I'll bet this manga will never go into the hard question of sex, because it's NOT what it's about. It's about a triangle, how to break it and how the characters will handle it. Also, supernatural.

Yeah, I know it and I agree with you. I said that I'm intentionally using sex-analogies to show how harsh is when some emotionally unprepared character (a child) is forcefully pushed (by others or by circumstances) into adulthood (other used fights with orcas analogies, etc.)

Other analogy (talking about how majority of us here, including me, would not mind development of the story in "that" direction) served to cleanse myself of false puritanism by asking the initial question.
I really did not want to sound like some "Saint-Judgement", or hypocrite.
Making a doujin really wasn't my intention for my choice of wording in my previous comment.

Anyway, I was talking about hypothetical but very possible situations (in manga or reality, it does not matter), manga itself opens a vast of various possibilities for discussion. With its setting it already criticize society, seriously questioning political system and its valuations, etc.
It's subtle, and maybe not the main idea of the author, but we can't close our eyes or be indifferent to the subjects what manga touches, directly or indirectly.
Questioning sexual maturity of the characters is actually something inescapable (and very desirable) in this situation. And it still is not going against the main plot line of this masterpiece.

We also could be creative in ways how we are commenting.

I really don't understand the deep admiration you people have for Erika. She is kind of creepy in my book. I mean move on. Koto has not even once looked in your direction. At least Koto tried, unsuccessfully, to move on and meet new people.

She only wished Aya back so that she can finally get, what she considers her birthright apparently, Koto. She has been completely indifferent to Aya. She was not happy she was back. She was only happy that Koto will finally get her closure so that she can get her obsession. Who is not even remotely interested in her. Get a life Erika.

I mean your childhood friend returns after 7 years. She is scared and lost. But your only thought is that now you can finally get Koto. That makes Erika self-centered to the extreme. Her love is more akin to an obsession. It has been 7 years Erika. Move on. At least Koto and Aya had something going on once.

But really no one really cares about Aya. Even Koto is acting all weird for someone who supposedly believes that Aya was her great love. Her soulmate. Or something like that.

Honestly... Erika reads to me like someone who's erroneously assessing her own motives out of at least a degree of self-deprecation. She very much could have gone out with Koto if she wanted to, but realized that it wouldn't be healthy for her or Koto. She does want Koto and Aya to break up, but as things are now, that's a significantly more justified perspective, but since she also is still attracted to Koto, she misconstrues that motive to primarily be out of a desire to get together with her. Y'know what I mean?

I really don't understand the deep admiration you people have for Erika. She is kind of creepy in my book. I mean move on. Koto has not even once looked in your direction. At least Koto tried, unsuccessfully, to move on and meet new people.

She only wished Aya back so that she can finally get, what she considers her birthright apparently, Koto. She has been completely indifferent to Aya. She was not happy she was back. She was only happy that Koto will finally get her closure so that she can get her obsession. Who is not even remotely interested in her. Get a life Erika.

I mean your childhood friend returns after 7 years. She is scared and lost. But your only thought is that now you can finally get Koto. That makes Erika self-centered to the extreme. Her love is more akin to an obsession. It has been 7 years Erika. Move on. At least Koto and Aya had something going on once.

But really no one really cares about Aya. Even Koto is acting all weird for someone who supposedly believes that Aya was her great love. Her soulmate. Or something like that.

Honestly... Erika reads to me like someone who's erroneously assessing her own motives out of at least a degree of self-deprecation. She very much could have gone out with Koto if she wanted to, but realized that it wouldn't be healthy for her or Koto. She does want Koto and Aya to break up, but as things are now, that's a significantly more justified perspective, but since she also is still attracted to Koto, she misconstrues that motive to primarily be out of a desire to get together with her. Y'know what I mean?

No. I am not quite sure. Can you explain it a bit more. What do you think her motives are then? I think I am alone in this perspective. But I actually think that Erika really had a chance to try something with Koto when she asked her that one time in the past. If Erika had said yes, she could also have moved on.

It's called an analogy. Look it up.

Yes, a pretty bad one since she is not in such a hopepless situation. There are adults there that can protect her. She shouldn't be faced with 'having no choice'

Aaand he clearly didn't look it up. Some guys just hate the dictionary.

Ah misgendering after I told someone not to call me dude. Truly an old classic.

This manga is truly amazing, the plot, the arts, the characters, I love everything in it.

The theme is intriguing and each chapter makes me more engaged to read more and more also anticipating what the author would offer in the next one.

Aside of the supernatural thing happened to Aya, everything else is so realistic, each character feels very human and all are relatable to me.

Although I see some people dislikes either Koto or Erika (for being stuck to one person even after 7 years), I myself think their feelings are valid and natural because I believe everyone do have their own special someone who cannot be replaced no matter what and even though the relationship isn't going well (or even broken). It's like that certain person is your dream girl/guy that nobody else could ever replace for the rest of our life.

Wondering how (and why) Erika falls for Koto during junior school and how Aya finally realize she begin to like Koto after her confession is so exciting (yeah I know there's some in chapter 4 but a little bit more of details would also be a nice addition, I like knowing the process of their feelings).

Both Koto and Erika aren't saints, they are ordinary girls who has their flaws and bad sides, just like us. Hence why I really like how the story goes and would follow it to the end.

I also love how the author has been switching point of view between the trio. That way made me could sympathize to each character more easily and thought to myself that there is no villain at all out of the three (as of now).

The author said a physical release will probably depends on the sells of the ebook, and a physical release will allow for a broader audience. Kabocha is a small author, so every sales counts. It's time to show some support :)

Just search for 三角形の壊し方 on Amazon or Pikkoma and you'll find it.

Thank you so much for telling that the manga is available on Amazon, I bought the first two volume just the other day and would continue to buy each chapter from now on!

People are arguing past each other on the issue of what problems Aya is facing and I have no idea why. She is legally 21, that's an explicitly established fact by the interview scene. She is physically and mentally 14, as established by things like how strangers assume her age and how she reacted when Koto brought up the implication of girlfriends sharing a bed.
Both of those things are true, you don't have to pick one and deny the other. Aya is mentally and physically 14, yet it's not possible for her to live as a 14 year old due to her legal age. This is a pretty damn big dilemma the author has put her in and you're not gonna solve it by yelling hard enough at strangers on the Internet lol.

Also Erika has done absolutely nothing worth criticizing her over, she's only human, and a very well realized and sympathetic human to boot. I definitely would not trust people can't sympathetize with Erika to decide Ayas fate lol (and this category might include Koto, we'll see...)

It should also be mentioned that people "disappear" all the time in Japan. About 100.000 person per year are signaled as "missing". Most of them are found or come back later, but some just "evaporate".

It's called "Jouhatsu" (a term meaning "evaporation"). It can be for a lot of reasons, for family reasons, for tax reasons, for debt reasons, a woman evaporating with her child, leaving the husband for DV reason (or others), suicide, etc...

The laws about privacy are really strong in Japan, so as long as no crime has been committed, police will be extremely reluctant to investigate.

So, I think there's nothing surprising about Aya's situation regarding the authorities for a Japanese reader. She disappeared, she's back, she's 21, no crime has been reported. Everyone moves on. It's not the police's problem.

I see that the western readers are baffled at the lack of reaction of the authorities or the media, but for a Japanese person, it's probably about normal.

There are even companies specialized in helping you disappear for a fee. They're called Yonige-ya. They help whole families to move elsewhere in the night. One morning, you notice your neighbor just evaporated. His house is empty. It's often to escape loansharks or debts, or even taxes (I think taxes are forgiven after 5 years in Japan).

Just look up "Jouhatsu" and you'll understand the scope of the phenomenon.

last edited at Mar 6, 2024 9:32AM

It should also be mentioned that people "disappear" all the time in Japan. About 100.000 person per year are signaled as "missing". Most of them are found or come back later, but some just "evaporate".

It's called "Jouhatsu" (a term meaning "evaporation"). It can be for a lot of reasons, for family reasons, for tax reasons, for debt reasons, a woman evaporating with her child, leaving the husband for DV reason (or others), suicide, etc...

The laws about privacy are really strong in Japan, so as long as no crime has been committed, police will be extremely reluctant to investigate.

So, I think there's nothing surprising about Aya's situation regarding the authorities for a Japanese reader. She disappeared, she's back, she's 21, no crime has been reported. Everyone moves on. It's not the police's problem.

That’s certainly true in general—the classic 1967 Japanese pseudo-documentary A Man Vanishes is about that very phenomenon. But most such cases are, as you suggest, men leaving their families, whole families running away from loansharks, or other grown people escaping bad situations like oppressive jobs, etc.

But as we saw, this was a missing middle-schooler who sparked a police search, one who has now returned physically unchanged and with (essentially) amnesia. Even given the cultural concept of jouhatsu, the specific situation would seem to warrant rather more than a “Huh, that’s weird. Well, welcome back!” reaction.

It does warrant that -- but is the bureaucracy (or set of bureaucracies) capable of generating a different reaction?

It should also be mentioned that people "disappear" all the time in Japan. About 100.000 person per year are signaled as "missing". Most of them are found or come back later, but some just "evaporate".

It's called "Jouhatsu" (a term meaning "evaporation"). It can be for a lot of reasons, for family reasons, for tax reasons, for debt reasons, a woman evaporating with her child, leaving the husband for DV reason (or others), suicide, etc...

The laws about privacy are really strong in Japan, so as long as no crime has been committed, police will be extremely reluctant to investigate.

So, I think there's nothing surprising about Aya's situation regarding the authorities for a Japanese reader. She disappeared, she's back, she's 21, no crime has been reported. Everyone moves on. It's not the police's problem.

That’s certainly true in general—the classic 1967 Japanese pseudo-documentary A Man Vanishes is about that very phenomenon. But most such cases are, as you suggest, men leaving their families, whole families running away from loansharks, or other grown people escaping bad situations like oppressive jobs, etc.

But as we saw, this was a missing middle-schooler who sparked a police search, one who has now returned physically unchanged and with (essentially) amnesia. Even given the cultural concept of jouhatsu, the specific situation would seem to warrant rather more than a “Huh, that’s weird. Well, welcome back!” reaction.

I'm honestly curious if they'll even address the disappearance with any kind of specifics, or if they'll just hand wave it away. Magical Realism is a decently popular genre in Japan, and the more I read this the more I feel it sort of fits into that genre?

No one (other than Koto I guess, but even then it feels more rooted in the effect the disappearance had on her, ie. her separation anxiety.) seems to be that pressed about the 'how' of her disappearance just yet. They're all just like, "Yeah, okay."

Anyways, super excited to see how this all plays out. This definitely feels more realized (fleshed out? realistic?) than the author's previous work. And I feel like I can understand where each character seems to be coming from when they respond to things happening around them.

Interestingly, I was giving the synopsis to my partner and she thought the story almost felt like the author was/is trying to sort through an event that has happened in their life.

It should also be mentioned that people "disappear" all the time in Japan. About 100.000 person per year are signaled as "missing". Most of them are found or come back later, but some just "evaporate".

It's called "Jouhatsu" (a term meaning "evaporation"). It can be for a lot of reasons, for family reasons, for tax reasons, for debt reasons, a woman evaporating with her child, leaving the husband for DV reason (or others), suicide, etc...

The laws about privacy are really strong in Japan, so as long as no crime has been committed, police will be extremely reluctant to investigate.

So, I think there's nothing surprising about Aya's situation regarding the authorities for a Japanese reader. She disappeared, she's back, she's 21, no crime has been reported. Everyone moves on. It's not the police's problem.

That’s certainly true in general—the classic 1967 Japanese pseudo-documentary A Man Vanishes is about that very phenomenon. But most such cases are, as you suggest, men leaving their families, whole families running away from loansharks, or other grown people escaping bad situations like oppressive jobs, etc.

But as we saw, this was a missing middle-schooler who sparked a police search, one who has now returned physically unchanged and with (essentially) amnesia. Even given the cultural concept of jouhatsu, the specific situation would seem to warrant rather more than a “Huh, that’s weird. Well, welcome back!” reaction.

I'm honestly curious if they'll even address the disappearance with any kind of specifics, or if they'll just hand wave it away. Magical Realism is a decently popular genre in Japan, and the more I read this the more I feel it sort of fits into that genre?

No one (other than Koto I guess, but even then it feels more rooted in the effect the disappearance had on her, ie. her separation anxiety.) seems to be that pressed about the 'how' of her disappearance just yet. They're all just like, "Yeah, okay."

No, I think you're probably (who knows what will actually happen?) quite right about that--manga can be pretty casual about bizarre "what if?" premises that just set up whatever dynamic they're going for.

I don't really think it's a flaw in this story or anything--more like a humorously weird aspect of the situation. It's kinda fun to imagine, for instance, Aya and [whoever she ends up with] chatting with new friends who ask, "So, when did you two first get together?" and them saying, "Well, it's a funny story . . ."

last edited at Mar 7, 2024 1:02PM

But as we saw, this was a missing middle-schooler who sparked a police search, one who has now returned physically unchanged and with (essentially) amnesia. Even given the cultural concept of jouhatsu, the specific situation would seem to warrant rather more than a “Huh, that’s weird. Well, welcome back!” reaction.

Their hometown is apparently a small town in the boonies. They mention that all the neighborhood noticed she was back, so there was a lot of gossip, the local police interrogated her and found nothing amiss (if she didn't want to say what happened to her, they probably didn't push any further) and they just informed her that her grandpa passed away.

Local media probably wasn't interested (nothing really juicy there). National media even less. Especially since she disappeared 7 years ago. I think that in Japan, people disappearing and coming back years later isn't that rare or newsworthy. It made the news in the past because she was a teen, but now? Who cares?

So I rest my case: it's not that abnormal that there was not any more ruckus or inquiries about her coming back, given the cultural background of Japan and their reluctance to infringe on privacy of people. She's an adult, case closed.

Welp, I'm glad nothing bad has happened. Yet.
Koto's forwardness was really cute.
Kinda scared that a dude the age of Aya has been introduced yet however.
The love triangle-ish is about to become one messy polygon.
Thanks for the chapter!

Huh... Aya's assumptions towards Erika were way rude. Well, about as rude as you'd expect of a careless teenager, but still. That's no way of just assuming things about your friends... Was there any indication of why she'd think of Erika like that ?

Actually, did she never discuss what happened in the past seven years with Koto ?

last edited at Mar 11, 2024 12:36PM

10 bucks he's gay.

SUDDENLY HETERO

Nene posted:

SUDDENLY HETERO

I'd rather say, "suddenly a source of worry for Koto".

There's very little chance it ends up in het.

So I rest my case: it's not that abnormal that there was not any more ruckus or inquiries about her coming back, given the cultural background of Japan and their reluctance to infringe on privacy of people. She's an adult, case closed.

I'm so glad there are people like you and Gabinomicon who get it.
There's a crowd out there who don't get it at all. Even tho we explained it so many times.

10 bucks he's gay.

This is not the kind of feel-good yuri story where every girl we meet is a lesbian and every guy we meet has been raised by two married women and is gay.

I agree with Nene. He is, most likely, a sudden injection of heteronormativity in the story. A rival who is the "right" age and the "right" gender for Aya, and who'll make Koto question whether their relationship is really a good thing for her.

I lol'ed at Aya who tries to act all adult like, and even asks Erika for lessons on how to seduce a romantic partner into having sex... and then it turns out that even a hug is too much for her.

So I rest my case: it's not that abnormal that there was not any more ruckus or inquiries about her coming back, given the cultural background of Japan and their reluctance to infringe on privacy of people. She's an adult, case closed.

I'm so glad there are people like you and Gabinomicon who get it.
There's a crowd out there who don't get it at all. Even tho we explained it so many times.

Sure, we get that this is a story based on magic where everyone just ignores the magic. No need to congratulate yourself about it.

I lol'ed at Aya who tries to act all adult like, and even asks Erika for lessons on how to seduce a romantic partner into having sex... and then it turns out that even a hug is too much for her.

And that hug was like, barely a hug in my book.

"Let's have a serious important talk later, no I will not specify the subject ahead of time" aight I'm fully team anti-Koto now lol. I actually laughed out loud when in that later conversation she says her main concern is not wanting Aya to be anxious considering how classic and infamous "We need to talk about something important but not right now" is as an anxiety trigger.

So I rest my case: it's not that abnormal that there was not any more ruckus or inquiries about her coming back, given the cultural background of Japan and their reluctance to infringe on privacy of people. She's an adult, case closed.

I'm so glad there are people like you and Gabinomicon who get it.
There's a crowd out there who don't get it at all. Even tho we explained it so many times.

Sure, we get that this is a story based on magic where everyone just ignores the magic. No need to congratulate yourself about it.

Lol well that's certainly not what I was talking about. I was just baffled by people arguing over if she's 14 or if she's 21 when the fact that she's both depending on the context is basically the whole plot of the manga right now.

"Let's have a serious important talk later, no I will not specify the subject ahead of time" aight I'm fully team anti-Koto now lol. I actually laughed out loud when in that later conversation she says her main concern is not wanting Aya to be anxious considering how classic and infamous "We need to talk about something important but not right now" is as an anxiety trigger.

I'm on team Erika buuuut I think she can do better than Koto. Unfortunately in this kind of story, there's a finite cast of 3 (probably 4, now) characters, so the idea that she'd move on and find herself a better girlfriend might only be possible for the epilogue, if at all.

So I rest my case: it's not that abnormal that there was not any more ruckus or inquiries about her coming back, given the cultural background of Japan and their reluctance to infringe on privacy of people. She's an adult, case closed.

I'm so glad there are people like you and Gabinomicon who get it.
There's a crowd out there who don't get it at all. Even tho we explained it so many times.

Sure, we get that this is a story based on magic where everyone just ignores the magic. No need to congratulate yourself about it.

Lol well that's certainly not what I was talking about. I was just baffled by people arguing over if she's 14 or if she's 21 when the fact that she's both depending on the context is basically the whole plot of the manga right now.

Sorry I misunderstood--the "why wasn't there more of an inquiry?" issue is what the person you quoted was discussing.

I think you're right--the "14 but also 21" situation is simply what the author was trying to set up, and the how of it, and the wider response to how it happened, are (currently) of negligible interest to them.