lenne18 posted:

Can a person not go out of their way for another without harboring romantic feelings for them?

A person can go out of their way for another without any romantic inclination, especially for nice people like Yuu.

But that's not the reason why I think she's already in love. The reason is her thoughts. She thinks too much of Touko.

I think too much of my friends. Does it mean I'm in love with them?

lenne18 posted:

Can a person not go out of their way for another without harboring romantic feelings for them?

A person can go out of their way for another without any romantic inclination, especially for nice people like Yuu.

But that's not the reason why I think she's already in love. The reason is her thoughts. She thinks too much of Touko.

I think too much of my friends. Does it mean I'm in love with them?

I dunno, are you both cute teenage grils?

Saying "I love you, but you don't need to love me back" back then at chapter 3 might drove Yuu further away from Nanami, but by saying "I will make you love me. Will you allow me too?" gave Nanami a chance to get closer with Yuu, since she knows that Yuu is longing for a romance that would swept her off her feet.

Even if its a mistranslated line, Its all still makes sense in a way that Nanami still actually wants Yuu to fall in love and get so much closer with her, but afraid that if Yuu start to have a feelings for her, Yuu would've develop expectations like anyone else. So she would rather play it safe because her current relationship with Yuu is what makes Yuu so special and different from anyone else.

The "don'fall in love with me" is only on Nanami inner thought, because we only started to focus and explore more about Nanami from her perspective in recent chapter. So saying something that differ from what we're actually thinking is not that uncommon. Give it time, so that we know exactly how her minds are working.

last edited at Mar 6, 2016 7:27PM

Can a person not go out of their way for another without harboring romantic feelings for them?

A person can go out of their way for another without any romantic inclination, especially for nice people like Yuu.

But that's not the reason why I think she's already in love. The reason is her thoughts. She thinks too much of Touko.

There are a lot of reasons why someone would be on your mind, like, concern for them.
When the guy had confessed to Yuu before the beginning of the first chapter, he had undoubtedly been on her mind a lot, and she also came to the same conclusion, that she doesn't, and cannot bring herself to love him. "To bring herself to love him" is very important actually, because as we all know, Yuu wants to be in love.
Yuu thinks her feelings out very deeply, that's like half of the plot right there. I doubt she'd miss out on feeling romantic love for Nanami. You could argue that she's never loved before, and could confuse the feelings, but I think for someone searching so thoroughly to identify feelings that differ from friendship, just knowing at least what feelings of friendship are, should be able to know if it isn't friendship.
Heck it even took Nanami a few seconds to realise that she felt differently about Yuu. OF COURSE, they are different people, but I find it hard to imagine that someone as keen on falling in love, would mistake romantic feelings for just caring for someone.
Iirc, besides caring for Nanami and thinking about her a lot (her involvement with Nanami is like the most interesting thing happening to her tbh), Yuu has been otherwise pretty meh.

last edited at Mar 6, 2016 8:03PM

It's been a while since the very first time I fell in love but my understanding is that it sneaks up on you. Overthinking it, such as in standard dating, I think actually hurts the chances of it happening since normally it'd be subtle.

So even if she was starting to get feelings, the overthinking would probably make her second guess anything that was there, and if it was subtle she'd have to wait for physical feelings to kick in.

Second guessing messes everything up from my experience. I'd guess it's even worse when you don't even know what you're looking for, and Yuu seems to be looking for physical feelings.

As for Touko's conflicting thoughts: she just wants to have her cake and eat it too. Have Yuu never expect anything of her from not being in love, but it feels good to woo her so she keeps doing it. And hey, if Yuu fell in love it wouldn't be all bad. Touko could get laid.

last edited at Mar 7, 2016 1:28AM

I keep rereading chapter 10 because Yuu's actions and what she says is very contradicting. Why would you chase after someone and comprise in what you believe in if you don't love them. Her motives for helping Nanami is that she is feeling lonely and that they are friends is very flimsy. You wouldn’t do that for someone who is just a friend you just have to look at how Yuu treats her other friends compared to Nanami and you can see that she goes above and beyond for Nanami by far.

^ That's the thing. Yuu already loves Nanami, she just doesn't realize it yet since there's no sparks or butterflies in her stomach like those romance novels she likes.

Hnng no that sounds really off to me
You know how cus of heteronormative norms, it's like people believe that two characters of opposite sex in fiction can't just be friends? They have to be love interests? The two leads have to sleep together at some point before the climatic finale?
I do believe that Yuu will one day feel something different for Nanami, but I'm not sure if I agree that currently, what she feels is "more than friendship".
I feel like, all these arguments that Yuu wouldn't be doing " all of this for Nanami if she didn't love her already" aren't particularly convincing to me either.
It could very well be the case, but I don't feel like it's for certain currently. Can a person not go out of their way for another without harboring romantic feelings for them?
Ofc I'm not hoping for some kind of "just friends" end, omg no that'd be shit, but I'm just saying that, for the eventual romantic ending, it's clear to me that although Yuu already holds Nanami to higher regards than she does others, it's gonna need way more for that to cross over to any possible zones of romantic feelings. I believe that somehow Nakatani will work it out and that it will be character development-wise complexe and wonderful, but that right now, the cliche'd line "she already loves her, she just doesn't realise it yet" really doesn't cut it out for me, and hopefully not this manga, because as a whole, Bloom Into You is already very out of the ordinary and sentimentally complex, the characters are all deeply fleshed out. I think that it deserves more than the simple "ah but it was there all along", to tie the final knot.

Yeah i completely agree with you, Yuu really need to differentiate between really caring for someone and deeply in love with someone, i think right now Yuu is only at the level of really caring for Nanami, maybe some people will say she goes way beyond for Nanami, but i think she did that for every one, when that person feeling involve her she just doesn't want to her hurt that person (her friend in middle school in a a fine example, it took her so many tried and failed to actually reject him)

and actually speaking of Nanami, i don't know why for me right now because of chapter 10 she come to be a selfish person, she know it herself how lonely to not be able to love someone and how wonderful it is to be able to love someone, but despite all that she didn't want Yuu to fall in love (not with her and she already asked Yuu to never fall in love with anyone else), right now really Nanami love come to be a selfish kind to me, a love to oneself not the other person, i feel the one she love right now is herself instead of Yuu

I keep rereading chapter 10 because Yuu's actions and what she says is very contradicting. Why would you chase after someone and comprise in what you believe in if you don't love them. Her motives for helping Nanami is that she is feeling lonely and that they are friends is very flimsy. You wouldn’t do that for someone who is just a friend you just have to look at how Yuu treats her other friends compared to Nanami and you can see that she goes above and beyond for Nanami by far.

^ That's the thing. Yuu already loves Nanami, she just doesn't realize it yet since there's no sparks or butterflies in her stomach like those romance novels she likes.

Hnng no that sounds really off to me
You know how cus of heteronormative norms, it's like people believe that two characters of opposite sex in fiction can't just be friends? They have to be love interests? The two leads have to sleep together at some point before the climatic finale?
I do believe that Yuu will one day feel something different for Nanami, but I'm not sure if I agree that currently, what she feels is "more than friendship".
I feel like, all these arguments that Yuu wouldn't be doing " all of this for Nanami if she didn't love her already" aren't particularly convincing to me either.
It could very well be the case, but I don't feel like it's for certain currently. Can a person not go out of their way for another without harboring romantic feelings for them?
Ofc I'm not hoping for some kind of "just friends" end, omg no that'd be shit, but I'm just saying that, for the eventual romantic ending, it's clear to me that although Yuu already holds Nanami to higher regards than she does others, it's gonna need way more for that to cross over to any possible zones of romantic feelings. I believe that somehow Nakatani will work it out and that it will be character development-wise complexe and wonderful, but that right now, the cliche'd line "she already loves her, she just doesn't realise it yet" really doesn't cut it out for me, and hopefully not this manga, because as a whole, Bloom Into You is already very out of the ordinary and sentimentally complex, the characters are all deeply fleshed out. I think that it deserves more than the simple "ah but it was there all along", to tie the final knot.

I think the beauty of this manga is how a person interprets Yuu's actions and words. I don't think there is a right or wrong way to interpret Yuu's feelings. I personally don't agree with you Faust but no one can argue the point that Yuu is in love unless she says the words "I love you" or does an obvious action of love.

Of course someone can go out there way and just help a friend out. But in chapter 6, when Nanami asks for a kiss, Yuu's response is "I'd be lying if I wasn't curious". I know people are different but I've never been curious to kiss my best friend. There is a line that you don't cross, that’s what makes a difference between a lover and a best friend. Plus, Yuu's first thought when Maki first found out was to immediately try and protect Nanami. In chapter 10, Yuu also points out "if she and I can't be together...I don't want anyone to fall in love with me." Why is she trying soo hard to be with Nanami? If Yuu's feelings for Nanami is just being a good friend then as a friend isn't it better for her to let Nanami go and tell her, "I'll support you as a friend only and not hold hands and kiss etc." In the long run Nanami will get hurt. So the fact Yuu is doing all this signals a big flag if she can't love Nanami why do this. Because she's "lonely", Yuu’s willing to hurt Nanami in the long run for her loneliness. That isn’t Yuu’s personality to hurt someone for her own gain.

last edited at Mar 7, 2016 6:30PM

and actually speaking of Nanami, i don't know why for me right now because of chapter 10 she come to be a selfish person, she know it herself how lonely to not be able to love someone and how wonderful it is to be able to love someone, but despite all that she didn't want Yuu to fall in love (not with her and she already asked Yuu to never fall in love with anyone else), right now really Nanami love come to be a selfish kind to me, a love to oneself not the other person, i feel the one she love right now is herself instead of Yuu

Oh that's interesting! Because if I understood (and I doubt I really did because it's so complicated and unusual), Nanami believes that to love, itself, is selfish, because you imprison who you love/say it to. "The word "love" is like a shackle." Nanami sees love as a burden.
When she meets Yuu, Yuu who has never loved, "[she] thought [she] was the nicest person in the world". If to love was a burden so many had binded Nanami with, Yuu was one who had never imposed it on another person, and who would never impose it on her.
Yes, Nanami has come to realise the joys of being able to fall in love, but she still focuses on love being a shackle. Love makes the lover happy, but imprisons the loved.
She acknowledges that she is now imprisoning Yuu, she knows she is being selfish, but after knowing what love is, she can't go back, it's out of her control. For now, despite loving Yuu, despite Yuu wanting to fall in love, she wishes for Yuu to remain such a kind person, one that does not love.
I just thought of it as Nanami being clear (through narration) what she valued most.
Of course, it's conflicting and ironic, because she's "burdening" Yuu with it, but she knows that.

I think the beauty of this manga is how a person interprets Yuu's actions and words. I don't think there is a right or wrong way to interpret Yuu's feelings. I personally don't agree with you Faust but no one can argue the point that Yuu is in love unless she says the words "I love you" or does an obvious action of love.
[...]

Yeah that's cool.
And that's the thing too, there aren't any completely concrete proof (for now)
Your examples were legit though, they were precise and I like that.
It's true, a lot of the things Yuu does feel conflicting, because they're unusually highly revolved around a single person, someone she states she's unable to love.
But yet again, because it's still not concrete proof, I'm not satisfied with it.
Oh but of course that isn't your problem/fault or anything, you have pointed out very valid points in Yuu's behavior, everything is always leaned on how she goes out of her way for Nanami (FORESHADOWING to a conclusion we all know is coming). It's not like it's your fault, there really isn't anything definitive on that, and what we mainly have going is the tone of the series, our gut feelings and the genre of manga it is.
And where I was trying to go with "but I'm still not satisfied" wasn't to spite you or anything (it's just that my thoughts got sidetracked and I ended not immediately following up on it) but to say that in the end, Yuu's probs gonna be undoubtedly in love (well I hope this is what the point of the story is), so the main difference in our opinions is merely when did she start having romantic feelings. When she will show more obvious signs (in a way everyone can agree on), people might think about it again. Was it then? Was it before or around chapter 10? And regardless of that, it's clear that since the beginning of the series it's been building up towards it.
The way it's going right now, to eventually see Yuu fall in love, it's gonna be so satisfying.

It’s all cool Faust it’s nice to see another perspective other than my own in this manga.

I like the metaphorical imagery that chapter 10 has. The stepping stones and how both Yuu and Nanami meet in the middle. There was a comment from lenne18 that said "I might be reading into it too much but I think Yuu and Nanami's story is a journey to find true love and what it means, especially since both of them have pretty warped perceptions about loving another person romantically." I have to agree with lenne18's comment and it ties in with the metaphorical imagery of chapter 10. Both these girls have a warped perception of love. Nanami perception of "love is like a shackle" and Yuu's perception of love is from fiction. When they both start to change it will be beautiful to see.

I like the metaphorical imagery that chapter 10 has. The stepping stones and how both Yuu and Nanami meet in the middle.

Yeeessss I was so pleased when I saw that
Not often do you have/notice symbolism like that
As Yuu was speaking to her, telling her that she doesn't need to be anyone else but herself (a cliche'd enough line tbh) and Nanami walking away from her, to turn around and reveal that she'd rather die than hear that, making Yuu realise that she is not understanding her at all and cue the train passing above them.
Do you realise, the long seconds the train took to pass completely, its engine roar,basically the seconds they must have spent in silence (silence from not speaking lmao, train wasnt silent at all)
It was the best, especially when Yuu realised that completely misunderstood.

And after that every time Yuu accepted one of her requests and came to a better understanding, they would both a take a step towards each other and eventually meet in the middle
Loved it.
And the last page, how synchronised Nanami's words were with her thoughts (well Nakatani always did that wonderfully but it was especially great. Made a great impact.)

last edited at Mar 8, 2016 6:22PM

Volume 2 got a PV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=38&v=JohoCyOiT1A

Yuu voiced by Hisako Kanemoto

Nanami voiced by Minako Kotobuki

So sweet, the voices are almost like I had in mind, Yuu voices is a bit more mature but still sweet.
Now we just need that anime pv hehehehe

Volume 2 got a PV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=38&v=JohoCyOiT1A

Yuu voiced by Hisako Kanemoto

Nanami voiced by Minako Kotobuki

Now I'm waiting for anime announcement.

Chapter 10.5 is out.
Rei is such a good sister.

Chapter 10.5 is out.
Rei is such a good sister.

I like that she's pretty open to the possibility that Yuu has gotten a girlfriend.

And Touko's got it bad. That leg flail!

"No way... right?"

So, then Touko doesn't want Yuu to fall in love with her, because she thinks that she will then have expectations from her. So she enjoys being in an unrequited, but still "on the table", love. Yuu quite gets the short end of the stick, because if she progressively fall in love and accept it, she loses her appeal for Touko?

last edited at Mar 30, 2016 3:57AM

At least, Rei and her boyfriend are (maybe) supportive for their relationship though not blossomed yet.

last edited at Mar 30, 2016 4:32AM

On a reread, Touko is taller than Rei by a few centimeters. That's pretty interesting.

And I think that Rei at least guessed that Touko likes Yuu that way.

last edited at Mar 30, 2016 5:54AM

Where did you guys read chapter 10.5? I can't find it. Thanks

Edit: Nevermind I found it.

Edit: That was really fulfilling, that flailing at the end though, senpai is so cute. Can't believe Touko is taller than Rei.

last edited at Mar 30, 2016 7:39AM

Nice to see that Rei doesn't mind Nanami crushing on Yuu. I wonder if she'll realise that Yuu knows later, or ask her about it. Comforting to confirm that her jokes in chapter 4 weren't just jokes, that she's really as casual about the idea of Yuu getting a girlfriend as she seemed.
The leg flailing haha but yo can we talk about how Rei texted her a pic of Yuu sleeping? Like??? Rei low key being a wingman??? Idk if Nanami realised that she gave herself away but that was like, in a way, Rei giving her approval, no?? Being supportive and teasing Nanami?? Idk but it makes me really happy tbh. Although we got a hint in chapter 4 that Yuu's father would be against it, it's nice to see that Rei isn't, that kind of support means a lot

Hey aaarekusa, can I ask who's in your profile pic?

I'd say most of the foreshadowing and hinting from characters other than Yuu (such as Rei's comments about Yuu taking a long time to decide, but after that she sees things through) hints at Yuu being demisexual rather than asexual.

Yuu herself makes herself look asexual, but I think the other character's hinting is actually supposed to be more accurate.

I think that Yuu is supposed to be in love, but the mangaka is deliberately not drawing attention to it to make it seem like she isn't, because her reaction to love is a lot more subdued than Touko's is. For example, saying she doesn't hate Touko kissing her, noticing Touko has lovely eyelashes as they're about to kiss, flinching in that small panel because of all the shoujo sparkles going on, saying she doesn't want anyone else but Touko to be in love with her, etc. However, in a way it's dismissed because it's accompanied with with a "but I'm not in love with you" in the narration, since it's from Yuu's PoV and she doesn't think she is. She's sort of tricking the readers using contextualisation; things that would normally be viewed as romantic suddenly aren't, purely because the narration frames them as platonic.

I think it's quite clever. You can see it again when there wasn't any glaring focus to Touko freaking out about the indirect kiss when they shared their drink, instead depicting it only as a panel of hesitation before drinking. Some of Touko's behaviours are also treated this way: her curiosity in Yuu's room, her going out of her way to seek Yuu out, etc. They're not explained in the narration because they don't need to be. They've been contextualised as romantic, so that's how the reader sees them.

I think the mangaka knows that drawing something is an active choice, so decides what she includes carefully. there's a lot from Yuu's side that isn't platonic, but the unreliable narrator mechanism is used well enough that it doesn't seem like there is. I think it's especially glaring when you compare the fact that she wanted to reject the dude who confessed to her beforehand, although she said they'd become close, and thus might be even more willing to endure his overtures in the same way she endures Touko's now. Despite that, she never made anywhere near an effort, and allowed Touko to pursue her from the start, whereas she intended to turn the dude down from the start.

Might just be projecting, of course! It's fun to think about, though.

Read the first 5 chapters, and I LOVE this.

At first I feared that Touko was gonna be like Mei from Citrus (she kinda looks like her), but she's quie the opposite, thankfully. Actually, the two girls' dynamic is the opposite of what you would expect at first − you'd think the tall dark-haired Senpai would be the "dominant" one but it's not that simple. She's on the offensive, sure, but not unhealthily so, and by showing a touching kindness and fragility. And I like the fact that Yuu isn't forcefully denying her own feelings, but that… she simply doesn't have any, at this point, however she would like to. Yet she doesn't reject Touko's feelings either. It creates an asymetric, yet very endearing relationship. The "indirect kiss" scene in chapter 4 is really perfect in that regard.

So far, everything is done right, it is really pleasant to read. The romance is neither unhealthy, nor overdramatized or angsty, yet it's not boring to follow, far from it.

edit: Caught up. Yup, this is good alright. And reading other people's comments is almost as interesting… there's really many different interpretations about Yuu's feelings and behaviour. About Touko, what I get is that she's basically "in love with love" - no matter whether Yuu reciprocates or not, for now she just revels in the sweet, warm and intoxicating sensation of having someone make you float in the air.

In that sense, you could say Yuu is on the same page, except… she can't experience that feeling, yet. But if someone can make her experience it someday, it can probably only be Touko, and that's also why she wants to stay by her side.

…Otherwise, it's unrelated but has Yuu been adopted or something? There's something a little off with her calling her big sis "Rei-chan". Calling their older siblings just by their name isn't something Japanese people usually do… It would be like calling your parents by their name in the West. She even does a verbal backspace to not call her that in Touko's presence. =O Nevertheless, Rei's really a good sis.

last edited at Apr 28, 2016 7:23PM