I like this.
Like, there's the problems with bully/victim ships, yeah, and there's the "Hollywood Homely" trope in play, and the popular girl is a little too bitchy to forgive... but, three things make me really like this:
1: I just really like the whole "the school's alpha bitch learns to be a decent human being" trope. I watched a lot of the early seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a kid, and Cordelia Chase's character arc was always my favorite. She's, like, the bully alpha bitch (a trope that I was familiar with even then because it's so ubiquitous in media about highschool, especially in America) when she's first introduced, but she keeps learning things that make her act a little less awful, and by the time Angel starts, she's become this fairly down-to-earth girl who makes Star Wars puns about her ghost roommate.
2: I really like Gyarus, but pretty much all content about gyarus is either mocking, het, or Galko (and Galko is great, without a doubt, but it's kinda doing its own thing without pandering to my desires). So, there's not nearly enough Gyaru yuri in the world. And what little gyaru yuri there is is mostly Citrus, which doesn't count to me because A) she's just a poser, and B) I don't even like Citrus anyway.
3: And finally, the first chapter- the one that's actually from her point of view- kinda comes off to me as pitiful rather than hateful? Like, I don't read that and go, "Christ, what a bitch", I read it and go, "Christ, she's got a really fucked-up view of the world, and I feel sorry for her- she's clearly been brainwashed by certain aspects of society. If only someone would open her eyes, she'd be nicer AND happier.".
Though, uh. Eight pages of discussion already. Man, people certainly have opinions about this series.
Really? The absolute majority of gyarus I've read in yuri are absolute sweet hearts! I really like them. They often have this very down to earth,every-man/woman and friendly feel to them. I don't know how to describe it exactly.(and I'm probably doing a terrible job) I should comb my favorites to get a good list of examples. My dream is for someone to pair one up with a delinquent type character. :3 but I tend to avoid het and don't like Citrus so there could be plenty of stories I've missed featuring gyarus.
I also have a thing for the bitch with a heart of gold types. Or ones that get a heart later, as is often the case.(every fellow fan of this, main Karin in Street Fighter!) Fujishiro's bossiness does have an appeal. Very quick to act even if we don't see things the way she does. And some really fun expressions. Don't quite agree with how she told her friends off, even though they were in the wrong, so I hope this addressed later and used to help her grow. And that dramatic makeover was a nice surprise! Quite the declaration.
I see why people aren't happy with either group of friends but I wonder why they are so quick to write them off? They may realize they are making mistakes later too. Also. They are probably use to thinking of Fujishiro as a bit of a jerk and a bully. You probably would get a little weary if someone you didn't like started hanging with one of your friends, right? Add to that, relationships are different in different countries. Even Kurokawa mentions the way things are likely to play out based on the actions Fujishiro suggests taking for this particular class/school.
This story is very worth putting up with a small, boring makeover arch that might not be over yet.
last edited at Aug 12, 2018 11:42PM
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