Yeah, while I appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness that people are putting into their readings of this series and the fact that many people find aspects to relate to in it, the story and characters don’t seem especially complex or hard to figure out to me.

Hinako clearly has extremely low self-esteem and probably some degree of depression (my own periodic —mostly former—out-of-control messiness always meant that I was feeling overwhelmed by some part of my life and wanted the “freedom” to just let something else go completely).

Her mother’s attitude towards her obviously is a big causal factor in this, but I do note that the things that are said in her memories—apparently in her mother’s voice—are much harsher than the actual phone conversations, which as far as we can tell from her end are a slightly annoying Japanese mom doing the usual pestering about marriage. I don’t think the story necessarily requires a diagnosis of significant neurodivergence, although one certainly isn’t ruled out either.

Satou obviously has closed down her own desires by taking on sole responsibility for her sister for the past five years, and we can assume that she had a major role in helping her grandmother raise Subaru before that. (Note that her devotion to her family is underscored by the fact that the first thing she does when she gets home is to greet her dead parents and grandmother, and we see her praying at the family shrine when Hinako later visits.) Her whole life outside of work has been defined by loss of family and being her sister’s caretaker, so much so that she can’t imagine anything else.

Subaru shows no signs to me of having any hidden agenda or buried motivations—her sister has done such a good job raising her that she’s a smart, energetic, self-confident, caring kid on the cusp of young adulthood who understands the personal costs of her sister’s selflessness and just wants the best for her onee-chan. As to whether she’s figured out her sister’s sexual preferences, the fact that she didn’t blink an eye that Uno was a woman and in fact immediately embarked on a highly active shipping project suggests that she’s at least had more than an inkling before this.

These characters are fully-fleshed enough that it’s certainly possible that further layers of emotional and psychological complexity will be revealed to complicate our views of them, but at this point I don’t see the need for theorizing about unrevealed mysteries to explain who these characters are and why they are acting the way they do.

last edited at Oct 23, 2020 9:52PM

I really like to read comments about this manga. There is a lot of good insights, it's pretty interesting.

As far as it goes for me, the main point of the story isn't Yuri. Sure, the genre of the story is Yuri and it's an important part of the story. But for me, as it is in YagaKimi (since you are all making a comparison), the most important thing is that characters have to free themselves from other's expectations. It could be from relatives, society, co-workers, friends, parents or even themselves... The fact that in both YagaKimi and Crescent Moon, it is (partially) done thanks to their partner is kind of irrelevant. Sure if it wasn't Yuri, I wouldn't be reading those, but the main point in those stories is for characters to grow and embrace who they are.

This is why there is scene like the one with Sakagami. In those stories people change both themselves, how they see other people but also others as they evolve. I wouldn't be surprised if Hinako ends up having a positive influence on her coworkers. This is why we can relate to them so much and why it's so interesting. The fact that it's yuri is secondary I think (even though it's my primary reason for reading it :p).

@ClaudeSP89, @feihong

I don't have anything in particular to add, but I wanted to say that those were both really great interpretations of the story and I think they're pretty on base.

Damn, looks like everybody thinks I'm off the mark again. I aways feel like the goofy side kick that is completely clueless to what's really going on.

That's why i stop talking on those more serious Yuris. I never put much though when i'm reading.

Thanks now I don't feel so alone.

This is why there is scene like the one with Sakagami. In those stories people change both themselves, how they see other people but also others as they evolve. I wouldn't be surprised if Hinako ends up having a positive influence on her coworkers.

Agreed. I wanted to mention the coworkers—at first they seem like merely the embodiment of the social pressure to conform that is so oppressive to Hinako, and they are that. But in more recent chapters it seems like they really do care about her—they’re just very limited in their awareness of what she really needs and what other possibilities than the “normal” ones might be.

Again, future developments might show them being a more negative element in the story, but it’s not entirely their fault that they haven’t previously seen behind the “armor” that Hinako has been using to protect herself.

I also didn't give due credit to the developments with the coworkers. For what I didn't like in the most recent chapter, I do like that the mangaka gave them some depth as humans. They're not completely oblivious or mean or anything.

That also resonates with my experiences as an adult finding confidence in myself. It's something realizing that more people care about you than you think, and learning how to reciprocate and give them a way to express their interest... Learning how to be a better acquaintance or friend as an adult. It's all very interesting ...and messy...

I think a coming-out narrative is teased early on, perhaps not entirely purposefully, because Asahi appears to be in the closet, and hidden behind a veil of workmanlike competency. Coupled with that, Hinako is disturbed by her feelings. But Hinako isn't really disturbed by feelings of lesbian attraction, per se––as this most recent chapter suggests, Hinako doesn't know exactly what her feelings are yet, and loving another doesn't exactly raise the hackles on the back of her neck––rather, she's disturbed by her lack of feeling for hetero romantic partners; the lack of the fulfillment she thought she would feel by endeavoring to conform. There doesn't appear to be any necessary real-life stricture she feels evoking her need to conform––instead I think she feels incompetent, and not sufficiently grown-up, and she hopes to bury that insecurity behind hetero love success. That she perceives her hetero love-life as a failure is more important to her as another of her perceived failures to be an adult.

I think this may be true, but I still can't imagine the end of this story wouldn't be Hinako coming out. Like, her specific way of being hollow is so relevant to sexuality (and gender roles) that you can't fix one without the other. In other words, if the story ends with her totally no longer feeling adolescent... but with her discomfort with girliness and hetero romance unaddressed... I personally would not find that to be a satisfying, complete character arc, would you?

Honestly, the sister thing in this most recent chapter was so deeply stupid, I worry we were all reading way more into the characters than was there. As it stands, I can't connect it with any of the themes the story has seemed to present so far (and which the poster I quoted summed up nicely). Maybe it'll end up tying in, but it's pretty jarring right now.

I also didn't give due credit to the developments with the coworkers. For what I didn't like in the most recent chapter, I do like that the mangaka gave them some depth as humans. They're not completely oblivious or mean or anything.

The problem seems to be that, being completely in the dark about her actual issues, they simply took Hina's facade at a face value and acted accordingly in good faith. (They may well have picked up on those morose faces she sometimes makes when she thinks they aren't looking, mind.) It's telling they seem to have axed their matchmaking efforts after she stood up for Sakagami and de facto scuttled the painfully obvious Coworker Conspiracy to pair them up, presumably having correctly read between the lines of her little speech.

Ayano, clearly the primus motor of their Let's Find A Match For Hina projects, in particular seems to have been genuinely hurt and saddened to learn that she hadn't until then even told them their efforts were misplaced and implicitly unwanted. Those are some rather kicked puppy faces she makes when confronting her about it, with a fairly strong undertone of "do you have so little faith in us, I thought we were friends :c"...

Poor girl would probably be devastated if she ever learned the degree to which Hina's been lunching with them out of misplaced obligation and morbid fear of rejection. : /

I just hope Subaru gets a gf now. It's been mentioned before but I wanted to add a small break to these long comments

How does this manga keep on making cliches look so great and make them flow in so naturally

Just want to mention that I loved @Blastaar's analysis on the two main characters (three with the little sister) and @random's analysis on Uno's two coworkers. You nailed it on both accounts. Good job! ヾ( ´ ￢ ｀)ﾉ

There really isn't any need to come up with exceedingly complex and difficult interpretations for a story that is pretty much candid, explicit and in-your-face when it comes to the psychologies and motivations of the characters.

Oh my, seems like we're gonna focus on Satou's issues this volume.

Little Red Rum posted:

Ah, I see. Because everyone is gone, Satou feels entitled to her parental role to the point she couldn't allow herself to be selfish.

Though, I can sense there's probably more about the sisters. There's probably a reason why her sister is #1 top priority, perhaps something bad will happen if her sister is left alone?? (self-harming for example) And after her sister is all good and stable, Satou still couldn't leave her.

I think it might be the opposite, I think Satou san is the one who needed Subaru for emotional support more than anyone, and after losing her grandma she was the only reason to keep going so she wants to repay that by making sure she grows without problem. Subaru realizes that but due to her age she doesn't have a valid argument to convince her sister to be happy on her own, after all, she still needs to study and she can't pay her own education. So at this point it was impossible to change the situation until the miracle called donuts happened..........sorry I meant to say Doughnuts

I definitely think you're right on Asahi needing Subaru for emotional support than the other way around. I think without the crutch of being a parental guardian for Subaru, Asahi would not know what to do with herself.

Also, this manga seems to really emphasize on being alone and I'd be 100% okay if Hinako is an Ace Lesbian xD

This is so damn good.

This is so damn good.

Agreed. I feel for the flawed main character.

This manga is so heartwarming... I guess the new era of yuri already came. (There are less mangas that says; "We are both girls, we can't be together"...) Also, Hinako is very similar to me, it's scary... Maybe i could learn from this manga. lol
I don't think that Hinako is gay, she is most likely bi. She just needs someone who can make her truly happy, who truly loves her, not just her looks, and we already know that person is Satou.

last edited at Feb 7, 2020 8:26AM

I don't think that Hinako is gay, she is most likely bi.

Considering her reaction to the mere thought of being loved by a man, even one she considers pretty much perfect, I highly doubt that.

last edited at Feb 7, 2020 9:54AM

IT's more than just that n_n!!!

I don't think that Hinako is gay, she is most likely bi.

Considering her reaction to the mere thought of being loved by a man, even one she considers pretty much perfect, I highly doubt that.

Agreed, she's as gay as can be, she just doesn't know it yet.

Missing the main story already, but these are some nice extras. Thanks.

Stories about otherwise smart people who are clueless that they’re in love with each other are becoming my newest addiction.

(They’re very different stories, but I’m getting an Ebisu-san and Hotei-san hit off this one. Which to me is praise.)

last edited at Feb 7, 2020 8:53PM

(They’re very different stories, but I’m getting an Ebusu-san and Hotei-san hit off this one. Which to me is praise.)

Shrimp Mayo vs Doughnut

I don't think that Hinako is gay, she is most likely bi.

Considering her reaction to the mere thought of being loved by a man, even one she considers pretty much perfect, I highly doubt that.

Like if her internal monologues about her experiences with romance aren't textbook "unwitting lesbian coping with comp het" I don't know what is.

Am I the only one weirdly disappointed that didn't have an over the top anime brawl over the last discount Ben-to

oh those are good extras.

And I see the Ebisu-san and Hotei-san comparison - definitely not in tone or art, but otherwise for sure

Am I the only one weirdly disappointed that didn't have an over the top anime brawl over the last discount Ben-to

I mean, for one "true" Yuri is a rare treat we have once or twice by year(last one was the Fragtime OVA) so it's quite unlikely that's this one get anime adaptation, more so since it's very recent.