Manga Monday: Little Butterfly

Little Butterfly (Volume 1)

Hinako Takanaga

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Little Butterfly is a three-volume yaoi series that follows the developing relationship between two seniors in high school: friendly out-going Kojima and quiet brooding Nakahara. Nakahara isn't liked by most of his fellow classmates, misunderstood and seemingly unapproachable, but Kojima would like to give the boy a chance, inviting him into his group while going on a field trip and trying to include him, until he disappears in another attempt to run away from his abusive household. Reluctantly, Nakahara tolerates Kojima's presence and befriends the do-gooder, who eventually gets him to break out of his shell a bit and smile. Soon enough, Nakahara confesses that he's fallen in love with Kojima, who is in turn dismayed by the development.

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I didn't expect much from this book when I first began to read it. The art looked a little generic and it seemed like your typical yaoi material, nothing special. But the relationship between the boys in this book is really captivating to watch unfold, organic and somehow familiar, despite its over-the-top drama. The supporting cast all kind of blurs together, but that's alright with the focus on the budding love between the two protagonists as they learn about each other and their backgrounds, their feelings and desires. There's nothing really explicit in the first volume of Little Butterfly, but I've heard that it gets increasingly sexual, which is nice because I really want to see these crazy kids work out. It's easy enough to overlook this book, but a closer inspection is worth the effort, especially for those searching for a good yaoi story with a lot of heart.