Stopping by his favorite bar in Tokyo's gay district, Yanagi picks up an attractive man, and the two spend a passionate night together. The next morning, however, the stranger proclaims that what they did makes him sick and then bolts from the room. With the weight of confusion and frustration crushing him, Yanagi thinks he'll never see the man again... until he finds out it's his good friend's twin brother, Arata. Even when confronted, Arata refuses to accept what happened that drunken night, so an angry Yanagi comes up with a plan to make Arata his sex slave as punishment...

And so begins the first of five volumes filled with drama, angst, suspense, passion, sex, and love.

Will Yanagi and Arata clear their misconceptions?
Will Yanagi be able to fight the demons of his past?
Will one possessive twin get in the way?

Follow these two lovers in their struggle against all obstacles to find love and happiness together.

Yanagi and Arata’s twisted sex slave/master relationship continues, but deeper feelings blossom when Yanagi routinely cooks Arata dinner and worries over his late work nights. While Arata is confused by these newfound feelings, his twin brother, Takashi, stumbles upon Arata’s secret relationship with Yanagi and sets out to get to the bottom of it.

In waltzes a ghost from Yanagi’s past -- his first (older) male lover, Kashiwagi. Takashi notices the tense air between them and pursues Kashiwagi in search of more information.

What could Takashi be planning, and exactly what is it that Kashiwagi did that traumatized Yanagi so badly?

Just when Yanagi and Arata’s sex-slave relationship starts to bloom into something more, Yanagi’s first lover, Kashiwagi, shows up! Then, Yanagi’s old sex-friend, Takashi -- Arata’s younger twin brother -- stumbles across their relationship and devises a plan to get back his beloved brother!

After Yanagi’s rejection, Arata feels his inferiority complex resurfacing stronger than ever. And Yanagi, broken by a past betrayal, gives up on love once again. Then there’s Ten. Harboring an unparalleled obsession over his little brother, he schemes to keep Arata to himself. breath volume 4 brings an accumulation of these three men’s complicated ties.

Meet the cast:

Kohshi Yanagi Protagonist, seme, playboy, college student.	Arata Kirishima Kohshi’s main love interest, uke, diligent researcher for a company, awkward in social interactions.	Ten/Takashi Kirishima Arata’s younger twin, playboy, bartender. Kohshi calls him "Ten" while Arata calls him "Takashi."
Naoto Kashiwagi An older man from Yanagi’s past.	Akkun Works part time at the gay bar Kohshi frequents. An over-the-top okama, flirtatious, feminine and has a playful crush on Kohshi.	Kota Boyish college friend (underclassman) of Kohshi.
Shingo Kota’s friend and Kohshi’s underclassman	Arai Arata’s coworker, spiteful toward Arata.

Chifumi Ochi

DOB: November 8

Blood Type: Type A

Residence: Born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture

Likes: Special effects and obsessed with pro wrestling

Dislikes: Coffee, chocolate

Though the artwork of breath may feel a bit retro to some, it is similar in style to another of my favorite mangaka -- Kayama Yumi, so I thoroughly enjoyed it. The setting and issues brought up in the story feel contemporary, with revealing character types that even the average stateside reader can relate to. Namely, Arata’s crippling low self-confidence and awkwardness was represented well and in situations that made it feel universal. Yanagi boasts confidence and sexuality to add spice to the story, but personally I am a fan of the bashful businessman uke type, so Arata filled my preference well.

As a yaoi work, the sex scenes are plentiful and varied so every instance has something new to offer the reader, and titillate her fantasies.

Overall, it is an angst-ridden work that holds many secrets to be revealed and questions to be answered in future volumes, while the "sex slave" idea makes it a fun ride to the end. From a playboy college student to a shy businessman to the goofy underclassmen, every reader should be able to find a character they like in this colorful cast.

- Katherine Schilling