I'm just happy there will be a volume 2. I thought it was only going to be a single volume.

I feel like y'all are ignoring the "pretend family" part. Joe saying to Kanna that she's like Mitsuki's mother now, with the implication that Joe is like Mitsuki's father, is hurtful. Even if they're ok now after their breakup, this is a level of intimacy that touches on that wound. Joe isn't courting Kanna. He has feelings for her still, as evidenced by chapter 83, but he isn't doing anything about it. So him leaving their connection implicitly through Mitsuki is taking advantage of Kanna and is cowardly. And he even acknowledges it himself in the thought bubbles in this chapter, that he had been living without thinking.

The whole situation is too much for Kanna. It's like seeing a vision of the life you wanted to have, but not actually be able to have it. It would probably be simpler if she just asked if he wants this to be something more, but it's likely that she's feeling too fragile to do that. If she gets rejected again it might just break her. I agree with other people that communication would do wonders here, but I kind of feel for Kanna in the situation. It's hard to play the emotional backbone for someone you have feelings for and be reminded that they don't have feelings for you (even if she might be wrong about that).

This also nicely parallels Mitsuki and Aya. Aya isn't communicating her feelings explicitly enough for Mitsuki (although she did communicate them), and Mitsuki, like her uncle, is going with the flow too much and living without thinking.

I still think Riri's "no kissing until marriage" is a really strange vibe. Like, I get that some people like the innocent vibe, but that seems too much to me.

I just want to point out the ear blush that Lapis had when they were hugging on the roof. That is all.

"Don't think about the age difference" is not the sound advice I was hoping for here. Also, wow, Kasane has a type.

That last panel—poor Aya . . .

I feel certain that all will be well in the end. But . . .poor Aya.

I felt the same. Arai Sumiko is the goat of body language. That panel alone almost made me cry.

It's interesting. The chapter mostly seems to imply the kohai will want to serve as a manager or producer for Mitsuki, but then the blush at the end makes me think she might also have a genuine crush. I'm honestly not sure how Mitsuki would take an offer of something more contractual. Her vibe and anxiety seem like she might not take that well, but maybe with her Uncle's and Aya's encouragement she might go for it? Or maybe it will end up irrelevant as Mitsuki can't focus on that while Aya is upset.

Pretty much went as expected, a lot of drama for nothing. I didn't hate it, but there is something annoying about Reika not realizing how it looks and how much of a problem it is. Not communicating is one thing, but that's a whole nother level of oblivious.

Ahhh youth. Aya is jealous, of course, but she also doesn't want to be a burden on Mitsuki so tries not to express her jealousy, which just makes Mitsuki more worried about why she's unhappy.

Mitsuki is even worse. Girl, if Aya is your safe place you should probably tell her. There's a tiny, insignificant (monumental) chance that it could make Aya happy.

The novel has a lot of the line that showed up in this chapter, which is "that was gross but I didn't hate it" which is maybe the most telling line in the early chapters. Like, gross is the instinctual reaction, and not hating is the, "oh shit I done gayed" reaction.

The flirting is so good between them. Makes me grin like an idiot reading it.

Btw, we're up to ch.12 scans on Dex. Wasn't sure if people here were aware.

last edited at Aug 16, 2024 9:44AM

For everyone that needed it stated explicitly, Mitsuki can be herself because Aya is there, and because Aya loves her and understands her.

last edited at Aug 11, 2024 5:27AM

Well, I guess we'll see what she says next chapter, but it seems like what I was thinking was true. Mitsuki would have never gotten this comfortable with herself without Aya.

Shuukara: the popcorn incident

Is that in MTL-only chapters, e.g. beyond ch 65 so far, or have I forgotten something already?

Part 14, so pretty early on.

Shuukara:

They break consent with each other all the time

For me the biggest problem has been (novel spoiler) when they bite each other hard enough to draw blood. At least once, Miyagi to Sendai, and I think other instances. That feels pretty far to me.

It's not a problem for me but it was one of the things I was thinking about when I wrote that. Clearly not something agreed upon before it was done, but less of an issue than the popcorn incident

My interpretation is that the change happened because Aya defended her publicly. If you compare it to Rhythm B, her friend then defended her at first but ultimately couldn't take the pressure and abandoned Mitsuki. Aya, on the other hand, not only was defending Mitsuki, but also understood immediately what was fucked up about it, and was ready to throw hands for her. For Mitsuki this has been building the entire time she's known Aya. Aya has been constantly confirming how much she likes Mitsuki as she is and wants her in her life. Chapter 74 was big for her when she really felt publicly not alone anymore, but there wasn't a conflict like the previous chapter. Seeing Aya defend her when she is in conflict with others is monumental for Mitsuki.

She not only comes in wearing what she wants, black nail polish like she wants, but she also mentions her uncle's store, her safe place, to the class. She's opening up in a way she never has before because Aya has made her feel safe.

All three series mentioned play around with consent in different ways, but I think the issue we might be coming up against is in the moment consent versus pre-activity consent. Both Bets and Arioto involve very clear pre-activity consent, and then dubious in the moment consent. In real life, that wouldn't be okay, and the in the moment consent is the most important thing. It's like doing BDSM without a safe word, and it's natural to be bothered by it. But part of the premise of these series is that dynamic, otherwise there is no conflict.

5000 yen, on the other hand, is constantly reconfirming in the moment consent. It has to, because they constantly say no to each other, push each other over their limits, and then step back. They break consent with each other all the time as well, hence the novel mentioning when they kick each other or when they say they'll get angry. It works better than the other two though because they're still communicating about the consent (terribly, but they're trying) and they still have hard lines they try not to cross. In contrast to the other two series, their biggest problem is the pre-activity consent. Basing their relationship on the 5000 yen confuses the issue for them, which is why they mess with their limits all the time.

Sakura blushing down to her feet is utterly adorable. But also, girl, your gay is showing.

I also love the theatre club commentary like "her face is just so nice...it's like a weapon...". Takamine out here attracting all the gays.

Props to Karin. Mei's indecisiveness should get more of the girls to explore each other. Karin can't stop being best girl for me.

That's lame and defeats the point of the manga. Why have the girls date each other when the point of the manga is they are attracted to Mei because of one of the 5 senses. If any character activates that attraction than the manga's entire plot is thrown out

Things can start one way and develop another way. The theme of the manga revolves around the senses, but not every chapter focuses on them, and the plot actually revolves around Mei wanting a girlfriend after feeling (though not actually being) rejected by her childhood friend. Nothing about this would deny Mei getting a girlfriend.

Props to Karin. Mei's indecisiveness should get more of the girls to explore each other. Karin can't stop being best girl for me.

That's lame and defeats the point of the manga. Why have the girls date each other when the point of the manga is they are attracted to Mei because of one of the 5 senses. If any character activates that attraction than the manga's entire plot is thrown out

Yeah, it's still labeled as harem and it wont happen. Karin is the kind of character that's good to move the plot forward or in a specific direction (like making mei or the other girls jealous to take their relationships further).

But boy she's not dating material. Great for a fling and some fun and that's it. If she wasn't so promiscuous and nonchalant about kissing and thirsting after other girls for Mei to see, she would have dated her.

It's true she can do whatever the f she wants but fondling and making moves on her friends while she's still going for Mei? I don't see why people would like her in a harem manga.

Considering Mei has also been kissing others, I don't think this is really fair to Karin, and is pretty sex-negative. She might not be dating material for you, which is fine, but her being into more open relationships or hooking up with people before she's exclusive with someone is not morally bad.

Consider this, Mei was making out with a drunk Maria and only stopped because someone knocked on the door. Even forgetting the consent issues, she then tried to hide it from Karin, whereas Karin has been really open about her kissing other people. In real life, Karin is 1000% the better person here.

As far as why like her in a harem manga, she's direct. I like direct characters. I prefer characters who know what they want and go after it.

Props to Karin. Mei's indecisiveness should get more of the girls to explore each other. Karin can't stop being best girl for me.

Lovely manga.

Questionable font choice by Windyfall...

I was just thinking the same thing. This is by Windyfall? They usually do a stellar job

They both have a point, but in different ways. Ningwei needs both of them in her life. She needs someone like Jing Xiu there so that she can grow and be better, someone honest, but she also needs someone like Youyan who will be supportive since criticism alone doesn't help for most people.

Not really a fan of Minato's "protection" vibe. She made it sound like Karin would harass her. Mei is an adult, she can make her own decisions.

If Minato wasn't last before for me, she sure is now.

I was really confused why it was blacked out for a sec given what manga it was but yeah that was definitely a normal spa/massage visit

Especially since we know very well that they've both done almost everything that a black screen would normally indicate

Yea, I am pretty sure the joke is that Sempai has convinced Asumi to go brothel-hopping around Japan in the remaining days of their vacation, and the dialogue takes place right after they have arrived at the airport (hence "a little late for that [hesitation]"). The "squeeze" is Sempai grabbing Asumi's hand as they head for the gate, and "my first time" refers to them never having taken a plane before, since their preferred mode of travel until now seems to have been the bus.

Anyway, I am pretty sure it won't be long until they sleep with each other now. Asumi has already begun fantasizing about Sempai, and the latter was so horny for her, she had to leave the hotel room in the middle of the night and heavily implies to have booked another hooker just to blow off steam.

Seriously, Asumi is some kind of lesbian crack with the way every girl wants her. I read the senpai leaving in the middle of the night the same way. Wild.