YOSHINAGA FUMI

Kakei Shirou, a straitlaced lawyer, cooks gourmet dinners for himself and his longtime gay lover, Yabuki Kenji, a carefree, hippie-ish hairdresser. The story is told through the lens of dinner preparation.<br /><br />Nominated for the first annual Manga Taishou (2008).

In an alternative feudal Japan, a strange disease that only affects males caused a massive population reduction, leaving females to fill the vacant jobs, therefore changing the social structure. Now, 80 years after the initial outbreak with a 1:4 male:female ratio, Japan is a completely matriarchal society. Females hold all important political positions, and males are their consorts. Only the most powerful female--head of Tokugawa shogunate--may keep a harem of handsome and unproductive males, known as "Oooku."

In an alternative timeline of feudal Japan, a strange disease that only affects men has caused a massive reduction of male population, thus women have to pick up men's jobs, changing the social structure. Now, after 80 years of the initial outbreak and current man:woman ratio of 1:4, Japan has become completely matriarchal, with women holding important political positions and men being their consort. Only the most powerful woman -- head of Tokugawa shogunate -- can keep a harem of handsome yet unproductive men, known as "Ooku."Recipient of special prize at The Japanese Association of Feminist Science Fiction and Fantasy's fifth annual Sense of Gender awards (2005), Excellence Award for manga at Japan Media Arts Festival (2006), Grand Prize in Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize (2009), Tiptree Award (2010)Nominated for the first annual Manga Taish? (2008).--------------From the creator of smart, sensual and wry stories like Antique Bakery and Flower of Life, comes a historical manga set in the era of samurai with a twist: What if most of the men were wiped out by a plague, and what if the shogun was a woman? The result is Ooku: The Inner Chambers, a historical fantasy series about a once-male dominated society turned inside-out, and a female Tokugawa-era shogun who keeps a harem of handsome male consorts for her pleasure.

From DMP: Vol1 - Young Mr. Ida might be a newbie teacher, but he is capable enough. Problem is, every time he writes his lecture on the board, he feels this deeply intense gaze boring through the back of his head. Could he be doing something wrong? For huge and intimidating student Kobayashi, Mr. Ida can't do anything wrong. In fact, Ida is Kobayashi's Mr. Right. That's why Kobayashi keeps giving the timid teacher looks that could kill. Just as Ida begins to lose confidence in his teaching, Kobayashi musters the courage to clarify that the intense gaze he gives is not one of hatred but one of love. Spurred on by his feelings, Kobayashi ends his confession with a kiss. Ida doesn't push him away. All should be well. But it isn't. After all, the course of true love never does run smoothly. Vol2 - Kobayashi, Toyo, Ida, Hashizume, and Rikuko...everyone has gotten a little older, but are they any wiser? The loveable characters of the Moon and Sandals saga begin a new chapter in their lives. Kobayashi and Toyo have both successfully started their careers, Hashizume now heads his own restaurant, and Rikuko is studying to be a doctor. But amidst all this seeming success, old issues still lurk below the surface, waiting to be resolved. Question is, will the gang be able to muster enough maturity to finally settle old scores? 

From BLU: Hired as a servant by an Aristocrat family, Claude works hard to care for the family that took him in. But when the master of the house and his wife eventually pass away, Claude must keep spoiled son Antoine in line and teach him to be a proper gentleman. As the two become closer, a forbidden love develops between them... The story begins in chapter 6 of Hontoni Yasashii.

From BLU: From modern-day tales of romance in Seattle, to eerie stories from historical Japan, to Yoshinaga-sensei's depiction of the class conflicts that fueled the French Revolution... In these unforgettable tales, there's a little something for every BLU fan! And perhaps best of all, the characters Claude and Antoine (a young aristocrat and his butler) are introduced in this volume. Catch up to their later adventures in Fumi Yoshinaga's 'Lovers in the Night'! *Contains a oneshot called True Tenderness. 'Ai towa Yoru ni Kizuku Mono' (Sequel)

From 801 Media: Tamiya meets Tohdou at Teinou Universtiy, a school for kids from well-off families. Tamiya is shocked at the different values that Tohdou and his friends have, but begins a curious friendship with them. As graduation nears, the two friends strike up a fledgling love. From the cover: The serious and well-bred Tamiya, after enrolling at Mikado-nen University among the scions of celebrities and VIPs, meets the wild, rich kid, Toudou. Somehow they seem to always bump into each other; as graduation approaches, subtle changes occur in their relationship.

Fumi Yoshinaga weaves together the disparate lives of Yukiko and her friends in five short stories, exploring the women's various relationships with the skill and elegance she is famous for. [uploaded on manhuascan]

Kouhei is a doctor at the local university hospital who has lost touch with his high school friend Tadashi. While Kouhei grew up to become a successful young doctor, Tadashi became a jobless, poor-as-dirt, flaming gay writer. But one lonely night, at his wits end, Tadashi sends Kouhei a text message and receives a reply. Of course Tadashi has secretly harbored feelings for Kouhei for a long time. But when he finds out Kouhei is getting set-up for an arranged marriage… (this is for the first chapter only; the other 4 chapters are unrelated) The only thing keeping Tadashi, a struggling song lyricist, alive is food handouts from Kouhei, a successful doctor. In fact, Tadashi has been leeching off of Kouhei for practically their entire professional lives. Before they arrived at this queer living arrangement, they once enjoyed a little fling back when they were in high school. Though the affair ended briefly afterwards, they've remained fast friends still. But Kouhei's parents want nothing more than to see their son settling down. As Kouhei is pushed ever more forcefully into an arranged marriage, will he finally admit that he sees Tadashi as something more than just a friend?

On her way home from work, Tamaki witnesses her daughter Akari kissing Norimoto, a girl in the same grade as her, in a vacant lot. Tamaki goes home and talks to her husband about it, but he seems to have his own feelings about it... In fact, her husband once fell in love with a boy in the same grade when he was in third year of junior high, just like Akari. This is an omnibus series that explores the various "forms of love" that exist between us.

Vol1 - Young Mr. Ida might be a newbie teacher, but he is capable enough. Problem is, every time he writes his lecture on the board, he feels this deeply intense gaze boring through the back of his head. Could he be doing something wrong?For huge and intimidating student Kobayashi, Mr. Ida can't do anything wrong. In fact, Ida is Kobayashi's Mr. Right. That's why Kobayashi keeps giving the timid teacher looks that could kill.Just as Ida begins to lose confidence in his teaching, Kobayashi musters the courage to clarify that the intense gaze he gives is not one of hatred but one of love. Spurred on by his feelings, Kobayashi ends his confession with a kiss. Ida doesn't push him away. All should be well. But it isn't. After all, the course of true love never does run smoothly.Vol2 - Kobayashi, Toyo, Ida, Hashizume, and Rikuko...everyone has gotten a little older, but are they any wiser?The loveable characters of the Moon and Sandals saga begin a new chapter in their lives. Kobayashi and Toyo have both successfully started their careers, Hashizume now heads his own restaurant, and Rikuko is studying to be a doctor. But amidst all this seeming success, old issues still lurk below the surface, waiting to be resolved. Question is, will the gang be able to muster enough maturity to finally settle old scores?