is this hetshit or not, can anyone confirm or deny it? did nobody read the wn?

I've seen at least 2 people ask this now. What about this series makes you worry about that? I'm genuinely curious. Just focusing on these 2 chapters, it seems they're both into each other, one struggling through some denial (like normal).

last edited at Mar 7, 2024 4:30PM

I’m not done reading this but my only problem after 90 chapters is that why on earth are they keeping this a secret from their friends? They have given me no reason to believe they wouldn’t be totally supportive and encouraging of their relationship and actually…let them be a couple, especially at a all girls school where female relationships aren’t seen as that uncommon anyway, it’s just odd. The friend group just hasn’t displayed a single significant negative aspect really so the harsh ironclad secrecy feels unessesary

It's just their choice and they dont feel comfortable doing so yet. That's pretty much it. Is that "harsh?" I don't know. I don't think it's a big deal.

last edited at Mar 7, 2024 9:37AM

Yeah, it's been canon for years, right from the pilot. They definitely kiss, sleep in same bed--basically the central power couple of the series. You're right that her name isn't Vagatha (they clarify that in the show). It was updated for the official release. Definitely on the nose, but that's explained by where it came from.

last edited at Mar 5, 2024 7:05PM

Two words: ensemble cast. They all have relevance to the plot. They're all main characters, and the pov moving or focus shifting between them doesn't make them less so~

Right. All 4 of them are main characters. It's a story about 2 pairs of couples. All 4 of them have been involved in every plot, in one way or another, since then beginning (and even before then).

last edited at Mar 5, 2024 5:23AM

There's a GL Webtoon/Instagram series about them called "Could You Talk to Her?"

last edited at Mar 4, 2024 2:56PM

“It’s not that I’m better than you, that I managed not to destroy anything–rather that it's because I was luckier than you, to only have gone through this test later at a later age.” Such a great quote and summarizes my feelings about Tianli. It's unfortunate. After this chapter, it's clear she's thinking romantically but she’s got to move on. Ship's sailed. Also “Why do you kids believe every bit of nonsense that comes out of Mu Xiaoen's mouth,” is another great line, for those who took Mu Xiaoen's “not serious” seriously. I love her but Mu Xiaoen likes to deflect, deny, and say nonsense every once and a while.

last edited at Mar 4, 2024 3:58PM

I think you can read it either way.

Biggest evidence that sister is just in love with the GF and wants her for herself is the way she curls her fingers upwards in the earlier part of the teasing dialogue, to prepare for handholding.

But the last page does really read to me as bitter about the relationship. But it doesn't make sense for her to be this bitter when she's already making out with the girl she likes. That makes me think it could be about the brother.

To be fair, I'd be bitter if the girl I want is dating my brother. Could want more than sneaky makeout sessions.

last edited at Mar 3, 2024 7:12PM

Anyone has the source for this one? Didn't expect the author to draw this kind of stuff. Can't seem to find it on their twitter, or pixiv or whatever.

It's on their twitter. You can find a link to the source on the mangadex entry or you can go back to the 30th of Jun, 2021.

last edited at Mar 3, 2024 11:56AM

To me this chapter reinforces the idea that, for Xingyuan, Tianli did have confused feelings, which were partially responsible for this mess--especially when she's framed as a kind of foil to Xiaoen, a romantic partner. I'd even say it was her, back then. She was already Xingyuan's confidant but wanted to be more, though she didn't know what more meant. She's still unsure of why she was and still is so concerned with Xingyuan's company. She knows her feelings for Xingyuan are unique compared to her feelings for others, yet can't fully put it together. It's unfortunate for her.

last edited at Mar 3, 2024 6:16PM

Presumably the implication is that glasses girl is mad that hot girl is dating her brother instead of dating her.

But also she gets called a bro con so... Not necessarily the case.

I feel like she's just teasing her, since the sister always uses the brother as an excuse to get closer to the girlfriend. But I guess it's not 100% clear.

last edited at Mar 2, 2024 6:05PM

Yeah, ghosting someone (to their face!) will normally make them think they've been rejected! But let's just chalk up not talking for hours to a sudden fever. Whatever, I'll take it if it means it's not extended further. Good for them. Looking forward to what they do next as girlfriends now! Definitely not a dream anymore. Happy times ahead.

last edited at Mar 2, 2024 5:31PM

Girls gotta do what a girls gotta do

And she's gonna do her brother's girlfriend.

Such is life.

with only a moderate amount of stretching the interpretation of the characters by viewing the affection between Lapis ans Diana as romantic and assuming the characters would be okay with it.

I don't want to drag out this part of the discussion too much longer but: this would require more than "a moderate amount of stretching of the characters" based on how they've been presented thus far--especially this idea that Lapis has romantic feelings for Diana. That's not a minor stretch that's a major stretch. (Quick Aside: they also don't need a poly ending in order for Diana's role to have purpose and depth. It already has purpose and depth).

And your "assuming the characters will be okay with it," point is also not something that can be so easily brushed off. The portrayal of their personalities and relationships thus far indicates they would actually not be okay with that; in fact, their personalities up to this point suggest the opposite. Your response kind of hand waves the two major, actual issues, and the rest of what you said doesn't work if those two major issues don't work--at least in my opinion. It would take some considerable change over time but people have been saying "poly" since near the first chapter. It just sounds like wishful thinking, which is fine, as long as it's not treated like the text supports it right now. In that case I'd have to disagree.

last edited at Mar 2, 2024 6:33AM

In other words, sci-fi.

As long as sci-fi isn't being used as a pejorative, then sure.

Never. I actually do write sci-fi and fantasy stories in my spare time, I love the genre.

On the subject of sci-fi stories that make use of an alternative biology to explore sex and gender, have any of you folks read The Left Hand of Darkness?

I'll add that to the reading list. Thanks!

I cant believe this place is more moderate in discussions about the various yuri elements in this manga than fucking mangadex. No grooming accusations, no love-shaming Riri accusing her of being a easy woman, no general shallow understanding resembling ironic yuriweebs. What happened? Did you guys lose all the twitter retards to that place?

If you speak it into existence, it will come.

We're not shown enough to know for sure, but what we do see is only the emperor doing her empress, not the other way around. And considering the very title of the series, I'm pretty sure the emperor is still managing to keep her wife in the dark, as ridiculous as it may seem. :D

She continues to address the emperor as "he" even in her thoughts. She definitely remains unaware. Presumably, she assumes there are concealed issues "down there" that she can compensate for with her hands. She's "right," in a really roundabout way, which makes the emperor's reactions funny.

I don't know if we would trust gendered pronouns as authoritative in translations: they come up in English way more often than Japanese, so I wouldn't be surprised if the same applies in Chinese. I remember with Mihoyo games there's been multiple translation errors over the years where they inserted gendered pronouns where none were specified before, and ended up guessing incorrectly.

Super fair. I think there's more reasons to suspect she doesn't know beyond the pronouns but yeah. On another note, I feel for the emperor and her being forced to present herself in a way she doesn't desire. Her mother is terrible and the situation has similarities to "I'm in Love with the Villainess," although this mother might be worse.

last edited at Feb 29, 2024 3:20PM

As an aside, I don't get why so many people want a poly ending, I feel like that would cheapen the themes of the series and feel like a cheap copout.

We want everyone to be happy. Also it'd be hot. And I don't see what themes would be cheapened.

Not themes (at least ones that we can discuss right now) but rather the personalities of the characters. It's unlikely for individuals to simply stumble into a poly relationship, and I don't believe any of these three characters have demonstrated that inclination. In fact, I'd say they've shown a lot of opposing qualities and I don't see that taken into account in discussions like these.

It mostly seems like a desire not to have any character suffer a "loss," more than anything. That's fine too and I get the idea; but I can't personally support it unless the characters seem like they'd be the type.

Ratana Satis' "Beast Knights" is an example of an evolving poly relationship that made sense because the characters were the type, long before it happened. It made sense in-text.

last edited at Feb 29, 2024 2:29PM

We're not shown enough to know for sure, but what we do see is only the emperor doing her empress, not the other way around. And considering the very title of the series, I'm pretty sure the emperor is still managing to keep her wife in the dark, as ridiculous as it may seem. :D

She continues to address the emperor as "he" even in her thoughts. She definitely remains unaware. Presumably, she assumes there are concealed issues "down there" that she can compensate for with her hands. She's "right," in a really roundabout way, which makes the emperor's reactions funny.

last edited at Feb 29, 2024 10:57AM

Now that I think of it, both series have a very similar dynamic between the 3 women and even similar outcomes. That's getting a sequel btw, for those who have read it.

Yoooo Alter Ego is getting a sequel? Good shit!

Yeah! Alter Ego 2: Noel and June. It'll be officially out in English in a couple months.

last edited at Feb 29, 2024 6:13AM

Omegaverse is wild. When they talk about glands and stuff it feels like a scifi story.

While the ABO genre has been maligned by lots of folks for years as pointless and/or toxic smut (and, to be fair, a lot of it is), at its core, it is just a speculative fiction setting that, at its best, allows for an examination and even critique of sex and gender dynamics through a decidedly fantastic lens.

Yeah there are some really good stories there. Like anything else, quality just depends on the writer and the specific story. Some people treat even the idea of it like the plague. I've never understood that intense reaction and the few times the aversion has been explained to me hasn't changed much.

In other words, sci-fi.

As long as sci-fi isn't being used as a pejorative, then sure.

last edited at Feb 28, 2024 12:57PM

I did not fully understand this chapter uugh

Compare this chapter's Sena to the Sena from the start of the story. Would a meeting and conversation like this be possible back then? Or was it the conversation itself that you were confused by?

The fiancee must be a ghost, 20 chapters and nowhere to be found. Yuna does not sound too excited about him. Maybe Yuna is a lesbian after all and marry a man just to have a sperm donor, plus society's approval. This story can easily have a biphobia subplot. Yuna dumping Kiku for a man.
2 more to go.

I think she just knows to be cautious with that topic around Sena. Sena mentions that she hadn't talked with her about him before, since Sena would avoid the subject.
Beyond that the sister seems happy.

It's similar to how the MC in Alter Ego realized that because she was jealous of her best friends boyfriend and hostile to ever discussing him, she left her friend without someone to depend on. The friend knew never to mention anything related to him, especially all the good things.

Now that I think of it, both series have a very similar dynamic between the 3 women and even similar outcomes. That's getting a sequel btw, for those who have read it.

last edited at Feb 28, 2024 6:56AM

Thank you! I think I understand her better now. Maybe I should read the LN to better get inside their heads.

I highly recommend it. Nothing against the manga, it is good, but the LN is just so much more because of just how much you get to see into the minds of Adachi and Shimamura. Shimamura in particular loses a lot in the transition because a lot of her characterization is in her inner dialogue. Adachi's constant state of gay panic is also much more entertaining when you get to see her thoughts at the same time as well.

Yes! The story is their internal thoughts and struggles. It's so much more internal than external and manga (+anime) are more externally focused. It really does take away from Shima the most since she is the most contemplative.

last edited at Feb 28, 2024 6:45AM

It's just harder for me to believe that Tianli would deliberately do such a terrible thing to Xiangyuan if she was in love with her, and hadn't even been explicitly rejected, and then stayed friends with the bullies that helped drive her love away. She definitely had some sort of monopolizing desire for Xiangyuan but it was one where she fully thought the ship has already sailed. This makes the study abroad scholarship especially seem like a very important motivator imo.

She might not have even been thinking about it as outing her, she might have been thinking of it as trying to chase Wang away from her. But even if that's not the case, when somebody is hurt, they lash out, and sometimes in the moment children (and I mean, that's the thing, they were children) don't understand the consequences of what they're doing.

I think it's also that Tianli would not have been fully aware of her feelings back then (which that other comments argument seems to suggest). She didn't consciously consider Xianyuan a love interest because she was very confused about her connection to her and also upset at how easily she was discarded.

The Tianli of the past always seemed unsure of herself and questioning many things and it feels like that questioning was pretty broad. So my assumption was always that all these factors led to her lashing out in confusion and harming herself (like a pokemon, it's on my brain now!)

So while she might have been confused and hurt, she also likely wasn't literally thinking "I'm going to hurt my love," because she probably wasn't in a place to realize or accept that her feelings for Xingyuan were a bit different than what she showed for others around her. She has a strong desire to be with Xingyuan that I don't think is explained otherwise, coupled with the other evidence mentioned previously.

last edited at Feb 28, 2024 6:39AM

My main thing about arioto I didn't like was the child predator bartender lady. Same reason I don't like wataten.

That's fair.