365 Days of Manga, Day 102: Freefall Romance

FREEFALL ROMANCE (Rakka Sokudo, “Free Fall”) （落下速度) • Hyouta Fujiyama • DMP (2007) • Frontier Works (2004) • 1 volume • Yaoi • 18+
Ad man Renji Tsutsumi is assigned to work on an ad campaign with Youichi Nanase, a beer-company executive. A drunken confession or two later, Tsutsumi starts to fall for Nanase, and the men have to handle their conflicting feelings without destroying their business relationship. Meanwhile, Nanase frets about his openly gay college-age brother. Freefall Romance takes its time getting to the sex; Tsutsumi and Nanase spend about half the manga dancing around their relationship before finally admitting that, yes, they are in fact totally hot for each other. But the slow build allows for character development and a touch of realism, as the characters flounder in their new identity as a gay couple (at one point Nanase frantically pictures and rejects a series of ideas for dates–riding the rides at an amusement park, shopping for rings–before settling on a discreet movie). The “working on a beer commercial” premise is novel, albeit gradually forgotten as the story ambles along. (Review by Shaenon Garrity)

Today we have two winners, because I wasn’t online on Christmas Eve. December 24’s winner is Chris K. of Texas; December 25’s winner is Tathyana E. of Nevada. Congratulations, you guys! And today’s yaoi review is of course by the great Shaenon Garrity.
We also have a new photo from Patrick!

By an incredible coincidence, Patrick’s sister, Ash, also won “365 Days of Manga” a few weeks earlier. Congratulations, you guys! I hope your sibling bond is strengthened by the experience of reading manga together! And I hope that “Dragon Voice” helps you out with your vocal lessons! A hearty “woo0000oooot” to both of you!!