Can't resist that face. ^_^

Well, on the positive side, at least it was only a reporter and not a stalker in love.

I don't get it? What is the problem if she is saw again? Wasn't she not an idol anymore?

It's probably related to the reason she quit to begin with.

but like what can the director do? it´s not like she can control elm´s live outside her activities as idols, besides miyako doesn´t even work for her anymore so im geniunely clueless about what´s the deal here

whaaaat a character froma a romom clearly and calmly explaining her worries and thoughts to her partner instead of hiding it, acting weird and making a mess. Sheees i could get used to this

re: ch 26's ending, it's not like Miyako went AWOL or something right? didn't she graduate? why does it seem like the director is angry

Can't wait for the next chapter

Yodokawa says the story is coming to its conclusion. Should be done by the end of the year--which means a few more chapters. This should be the final arc/push. I figured as much but nice to get some confirmation and to set proper expectations.

last edited at Apr 9, 2024 7:23AM

Yodokawa says the story is coming to its conclusion. Should be done by the end of the year--which means a few more chapters. This should be the final arc/push. I figured as much but nice to get some confirmation and to set proper expectations.

Dang, that's kind of a shame; this series is so relaxing, I could keep reading about Asako and Miyako forever.

I think there's 4 more chapters to finish out the volume? So I'm guessing that's probably where it'll end. I'm hoping we'll see Miyako's parents before the end.

Is it just me or does this latest chapter not make a lick of sense? Or at least, the proposal doesn't.
"You're trying to stay out of the public eye, you've been retired for a year, but recently you were photographed by a paparazzi, and this could cause you problems. Tell you what, why don't you handle it by coming back for another farewell show, so you'll be right back in the public eye and there'll be less chance of it blowing over!"
Just how is this supposed to help?

Oh, and also--OK, I know the whole idol scene and fandom are supposed to be ridiculously dysfunctional. I know it's routine that they're supposed to not be in relationships or at least pretend really hard. But I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this, so let me get this straight:
--Girl was an idol
--Girl retired from being an idol
--A year later, girl met people she used to know who are still idols in the group she was from
--This was caught on camera
--This could get THE GIRLS CONTINUING IN THE IDOL GROUP into trouble.

What the fuck? What exactly is supposed to have been done wrong here? A girl stopped being an idol and . . . is still alive? Her old friends are failing to shun her adequately? What?! Whatever the answer here is, it is clearly beyond insane. Horrible though the whole idol scene seems to be, I'm still finding it hard to fathom the idea that this could be a real thing.

last edited at Apr 10, 2024 6:27PM

I might be missing something, but I'm pretty sure the idea is that fans are gonna assume she's coming back to the group and get really excited. This means that at the very least, the new members are going to lose all their progress at defining themselves and the group as the trio, because everyone will just be talking about the lost member again. And at worst, fans will be really disappointed, which might even cause a backlash against the members of the current group.

I think a big part of it is she was the leader of the group and she left suddenly under mysterious circumstances though the group tried to frame it as friendly. We know they are friendly...but she did leave suddenly, she is hiding things related to her real image, and didn't leave in good terms with the director.

They are at this moment in a transition period trying to rebrand the group with a new leader and new album. And just as they were doing that (tho in reality the new leader is stressed out and has unfinished feelings about the old one and iirc contributed to her being sucked back in a bit) she's spotted with the group again. Drama.

In their kind of media sensitive universe they'd see that as spoiling their transition plans as she's able to suck the oxygen out of their crafted media space just by fans getting a glimpse of her with them and the rumors from that.

If she "rejoins" the firm they could just spend a few months scripting her fake life again, make a story out of it, have some scripted appearances, and smooth it out on both sides. If she doesn't she'll just get hounded more since there is red meat out there about her potential return or invented member drama...only without their help with scripting and potential damage to her real life with her gf.

And keep in mind her entire public persona is fake and she's hidden her real self this whole time and she's a big softy who is just trying to restart her life as herself. It seems ridiculous, but if you follow headlines from Japan and Korea real life is way weirder than fiction when it comes to idol stuff.

I think a big part of it is she was the leader of the group and she left suddenly under mysterious circumstances though the group tried to frame it as friendly. We know they are friendly...but she did leave suddenly, she is hiding things related to her real image, and didn't leave in good terms with the director.

They are at this moment in a transition period trying to rebrand the group with a new leader and new album. And just as they were doing that (tho in reality the new leader is stressed out and has unfinished feelings about the old one and iirc contributed to her being sucked back in a bit) she's spotted with the group again. Drama.

In their kind of media sensitive universe they'd see that as spoiling their transition plans as she's able to suck the oxygen out of their crafted media space just by fans getting a glimpse of her with them and the rumors from that.

If she "rejoins" the firm they could just spend a few months scripting her fake life again, make a story out of it, have some scripted appearances, and smooth it out on both sides. If she doesn't she'll just get hounded more since there is red meat out there about her potential return or invented member drama...only without their help with scripting and potential damage to her real life with her gf.

And keep in mind her entire public persona is fake and she's hidden her real self this whole time and she's a big softy who is just trying to restart her life as herself. It seems ridiculous, but if you follow headlines from Japan and Korea real life is way weirder than fiction when it comes to idol stuff.

Exactly. They want more control over the narrative and for that they need her close and listening. They don't like unpredictability and they won't support her for "free."

last edited at Apr 10, 2024 7:29PM

Not to mention, even though it wasn't stated, I'm pretty confident the Director is her mom? So that's another lever of power wedged into this debacle of what-the-fuckery.

Yeah, the only way this chapter makes ANY sense at all is if the director is her mom.

I am confused, yeah. Might try rereading once the NEXT chapter hits. Unless its a translation issue?

Yeah, the only way this chapter makes ANY sense at all is if the director is her mom.

Not her mom. Why would she need to be her mom anyway?

last edited at Apr 10, 2024 11:55PM

I think I am so extremely out of the loop with idol stuff (I just do not get it), but why is having a single photograph of yourself dangerous to your previous coworkers??? Like yeah it's privacy invading and PERSONALLY dangerous and violating, but why the hell would that effect anyone else but her???

I think I am so extremely out of the loop with idol stuff (I just do not get it), but why is having a single photograph of yourself dangerous to your previous coworkers??? Like yeah it's privacy invading and PERSONALLY dangerous and violating, but why the hell would that effect anyone else but her???

It's because she was seen with her former group mates that it puts scrutiny on the group and their activities. Rumor mills are gonna rumor mill and rabid fans have a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Especially at a time when they're trying to move on out from under the shadow of her departure from the group.

last edited at Apr 11, 2024 2:19AM

It's not her mom. Her parents are in Kansai, remember. And they're cram school teachers.

I think people don't understand what the problem is for ELM. They spent a year to rebuild the group's image, with Ruri as the new leader, but then Miyako reappears in the public eye. It can only lead to speculation from the fans and media that she's going to come back because Ruri is inadequate. So it puts Ruri and the group in an awkward position.

Second, she's living with Asako and if the Paparazzi start chasing her, they'll eventually learn of her relationship with her and will harass her ("Miyako's girlfriend revealed!"). Even if in the Yodokawaverse there's no homophobia, it's not good if Asako gets her life and history plastered in the media.

The problem from the point of view of the agency is that she retired suddenly without giving any explanation and just went "poof". It can only lead to speculations from the fans that something is fishy, like the rumors that Ruri was bullying Miyako with the power of her spoiled rich girl background and wanted to replace her as a leader. They have plans to protect idols who retire, but Miyako ran away before any of that could be implemented. Result: she got caught.

What the director is suggesting is that she comes back ONCE, to make a proper farewell concert and wrap things up properly with a public explanation, so it puts a halt to speculations. Then, they'll protect Miyako, and Asako by extension, until things are settled.

It's not a bad plan, even if Miyako is reluctant to go back on stage.

last edited at Apr 11, 2024 2:22AM

I have no trust in these vague "plans to protect"--short of imprisoning the person, how would that even work? And I know the director is claiming her solution would improve things, and maybe somehow in manga universe it will, but I really don't see any mechanism for how that would work in the real world. Someone who comes back to get up on stage and give an explanation nobody believes is not further from the public eye than someone who last performed a year ago and is yesterday's news. Her best bet would actually be to just lie low again for a while.

And while she did disappear suddenly, unless I'm misinterpreting what is being said they still seem to be saying that she gave a farewell concert the first time. She just pissed off really quick AFTER it. So if the first one didn't work, why would a second one work? If anything, doing it a second time should work LESS well.

But, sure, I expect it will be declared to have improved the situation if she does it. I just still don't think it makes a lick of sense.

Purple Library Guy posted:

And while she did disappear suddenly, unless I'm misinterpreting what is being said they still seem to be saying that she gave a farewell concert the first time.

It's said in the very first chapter. She announced she was retiring in the middle of a concert, without informing the staff and without giving any explanation. So it was not a proper retirement concert.

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/maitsuki_niwatsuki_ooyatsuki_ch01#4

Those last 6 pages are so cute

last edited at Apr 11, 2024 5:45AM

Purple Library Guy posted:

And while she did disappear suddenly, unless I'm misinterpreting what is being said they still seem to be saying that she gave a farewell concert the first time.

It's said in the very first chapter. She announced she was retiring in the middle of a concert, without informing the staff and without giving any explanation. So it was not a proper retirement concert.

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/maitsuki_niwatsuki_ooyatsuki_ch01#4

Yes, plus this is pretty normal crisis management. It's really not that our there. At the end of the day, there is a crisis coming and they need all their "pieces" in order to be moved around as necessary.

last edited at Apr 11, 2024 7:05AM

Who gives a Fck about ELM. Plastic bands with plastic drama

last edited at Apr 11, 2024 7:52AM

I used to think that the idol industry in japan was like wrestling in the EUA, were almost everyone knows it is all fake and for fun, how naive i used to be about what people know even about something dumb like WWE XD.

Curious to were the author is going with this small arc, hoping that Myako and Asako will come out of this as a even more powerfull couple. This does leave a bitter taste as i'm reminded that i absolutely hate every kind of celebrity workship and the obsession with their lives, that side of every industry can go to hell thank you very much.

Thanks for the translation!

So like did they just not talk about it and just kinda chilled out and immediately go to bed? Lol