tsukineko's manga / #tragic past(90)

'Barairo no Kenkyuu to...' chapters 5 + 6 are extras of this manga. The art, writing and story, are beautiful, poetic and angsty. It ended up a lot less dark than I thought it would, though. Tbh, I like darker better, and thus found this almost too fluffy. I find it near miraculous that the couple ended up in a mutually beneficial relationship, rather than in an abusive, codependent one. I'm glad for them of course, but it makes for less fun, albeit perhaps also less predictable reading. It's strange, though, as I do love the whole 'healed by love' trope - so why was I disappointed by this outcome? Perhaps it happened too easily, thus impairing my ability to suspend disbelief? As soon as they found each other, they were saved. Their relationship was never once in [serious] difficulty, despite their colossal amount of baggage, and despite the various circumstances that should normally have strained things considerably. I was also disappointed that their sadomasochistic sides were not properly explored. Now I'd love to read a manga entirely about those brothers.

Looks good...

Ugh I usually hate the whole replacement concept - as if someone has the same personality just because they have the same face! Especially when the person being replaced is dead, and therefore becomes somehow 'sanctified'. However, in this case, I want to read this just because it sounds like it might be an interesting foray into the psychology of the characters involved. So ignore the crappy concept and its glossed over non-resolution, and enjoy the characterisation and psychological aspect.

I saw a page of this that depicted the aftermath of a rape, and it was truly heart-rending, as well as beautifully drawn. So even though the story does seem pretty cliché, and although it apparently drags a bit in the middle, I still want to read it. Also, the theme is quite compelling to me: whether or not one can escape one's destiny...