stressedpenguin's manga / #when the women don't suck(11)

Uke's entire family died in a tragic accident, and now it's just him and his nephew trying to survive life together. The hot and mysterious guy running a small restaurant in the town they move to takes in interest in them and they start building a relationship. The overall tone is melancholy as all three main characters are suffering from painful experiences, and it's sweet how they fumble through supporting each other in their developing relationships. There's some angst, some drama, and some ghosting, and there's a This story gets two big pluses from me: 1) The kid actually has agency. He's not used as a plot device. The story takes him seriously; it doesn't do that thing where they just call him cute and ignore that he's a real person with real feelings. Still looking for a story where the adults validate even the silly things kids get upset over because... like it's silly to us but very impactful to them and--I'm getting worked up lol. Anyway, this story did the kid justice. 2) The single mom the uke makes friends with is amazing and feels like a real person. For all the degrading the seme did of women, I was worried this would be another BL where everyone woman is shitty. But this mom was incredible and her handling of her son was incredible. I know this is like almost the bare minimum, but I'm happy to see it. Also a plus is the sex is consensual. Aside from the somewhat dubious bit because alcohol, the seme doesn't force the uke into anything sexual. I appreciate it. This is an 8/10. Would be 6/10 but it gets +2 for the kid and mom friend

Add tags: drama seme is scared to let anyone know he likes shojo manga. uke is really cool and supports the seme's hobby. uke is in love with seme but pretends not to be so they can be friends. UPDATE: Oh??? Ohhh???? Volume 2 let's goooooooo Update v2 ch 7. Okay vol 2 just added a bunch of unnecessary drama with Arima's ex so I'm knocking this down a point 7/10

Second story really got me man, all the tropes I love to death. First story (1-3): two friends watch porn together, get horny, and jack off together and it becomes a habit. they figure out they like each other Second story (4-7): gay hs kid (uke) is in love with his best friend and is jealous best friend (seme) is in love with this girl. uke finds out the girl likes seme and confesses, but he backtracks by pretending he's passing on a confession from the girl seme likes. seme can't stop thinking about uke's confession and after much good angst they get together. 9/10 for me

Honestly love these two. Super down to earth couples. Also can we just appreciate that the girl apologized for basically making Ryuusaki come out? It's rare to get good girl characters in a BL man. 8 or 9/10

Daughter of the yakuza becomes the teacher of a bunch if high school delinquents. She's so much fun and I love the genuine, caring, rough and tumble relationship she's built with her students. She's fiercely protective of them and they appreciate her in their own clumsy way. All the characters a super fun. I love the yakuza guys crying everytime something goes down with Yankumi. I also appreciate that they're still immoral yakuza even if they fiercely value family, loyalty and honor. Honestly this is (almosy) everything I wanted GTO to be. About a third thru, the focus shifts from the students to the yakuza, which is a shame cuz I was really enjoying the teacherness. We never REALLY get to know the students individually. Kuma I think is the only one we get to know on a deeper level. (me huffing copium that a manga from the early 2000s will have progressive ideas and treat women like people. Edit: To my surprise, it actually kinda did! Kinda!) We got SO close to getting a romance free story but tbh it wasnt intrusive and did add to the comedy of the characters. SPOILER I did almost cry over Shinohara leaving at the end. It really felt like they were losing a member of the family. Pain. Overall, I honestly enjoyed this a lot. Some of it hasn't aged well like the only openly gay teacher being an actual pedo and some... many... if the comments about the only other female teacher but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasnt grotesquely sexist or bigoted. So like. Sugoi. 7/10

Everyone gets character development! and there are so many little funny moments. I thought I wasn't gonna like the young master kid but he turned out great after a bit of character development and Riichi learning to stop spoiling him. Art is CLEAN and the story is cute. 7/10

This is so sweet and fluffy AAAAAAHHHHH I love everything about this. Kazuma and Chiaki have been daring since high school. Suddenly their childhood friend Tomoe turns up pregnant and then asks them to care for the kid while she goes on a humanitarian trip. Its irresponsible of her, but the whole situation just works. Kazuma and chiaki are amazing dads and Tomoe still manages to be a good mom if an unconventional one. The whole story is kinda about them raising the kid together, all three of them, in their own weird adorable way. And they have lots of support from family and friends. I love it. 9/10

Hands down most impressive part is how the story and characters still managed to have fun and be happy despite all the heavy, dark, and often violent lives they had to live. They all hang out and talk to each other about their problems. Everyone gets character development that helps them become happier. They're just one big supportive family in the end and I love them. Update ch 17. Dude this girl fucking sucks. You dont just out people like that and what the hell did she mean by "wants to do that" after watching someone else's nonconsensual sex tape WTH Update ch 34. I genuinely was not expecting to Sohae's character growth. A lot of it obviously happens off screen but I went from hating this girl to being sympathetic to laughing at her dynamic with the new group. I love Yosef being so crassly supportive and just chillin on the couch while they discuss how Jihyun should confess to Yohan. The characters lives and history are so heavy yet they're so fun. I'm scared for season 2. Pls just let them be happy Update ch 54. HELL yeah season 2 is about yosef and daeshik! Bruh yosef is so gentle and massive his hand is as wide as Daeshik's waist Update ch 87. They are a TEAM! They are FRIENDS! They are WORKING together and getting THERAPY and IMPROVING their COMMUNICATION and EXPRESSING THEMSELVES and I'm so fucking happy and why they hell is there still 20 chapters bro I'm scared pls just let them be happy Update ch 113. BRO I LOVW THEM ALL SO MUCH!!! All their silly little antics, the fact that they're all such sweet friends, all of it! Maybe my one complaint is that everyone got paired romantically in the end, and it felt unnecessary. One of these days we'll get aro / ace rep. Also gimme scruffy Yosef back I liked his longer hair 9/10 but seriously debating a 10/10

Did anyone actually like each other in this? Not even romantically just like in general?? Hangyeol seemed to hate Suho, or at least see him as just a nuisance. Like??? Were they actually friends for 13 years cuz it sure didnt feel like it (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻ Why wouldn't you talk to your best friend you have a crush on about big life events??? ლ(☉益☉ლ) And what was the point of having that other guy exist if he was just gonna disappear and contribute nothing? This was too short and kinda did nothing and I kinda didnt like anyone even if they looked pretty. Shoutout to the moms tho 3/10 for being frustrating