Probably stepping into a minefield by saying this but going to mention it anyway.

I'm a huge fan of yuri manga and parings and all that stuff, however when it comes to real life I'm actually quite a bit more conservative. From my point of view I have zero issue with lesbian relationships themselves (I take a non-interference point of view) but when it comes to the topic of having children or even adopting I personally get a bit squeamish. I even don't like single parents raising kids (but it's often unpreventable). People often talk about the logic of the problem of raising a kid as a single parent and the effects on the child (because of the lack of two different genders influence). I personally fail to see the difference when you have two parents of the same gender.

This manga has been illuminating though to see first person accounts like this. FYI, I'm in a country that has legalized gay marriage. I still find some issues with it though.

That actually was an argument in Germany, too: "What about the Children?" Don't they need mother AND father?

Well the point is: DO they? Does a child need two parents of different sexes? Or does it need loving parents that raise there child to be a proper adult? Some ppl in Germany had the former opinion and talked about it in public. Ignoring that a "family" with two parents of different sexes does not automatically mean that they are both loving and caring parents who can and should raise a child. On the other hand regarding adoption laws in Germany: The youth welfare office had a practice of giving children to same sex couples who had a civil union for fostering the children. This was ok by law since the welfare office did argument, that same sex parents are just a good for raising children then "different sex parents". But they had no right to adopt children together - which seems a bit hypocritical.

Morgan: that would work best in Japan, too, IMO. The hugest opposition is like "What about The Family Register???" usually meaning the "federal registry" and it's actually pretty recent. I think there are lots of people in Japan who remember before it existed. But anyway, the objection is that actual marriage would somehow throw the register into chaos and civil unions wouldn't. They've had a very odd system of gay marriage (mostly used by women) since the early 1900s, whichever is older adopts the younger. Doesn't that put a different spin on these pseudo-incest stories?

In this context I'm following the changes in the royal family (RF) with interest. They've got the problem that the RF is rather small and from generation to generation they're in a tighter spot to find a successor. The Emperor currently has 4 successors: his two sons, his grandson and his brother who has no children of his own. When Akihito will step down in a while - and regarding the age of his brother, there will be only 2 real successors and currently non of them are from the direct line of the Crown prince, since Naruhito only has a daughter.

While this is not about same sex couples, the problem here lies in the constitution and the family register. The constitution does not allow for daughters to success the throne at the moment. The family register in its current form works afaik in a way that a daughter marrying leaves her own family to join the one of her husband. With the constitution limiting the RF to the core family and excluding family members "leaving" the family (daughters marrying) it is rather obvious that the RF will get smaller and finding a successor will be more and more of a problem. While this may not be a problem for the succession of Emperor Akihito, the discussion will be held and changes have to be made to prevent the RF from dying out. I presume those changes will not only be made to the royal family but nation wide. While it may not have an immediate impact on same sex marriage it will however have a great impact on the practise of family registers.

last edited at Aug 2, 2017 8:02AM

Unfortunately this is going to happen no matter what traditional value is being "devalued" because people who stick to traditional values tend to be the sort to not actually have anything resembling conscious thought on the matter. They were raised to view it as the correct way of going about things and never stopped to think about the why of it being done that way or why it is or isn't wrong to do it another way.

I didn't follow the TV coverage, since I hardly ever watch TV (just crap running anyway), but I followed the print media. Most of the published letters from the readers where... well I'd go with "interesting". While I personally appreciate opening the marriage to same sex couples - especially since they now have the same rights as "traditional marriage partners", I have absolutely no problem with ppl not liking this. BUT: If they talk about it in public, they'd better have some GOOD arguments. But there was not a single argument I've read, that would have withstood any close examination at all. And I think that's the point: Ppl don't know what they are talking about, they are afraid of new things and like sticking to traditional things. In Germany we have a proverb: "Was der Bauer nicht kennt, frisst er nicht." I don't know if there is a similar proverb in English, but it roughly translates to "What the farmer doesn't know, he doesn't eat." Meaning someone is not open-minded towards new things and and prefers the one with which he is familiar. We had this discussion long enough in Germany. And since the world didn't stop turning since we had same sex partnership in 2001 I think it's time to force ppl to deal with the situation. Even if that means forcing them by law.

That's more or less how it went here in Canada (well, except it happened longer ago and it was the Supreme Court--the actual government never had the guts). I think the thing is that all the fearmongering gives the impression that somehow it's going to have a huge impact on . . . something . . . but then when it happens, since it actually has zero impact on anyone except the people getting married, it's hard for the haters to really point to anything. I suspect there might even be an effect where the fundies prefer to think about something else so they don't have to notice how wrong they were.

I don't know if it's the right way, but I think I prefer the way it happened over here:

We had life partnership for same sex couples since 2001 and people had time enough to get familiar with the whole concept. There were some political parties and non political organizations that wanted to open the civil marriage for same sex couples right from the beginning and where working towards it ever since. But after the CDU with chancellor Merkel was in administration since 2005 it never came up again. The CDU (conservative party) wanted to keep the status quo with the partnership but was actually forced by the Bundesverfassungsgericht (something like the supreme court) to give same sex couples more rights (like finances, taxes, and so on) since the Bundesverfassungsgericht made it clear that if same sex couples have the same duties, the also must get the same rights. But it was small steps over years, so no one of the people in Germany was actually forced to think about the whole situation. Like "Oh, they got some more rights? Yeah whatever. It's ok.". But a few weeks ago on a Monday Merkel went to a talk show and someone in the audience I think asked her about same sex marriage and she said she'd prefer for our members of Parliament to vote for their own and not for their party. It took all other parties in government about a day to set up a vote on Friday the same week.

I mean... they talked about it for 16 years and then just did it in a week. It was absolutely amazing and I think this was so damn quick, people didn't have enough time to think, let it get to them and form actually some kind of organized resistance. When they actually realized what was happening, the law was already signed by the President and put into effect starting in autumn. And now it just like "Yeah... what can I do... eh, I don't care." (Of course it helped, that about 73% of the German people was for the law in the first place ^^)

Regarding the opinion of other ppl towards gay couples and ignoring some controversies around him, it was Louis C.K. (US Commedian) who said:

"It doesn't have ANY effect on your life. What do you care?! People try to talk about it like it's a social issue. Like when you see someone stand up on a talk show and say "How am I supposed to explain to ma child that two men are getting married?"... I dunno, it's your shitty kid, you fuckin' tell 'em. Why is that anyone else's problem? Two guys are in LOVE but they can't get married because YOU don't want to talk to your ugly child for fuckin' five minutes?"

and regarding the public opinion in genereal:

After having registered life partnerships since 2001 in my country (Germany) our government voted just a few weeks ago to make the civil marriage open for same sex couples as well. For maybe a week after that there were ppl all over the media telling us this would be a huge fault, the end of the world, a religious disaster, yadda yadda whatsoever. When a week later the Bundesrat approved of the new law and our President signed it, there was hardly any media coverage. Now that the world apparently hasn't stopped turning it's like noone gives a shit about it anymore.

I think - even in a land like Japan most people aren't actually against homosexuality or couples marrying because they disapprove of them, but because they don't actually know much about it. If the media would cover it AND talk about it as something absolutely normal, most ppl would - imo - take it as something that's just as normal as "traditional marriage".

last edited at Jul 31, 2017 2:24PM

How is the chapter crap? Aoba was crying over visually seeing how far she still had to go as an artist to match Kou, not because she was a sore loser. She can accept that she lost the competition because she respects Kou's work.

That's right, when you try your best and is not enough of course it hurts but this is a company to make games, not a Novela Mexicana so no need to draw out the drama, there's still a lot of work ahead. She accepts that she lost the chance because she actually tried and acknowledged that her work was inferior instead of losing just because the company says so.

What competition? What chance? When the winner is set right from the beginning, that's no competition. Aoba never had ANY chance to win anything.

Personally from my point of view:

As Aoba I wouldn't have even "competed" against Kou. This is a pointless competition. As said before: Even IF she had drawn the better artwork - which she in my opinion has, since Kou's work looks like absolute crap imo - she would have lost to the company. Why would it make me feel better competing against her?

As Kou: Presented those options by the company I'd personally gave a shit about it and they could just hire some random illustrator who has nothing to do with the company, the game or the art whatsoever. It's their budget. If they like to waste it, go ahead.

I like the art of Kou, but her design on the magazine was just wonky and weird and didn't match the things I've seen of the game so far in any way. But it doesn't matter because as said before: she could literally have drawn a big pile of bearpoo with some ponytails and the company would have taken it.

Big names sell - even if they have nothing to do with the game.

last edited at Jul 28, 2017 7:06PM

i'd actually like to have more of this. It's cute, funny and I really want to know more about the characters and the catgirls.

Somehow this chapter is even more crap. cO

So Aoba's pushing herself to the point where she nearly breaks down seeing Kou's work and starts crying. But when the magazine is printed, everything is ok and she can accept that she lost the competition? Girl you never had a sliver of a chance winning in the first place. Kou could have literally drawn shit and she would have still been favoured by the company....

Yay, a new chapter after over a year. Me likes! :)

This chapter is sooo damn cute. I think I'll need a few insulin shots.
On another note, I liked those little flashbacks, that tell us a bit about the past happening before the actual story. :)

Srly... I'm skipping the fights now... This is so awsomly bad... I mean.... It doesn't have to be Naruto-I-Win-Everything style, but I really don't like storys where the main characters just get beaten over and over and I know how a fight ends before it even begins. I've made it to chapter 45, but this is by far the most boring thing I've ever read. I hope it get's better...

last edited at Jul 24, 2017 8:42PM

What's the creature on the last page? It looks like a Moomin.=w=

As I understand it, it's a crossover between Hoppu-chan from Kantai and Moomin. It's adorable :D

I was hoping they'd meet in the end. :/

yaaay, it's Muppo-chan - and an adorable story before. :)

Cute pairing - but I'm also amazed by the amazing view of the bathroom.

Now this chapter was rather sad. It hat it's comedy, but the little bird made me really sad... =(

It's sad that the higher-ups want Kou to be given the credit, but it makes sense from a business perspective. A new IP is always a risky investment, and you want recognized names to be the face of the new product to ensure its success. I hope like during the design contest, a compromise will somehow be found where both Kou and Aoba names will be featured.

Actually this whole chapter just pissed me off. I mean... Yay Aoba and Kou can have a contest so Aoba feels better. I always felt better competing again someone if the result - aka I lose - is set before it even starts... BULLSHIT. But that doesn't even matter since the company clearly tells them that they give a shit about both their arts and just go for the big names. They'd even hire an illustrator absolutely unrelated to the company, the game and the art if Kou won't draw the key art. Personally I'd say "You know what? I won't draw it. Hire your illustrator. You give a shit about the art, I give a shit about your budget. Oh and by the way: From now on I'm only doing the bare minimum. No overtime, no weekend." It's not like they can afford to fire Kou anyway - and even IF, Shed find a new job with her name and reputation in no time.

Yay, welcome to company policy bullshit...

To be honest, I'm only partially reading this for the story. I'm amused by the Credits and this... girl? Does anyone know if there is more of her? She reminds me of something but I can't actually say of what or whom. =/

Edit:

I met my three daughters by different mothers from the future on a dating site

This reminds me of Yomeiro Choice

last edited at Jul 17, 2017 7:19PM

So it's been a while.... someone pls remind me: who are those two characters again?

I've read til chap 36 so far.... I don't know.... It's basically tits, lolis with and without tits an a main character that so damn stupid she can't win a goddamn single match on her own...

Nico must be standing on a platform

She's standing on a mount of ppl she interrogated to death... cO

I expected to see what happened after Ice went to sleep next to Ploy at the farewell party

small spoiler... there will be chapter about it in volume 4 :3

Is that still a thing? Since it's complete and I think I never saw a chapter about it...? Just asking^^'

my brain just melted.... I have no idea what's going on anymore - and I DID reread the whole set... cO

this is sooooo weird...... I like it XD

As for who owns the rights, I'm assuming JManga's downfall means they should be returned to their original publishers. I think there's one or two JManga titles that have been picked up by other publishers for web/print, so I guess it's just a case of poking your favourite publisher about whatever titles you want to see relicensed.

If the rights for PPL have fallen back to the original publisher in Japan - I don't think it ever has been published or licensed in another language - then doesn't that make it no different then any other work published on dynasty?

So, with jmanga being non-existend anymore, who holds the right of their translations?

Btw I find a statement abough copyright on a scanlation webside a bit weird. Nur that may be just me...