I hate it here

Overall, this was pretty good. Short, but sweet. I'm happy with how this ended up.

eh

I mean I'm happy for Matoi and Yuriko

But what about my girl Rio, last we saw she looked like she swallowed nails, now we got no closure.

I’d be interested to hear from ace/aroace readers if they resonated with this story or were pleased with the ending. I can’t help but feel a little unsatisfied, but I’m pretty distinctly neither aro nor ace, so it might just be a disconnect along those lines

Yeah, I'm sorta in the same boat. I very unapologetically want "yuri" to be story of explicitly romantic and sexual relationships between women. Other stories about women's relationships, including this one, are definitely valid and deserve to be read and enjoyed by people, but it's not something I'd ever seek out on my own. So there's a strong "I can recognize how this is a good story, but it doesn't appeal to me at all" feel to this ending.

Honestly this type of ending is coming expected ,at least for me. There could've been more drama on the way but instead it focused on Matoi maturing as a person instead of showing struggle between two different people. Now the ending could've been changed to "ROOMMATES" but I don't think it is a big deal.

The evolution of characters was the best part of this manga.

Not sure about that very last panel, but could only thing of a lonely Rio walking off into the sunset by herself

I'd been on the fence about this manga, whether I liked it or not, and I think with that ending it's ultimately just. Meh. I can't say I enjoy it, but I can't say it's bad. Just a resounding "meh."

the author was obviously unwilling (for perhaps obvious reasons) to have Yuriko and Matoi clash over their differing desires for their relationship.

Yeah, I think this is an important point. Something that kept occurring to me after seeing cast page and Yuriko being explicitly labelled as "aro/ace," while Matoi was just "ace," was wondering if there was going to be an issue there. Because Matoi isn't aromantic, which leaves me feeling that this nice ending of And They Were Neighbors is pretty damn unfair to her, if the implication is supposed to be that things continue like this for a long time. (Matoi asks Yuriko if she wants to move back home, implying that they plan to stay "together" for the foreseeable future)

Like, Yuriko gets her close relationship with someone she loves (platonically), while Matoi just kinda...gets to have an unrequited crush on her forever? If Yuriko's aromantic-ness is real and to be respected - and it is - then it seems like Matoi should also be allowed to have someone who reciprocates her romantic feelings. Right?

Like, I spent the last few pages if we were going to see that Matoi actually had a girlfriend now - someone who wasn't Yuriko, possibly even Rio, who just kind of disappears from the story - with the point being that she can still love and cherish Yuriko in her own way while also getting a romantic relationship. Instead it's just kind of implied that Matoi is satisfied with what they have now, which just feels very unsatisfying for anyone except Yuriko. But I may just think that because I'm not aro/ace? I dunno.

A little disappointed that they live next door to each other. What the heck??? Isn't rent kind of expensive in Tokyo? This story was supposed to be about the characters maturing, yet they're not mature enough to prioritize practicality over comfortable distance? SMH.

I am not surprised by the ending as the author had made their romantic/sexual orientations very clear so I don't have many qualms about it except how they live in separate apartments. That's just so absurd. It made me feel awful for some reason? Like they were deliberately avoiding each other. Or hell, even repulsed by each other. Not very realistic either imo. Like others said, it's also impractical because of rent reasons. But what exactly is the problem with them just being roommates or living like a family together? Idk how small the apartments are but money does not seem to be an issue for them so they could have just gotten one with many rooms?

I mean, if I was going out of my way to move in next to my best friend anyway, I'd rather we just live together. It's just so much more convenient. I'd understand Yuriko (or Matoi) hesitating if the other one was a guy though, for social reasons.

On another topic, what do you think Matoi's romantic orientation is? Homoromantic?

Also on a lighter note...

Not sure about that very last panel, but could only thing of a lonely Rio walking off into the sunset by herself

I misread that as "wanking" the first time and got terrified.

last edited at Apr 29, 2022 8:12PM

Justice for Rio :(

Hm. I'm glad this story exists, they remind me why most stories do end up in obvious stereotypical "they got together" "happy ever after" etc.

While I do need to re-read this chapter while sober, I must say hot damn that was one hell of a finale note reimei (author-sama) left us. I greatly appreciate authors who put this much thought into their works.

The ending was quite rushed but I'm glad I read this work. While I love yuri and romance, it's nice to get some sort of aroace representation.

I wish there were more manga about aromantic people and their struggles in the world where romantic love is the norm. Since it truly is a struggle, understanding yourself and what exactly do you seek.

The problem with the ending is that Matoi is, subconsciously, unsatisfied with the non-physical/non-romantic relationship. She starts of the story thinking she may not have those kinds of feelings but it seems that they just hadn't bloomed until she met Yuriko. Six years is a long time holding back on what she wants, she may not have a strong drive for a physical(sexual)/romantic relationship but it is evident that she wants one.
There's more to their emotional states to be explored than to just randomly time skip SIX YEARS and have them living as neighbors, this needed another two or at least one more volume in order satisfy the audience with a resolved and fleshed-out ending. This was a good series but needed just a bit more development to make it better.

Wait this is already the end?!, lol, last chapter I tought that we were just getting started

I love this one! It's good to see aromantic and asexual get into the romance. Love the ending, love the author thought process, love the effort they put into creating the story they always want to read.

last edited at Apr 29, 2022 8:52PM

I hate it here

same

I love this one! It's good to see aromantic and asexual get into the romance.

Get into the what, now? The main thing they agree on is that it’s not a romance.

I'm glad that Yuriko and Matoi found love in their own way, and seem happy together. However I'm unsatisfied. I feel like I just ate a bland meal, only to find dessert is unflavored ice cream. I'm not mad I read this. Everybody deserves to have their story told. I just wanted something out of it, that it just wasn't ment to give.

I think I would would have enjoyed the story much more, if Matoi's little sister turned out to be a yuri girl. Then Matoi and Yuriko could get their relationship, and I could get my traditional yuri fix all at the same time. Plus with Matoi 's sister's taste in men she would be better off with the ladies, anyway.

felt like an axe haha, oh well, wasnt the best but i still enjoyed the trip through. wish they explored it a bit more

That felt a bit abrupt, but I'm mostly happy to see a manga representing acespec in such a wholesome, understanding way. While it does feel weird they don't live in the same apartment together (that's just wasteful monetarily imo), I'm glad they stuck to their queer-platonic relationship.

The only thing that really leaves a sour taste in my mouth is where we left Rio. I had personally kind of hoped for an acespec QP/Poly sort of... thingy? for the three of them

I liked this story more than I thought I would at the start. It may end on a bittersweet note, with Matoi having a Super Friend instead of a Girlfriend, but they're still together and it's clear Yuriko loves Matoi in her own way. For the same reason, I disagree with the notion that the Yuri or Romance tags need to be removed. Even if it didn't end with them as a couple, this was still a love story between two girls.

Hmm speaking as someone who is aroace (though I don't claim to be the most informed), this was okay, I guess? It's not something I would rec, but I don't hate it either. The two leads honestly don't have much going on for them. A goal or something for Yuriko would've been nice since it felt like she was just along for the ride. There was some missed opportunity for a proper conflict about Matoi being in love with Yuriko and her being unable to reciprocate, since it was just resolved with Matoi deciding to defer to Yuriko's wants. It generally felt like they kept making the perfect choices for each other, which is fine, but it doesn't make a very compelling narrative. Like, screw a up a bit!

I like best girl Rio as much as the next person, but I don't think a relationship between her and Matoi could've worked out in the long term. It looks like they want different things out of a relationship, with Rio favoring physical touch while Matoi seems indifferent to it. Although they could always talk it out, I guess.