Yeah, Maki was definitely not going to be a reasonable adult. That was clear when she let herself get pushed into the date.

I just couldn't help but laugh at the innocent virgin-sensei (or was the claim she made in chapter 1 a lie?) turning into a horny sex shark almost immediately after a cheeky student stole her first kiss. How could she have even lived that peaceful life before, if she was so pent up all the time?

It just felt like weird flex to go all that distance in around 4 chapters. :)

last edited at May 27, 2020 5:47AM

As for the club's importance, apparently in real life the school the one in the manga is based off of has the only aquarium club in the region, and in the manga it's treated as a local attraction. It's definitely not a common sight in a high school. Ironically the manga has become an ambassador for the real-life town it's set in and last year they organized a tour with various cross-promotion, so it probably ended up making the real aquarium club more famous.

That's not ironic at all. It's just normal consequence of what is effectively location advertisement. There's surprising amount of manga and anime tourists... Well, at least when there's not a pandemic rolling all over the place.

What's this, "Train your baby gay cousin"? :)

Gin is displaying strong gender euphoria coming out of his cross-dressing hobby and compliments. That's a pro for the argument that he actually might be MtF, instead of a negative. Not every trans feels dysphoria, or they only have it to such degree they mostly just ignore it as general dissatisfaction about how they look rather than as a sign they might actually want to be of different sex. Some only feel dysphoria and aren't happy even after they try to change themselves to suit their self-image better. Yet others feel both, sometimes very strongly.

All that said, author in a context like this is actually perfectly ok choosing anything, up to Gin just having a strong interest in dressing as a woman, but definitely not wanting actually to be one. But since the issue came up again, it seems it will be addressed at some point. It's a story about Gin trying to figure out himself, after all, even with all the other craziness happening around him. Arguing about what it's gonna be is fruitless.

last edited at May 21, 2020 7:41PM

Anyone else still getting really mixed messages? I mean, the mixed messages are on purpose, which makes it more confusing. Mikanuji is making it clear that Iori has a drinking problem and is prominently displaying her beers in each panel they show up in (and having characters call it out), but at the same time you have the overlay of her gf talking about how everything is sunshine and rainbows and a relationship that gives her life meaning.

And these tensions aren't really addressed or resolved, just set up and not followed up on. Is Mikanuji portraying this as unhealthy codependency or as a relationship where they can work with their faults to find fulfillment? I'm not really getting a clear indication either way.

It's entirely possible to hold two contradictory beliefs at the same time or to swap one bigger difficulty for something bit smaller. You can have a relationship with unhealthy aspects like dating a weekend drunkard and yet find fulfillment and happiness from it anyway. Especially if your previous life was much more crappy.

I kinda want a Language gap tag. This is fast becoming an aspect of some of my favorite yuri stories.

Yes, me too. Can you link me some others?

Some of the doujins for Kotonoha Amrilato probably would count.

Everyone who likes culture/language gap should definitely play that visual novel.

Expression Amrilato has been officially translated in english and released some time ago. You can also learn some esperanto on the way.

So we've got Astronomy Lesbians, Game Dev Lesbians, Rock Climbing Lesbians, Hot Spring Lesbians, and now Theater Lesbians. Good stuff. What will they come up with next.

I think you are forgetting something? Takarazuka Revue. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarazuka_Revue )

It started as a more patriarchal idea about grooming/showing example to women to be better wives and such in the 1920's, but over time transformed into something that would support women's independence and gradual acceptance of same sex relationships. A slow, slow transition that is still going on today in Japan.

Stories like Utena, Sword of Paros, The Rose of Versailles and Sailor Moon owe some of their existence to it, as does the more recent Revue Starlight.

It's bit like I'm still reading a prologue.

Wait, I thought the age of consent in Japan was 13, no?

Its 20 I think

No. 20 is age of full adulthood, for things like drinking alcohol.

In the most typical situations, age of consent for sexual relations is either 16 or 18, depending on local legislation.

Does the Federal age of consent of 13 apply at any point? Yes, with parental permission or if you can prove in some other way that your relationship is a consensual, dedicated and romantic one to the police, should they come asking.

Age of getting married at least used to be 16 for women and 18 for men, but I've heard this is supposed to become 18/18.

When Tsubasa said she's adult, she meant she's 20.

last edited at May 14, 2020 3:12AM

There are some odd services available in Japan.

You can even rent yourself an entire family through some agencies, I think Conan O'Brien even made an episode out of that. Rent moms, rent kids, rent husbands and wives, rent grandparents.

I must admit that felt bit odd, because I've been under the impression that Mizuki is a bisexual, who just happened to find a wonderful girlfriend.

last edited at May 8, 2020 6:40AM

Imouto wanna smash.

Heterosexual love triangles are exactly what this manga needed.

It's not just a triangle. Akira and perhaps even Yukka will be dragged in as well if this keeps up. Hime became a harem protagonist. :p

It kind of felt like the main character was asexual.

Her thoughts about sex in general, and how she didn't seem to lust after her friend much either felt like she just didn't have much interest to that. This then made her somewhat lethargic, despite realizing she did like her friend, and so she wasn't motivated enough to act in time. Asking someone out often has a lot to do with the timing and not just compatibility, after all.

last edited at May 7, 2020 10:33PM

As cute as this series tries to be, it just makes me feel wrong. It just doesn't seem plausible enough, even if there's some more drama in the story.

I mean, 22 years of age difference AND girl was accidentally groomed by her mother to like her friend AND that friend seemed to mostly start to like the girl because she's a spitting image of her mommy AND yet somehow, miraculously/horribly, the two end up dating in a totally serious way in long term? I'm laughing my ass off here. It's probably because I can't handle the idea even slightly seriously, so I have to deflect it to the realm of humor... I'm sure the author doesn't mind. :)

Going out on a limb here, but I take it that the 4-koma and Comedy tags mean that it’s supposed to be funny.

That and the fact that it’s funny, of course.

Which is exactly my meaning. I think it's funny too, just off from what I would find mostly just funny and not funny and off-putting or bit too uncomfortable at the same time. In an eye-rolling and spine-tingling way. I'm not moralizing here or anything. I don't particularly care if the teacher eventually makes the kid her little love bunny in her late 30's/ early 40's. If that's what author wants to depict, so be it. I simply find the apparent end result of this craziness to be bit too convenient or something like that.

Lot of people had similar reaction to Fusoroi no Renji, don't they? Just for a bit different reason. It's just all those dips into your personal uncanny valley. Sometimes there is just a thing that makes you react, almost involuntarily at first. You may even learn to like it if you get used to it at some point. Like learning to drink your coffee black. I'm not quite there yet, but I do try to keep a little bit of an open mind whenever possible.

last edited at May 7, 2020 9:49PM

As cute as this series tries to be, it just makes me feel wrong. It just doesn't seem plausible enough, even if there's some more drama in the story.

I mean, 22 years of age difference AND girl was accidentally groomed by her mother to like her friend AND that friend seemed to mostly start to like the girl because she's a spitting image of her mommy AND yet somehow, miraculously/horribly, the two end up dating in a totally serious way in long term? I'm laughing my ass off here. It's probably because I can't handle the idea even slightly seriously, so I have to deflect it to the realm of humor... I'm sure the author doesn't mind. :)

last edited at May 7, 2020 4:50PM

I'd respect the author, if Akira kindly rejects Hime and explains that she's straight, because that kind of has been the portrayal of Akira so far.

However, it's not like this story has had a natural flow (too much edutainment discussions), so I can't tell if thinking about context in a typical way is even useful here.

last edited at May 5, 2020 10:21AM

Kind of bland and quick beginning. Well, it's only the first chapter so nothing lost yet.

I don’t really see what these chapters are accomplishing. Kaoru clearly doesn’t like Uta romantically and she also doesn’t seem to have the slightest intent of breaking up, so... what’s next? I feel like this manga ended a while ago.

You might even get Risako x Uta and Reiichi x Kaoru ending. At least that would be compatible in terms of orientation, if we are to believe what we've seen so far. :p

Wait, isn't this series part of the Yuri Hime publication? Something gay has gotta happen at the end.

Huh? There's Kuro and Miyabi, who got their own little romance arc. Also that bi girl who had her first relationship go badly and is now just flailing around randomly and trying to avoid getting too hooked on anyone.

Then one of the main characters is as gay as it can get, she fell in love and confessed too.

Plenty of "gay" already happened. About half of the characters that have been presented are LGBT characters.

Uta, Risako, Kuro, Miyabi and that casual relationship girl are all of non-straight persuasion and everyone has at least attempted to follow their romantic interests. Even if those attempts have often been half-baked, bit weird or unsuccessful.

Yukiko do it again lol.

Haven't they made it obvious by now that the reason they aren't "dating" is because they don't feel a need to define their relationship in that way? It's not that they don't love each other, because they do. It's that their relationship simply IS, without needing or wanting to put labels on it.

There's a fine, clear label for this. Sexless relationship.

Also, labels are more for other people than yourself. Used to communicate something complicated in a condensed form, so you don't have to talk about it for hours every time someone asks. No, they won't be completely accurate all the time, but it's still useful thing to know how to define how you relate to someone else.

last edited at Apr 29, 2020 4:41AM

I would like to write my dissertation on Taiyaki's inability to properly number chapters. Geez.

I'm still waiting for the chapter 1+0.5.69

Aki: I'm straight

Also Aki: Why hasn't she fucked me yet?

Seriously though, what the fuck happened there? I giggled when she started thinking about her special underwear and how she's been waiting for her lesbian friend to jump her and ravage her like a beast... She must have had a pretty hardcore bi-awakening at some point.

Editor of this manga must have a fun job. :)

Fellas, is it gay to be gay?

Not at all. Just NoHomormal.