MAY I TIE UP THE YAKUZA? REVIEW

Hello and hello! Gloomy and cold weather has been weighing me down a little lately, but I’m happy that I can actually sit down and write regularly! Looks like taking a tiny break and doing the bare minimum helped me get my creative juices back. So I said, why don’t I go back to my Friday BL corner? I wasn’t sure if I could keep up with a weekly schedule since there are still changes to happen in my life, but from the looks of it I can take advantage of the me today so I can schedule them beforehand.

Hence, I’m here with a title that’s equally steamy, funny, and cute. May I Tie Up the Yakuza? was from the October release schedule and I immediately fell in love with it. Hoping you’ll take a liking to it as well, let’s get to the short review.

Title: May I Tie Up the Yakuza?
Author & Artist: Suji
Status: Completed, 1 volume. 
Where to read: On Futekiya!

What would be one thing you’d wish for if you were to be guaranteed it’ll come true? Rui is hard at work yet again, where he’s at an adult movie set as the rope artist, and without knowing it’ll be granted the second words leave his mouth, he wishes for a partner. He won’t be settling down for any type of partner, mind you. I’ll leave the specifics to him: 

His fantasy is now in flesh and bones in front of him, but the situation is far from ideal. Natori is a part of one of the yakuza gangs, Rui is gay, and has trouble trusting himself when it comes to keeping it in his pants. What’s more, another yakuza gang Rui has worked for before asks Rui to keep Natori as a guest for a while. Natori’s been unable to talk about the dangerous predicament he’s in but is deeply grateful that he was given a chance. 

While I did mention the yakuza, the adult movie industry, and bondage, believe me when I say this is one wholesome series! It does contain some violent scenes from the times where Natori was mistreated in the group he belonged to, but otherwise, everything in this series is consensual and nothing short of warm & fuzzy! Rui is very passionate about his artistry and performs it so with great care, tries his best to build the model’s trust, and cancel the show immediately if they feel uncomfortable even the slightest bit. 

On the other hand, Natori was found abandoned by his family who fled before paying their debt to the gang and was taken in. However, during the years he spent in the group he was abused physically and mentally. The things he had to endure eventually turned him into someone who thinks he exists solely to please others and erase what little self-esteem he has left. His meeting with Rui becomes the first step towards a journey of self-acceptance and instilling the feeling of being worthy of good things. 

May I Tie Up the Yakuza? has a good balance of wholesome and spicy. Sex scenes are quite sensual, and it’s not every day we get to see a tied-up seme when bondage is involved. It was pretty interesting and visually pleasing. The first chapter is free to read on the website, so you might want to catch a glimpse of it if the idea suits your tastes! I heartily recommend you do. 

Overall, this is not an overly-dramatic series even though it contains past traumatic experiences and focuses more on building trust between Natori and Rui, healing, and a new sense of self that Natori can cherish wholeheartedly. If you wouldn’t mind the violent parts which are few and far in between, I cannot recommend May I Tie Up the Yakuza? enough, especially for people who are looking for a title that’ll hurt you just a tiny amount, but will make sure to hold your hand gently as you go along. 

Header source: Artist’s Twitter.

If it’s your first time visiting my blog, you can click on the image below to find ways on how to connect with me ~