Inu mo Arukeba

The Inu mo Arukeba Series, fully known as Inu mo Arukeba Fallin’ Love (犬も歩けばフォーリンラブ ‘If Dogs Could Also Walk I’m Fallin’ Love’) is an collection of BL-based stories by Takashima. It encompasses three unconnected stories (though the themes are things not being as expected) and as such, has a complex publication history. Please see that section for more information.

Plot Summary
The book is divided into three parts.

The first part is three chapters that follows Ukyou who rescues a stray dog that he names Kuro only to discover that Kuro can in fact talk and even transform into a human. Kuro isn’t very familiar with human conventions and gets into a lot of trouble. (There is a bonus 7-pg mini follow up manga in the Libre Edition as well.)

The second part is called Mata, Natsu ga Kita (また、夏が来た ‘Summer has Come Again’) and has a sequel that follows called Pinpoint Lovers. They follow Kentarou and Kasumi who meet again after a decade apart. Kentarou promised he would wait for Kasumi to return but was under the impression Kasumi was a girl.

The last part is a single chapter called Kingyo Hime (金魚姫 ‘Princess Goldfish’) which depicts how Keisuke rescues a goldfish from some kids and the fish transforms to thank him for rescuing him.

Characters

 * Takamura Ukyou
 * Kuro
 * Kentarou
 * Kasumi
 * Keisuke
 * Kingyo-hime

Publication History
Almost all of the parts were serialized in Biblos’ Be×Boy magazine, though at different times. The Inu mo Arukeba chapters were serialized in 2000, 2001, and then 2004. Subsequently, was Natsu ga Kita in 2000 and Pinpoint Lovers in 2001. Lastly, Kingyo Hime was actually the first part to be serialized in 2000, and it was in the now defunct Magazine Magazine's virginM magazine, which she also did the cover for. They were published together as a standalone volume in March 2004.

In 2006, Biblos and its parent company went bankrupt and Libre Publishing acquired all its licenses, including Inu mo Arukeba’s. Libre published a re-release Special Edition (Libre Edition) with a slightly new cover and the additional bonus story Inu mo Arukeba: Elder Love.

It was published by Blu Manga, a division of TokyoPop, in 2007. This version had a totally different cover and was renamed "Man's Best Friend: Inu mo Arukeba." A TokyoPop representative said that the reason for the change was because it was a 'safer choice.' There was a lot of extensive material in this volume, including an "interview" with Yuuen and Emba from Wild Rock, and lots of info about Takashima.

Other Versions
It was published in the following languages: A pinup of a naked Ukyou and Kuro was done in 2007 for b-BOY Phoenix ④.[Reference Needed]undefinedA black-and-white version of this was included in the Libre Edtion.
 * German by Carlsen Manga in 2015 as Hot Dog.
 * Italian by Kappa Edizioni in 2005 as Un Cucciolo in Amore (A Puppy in Love).

Trivia

 * On the subject of the German title, Takashima said she thought the choice was "superb."
 * Kuro appears in Kentarou and Kasumi's story.
 * The English cover is actually the frontispiece for the first chapter of Inu mo Arukeba.
 * Takashima has said that both Ukyou and Kuro are dumb.
 * She attributes the volume coming into being because "Kuro's dog-ness and stupid-ness as a man" were really popular.
 * Since Princess Goldfish was the first work she did outside of doujinshi, so she found it really tough to decide on the plot. After attending a local festival, and saw the pet lottery game, she "boldly" decided to go with it.