Lethal Dose of Love
Writer/Artist: Yosumi
Translator: Amber Tamosaitis
Letterer: Dietrich Premier
Publisher: Yen Press
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2024
Rating: 18+ M
Genre: Romance, Boys Love
Content Note: Lethal Dose of Love deals with matters of child abuse, sexual abuse, alcoholism, and mentions of suicide.
When Yuu confesses to Ryousuke in high school, Ryousuke is initially surprised but before he can give his reply, Yuu leaves the next day. Ryousuke never forgot about him though and for years, he’s been trying to track him down. Just as he’s about to lose hope, he finds Yuu again only for him to slip out of his grasp once more—and into another man’s arms.
I’ve read a good amount of BL; I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m some kind of expert but I think I have a fairly good understanding of the genre. Lethal Dose of Love doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it subtly subverts some of the common tropes of BL.
In many BL manga, usually, only one side of the relationship has unrequited feelings for the other, but in Lethal Dose of Love, there’s mutual pining. Another example is when Ryousuke is ready to tell Yuu that he reciprocates his feelings, which doesn’t happen often as the one being confessed to will reject the confession by saying, “I’m not sure how I feel about you” or “I only see you as a friend.” The reciprocation usually happens near the climax of the story but Ryousuke is already certain of his feelings for Yuu.
However, there is a fleeting moment when Ryousuke says, “It’s not as though I’m gay or anything,” which does play into the BL trope where a man is “only gay” for his eventual romantic partner. Lethal Dose of Love manages to undercut it.
Ryousuke then says that he had been content to be by Yuu’s side as his friend because he assumed he was straight, but his confession now gives him the courage to confess as well. He has always been in love with Yuu, but he just didn’t want to lose his friend if he didn’t feel the same way. This doesn’t happen often in BL, especially from the perspective of the “top.”
The emotional aspects of Lethal Dose of Love are done quite well, especially regarding Yuu’s emotional state. Yuu has a twisted concept of what love is due to his family situation. After his mother abandoned him, Yuu was desperate. He wanted love, and while he believed that physical love was the easiest way to obtain it (“If they’ll love me, anyone will do”), he was simultaneously afraid of it developing any further. He wholeheartedly believed he was a curse and didn’t deserve happiness or anyone’s love: “I can’t be happy. I can’t make anyone happy. That’s why I can’t be with you, Ryousuke.”
At the same time, I felt that Yuu’s trauma from his childhood was never addressed, which is a shame, because that is the root of Yuu’s issues. He was sexually assaulted. It was kind of glossed over in favor of focusing on his and Ryousuke’s relationship. I wish we got some kind of resolution for this. While I can appreciate the narrative purpose that this is to symbolize how Yuu’s past is no longer shackling him and that he should stay in the present and look toward the future… I mean, it’s really not that easy to forget the past.
Yosumi‘s art conveys Yuu’s changing emotions very nicely. Yuu’s eyes are blank and emotionless. He seems just tired of life and acts as though he’s just waiting for the day to end. However, during his and Ryousuke’s date, you can see his walls gradually lowering. A slight blush dusts his cheeks because he realizes that love can be as simple as spending an ordinary day with someone he loves.
As for Ryousuke, he’s endlessly patient and understanding. He’s content with going at Yuu’s pace and refuses to relent no matter how much Yuu pulls away from him. While he hesitates in pushing Yuu too far, he realizes, thanks to his friend Tomoka, that he has to make the choice with the least regret. This parallels Yuu’s confession back in high school, which I loved.
As a one-shot, Lethal Dose of Love ends quite nicely with my only hang-up being that I wish some time had been left for Yuu to heal from his childhood trauma. If anything, I do wish the manga had a spin-off for Honjou, Yuu’s sex buddy. He doesn’t appear much in the manga but he has his reason for why he takes Yuu in, which would have been interesting to read.
For anyone who’s looking for something short to read with a minimal level of angst but a good amount of sweetness, they should pick up Lethal Dose of Love.
Lethal Dose of Love from Yosumi was released digitally and in print on October 15, 2024 from Yen Press.
English (US) · 