Ophiuchus's manga / #F Adult Couple(8)

2016 - 2017: 2v 12c Yuji Mase, a university student who is rather popular with girls without his knowledge, taciturn and withdrawn type. In fact, he hides a secret wound that will be revealed during the visit of his sister hairdresser-stylist: he does not feel at ease in this body of a man that he's in ... MU Tags: Angst Arranged Marriage Bisexual Character/s Cross-dressing Duty vs Freedom Family Gender Identity Infertility LGBT Character in Non-Yaoi/Yuri Manga LGBT Issues LGBT Themes Loneliness Make-up Playboy/s Reflections on Human Existence Self-Harm Tomboy/s Transgender Character/s Transgender Protagonist Trauma University Student/s Unrequited Love Unrequited Love Stays Unrequited Unresolved Romance Review: This is like Honey & Clover but not as nice as Honey & Clover. I love the romance in this. Not all romantic feelings have a good ending. Despite the MC and Masaki losing their love, they still talk to each other and openly embrace each other's weaknesses and pain while smiling. Bonding through the pain is an understatement. The MC knowingly and openly loves the ML all the years they have been together as friends, and he never forces his feelings on the ML. That is one of the most significant forms of love - love isn't selfish; it's selfless. Etsuko is selfless, Masaki is selfless, the MC is selfless, and the other girl who confesses to Masaki is also selfless. Masaki is at the centre of all the 3 love interests, 2 women and a man (the MC). He accepts the other girl's proposal to date as a rebound relationship, albeit elopes, and to be more specific, cheats on her with Etsuko, while being this self-centred and selfish person that he is when he contemplates double suicide when Etsuko suggests they do it almost subtly, Masaki leaves Etsuko by calling the other girl he has abandoned to make her drive to some remote location to get him out of there. All 3 love interests go through a lot because of Masaki, this ML is the baddest lmao This story unravels through the lens of the MC, the man who will never be able to become a woman, although he desires it and his body dysmorphia consumes him. It is tragic, it is a struggle he goes through alone, the loneliest ever when he can't become the image he has of himself. Using the analogy from Masaki's essay, the fire in the forest will only keep growing bigger and bigger once it starts and will never be content with what it has achieved. They began to want more and more and dared to keep striving to become what they wanted to be, be it in the image of another gender that is entirely different from theirs, be it in a sport that they do not have a natural physique to support the dream or the talent and physical attributes to excel as a pianist virtuoso. As the bar owner said, it's all futile despite all the attempts because there will never be any future when you realize you are never meant to become what you are not born with. A man can never become a woman. An infertile woman can never bear children, but that does not mean the woman is less than that. However, in this context, Etsuko feels inadequate since she can never give Masaki what he wants, leaving something like a legacy behind in this world, something a part of him. Etsuko can never give birth to his child due to her health condition. No matter how much they love each other, their love will amount to nothing if there is no future for the both of them together. That was the saddest part of this story. Masaki is poor and has nothing to offer to Etsuko, whereas Etsuko, who is living with the pressure by her parents to marry an elderly man and is infertile, couldn't give Masaki an addition to the family that they so wanted to build. They were so young and felt inadequate that they couldn't protect their love. Masaki's family is financially strained, and he struggles silently, never opening up to others about his true feelings. He hides behind so many of those indifferences he exudes to others because, deep down, he's hurt but powerless. The MC who cares about the ML does what he can to help the ML. When the ML gets the job, he could've continued studying, but chooses to stay in the trade and earn money, still feeling unmotivated, still feeling depressed, still longing for Etsuko, still very aware that the MC loves him to the moon, and back, and he unabashedly mentions it to the MC as they enjoy each other's company as best friends. MC's feelings have slowly become more bearable for him to be open about it, and he's slowly moving on from the romantic feeling (slowly, slowly). Overall, I find this bittersweet.

Kakemakumo, Kashikoki (2010 - 2012): 1v 7c It's his long-awaited wedding day, and the Fox Spirit of the Silver Order, Ginrei, is making his marital vows towards his long-time fiancee Menou, the Fox Princess of the Agate. Enter Handa Shin: 23, jobless, homeless, and currently taking shelter from an unexpected summer shower in Ginrei's shrine. Catching sight of the food that has been placed there as an offering, he devours it, nonchalantly remarking that he'd "agree to become the bride of the fox spirit" if it meant he would get to eat such delicious meals everyday... Source: MU Tags Comedy Fantasy Shoujo Supernatural

2024 Review: Read up to chapter 2. This seems to be in the Heian period, and no, I haven't read the raws. I find this story rather interesting to read. This is the classic gender bender masculine ML with bishounen features tropes who will become the FL's knight in shining armor whenever necessary. Power couple. Palace life isn't easy, after all. Other info: FL is 2 years older than ML. She's a merchant while the ML is a minister (not sure how accurate the translation is about him being a PM). Although they got married for political reasons i.e. a marriage of convenience, I expect them to progress in their romantic life and married life like a normal couple. -------------------------------------------------- 2020 - ?: 6V+

Is that a stalker? A weirdo? Oh, no. It's just a normal university student who's in love. He just happens to be living his life with a paper bag over his head. It does mean that he gets a lot of strange looks on campus though... In spite of his overwhelming shyness, he still manages to confess his feelings to the girl he is in love with and do his best to win her over! The girl he's crushing on, Umi, can't believe it! And things start to take an unexpected turn?! Weird yet lovable, an adorable romantic comedy that's sure to win over your heart! Source: MangaPlaza

2021 - ? Romance Shoujo Hiatus 21st Century Adult Couples Mature Romance Searching for Love University Students Cute Female Lead Kind Protagonist Living Alone Lifestyle Change Handsome Male Lead Straightforward Male Lead

2021 - ? Comedy Romance Shoujo Age Gap Adult Couples Mature Romance Multiple Couples Love Confessions Rejection Slice of Life Domestic Life Campus Life Boarding House Cohabitation Lifestyle Change Share House Handsome Male Lead Male Lead Falls in Love First University Students Senpai-Kouhai Relationship Older Male Younger Female Height Difference Searching for Love Older Female Younger Male Student-Adult Relationship University Student-Hostess Relationship Unrequited Love

2021 - ? Action Drama Romance Shoujo Mafia Based on a Light Novel Black-Haired Male Lead European Ambiance First Love Forced into Marriage Gangsters Heterochromia Human Auction Human Trafficking Kind Male Lead Mafia Mute Female Lead Mute Protagonist Past Plays a Big Role Ruthless Male Lead Slaves Slavery Traumatic Past