Ehh... I see the symbolism of not being able to look her into the eyes, but Touko clearly expressed already that she loves Yuu for who she is rather than just being someone who stays with her despite never being able to love her.

When? Didn't this whole arc happen because Touko didn't know how to clear things up with Yuu? All because she was confused as to whether she could still love Yuu or not now that she had changed?

She actually established fairly early on that she loves Yuu because she is kind and accepting (which you can of course associate with staying with her despite not falling in love), but that the "not being able to love" aspect was just the initial attraction. She thinks Yuu is cute, funny, kind, just patient enough, but also able to make her flustered. Herein lies the issue. Touko has already acknowledged that she loves Yuu for who she is, but her fear of being loved is still there.

That's what her rejection is about. That's why she needed to be slapped taught by Sayaka that change is not a bad thing and that the love she feels for Yuu is more important than fearing that it might vanish. So no, the arc wasn't about Touko being unable to clear up her own feelings for Yuu, it was about her accepting Yuu's feelings.

Confession? I'm fairly certain we had those in both directions already. This is the make up/reaffirmation stage, no?

Actually Nakatani said in an interview that Yuu's confession in chapter 34 was incomplete in a way, because she covered her eyes. And Nakatani said she made her cover her eyes because saying I love you while looking at Touko's eyes would give the impression everything between them has been said and done... so I agree with the other user, in a way, both will confess to each other again, looking at each others to the eyes, wanting to form a healthy relationship, Touko still needs to "confess" by telling Yuu she loves Yuu for Yuu and the latter needs to openly confess again, this time without feeling her love for Touko is a bad thing... so yeah, make up and double confession again!

Ehh... I see the symbolism of not being able to look her into the eyes, but Touko clearly expressed already that she loves Yuu for who she is rather than just being someone who stays with her despite never being able to love her.

As I said, sounds more like a reaffirmation to me.

For real, will be finally see Yuu crying next chapter during the so waited reunion?Touko and Sayaka already did in the so called suffering arc, I'd love to see an emotional Yuu too :3

This would be thematically amazing, because it would be a callback to what Natsuki said before. Yuu has never cried about anything in the story and apparently not even when she should have in the past either (like losing in the Softball matches). Thanks to being not emotionally invested enough in things she just does out of obligation or to help someone.
So if Yuu cries (for good or bad) because of her current situation with Touko, that would visually show that she has emotionally matured and truly invested herself in this beyond logic and denial.

When being able to cry is not a sign of cliche weakness, but of growth... I like it!

Lights Cigar
Things change. They always do, it’s one of the things of nature. Most people are afraid of change, but if you look at it as something you can always count on, then it can be a comfort.
That's exactly what Yuu have realized.

Those are bad for you. The only change you will see is lung cancer.
Joking aside, that is actually what Touko realized over the course of this story. Interesting to attribute the same thing to Yuu now.

I have waited SO LONG for this. One more chapter till the confession... Probably. Unless the author decides to mess things up.

Confession? I'm fairly certain we had those in both directions already. This is the make up/reaffirmation stage, no?

Wasn't it confirmed that the manga was at 80% around chapter 34 or 36? So it might go up to around 45 chapters.
I don't think anyone here claimed the next chapter would be the last anyway.

last edited at Mar 3, 2019 2:16PM

Thinking about the implications of that line, and after reading last chapter, I wonder if Yuu is really in love with Touko or just deluded herself into thinking she is because, on her own words, she could only love Touko (chapter 10), probably because only Touko showed romantic interest in her and she had already rejected her male friend. Not just that, but also due to Yuu's strong desire to fall in love with anyone (that then became "I wish my heart would love Touko").

Even in chapter 39, Yuu's angst, loneliness and sadness seem to be much more about having lost her opportunity to fulfill her big dream of falling in love (since chapter 35, she thinks she never really fell in love and may never will) rather than having being rejected by the person she claims to love. Her hopes seem to be more about fulfilling said dream again, rather than meeting Touko. Even when she is thinking about Akari forgetting her senpai and getting with Doujima, she was probably thinking about herself and how Akari could move on but she cant because she could only love Touko (a reference to said line in chapter 10?) Correct me if I am wrong, please, but between Touko, Yuu and Sayaka, Yuu's love is the one that feels the less genuine. Like she is clinging to the belief she is in love with Touko because she yearns for love (love anyone at all, not just Touko). Previous chapters seem to point that Yuu's love is real (with her helping Touko change and so on) and not just a delusion but I am not really sure.

Thoughts?

The translation aspect left aside, storywise I think this is definitely inaccurate.
Let's say truly "anyone" would be fine to show her what love is, then why not the guy that confessed to her? The requirements are the same as with Touko (being loved by that person), heck, it suits her impression from Shoujo manga far better to fall in love with a boy. If she was that desperate for it, she certainly could have at least tried to date him for a while and attempt to fall in love. Yet she didn't want to do that. She never even considered taking him up on that, because she didn't want to do that to him.

Then why is it different with Touko? Does Yuu just not value Touko's feelings, to use her like that? I don't think so. It's clear to me at least that this is a pretext, an excuse to herself, so that she can justify her actions. In chapter 10 she might not have realized her love yet, but she instinctually knew that Touko was the closest person to that dream of hers. Not because she was unconditionally in love with her (mostly because there were conditions), but because Touko is someone that she could grow to love.

I think the fact that Yuu was in denial about her feelings for so long and only came out with them when she was about to burst from how painful it was is more proof than we will ever need to acknowledge her feelings as genuine. The way she now retreated into the aromantic position in chapter 39 is very similar to the sports festival (ironically the other time she had a serious talk with Maki). Back then she denied her growing feelings out of guilt and fear.... Now she denies them out of pain and regret. The fact that she tried to take Akari's example as a way to move on, but then denying that she needs to move on, because her feelings might not even have been real... isn't that exactly why we know that they were? Escapsim after heartbreak.

^Nicely done. Your ability to twist things in your favor is almost commendable. But not really. Your replies had no intellectual or artistic value, are not relevant to cultural expression or anything of the like, thus I'm not a Philistine for disliking your attitude (and the required materialism half of the definition has no relevance at all, so another painful misstep on your part). It's easy to pretend that your overcompensation is a sign of education, but it is not. Anyone with half a brain can google vocabulary and subjects to needlessly elaborate on them in a comments section. You have only proven once again that you use big words with little contextual relevance. Let's just say I can tell a poser from the real deal.
And with that I'm done here.

@random Don't use words you don't understand. Unless you believe your overcompensating excess of word salads to be art or "culturally important", don't call people Philistines for not buying into it.

@Swag Wagon Even if I don't necessarily agree with their decision, I believe it was all part of the tonal shift RWBY went through at the end of season 3. This was set up for a while and, considering Monty Oum was still involved, always the planned outcome. Among the many drastic losses that happened in rapid succession this doesn't seem too out of place.
I'm just talking about narrative theming here of course, logically speaking that death leaves much to be desired. An explanation for example.

^You gotta be a M to enjoy that kind of play though.

^Some may call that overcompensation, but you do you.

^The first paragraph just agreed with the previous statements. There was no need to elaborate on possible mechanical layouts in a show that gives you nothing to latch onto. A waste of space.
The second paragraph could have been half as long with the exact same amount of reasoning. You just like to use flowery language for the sake of it.
I'm sorry for having these averse reactions to your comments. You can bloat them as much as you want. I'll try to ignore it from now on.

^In summary: You don't know why it happened either and think the concept of AI can be used differently (even though it wasnt in the show). Jeez, you have a way to bloat your replies.

^That's what happens when you smoke too much hashish and call yourself the son of god.

Ohhh. Is this the rumored "on again, off again" relationship? Does this mean that the fairy couple breaks up and gets back together a lot? At least that's what I take from Kushu's pinpointed prediction.

True cosmic horror story: apocalyptic power in the hands of a soap opera couple D:

The final laugh track plays at the end of the world...

This was actually incredible. Adorable cats, but heartfelt storytelling too. A backstory to how Ran and Chen met that is certainly better than anything I could come up with. The rules and ways of the Youkai are always fascinating.

Ohhh. Is this the rumored "on again, off again" relationship? Does this mean that the fairy couple breaks up and gets back together a lot? At least that's what I take from Kushu's pinpointed prediction.

She kinda failed really hard though. Glad Ponymatsu actually got it through her thick skull now~

It’s me who has a bit of thing for Yuu. ‘Cuz she’s so cute and sweet.

TBH personally I'm a bigger fan of her mischievous streak. Nakatani drawing some pretty awesome impish grins may be related... >_>

Yeah that's also my favorite aspect of Yuu. Her nonchalant teasing and mischievious attitude towards friends is very nice.
If you look at Nakatani's Touhou stuff, she did a really impish Reimu. It's great~

While I also definitely got a “not entirely straight” read from Natsuki, let me amend my overly glib remarks to say that it’s perfectly possible, and in fact probably more common than not, for gay people to be friends with someone they they think is attractive yet not “have a thing” for their friend. Necessarily.

It’s me who has a bit of thing for Yuu. ‘Cuz she’s so cute and sweet.

It's the tomboy look, isn't it?
Natsuki's sexuality aside, I see merit in what you are saying. Though it's a bit hit and miss, because as you probably know from your own life, you don't necessarily pick friends based on how attractive they are, even if it's the gender you are sexually interested in. It's a bit odd to say that gay people are different in that regard.

Yuu is pretty amazing, no denying that.

last edited at Mar 2, 2019 9:14AM

This just leaves Akari and Natsuki as people I don't know what they'd think of. I think they're gonna accept, but there have been little to no hints of that.

Is Natsuki the short-haired girl with a dog? My gaydar tells me she ain't straight and used to have a thing for Yuu. Maybe she is Sayaka's promised bride lolz

It's spreadiiiing like the common flu! Everyone's lez now!
Joking side, I just made a joke about Manaka and Midori being a thing two pages back and this isn't any less farfetched lol

passes through on a rolling chair

^Sorry to be the one to break this to you, but you need an eye exam.

Lots of Doujima hate here, huh? Poor guy is just honest with himself and isn't afraid of getting shot down for it. These carefree and and fun types aren't bad at all. His comments are not mean-spirited and it's better that he is open about them than doing it behind people's backs. You always know where he stands.
I'm not gonna bother replying to all those claims tho, because I'm not the Doujima defense squad. lol

Now about the chapter (which I read somewhere else again. Too slow Dynasty!)
Just as expected, Yuu showed all the signs of typical escapism after a heartbreak. I feel like anyone could have told her that, really, but it held a bit more weight with Maki, because the position she tries to flee into is the one he already stands in. So he can easily tell her the truth how it is. I am actually surprised to see his inner reflection show that he has regrets for being aromantic. He always seemed so contend with his lot until now. I suppose it's impossible not to envy something you can never have.

Haha, that running shot at the end makes it almost look possible that my wish of Yuu tackling Touko halfway to the meeting happens. I'm glad Nakatani is doing this the right way, with them meeting halfway and both having made up their minds, rather than a silly "Touko must win Yuu's heart and trust back" arc. This is the kind of story where even the predictable outcomes are emotional.

last edited at Mar 2, 2019 5:25AM

^I didn't know Christ supported Yuri. He seems to be compelling her to do some lewd stuff.

I'll be the odd one out and say that Sakura and Syaoran was a perfectly fine pairing too.

Thoreal - Because she is worth all these hair products in her own weight in gold. (which she has to be considering how ludicrously long it is)

^There was the one time Rin stayed the night with her at the office and also stripped to her panties. Not even making that up.