I feel like by the time this manga finally draws to a close (and most of us are already dead), I'm going to full-on hate the beta couple because of how unnecessary their interactions are in contributing to the story so far.

The mother dumped the father because she realized she was a lesbian (too).

The mother dumped the father because she realized she was a lesbian after meeting her sister on a dating site.

FTFY

just remembered the guy is the girl's sibling

Whiny voice: "I'm a helpless dark-haired cliché who is a slave to a confident blonde cliché and we were created to please the sick fantasies of people who hate dark-haired women."
Nobody cares about your boring misogynist couple, tNmR. The only thing we care about are Uta and Kaoru... And Uta's mother. She actually seems interesting.

I'm guessing the side couple is just to fulfill the souls who actually want some yuri action, but I do agree with you that they are kind of boring

Yeah, the mother does seem interesting, we've been getting hints about her since the early chapters

The side couple aren't even real yuri, but rather a lesbian with a one sided crush on what appears to be somebody on the asexual spectrum. That brings up an interesting question. If you have two people in a relationship and one views it as a romantic relationship and the other views it as platonic, would they be considered a couple? Are they dating?

last edited at Aug 2, 2018 4:06AM

Looking East posted:

That brings up an interesting question. If you have two people in a relationship and one views it as a romantic relationship and the other views it as platonic, would they be considered a couple? Are they dating?

Well, if they are in a relationship then yes? Platonic love is still love, just not physical.

I already catched up. Nuuuuuuuu.
Maybe I should find something else before sleeping.

If you haven't read it yet. Bloom into You is another well written story.

Looking East posted:

That brings up an interesting question. If you have two people in a relationship and one views it as a romantic relationship and the other views it as platonic, would they be considered a couple? Are they dating?

Well, if they are in a relationship then yes? Platonic love is still love, just not physical.

Yes, but we already have a word for platonic love. It is friendship or in special cases family. Basically what makes it confusing is that from one partners perspective their relationship is a deep friendship and from the others it is romantic.

last edited at Aug 2, 2018 3:18PM

Looking East posted:

Looking East posted:

That brings up an interesting question. If you have two people in a relationship and one views it as a romantic relationship and the other views it as platonic, would they be considered a couple? Are they dating?

Well, if they are in a relationship then yes? Platonic love is still love, just not physical.

Yes, but we already have a word for platonic love. It is friendship or in special cases family. Basically what makes it confusing is that from one partners perspective their relationship is a deep friendship and from the others it is romantic.

Well since you brought it up after mentioning someone being asexual, I thought that is what you mean by saying platonic. Asexual person can still love someone and want to be in relationship with them. They are simply not attracted to them sexually.

last edited at Aug 4, 2018 3:59PM

So tl;dr: the confession didn't happen?

Also it's anyone else not bothering to read this until that's addressed? Like I don't care about advancing plot right now with that scene cut off. I guess I'm being pouty.

So tl;dr: the confession didn't happen?

Also it's anyone else not bothering to read this until that's addressed? Like I don't care about advancing plot right now with that scene cut off. I guess I'm being pouty.

Nevri has made the case that the confession did take place, but if you want to know what that case is, you’ve got to read it.

I can imagine a story that was complex and intriguing enough that needing to read between the lines and to sift nuances of translation in order to understand key events was actually a rewarding part of the reading experience.

So far, this one isn’t that story.

So tl;dr: the confession didn't happen?

Also it's anyone else not bothering to read this until that's addressed? Like I don't care about advancing plot right now with that scene cut off. I guess I'm being pouty.

Nevri has made the case that the confession did take place, but if you want to know what that case is, you’ve got to read it.

I can imagine a story that was complex and intriguing enough that needing to read between the lines and to sift nuances of translation in order to understand key events was actually a rewarding part of the reading experience.

So far, this one isn’t that story.

I'm not saying that it's impossible that something like a confession occurred off screen, but I see no reason why there would be a need for it. All of the puzzle pieces were in place for Kaoru to have had this realization on her own, and the end of chapter 15 was strongly eluded to be the moment of that epiphany.

We had a scene where Kaoru was idly thinking about how grown and mature Uta seems lately and she wondered if maybe it was in part due to the fact that person she was in love with was older.

As she pondered this Kaoru walked up to the same couch where Kaoru had kissed her while she was sleeping, and she reached out and touched the couch softly as if remembering. Three panels and an entire page are dedicated to this silent moment of reflection as she touches the couch, emphasizing just how important it is to the story.

Then we turn the page and there is dramatic panel that is slashed down the middle between before and after. The top of the panel depicted Kaoru literally still lost in the dark about what's going on and then the bottom of the panel is illuminated in bright light as she reaches up and gently touches her lips recalling her half asleep memory of where Kaoru had kissed her.

Then we flip to the final scene of the chapter. It's a single full page panel that is illuminated in shades of grey that simply reads "I'm living with a girl that fell in love with me."

To me this scene is pretty clearly depicting Kaoru's epiphany about Uta's feelings. It is one continuous scene the splits the story into a before and after. At the start of this scene Kaoru is still in the dark about what's going on but she is actively reflecting upon the various bits and pieces of what she has seen. At the end of the scene after the dramatic light and dark split panel where Kaoru touches her lips and remembers the kiss we see that she has grasped the truth. She plainly understands what is going on at this point and if the lighting is any indication of her feelings, she is conflicted about it.

It is possible that at some point after this scene Uta confesses off screen, but I just don't see any reason why she would need to do so from a story point of view since Kaoru already knows at this point. It's also impossible for Uta's confession to have come before this scene since we can plainly see that Kaoru starts this scene still unaware of who it is Uta has fallen in love with.

last edited at Aug 4, 2018 7:20PM

Looking East posted:

Wall of text

That is actually a decent interpretation of that scene and I can get behind it. My main issue is that I lost interest in the series, so I don't really care how and where it will go anymore.

I'm not saying that it's impossible that something like a confession occurred off screen, but I see no reason why there would be a need for it. All of the puzzle pieces were in place for Kaoru to have had this realization on her own, and the end of chapter 15 was strongly eluded to be the moment of that epiphany.

My point is: confession or no confession--setting up that obvious cliffhanger at the end of Chapter 14 with Uta in bed with Kaoru, then making us have to sift through a bunch of oblique hints to try to figure out what actually happened was pretty much a dick storytelling move.

In the hands of a different kind of storyteller, it wouldn't necessarily be--theoretically, it could be awesome. But this author consistently has tiptoed up to important revelations and significant plot points, then backed away without actually revealing very much solid information or changing the fundamental situation.

Uta leaving the house is certainly a change in the situation, but even there we aren't entirely sure what it means, or what the other characters think it means.

EDIT: And by the way, as to the couch "where Uta kissed Kaoru"? The way that scene was staged, we don't know for sure that a kiss actually happened--it could just as easily be a scene where Uta stopped herself at the last moment.

last edited at Aug 4, 2018 7:56PM

Thanks for the replies peeps. So deep the reading between the lines, but like Nevri and Blastaar just recently said, the author is making me lose interest. He/she should go back to Eli/Umi doujins, or get some story editors fast.

Thanks for the replies peeps. So deep the reading between the lines, but like Nevri and Blastaar just recently said, the author is making me lose interest. He/she should go back to Eli/Umi doujins, or get some story editors fast.

If we look at the sort of missteps the story has made I think it is actually the editor that is the most likely culprit. The mangaka seems intent on telling a very slow paced and introspective drama and each time the story has gone somewhat off course its been for a quick hype boosting and attention grabbing cliff hanger that then has to be partially back peddled right afterwards to avoid a complete derail of the otherwise slow burning plot.

Asking for the the author to boost hype and tension by injecting drama and adding monthly cliff hangers to keep the reader hooked is exactly the sort of thing an editor will ask for. If you look at where this is being published and the niche it is intended to fill it adds further context.

This a story is being printed in Yuri Hime along side Citrus which is about to end. Thematically these two stories are extremely similar, but what sets them apart is the writing style. Citrus is their most popular series and its pulpy and drama filled with moody plot twists and cliff hangers where as My Unrequited Love is incredibly slow paced and introspective series that until recently did not employ cheap cliff hangers and plot twists .

The point where it started picking up this pattern in the writing was only as Citrus has started to reach its end. I think it is quite likely the mangaka is getting pressure from her editors and higher ups to make her series more like Citrus in order to try and hold onto that audience now that their flagship manga is ending. The problem is that the writing style of this mangaka really does not work well with the whole frequent cliffhanger and pulpy plot twist recipe that made Citrus so successful. This leads to this annoying pattern of lamely back peddling from each forced cliffhanger to keep the story that has been written up to this point from imploding.

last edited at Aug 6, 2018 5:26AM

You're most likely right. I was saying it before that editor is the more likely reason for changes in story. Editor is important and can improve the story, but more times than not they sadly actually ruin it or make it less interesting/unique, forcing author to go more mainstream and do things that are proven to work, so they can prolong their series and get all the money they can from it. Sadly nowadays, entertainment business is business first and entertainment second. Trying to write a good story is becoming less and less main focus over making something that will sell well and earn a lot of money. Trying to being safe ruined a lot good stories.

last edited at Aug 6, 2018 3:21PM

You're most likely right. I was saying it before that editor is the more likely reason for changes in story. Editor is important and can improve the story, but more times than not they sadly actually ruin it or make it less interesting/unique, forcing author to go more mainstream and do things that are proven to work, so they can prolong their series and get all the money they can from it. Sadly nowadays, entertainment business is business first and entertainment second. Trying to write a good story is becoming less and less main focus over making something that will sell well and earn a lot of money. Trying to being safe ruined a lot good stories.

I'm new to this forum so I didn't see your early posts on the subject, but I definitely agree with you that this smacks of editorial interference which is a shame.

I am quite fond of this story and despite a couple of missteps I still consider it one of the better yuri manga I am currently following. I'm just crossing my fingers that the higher ups realize their mistake and leave the mangaka alone and let her do her own thing before they cause irreparable damage. Although slow paced and more complex stories might not be as popular as something like Citrus they do have an audience, and it's better to just let the story be and please that smaller audience than it is to try and force it to be something its not and alienate the original fans while trying to lure in new ones.

Anyway, I hope the mangaka and the story find their footing again and we get an end to the story that is on par with the quality of the beginning. =)

last edited at Aug 8, 2018 4:23AM

Oh boy, y'all gonna love the drama coming up next.

I Just hope if this series gonna end... at least tMnR give us 6 volumes T-T
I Feel like it's gonna end at vol.4 'sigh'

Oh boy, y'all gonna love the drama coming up next.

Do you have the raw? Pls tell me you have itt

Oh boy, y'all gonna love the drama coming up next.

Do you have the raw? Pls tell me you have itt

https://imgur.com/a/doionHM

Their bodies are getting elongated by the chapter, how fascinating!

I'll drop this and occasionally visit these forums so you'll let me know when they actually fuck since there's really nothing else binding interest to these walking voids of personality.

why can't people write good stories anymore

You're most likely right. I was saying it before that editor is the more likely reason for changes in story. Editor is important and can improve the story, but more times than not they sadly actually ruin it or make it less interesting/unique, forcing author to go more mainstream and do things that are proven to work, so they can prolong their series and get all the money they can from it. Sadly nowadays, entertainment business is business first and entertainment second. Trying to write a good story is becoming less and less main focus over making something that will sell well and earn a lot of money. Trying to being safe ruined a lot good stories.

This is basically why I'm reduced to reading a lot of amateurish web serials and fanfiction. Because published stuff is generally safe and sanitary and boring. Though you still get a lot of safe and apologetic crap in amateur work too, sadly...