wow it's like that one episode of rick and morty except more murder

Not sure what's going on here. Kinda gave up halfway through second chapter. Sadly I have too many other things to do rather than bother with this.

Feels like this is missing a certain tag...

I think at the very end the original B-ko lets the clone kill her when she realizes that if the clones can live happily together 'like that' then that's better than her living like this any longer. They'll live happily ever after in a way she never could. After all, it's the clone A-ko over there, not the original. It was a clone all along.
Wait, can the clone make more clones? That would, for sure, mean B-ko is the original, not swapped in the very beginning.
If it is clone B-ko at the very end? Running off to live with clone A-ko? At least they won't have to keep murdering themselves any longer.
(I hope we can edit this in case I re-read it and figure it is different)

all this anthology is beautiful, thanks for letting me know about it

I think at the very end the original B-ko lets the clone kill her when she realizes that if the clones can live happily together 'like that' then that's better than her living like this any longer. They'll live happily ever after in a way she never could. After all, it's the clone A-ko over there, not the original. It was a clone all along.
Wait, can the clone make more clones? That would, for sure, mean B-ko is the original, not swapped in the very beginning.
If it is clone B-ko at the very end? Running off to live with clone A-ko? At least they won't have to keep murdering themselves any longer.
(I hope we can edit this in case I re-read it and figure it is different)

Hmm, I'm under the impression that the disease is based off of desires, so since clone A-ko and B-ko are now happy together, they have no more to ask for.

I'm not getting the only one thing. Why couldn't original B-ko stay with clone A-ko? They are already dating and stuff, so what's wrong on wanting more and go further? What's the drama about making appearances and growing apart? ._.
Some people just can't let themselves be themselves and live up to their desires, I guess. They are liars who want someone to make their lie come true. And I don't get it

I'm not getting the only one thing. Why couldn't original B-ko stay with clone A-ko? They are already dating and stuff, so what's wrong on wanting more and go further? What's the drama about making appearances and growing apart? ._.
Some people just can't let themselves be themselves and live up to their desires, I guess. They are liars who want someone to make their lie come true. And I don't get it

It's not just that though; it's like this sequel completely forgot about the first part mentioning that they were apparently dating. But here we hear original B-ko consistently telling her clone and herself that A-ko is her friend for the majority of this chapter. Add to that the odd reaction to seeing her clone kissing Original A-ko and saying "But...friends doing something like that..." among other things at least. Were they even really dating?

last edited at Dec 5, 2016 4:18AM

This gave me goose bumps.

I'm not getting the only one thing. Why couldn't original B-ko stay with clone A-ko? They are already dating and stuff, so what's wrong on wanting more and go further? What's the drama about making appearances and growing apart? ._.
Some people just can't let themselves be themselves and live up to their desires, I guess. They are liars who want someone to make their lie come true. And I don't get it

Assuming that the original B-ko is the one with the knife and the clone A-ko is the one who claimed original A-ko was the braids one, then it's quite clear to me that clone A-ko basically didn't have actual romantic feelings for B-ko, unlike the shut-in original A-ko who was swept off her feet. The line about "her feeling of liking B-ko was a little different than what B-ko was feeling" is usually a shorthand for romantic rejection: "I like you, too, but only as a friend." It's sadly a very common story.

My interpretation is that the "Kodoku Syndrome" is a metaphor for the postmodern understanding of personal identity, which means that the distinction between "originals" and "clones" is wholly artificial. Each of them represents a different facet or mindset of an entity we call "person", and none of them is any more deserving of being the dominant one in public (that is, snuffing out all others) than the rest.

If you instead read the story under the assumption that all A-kos and all B-kos are the same physical individuals, respectively, then it goes something like this: A-ko grew up as a shut in, then at some point, mustered strength to go outside and to make friends - in other words, her new outgoing personality supplanted the old shut-in identity in public, but unlike B-ko, she did not completely abandon her old self in some ways. In any case, this new outgoing A-ko met and charmed the equally shut-in schoolmate named B-ko, who, in a classic manner of teenage-hood, began suppressing her desire for A-ko out of fear for their hard-earned friendship. The repeated murder of "clone B-kos" is thus an extended metaphor for the constant self-mortification carried out by a person who suppresses her true desires on daily basis.

The whole "NTR double-date" scene in chapter 2 could be read as a really confused date between A-ko and B-ko, who, at first, showed each other the different sides of themselves who did have massive chemistry with each other, but then A-ko refused to maintain her shut-in facade and made it clear that she cannot love back the B-ko who cannot move on from her self-denying ways. Which doesn't necessarily mean that A-ko will fall for B-ko once she does move on, but this is strongly implied at several points, which have already been discussed here. In the end, I prefer to think of the conclusion as a happy one: there was no murder of the original B-ko by an impostor, it was simply her experiencing a catharsis and emerging as much more well-adjusted individual who does have a chance with A-ko, judging by the latter's reactions.

last edited at Dec 6, 2016 11:14AM

Dafuq

What. The. Fuck?

i feel my head about to explode

I don't understand, but art is nice

p145
people who are carry

people who carry

p149
with me as you girlfriend

should be "your girlfriend"

last edited at Dec 5, 2016 8:54PM

Yeah this didn't really grab me the way this author's other stories did. It wasn't really any weirder than them it's just so much more convoluted that I'm left not even entirely sure what I just read.

last edited at Dec 5, 2016 9:52PM

Y'all dropped the ball when you didn't name it "The Division Belle".

I'm not getting the only one thing. Why couldn't original B-ko stay with clone A-ko? They are already dating and stuff, so what's wrong on wanting more and go further? What's the drama about making appearances and growing apart? ._.
Some people just can't let themselves be themselves and live up to their desires, I guess. They are liars who want someone to make their lie come true. And I don't get it

Assuming that the original B-ko is the one with the knife and the clone A-ko is the one who claimed original A-ko was the braids one, then it's quite clear to me that clone A-ko basically didn't have actual romantic feelings for B-ko, unlike the shut-in original A-ko who was swept off her feet. The line about "her feeling of liking B-ko was a little different than what B-ko was feeling" is usually a shorthand for romantic rejection: "I like you, too, but only as a friend." It's sadly a very common story.

My interpretation is that the "Kodoku Syndrome" is a metaphor for the postmodern understanding of personal identity, which means that the distinction between "originals" and "clones" is wholly artificial. Each of them represents a different facet or mindset of an entity we call "person", and none of them is any more deserving of being the dominant one in public (that is, snuffing out all others) than the rest.

If you instead read the story under the assumption that all A-kos and all B-kos are the same physical individuals, respectively, then it goes something like this: A-ko grew up as a shut in, then at some point, mustered strength to go outside and to make friends - in other words, her new outgoing personality supplanted the old shut-in identity in public, but unlike B-ko, she did not completely abandon her old self in some ways. In any case, this new outgoing A-ko met and charmed the equally shut-in schoolmate named B-ko, who, in a classic manner of teenage-hood, began suppressing her desire for B-ko out of fear for their hard-earned friendship. The repeated murder of "clone B-kos" is thus an extended metaphor for the constant self-mortification carried out by a person who suppresses her true desires on daily basis.

The whole "NTR double-date" scene in chapter 2 could be read as a really confused date between A-ko and B-ko, who, at first, showed each other the different sides of themselves who did have massive chemistry with each other, but then A-ko refused to maintain her shut-in facade and made it clear that she cannot love back the B-ko who cannot move on from her self-denying ways. Which doesn't necessarily mean that A-ko will fall for B-ko once she does move on, but this is strongly implied at several points, which have already been discussed here. In the end, I prefer to think of the conclusion as a happy one: there was no murder of the original B-ko by an impostor, it was simply her experiencing a catharsis and emerging as much more well-adjusted individual who does have a chance with A-ko, judging by the latter's reactions.

^ I really appreciate your thoughts on this. I too would like to believe that it ended in a metaphorically happy way

I'm not getting the only one thing. Why couldn't original B-ko stay with clone A-ko? They are already dating and stuff, so what's wrong on wanting more and go further? What's the drama about making appearances and growing apart? ._.
Some people just can't let themselves be themselves and live up to their desires, I guess. They are liars who want someone to make their lie come true. And I don't get it

Assuming that the original B-ko is the one with the knife and the clone A-ko is the one who claimed original A-ko was the braids one, then it's quite clear to me that clone A-ko basically didn't have actual romantic feelings for B-ko, unlike the shut-in original A-ko who was swept off her feet. The line about "her feeling of liking B-ko was a little different than what B-ko was feeling" is usually a shorthand for romantic rejection: "I like you, too, but only as a friend." It's sadly a very common story.

My interpretation is that the "Kodoku Syndrome" is a metaphor for the postmodern understanding of personal identity, which means that the distinction between "originals" and "clones" is wholly artificial. Each of them represents a different facet or mindset of an entity we call "person", and none of them is any more deserving of being the dominant one in public (that is, snuffing out all others) than the rest.

If you instead read the story under the assumption that all A-kos and all B-kos are the same physical individuals, respectively, then it goes something like this: A-ko grew up as a shut in, then at some point, mustered strength to go outside and to make friends - in other words, her new outgoing personality supplanted the old shut-in identity in public, but unlike B-ko, she did not completely abandon her old self in some ways. In any case, this new outgoing A-ko met and charmed the equally shut-in schoolmate named B-ko, who, in a classic manner of teenage-hood, began suppressing her desire for B-ko out of fear for their hard-earned friendship. The repeated murder of "clone B-kos" is thus an extended metaphor for the constant self-mortification carried out by a person who suppresses her true desires on daily basis.

The whole "NTR double-date" scene in chapter 2 could be read as a really confused date between A-ko and B-ko, who, at first, showed each other the different sides of themselves who did have massive chemistry with each other, but then A-ko refused to maintain her shut-in facade and made it clear that she cannot love back the B-ko who cannot move on from her self-denying ways. Which doesn't necessarily mean that A-ko will fall for B-ko once she does move on, but this is strongly implied at several points, which have already been discussed here. In the end, I prefer to think of the conclusion as a happy one: there was no murder of the original B-ko by an impostor, it was simply her experiencing a catharsis and emerging as much more well-adjusted individual who does have a chance with A-ko, judging by the latter's reactions.

Wow this makes A LOT OF SENSE all of a sudden. Thanks for this really thought out explanation.

^ I really appreciate your thoughts on this. I too would like to believe that it ended in a metaphorically happy way

and

Wow this makes A LOT OF SENSE all of a sudden. Thanks for this really thought out explanation.

You are both very welcome. I am glad you found my musings helpful. :-)

last edited at Dec 6, 2016 11:14AM

My interpretation is that the "Kodoku Syndrome" is a metaphor for the postmodern understanding of personal identity, which means that the distinction between "originals" and "clones" is wholly artificial. Each of them represents a different facet or mindset of an entity we call "person", and none of them is any more deserving of being the dominant one in public (that is, snuffing out all others) than the rest.

Now that's quite a thought! About methaphorical meaning and all, thanks :)

last edited at Dec 15, 2016 4:53PM

It's not just that though; it's like this sequel completely forgot about the first part mentioning that they were apparently dating. But here we hear original B-ko consistently telling her clone and herself that A-ko is her friend for the majority of this chapter. Add to that the odd reaction to seeing her clone kissing Original A-ko and saying "But...friends doing something like that..." among other things at least. Were they even really dating?

Now I understood.
Clone A-ko doesn't feel the same ._. She was trying to go out with B-ko but she still view B-ko in a friend way.
B-ko lost her purpose to live and that's why clones were killing themselves. But somewhere alongside she find a new answer: to kill this love inside of her, so a clone who is just a friend of A-ko was born.
Methaphorically or not, they are just friends now, as I see it

last edited at Dec 15, 2016 4:51PM

Favorite story from the entire anthology. I like complex metaphorical stories & especially ones that deal with the question of identity & how it affects one's life, existence, & relationship with others. This one does it & I can't help but love it.

About the ending, while her old timid antisocial self dies while her more outgoing self takes over & presumably leads a better life, there is this sense of bittersweetness since the old self really does not fully embrace her other ego in the end, but is killed by her. I read it along the line of how she is now having a better life, but it's not even truly her who's living it anymore. It's debatable. This story (like the other ones in the anthology) kind of leaves it open for interpretation—as to whether the death of the original B-Ko is actually a good thing or not. I've come to love these sorts of ambiguous endings nowadays... Grey areas are interesting.

Edit: Somehow I wish that original B-Ko committed suicide in the end instead of getting killed by clone B-Ko... I guess it would make more sense that way since the clones couldn't do it themselves when she asked them to at first. It'd have probably been more thematically satisfying that way as well.

last edited at Dec 22, 2016 4:47AM