At the bit about cold baths in the winter making kids sick, I was like ... don't they have this thing called "fire" that's pretty good at heating water, at least a little bit?

That shock was possibly a bit of an overreaction to Ruriko buying the book so they could read it at the same time...

last edited at Jun 6, 2023 9:14AM

@Kundara yeah the time travel was unnecessary imo if she isn't changing anything, and adds a bit of baggage that I'm not sold on to boot

If she didn't time travel, everything we've seen until now would not exist and we would be in the standard game story with Elsa instead going for one of the original love interests. She does not change anything of the past we've seen, yes, but the changes to the original game storyline are significant.

Meh, I can't say I agree with everyone who makes this claim 100%.
If Evie had to go back to the past to make sure that she could go back to the variation timeline she was in, then they wouldn't have been in a predicament which needed to be "fixed" by Evie going back in time. She was actually supposed to change something, not just play out the parts of her life she couldn't remember.

Time travel is always a whacky ride, and I don't think criticisms of it thus far are valid, but at the same time invalid. Time travel plots get wrapped up at the end, and everything will never be tied into a neat bow because of how different people think about time travel. As long as the author stays true to the rules they established, then what happened in the time travel is correct and valid. Complaining about assumed time travel plotholes is useless because ... time travel doesn't exist. There are a lot of ways it may play out in fiction, not all of them perfect, you just have to go with it in order for the storyline to exist at all... A bit like time travel in itself, actually.

last edited at Jun 6, 2023 9:07AM

There's a number of contradictions that I'm waiting to see if we get an explanation for. Elsa doesn't know who Yvonne is when they meet at school but remembers her from childhood. Yvonne can't tell Elsa her name but takes her back to her home with her so she obviously knows who she is. Time travel is always a headache of causality and while this isn't the worst example by far I'm of the firm opinion no story not specifically about time travel has ever been improved by the introduction of time travel

Elsa literally thinks about how she's been searching for the blonde girl who Evie reminds her of, and it takes her a little while to decide that yes, that is Evie. You can't say she doesn't remember her when she's clearly been mentioning a promise they made when they were little.

As for where Evie took Elsa back to: Elsa is a little kid, she's not exactly getting an address and committing it to memory. It's just "some noble house", and she doesn't know who Evie is in relation to that noble house, because she doesn't get told her name.

So a fan fav. model starts dating a guy, and her career is over?! What's the hell is wrong with super fans?! Is it that they are so delusional they actually believe the have a shot at dating her, and the appearance of a boyfriend sends reality crashing down on them, making them bitter.

You can watch that mammoth "Episode 1" of Oshi No Ko to get some of the "reasons" for the thought process here. The episode is kind of obsessed with saying that mega fans "want to be lied to" - i.e. the lie that they have a chance.
Of course, that's total bull***t, because they only want one very specific lie. It's entirely plausible that with just one more lie, they could continue with their "I have a chance" nonsense, but they refuse to go through that. They don't want to be lied to, in my opinion. They want to be possessive. To feel powerful knowing they can control this one very large part of their idol's life, even if they'll never have them for real.

last edited at Jun 5, 2023 7:41AM

And here is finally an explanation for how Elsa's concept of "bullying" (at least by Evie) got warped so badly. Effectively, Elsa has imprinted on Smol!Evie as the first real caretaker she has had, so, like every abused child, she perceives any kind of attention from her caretaker, no matter how abusive, as loving and validating. Yes, I do think this story is dark AF behind all the cuteness.

You're thinking too hard about it to make it dark. We have chapters in which Elsa first reacted to Evie's bullying. She knew full well what bullying was and was more baffled than anything at the turn it took. In my hazy memory of the chapter, she didn't even really like it at first.

I'm not sure if there are more flashbacks to it, but go back and read chapter 14 for some of Elsa's thoughts about bullying.

Oof. Why would you call your sister incessantly to make her listen to you about being broken up with. You call once, maybe give it some time and call up to three times, then ask them to get back to you because it's important. The sisters are just as bad as each other, lol.

[MY theory/prediction: Mashiro was going to tell MC to wait a few more months/give her some times before she is ready to think about dating MC romantically before interrupted by MC's sister call...I doubt Mashiro is ready to start dating yet]

Hmm. possibly.
Another theory, I think, is that she might have said yes. Mashiro started by saying she's been thinking about it, and might have come to the conclusion that she would be dumped as a friend if she left her hanging for too long.

People asked for scum and they’re getting scum.

A lot of people seem to have this opinion: that this is the scummiest she can be, but she was being honest. There's nothing scummy about telling someone you want to be with them like that. She didn't say that if she was rejected she would stop being Mashiro's friend. Why should she keep hiding the fact that she wants a relationship just because Mashiro wanted to be friends?

last edited at Jun 5, 2023 7:08AM

You are arguing something fundamentally different than I am, and it's very frustrating. You're being obtuse.
This story could. 100%. Be written differently. Your argument that it cannot is nonsensical. You can parody magical girls by making them into BDSM, but woe to you if you parody magical girls by ... making them older?

You're also very angry that anyone would question your thought process, which is infuriating. I already said that it is okay this exists, but you keep approaching me from the angle that I'm saying it's not, and that's very disingenuous of you, which makes it a pointless discussion. I was only making a point that people can question why this exists, and you are not in a position to hypocritically take some kind of opposite moral high ground that no one is allowed to object to this based on the character ages and themes.

That is all. I was trying to say. End of my trying to make a rational discussion about this. If you try to argue a point further that I'm not making (including ridiculous notions that this is indeed the "only way" this story could ever possibly be writen), then I'm not going to engage with you on it any further.

Asumi, asking all the right questions.
What a wonderful chapter.

But nah, kids and sexuality? That's gross, author's clearly pedo-pandering, 0/10 shovel-ware manga.

Just this statement here makes your whole argument fall apart.

Is this for kids? Or is it for adults?
Why does there have to be adult media about kids and their sexual awakenings?
It's an important question to ask, but you refuse to ask it. What kind of audience is is manga looking for? What kind of people are going to read it?

Again, I'm okay with that. You can't say things shouldn't exist just because some people are awful. But it should be criticised, along with any other media that deals with questionable content. It doesn't mean there isn't anything to be admired in it, it means that we should question and allow to be criticised everything we consume, regardless of how innocent you find it yourself.

Imagine if the creator was brave enough to ... not make a sezualised manga about children.
Like, I'm having no problems with it morally because fiction, but you can't complain about this not getting recognition when they have purposely buried their great story in questionable content.

i mostly agree with @Ehhhhhhh, i love this manga but i can't blame anyone who's turned off by the premise

Oh I didn't meant to imply I have any issues with the people who simply don't enjoy the premise and can't get into it because of the contents, all that is totally fair and understandable; I'd never fault someone for not liking or reading something that they simply didn't enjoy.

But I did understand what you were saying.
People are allowed to judge a story on its one questionable thing when it's done on purpose. The fact of the matter is, the creator chose the ages of these characters. Could have done just as much of an off-the-wall story with women who had been magical girls for a long time and were now adults, maybe dealing with some repression of their feelings due to having to appear "pure" to be a magical girl all those years. But they ... did not.
It's not like there's just one questionable scene in this story, it's the whole basis of the characters. People are allowed to judge it based on that factor alone. And yes, they will never be able to see the genius of the way the story unfolds just because that character basis is something they find distasteful, even in fiction.

If the writer really wanted to have their work shine and be appreciated by many, they would have made the story differently, but they wanted young girls in their story. They deserve every criticism for that choice regardless of how well-written the rest of the story is.

last edited at May 29, 2023 6:11AM

...Man, remembering how many people have written this manga off as just fetish-pandering (or worse, BEING cp) is kinda depressing. Literally every time I look into something in this story, there's a red thread to find and a deeper motivation to piece together.

Imagine if the creator was brave enough to ... not make a sezualised manga about children.
Like, I'm having no problems with it morally because fiction, but you can't complain about this not getting recognition when they have purposely buried their great story in questionable content.

The MC suuucks so munch ! She's willing to do it with a sex robot but not with an actual human. Come on !
Another childhood friend who will never end with the MC. Really, childhood friends are cursed in yuri manga. They mostly are used as drama bringer. Always behind the new girl. It's sad to follow their struggles to get MC attention when you already know how it will end.

It's not the fault of the MC that the author brought the "childhood friend" into an already budding romance.
That's the reason the "childhood friend never wins", because writers stuff them in as conflict, not because there's anything wrong with the childhood friend. There's no reason Akane should just pick Jun because she's a human. She's already been conflicted about Nadeshiko's seeming real emotions, and she's not going to cheat just because she's confused about that.

the creator chick is annoying, seems like she'll just keep messing with MC for very little reason

I do wish she'd stop messing with Akane. Akane is innocent and a bit confused, but doing her best. She definitely doesn't deserve to be messed with.

On the other hand, given what I read of the story's general tone so far and how the comments have painted this chapter, it sounds like that's probably not what's happening here? So uh, yeah, in that case, fuck this.

The chapter was basically just a case of "too far". It just makes it sit weirdly in amongst the rest of this ridiculous and light-toned story.

Although, if it was on purpose, then it just paints this whole story in a darker shade. It was already skirting the line with the "friend pimps her out without her consent" premise.

The author doesn't seem to understand how prostitution works.
(Either that or they don't care and write whatever just for the laughs.)

Not sure you understand what prostitution is either, then. Miyako isn't working as a prostitute, she's just getting paid for sex by friends of her friend. It didn't even come with any rules, only money = whatever kind of sex you want.

last edited at May 21, 2023 9:44AM

Poor Risa. Walks into a lesbian bar and no one hits on her.

last edited at May 22, 2023 8:07AM

"With all due respect, you are the same little bitch that extorted money from me, your own big sister, so you wouldn't tell the family I was gay, just so you could blow it on gay hookers, right? My advice is to grow a soul!"

IIRC onee-chan volunteered the money, rather than Mashiro making threats.

The first few times yes, the last time however Makino was being a jackass.

Sister is still the one who unprompted opened that Pandora's box

Realistically, the sister kind of brought this on herself by not trusting Makino in the first place, she just went straight to the idea that she'd need some kind of "compensation" to keep her mouth shut.

I'm sure if Makino wasn't a scumbag with ulterior motives, she might have been offended at the implication she'd just betray her sister and nto support her.

I can’t really relate to all these complaints.

Agreed. Of course, matters of taste are matters of taste. But "not happy, not content" seems to be the basic mode for many people these days. I found this to be a funny story with very cute art and great characters. It was a bit different than normal, had surprisingly some character growth (lol) and had a good and clear ending which is a bit rare.

Yeah, it’s amazing how many people seem to have been reading this as primarily a rom-com devoted to an ultimate romantic end-game, when it’s been a (barely) subtext-y gag manga from the very beginning.

I always feel like everyone wants all kinds of stories to read exactly like a planned out novel. Episodic stories by their nature, just can't flow at the pace all readers would want, and progression and endings sometimes seem "forced' because there just isn't room to detail every change in thought and motivation.

Execution is extremely important. And a bullet list of plot points does not show nearly the full picture. Knowing what happens, I don't think that list (or any story reduced to a list of plot points) is very fair or useful (last volume is fun also). But whatever. When people don't like things, they really don't like it.

Um, you have a point, but not in relation at all as to what you were replying to? Why reply to a group of people saying the spoilers make the plot sound interesting by basically saying some people won't like it based on the list of plot points?

It is actually useful - especially in the thread you were replying to (and in my opinion too), because putting it in the context of where the story is going makes it not seem like an endless status quo going around in circles thing.

Did not see that twist coming, I kind of thought Risa was going to help them get together.

Yeah, that's what you call a forced plot twist basically, but since I like Risa way more than Hiroko, I'll let it pass

Hmm. I don't think you can call it forced exactly, in a story where I can't work out why Arisa is even "in love" with Hiroko in the first place. She doesn't seem to know anything about Hiroko's personality at all, only that she looks cool and gives compliments (to everyone).
Risa has a better reason for liking Ayaka, and more knowledge of her as a person at least.

last edited at May 17, 2023 1:30AM

Saved by the Be...nika

Doesn't want to take her medicine
Doesn't want painkillers
Doesn't want recovery and pain-soothing magic

Well, that's pretty ominous. Senpai is either trying to avoid battle or suicidal.

Yeah, I find the comments that are like "this fluffy stuff just means there's something bad coming" have me thinking, wait, you didn't notice something bad is already happening?

Can't handle a confession, can't handle a cheek kiss.
Girl, what did you want Kimura to do?

Finale? Aww, missed opportunity, because teasing in an actual relationship would be super cute.
Though Hina seems to now be unable to tease, she is in the thrall of horny.

I laughed my ass off this whole chapter at the escalating misunderstanding, but I didn't guess that it would actually end with a resolution.

Um ... there was a way to write this chapter that didn't read as rape, but this was definitely not it.