Anyone who doesn't realize Usui's previous themes of asexuality were deeply connected to internalized lesbophobia... I'm envious that y'all didn't go through it. We lesbians not only grow up isolated, but also alienated. The only type of attraction to women we are taught is men's objectification, so a homosexual woman can go her entire life without realizing about her attraction since we just don't know what it's like to experience, we haven't seen attraction to women without dehumanization. And yes, a whole ton of us do feel disgusted towards our own attraction once we do realize. I myself struggled, still sometimes do, for nearly a decade with this. Before someone else told me I'm a lesbian, I didn't even think it was possible that what I felt for certain girls wasn't just deep affection. So, it is extremely possible we are witnessing in real time a lesbian woman finding herself through her works. I know I can absolutely see my own journey through these pages. Usui is, without a doubt, my favorite mangaka.

Edit: I forgot to mention. For five years, I was only comfortable with saying I was asexual than accepting the fact that I feel attraction exclusively to women, and Crescent Moon and Doughnuts did mirror my own thought process back then.

I don't necessarily think we can/should make any assumptions about Usui Shio's personal life, but you make a good point about her works spanning a wide breadth.

Even before this, every series she's done has approached topics of affection and intimacy from a different perspective and angle. It speaks highly of her skill as an author to tackle different aspects of what attraction, desire, and love actually mean to different people.

Everyone in this manga is deranged and needs therapy but man I am loving potential chaos that is ahead with so 3 characters who could snap at any moment.

man, author-san really wanted to cook with this one

Something's odd with these pages. They go 1, 10-19, 2, 20-29, 3, 30, 4-9, as if they're in "alphabetical" order, rather than in the proper sequence.

That's called "having fun." Sometimes it evolves into a stronger Pokemon. Watch out for the timing of the evolution, Azuki; you don't wanna get arrested. And you can't mash B in real life.

last edited at Sep 22, 2024 5:31PM

I love how expressive the characters and panels are :)

i can't find anything in this manga appealing. i usually love creepy stories with unhinged characters but these girls are way too unappealing really, the one who only feels things for dolls and the other that gets extremely possesive about a memory of a girl she has, damn, they are just basically despicable, there's nothing hooking about these two. it's a shame cuz i really like usui shio but this lacks catchiness

Loving this so far. Two deranged people who just so happen to have compatible derangement is a good trope.

legs as a tag is crazy work haha

wild

Loving this so far. Two deranged people who just so happen to have compatible derangement is a good trope.

And the doll fucker is somehow the least deranged

Out of all the characters'... peculiarities, I find Azuki's utter obsession with Meguru to be by far the most objectionable (although yandere bestie may quickly take that spot). But it's clear that Usui is treating Azuki's obsession as alarming and off-putting with these types of depictions:

7 years is a long time when you're transitioning into early adulthood and going through so many life changes. Continuing to obsess over a relationship from high school isn't just creepy, but shows she failed to mature emotionally during such an important period of growth.
She's been stuck in the past and failed to accumulate any new, exciting experiences, as shown by the last page's reaction with her being actually excited by the interaction in the karaoke box and the prospect of their next meeting.

I'm imagining a sadistic scenario where Azuki's obsession gets totally invalidated upon her reunion with Meguru. That Meguru reacts with a mere "Oh we were friends in High School, right?" because she's accumulated many experiences in the 7 years since that's rendered that particular experience with Azuki somewhat unimportant in her memory.

Of course that's not how things are being setup. Meguru appears extremely sex-negative and that experience with Azuki seems to have been a major event in helping give shape to her current feelings towards sex.

last edited at Sep 23, 2024 8:55AM

someone please get both of these girls some therapy. they need it so bad

"Knowing that it's 'us', it definitely won't turn into something lewd, right?"
she said while lewdly sitting on the other's lap

Average asexual

I don't understand why they're being seen as deranged, they're pretty aware that what they're into would be considered weird by the majority. Unhealthy? Yeah, Azuki's attachment to the body of someone that she met and separated from ages ago isn't exactly healthy and only got exacerbated by her being isolated socially and having nobody to talk to about it up until now, but there's nothing "deranged" about being attracted to dolls, plushies or a specific body type...
The "problem" really is only how being obsessed with it could impact her negatively and it makes sense for her to react like that when her space is being invaded by something outer to her world for the first time ever and it's all new to her.
Maybe I'm understanding the use of the word wrong, but it bothered me a bit.

Also, it's cool how the Meguru doll seems to have a little pouch, that's one of the cutest parts in gynoid bodies in my opinion. I'm curious about what is Niji's fetish, I thought it was going to be mommy stuff and/or cheating but I guess not lol.

Average asexual

I don't understand why they're being seen as deranged, they're pretty aware that what they're into would be considered weird by the majority. Unhealthy? Yeah, Azuki's attachment to the body of someone that she met and separated from ages ago isn't exactly healthy and only got exacerbated by her being isolated socially and having nobody to talk to about it up until now, but there's nothing "deranged" about being attracted to dolls, plushies or a specific body type...
The "problem" really is only how being obsessed with it could impact her negatively and it makes sense for her to react like that when her space is being invaded by something outer to her world for the first time ever and it's all new to her.
Maybe I'm understanding the use of the word wrong, but it bothered me a bit.

Also, it's cool how the Meguru doll seems to have a little pouch, that's one of the cutest parts in gynoid bodies in my opinion. I'm curious about what is Niji's fetish, I thought it was going to be mommy stuff and/or cheating but I guess not lol.

I agree. "Deranged" and "despicable" seemed very over the top to me as well because those words carry some different connotations. But opinions will vary.

last edited at Sep 23, 2024 1:17PM

"Knowing that it's 'us', it definitely won't turn into something lewd, right?"
she said while lewdly sitting on the other's lap

No kidding; outright straddling her. I wouldn't be able to even remember my own name.

But it's clear that Usui is treating Azuki's obsession as alarming and off-putting with these types of depictions:
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  ⋮
﹈
7 years is a long time when you're transitioning into early adulthood and going through so many life changes. Continuing to obsess over a relationship from high school isn't just creepy, but shows she failed to mature emotionally during such an important period of growth.

I don't know how you could realistically portray her as anything but off-putting and alarming. At this point it's not about what she's into, but the way she decided to engage with it.

Remu, on the other hand, actually seems perfectly normal. Sure, she has an objectophilia fetish and tries to hide it from her public persona (as most people with fetishes do), but the way she blooms up when realizing she is not alone and that there are opportunities to make her fantasies reality is almost wholesome. Or rather:

And the doll fucker is somehow the least deranged

Preach.

But it's clear that Usui is treating Azuki's obsession as alarming and off-putting with these types of depictions:
﹇
  ⋮
﹈
7 years is a long time when you're transitioning into early adulthood and going through so many life changes. Continuing to obsess over a relationship from high school isn't just creepy, but shows she failed to mature emotionally during such an important period of growth.

I don't know how you could realistically portray her as anything but off-putting and alarming. At this point it's not about what she's into, but the way she decided to engage with it.

I've seen several stories that romanticize continuing to hold a candle for an unrequited crush/someone who rejected them/ex-lover even though it would have been healthier for the character to move on long ago. Oftentimes the character is shown to be incapable of falling in love with someone else, which is depicted as "honorable" or "pure", and the character is eventually rewarded for their loyalty with their long-held love eventually being reciprocated.

Far more rare are stories where a character is shown to move on from this past love to find something new, which seems to be where this story is heading.

last edited at Sep 23, 2024 2:35PM

I've seen several stories that romanticize continuing to hold a candle for an unrequited crush/someone who rejected them/ex-lover even though it would have been healthier for the character to move on long ago. Oftentimes the character is shown to be incapable of falling in love with someone else, which is depicted as "honorable" or "pure", and the character is eventually rewarded for their loyalty with their long-held love eventually being reciprocated.

Far more rare are stories where a character is shown to move on from this past love to find something new, which seems to be where this story is heading.

But those characters should all have come to terms with they're doing instead of going "gosh, I hope nobody finds out I'm saving myself for marriage with my one true love". Not that being outside of the norm is a priori bad (see Remu), but she clearly understands that something is wrong. Or in other words: her "love" is obsession, and yandere are difficult to portray as mentally healthy. (Whether they are being romanticized as love interests is a different story...)

Loving this so far. Two deranged people who just so happen to have compatible derangement is a good trope.

It doesn't seem that compatible to me, not like this at least

They're definitely not compatible the way they are now, but I can't help but feel that Usui Shio is cooking

i love this sm, kicking my feet, finally some real freak representation

her "love" is obsession, and yandere are difficult to portray as mentally healthy. (Whether they are being romanticized as love interests is a different story...)

It's unfortunate how romance stories with unique concepts like this often use the yandere aspect as something romantic, almost as if they are romanticizing mental illness. I find it very unrealistic and off-putting when reading romance stories like this. It’s clear Usui is trying a new angle, but Azuki’s mental maturity, from her time as a student to now as an adult, shows she needs professional help. I don't mean to sound rude.
Also I find it funny how most of us were so enthusiastic and excited for Usui's new series in the first chapter, and now we're all just concerned about the character's mental state. :D

last edited at Sep 24, 2024 8:08AM

Oh no, I just realized Megumi is Remu's step-sister...