LMAO @ the mom: "Just use your boobs, that's what they're for!"

I really don't like this arc, but I'm willing to wait it out because it does feel like the culmination of something that's been building through volume 3. I felt like the end of volume 2 was a bit of a turning point for Yamada, and while she's not magically fixed of all her issues and insecurities, volume 3 really highlighted how she's become a lot more mature, focusing on not just her future career, but also her future life with Kase. On the flip side, this growth from Yamada highlighted how Kase hasn't really grown much throughout the course of the series, and now that Yamada has come so far, it's high time for Kase to catch up.

This whole ordeal came about because, for all her popularity and seeming confidence, Kase is actually remarkably insecure herself, and she desperately wants everyone to like her, and to avoid any kind of conflict. Fukami pressed this issue, and Kase folded. And this chapter made it clear that she just assumes Yamada is going to go along with it, and why not? She always has in the past after all. So what I'm really hoping for from the next chapter is for Yamada to (finally) assert herself to Kase, and force her to realize that she can't always make everyone happy.

If the author actually delivers with real character growth for Yamada and Kase, I think it would salvage the arc for me. But if they cop out, and it ends without Yamada asserting herself, and with Kase just winning the race and everything getting swept under the rug, I'll be really disappointed.

^ Pretty sure that user is asking for examples of "manga with male gay characters/pairs/relationships".

Ah, you're right, I didn't catch that; since this site mainly hosts yuri manga, that's where my mind defaulted to, lol. In that case, @Vaelasu, you can check out Restart After Coming Back Home, and the sequel, Restart After Growing Hungry, as well as Manly Appetites: Minegishi Loves Otsu, but yeah, you'd probably get better recs asking in a community that's more geared toward yaoi/BL.

First, if this is not a good place to ask, moderators feel free to remove or move.

Context: a lengthy discussion IRL that made me question my prejudice (correct word?, pre conceptions?) of manga with male gay characters/pairs/relationships. Occasionally read "you'll hate it only at first" stories and (for me) non-sensical semi/uke fangirl parodies have left a... bad taste.

So... recommendations about manga with "healthy" gay characters / relationships? Preferably adults, age gap is fine but no adult/teen and student/teacher material.

If We Leave on the Dot and Our Days Under One Roof by Inui Ayu are both fantastic, and both completed (though the final volume of If We Leave on the Dot is only available via the official MangaPlanet release).

There's also Trying Out Marriage With My Female Friend by Usui Shio, and She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat by Yuzaki Sakaomi, which are ongoing. The second one hasn't been scanlated, and so far there's only a single volume available through the official Yen Press release, (volume 2 comes out in March) but it's totally worth the price, IMO; it was one of my favorite releases of last year. Also it recently got a live-action adaptation that's pretty good as well, though it's only available in Japanese for now.

Kyouko is definitely overly possessive and clingy, but Ritsu is 100% in the wrong here. She asks what she can do to get Kyouko to trust her? How about not getting so drunk that she misses the last train and showing up in the morning in the arms of the woman she knows her GF is jealous of. And that's also after breaking her promise that she wouldn't get too drunk. And then the last few pages, ugh. At the rate this is going, Ritsu's supposed years-long childhood crush is going to be over in just a few weeks, and she'll only have herself to blame.

The only way I think this arc can be saved is if it actually leads to some growth from Kase. I actually quite liked the last volume, especially the Christmas date, because it highlighted how far Yamada has come; for most of the series, Yamada has been the shy, meek, and insecure one, with Kase swooping in to settle all her worries, but now Yamada is taking serious steps to advance their relationship, and is thinking about their life after school, while Kase is stuck in a high school mindset, both for her own life, and her relationship with Yamada. For both their sakes, she needs to grow up, and hopefully this arc resolves with her at least taking a first step.

I finished the first volume of a series called She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat recently, and it's so good. It's a fantastic yuri comedy centered around a duo, one of whom loves cooking, but has a tiny appetite, and another woman whose stomach is practically a bottomless pit. If you're looking for a series that's chill, funny, and cute, it's a great read.

I saw one episode of the drama and planning to pick up the manga, is it more of a subtext type gl? the art looks really good!

It is definitely not subtext. From the first volume, I get the feeling it isn't going to be a particularly fast progression, but the direction their relationship is headed is pretty clear.

That anxiety though… oof. It was little but it made me think there might be some sort of dark cloud that will be looming. Can only hope it’ll only be one chapter like last time.

Yeah, I'm worried about this too. I figured after last chapter that the series would get all its angst going forward from the Uda×Riri×Prez×Nurse polygon, but it looks like the main couple might still have more angst in store. Here's hoping it isn't a jealousy arc with the girl in the crowd last chapter.

I finished the first volume of a series called She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat recently, and it's so good. It's a fantastic yuri comedy centered around a duo, one of whom loves cooking, but has a tiny appetite, and another woman whose stomach is practically a bottomless pit. If you're looking for a series that's chill, funny, and cute, it's a great read.

I really like the premise of this manga, but the execution this chapter felt kinda off IMO. For one, the sleazy dudes were a bit much, with them immediately jumping to trying to force the girl right in front of the school gate. They could have just been like "well, if you aren't interested, then get out of our way so we can find someone who is", then tried to shove her out of the way, and it would have been the same result but felt a lot more reasonable.

They're also hammering in the whole "I don't get this prince stuff, she's just a girl to me" bit a little too bluntly; feels like Shun's saying something to that effect almost every other page. I can't wait until we get past all the exposition, and can just see the two leads playing off one another.

I don't think we saw her before, so the possibility is high. Just hoping it's not some stupid (forced) drama because this series is already perfect without (forced) story progession. Just go on with the fluff.

We already have a love quadrangle... don't think we need a triangle especially since we know for sure it'll be unrequited for whichever poor soul falls for Nagi /Mashi. But I'm trusting the author because they've proven they know what they're doing.

Yeah, I doubt we get a love triangle as well for this reason. Last chapter, Mashiro talked about how much she enjoyed helping the class with their maid cafe, and this chapter has two separate times where Mashiro brings up how much she likes helping out the girls from the fashion club. Feels like the author is setting up character development where Mashiro often tries to help people out; likely because her illness meant she was often on the receiving end of assistance, and now she wants to be the one giving aid instead.

So, my guess is glasses girl is going to approach them with some problem she's having, and Nagisa and Mashiro will try and help her out. With this arc establishing the two as basically the school power couple, I wouldn't be surprised if the story moves to a format where each volume, the main pair help out a new classmate, while the Uda x Riri x Prez x Nurse storyline runs in parallel as more of a slow burn.