Forum › Crescent Moon and Doughnuts discussion

Smallerpfp
joined Nov 26, 2019

I’m not understanding your question: who is it that doesn’t talk about her being gay? The characters in the story?

I mean the author not making it explicit and something to explore, however it's brought in. Like, her attraction to Satou is synecdoche for her overall attraction to women, and the latter is just left tacit.

I’m going to try one more time, because I flat out do not understand what you’re saying here.

As far as we can tell, this is the first time Hinako has allowed herself to feel an attraction outside of a rigidly defined “normality” (her oppressive mom supplies more than enough explanation for why). How is the author not making her attraction to Satou explicit?

Put another way, what would what you’re looking for look like in the context of this story and these characters?

It could go a million different ways. It can be an internal monologue, in dialogue, in her noticing a magazine cover. There's lots of ways a story element can be made explicit.

Also, like, "this story" and "these characters" only are the way they are because the author chose to make them that way. There's no reason another character couldn't exist who comments on it, or there isn't a gay celebrity scandal on TV or whatever.

I said the attraction to Satou is explicit; the general nature of her sexuality is what's implicit, even though every note of a coming out story is being hit. This is a story about a woman realizing she's gay where the concept of "gay" never comes up. It's like the author wants us to totally understand what these "holes" are (internalized homophobia and unhappiness about forcing herself into hetero normalcy) but wants to be coy about it or not explicitly bring it up for some other reason. This appears to be fairly common in yuri manga.

She's not working on that aspect of figuring out what she wants out of life right now, frankly. She's figuring out how to sort out other things first. Who's to say she won't figure that out later? You're complaining she's not panicking about her sexuality within the first 5 chapters of a long-form manga about coming into yourself and figuring out how you fit into the world, it's almost certainly gonna come. There's plenty of stories about freaking out about your sexuality, this doesn't need to be one yet. It barely even needs to be yuri, it's a story about sorting things out and being accepted.

Images
joined Aug 19, 2018

The way the chapter was going and how it ended made me think this was the last chapter, and it's honestly not that bad of a place to end it on. It would be an open ending, but it seems obvious they'd form a deep connection as time goes on. But thankfully, I saw "to be continued" and I was like, "whew, forget all that, more yuri!"

igenetycs Uploader
Avatarkakeochi
Yuri Project
joined Aug 14, 2019

I’m not understanding your question: who is it that doesn’t talk about her being gay? The characters in the story?

I mean the author not making it explicit and something to explore, however it's brought in. Like, her attraction to Satou is synecdoche for her overall attraction to women, and the latter is just left tacit.

I’m going to try one more time, because I flat out do not understand what you’re saying here.

As far as we can tell, this is the first time Hinako has allowed herself to feel an attraction outside of a rigidly defined “normality” (her oppressive mom supplies more than enough explanation for why). How is the author not making her attraction to Satou explicit?

Put another way, what would what you’re looking for look like in the context of this story and these characters?

It could go a million different ways. It can be an internal monologue, in dialogue, in her noticing a magazine cover. There's lots of ways a story element can be made explicit.

Also, like, "this story" and "these characters" only are the way they are because the author chose to make them that way. There's no reason another character couldn't exist who comments on it, or there isn't a gay celebrity scandal on TV or whatever.

I said the attraction to Satou is explicit; the general nature of her sexuality is what's implicit, even though every note of a coming out story is being hit. This is a story about a woman realizing she's gay where the concept of "gay" never comes up. It's like the author wants us to totally understand what these "holes" are (internalized homophobia and unhappiness about forcing herself into hetero normalcy) but wants to be coy about it or not explicitly bring it up for some other reason. This appears to be fairly common in yuri manga.

I think that's just incongruent with the story the author wants to tell. It's a story about accepting herself, and acknowledging her sexuality is undeniably part of that, but it's also a love story. I think the author wanted to show Hinako, the girl who (thinks she) can't fall in love, completely falling head over heels for someone without even realizing it. Introducing concepts like comphet and general sexual attraction would result in the "girl who (thinks she) can't fall in love" aspect disappearing. Which would be fine - but I don't think it's a flaw of the author that she decided not to take this route.

In real life, I think a lot of times these issues about her sexuality are solved by spending some time reading about it, or talking with an online friend, or something similarly mundane. But that wouldn't make for as great a story, at least in my eyes.

Img_0053
joined Sep 19, 2017

I like this so much but people giving an overly psychological analysis just ruined the fluffy feeling around.

last edited at Jan 21, 2020 10:01PM

Smallerpfp
joined Nov 26, 2019

I like this so much but people giving an overly psychological analysis just ruined it.

Don't read the comments then?? I'm talking about a manga that I'm enjoying and how it rings true to my experiences of neurodivergence, it's not a fucking psychological analysis, whatever you mean by that. Like... what's the point of coming into the comments to complain that on-topic comments about the story are bad?? If you don't like reading what people think about the story, it's entirely optional.

joined Dec 28, 2016

"The moon is beautiful" is a classic Japanese phrase from Japanese literature written by Natsume Souseki. It means "I love you". Just in case anyone didn't catch the final phrase in chapter 5 and the chapter title.

Image
joined Feb 23, 2016

The way the chapter was going and how it ended made me think this was the last chapter, and it's honestly not that bad of a place to end it on. It would be an open ending, but it seems obvious they'd form a deep connection as time goes on. But thankfully, I saw "to be continued" and I was like, "whew, forget all that, more yuri!"

Hahaha same! I thought it ended as well, but saw the to be continued and was like thank you! XD

These two are sooo adorably precious, I get diabetes everytime I read or re-read a chapter.

Untitled-1
joined Nov 14, 2016

This is soooo good, I hope this manga has a long and successful run.

Profile_picture_by_sejuani_winterswrath-d6lk1uw
joined May 18, 2013

I'm in love with the little sister.

joined Nov 21, 2018

I really like the subtlety in play here here. Subtlety is great. You don't need to drop an anvil on my head to tell me the world is round.

The MC is such a wreck, and the Knight in Shining armor trope is old but it really works to relate to reader. People either want to save someone or to be saved.

last edited at Jan 21, 2020 11:55PM

joined Nov 21, 2018

"The moon is beautiful" is a classic Japanese phrase from Japanese literature written by Natsume Souseki. It means "I love you". Just in case anyone didn't catch the final phrase in chapter 5 and the chapter title.

Honestly it caught me off guard when they referenced this in Robocop 2.

7056534
joined May 7, 2017

hope autor-san keep these doughnuts bit, it's refreshing, a friendship united by sugar

last edited at Jan 22, 2020 1:15AM

joined Oct 27, 2018

I like this so much but people giving an overly psychological analysis just ruined it.

Don't read the comments then?? I'm talking about a manga that I'm enjoying and how it rings true to my experiences of neurodivergence, it's not a fucking psychological analysis, whatever you mean by that. Like... what's the point of coming into the comments to complain that on-topic comments about the story are bad?? If you don't like reading what people think about the story, it's entirely optional.

That is unfortunately very common on this site, ppl getting angry because you actually dared to comment on the story rather than a generic "this was great".

I'm in love with the little sister.

Same, best sister in a yuri manga since Koito Rei

last edited at Jan 22, 2020 12:53AM

Sleepyfrogwaifutiny
joined Sep 25, 2019

Aside from all the fluffy and sugary reasons this story is great, what I'm really appreciating so far is how it shows everyone else in the story as just normal people as well. The men aren't predatory shallow assholes, the friends aren't jerks trying to peer pressure her into being normal and her male "love interests" aren't perfect specimens of japanese ideals or stereotypes.

People come off as insensitive or "mean" almost exclusively due to the main character's insecurities leading to assumptions and self-imagined peer pressure rather than any actual malice or agendas on anyone's part.

It's so refreshing to see a story that shows everyone, even the people "inducing peer pressure" as just normal people trying their best and being normal flawed people. The friends come off seeming like shallow bitches only because of the narrative, and you can tell that from a less biased viewpoint they're probably just normal girls hanging out with their like-minded friends without knowing that one of them is secretly miserable only because she won't tell them about it.

Smallerpfp
joined Nov 26, 2019

That is unfortunately very common on this site, ppl getting angry because you actually dared to comment on the story rather than a generic "this was great".

I mean, I do feel both ways about it, sometimes people have really inane and stupid bullshit for comments - I just didn't think that was what had happened here. Also you know, I'm biased because comments I disagree with sound stupid but my own don't, obviously.

Aside from all the fluffy and sugary reasons this story is great, what I'm really appreciating so far is how it shows everyone else in the story as just normal people as well. The men aren't predatory shallow assholes, the friends aren't jerks trying to peer pressure her into being normal and her male "love interests" aren't perfect specimens of japanese ideals or stereotypes.

No kidding. It caught me completely off-guard when the date they were trying to set her up with was the most boringly normal guy imaginable and not an ikemen as this kind of narrative usually dictates. It was a nice touch.

Images
joined Dec 15, 2016

I am really enjoying reading this every chapter is wonderful.

White%20rose%20index
joined Aug 16, 2018

The final pages of chapter 5 were greeeaaatttttt.

In fact, this manga could have ended in the last page of ch5 and I would've been a-ok with it.

joined Nov 21, 2018

Aside from all the fluffy and sugary reasons this story is great, what I'm really appreciating so far is how it shows everyone else in the story as just normal people as well. The men aren't predatory shallow assholes, the friends aren't jerks trying to peer pressure her into being normal and her male "love interests" aren't perfect specimens of japanese ideals or stereotypes.

People come off as insensitive or "mean" almost exclusively due to the main character's insecurities leading to assumptions and self-imagined peer pressure rather than any actual malice or agendas on anyone's part.

It's so refreshing to see a story that shows everyone, even the people "inducing peer pressure" as just normal people trying their best and being normal flawed people. The friends come off seeming like shallow bitches only because of the narrative, and you can tell that from a less biased viewpoint they're probably just normal girls hanging out with their like-minded friends without knowing that one of them is secretly miserable only because she won't tell them about it.

Cool point of view! Never thought it that way. Guess it's kinda hard to judge characters when the POV character is a self hating girl with...persecution complex?

Fetish%20notebook%20lsmol
joined May 20, 2013

What I love are the faces.

They're so expressive, even without much emphasis on them.

Img_0053
joined Sep 19, 2017

I like this so much but people giving an overly psychological analysis just ruined it.

Don't read the comments then?? I'm talking about a manga that I'm enjoying and how it rings true to my experiences of neurodivergence, it's not a fucking psychological analysis, whatever you mean by that. Like... what's the point of coming into the comments to complain that on-topic comments about the story are bad?? If you don't like reading what people think about the story, it's entirely optional.

Sit down. I don’t know why you’re so triggered or you’re just entirely guilty with overreaction. I came to read comment, it’s free, and I chose the option. It’s entirely optional like you said. Did I preferably shutdown your comment? No? Then keep quiet. I come here, read and comment. I comment based on my reads. And i find something over. If you don’t like what I said, then shut up, no need to get angry. Lol.

igenetycs Uploader
Avatarkakeochi
Yuri Project
joined Aug 14, 2019

If you don’t like what I said, then shut up

I certainly hope you're aware of how silly you sound when you say this.

Sleepyfrogwaifutiny
joined Sep 25, 2019

Cool point of view! Never thought it that way. Guess it's kinda hard to judge characters when the POV character is a self hating girl with...persecution complex?

It's a bit vague if what she fears is potential persecution or if it's the more-encompassing-but-vaguely-defined idea that "someone who doesn't conform can't be happy" which she seems to have. She's never elaborated on how she believes it would manifest in detail so it's a bit tricky to pinpoint if she's being paranoid about becoming persecuted or if she's just being a depressive-pessimist in general.

I definitely feel she seems to have depression though, only written through a lens of Japan's culturally different understanding of the condition.

I do wonder though if her somewhat irrational idea of what a woman has to be or bad things will happen is based entirely on previous experiences or if there's any basis in a psychosis, considering the likely depression.

DISCLAIMER: Lots of hypothetical speculation up there, could be all hogwash or maybe not. Who knows? \o/

last edited at Jan 22, 2020 3:58AM

Pout2
joined Mar 7, 2017

They did the moon thing, ain't it cute

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