Tag: Beast Week

Beast Week Day 4: Fangs That Pierce Your Heart

~ sou ~ Leave a comment

So far this year’s Beast Week has been pretty lighthearted fare, which should come as no surprise since I, the self-proclaimed “BL fluff enthusiast” was in charge of choosing the titles this year. But now, on this ~spoopiest~ day of the year, it’s time to break out the truly spooky, scary yaoi you’ve all been waiting for…

Because, what’s scarier than… feeling something? Amirite, folks? 🥴

Read on Renta!: FANGS by Billy Balibally

In this world, the creatures commonly known as “vampires” roam the darkness among us, known amongst themselves as “fangs.” En is a young man who’s lucky — or unlucky — enough to survive a vampire attack, and become one himself. With no other connections to the mortal world, he’s inducted into vampire society with the help of Ichii, the man/vampire who saved him. Ichii is a member of the FANGS organization responsible for keeping the members of the vampire community safe and making sure all their needs are met — be it nutritional, emotional, or even physical (to an extent). Ichii takes En under his wing in order to teach him about the new world he’s entered and the life he’ll have to live from now on, as well as to protect him from other fangs — their society hasn’t had a new member in quite a while, and En’s fresh young “virgin” blood smells delectable to them.

Central to this new society is the “pairing” system put in place, under which vampires find partners with whom to share their life and blood, in order to keep their health and sanity in check. After En and Ichii mysteriously yet naturally form something akin to a relationship, Ichii proposes forming a pair with En. But En, feeling more clueless the more he learns about vampire life, isn’t sure he’s ready to take that step, whatever it entails. As he accompanies Ichii on his daily duties as a public servant of the vampire community, and Ichii sees to En’s various needs personally, the two slowly deepen their bond — easing each other’s pain of the inherent loneliness of life as a vampire.

The side cast of characters are just as important to the story as the main couple, and do a lot to flesh out the world of the “fangs.” They all have their own struggles and ways of coping with them, and they all feel so real, despite being bloodsucking ageless creatures that can’t go out in daylight. You could definitely interpret the vampires as a metaphor for those who have been rejected by “normal” society, who struggle just to survive, and who seek happiness in what little they do have all the same. It’s quite thought-provoking and gives the story plenty of emotional depth. Author Billy Balibally set out to explore some pretty heavy themes, and every little detail just adds on to their message about people and the connections they share.

The art in this series is just as breathtaking as the storytelling — there’s so much I could gush about, from the stylish character designs and goth/punk fashion perfectly suited to a vampire series, to how soft the characters’ lips look in kiss scenes, in contrast to the sharp fangs ever present in them, the expressiveness of the characters’ faces, and on and on. The aesthetic works wonderfully with the narrative that switches between light and dark seamlessly.

While the series leans toward the serious side, that’s not at all to say it’s a total downer or anything — there are plenty of comedic moments sprinkled in here and there (the little faces that sometimes appear on the peens take me out every time). And the sweet moments carefully dropped in between the emotional battles hit extra hard with a tinge (or rather, a hard suckerpunch) of poignancy every time. If you’re looking for a BL romance that embraces the bittersweet and emphasizes just how important the characters’ presence are to one another, I think you’ll be greatly satisfied with this series.

This is a longer BL series, which means there’s plenty to devour! Volume 3 just recently dropped on Renta! — I was waiting for its release to finally pick up the series, and boy am I glad I did. Every volume ends in a cliffhanger, with more intrigue building with each installment (I’m already looking forward to Volume 4 to see what else the FANGS world has in store for our fave vamps!). If you’re in the mood to become highly emotionally invested in a beautiful, heart-wrenching story this Halloween season, go ahead and sink your teeth right in 🧛.

We hope you enjoyed these daily reviews, and perhaps found a beastly series or two to add to your digital bookshelf! Have a joyful, spook-filled weekend! 🦇

Beast Week Day 3: A Carnivore’s Raging Lust

~ sou ~ Leave a comment

Alright, folks, now that we’re just a day away from Halloween, it’s time to whip out some dark, gritty BL with demons that just can’t control their urges! 😈

Read on Renta!: Total Heat Punchline by Teppei Katou

…Or, at least, that’s what I was expecting when I first saw the cover for “Total Heat Punchline.” Don’t get me wrong, it’s still got demons(?) getting down n’ dirty, and the inside art is just as gorgeous as the cover illustration! But this BL was surprisingly wholesome and lighthearted (not to mention hilarious), despite starring a hardened gang leader and the young man who idolizes him.

In a world of herbivore- and carnivore-type beast people, Shiro’s a hot-tempered carnivore with a penchant for getting into fights. Carnivores face discrimination and often find themselves goaded into altercations, but Shiro can’t seem to not take the bait every time — much to the chagrin of the herbivore Zen, his idol and benefactor who’s also a powerful gang boss. Zen wants Shiro to walk the straight and narrow, and stay far away from any gang activity. On the other hand, Shiro wants nothing more than to join Zen’s gang and work directly under the man who’s done so much for him.

After getting into yet another fight, Shiro’s scolded by Zen, and this time, the topic of his sexual frustration comes up as a possible cause of his frequent aggression. It turns out, he’s in heat, and only getting off will ease his temper. Zen offers to help “relieve” him, since the poor naive Shiro has little idea how to handle this change in his body; he then gets right to satisfying all of Shiro’s body’s cravings, teaching him helpful fun facts along the way, such as, “The penis is the perfect shape to hit the prostate.” (The more you know! 🤓)

If you’re a fan of beefier bottoms and pretty tops, you’ll be eating good with this series 🥴 Shiro’s got a hot body built up from all the years of fighting, and seeing him melt under Zen’s touch is *chef’s kiss*. Zen’s sleek black hair and horns make for an interesting look, and he’s every bit as smooth in bed as he is at his job. With their beastly libidos and inhuman stamina, their steamy scenes together are a joy to behold.

Wonderful ero scenes aside, the story is plenty fun to follow, too. Shiro is the textbook definition of “himbo” (I couldn’t stop cracking up reading the chapter where he wildly misunderstands the concept of an impregnation kink), and his sheer dumbness and innocence are incredibly endearing. Meanwhile, Zen’s a great example of a top who’s absolutely, ridiculously down bad for his bottom. Despite his cool demeanor he’s constantly freaking out about how cute Shiro is, and is the first to jump to the conclusion that sleeping together once means they’re definitely an Item and will be happy together forever after. They’re both lovable idiots who deserve each other 🥰

All 5 chapters (plus bonus content!) of this spicy and silly BL are now available on Renta!, so you can binge the series all in one go if you’d like. If you’re up for a funny, sexy ride with some hot beastmen, I guarantee you won’t regret it!

Beast Week Day 2: A Kitty That’s Too Cute to Resist

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For Day 2 of Beast Week, we’ve got yet another BL title that’s more sweet than scary… but it’s never a bad time to appreciate kitties, and black cats especially deserve some love around Spooky Season! 🖤

Read on Renta!: A Lovestruck Cat Wants to Be Petted by Nira Kaneyuki

Cat people and fans of wholesome mutual pining will adore this self-contained, full-volume BL centered around a cat-turned-half-human and a pet shop employee. As the title suggests, our catboy protagonist Kotetsu is as down bad for his crush Okazaki as one can be, hanging out around the store just to get a glimpse of the handsome cat-lover. Kotetsu’s careful to hide his ears and tail with clothing, so Okazaki just assumes he swings by the shop so often to pick up supplies for his pet cat — none the wiser to the fact that the young man he’s been chatting up is actually a cat himself who only recently took on a human-like form.

Even though Kotetsu’s “cover” as a regular human could be blown any moment if he lets his guard down, he can’t help but desperately want to get closer with Okazaki, a kind and friendly guy with nice hands that look like they’d feel so good to be petted by (Kotetsu’s cat instincts are fully intact, BTW). Their customer-employee relationship begins to bloom into something more when Okazaki suggests they be “cat friends” and bond over their love of cats. But as they spend more time together, will Kotetsu’s innocent heart be able to take being around the guy he’s interested in? And will he be able to keep the cat from getting out of the bag, so to speak?

This is an aww-worthy tale of two guys who are clearly crushing on each other, but are both too dense to realize it right away. Okazaki is a worthy love interest, being a cat-lover at heart and quick to befriend the mysterious and fretful Kotetsu. It’s easy to see why Okazaki finds Kotetsu so cute, too; since he’s still not used to being human, he sometimes does or says things that are unusual in human society, and displays some adorable cat mannerisms from time to time — on top of being generally awkward around his crush, and, well, just very pretty. The two of them are incredibly cute together, no matter what they’re doing. And, if you’re wondering whether there’s some more “intimate” content as well waiting for you… well, just peep that “Uncensored” tag! 😏

This fluff-filled, giggle-inducing story is kind of like petting a nice, soft, warm cat — it’ll leave you feeling soothed and satisfied! 🐈

Beast Week 2024 Day 1: A Bunny in Heat

~ sou ~ Leave a comment

The Season of Spook is upon us once again, and with it we welcome another week of beastly BL finds for you all you ghouls and gals to enjoy! We’ve spent the year sniffing around our digital BL shelves and keeping our ears perked for furry and fantastical finds to share with you all, so keep your eyes peeled for a new review on this BLog every day this week leading up to Halloween! 🎃

The first featured series of Beast Week this year is none other than a high school romance featuring a misunderstood delinquent… who just happens to have bunny ears and a tail sometimes!

Read on Renta!: Honey Bunny Boy by Kurage

We’re starting off strong with a good ol’ “beast people” series! I will say that, contrary to the season of Beast Week, this BL romcom is neither spooky nor scary — but that doesn’t stop me from loving it to pieces.

This story is set in a world where “demihumans,” humans with animal characteristics, coexist with regular people. Arashi’s a high schooler who’s big, strong, and can’t stop getting into fights with people (despite never being the one to start them). Thanks to his notorious “delinquent” reputation and killer Resting Bitch Face, his classmates tend to steer clear of him, making him quite the loner. But maybe that’s for the best (or so he thinks), as Arashi’s got a secret he can’t reveal to anyone at any cost: he’s a demihuman, and not just any kind… a rabbit type, to be precise! He can’t bear the thought of anyone at school finding out the big, burly bad boy is actually a cute little (?) bunny, so he hides his ears and tail at school and keeps to himself.

Things start to change, though, when the excessively pretty transfer student Shizuka joins his class and is seated next to him. Shizuka’s popular and outgoing — the total opposite of Arashi — and yet the two end up hanging out together more and more, at Shizuka’s insistence. This new development coincides with another major event in Arashi’s life: the changes in his body unique to a demihuman, including the onset of a “heat cycle.” Omegaverse and beastman connoisseurs, you already know where this is going…🥴

One day, while hanging with the new buddy he never asked for, Arashi’s first heat hits him like an isekai truck, and his carnal urges are way more than he was prepared for. Most demihumans control their heats with suppressants, but after a doctor’s visit, Arashi gets some disconcerting news… he’s allergic to them! So his only choice is to either jerk it till he drops or find a partner to help him through his heats. Enter Shizuka, his nosy and airheaded companion who just can’t leave his pal hanging! Before long, both Arashi’s identity as a rabbit type demihuman and the truth of his heat are revealed to Shizuka, and he offers to help Arashi satisfy his urges. It’s what any bro would do, right? What follows is some at-school shenanigans, high school gossip gone wild, and a whole lotta denial on Arashi’s part about why he only seems to go into heat when Shizuka’s around.

I really love Arashi as a character, and all the contradictions that make up the anxiety-ridden teenage mess that he is. Shizuka’s interesting in his own way too, being seen as a cool and princely character by most everyone despite being a slacker and absolute SIMP for Arashi’s cuteness. All in all, the two of them make for a funny 5-chapter story that’s as adorable as a bunny rabbit fluffing its tail 🐇

If you read this one and take a liking to it, I also highly recommend Kurage-sensei’s other series we have on Renta!, The Beasts’ Flowers Taken By Storm. Starring an ex-hitman and a flower shop owner, it’s another romcom with strong himbo energy 💗

Beast Week Day 5: Love in a Zombie Apocalypse

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Read on Renta!: Fooling Around While The Zombies Roam [Plus Renta!-Only Bonus]

It’d be remiss of me to let the Halloween season pass without giving some much-deserved love to this hit zomBL series that’s just BRIMMING with action, horror, romance, and plenty of heart-pounding smut in between the heart-stopping thrills. Yuo Yodogawa’s “Fooling Around While The Zombies Roam” (Japanese title: ゾンビ・ハイド・セックス / Zombie Hide Sex) is a genre-blending masterpiece that’s exciting right from page 1 and keeps that momentum throughout.

Convenience store employee Haruomi’s life gets flipped-turned upside down when a zombie outbreak throws the world into chaos. By chance, he’s saved by a handsome soldier named Kazuma, but just when the two have made it to safety, Haruomi is confronted by another problem… Kazuma’s hard dick!! Apparently all that adrenaline pumping can get the blood flowing to all sorts of places! 赤面 Thus begins a confusing yet mutually beneficial relationship between the two —wherein Kazuma protects Haruomi, and in exchange Haruomi takes care of Kazuma’s “needs” with his soft and supple body (sorry, I had to, that boi’s got some CAKE ショート ケーキ). The two set out together to find supplies, other survivors, and maybe even a cure for the disease that started all of this… all the while their feelings for one another deepen.

If you’re a fan of shonen battle manga, zombie flicks, and a bit of gore (though nothing too stomach-churning), you’ll love the action-packed man vs. zombie fight scenes. If you like BL on the fluffier side, you’ll enjoy seeing the cute, bespectacled Haruomi and the gruff but kindhearted Kazuma grow closer throughout the series, and become the ultimate power couple in the face of a dangerous world.

You can now read the first 4 volumes on Renta! The story only gets better as new characters join the cast and details about the nature of the zombifying disease are gradually revealed.

I’m currently working on a longer review of this series (with some inside looks at the gorgeous art), as well as other series by the incredible Yodogawa-sensei, that will be up on this BLog very soon — perhaps even with a special announcement… so keep your eyes peeled! 目

…And that’s a wrap for Beast Week 2023! But don’t worry — we’ve still got quite the MONSTER of a post waiting to be published on the spookiest day of the year, and if any of the manga we’ve introduced this week have appealed to you, we think you’ll be very pleased with it ウィンク. So, stay tuned for our Halloween Special, and in the meantime, treat キャンディ yourself to some of these wicked BL titles!

Beast Week Day 1: Vampires バンパイア

Beast Week Day 2: Beast People イヌ

Beast Week Day 3: Succubi 悪魔

Beast Week Day 4: Werewolves オオカミ男の雄叫び

Beast Week Day 4: A Lone Wolf’s Bad Romance

~ sou ~ 1 Comment

Read on Renta!: Chew Me Up And Teach Me About Love

Okay, so maybe this entry is cheating because technically Kamiya isn’t a werewolf in the traditional sense, but it was only a matter of time before I stopped chatting my coworkers’ ears off about my love for this series in favor of giving it a spotlight on this BLog.

Pokerou’s “Chew Me Up And Teach Me About Love” (Japanese Title: 噛み砕いて愛をおしえて / Kamikudaite Ai wo Oshiete) is admittedly more sweet than spooky, but it’s such a good mix of fluff, angst, and sexiness that I just HAD to recommend it for Beast Week.

Hitomi is a timid but well-meaning college student who finds himself drawn to his buff and manly yet kind neighbor Kamiya. Unsure if his feelings go beyond admiration, he maintains some distance while doing his best to be a good neighbor to the mature and cool Kamiya, in an effort to get closer to the gentle giant. However, he’s forced to confront his confused feelings head-on when one night, seemingly out of nowhere, Kamiya pushes him down and starts licking and grinding on him… Say whaaat?!

It turns out Kamiya has theriomorphosis — a condition which causes a person to develop animal traits (in his case, wolf features) and also become really horny out of a desire to reproduce because, well, of course it does.

Despite the shock of his encounter with his hot neighbor, Hitomi still wants to be a part of his life, and finds himself trying to be as helpful to Kamiya as possible — buying his essential supplies since he can’t go out in public with a tail and ears, grooming him, and just keeping him company in his time of duress (learning that you’re transforming into an animal takes a pretty big toll on one’s psyche, it turns out). Both of them enjoy this arrangement, until they both start to realize they want a little something more out of their relationship… and aren’t sure whether taking that next step is a good idea.

The stimulating sex scenes contrast with the softer emotional side of the story, and each installment keeps you on the edge of your seat.

You need only check the community tags (assigned by the lovely users of Renta!) to see why so many other fans of heartwarming and sexy stories have come to adore this manga.

I wholeheartedly agree.

…There’s so much more I want to say about this series, but we’ll save that for another day when I give it a proper long-form review. In the meantime, why not add it to your Spooky Season reading list and get caught up on this ride of feels? Chapters 5-6 will be available on Renta! from November, and let me tell you, the story gets JUICY — so you won’t want to miss it!

Beast Week Day 1: Vampires バンパイア

Beast Week Day 2: Beast People イヌ

Beast Week Day 3: Succubi 悪魔

Beast Week Day 3: Embrace the Succubussy

~ ames ~ 3 Comments

I’ve already spoken about Sakana Tojo at length, but when given the opportunity to write a review for “Baby, Sugar, Succubus” (ベイビー、シュガー、サキュバス) I’m obviously going to take it. You just have to check my artist spotlight to know how I feel about their work, and this title is no exception.

Baby, Sugar, Succubus is the story of nearing-30 restaurant owner Arata whose dick is Just Too Big. He’s a nice guy with a heart as big as his junk, but no girls are willing to get serious with him because they fear his monster schlong. (Maybe that’s the real beast in this Beast Week article…) An attempted blowjob, a handy here or there, but actual loving, romantic love making? Nah man, it’s Just Too Big.

Enter sweet, gentle succubus Shinya, who passes out in front of Arata’s shop one night because he’s absolutely starving. Arata makes him a nice meal, but what he doesn’t realize is Shinya doesn’t need food as sustenance, but semen. “Please, sir, can I have some cum?” Shinya asks (not really… kinda…), and while Arata has never been interested in other guys before, he can’t help but be drawn in by Shinya’s kuudere cuteness and the fact that this is the first person who’s seen his dick without flinching away in fear and disgust. “Is it the fact that you’re a succubus, or just the fact that you’re you?” Arata can’t help but wonder, in awe of how attractive he finds Shinya.

What follows is the most astoundingly cute, raunchy, amaero manga known to mankind, with Arata and Shinya quickly falling more and more in love while also being able to accept the parts of themselves—for Arata it’s his giant dick, and for Shinya it’s his succubus nature—they never thought possible. They can’t keep their hands off each other, constantly whispering sweet nothings and annoying all of the people around them with their flirting and making out.

Plus, it has a really fun twist on the whole succubus trope, with it just being accepted in this world that there are “variants” to humans and Shinya just happens to be one of those. The beautiful ethereal shine he gets to his eyes after feeding is so unbelievably cute (all those sparkles! how is this a porno manga!?), and I can very much understand Arata wanting to treasure and protect Shinya for all eternity. Overall, 100000/10. If you’re in the mood for a super sweet and sexy romp with the horniest type of beast, definitely check this (and Sakana Tojo’s many other manga) out!

Beast Week Day 2: would you make these two your dogs?

~ Admin ~ 4 Comments

“Two (upcoming) beast-person manga reviews for Halloween?” Well, no, you see, the beast-people in Yanase Seno’s “Double Beastly Trouble” (Double Dog Buddy) are “beastly” (hah), sure, but they’re a species of their own, therefore they’re not the same as any other run of the mill wolfish beast-person. (Putting those rhetoric high-school classes to good use.)

Our protagonist, Sir Ewan Gwenthia, is an aloof, capable soldier, leading a squad against an underground dogfighting ring, where two members of a humanoid species, known as the “larga,” are being exploited. The two reigning champions, cool Zazie and dorky Seto, are unwilling to part with their turf, just as Ewan himself is loath to come anywhere close to a larga. As circumstances would have it though, the twain choose to follow Ewan as his ‘dogs’ and Ewan is obligated by the military to train and subdue them.

Many Renta! readers might be familiar with Yanase Seno’s gorgeous, crisp art-style from their other hit, “Geminis Craving Love” (Aisaretagari No Gemini), which means they might also be familiar with sensei’s apparent preference for 3P/poly action/ménage à trois. So far, the two larga that comprise this threesome are in agreement that they want to “toy” with Ewan. There’s more to them than their animal instinct for domination though, as, at times, they display a more nurturing side, too. With his small stature and very relatable thirst to prove himself, Ewan seems to bring that protectiveness out in the larga, just as much as their need to “play”.

Personally, I’m very keen to see where this plot is going. Ewan has character the depth of the Mariana Trench, and his unresolved family issues are a key part of the story. There’s also the intricate worldbuilding that doesn’t seem to be just there as a setting, but intrinsically connected to the characters, their background and hopefully their path forward. I’ll stop here before I end up spoiling anything, but, let’s just say, if you’re looking for a beast-flavored ménage BL for this Spooky Season, give Yanase Seno’s “Double Beastly Trouble” a spin. And, if you have read it, do tell, whom of the two larga do you prefer so far? (I’m team Zazie, btw.)

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