Yeah, Reiko is trash, but that also should be the case with Minamo's father, her step mom had her sister at 19 years old, and was introduced to the family at age of 17. Reiko was shittier because Yurika was younger than Minano's step mother, but still, a 17 years old is still developing and have few life experience. Maybe that will be adressed later, because she could easily be 23-25 years old.

I have to assume it'll be addressed, the similarity is too blatant to not be intentional. Minamo's father has been kind of a specter hanging over the entire manga, the backstory paints him in a quite negative light but at the same time he does appear to treat his daughters well (...when he's around, at least). I'd understand why Minamo sides with him because he did stick around while both her mothers left her and her sister(s), but hopefully Yurika's story will give her a better understanding of what her stepmother went through.

I was worried when the fact that her ex was an adult hot brought up, but it was handled with a hell of a lot of care, and that's pretty amazing in my opinion.

Totally agreed. These last few chapters have given me a lot of faith in the mangaka's ability to tackle complex and difficult topics.

Not much to say about this chapter itself (though I really liked it), but I'd like to point out how important it was that Minamo herself said it's better for Yurika to think about her than about Reika. With how low Minamo's self-esteem is, I think that was a very big step for her; she now accepts that she can be a positive impact on other people's lives.

On page 9, Kaoruko saying she's worried about "Haruka and the others" is pointed out as a tell that she's in love with Haruka. Then, on page 21, Utena chides Imitatio for getting "Sayo-san and the others" involved. Thinking emoji

In fairness, the context for that is slightly different because she's talking about the other magical girl team being targeted. She would expect her villain team to get targeted. But yes, that does mean Sayo is her favorite from Tres Magia. But this isn't cucking Leopolt or anything. Besides, we've already established OT3 is endgame. Provided they don't try to make the harem even bigger, that is, with new characters.

Oh yeah, I 100% agree that OT3 is endgame, Kiwi and Sayo's interaction this chapter further confirms it. I just found the juxtaposition notable.

On page 9, Kaoruko saying she's worried about "Haruka and the others" is pointed out as a tell that she's in love with Haruka. Then, on page 21, Utena chides Imitatio for getting "Sayo-san and the others" involved. Thinking emoji

This manhua definitely has non-standard pacing and storytelling style, it almost feels like an arthouse movie at points, with how much it emphasizes certain minute actions. It's sort of like Akebi-chan's Sailor Uniform...or One Punch Man. (Now those are two manga that are compared all the time, amirite?)

I'll also confess right now I'm 100% Team Yushan, even though her chances are slim.

People are of course free to not like Shion, but these questions about her have already been answered.

Especially because they've all but established she does have feelings for Kiki and the whole throwing her away when she does just doesn't make sense at all.

Shion broke off her partnership with Kiki for two reasons: because she knew Kiki wasn't happy being a follower, and more importantly, because she couldn't stand dancing with Kiki while harboring unrequited romantic feelings. In other words, it's precisely because she's in love with Kiki that she left her.

But right now we know that she loves Kiki and books, as for her reasons to force herself to dance in front of Kiki ? No one knows,

Shion wants to keep dancing because, in her mind, it's her only remaining connection to Kiki; if she can't be her partner, at least she can be her rival. She seems to think that if she stops dancing, she won't even be able to be Kiki's friend anymore. She doesn't value or enjoy dancing in and of itself, at least not yet -- I suspect this will change as she undergoes character development.

I wonder if Kiki's "pretend dating" idea means that her sister and Tsukiko-sensei used to be in a relationship? (Though there seems to be implications that it was perhaps a "class S" thing for the sister but serious for Tsukiko...)

last edited at Sep 21, 2022 11:33AM

I think this series is too wholesome to have Mai and Tae together, unfortunately. The only good thing I see coming out of it is Tae being convinced that she shouldn't go to any more marriage meetings with men.

What makes me think you may be wrong is the fact that Mai and Tae's relationship has steadily and naturally changed and intensified over the course of the first two volumes. Volume 1 is mostly about Tae accepting the fact that she has a crush and deciding to stay by Mai's side as long as she can. Volume 2 is more about Mai, who goes from being hesitant to accept Tae's birthday present to seeking her out for comfort. I have faith that the mangaka isn't just going to switch gears and have the relationship stall out all of a sudden, so I think that at some point fairly soon (probably volume 3 or 4 even), a confession is going to become inevitable. The question is whether the mangaka wants to continue writing -- and the publisher wants to continue paying for -- more content after that happens.

last edited at Sep 21, 2022 6:59AM

Honestly, the main story would've been fine with just one change: if Alice's sexual assault had actually been planned by Nanase as a very fucked up way to make Momo jealous (someone in this thread actually speculated this at the time). It would've been perfectly in character for Nanase and Alice's character arc would be a lot more tolerable.

Alice? Who the f is Alice? And why have I been living next door to her for 24 years?

Oops, I meant Marie. I was too lazy to check her name lmao

One of my favorite random yuri tropes is that every single school nurse is a lesbian (and probably fucks her students/patients). Somehow I don't think this character will break that trend.

Ngl, I probably like the extras better than the actual story

Honestly, the main story would've been fine with just one change: if Alice's sexual assault had actually been planned by Nanase as a very fucked up way to make Momo jealous (someone in this thread actually speculated this at the time). It would've been perfectly in character for Nanase and Alice's character arc would be a lot more tolerable.

But unfortunately that's not the case, which is why the extras are indeed better lol.

As far as I can tell, nothing in the extra states definitively whether it's an AU or a continuation. It's up to reader interpretation.

It's not plagiarism because it's the same author under different names

"A slow, introspective chapter that just focuses on character development? Nope, can't have that -- better have the new character literally crash into the plot!"

You can't deny this manga always stays on brand.

NTR ABO would set this thread on fire LOL

I know, right? The ambiguous ending is a masterstroke, particularly because either option (the MC successfully resisting or succumbing to her base desires) would be interesting in its own right.

last edited at Sep 16, 2022 7:15PM

I hope they don't finish the eggs until the end of the manhua. The eggs are an important symbol!!

Maybe what we are seeing now is a "mainstreamization" of the ABO/omegaverse concept? As far as I understand it, it had begun as a niche fetish based on a popular misunderstanding of animal relationships, but as more authors encounter it, it starts losing its focus on non-consensual sex and becomes just another New Weird setting to write stories in.

Interesting hypothesis. I will say that, while I thought it was incredibly dumb when I first heard of it, the more ABO works I read (exclusively yuri though lol) the more I think it is a rather fascinating concept. The alpha/omega distinction is basically a way to literalize and intensify the oppression of women under patriarchy, and so along with the potential for light and fluffy romances like this manhua (where the premise is that patriarchy is already in retreat), it's also fertile ground for some rather brutal dystopias if you take the concept to its logical conclusion. Well actually a lot of ABO works such as the aforementioned Best Friends are already dystopic, they just usually don't really directly confront just how much the world sucks. But a cyberpunk-ish ABO story where the main plot is to overthrow the Alpha hierarchy has the potential to be really interesting.

last edited at Sep 16, 2022 8:04AM

Anyone have any trans webtoons/mangas/manhwas recommendations?

I Want to be a Cute Anime Girl on Webtoons

On this site: Mermaid Line chapters 6 + 7; Double House; Childhood Friend Yuri(?); Cotton Candy Love

Ore ga Watashi ni Naru Made (technically more "gender bender" than trans since it's the "boy wakes up as a girl one day" variety but it takes its premise super seriously and is very good)

I think you can say that emotionally neglecting your partner is bad without calling it literally cheating

Since the author mentioned at the end of chapter 1 that the original idea for this universe was a dating sim with Shizuki as the main character, I'm just going to assume the extra is an alternate universe where Shizuki took the Nishiki route instead of the Kureha route.

I really like the setting and characters in this manga, but there are definitely issues with plot and pacing. Overall I still like it, but more as a prologue or jumping off point than a full story in and of itself. I do hope the author continues to write in this setting; they said they might do a sequel with Tsubaki as the main character, which would be...interesting.

this chapter has completely sold me on this premise. i hope we get romcom shenanigans while they're tracking a kidnapper or something

honestly i think Michi was almost as cute as Honami this chapter

Can't defend you this time, Luoluo, even though this restaurant is pretty clearly a giant scam. (Song Li even ordered the house set, proof that she needs to talk to her mitosis daughter more.)

"Actually, don't need to hear it to know you're the one being weird."

Ichika's friends are the real MVPs

Best Friends is ABO with a plot

whereas this story is a plot with ABO

This is a great way of putting it. So far in this story the ABO has barely even mattered aside from a justification for the leads falling in love at first sight. Not that I'm complaining, it's been fun, but "light and fluffy ABO" does feel like an oxymoron lol.

10/10 comedy if it ends in a threesome with Liv, Maki, and Liv's senpai

Cogito posted:

The Holocaust discussion in the above thread has continued, and I really think it's both wildly inappropriate and will only serve to chill discussion. It certainly makes me uncomfortable.

Cleared up things again. Will continue to keep an eye on it, thanks.

Thank you!