Aside, Mai noticed "it *looks* like the others still haven't noticed" - which makes me appreciate that this does not go against my theory of them already knowing but playing dumb or not caring (in any bad way). I mean, they hardly even react to Nanoha being all flustered after pulling something out of Chidori's hair :P ...So, yeah, I'll stick to that theory until the contrary is proven.

That's a theory I wish is true but think it isn't.

Basically the opposite of what I feel for my own theory about how Belkraine in Rat's canon came to be.

I'm happy to admit overreacting to Mai's jarring introduction as the story is going just fine now, shark jump cancelled.

last edited at Dec 7, 2019 8:45AM

I'm happy to admit overreacting to Mai's jarring introduction as the story is going just fine now, shark jump cancelled.

I was a little surprised by the overwhelmingly negative reaction to Mai in the comments (on Mangadex, 90% of the posts are some variant of "begone thot"), even before she had a chance to do anything. But then I guess I had already read these chapters, so I knew that she was a fairly harmless addition. The focus remains firmly on main couple. Plus, Mai's perspective on the other two is entertaining, and she has enough self-awareness to have a sense of humor about the whole thing, which Chidori and Nanoha lack.

I was a little surprised by the overwhelmingly negative reaction to Mai in the comments

I mean when someone said " oh the one is crushing on is dating a girl and kiss her, that mean i have a chance", she don't give you a harmless vibe so that's kinda the normal reactions you could have about someone who seemingly want to butt in an establish relation just to snatch the girl. Even 62 is a bit of stupid thought "she doesn't say anything so she doesn't care", so the fact she is considerate and trust Nanoha enough is not an option ? You're Nanoha's friend and kohai and you seemingly don't like a bad person so she don't really have a reason to be angry.

After the two last chapter on Mangadex i know she is less mischievous than she seem to be and understand that the relation between Nanoha and Chidori is strong

last edited at Dec 7, 2019 9:31AM

If Mai really wants to emulate her Naa-chan rather than just hero-worship her, she’ll fall in love with Chidori.

I was a little surprised by the overwhelmingly negative reaction to Mai in the comments

I mean when someone said " oh the one is crushing on is dating a girl and kiss her, that mean i have a chance", she don't give you a harmless vibe so that's kinda the normal reactions you could have about someone who seemingly want to butt in an establish relation just to snatch the girl. Even 62 is a bit of stupid thought "she doesn't say anything so she doesn't care", so the fact she is considerate and trust Nanoha enough is not an option ? You're Nanoha's friend and kohai and you seemingly don't like a bad person so she don't really have a reason to be angry.

After the two last chapter on Mangadex i know she is less mischievous than she seem to be and understand that the relation between Nanoha and Chidori is strong

I mean, Mai was right about Chidori not caring. Mai's closeness with Nanoha doesn't really bother Chidori. Chidori has complained that she doesn't get to spend as much time with Nanoha, and she feels a little envious that Mai knows more about Nanoha than she does. But she's not jealous of their relationship. She's not worried that Nanoha will betray her. She doesn't feel insecure or threatened when she sees Nanoha's consideration towards Mai. That's what Mai was commenting on—she could tell just by looking that Chidori wasn't concerned. And what we as readers know is that Chidori is fine with Nanoha spending time with Mai. Part of what she loves about Nanoha is her kindness, and so she supports her wish to take care of her friend, even if it personally inconveniences her.

you would think a fluffy manga will eventually run out of fluff but this one just keeps making 'em. <3

Mai was right about Chidori not caring.
even if it personally inconveniences her.

Didn't you contradict yourself ? Chidori do care that Mai butt in and take some Nanoha's time but she told it in a way that it's considerate to Mai and not "i'm your gf so past your time with me and not her"

Mai was right about Chidori not caring.
even if it personally inconveniences her.

Didn't you contradict yourself ? Chidori do care that Mai butt in and take some Nanoha's time but she told it in a way that it's considerate to Mai and not "i'm your gf so past your time with me and not her"

No. There's no contradiction. People are often willing to put up with inconveniences. Most of us do it every day.

And that's not really what the chapter is about. Mai assumed that Chidori would be upset that Nanoha is paying attention to her, but she isn't.

Mai was right about Chidori not caring.
even if it personally inconveniences her.

But Chidori doesn't have a reason to be jealous (as a couple) because she knows that nanoha is just a good friend
for all that Mai has been through and so far she hasn't done anything to separate them right? It's not the same when igarashi appeared.

Then again Mai butting in make the progress a bit slower since she constantly trying to stay between them so i can understand why people are upset. We waited 48 before having a kiss and Chidori saying "i love you", she have circumstances about that's still damn slow for 2 girls who are supossingly dating plus we just go out of the Chidori's Senapi arc so having another rival right off the bat is annoying. It's up to personal opinion but the pacing make it hard to not see Mai as a potential problem.

I'm happy to admit overreacting to Mai's jarring introduction as the story is going just fine now, shark jump cancelled.

Same here, will put my faith into schuyguy

Yeah, I think most of the uproar comes from assuming that this Mai story is Igarashi 2.0.
And, her introduction and her whole "Nanoha is dating (another) girl, so I totally have a chance with her" logic did certainly give off bad vibes...

But, plot-wise? She's been active and around our love-birds now for ...I think even more chapters Igarashi had. Yet, all she effectively "did" was push Chidori to try and get to know her beloved better.
...so far, this has been the worst she could come up with.

As for Chidori's jealousy... I think, one can be "jealous" (or miffed about) a beloved spending less time with oneself and more time with a third party instead, without being jealous in the sense of having resentful feelings for said third party.
But it seems to me, that Chidori makes the best of the situation and spends her few time with Nanoha more productively (going over to her home) as well as finding ways to fasten their relationship even during the off-hours (writing love-letters).

So yeah, I think what many of us thought when Mai realized Chidori "doesn't care": Chidori trusts Nanoha. (And has no reason not to do so.)

last edited at Dec 7, 2019 12:32PM

What is with all this communication? They're sharing and talking through friction. I love it!! (~˘▾˘)~

Then again Mai butting in make the progress a bit slower

Did it really though? It took 48 chapters for a kiss, and it's been less than 10 since Mai's introduction. What progress were you expecting this quickly, anyway? Even with Mai around, we've had home visits, an increasing desire for kissing and physical contact (see ch 61), and love letters.

We waited 48 before having a kiss and Chidori saying "i love you",

For what it's worth, the first "I love you" from Chidori was chapter 24: https://mangadex.org/chapter/479266/11. Maybe earlier, but that's the earliest instance I can remember.

she have circumstances about that's still damn slow for 2 girls who are supossingly dating plus we just go out of the Chidori's Senapi arc so having another rival right off the bat is annoying. It's up to personal opinion but the pacing make it hard to not see Mai as a potential problem.

You're free to hold that opinion of course, but it's worth noting that the previous love rival was specifically used as a vehicle for progression. Mai, by comparison, is far less antagonistic than the sempai was, and she is also being used as a vehicle for progression. That just isn't her sole purpose like it was for the sempai.

this brat... >:[

You're free to hold that opinion of course

That isn't my strict opinion, i just try to explain why some peoples are upset with Mai's addition with only the chapters we had

For what it's worth, the first "I love you" from Chidori was chapter 24: https://mangadex.org/chapter/479266/11. Maybe earlier, but that's the earliest instance I can remember.

My memory is bad at those times so i don't remember it.

Even with Mai around, we've had home visits, an increasing desire for kissing and physical contact (see ch 61), and love letters.

Again, at first you can't really know if Mai's attitude will have been harmless. I mean when she thought "she date a girl and kiss her then maybe i have a chance", it's legitimate to have fear about it. Of course after the last two chapters on Mangadex, i know that Mai don't seem that mean and even feel like a third wheel and also said she feel guilty to stick to Nanoha.

You know, you can't always judge a third person entering the story so quick.
Generally, there are other signs of what the character will be.
If it's going to be serious, we get the hints beforehand.
For example with Igarashi (who wasn't a threat either but was more of an antagonist than what Mai seems to be) we had hints about Chidori's past suffering because of an unnamed person before even Igarashi showing up.
With Mai, not only there are no hints of anything serious ever happening, her character design is also silly. She gives off goof vibes and she even kinda ships them.

She gives off goof vibes and she even kinda ships them.

Maybe now but that don't give good vibes neither she ship them.

She gives off goof vibes and she even kinda ships them.

Maybe now but that don't give good vibes neither she ship them.

Is this the point where a philosophycal conversation starts about the meaning of "to ship", until a mod inevitably shuts that convo down?

She gives off goof vibes and she even kinda ships them.

Maybe now but that don't give good vibes neither she ship them.

Is this the point where a philosophycal conversation starts about the meaning of "to ship", until a mod inevitably shuts that convo down?

I don't think that's necessary. There's literally a wiki-definition of shipping.
And, yeah. No. Mai doesn't "ship" them. She very much ships herself with Nanoha, whom she's obsessed with. She maaaaay project herself into Chidori at times (upcoming) and get therefore flustered about anything even remotely charming or anything with a possible romantic- or double-entendre-read Nanoha does (to or with Chidori). And even if she kinda likes Chidori or thinks she's cute at times, that's not necessarily a sign of her shipping those two (yet). But there's a chance that her devotion for Nanoha changes from "I want her, even if she's already happy with someone else" to "I want her to be happy, even if that's with someone else", and evolve into her eventually shipping them... But thus far that's not the case.

I would agree on her being a bit more on the goofy side of the spectrum, tho... Which may be an indicator by the author for the audience to not see her as a source of upcoming heavy drama... which apparently (or judging by the discussions) did not translate too well?

last edited at Dec 7, 2019 7:29PM

Heart-pounding indeed. Poor Nanoha LOL.

last edited at Dec 7, 2019 8:02PM

Double kabedon on both her girlfriend and the kouhai that has a crush on her. Nanoha's gonna unlock the harem end at this rate.

Is it just me or does kouhai-san is now crushing on both chidori and nonoha ?

I love how in two chapters, Mai went from “I have to break them up” to “just kiss already”