Mod Note: This review was initially posted for the one-shot, After 9 Hours, and was subsequently merged into Soredemo, Yasashii Koi wo Suru. "After 9 hours" (followed by "After 10 hours" and "Iro no Aru Sekai") is a parent story to "Doushitemo Furetakunai". Onoda, who is a secondary character in "Doushitemo Furetakunai" has his heart broken by another character in that parent story. He talks about his feelings to Deguchi, a drinking mate. Deguchi, who has always been in love with Onoda but has never confessed and given that Onoda may be into guys, decides to take action. "After 9 hours" and "After 10 hours" are shounen-ai...there are no sex scenes. There is a pannel in "Iro no Aru Sekai", but it is not only brief but extremely subtle. There is more in the parent story (Doushitemo Furetakunai), but also implied rather than explicitly shown.

Story - 8
The parent story is better, probably because of the characters, who have a troubled past, and are both more complex characters. There might be a little more depth in that other story. But this spin-off is also good. Both stories are endearing. The relationships are not twisted or sick, which is always refreshing, and in this one there are some very good comic panels. The plot is realistic. The only thing I find difficult to believe -and this is something a little two usual in yaoi manga- is when a straight guy falls so easily and naturally in love with another man, especially when they are grown up adults who -as a general rule- should already have defined their sexual preferences. It is not so easy to believe, and it is also a cliché. But it isn't so much of a trouble in the case of Onoda, as he had already developed feeling for another man before (in the parent story).

Characters - 9
The characters in both stories are not the usual yaoi stereotype. No bishounen, no tsundere or teary uke, no incredibly handsome, strong and controlling seme... they are normal people... and they handle things in a believable way. They are down to earth characters, very realistic.

Art - 10
The art is simple, clean and elegant. Very mature. I personally like this artist's style very much.

But what makes this manga so much better than most yaoi mangas out there, are the dialogs. The dialogs are natural, no clichés are used, no ridiculously cloying lines... the characters talk like any person would do... and they don´t talk when there is no need for them to do so... neither do they moan non-stop during sex or when they kiss. Part of the charm of the characters lies in the way they talk, in the answers they come up with.

I think this is a manga that even those who are not yaoi fans can enjoy, but if you are going to read "After 9 Hours" and the sequels, read "Doushitemo Furetakunai" first.