Now, that was some really unexpected chapter.

I feel like nothing really was accomplished with this narrative.

I agree with you, that summed up the manga for me...

If you were looking for cute ♥ and ♥ cuddly yuri, look elsewhere.

I didn't think that warning'd be so accurate.

last edited at May 25, 2015 7:21PM

So I reread Philosophia with the release of the last chapter and went in knowing how it's going to end, partly because Okazu displays the full review without you clicking on it and partly because I thought I could read the comments here since there wasn't anything left to spoil anyways. But there was.

It did drop my rating from a 10 to a 9 but I don*t think it deserves as much hate as it gets. At least with what I assume it aimed for, it was actually pretty well told. I think, similar to how the first chapter of Takemiya's Irrational Us was kind of like a more realistic take on the whole going out with someone else to get attention from the one you love trope, Philosophia was a more realistic take on the rescued by the power of love trope.
As in most of those stories, Ai fell in love with a hard to approach woman with serious problems but here she doesn't get through to her just because she apparently is the first one to try. Aside from the flashback about the step mom, all we knew about Tomo was what Ai knew and thought about her and since she couldn't get inside Tomo's wall, it only makes sense that Tomo being a pimp came out of nowhere (when you fall in love with a pimp, it probably always does). Tomo being depressed and her at least not really valuing her life did show, though,

I definitely understand why someone would hate the idea behind Philosophia (if that was indeed the idea) but I do think the writing is solid with that idea in mind. I also liked the concept of only seeing what the protagonist sees but I totally see why some wouldn't.

About the sister, I see Ai meeting her as neither positive nor negative, if anything it's a logical consequence since Ai became an university professor in the town the sister lives in. Now they're gonna have a similar relationship to Tomo and Ai, this time with Ai's obsession over Tomo being the problem, or being her sister helps her to create the opening that Ai couldn't. It doesn't necessarily lead into her being a replacement. Everyone loved The Structural Formula of First Love, right?

last edited at May 25, 2015 8:13PM

^
I kinda get your points, but I'll disagree on the "pretty well told" part. While I don't exactly dislike stories on the cynical side of things (and I evidently didn't expect the story to end on the fluffier side), I think that last chapter was poorly executed and, as Kobalos said, pointless. Even with foreshadowings.

last edited at May 25, 2015 8:40PM

I don't know why some people felt like the (implied) suicide came out of nowhere. I won't say I wasn't surprised, but Tomo committing suicide seems to me a very plausible, reasonable development. I mean, did she seem happy to anyone else? Looking for a purpose, unable to get close to anyone, tinges of (somewhat justified) self-hatred, overthinker, unhealthy habits . . . seems like a classic candidate for suicide, actually.
And at the same time, I can see why someone might get obsessed by her. The cool self-reliance, the almost unconscious style, the clearly impressive intellect . . . in many ways, objectively she's a horrible person, but there's this strong "What if?" that says there's an amazing person there if only she'd stop stifling it, if only she could be saved from the shit (much of it self-inflicted) that's crippling her . . . people do get obsessed with that kind of person. So it's kind of realistic.

Overall, although this was both a sad and depressing story, I thought it was very well done and I didn't find it repugnant. This is a good one. Unlike (spits on ground ritually) "The feelings we all must endure" which I did find repugnant, and which I actually thought had some serious flaws in execution as well.

I must say Amano Shuninta is, if nothing else, an exciting writer. You never know if you're going to get happy or sad, cynical or relatively pure, and it's hard to even be sure if quality-wise you're going to get excellent or crap. But that does mean that when you start reading one of her works you can't readily predict what's going to happen.

It's funny how different we see things but how similar at the same time. Namely with Feelings since you think it horrid and I think it wonderful.

Like you, I don't think the suicide came out of nowhere. I just feel as though there was something lacking in execution. Again, it makes sense by skeleton, but something's missing. I can't claim to know what, since my genre of expertise in writing is different (fictional film). Of course there are intersections, but not enough for me to fairly pinpoint what.

I suppose if I were to draw any conclusions from Shuninta's last two works and their respective receptions is that your judgment on her works differ depending on what lens you view them through. I will stand by that I think objectively this is inferior to Feelings, but if you color bias into the viewing glass then that that would not longer mean much anyway.

And thus we can add the Depressing as Fuck tag.

^
I kinda get your points, but I'll disagree on the "pretty well told" part. While I don't exactly dislike stories on the cynical side of things (and I evidently didn't expect the story to end on the fluffier side), I think that last chapter was poorly executed and, as Kobalos said, pointless. Even with foreshadowings.

I've seen this in other areas as well, but there seems to be a habit of people dismissing criticisms because "the person just doesn't like this kind of story", or "just don't like this character", thus attempting to discredit the criticism as arising only from personal dislike of the genre.

I love cynical stories (if there isn't a straight up genocide of my favourite characters and their feelings, is it truly worth my time?!), but I regardless think that this ending was weak. Things occurred in the story, but nothing actually changed - Tomo was depressed, Ai was distant. The story ends, and Tomo was still depressed but now is dead, and Ai is still distant. In effect, it's the same as if nothing happened at all.

People say that this is "realistic", and I'd contest that. Is it really "realistic" to have a person who doesn't change at all in about 40 or so years, with the only event that had an effect on them being a person whom they knew for a few weeks at best, before dying on a plane crash? It's not impossible, sure, but I would hardly call that "realistic", and I definitely wouldn't say that this complete lack of progression and static character development made a good story.

Reading a few of the comments here really made me wish for a like button, the comments were so funny and some were even insightful which was really nice, they truly improved my view of this series, but then maybe they have always been like this and I noticed just now.....too long a rant. kthnxbye

I have this strange feeling while reading this, like what i felt when I read "Sputnik Sweetheart". Mysterious, philosophical, and a tinge of tragedy/depression.

It was a good read, clearly left a deep impression on the readers, though not very satisfying because, just admit it, everyone loves a happy ending.

I have this strange feeling while reading this, like what i felt when I read "Sputnik Sweetheart". Mysterious, philosophical, and a tinge of tragedy/depression.

It was a good read, clearly left a deep impression on the readers, though not very satisfying because, just admit it, everyone loves a happy ending.

It doesn't have to be happy,but at least making some sense..that sibling...that sibling I can't deal with.

Also "I pimp people you see"...ok

Also "I pimp people you see"...ok

That was my reaction too... The "you can sell me too" from Ai was also too much for me.

Also "I pimp people you see"...ok

That was my reaction too... The "you can sell me too" from Ai was also too much for me.

I didn't understand what was she trying to aim for.. "I love you so...I'l support you by letting you pimp me, I just decided cos...well it's the thing to do" meh

Also "I pimp people you see"...ok

Any good story needs a bit of cheeky sex trafficking.

Also "I pimp people you see"...ok

That was my reaction too... The "you can sell me too" from Ai was also too much for me.

To me it seems clear that she was desperate to somehow keep her with her. She was grabbing at anything she thought might have a chance of making that happen. Feel free to pick this apart; it's just the way I saw it.

To me it seems clear that she was desperate to somehow keep her with her. She was grabbing at anything she thought might have a chance of making that happen. Feel free to pick this apart; it's just the way I saw it.

I'm with you on this one. Desperation is desperation, after all.

last edited at May 28, 2015 12:08AM

I'm in agreement with Yuri Girl and OrangePekoe. What Ai said there was about the only logical thing I've read in that entire last chapter.

Personally, I think Amano said, "aw fuckit! Let's put in some pimping, a once off kiss, depression, suicide, one sided love, and a total look-alike little twin/not-so-twin sister that shows up at the end because, why the hell not!"

I'm in agreement with Yuri Girl and OrangePekoe. What Ai said there was about the only logical thing I've read in that entire last chapter.

Personally, I think Amano said, "aw fuckit! Let's put in some pimping, a once off kiss, depression, suicide, one sided love, and a total look-alike little twin/not-so-twin sister that shows up at the end because, why the hell not!"

Perhaps she did think such a thing.. Well yeah she was desperate...but I dunno, I would not let a girl pimp me no matter how much I loved her O.o

last edited at May 28, 2015 11:12AM

To me it seems clear that she was desperate to somehow keep her with her. She was grabbing at anything she thought might have a chance of making that happen. Feel free to pick this apart; it's just the way I saw it.

(& OrangePekoe & Random Reader)
Yes, I got that. The thing is: it didn't convince me. So, the same Ai that was always all about being self-reliant suddenly goes "you can pimp me too"? Didn't convince me at all. Can it happen in RL? Sure. Here, it was just (for me, of course) poorly done.

Personally, I think Amano said, "aw fuckit! Let's put in some pimping, a once off kiss, depression, suicide, one sided love, and a total look-alike little twin/not-so-twin sister that shows up at the end because, why the hell not!"

Yes, that may very well be true. Now, the question is if it was a good move.

last edited at May 28, 2015 11:18AM

I feel like nothing really was accomplished with this narrative. Tomo dies and doesn't progress as a character, and Ai doesn't really progress as a character either. She started off bored and disinterested, and she's just as bored and disinterested when the story ends, only with a different excuse.

The idea itself isn't terrible, but I do wish more was done with it.

Maybe that's what the author was aiming for. If that is so then mission accomplished. I started out reading this bored and disinterested. Then I ended reading it bored and disinterested. All's well that ends well.

Tragedy tag, please?

Damnit, my day was just shitty enough that this was enough to set me off sobbing for the last ten minutes. (I'd totally have enjoyed it on any other day.)

; n ;

I've been holding it back for a long time but now that's enough, let me say this, apologizing in advance.
So, I am deeply impressed by the audience at this site, and not in a good way. 85% or so of the people who've commented on this manga seem shallow at best, mentally handicapped at worst.
I can't compute how the vast majority can percieve stories from this author on such a primitive surface level, disregarding Shuninta's tendency to be metaphorical, especially when it comes to writing characters. This is at least second work in the row, where her heroines are not as much of actual people, as they represent abstract concepts. She even spoonfed the meanings of their names in the afterword, though I found it unnecessary since to me it was clear from the get-go: the title is Philos+Sophia, where Philos is Ai (love) and Sophia is Tomo (wisdom/reason).
So, basically, the work is not as much of a story as in "story" with "plot", as in "epos" - but it's more of a philosophical essay on the nature of these two concepts, which is heavily implied by reflective thought lines throughout the manga. Thus, we have Love trying its best to stay a supreme feeling, to be above all that's worldly and lowly, but also trying to walk in line with reason, which is improbable - the reason drifts away from where love appears, almost instantly, they cannot coexist in harmony, to the point of being mutually exclusive. Ai's statements in ch4 hint this, by the way.
Lastly, when love makes a desperate advance and gets as close as possible to the object of its longing, reason dies and is now gone for good. However, even long after the reason is lost (could be also interpreted as raison d'etre of Love) and she finds herself widowed, Love still lingers in her reminiscence of what was Reason to her. And only the entity semblant of that reminiscence can somewhat evoke a reaction from her.
Also, both of the concepts get pretty much deconstructed, hence Sophia is acting with little wisdom and even is called by the name of unwise Monkey king, and ends up losing itself on the very way of finding itself, however tragic that may be. Love, Philos, on the other hand, ends up misdirected, misplaced, turned towards nothingness and unfulfilled, alone.
All in all, this work is a depiction of these two concepts yearning for knowledge of themselves and the other, failing in this quest. Tragic and beautiful, sincerely brought me to cathartic tears.
And heck, seriously anons, anyone can into philosophy? Anyone ever read actually philosophical works? For it doesn't seem the case. Had someone been familiar with how writing goes in your average philosophy, say, of existentialists, he wouldn't be complaining about "storyline", "plot consistency" and other bullshit. Once again, this is more an essay/research than an actual narrative story, at least author's antourage and the way she structured it seems to position her work that way.
Also, who got any ideas on the "logos.pathos.ethos" in the end? Logos could very well be referencing Tomo and her ordeal, pathos is the key element of tragedy, that is, involvement in the heroes' sufferings, and ethos...well since ethics are mostly about feelings, then maybe a hint on AI?

last edited at Jun 1, 2015 6:46PM

Dude, that was a really awesome analysis, thanks!

Dude, that was a really awesome analysis, thanks!

Seemed more pretentious bull, prefaced by asserting that people who don't read into a story as much as they did are mentally handicapped.

Yeah, I didn't like that part, but the characters as concept thing totally made sense.

There's always more ways than one to read a story, though.

last edited at Jun 1, 2015 6:46PM

Cake,I did say sorry in advance, and I didn't mean you btw. I was talking about "hurr this manga is crap and a waste of time and Shuninta a shit" anon