Anyway, when you get down to analyzing things, Natori hasn't shown any romantic or sexual interest in any character. I wouldn't even be surprised if she was ace.

She's definitely shown those interests towards Lapis, but I agree with everything else you said.

The term being corrupted by westerners does not destroy the original intent of shoujo ai . It’s basic research, you can just look at references, read actual articles, consume the manga and content tagged it, etc l. Idk why you guys are over complicating it and trying to tie loli in, it’s pretty dishonest and bad faith

I wasn't discussing anything with you. You're involving yourself in a conversation that wasn't about anything you said. I'll leave it at that. It doesn't feel like there's much to discuss with you anyway.

last edited at Apr 22, 2024 4:41PM

The idea that yuri is inherently sexual or erotic is a thing Western comics fans made up like 15 years ago, it's not a thing in Japanese. There's been a handful of different authors who say they dislike the label but not because it's sexual but because it's a specific genre with conventions and fans with annoying expectations, as we're seeing live in this very thread.

Yeah, that is more in line with what she actually said during that older interview. I don't know where this idea that "yuri" implies sexual content comes from. Ironically, "Shoujo Ai" is a unique tag that I don't think is interchangeable and if I understand its usage correctly, is the more sexually charged term in Japan. Someone can correct me.

Don't know if it's true but I've heard multiple people say the phrase "shoujo ai" in Japanese has lolicon vibes to it. What I am confident in is that it's not an actual genre name or commonly used tag.

Yes, that is what I've understood as well. Any article about the subject and its usage in Japan has always made that distinction. I know western sites will use Shoujo Ai still, so I imagine that's what that commenter meant but I wanted to clarify that the distinction is largely a western one based on what any authority on the subject has ever said on the issue.

last edited at Apr 22, 2024 4:36PM

The idea that yuri is inherently sexual or erotic is a thing Western comics fans made up like 15 years ago, it's not a thing in Japanese. There's been a handful of different authors who say they dislike the label but not because it's sexual but because it's a specific genre with conventions and fans with annoying expectations, as we're seeing live in this very thread.

Yeah, that is more in line with what she actually said during that older interview. I don't know where this idea that "yuri" implies sexual content comes from. "Yuri" is what's generally used for everything. Ironically, "Shoujo Ai" is a unique tag that I don't think is interchangeable and if I understand its usage correctly (since I never used it myself), is the more sexually charged term in Japan. Someone can correct me.

last edited at Apr 22, 2024 4:30PM

The Official English Release over on Tapas picked quite the brisk pace. With 36 chapters on launch and then 2 weekly they reached the finale of Season 1 last Thursday and Season 2 is already gonna start on the 25th.

Idk if they worked up a massive backlog before releasing or if they're just that fast working on those translations but they're def not wasting any time, dang

They've started doing that with some new series, by "that" I mean working on a bunch of chapters and releasing them in bunches as a way jump-starting a series. Once they release the 4 new chapters this week, it'll be about 4-5 chapters behind the original release. The story does some interesting things in season 2, so I'd definitely stay with it.

last edited at Apr 22, 2024 4:16PM

I think that with the success of this work, the gay shenanigans had to take a backseat because the main sponsors of Sumiko have become the music industry (mainly Universal Music Japan) and not the manga industry or the yuri fandom.

She's been enrolled to promote Universal's catalog in Japan, not to promote the gay agenda.

For her sponsors, the gay is secondary. It's cute and it adds some appeal to the manga, but it's not the main theme anymore.

The first part focused on Aya and Mitsuki and the gender misunderstanding, but once it was out of the way, the second part focused mostly on music, because it's what pays the bills for Sumiko. So she toned down the romance (still keeping the rizz moments) and propped up the western music side.

So I wouldn't expect any actual onscreen kiss or definite gay thing, because it's become too big for that unfortunately, even if Sumiko has not shied away from the gay in the past.

That’s disgusting, I hope the yuri fans are smart enough to leave now that it’s seemingly going nowhere

The author said from the beginning that she doesn't consider it a yuri. It was never intended to pander to that fandom. It's a cute story about relatable characters, rock music, and Japanified Americana and I still love tuning in every week

She didn't really say that.

last edited at Apr 22, 2024 12:42PM

The Ibuki family has quite a variety of personalities, and they're hopefully about to add a sister-in-law to the mix.

That was just to set up the twist of Sayaka and Kasumi being in a relationship, nothing is implying either of them would be fine with multiple partners.

Yes and "it's maybe possible" ≠ "is." I don't know if I'd call that a character detail just yet. Aside from that, this series is dense. I really look forward to rereading it once it's all over.

last edited at Apr 22, 2024 8:45AM

The ward placed by this enemy is supposed to disable humans, but Isuzu doesn't seem to be affected. Maybe it's been explained with something else and I just forgot; it's possible that Isuzu can withstand it because of her training, or the enemy deliberately excluded her from the effect because otherwise there's no sport in defeating her. But if Isuzu were part youkai, that would also make it more ironic when she says she can't "mix" with Naori and her ogre friends.

She was affected. And it's likely just her training. She alluded to that during this chapter (pages 17-19). If they're hunting demons they must have some familiarity with these wards. She made a comment about how if Naori could make her way past the ward, she should also be able to do the same and realized that she'd given up earlier than she should have.

last edited at Apr 20, 2024 9:20PM

She's about to beat his ass right in front of her GF. Naori really stabbed herself with an ice pick to get to Hinata. I expect that kind of dedication from any of my future partners as well.

last edited at Apr 20, 2024 10:26AM

Is it just me or did they just cram a whole lot of story in just a few pages? Did this get axed?

Definitely not. It's at chapter 50 and weekly.

I can't root for any of them really, their personality is so (unexplainable and unreasonably) twisted that it's really impossible to like them or hope they end up together, they're so toxic lol

It's the opposite for me, they're both so twisted and obsessed with each other than I can't not root for them to end up together. Early chapters might have had a tinge of "Wakaba deserves better" but it's entirely gone now.

They're perfect for each other and Komaki has always known it. She's just been putting in the work to get Wakaba to realize it too. Instead of "realize), I should say "accept it," because Wakaba obviously likes Komaki. Messy but fun.

last edited at Apr 19, 2024 10:05AM

I can't wait for Aki's reaction when she finds out Shiho threw away the photos. Lol poor Shiho.

Guess they'll have to make new ones.

There wasn't anything much left to touch on. Maybe some were still somehow holding out for something from Akira but that's not happening. Satsuki and Komachi are moving forward. This series wasn't a romance anyway and no one ended up "together" really. So I don't know if I'd call it "couple achieved" but I liked the ending anyway.

People talking about Akira and Satsuki but really the unresolved conflict is the one they have with their dads.

Akira's dad got arrested for attempted murder. That's already settled.

last edited at Apr 18, 2024 11:44PM

Shiho swooning over Aki is great. Talk about a "gap." I imagine Shiho nearly fainted when Aki said, "That's my girl." Plus Aki is also clearly, very much enjoying this dating thing and predictably wears the pants in this relationship. Watching Aki flirt Shiho into submission will always be funny to me.

EP1 of the anime was great, the animation and quality of the artwork were better than I expected. The voices also match the characters well, the singing felt a little off to me at first because the voice sounded a little too different, but the second time she (Yori) sang at the rooftop with Himari, it was amazing.

Do we have to spoiler tag anime stuff? Anyway, I agree. It was really nice.

I was surprised that the ED showed the tension between Aki and Shiho, will that even fit in those twelve episodes?

Remember Shiho comes in very early (chapter 15), so it would be harder (and odd pacing) not to have her and Aki's dynamics as part of a 12-episode season. Edit: and I think the first episode adapted about 3 chapters already. There's not much happening earlier in the manga. So it can easily breeze by a few chapters each episode.

last edited at Apr 18, 2024 11:57PM

Why is the title of the manga "Whispering YOU a Love Song", but in the anime it becomes "Whispering ME a Love Song"?

It's actually "Whisper" not "Whispering."

"Whispering You a Love Song" is an unofficial translation. Official translation is "Whisper Me a Love Song." I prefer the official version since it's presumably from Hima's POV (and eventually Shiho's). Either title works though.

Thank you for your explanation. But why is "Whispering You a Love Song" an unofficial translation, when it also appears on the cover of the Japanese version?

That's not the official English translation. JP will often have an English translation or alternative title/sub-title of their own but that doesn't always carry over.

last edited at Apr 17, 2024 9:43PM

Yes apparently the latest chapter is the ending. It feels a bit rushed to be honest and Akira got totally shafted (she gets like two lines and doesn't talk to Satsuki AT ALL). I'm hoping the extra chapters give us more but after the ending I'm not expecting a whole lot.

The extra is mainly about Satsuki and Komachi. It's broken into two parts

last edited at Apr 17, 2024 7:09PM

Why is the title of the manga "Whispering YOU a Love Song", but in the anime it becomes "Whispering ME a Love Song"?

It's actually "Whisper" not "Whispering."

"Whispering You a Love Song" is an unofficial translation. Official translation is "Whisper Me a Love Song." I prefer the official version since it's presumably from Hima's POV (and eventually Shiho's). Either title works though.

last edited at Apr 17, 2024 11:31AM

I don't know why I wasn't expecting a love rival in this one. I guess not even having a child is enough to stop them.

That was my feeling too. Didn't think we needed one but we'll see if it doesn't go the predictable way.

last edited at Apr 17, 2024 6:20AM

Ah, the evolution from working hard to not getting rejected to working hard to not getting dumped lol

The eternal struggle.

Kadokawa themselves are marketing this as a love story so at least there's that.
link:: https://x.com/Kadobunofficial/status/1779706221894766991

They marketing to sell it. For that matter, Futari Escape was marketed as them being girlfriends despite nothing ever being said on that.

Nothing except the author saying they didn't feel the need to spell things out bc it was published in Yuri hime.

Things don't always need to be written in bolded, flashing neon letters to be true.

100% true but what authors consider "yuri" varies quite a bit and doesn't always match up with what most people here would want. You'd also normally want the series to stand on its own without needing to reference it's publication or an authors' comments on Twitter.

Having said that, I do expect this series to be a bit more straightforward eventually, even if it does have a lot it's working with and balancing. It's slower, yeah but I'd still be surprised if it doesn't get there, despite her comments.

last edited at Apr 16, 2024 9:37PM

It was cute and then here we go.

Awww not another "dropped" manga

There are updates on manhuascan.com

Looks like the (official) version is the censored play/apple store ap friendly version. So I would recommend the non-"official" version. (Kinda sucks that Pocket Comics picked it up, since they don't offer non-censored versions on their official site like INKR.)

It's not a sexual series, despite it's subject material so there wouldn't be much of a difference.

last edited at Apr 16, 2024 3:04PM

^ @ Random_Bird
Unless I misunderstood what you're saying, Dungeon Meshi is completed and has been for a bit now.

last edited at Apr 16, 2024 12:42PM