Finally it's over... Everything was ok until this arc

Yeah Aki x Shiho was the best arc of this manga

Ugh, now we gotta go back to the boring couple i guess

I like Aki x Shiho, but it was about time the arc ended. I almost groaned when I saw Shiho disappear from the crowd because it would be believable for the author to drag it out once again lol. I thought it was funny how even the author was surprised by how long the arc went on for.

Overall I'm satisfied with how it turned out, but I really wish it wasn't so public. I couldn’t get over how ridiculous it would be to be in the audience listening and witnessing this sudden personal drama lol.

I do hope they don't just jump into a relationship right away and repair their friendship first before doing so. I also hope Shiho shows more remorse about how much of a menace she has been to everyone the past year.

last edited at Jul 21, 2023 11:25AM

I mean, YoriHima are great for fluff, and definitely much appreciated core of the manga - but things are definitely better when there's other couple to provide funny dramas. YoriHima are just too precious for that, and yet the manga isn't called Hana ni Arashi so it cannot sustain itself on fluff alone. Bring out the angst, Miki!

Between this, How Do We Relationship, and MyGO - I'm starting to think maybe bands are uniquely suited for some excellent lesbianese dramas.

the comments omg

So cheesy, my god. I will allow this.

So let me get this straight--all's well with Shiho's over-the-top shenanigans because Aki has changed?

"Don't blame me if you end up regretting this." Well, that's certainly consistent characterization, at any rate.

But also agreed with this take.

right in front of my salad?

Uhg, it feels dirty. Like every single time I've watched a friend jump back into an abusive relationship. Well, at least this arc is over now, thank goodness.

Holy melodrama lmao. I won't knock it though, even if the result is so much better than Shiho deserves. Let the girls be happy again

YASSSS, I didn't know I'd get this hyped about those two omg!!!!

I think it's because of the cultural difference, but in our country, no one hates Shiho like this. Everyone wants Shiho to be happy with Aki. So this chapter (43) is one of the most appreciated chapters in the whole series

Yeah I've tried to discuss that reality before but to middling effect. Yeah they're very popular. There's a reason they've had the focus for so long.

My take on this chapter:

I liked this resolution. They're starting over and now have the ability to build a romance if they want to over time, since Aki's realized that she no longer is hung up on her past romance and is therefore open to a new one (she realized this a couple chapters ago). Aki's deciding to be open to a relationship again with someone she never wanted to lose in the first place and whatever form that winds up taking over time, is whatever. It'll likely end up romantic though, especially since Shiho still likes her and the only real impediment back then had been Aki's old crush.

This is how I wanted it to end, not really a confession of love but a rekindling of something unnecessarily lost. They both apologized but most importantly, finally got all their feelings and emotions out. Now they're free to work together and start a new relationship again, free of unrequited loves and unnecessary pressures

They "both" apologized? Last I checked, Aki apologized, and Shiho just called her an idiot for taking too long to give her what she wants. This of course ignores the fact that the only party apologizing is the only one who did nothing wrong, but different discussion I guess.

And for their new relationship, since the underlying issues that lead Shiho to break it off in the first place have never been resolved, or even adressed for that matter, I give them a year at most.

I think it's because of the cultural difference, but in our country, no one hates Shiho like this. Everyone wants Shiho to be happy with Aki. So this chapter (43) is one of the most appreciated chapters in the whole series

Yeah I've tried to discuss that reality before but to middling effect. Yeah they're very popular. There's a reason they've had the focus for so long.

Time to give Twilight and Fifty Shades the literature nobel price then, given how popular and successful those were.

I think it's because of the cultural difference, but in our country, no one hates Shiho like this. Everyone wants Shiho to be happy with Aki. So this chapter (43) is one of the most appreciated chapters in the whole series

Yeah I've tried to discuss that reality before but to middling effect. Yeah they're very popular. There's a reason they've had the focus for so long.

Time to give Twilight and Fifty Shades the literature nobel price then, given how popular and successful those were.

No one said anything about giving any prizes to this manga. All they did was make comment about the popularity of the characters.

This arc was incredible. I don't think I've ever quite seen any other story depict so well a couple that didn't work and then changed until they could work (since How Do We Relationship never quite worked...).

Mainly because I relate to it directly, but the way Aki was handled was masterful. She was always very kind and without a malicious intent towards Shiho, but still ended up hurting a girl who loved her a lot and making tons of mistakes in her ignorance. Until eventually, she was willing to step forward and meet Shiho midway.

I'll never get how anyone can hate Shiho, though. It's like people don't understand how much it can hurt when you want to cut ties with your one-sided love, and she insists on being close to you, as "friends".

"If I'm not the person you thought I was, and you're not the person I thought you were" is a beautiful way to convey how their old selves just couldn't have been together in any way, because their feelings were not aligned, and how only because Aki changed and Shiho was willing to accept that things were not the same as before could they get a new chance together.

The first couple was fine, but I couldn't describe it as more than a nice yuri romance, although that's still praise. The way the second couple was written, developed, and the source of their conflicts felt far more real, unique and significant, and elevates this far beyond just "one more romance story".

I think it's because of the cultural difference, but in our country, no one hates Shiho like this. Everyone wants Shiho to be happy with Aki. So this chapter (43) is one of the most appreciated chapters in the whole series

Yeah I've tried to discuss that reality before but to middling effect. Yeah they're very popular. There's a reason they've had the focus for so long.

Time to give Twilight and Fifty Shades the literature nobel price then, given how popular and successful those were.

No one said anything about giving any prizes to this manga. All they did was make comment about the popularity of the characters.

If you go back a bit in the forum, you will find discussions of quality regarding this manga, with SrNevik making the argument that a large amount of readers liking it is a quality the manga has which makes it well-crafted, at least as far as I understood their viewpoint. That was what "I've tried to discuss that reality before but to middling effect" was referring to, and what I was referencing, since I still don't understand how that argument is any different from "people like it so it's good".

This arc was incredible. I don't think I've ever quite seen any other story depict so well a couple that didn't work and then changed until they could work (since How Do We Relationship never quite worked...)... "If I'm not the person you thought I was, and you're not the person I thought you were" is a beautiful way to convey how their old selves just couldn't have been together in any way, because their feelings were not aligned, and how only because Aki changed and Shiho was willing to accept that things were not the same as before could they get a new chance together.

The first couple was fine, but I couldn't describe it as more than a nice yuri romance, although that's still praise. The way the second couple was written, developed, and the source of their conflicts felt far more real, unique and significant, and elevates this far beyond just "one more romance story".

Well said and agreed. "How Do We Relationship" hasn't ended yet, so who knows how that will wind up! (I'm assuming you were comparing the relationships and not the manga itself?). I find HDWR a much better (more real) version of this kind of thing though.

And for their new relationship, since the underlying issues that lead Shiho to break it off in the first place have never been resolved, or even addressed for that matter, I give them a year at most.

Not sure what you mean by this but I think they'll be fine--maybe a little bumpy. They were fine before the unrequited crushes, they'll likely be fine now. Hopefully we get to see some of how they try and work things out in the future.

No one said anything about giving any prizes to this manga. All they did was make comment about the popularity of the characters.

Not that surprising and not that big of a deal. What else can be said when something is unquestionably popular but they don't like it? I do that sometimes too before I catch myself as a writer. What I find interesting though is how opinions can shift from forums like these to other places, not even just countries. That's why I responded to someone who once again mentioned the completely different reception to this arc in other spaces like its home country. It's still hard to gauge feelings even here though because without some sort of like button, those who would rather not get involved in "discourse" like this don't get to have their "votes" cast. Kind of skews perceptions.

If you go back a bit in the forum, you will find discussions of quality regarding this manga, with SrNevik making the argument that a large amount of readers liking it is a quality the manga has which makes it well-crafted, at least as far as I understood their viewpoint.

Wow that's not really what I said but that's a very old thing by now.

last edited at Jul 21, 2023 4:52PM

Sheesh, Aki. Could you possibly be any more dramatic?

This arc was incredible. I don't think I've ever quite seen any other story depict so well a couple that didn't work and then changed until they could work (since How Do We Relationship never quite worked...).

Mainly because I relate to it directly, but the way Aki was handled was masterful. She was always very kind and without a malicious intent towards Shiho, but still ended up hurting a girl who loved her a lot and making tons of mistakes in her ignorance. Until eventually, she was willing to step forward and meet Shiho midway.

This is hilarious, insofar as reversing responsibility and blaming the wrong person can be hilarious.

"The girl who loved her a lot" never said anything to her about her romantic feelings, so Aki's "ignorance" and her "tons of mistakes" were entirely a function of what only Shiho could do and what she did not do. "Eventually [Aki] was willing to step forward" because she forced Shiho to tell her the truth.

This is not at all "a couple that didn't work" and it certainly isn't a couple that changed--Aki changed, full stop.

And for their new relationship, since the underlying issues that lead Shiho to break it off in the first place have never been resolved, or even addressed for that matter, I give them a year at most.

Not sure what you mean by this but I think they'll be fine--maybe a little bumpy. They were fine before the unrequited crushes, they'll likely be fine now. Hopefully we get to see some of how they try and work things out in the future.

"They were fine until the first problem arose, which caused Shiho to rip them apart. But Aki changed to give Shiho what she wants after all, so they likely be fine now."
Until the next time Shiho wants something Aki cannot give or does not know about. Since Shiho did not change, I see no reason to assume it is gonna go differently the next time.

No one said anything about giving any prizes to this manga. All they did was make comment about the popularity of the characters.

it's the typical kind of response, so not that surprising and not that big of a deal. What else can be said when something is unquestionably popular but they don't like it? I do that sometimes too before I catch myself as a writer. What I find interesting though is how opinions can shift from forums like these to other places, not even just countries. That's why i responded to someone who again mentioned the completely different reception to this arc in other spaces. It's still hard to gauge even here though because without some sort of like button, those who would rather not get involved in "discourse" like this don't get to have their "votes" cast. Kind of skews perceptions.

What else can be said? The thing I have said from the beginning, that I do not care about popularity since I am talking about quality and craftsmanship, and I am not sure why it was even brought up as a response.

If you go back a bit in the forum, you will find discussions of quality regarding this manga, with SrNevik making the argument that a large amount of readers liking it is a quality the manga has which makes it well-crafted, at least as far as I understood their viewpoint.

Wow that's not really what I said but that's a very old thing by now.

Then what, pray tell, did you say? I honestly don't get it. What other argument COULD be made by bringing up popularity in response to arguments about quality and craftsmanship?

If it is about what is considered to be quality and good craftsmanship differs in different cultures etc, A) I only believe that to a certain extent, and B) it would be utterly irrevelant to bring up, since that would be an argument about priorities. If the japanese audience does not care about a fault, that does not make the fault suddenly go away.

I personally really enjoyed this arc for all it's worth. But i also don't see this resolution as them starting to date or anything (at least not right away).

To me it just feels like they finally reconnected on the premise that Aki knows and accepts Shiho's feelings for her and, while not reciprocating outright (yet), wants to give their relationship the opportunity to develop from here on out. And Shiho finally letting go of her "if I can't be together with her i won't be in her life at all" attitude and being willing to see where said development will take them.

I personally really enjoyed this arc for all it's worth. But i also don't see this resolution as them starting to date or anything (at least not right away).

To me it just feels like they finally reconnected on the premise that Aki knows and accepts Shiho's feelings for her and, while not reciprocating outright (yet), wants to give their relationship the opportunity to develop from here on out. And Shiho finally letting go of her "if I can't be together with her i won't be in her life at all" attitude and being willing to see where said development will take them.

Yes, about Shiho. It'll also be interesting to watch their reset now without all the hidden feelings and circumstances. A more honest relationship, whatever form it takes.

Until the next time Shiho wants something Aki cannot give or does not know about. Since Shiho did not change, I see no reason to assume it is gonna go differently the next time.

As the above commenter said, I think the cleared air, the experience of being apart, and also an understanding of each others' feelings can make this new chance conclude differently.

Then what, pray tell, did you say? I honestly don't get it. What other argument COULD be made by bringing up popularity in response to arguments about quality and craftsmanship?

We've done this thing enough, haven't we? I did not even involve you in my earlier responses about this issue. I'm not really interested in having this whole thing again. We'll have to agree to disagree, mark it up to misunderstandings or miscommunications and move on, as I said before.

last edited at Jul 21, 2023 5:24PM

rather have this manga finish once and for all instead of having to go through another arc on another pair of side characters.This one has gone for far too long for a predictable finish.

This is hilarious, insofar as reversing responsibility and blaming the wrong person can be hilarious.

The more I think about it, it does seem that Shiho has something like an incel mindset. She had feelings for Aki. Aki was treating her normally, and Shiho felt that she was entitled to more. It seems that in the author's mind, Aki was in the wrong for not giving Shiho what she thought she deserved.

this author just straight up committed character assassination on aki, she really went from being the girl who has an undying one sided crush on yori, to somehow magically having gotten over her in the blink of the eye without much show for it, thats not how that should go, right?

as for shiho, she legitimately got away with everything she did, heck she even gets rewarded for it, this story line was hands down handled the worst so far.

also, its weird to me that somehow, the character(shiho) who needed development didnt receive it, and the character(aki) who didnt was forced to receive it instead?

i dont get how this can even be considered good writing?

The more I think about it, it does seem that Shiho has something like an incel mindset. She had feelings for Aki. Aki was treating her normally, and Shiho felt that she was entitled to more.

She was not. Shiho never felt entitled to more. She understood that her feelings were unrequited, and chose to distance herself from Aki because she knew she had no right to expect her feelings to change - and although they did change in the end, it was Aki's decision, one Shiho never pressured her for, nor even asked.

All Shiho asked was not to be forced to remain next to the girl that didn't love her back. She bottled her feelings because she already knew Aki had someone else she loved. She left the band, as she had every right to do, to not interfere with Aki. It was Aki who, despite Shiho having made clear that she wanted to distance herself, kept pursuing her and trying to remain close.

In the author's mind, Aki was in the wrong. But not for not giving Shiho what she wanted, and at no point did the story portray her not falling in love with Shiho earlier as a bad thing. She was in the wrong for trying to force Shiho into a friendship that she didn't want and hurt her. No, most people can't just "move on and remain friends" when the person they like doesn't return their feelings, and their choice not to remain around the other after they know their feelings are unrequited is not selfish, it's a basic right anyone has not to spend time around someone whose company hurts them. And I agree with the author that Aki was wrong, because I did the same when I was a teenager and I regret it.

Blastaar claiming that this is a reversal of responsibility is, quite frankly, shocking. What was Shiho guilty of ? Choosing not to be just friends with the girl that she fell in love with ? Whereas Aki would be innocent for pursuing someone who wanted to distance herself ? This take is, essentially, the friendship version of inceldom - the idea that you have a "right" to require someone to be your friend, even when they themselves do not want to.

At the same time, don't get me wrong, it's not like Aki made an unforgivable mistake. While yes, she should have respected Shiho's decision, she also didn't understand why she had chosen to distance herself. And although that's maybe not an excuse, she didn't realize that she was hurting Shiho in her attempt to remain friends. In the end, she also understood that she had been in the wrong, and only because she confronted her own feelings and realized that they had changed after Yori found happiness with Hima, and because she realized that there was a path where both Shiho and herself could find what they wanted, did she try to get close once again - successfully, this time. Frankly, I could not have asked better as a character resolution - as someone with good intentions, she made a mistake that was unintentional, she recognized it and regretted it, and she tried to mend it.