▪	RELEASED BY:		DIGITAL MANGA PUBLISHING
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		MOMOKO TENZEN
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		180
		▪	RATING:		18+
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		08/19/2009
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		07/19/2009
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		RACHEL BENTHAM

The first of five stories bears the title of the manga.  Hiroto’s childhood pal Satoshi floors him with a coming out confession. Not only is he gay, he’s in love with Nao, the star basketball player in the school. Hiroto is shocked but kind and supportive to his friend, really empathetic, which is what makes it so surprising when readers find out his secret regarding Nao! Oh, it’s a tangled triangle indeed!  Now a jealous Hiroto has to figure out just who he is jealous of – his best pal or his sempai? Either way, hearts will be broken no matter which he decides or who he chooses.

The short story has a fair share of melodrama. I wish it went on a little longer because I really wanted to see the fallout from everything. But the stories in this yaoi collection are short, and like the title suggests, unsophisticated and straight to the heart and passion of the matter.  Like in “Pretender”, Katase is in a sham relationship with a girl in order to hide his sexuality. When his best friend Manaka learns that the relationship ended, he confesses his feelings to Katase. Instead of jumping for joy, Katase pushes Manaka away! He does so because he fears his friend only is confused over their shared affection as close companions and that he would regret being intimate with Katase later on. Wanting to spare his own feelings, Katase tries to put a wall between him and the friend he’s always loved, but Manaka’s persistence wins out and Katase has to decide if he will risk his heart after all.

“Midori Vivid in My Eyes” is one of my favorites in the anthology for its quirkiness and mystery. Takamiya is a short and to the point kind of guy who saves a tall dark haired fellow from a bug. He had no idea that Sonoda was phobic of insects or that the suddenly had an admirer in the super rich and socially inept guy.  Takamiya is overwhelmed by Sonoda’s attentions and generous gifts, but his friendship cannot be bought and he’d rather just be with Sonoda. When he says so, it leads to wonderful changes in their relationship.

A class reunion sees Haruno trying to recall a classmate he can’t remember and a night at he should never have forgotten in “Second Love”. His attempts to recall that night so long ago in high school with the student Ueniga stumps him. Uenaga is kind to him and soon Haruno falls for Uenaga in the present. When he finally remembers what he’s lost, it’s a second chance at a onetime love. Meanwhile “I want to be Your Number One” is a more predictable yaoi romance between two friends who share a pattern of misunderstandings before coming to the truth of what is really fueling their passions.

The stories are fun and short romantic pieces. No big surprises over all, many tender moments in the tales and the imagery, and lots of good feelings in short order. The mangaka of Suggestive Eyes and La Satanica gives more shojo-like soft looks in Rude and Unsophisticated. It’s spiced up with some erotic imagery and a nice diversity in character designs throughout the different stories.

IN SUMMARY:
An anthology about gay romances that’s straight to the point!