punchline: existential dread's manga / #drama(5)

a one-of-a-kind queer narrative that revolves mainly around ichiko - a young woman in current-day japan who comes out to her father only to find out that both he and her late mother were queer. i spent an entire day reading up about lavender marriages after this (especially in a modern chinese setting, where there are matchmaking sites devoted specifically to this purpose). i think it would be an intriguing premise to explore in the context of US culture too. i mean, i think it's a simply superb way to frame the intergenerational differences in lifestyle of and societal attitudes towards lgbtqia+ people. there could be a whole spread on the endangerment of lesbian bars! the aftershocks of the grenwall riot!! aids epidemic!! anyways, i'm getting ahead of myself. one of the highlights of this story is its exploration of family. the contrast between eriko's authoritarian, distant father and the warmth and rapport of ichiko's less orthodox parents (including their partners) shed light on the varying societal and class views on lgbtdom, the pathways of its perpetuation, as well as the necessity for empathy rather than ostracism. a very strong supporting cast also brings depth to its portrayal of LGBT+ identity.

yagi finds himself jolted wholly out of his comfort zone by asakasa, with the way he cuts through courtesies with candor and blusters through all yagi's hard-won defenses. i don't think the way yagi is described, both by the other readers and by his own admission, does him justice - he's not sycophantic, exactly, he just prefers to keep everyone at arm's length. currently, yagi clearly harbors some animosity toward and no small prejudice (unvoiced, of course) against asakasa, and i appreciate that that's the direction the mangaka is taking the story so far. i'm looking forward to the quiet dismantling of yagi's worldview - at least in respect to interpersonal relationships - and the dance & shuffle of polar opposites trying to accommodate for the incipient affection budding between them verdict: this is shaping up to be a highly emotionally engaging manga about love overcoming boundaries, defenses, and differences.

OGERETSU TANAKA, AND NO DOSE OF CRUSHING ANGST?????? THERE IS A GOD AFTER ALL 10/10 EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS SORRY CAN'T REVIEW RN IT'S 6 IN THE MORNING AND I HAVENT SLEPT FIND ME WHEN IM MORE COHERENT

the good - i kind of hate blackmail??? however crucial it is to advancing the plot?? so the fact that jisoo foiled it in a show of badassery raises this manhwa in my estimations by like 500% - uke got spine - friends with benefits to feelings, one of my trope darlings - even if the protagonist has only just newly discovered his bisexuality, he treats the subject with a level of decorum and respect that isn't afforded by many. the more i read of him, the more i see positive traits displayed: dependability, loyalty, emotional honesty, respect. i feel these are traits more manga should invest in a seme, instead of a maelstrom of abusive traits the bad - antagonist is a little cliche??? - while we're on the subject of cliches, the use of terminal illness as a dramatic device the ugly - the placement of the extended flashback was a little jarring to me. i feel it could have been integrated into the story or revealed over the course of a period