, Volume 2

~by Yaya Sakuragi

Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, Volume 2 by mangaka Yaya Sakuragi was first released in Japan in 2009. The English-language edition of the volume was published in 2012 by Viz Media's boys' love imprint Sublime. I consider my self a fan of Sakuragi's work and so am very happy that Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love is being released in English. It's her second series to be licensed, following the tangentially related Tea for Two. Sakuragi also previously had two one-shot boys' love titles published in English: Hey, Sensei? and Stay Close to Me. Although Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love isn't my favorite manga by Sakuragi, I still quite enjoyed the goofiness of the first volume and its characters. I was looking forward to reading the second volume, and not just because I've already read everything else available by Sakuragi in English.

While at first Ao wasn't sure, after somehow convincing Ryomei to submit to a kiss he is now certain: he is in love with the older man. Ryomei on the other hand, while being rather fond of Ao, isn't quite ready to accept those affections. Unfortunately, turning Ao down without crushing his feelings turns out to be a difficult task and Ryomei is a little harsher than he really intended to be. Heartbroken after being rejected, Ao comes to realize how much he really does care about Ryomei. Shunpei, who feels he's partly to blame for the situation, is concerned for his best friend. He, like Ryomei, didn't understand just how serious Ao was about the neighborhood Shinto priest. And to make matters worse, Ao's brother Aka, who he doesn't seem to get along with well at all, is in town with some potentially troubling news.

Sakuragi admitted in the first volume of Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love that the series reflected some of her personal preferences when it comes to boys' love manga, specifically a couple with a significant age difference and traditional Japanese attire. Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, while remaining its own series, incorporates many elements found in Sakuragi's other works: a younger man aggressively pursuing an older, more reserved partner (Hey, Sensei?), karate and traditional Japanese culture, not to mention Shunpei (Tea for Two), cakes and pastries and a slightly airheaded lead (Stay Close to Me), and so on. But even though Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love shares these and other characteristics, the way that Sakuragi has pulled them all together in the series doesn't really feel repetitive even if it does seem as though she's thrown in anything and everything she personally likes. And I'm perfectly okay with that.

So far, Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love is a rather silly manga and won't be to everyone's taste. For me, that is part of the series' odd charm. I don't think I would like Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love nearly as well if Sakuragi had taken a more serious and realistic approach with the story. Most of the humor comes from the characters' personalities. I was unsure of Ao at first--he's very different from most of Sakuragi's characters--but he's really grown on me. He is delightfully crass and blunt, readily speaking his mind and completely oblivious to the discomfort and social awkwardness this causes others. He doesn't embarrass easily (if at all) unlike Ryomei who is constantly being caught off-guard and greatly flustered by Ao. At this point in Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love it is clear that Ryomei cares deeply for the younger man, but this has yet to develop into a romantic love. I'm very curious to see how their relationship will progress.

Find in a library...

Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, Volume 1

~by Yaya Sakuragi

Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love is the fourth yaoi manga by Yaya Sakuragi to be licensed in English, but only her second series. I have been a fan of Sakuragi's work since reading her one-shot Hey, Sensei?. I like her character designs and enjoy how she gives small twists to the tropes commonly used in the boys love genre. I was thrilled when Sublime, Viz Media's new boys' love imprint, announced that Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love had been licensed. The series is one of Sakuragi's more recent works. The first volume of Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love was originally released in Japan in 2008. Sublime's English-language edition of Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, Volume 1 was published in 2012. I actually wasn't familiar with the series until Sublime had announced its acquisition. But even though I didn't know very much about it, I was still very excited to see more of Sakuragi's work being released in English.

Ryomei has been an important person in Ao's life for years. Ever since Ao was small Ryomei, one of the priests at the local Shinto shrine, has been keeping a protective eye out for the younger man. Ao is now in high school and despite his cutesy looks is fairly capable of taking care of himself, at least when he isn't completely oblivious to what's going on around him. But when Roymei appears in his wet dream, Ao is at a complete loss as to what to do. He's always been fond of Ryomei, but never expected his feelings would evolve into that kind of fondness. Curious, and against the advice of his best friend Shunpei, Ao beings his pursuit of the older man. As for Ryomei, he's left aghast and confused, caught off guard by Ao's sudden advances. The cute little kid he used to look out for has now become a horny, pervy teenager. Roymei never even considered that he would become the object of Ao's desires and affection.

I didn't realize it at first, but Shunpei is actually a character from another of Sakuragi's series, Tea for Two. I was delighted to see him again in Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love. In Tea for Two he was an elementary school student, but in this series he has now grown into a fine young man. I was also delighted with Ao's character. Although initially I wasn't that fond of him or his character design (Sakuragi deliberately set out to create a cute uke, but I much prefer her usual, lanky designs), I came to like Ao very much. He's a bit of an airheaded goofball with a one-track mind who at the same time is easily distracted. Much of the humor in Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love revolves around the fact that Ao's personality is seemingly at odds with what might be expected from his innocent looks. He's a cute character, but he's also the most dirty-minded person in the series.

Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love, Volume 1 is not at all a serious manga, tending more towards a lighthearted goofiness. The interactions between characters, especially when Ao is involved somehow, are highly amusing. The best reactions are reserved for Ryomei; normally he comes across as vaguely disgruntled and seeing him shocked and startled is very entertaining. The cast in Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love is huge, easily the largest I've seen Sakuragi work with. Ao and Ryomei may be the main characters but their friends, neighbors, and extended families all have a important roles in the manga; there is a real sense of community. I'm interested in seeking how Sakuragi will handle and balance the development of all of the characters over the course of the four-volume series. At this point, I wouldn't say Bond of Dreams, Bond of Love is my favorite work by Sakuragi, but I thoroughly enjoyed the first volume and look forward to reading more.

Find in a library...