Lots of good stuff in here! Two characters who clearly identify as gay, a fun, bantering dynamic between the leads, and some pretty darn hot sex scenes. The sexual elements are also refreshingly blunt without being crass. For instance, one of the main characters is shamelessly into plus-size people, but while his openness about it is treated as something funny, his actual attraction to them never is. It was really nice to see. Sometimes it felt like the translators were a bit too gung-ho with all the sayings and slang (which I'm pretty sure I've complained about on Renta before), but the story was still lively and easy to follow. My biggest complaint is that ending felt like it came a bit too soon

There was one story I really liked about a sinfully adorable ex-gangster who finally finds a place where he feels comfortable and loved. The characters were developed perfectly for a two-shot, and I'm glad it was included. I also found "Carrot and Dick," a quick oneshot about a spoiled subordinate teaching his boss that sex can be rewarding, pretty cute. But as that title might suggest, the translator sometimes went overboard (e.g. Punny titles, and a guy saying "Get ciggy with it!" about a smoke break.) And other than those two stories, I thought the rest were mediocre PWP, albeit PWP with unusually muscular ukes. Most of the stories don't bother trying to be logical. A guy agreeing to have sex because he likes spy movies? Sure! Even in Carrot and Dick, the boss just accepts being

Cute, but light. There isn't a heck of a lot of character development or plot. That said, there are plenty of things I liked, such as Yoshitaka's cute younger sister (who's incredibly accepting of her brother's presumed gayness) and the way Kaede takes charge in bed. It's always nice to see a shamelessly sexual uke.These kinds of stories also tend to make the person who moves in such a mooch that you can't understand why the other character puts up with them, but that isn't the case here, which is refreshing. Kaede's pushy, but he still cooks, cleans, and is generally pretty great for Yoshitaka. Recommended if you don't mind a directionless plot so long as it has lots of sex and minimal drama.

Yatamomo's the story of two imperfect guys who just so happen to be perfectly compatible, one of my favourite tropes. The characters don't fit neatly into the archetypes you expect. Momo especially is a delight: foul-mouthed, irresponsible, and yet so used to being treated badly that you can't help but want the best for him. Momo shows a great combination of emotional immaturity and jadedness, while Yata, the "nice guy", comes with a few temperamental problems of his own. The translation is mostly quite good. Every single one of Harada's sound effects has been translated, which is no mean feat. There was a small error in the second chapter, where Yata says "Let me loosen myself up first." It makes no sense in context unless you realize it should be, "Then *you* loosen yourself up." (You can imagine what kind of scene is playing out.) Still, in general I thought the localization was well done. Note: the preview skips ahead in the story, there's actually quite a bit of material leading up to that point. So if you were worried certain chapters had been cut, don't be. There are even extras!

What a fantastic story.Let me start by saying I'm a fan of Kanako Meiji's other trilogy, Son of the Mimura Family. It was a bit of a hot mess, but it had excellent characters and a plot that went beyond what you'd normally find in a BL. This series keeps those qualities, but unlike Son of the Mimura Family, The Sorcerer on the Hill is tightly-written from start to finish. There's enough plot and unique, high-fantasy world-building to fill out a much longer series, but it never feels cluttered or rushed, and even the additional exposition the author sometimes adds to the title pages is fascinating and relevant.The art might put some people off, but the sketchy, hand-drawn style suits the story perfectly and it's hard to imagine it looking any other way. The detailed backgrounds and full-page spreads can be really quite beautiful. The main romance (I won't spoil between who) is a sweet, slowburn affair between two star-crossed lovers, woven together seamlessly with politics, magic and well-earned tragedy. The translation is seamless. My sole complaint is that the ending felt like it came too quickly

I was going to rent it, because it seems like a gentle and slightly more mature shoujo story. Sadly, the translation is awkward. In slow stories that focus on characters, dialogue needs to flow.