Forum › Still Sick discussion

F4x-3lwx0aa0tcu31
joined Apr 20, 2013

GeneralJ posted:

Maekawa is sick.

She was bitten by one of those infamous Astolfo bean plushies

bubbleteabird
F6c7d5d1-1d08-49c3-974d-d6169caf13f6
joined May 8, 2017

This is kinda stressing me out.... There is so much miscommunication and repressed feelings.
I just want them to be happy :'(

joined Mar 30, 2017

This is kinda stressing me out.... There is so much miscommunication and repressed feelings.
I just want them to be happy :'(

The miscommunication feels very ... real though, fualed by self esteem issues and anxiety rather than contrivance and idiocy

last edited at Jul 17, 2019 9:44PM

Nodoyue_avatar1
joined Aug 7, 2017

"Still Wack"... I can't decide whether to laugh or groan.

10455963_830638436992044_5645511050433336598_n
joined Jun 27, 2019

"Still Wack"... I can't decide whether to laugh or groan.

That had me LOL-ing hard to be honest.

10455963_830638436992044_5645511050433336598_n
joined Jun 27, 2019

This is kinda stressing me out.... There is so much miscommunication and repressed feelings.
I just want them to be happy :'(

The miscommunication feels very ... real though, fualed by self esteem issues and anxiety rather than contrivance and idiocy

Personally, that's what charms me the most about Yuri love stories in general, the drama about miscommunication.

I also love the way Akane nonverbally expresses jealousy (her face is freaking cute when she's mad!).

joined Jul 26, 2016

Maekawa makes the best "uwaahhh..." faces

Utenaanthy01
joined Aug 4, 2018

More Still Stick! OH YEAH! Come to mama!!!

(I'll write something more pithy as soon as I download the chapter and read it, I promise.)

joined Jul 17, 2019

Just saying... doesn't Maekawa seem a little... abusive? Like, she expects her friend to completely emotionally care for her, never leave her side, and always be there for emotional support. She uses the fact that her friend likes her and blatantly leads her on for the specific purpose of becoming an emotional leech and isolating her from others (i.e getting pissed when she needs to talk to others, even in a work setting). And most importantly she manipulates her emotionally, guilt tripping her into never leaving under any circumstances, even when being toyed with and used, else being an evil monster just like everyone else who's ever left her. Disclaimer: I still don't think Maekawa is a bad person, just has way to many issues to dump on a friend or spouse. This relationship is getting more and more toxic. It's getting kind of hard to read this and ship them together, Shizumu deserves so much better. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to this because I've been exposed to it tho.

uzumakixhinata
joined Nov 7, 2013

hmmm.

Profile2
joined Aug 8, 2015

All people have somewhat abusive behaviours. O think whats important is that Maekawa doesnt even realise the situation that she's putting Shizumu in, and that Shizumu herself hasnt put any boundaries or limits. I gotta wonder if abuse really is abuse when there's a concious consent from the other party. It feels like a hardline "no" might end up allowing for too many creepy and unhealthy situation, but a hardline "yes" would end up making things such as BDSM morally wrong. So I suppose we should go with a case by case basis. In general, "abusive behaviour" is not really descriptive either way, and pinning down what is abusive behaviour is hard too. Maekawa got mad because she cant help but feel jealous, but to her credit she doesnt stop Shizumu from approaching other people or anything of the sort. She didnt even tell her why she was mad, which is healthy in my opinion. And about guilt-tripping Shizumu into staying, idk - feels like Maekawa tried to push Shizumu away plenty of times. "Leading her on" might also not be appropiate phrasing, considering Maekawa is obviously dealing with coming out as well, and that flirt-but-not-really might be her way of literally flirting with the idea of being gay.

In real life, tbf, Id probably feel very bad for Shizumu. But since this is a romance and I know this stage is something they have to work through, I dont really mind. I suppose it might be harder to mantain immersion when you've been through abusive situations tho.

Your_hair_has_gotten_longer_by_folksneedheroes-d5l5v69
joined Apr 23, 2015

Heh. So many good moments.
She has faith in her "boys" huh?

I want my own Maekawa. But I'd probably have to go outside to find one. Ugh. gives up

Utenaanthy01
joined Aug 4, 2018

More Still Stick! OH YEAH! Come to mama!!!

(I'll write something more pithy as soon as I download the chapter and read it, I promise.)

It's done. Loved the chapter. <3 I actually don't have any pearls of wisdom to share or enlightenment to impart, but I still think -- I've said it before, I'll say it again -- that this manga is extraordinary in the way it deals with psychologies and behaviors. Shimizu and Maekawa are able to look at themselves and their own feelings and conflicts with the detachment of a manga author looking at her characters, and that makes them uniquely original people: I do believe this is the first time I meet two MCs who have achieved this level of objectivity and equitability in self-judgment -- and can discuss about their circumstances so openly.

Listening to them analyze themselves, I am reminded of the otaku crowd of Genshiken debating if two characters in a manga have feelings for each other, exactly what these feelings are, and, depending on the conclusions, whether they could have a fulfilling romance or not. As things stand now, Shimizu and Maekawa have agreed that the answer is NO -- they should NOT get tangled into a romantic affair, whatever feelings they may hold for each other!

Okay. It's their choice. That's fine by me.

Let's all wait for the fireworks when this firm and resolute decision crumbles like a dunked biscuit under the onslaught of unbridled passion that's most certainly looming in their future.

herenowforever
Singeraigenerated
joined Feb 11, 2018

Kind of enjoyed the suggestion that being commercial author is sometimes akin to prostitution in this chapter. It's not far from the truth when your life depends on it. You get paid to do the tricks customers want, even if they allow you to play with darker ideas at first.

Sounds rather depressing.

As for the psychology of it all, I still find "So, Do You Want To Go Out, Or?" to be superior. Not disliking this, though.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 1:13AM

New%20dynasty%20reader%20profile
joined Oct 22, 2018

She has faith in her "boys" huh?

Considering that four of them were shown in that pannel, I can't help but think that the author picked up and slightly altered the "me and the boys" meme.

Also, I think I almost woke up my brother when I said outloud "Hmmm... someone is jealous."

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 1:32AM

Untitled
joined May 2, 2018

I really hope Shimizu isn't evolving into a Kase-san here. Maekawa talking to a female colleague at work, the horror...

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 1:49AM

joined Jul 26, 2016

I really hope Shimizu isn't evolving into a Kase-san here. Maekawa talking to a female colleague at work, the horror...

...I think you got the names flipped 'round, there.

This relationship is getting more and more toxic. It's getting kind of hard to read this and ship them together, Shizumu deserves so much better.

I think so too. I really don't know why I'm still reading this since I can't bring myself to root for these two. Maekawa keeps treating Shimizu like shit and it just makes me feel frustrated that Shimizu is still putting up with it.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 3:53AM by

2641afdd-9dc4-4327-a1c3-a5b558c33522
joined Mar 12, 2014

Shizumu is talking to another girl, why do I feel things!

Just figure out you want to be a couple already, Shizumu deserves herself a girlfriend, not this weird best friends thing you got going on

Images
joined Sep 30, 2018

Isn't Shimizu just the best gril

Sandra2
joined Mar 22, 2013

Just saying... doesn't Maekawa seem a little... abusive? Like, she expects her friend to completely emotionally care for her, never leave her side, and always be there for emotional support. She uses the fact that her friend likes her and blatantly leads her on for the specific purpose of becoming an emotional leech and isolating her from others (i.e getting pissed when she needs to talk to others, even in a work setting). And most importantly she manipulates her emotionally, guilt tripping her into never leaving under any circumstances, even when being toyed with and used, else being an evil monster just like everyone else who's ever left her. Disclaimer: I still don't think Maekawa is a bad person, just has way to many issues to dump on a friend or spouse. This relationship is getting more and more toxic. It's getting kind of hard to read this and ship them together, Shizumu deserves so much better. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to this because I've been exposed to it tho.

I see what you mean, but I guess the big difference is that, they talk(ed) about it. Maekawa was always very forward about her lack of emotion. And also, I think Maekawa is growing a lot with every chapter and Shimizu knows how to handle her.
Sorry about your experience. There are some very manipulative people and messed up relationships in RL (that's why I'm here in fictional life) and I also really hate it, when an abusive treatment in manga is depicted as romantic. However I don't think this is the case here though. It is some heavy drama. Maekawa is a person with a lot of fear and I believe Shimizu can handle how she's treated.^^
Plus, Shimizu got something out of this relationship, too. She finally accepted that she is attracted to women.

also I read the raws (without understanding a thing) and I think
after one more chapter of heavy drama, it gets better, though both chapters available were like up and down, like all the chapters translated here^^

I started comparing this to "liberty" (which is definitely abusive imo...) and I always come to the conclusion, that Maekawa's fears are actually well written and understandable and she wants to break out, but can't (but I believe she will). Whereas Liberty is just some spoiled brat full of self-pity.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 10:56AM

45b4e36d555ca184502130f8249354c2--flcl-furi-kuri2
joined Jul 19, 2018

Just saying... doesn't Maekawa seem a little... abusive? Like, she expects her friend to completely emotionally care for her, never leave her side, and always be there for emotional support. She uses the fact that her friend likes her and blatantly leads her on for the specific purpose of becoming an emotional leech and isolating her from others (i.e getting pissed when she needs to talk to others, even in a work setting). And most importantly she manipulates her emotionally, guilt tripping her into never leaving under any circumstances, even when being toyed with and used, else being an evil monster just like everyone else who's ever left her. Disclaimer: I still don't think Maekawa is a bad person, just has way to many issues to dump on a friend or spouse. This relationship is getting more and more toxic. It's getting kind of hard to read this and ship them together, Shizumu deserves so much better. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to this because I've been exposed to it tho.

Yes her behavior is not healthy, although I would not go so far as to call it abusive and I think you are probably reading too much malice into her motivations. Maekawa is quite self aware about the harm her behavior can cause those she grows close to. It is the reason that despite having a pretty serious crush on Maekawa she goes out of her way to try and maintain a safe distance in their relationship even going so far as to outright warn Shizumu about her pattern of harmful behavior with past lovers.

The fact Maekawa really cares about and is attached to Shizumu is paradoxically the same reason she keeps her distance and refuses to date her because she is aware of the harm it would do. She doesn't want to end up using and discarding Shizumu the way she has all her past lovers.

Those who suffer from mental or emotional problems that are damaging to the people around them aren't always bad or malicious people. Many are haunted and guilt ridden by the inevitable hurt they cause their loved ones, but are unable to stop it. Some will choose to completely self isolate. Others may just keep everyone in their life at an arms length in an attempt to prevent it from happening again, but the crushing loneliness and fundamental human desire for intimacy gnaws away at their resolve to remain at a safe distance. This is a big part of what we are watching happen with Maekawa.

Shizumu has her own issues that have kept her from ever having an intimate relationship with another human being which differ from Maikawa's, but the end result is similar in that they are both very lonely people that desperately want to be closer to the other but are too deathly afraid and damaged to let it happen. You view the relationship as being very one sided as far as who is hurting who, but if you look back through the chapters you can see how even innocent and kind hearted Shizumu has ended up hurting Maikawa due to her various mental and emotional hang ups.

There is a reason this manga is titled Still Sick.

Also, for the record, this is one of my all time favorite manga on this site. I wish there were more subtle and intelligently written stories like this on here. I think I even put this above Bloom Into You which is basically the gold standard I judge all yuri dramas against.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 4:04AM

Alien%209%20kumi
joined Feb 28, 2019

ahhh, finally my favorite trope. Jealousy

Whatsapp%20image%202019-04-25%20at%2010.16.22%20pm%20(1)
joined Jan 4, 2018

ahhh, finally my favorite trope. Jealousy

same

DR2 Hajime Hinata
Image_2023-07-05_193410907
joined Jul 20, 2016

Guys I think she just doesn't realize she likes Shimizu

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