Forum › I Don't Know Which One is Love discussion

Yuriprofilepiccropped
joined May 27, 2019

I had a dumb epiphany that I wanted to share:

There are in fact more than the standard fives senses that most people think of. I believe the standard sixth sense is balance. So clearly the high school crush needs to return and bring balance with her. Whether this means she’s the winner or she’s the poly stabilizer is up for debate. Also I guess the MC herself could be balance.

The sixth sense is MC learning to balance her five girlfriends and making them all happy equally, i'll take that ^^

That would be lovely. Or, given that the senses relate to what draws the girls to the MC, maybe only after balancing her gfs does the MC unlock the sixth girl.

And then the seventh sense: electromagnetic waves in bodies of water!

And then…ghosts? Idk

Rx_5_50
joined May 3, 2016

Hm, a touch fetishist, an audio fetishest, a scent fetishest, and now a taste fetishest. And I guess the professor is a sight fetishest, then? Interesting idea for harem traits, I guess

snap snap

X2(edited)2
joined Jan 2, 2022

If we're going by stupid reasons, then I guess since the senpai is on the ring finger in the extras chapter, then she'll probably win.

Villains
joined May 1, 2015

Does anyone happen to know which RPG is being referred to in the afterword?

joined Jul 8, 2020

Interesting. Setting aside the fetish group (voice fetish, smell fetish and kissing-maniac one). I really like Riri-chan and the Professor, wait did they have fetishes too? lol

Money_marie%202
joined Jan 18, 2017

Interesting. Setting aside the fetish group (voice fetish, smell fetish and kissing-maniac one). I really like Riri-chan and the Professor, wait did they have fetishes too? lol

Riri definitely have a touch fetish thing while the professor sure love to stare at the MC

Images%20(5)
joined Apr 25, 2021

Goddamn the cleaning and redrawing for an extra chapter sure was a treat to read.

President%20and%20new%20hire%20profile%20pic%202
joined Sep 27, 2017

I feel like the author is kind of calling out general harems with the bonus chapter, and I love it. She made a work where the protag is aware of her sexuality, is interested in and interactive with each member of the harem, and each member of the harem as others have been discussing is into her for a different sense.

Compared to a decent amount of hetero harems, where the guy is generally unaware and dense, he's not actively into the harem members and so there's not a lot of back and fourth, the girls are also just into him simply because he's protag guy. There's also Reverse Harems (girl has guys that revolve around her, not sure if there's a better name), where from what I've seen of them they tend to have a lot of very abusive and mean guys, that for some reason are supposed to be love interests.

I don't want to be too generalizing here, as there's many works of all different kinds. So I'm only sharing some of my personal experiences, and also saying I'm so far loving how the author is handling this harem dynamic, but I guess we'll see how it goes.

Alpha%20avatar
joined Nov 13, 2015

Does anyone happen to know which RPG is being referred to in the afterword?

The lesbian part is more likely referring to the campaign than the system.

last edited at Jul 4, 2022 4:24AM

Ykn1
joined Dec 20, 2018

I certainly like how this author's mind works. :D

joined Jun 27, 2022

Interesting, I think our mc already evolved a little since she didn't give in to Karen's temptation. Yep she's super thirsty and in need of love since her heartbreak, but meeting all those lovely girls she's hesitating.

But by god I hope it won't be polyamory/polygamy. Imo It's the chicken way out and even more ridiculous.

President%20and%20new%20hire%20profile%20pic%202
joined Sep 27, 2017

But by god I hope it won't be polyamory/polygamy. Imo It's the chicken way out and even more ridiculous.

And here I'm hoping for a poly ending because it's I think the most fun option for a harem. Nothing chicken about it imo.

Roodypatooti
Roody
joined Feb 11, 2022

I don’t understand the mentality of someone who reads a harem series and doesn’t want it to end with a polycule.
Do they just enjoy watching half the characters get their hearts broken or something? I’m genuinely curious what they get out of it.
(Obviously not everything has to be polyam, but it’s really underrepresented in media, so I’d like to see more of it and harem series are pretty much halfway there already so,)

Ezgif.com-gif-maker%20(1)
joined Jun 6, 2020

honestly this is one where its like actually refreshing because the MC isn't that dense. She's just useless

There's also Reverse Harems (girl has guys that revolve around her, not sure if there's a better name), where from what I've seen of them they tend to have a lot of very abusive and mean guys, that for some reason are supposed to be love interests.

Yet, if this isn't a Bakarina call out lmao

Ykn1
joined Dec 20, 2018

I don’t understand the mentality of someone who reads a harem series and doesn’t want it to end with a polycule.
Do they just enjoy watching half the characters get their hearts broken or something? I’m genuinely curious what they get out of it.
(Obviously not everything has to be polyam, but it’s really underrepresented in media, so I’d like to see more of it and harem series are pretty much halfway there already so,)

It honestly depends on the harem. There are some where the poly ending seems like the only way - for example here or the excellent Ojou-sama wa Love Come no Shujinkou ni Naritai!, but more traditional cases (especially in het where it originated) tend to have one girl the MC actually likes from the start, even if they're too dense to see it's mutual, before being thrown into the sea with all the other sharks, in which case I'd always prefer the MC staying true to their feelings.

herenowforever
Singeraigenerated
joined Feb 11, 2018

I don’t understand the mentality of someone who reads a harem series and doesn’t want it to end with a polycule.
Do they just enjoy watching half the characters get their hearts broken or something? I’m genuinely curious what they get out of it.
(Obviously not everything has to be polyam, but it’s really underrepresented in media, so I’d like to see more of it and harem series are pretty much halfway there already so,)

That's not how people like that think.

Harem members are there for fanservice, but they aren't considered real characters unless they're the alpha-mate, or their closest competitor.

So their feelings can't really be hurt either. The harem is just treated as a window dressing for a more standard love triangle setup.

last edited at Jul 4, 2022 6:04AM

Book%20and%20cloakhbq1
joined Aug 1, 2011

Does anyone happen to know which RPG is being referred to in the afterword?

The lesbian part is more likely referring to the campaign than the system.

The credits page explained it was referring to a campaign played by the vTuber Sukoya Kana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSKBMRRQ-xc

Unfortunately, it's in japanese.

Gay%20panic
joined Sep 11, 2020

I feel like the author is kind of calling out general harems with the bonus chapter, and I love it. She made a work where the protag is aware of her sexuality, is interested in and interactive with each member of the harem, and each member of the harem as others have been discussing is into her for a different sense.

Compared to a decent amount of hetero harems, where the guy is generally unaware and dense, he's not actively into the harem members and so there's not a lot of back and fourth, the girls are also just into him simply because he's protag guy. There's also Reverse Harems (girl has guys that revolve around her, not sure if there's a better name), where from what I've seen of them they tend to have a lot of very abusive and mean guys, that for some reason are supposed to be love interests.

I don't want to be too generalizing here, as there's many works of all different kinds. So I'm only sharing some of my personal experiences, and also saying I'm so far loving how the author is handling this harem dynamic, but I guess we'll see how it goes.

I agree with all of this completely, and I like it a lot. My first anime was Tenchi Muyo so when I got into anime, I got into harem anime, and I liked it but as I grew up I kinda realized it's all.... bad? For the reasons you said above

So a manga that deconstructs it and reconstructs it is something I didn't really realize I'd like to see. And in that same vein I'd really love to see the polyamory end, possibly because I AM polyam, but also cause it's underrepresented and avoids some of those negative harem tropes. If they AREN'T going for the polyam ending though, my gut tell me either Smell will be the one who wins, or Touch will be. Smell because she's around MC the most, and Touch because First Girl Syndrome.

I had a dumb epiphany that I wanted to share:

There are in fact more than the standard fives senses that most people think of. I believe the standard sixth sense is balance. So clearly the high school crush needs to return and bring balance with her. Whether this means she’s the winner or she’s the poly stabilizer is up for debate. Also I guess the MC herself could be balance.

A very fun idea, and if I was writing this I'd prolly do it like this? The HS Crush is of course gonna come back, that's how these stories go, we don't leave that thread hanging forever, it has to be tied up. But I don't know if they'd go for that, not cause it's not a good idea... but I dunno, I get the vibe they wouldn't because when people think of the senses, they don't really think balance.

LackLustre09721
joined Apr 26, 2022

Thanks for the work author!! I'd looking forward for more

(y)
joined Jan 9, 2017

What is a T-RPG

(y)
joined Jan 9, 2017

I don’t understand the mentality of someone who reads a harem series and doesn’t want it to end with a polycule.
Do they just enjoy watching half the characters get their hearts broken or something? I’m genuinely curious what they get out of it.
(Obviously not everything has to be polyam, but it’s really underrepresented in media, so I’d like to see more of it and harem series are pretty much halfway there already so,)

When you watch a sport tournament then you know that everyone but the winner is gonna be sad about it

But that's not why you watch it

Screenshot%202024-08-04%20044759
joined Jun 21, 2021

I don’t understand the mentality of someone who reads a harem series and doesn’t want it to end with a polycule.
Do they just enjoy watching half the characters get their hearts broken or something? I’m genuinely curious what they get out of it.
(Obviously not everything has to be polyam, but it’s really underrepresented in media, so I’d like to see more of it and harem series are pretty much halfway there already so,)

When you watch a sport tournament then you know that everyone but the winner is gonna be sad about it

But that's not why you watch it

This kinda highlights a key difference between a polyam mindset and a mono one. The idea that love is competitive, exclusive and finite. In our case everyone can be a winner, there are no losers and instead of divisive, love is multiplicative and only grows when shared among more people.

That's the ideal of course and relationships are never that easy/clear cut but on a fundamental level that's how it feels

Z7geahm
joined Sep 7, 2016

I don’t understand the mentality of someone who reads a harem series and doesn’t want it to end with a polycule.
Do they just enjoy watching half the characters get their hearts broken or something? I’m genuinely curious what they get out of it.
(Obviously not everything has to be polyam, but it’s really underrepresented in media, so I’d like to see more of it and harem series are pretty much halfway there already so,)

well from what I see in harem anime like the quintessential quintuplets, people always root for their fave to end up with the mc. it's like a competition really.

I also sometimes have one character that I really like and root for her but I'm okay with poly too. like in Tachibana kan triangle, I was hoping for them to end up in a poly relationship.

F4x-3lwx0aa0tcu31
joined Apr 20, 2013

For me, I just don't want to wait in line for "my turn" or be forced to love or try to love multiple people when I'm only interested in one, even if that person it's okay loving me and 2 others, there will be time when we're going to have to make important choices like living in a house, economy, even considering children or other stuff that would require a partner's full time and consideration... So for that to work, EVERYONE would have to be alright with poly and everyone would need to love the others and we already have one who absolutely despises the others just for their smell lo/ but of course, if we're talking about University life and living in the moment without worrying about the future or full commitment, yeah I think that would be fun, if everything miraculously works that way, but if getting one to be okay with multiplicative love sounds hard, imagine getting 6 to accept.

Book%20and%20cloakhbq1
joined Aug 1, 2011

What is a T-RPG

Tabletop Role Playing Game, like Dungeons and Dragons or Thirsty Sword Lesbians, though it's normally abbreviated to TTRPG.

last edited at Jul 4, 2022 12:57PM

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