▪	RELEASED BY:		BLU MANGA UK
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		YUKI SHIMIZU
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		188
		▪	RATING:		18
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		08/11/2005
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		12/23/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		SANDRA SCHOLES

When Izumi, a high school student receives a call from his friend Konno about setting him up on a date with a hot girl saying his friends wanted him to introduce her to Izumi, what else can he do but accept. But when he is left waiting forty minutes for the girl to arrive, he fast realises he has been stood up, then someone unexpected arrives and gets involved in a car accident, dropping a single red rose in the process.

Picking it up from the floor is the single gesture that causes his life to change in a dramatic way when he encounters dashingly handsome Takamiya Katsura who amazingly is a guy and mentions he is his date for the day.

Time out horse-riding and a candle-lit dinner later, they find themselves in a bar, the conversation flows, more drinks are imbibed by Izumi when he starts to feel rather light-headed and ends up in Takamiya's arms, then into his bed. After a rather steamy night's love-making, Izumi wakes up the next morning only to find money waiting for him on the bed - then the realisation strikes him that Takamiya thought he was a male escort from B&B Dating Club.

Normally straight by nature, Izumi finds he is no longer attracted to girls after his one night tryst with Takamiya. Furious he has been taken advantage of, he demands to know why he said he wanted to see him again as he finds he is attracted to Izumi and has the intention to date him.
Astonished at this, Izumi has no idea what to do, denying he has feelings for him to himself he leaves his turmoil inside until one day.

Love Mode has all the ingredients for a successful manga novel. A date set up by a friend, mistaken identity, a smitten suitor and a reluctant male all served up with comedy that shows in every panel.
Izumi, the wide-eyed uke is totally innocent most of the way through and it is that which makes the manga that much funnier. It also expands on their friendship with the ups and downs two males would face. Izumi is in denial even though he does like being around him; and Takamiya who considers him more than just a friend.

There is a special section at the end where Izumi Sakashita and Takamiya Katsura have their personal profiles enclosed with their dates of birth, astrological sign, blood type and favourite food which is fun to read when it is found out why Izumi will be leaving the chocolates for a good while.

And to wrap up the first volume nicely, at the end is a special bonus comic where Aoe is less then a gentleman toward Izumi and is dealt with by the one closest to him. This is also one of the themes leading up to volume 2.

IN SUMMARY:
Mistaken identity never went so well - this is blind dating with a difference. Truly sensational.