Love Mode

Love Mode is a 11-volume Boys Love Manga series created by Shimizu Yuki. It centers around the Aoe Family, primarily Aoe Reiji, who runs, among other things, a dating club for men. There is also an audio drama series of seven volumes, loosely covering the middle of the manga series. The storyline features many different couples.


 * Art Evolution: And how. Just compare Reiji and Naoya in the second volume to the oneshot sequel.
 * Bank Robbery: In Volume 6, Naoya, Haruomi, and Kichi become unfortunate victims during a robbery of a jewelry store. Naoya and Kichi are kidnapped during the getaway.
 * Battle Butler: Kashinma Haruomi, who is the housekeeper for the Aoi estate, but can kick much ass as well.
 * Barbie Doll Anatomy: Although the lovemaking scenes are drawn, they mostly show a cones of light for a penis.
 * Surprisingly common in sexually explicit Boys Love manga and anime, to the point that "glowing cones of light" has become a running joke in the Western BL fandom. In Love Mode, it's possible to pinpoint the exact moment when the censorship law was relaxed, as the sex scenes shift from Barbie Doll Anatomy to... definitely and distinctly not. It's actually kind of jarring.
 * Bi the Way: Aoi Reiji
 * Cast Full of Gay: Only one male character is admittedly heterosexual, and he is a subordinate at that.
 * Cast Full of Pretty Boys: The entire cast, with a few supporting characters, is either tall, handsome and successful, or smaller, wide-eyed and cute.
 * Deus Angst Machina: Naoya . He just misses becoming The Woobie.
 * Furo Scene: The Jungle Bath at the Aoi estate.
 * Hot Pursuit: During a Hostage Situation where Naoya and Kichi are kidnapped by Chinese crooks,  chases the bad guys, while his partner shoots the car with a slingshot!
 * If It's You It's Okay: Shakashita Izumi  decides he really is in love with Takamiya, but only him.
 * May October Romance: A couple of the relationships feature significantly older Semes and younger Ukes.
 * One Head Taller: The primary ones are Reiji/Naoya and Takamiya/Izumi, but there are plenty of side arcs with others.
 * Smoking Is Cool: Reiji
 * Yakuza: Reiji Aoi is tall, dark, and, at least once, mistaken for yakuza. The fact that his business include a variety of shady businesses probably doesn't help matters much.