Forum › Stretch discussion
Also, the "But did I really consider that... just now" probably means she considered train suicide ( which is a common and pretty successful way of committing suicide ).
nah she might be thinking there're casualty by the quake and delighted by the tought.
probably other get miscarriaged.
Oh that makes more sense, well that's even more dark of a thought, wish harm on others. I see why she was taken aback and why she looked down on herself again for still being the same.
From the author of such classics as Japanese Preteen Suite and Nymphodelic...(I haven't actually read those I just looked at his mangaupdates page)
To be fair his art is pretty and his hentai books are above average in term of stories. Although most of it is Lolicon, CNN would have a field day.
last edited at Jun 19, 2014 7:00PM
...CNN would have a field day.
XD
and I don't get why someone would drop this now? yeah there is het, but that is all in the past, aren't you forgetting about keiko's current situation? she is living with ran, what we are seeing now is all backstory, and like some others have mentioned, there are more serious yuri elements in this than the rest of the manga!
bottom line, don't drop it yet!! >_<
Wait I don't get it, I thought Keiko hate her mother because her mother forced her to do abortion, but it was not, I don't see what did Keiko's mother do to make Keiko hate her that much, even "can't forgive" her, then what is the reason ?
I hate it when girls think being a virgin is embarrassing and trying to lose it just because of that.
last edited at Jun 19, 2014 10:28PM
Awww ... too cute to not be yuri, no fair dood
Wait I don't get it, I thought Keiko hate her mother because her mother forced her to do abortion, but it was not, I don't see what did Keiko's mother do to make Keiko hate her that much, even "can't forgive" her, then what is the reason ?
I hate it when girls think being a virgin is embarrassing and trying to lose it just because of that.
She wasn't particularly nice to her during her childhood and more importantly the thing she can't forgive is probably the words that were exchanged during that call.
It was a bit naive of her to think after all this time where they didn't even keep much contact ( she moved to Tokyo ) her mother would be provide the much needed support in these tough times. To be fair, she wasn't in the most lucid and normal state of mind.
She said "liked" >//////<
She's been with a partner for years, was pregnant, and about to get married. Saying anything else but "liked" in this situation would of been pretty weird.
last edited at Jun 20, 2014 12:07AM
Whoever suggested Keiko is repressed or bi, i totally agree. Me thinks this page and the previous page sums it up: http://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/stretch_ch22_5#15. I say this because I think in the flask back, she was thinking of Ran.
Now from Ran's point of view, I'd like to see a flashback of when she and Keiko first meet ( http://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/stretch_ch22_5#4). In panel 2, upper left, why is Ran blushing so much? Maybe she is shocked/embarrased because a 3rd year is talking to her, but I think there may be something more.
Keiko is the opposite of Ran who worried sick and rushed too called her mother after a quake.
Keiko on the other hand just do evil grin....
She said "liked" >//////<
She's been with a partner for years, was pregnant, and about to get married. Saying anything else but "liked" in this situation would of been pretty weird.
she still hasn't got her awakening...
last edited at Jun 20, 2014 12:58AM
Now from Ran's point of view, I'd like to see a flashback of when she and Keiko first meet ( http://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/stretch_ch22_5#4). In panel 2, upper left, why is Ran blushing so much? Maybe she is shocked/embarrased because a 3rd year is talking to her, but I think there may be something more.
I believe she's blushing because Keiko told her that she just came back from a hotel. That conversation was mentioned in one of the previous chapters
She wasn't particularly nice to her during her childhood and more importantly the thing she can't forgive is probably the words that were exchanged during that call.
It was a bit naive of her to think after all this time where they didn't even keep much contact ( she moved to Tokyo ) her mother would be provide the much needed support in these tough times. To be fair, she wasn't in the most lucid and normal state of mind.
I see.
last edited at Jun 20, 2014 1:15AM
I really want this to be yuri so my opinion might (will totally) swing that way. But I think she had tears when she told her fiance she was pregnant because she was regretting being pregnant. She remembered Ran because that was at the point of realization that she could never be with Ran now w/ a child (like how so many "yuri" end (uggghhh)). When would anyone that's pregnant randomly remember a semi-close acquaintance and stay up in bed thinking about them if it wasn't romantic?
She was probably so angry and upset when she lost the baby because she realized her feelings and she unconsciously hurt her baby/fetus or whatever because she was working too hard on purpose. And we see that on page 15 where she says, "if there's something I want, but cant have I simply try to fill the void with something else" Maybe she filled the void with her fiance and the baby when she really just wanted Ran but didn't know it yet. Since I don't see how her mothers death (from earthquake) would relate to filling a void compared to marrying and having a child w/ a man instead of being with a woman for the rest of her life?
yuri yuri yuri yuri!!~~~
well this is turning depressing.
I really want this to be yuri so my opinion might (will totally) swing that way. But I think she had tears when she told her fiance she was pregnant because she was regretting being pregnant. She remembered Ran because that was at the point of realization that she could never be with Ran now w/ a child (like how so many "yuri" end (uggghhh)). When would anyone that's pregnant randomly remember a semi-close acquaintance and stay up in bed thinking about them if it wasn't romantic?
She was probably so angry and upset when she lost the baby because she realized her feelings and she unconsciously hurt her baby/fetus or whatever because she was working too hard on purpose. And we see that on page 15 where she says, "if there's something I want, but cant have I simply try to fill the void with something else" Maybe she filled the void with her fiance and the baby when she really just wanted Ran but didn't know it yet. Since I don't see how her mothers death (from earthquake) would relate to filling a void compared to marrying and having a child w/ a man instead of being with a woman for the rest of her life?
yuri yuri yuri yuri!!~~~
Don't mean to be a downer, but this sounds a lot like wishful thinking.
Wow mostly everyone's hypothesis about Keiko have been dead on!!
I don't really understand the last 3 pages like the 'shaking' part and everyone in the crowd all talking about something?
well this is turning depressing.
It was going this way for a while.
eh no problem as long as it has a good end
I just re-read the series with the knowledge that Keiko had a miscarriage and It made me a bit sad. There are a few signs that showed that she had a miscarriage. ;(
I'm one of biggest yuri fan, but i have nothing against Keiko if she is a bi, or even if she is straight. Why are we judging other based on their sexuality really....
The fact that Keiko adored Ran very much, and very possibly end the best time of her life with Ran, (platonic or not), that already made me happy
I really want this to be yuri so my opinion might (will totally) swing that way. But I think she had tears when she told her fiance she was pregnant because she was regretting being pregnant.
Ever had a girlfriend/wife tell you "we're going to have a baby"? Tears galore, tears and add more tears. Now obviously this isn't always the case, depends on the women, how long she's known beforehand etc... But it's a pretty natural thing.
The thought of Ran inserted here might be a bit weird. I personally thought it was kind of shoehorned into the story for yuri's sake.
Although, many people I've encountered told me that when it comes to getting married and whatnot people often go through the whole "what if's" marriage blues where they think, what if I/We had done differently with XYZ partner. That's not really exclusive to relationships, there's a reason why we say "what if's" "shoulda coulda woulda".
Since I don't see how her mothers death (from earthquake) would relate to filling a void compared to marrying and having a child w/ a man instead of being with a woman for the rest of her life?
I'm not sure how the void analogy inserts itself. Maybe void needs to be filled with any strong emotions? Who knows.
I don't think it's her mother's death she wished for in particular. More like a " I wish a lot of people are suffering like I am suffering right now " kind of thought. Which an earthquake can totally do.
Continuing on with the void she feels the need to fill.
I think she just means that she can't be alone no matter what, she fears loneliness and if she can't get what she really want, she'll settle for ANYTHING. I don't think this was totally the case for many years, because she was fulfilled in her relationship with her ex-fiancé. But now that he's gone, she's still the same weak individual always in need of love and affection. Who knows what would of happened to her had she not met her friend back?
The progress she thought she had accomplished through studying and being more serious had been an illusion.
She's still the same old Keiko she always was. Which is normal, a lot can change in a person, but those deep insecurities will probably always be part of her.
As for the yuri elements we've had this chapter adding on to the rest. I can pretty much say she's bisexual, I'd go further and say she's pansexual. Ultimately she just wants someone, anyone, to never leave her.
Being sort of a loner, I can't totally relate to her. But I've seen people, especially women, who just can't feel fulfilled if they aren't in a relationship. I pity them really, not being able to satisfy yourself must be a pain.
Call me hater or whatever but I quit this the moment it became het...I'm a lesbian but keiko isn't doing anything more but disappointing the hell out of me...I'm sorry I've seen too mess up.shiz in my life and don't want to ger depress with this...drop.
I don't get why someone would drop this now? yeah there is het, but that is all in the past, aren't you forgetting about keiko's current situation? she is living with ran, what we are seeing now is all backstory, and like some others have mentioned, there are more serious yuri elements in this than the rest of the manga!
It's true that there is het, but at the same time, for some odd reason, the yuri levels are really going up as well too, perhaps even more than the het. In 22A we learnt that Keiko started going out with guys not really because she liked them, but because she felt obliged to. In 22B, upon meeting Ran, she thinks that she's 'cute', making that I think the first time she has actually expressed attraction to anybody, and mentions that she can't 'couldn't get her out of my mind for some weird reason', which suggests a repressed attraction. And then the cynical, more delinquent-like Keiko suddenly changes into a woman who gets into a good university and works hard at her job - just because she was inspired to Ran's optimistic faith in the world. On the night she tells her boyfriend of her pregnancy, she thinks of Ran, and how she 'really liked' her. And after her collapse and separation with her fiancé, she seems to be fairly depressed, quite different from the way she is now; the implication is that it is Ran who held out a helping hand, and was able to save her from her predicament. I'd say that the yuri implications are much stronger than the het ones - it's just that they are based on emotions and feelings rather than factual who-slept-with-who's.
Most importantly, I think it is significant that while these flashbacks are coming after her ex-fiancé's comments in Ch. 21, which creates the expectation that they would centre on Keiko's past and her relationship with him, they are actually very much about how she thinks of Ran instead. That, I think, is a very definite clue that the Higashiyama is not intending the story to go in the direction of Keiko getting back together with her ex, but rather continue to depict the developing relationship between her and Ran. I never actually thought that the yuri in this series would go past wishful thinking and subtle hinting, but after this chapter, I think it might.
Whew! Sorry for the long post.
Edit: Most of the points have already been made by others (I kept the reply window open for some time before the discussion took off)...
last edited at Jun 20, 2014 8:22AM
eh no problem as long as it has a good end
I kinda pictured an ending where the entire world is outside doing some stretchings while a happy musical plays
Wow mostly everyone's hypothesis about Keiko have been dead on!!
I don't really understand the last 3 pages like the 'shaking' part and everyone in the crowd all talking about something?
Great Tohoku Earthquake from March 11, 2011. :V
Wow mostly everyone's hypothesis about Keiko have been dead on!!
I don't really understand the last 3 pages like the 'shaking' part and everyone in the crowd all talking about something?
Great Tohoku Earthquake from March 11, 2011. :V
Oh thank you! :U
What are you talking about? The continent was stretching in the last few pages
Sorry, I'm a slow person, we require step-by-step instructional manuals for stretching. This metaphorical island stretching nonsense is simply on too large a scale for us to grasp :(
I don't think it's her mother's death she wished for in particular.
I'm kind of thinking it is. Originally I felt like her "moment" was wishing for someone else to have a miscarriage. Which would make sense, but there was little imagery or anything else to suggest exactly what she was thinking. Except maybe - maybe - the line directly preceding her smile, "Seems like it was Touhoku." Why does that matter? We could wave it off as a small recent history reference, but given its placement in the story I'm willing to bet it's one of the chapter's more important lines.
Think about Ran for a second - at the end she says "Were you that scared?" in a way that seems (to me) to suggest amusement, like "it's just an earthquake!" But what's her reaction like later on in life, when she hears the earthquake siren in chapter 6? If one were to assume the "Touhoku" line means something, I don't think it would be a stretch to imagine that Touhoku is their home region. Which would mean that while Keiko is wishing great harm on her single parent, Ran is about to lose one of her two. The more I typed, the more this theory started to sound a bit too played, so I'll stop here.
It would, however, make a great deal of sense for Keiko's "wishing suffering on someone else" to coincide with Ran losing her father. Queue more guilt and self-loathing for Keiko, who hardly seems to have enough of either.
last edited at Jun 20, 2014 3:54PM
Don't mean to be a downer, but this sounds a lot like wishful thinking.
*cries softly
Ever had a girlfriend/wife tell you "we're going to have a baby"?
No... I'm a gay..............
kind of shoehorned into the story for yuri's sake.
Yeah and I'm eating it right up ;__;
Ultimately she just wants someone, anyone, to never leave her.
Yeah, but I'm still going to hope for yuri. Just cause she used to be straight or bi doesn't mean it can't be yuri now.
Is it bad to say I try to keep virgin for a while just like Ran I'm sorry to sound mean but she deserves better. Keiko is teen with issues...it isn't about sleeping with who it's about giving your body some respect...I would understand a rape in the process...but just because...you feel like going out with guys and then feeling gay...that doesn't make any sense...I like bisexuals...but...keiko just f up too much...
Oh look what a surprise, sexuality is odd! who knew?
Here is something you might find interesting, i am only attracted to females and yet i have random urges to kiss every person i meet no matter the gender and that isn't technically what you would expect from someone only attracted to females :P sexuality can be weird sometimes deal with it
Think about Ran for a second - at the end she says "Were you that scared?" in a way that seems (to me) to suggest amusement, like "it's just an earthquake!" But what's her reaction like later on in life, when she hears the earthquake siren in chapter 6? If one were to assume the "Touhoku" line means something, I don't think it would be a stretch to imagine that Touhoku is their home region. Which would mean that while Keiko is wishing great harm on her single parent, Ran is about to lose one of her two. The more I typed, the more this theory started to sound a bit too played, so I'll stop here.
I think you might be correct, actually. In that same chapter, we see her shed a tear looking at a picture of what's presumed to be her and her parents. We can even see the woman's and Ran's face but the not the man's.