▪	RELEASED BY:		DIGITAL MANGA PUBLISHING
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		SATOSUMI TAKAGUCHI / YUKINE HONAMI
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		20
		▪	RATING:		M
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		04/22/2008
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		07/29/2008
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

Three very different young men will be bound together by one free spirited young woman and her tragedy. Her passing will see these three young men brought together not only by grief, but a spiraling path of desire, torment, jealousy, and love. Each struggles with the emptiness where the girl Yuka’s warmth used to be. For the gentle yet passionate Orie, he finds comfort in the most unlikely of arms. For the aloof and aggressive Tatsumi, he will discover gentleness even when he lashes out. But for Suguru, who knew Yuka the longest, his grief will drive him down into the depths of despair and hatred. In that darkness he will seize on the one thing that ties him to the here and now – Orie. And none of these men will ever be the same again.

Satosumi Takaguchi has outdone herself in this self-contained tale layered with sensuality and the complex intricacies of human emotions and behavior. The interactions between these people and what evolves from the tragedy that unites them is some of the most mature story telling seen in shonen ai. Intense both emotionally and erotically, this manga holds some of the most sexually charged scenes ever to unfold within yaoi. Not only because of the edgy nature of the explicit scenes, but because the story does not contain one single act of intimacy that is not emotionally laden with meanings both subtle and heady. No touch comes without often conflicting feelings and reeling consequences. It is a beautifully striking tale in both its drama and the various meanings to be found within it. It is the kind of story you can read again and again and always discover something new within the depths of its characters.

Just as the writer has outdone herself, so too has the artist, Yukine Honami, by creating some of the most beautiful art in manga, let alone yaoi. Such a dramatic piece with so many layers would challenge any artist, could even overwhelm a person. Yet Honami-san has risen to the occasion and rendered some of the most breathtaking illustrations I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. The more explicit content is stunning. It not only conveys the sheer eroticism between the characters during their more intimate scenes, but also imparts the emotional layers within each moment illustrated. 

IN SUMMARY:
Thirsty for Love is one of the most provocative and heart wrenchingly striking manga, not only in yaoi, but for any dramatic manga. It is intense, searing in its eroticism and thought provoking.