I wrote this once before, but it didn't seem to post. Not sure this will be a popular take, but:

Until this point, I'd been pretty sure that Ayako was aware of Akira's feelings for her and was fencing them away, but she seems genuinely flat-footed here. From what we've been shown Akira's clearly been in love with Ayako for years. Akira picked up on that early, that's why she sees her as a rival/threat. I definitely feel like this is a last-ditch play to see if she has a shot, rather than just her "playing cupid".

I was a bit surprised by Akira's frankness and honesty on the incest issue. Regardless of where you actually fall on the issue itself, it would be pretty socially acceptable for her to play up the negative stigma around incest to push Ayako away from her rival, but even though it would definitely improve her chances, she doesn't do that. There's an actual principle there, and it's pretty admirable in that sense. It makes me like her even more than I already did, and kinda makes me sad that Akira x Ayako almost certainly is not the end point for this series.

I honestly ship them a lot more than the main couple. There's a troublesome power dynamic between Ayako and Asuka, even without the incest angle. Adult woman x small girl-child is seriously troublesome to begin with, the incest just makes it worse. There are legal and moral issues all over the place. We have statutory laws for a -reason-. It's at least somewhat better that Asuka is the aggressor, but that just makes it less bad, not okay..

Ayako and Akira could have a happy, healthy relationship and Asuka would get over her broken heart in time. But I'd be pretty surprised if this went that direction. But eh, I can enjoy a thing in fiction without being okay with it in real life.

@shadesan kiss at ch151 should be added :)

I'm pretty sure they don't actually kiss there, though. That's why it says "freeze" when she moves in. She stopped just short of actually kissing.

Heavensrun posted:

Wait, so...everybody is a sempai? That doesn't seem right. How does that work?

Edit: Wait, nevermind, I misread and thought Mayuyu called Mariri sempai as well. IGNORE ME!!!!

It's because Mariri is the only 1st year student in the debate club (and Nononon the only 3rd year).

Yeah, that was obvious enough. I was only confused because I misread the greeting at the beginning and though everybody had been called sempai by everybody.

Wait, so...everybody is a sempai? That doesn't seem right. How does that work?

Edit: Wait, nevermind, I misread and thought Mayuyu called Mariri sempai as well. IGNORE ME!!!!

last edited at Mar 22, 2020 4:45AM

Well (rubbing my hands together exitedly) Aira seemed to be having some more-than-friendly thoughts there, didn't she. Just when I was beginning to worry this was going to be ambiguously close friendship yuri.

I mean....

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/pocha_climb_ch04#7

Any suggestions on crying? I often find myself being frustrated by the fact that I don't cry on most things most other people cry, and since this is one of these situations, often accompanied with being envious of those who do cry, so I'd want some lessons from people with more experience in the field.

Onions?

But seriously, I think it's okay if you don't cry, BV. I mean, I didn't get teary at this (although i'm a bit teary now but that's just sleepiness) but I usually cry at the drop of a hat when reading/watching stuff. Not everybody processes the same way, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just be you, and if you feel like crying, do so, if not, don't worry about it.

Just my two cents.

I am not sure about this. I have a strong feeling that Shimamura will be the aggressive one once they're in a relationship. She's a top, I bet. Lol

I think Shimamura is more of a power bottom. Cuz I'm pretty sure Adachi will be the one to "provide service".

If you think that it is typical for a relationship to have "one to 'provide service'", you are destined for a string of frustrated breakups.

Most couples -exchange- "service", or one side gets incredibly frustrated at the other.

"Yes, I'll have the oppai yuri combo, please."

"Would you like the extra bonus nipples for only 50 cents more?"

"Y E S"

Profile pic checks out.

NOOOOOO, *cries* WHYYYY, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, USA!

Do what? I see no sign that the group plans to stop these releases because of the Yen Press license. Wouldn't be their fault regardless, though, a license just means fans can actually support the series and author.

Oh, thaaaats what they were talking about.

I CAN'T, BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE IN NORTHERN AMERICA, MOREOVER, GETTING SOMETHING DELIVERED TO WHERE I LIVE IS JUST CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE!

*Sniff sniff* Ugh. I just... I fucking love this manga, and now I am left with so many things left unsaid...

But...they didn't say they're stopping the scanlations. Even if they did, I mean....it's the internet...

NOOOOOO, *cries* WHYYYY, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, USA!

The USA didn't do anything, the artist self-censored the original magazine publication and the tankoubons feature more explicit material. It hasn't even been published here yet.

I hope the next chapter have NSFW tag!

There isn't (?). Not quite sure. We do see them naked in bed but they're cover so. Actually it isn't a direct follow-up of the chapter but still they seem to have gone another base.

pretty sure it's been implied more than once before that they've already rounded all the bases, yeah?

I don't believe so. They were making out on the trip, but when they got walked in on Maekawa says they talked their way out of it, which suggests they didn't go any further there. After that it was shown that Maekawa slept over, but Shimizu feigned being asleep. And given the way Shimizu is acting in this latest chapter, it seems pretty heavily implied that this is the first time they've gone this far.

Lol, hilarious.

Shimizu: Okay, I gotta do what I gotta do to be the best top I can be for Maekawa
Maekawa: Mad Top Energy
Shimizu: surprised Pikachu

Best summary of that page I can imagine.

This manga does a lot of "here's a yuri manga trope! Now behold as it is obliterated by adult communication!" so I wouldn't freak out just yet.

I mean not to brag or anything but (brags)

I love how Maekawa even makes it worse by lying and they STILL sort it out by talking about it once it's obvious there's a misunderstanding.

last edited at Feb 29, 2020 6:29PM

. "You got lucky, I'm the real talent" is her previous attitude, "That was what I believed" is her acknowledging Maekawa as the real deal, and from that moment, she changes her behavior.

She doesn't change her behavior. She's still a bitter ass to Maekawa though. She only calms down after Maekawa goes on her knees to basically beg her. They also need to work together for her manga's shake, so she would literally have to be a lunatic to not tone down that aggressive attitude.

She literally does change her behavior. She immediately capitulates to Maekawa's guidance and at the end she encourages her to succeed with her own manga. She doesn't say anything hostile or mean after that point. I mean, she doesn't say much, but everything she -does- say shows a change in her opinion.

I didn't say her ego wasn't ever hurt, or that she wasn't bitter about her loss. She clearly was envious. The point I am making is that this scene explicitly shows her growing -past- that and coming to respect Maekawa. It's literally the entire point of the scene.

She must have been literally crazy if she didn't acknowledge she wasn't the best AFTER losing. Would she get off her stick had she not lost? With that egotistical attitude I don't think so. Also she's clearly still bitter over her loss, that's why she treats Maekawa like that in the beginning. The anxiety of a deadline is just an excuse to me, and even if that also contributes, that's not an excuse. Not everyone would treat someone like that because they were stressed about something. The root is their character, not the stressful situation.

I still see the elements of her being envious (that's why she's so aggressive to Maekawa) and that's why I dislike her. I don't dislike her because "I didn't read the part of her acknowledging her loss" right.
I also dislike her because I don't like the super aggressive attitude towards Maekawa, for whatever the reason might be.

She isn't mad because she lost, she's clearly mad because Maekawa explicitly made light of her victory. I don't care if you -like- her or not, just don't misrepresent what the text literally tells us happened.

That joke in chapter 9 was pulled off perfectly, wonder where things will go from there with the characters though? It kind of seems like a harem ending???

It's clearly a harem -premise-, and she doesn't actually seem to have a serious interest in any of them, so I'd be surprised if:
A) ...there aren't more girls waiting to be introduced that will fall for the protagonist,
B) ...if she favors one over the others, or
C) ...if she ends up with any specific one by the end of it.

Honestly, this feels mostly like a joke premise so far, so I wouldn't hold out serious hope for any actual romance, but maybe the writer will throw a curve ball.

GO AWAY, CINEMA SINS, NO ONE LIKES YOU ANYMORE!

Did anyone ever like them to begin with?

I thought they were fun at first, before they started lying about the movies they watch in order to pad out the runtime of their videos for analytics.

Who care if they watch the movie anyway ? It's suposs to be for enternainment not point out the real mistakes of themovies.

I mean, I care. I would think that was clear from the tone of my post. ;p

(Okay, off-topic sass dispensed, I'll shut up now.)

Something kinda funny, she's riding home on her bike, shouting "I love Shimamura!" at the top of her lungs. If you happen to forget, keep in mind Shimamura is a fairly cheap clothing store chain in Japan. This cathartic self-confession probably sounds, to the annoyed people described to be on the street, like someone screaming "I LOVE THE GAP!"

Like, they probably think she's some kind of marketing campaign? And I think that's hilarious.

(Edit: Non-serious conspiracy theory: This novel series is actually a guerrilla marketing scheme by Shimamura stores to gain inroads with the gay teen demographic)

last edited at Feb 26, 2020 11:49PM

GO AWAY, CINEMA SINS, NO ONE LIKES YOU ANYMORE!

Did anyone ever like them to begin with?

I thought they were fun at first, before they started lying about the movies they watch in order to pad out the runtime of their videos for analytics.

Roll Credits! DING

What're you both referencing?

It's a Cinema Sins reference.

LOOOOOOOOOL this is actually the best manga I've seen, it went so much off the deep end that it started to turn good. Tazune is based as fuck and Midori deserves everything that's coming to her. Maybe,just maybe Midori will grow into a competent human being by the end. But i'll remain doubtful.

Yes! Go, go Team Tazune!

What in the world are people cheering for someone who just show domestical abuse ? Even if she is an idiot, Midori doesn't deserve any of this Nobody should deserve to be victim of domestical abuse Can't believe those comments as still here. The thing is remain doubtful is that mister Shitty Husband will face any consequences of that. So far i don't see anything screaming good end.

Don't feed the trolls.

Well this is going to backfire spectacularly. ;p

Well if this was supposed to be a learning lesson, then what I got out of it was:
If the person has been a jerk, there might have been a good reason for it, but that doesn’t mean you should let that person keep being a jerk to you.
Doing that will only make your situation worse.

"good reason"
he's got the backstory of a literal actual ex-incel with reasoning that borders dangerously close on their thought processes to boot.

Eh, I wouldn't call any of this a "good reason" for being a jerk, but the girls picking on him were -also- being bullying little shits. It's not like they were just not interested in him, they were cruel and belittling. It's showing the cycle of abuse. If you treat someone like shit, there's a good chance they end up passing that abuse on to someone else. It doesn't excuse his behavior, but his later behavior doesn't justify their cruelty either.

The lesson, as is so often the case, is "Don't be a dick, goddammit". ;p

"Wait! I got some boob in my eye!" =_=

OK, BOOBoomer. ^_^ (laugh track)

Get out.

This mangaka has gone and done THE WORST FUCKING THING that they could do for me. The mangaka has decided an antagonist, who most likely will never have any kind of redemption arc or reason to care about in any way, a back story to explain why he does the shitty, horrible, dirtbag bullshit he does. NEWS FLASH WRITER: WE DON'T CARE! The character is an outright shitbag, and we don't want to story to focus on him AT ALL. Literally nothing he does will change our opinions of him at this point, and solidifying his shittyness with a backstory like this, will only lose you readers. NOTE TO FUTURE/CURRENT WRITERS: DON'T DO THIS. It is a complete waste of our time. I didn't finish this chapter, and will not be reading any more of this manga. The art is lovely, but the writing needs a lot of work.

Sorry for the rant, but holy shit this is a major pet peeve of mine.

I fundamentally disagree. I mean, I'm not gonna say you can't hate it, you're entitled to your opinion and I get where you're coming from, but I think it's interesting to explore why a terrible person is terrible sometimes. It solidifies him as an antagonist, it doesn't make excuses for his behavior, and it strongly sets up the stakes. This guy is fundamentally damaged and misogynist, and he is not going to change. Midori needs to get the fuck out. I'm not sure that would be as clear without this chapter.

(Edit: I mean I can't count how many times I've been reading comments on a story and seen people making excuses for awful behavior, because the author didn't outright show that they're rotten to the core.)

last edited at Feb 25, 2020 1:30AM

Given his overt misogyny, I'm pretty sure Tazune is gonna lose his shit when his fiancee ditches him for another woman.

AND MAY HE SPRINT IN FRONT OF A FUCKING TRUCK OVER IT.