While I agree it’s rough to read and see, it did have a purpose. Nozumi’s abuse is what led Tats to be so instrumental in his recovery as a person. He had this boy tell him to fight hard, so he clung to that, until they could meet again. It’s also why, despite being Yukuza, when offered the chance to settle his “debt” with Nozumi, he refused and offered himself instead. Telling Nozumi later that he’d take that weight for him. It’s a rough story, but there’s a lot of beauty in it too.
However, anyone with that kind of past would definitely need a trigger warning. Agree agree agree.
I don't think that sort of storyline is intrinsically bad, I just felt the way it was done in this was tasteless. You can discuss and depict trauma without outright showing it. I felt it didn't belong in a story like this as it was weirdly jovial in some aspects and then showed too much of a child being assaulted.
Another series, Boy Meets Maria, also shows too much of that but the tone of that manga is more serious, and it comes with content warnings.
But thank you for sharing your perspective as I couldn't finish reading this I can't say much one way or another on how it plays out, I just felt it wasn't done in a respectful enough way from the start, but I'm glad that you found beauty in it
Thank you for taking the time to read my opinion and respond. :) I have a pretty dark background, so I think I’m a little more numb to certain depictions. I’m glad to see it from a different prospective. I just finished Nagahama to Be, or Not to Be. Same author, same beautiful artwork, but the story is sweet. Not a red flag in sight!
Dropped this cause Nozomi's past with his dad felt wildly inappropriate to include in the way they did. That's the kind of storyline that does not belong in a story like this and the depictions and descriptions of the abuse were super uncomfortable. This shit needs TW's and I don't use that label lightly