Aside from the fact that they’ve been doing pretty well with their BL license decisions, Tokyopop’s current iteration has one feature that I really value: the way they put content warnings on their product pages. Instead of just mentioning that a book has explicit sexual content, they go into detail about any concerns a reader may have with a particular title. “This book contains mature content including explicit sexual content, alcohol use, romantic/sexual relations between coworkers, and a relationship between a manager and subordinate, and is not meant for anyone under the age of eighteen,” reads the warning on the All You Want, Whenever You Want page, for instance. Readers who might find it difficult to accept the suggested power imbalance that results from a manager and his subordinate having a sexual relationship may find it overdone, but those who don’t have any of those problems should know that this isn’t the book to spend their money on. I think it’s a great idea to assist readers in making wise decisions.
It’s also important to remember that this series does indeed contain explicit sexual content. Despite the fact that the story is about more than just sex, illustrator Omayu doesn’t hesitate to depict almost everything related to it. Testicles, pubic hair, penetration, and penises are all present and uncensored. This is a great option if you’re looking for some BL raciness, and there’s also a decent story to go along with it. The older of the two guys, Tsubaki, works as a middle manager for a corporation, and he’s come to the conclusion that the easiest way to get through work is to put up with borderline abusive higher management. From his perspective, it’s less complicated than retaliating, and if he intervenes tactfully and accepts responsibility, he may shield his subordinates from the ire of small-minded individuals. Does this imply that Tsubaki puts in an excessive amount of effort on himself? Yes, but given that he recently went through a difficult breakup and is currently residing in the business dorm, it seems like a fair trade-off.
When it comes to love, Tsubaki has had a horrible streak of guys falling in love with him because of his attractive appearance and kind personality, only to discover afterwards that it wasn’t really love at first sight as they had first claimed. As a result, Tsubaki has mostly vowed to avoid committed relationships, which makes him wary of Makino, the company’s newest employee. Almost immediately after Tsubaki’s arrival to the department, Makino saw him defend a fellow employee. He is struck by the man’s tactful handling of the matter, and when they unexpectedly cross paths in the communal bathroom of the corporate dorm—where Makino recently moved—he adds a dash of sexual attraction to the mix. Makino quickly recognizes that Tsubaki is the one he’s falling hard for, but Tsubaki can’t fully believe that because of his prior experiences. Makino grudgingly accepts his suggestion that they become friends with benefits instead.
Tsubaki’s attempt to deny that he is quickly falling in love with Makino is the primary plot point of the romance. Tsubaki needs time to process everything, even if Makino is totally at ease with his emotions and the fact that, in a technical sense, Tsubaki is superior to him at work. Because he is upset by previous breakups and is acutely aware of their work situations, he questions whether it would be wise to date Makino, let alone sleep with him. Although they are both aware of it and okay with it, he is also a little worried that the other two men in the hostel would find out about them. One of the most endearing aspects of the narrative is how incredibly supportive their roommates are. The internal nature of the dispute serves the plot nicely since it keeps the emphasis on romance and feelings rather than office politics.
For such a crude manga, All You Want, Whenever You Want is surprisingly nice. In addition to entertaining the reader, the sex scenes give Tsubaki and Makino a means of expressing feelings that they are unable to verbalize or hear. (All right, so Tsubaki finds it difficult to listen to or say anything; Makino is quite honest about everything.) There is the power disparity mentioned in the content warnings. Nevertheless, it hardly matters in the tale other than to give Tsubaki something else to worry about, and Omayu’s artwork is lovely, with multiple color panels. If you’re searching for a BL book that is risqué but primarily about the emotional aspect of a relationship, this is a good choice.
