sadslime's manga / #Tragedy(5)

A selection of ghost stories, the first three chapters about a cat ghost and the last two about a cherry tree spirit. They’re a little strange, but honestly, the cat ghost made me cry, so don’t knock it.

Ch.1 - Midori no Ude - the story of a boy saved by a kappa who loves him. Ch.2 - He Knows His Secret - a gay boy takes a picture of his kitsune(?) classmate and threatens him with it. Ch.3 - Rendezvous - a boy injured while diving is helped by a mermaid. My favorite of these and also the most tragic. Ch.4 - Okizare No Hanayome - an experiment gone wrong rapes the scientist left behind to kill him. Ch.5 - Okitemo Mezametemo - the story of a Chinese dream eating creature and the boy who found him. My second favorite on the list, cute. Ch.6 - Kowaku - man with fear of bugs sleeps with a bee yokai. The bug sex is really gross. Will not read again.

In Tarou's village, once every 50 years a god is born as a human and grows up among them for 18 years. This time, that god is his childhood friend Tomoya, and while everyone else treats him with reverence and fear, Tarou sees Tomoya as simply his friend. But the day when Tomoya will have to leave is fast approaching, and Tarou isn't sure how he'll be able to on once his childhood friend is gone or how to express his feelings before Tomoya leaves. Very bittersweet and well done. No trigger warnings.

Stories about hybrid children, like dolls that come to life according to their master's affection. Extra: Backstory for Kuroda, Seya, and Tsukishima as childhood friends, continued in Ch.3a-3b. Ch.1 - Young Kotaro picked up hybrid child Hazuki from the garbage and raised him lovingly, only to have Hazuki grow up to be a total nag. But when Hazuki's lifespan seems to be running out, Kotaro is desperate to keep him around a little longer. Ch.2 - Yuzu is a hybrid child living with retired swordsman Seya, but he's distressed by his lack of growth. When Seya's war torn pass comes back to hurt him again, Yuzu realizes that by shielding him from the painful and sad parts of the world, Seya has also kept him from growing, and he asks Seya to open up. Ch.3a - The story of Kuroda, the man who invented hybrid children, as a young man who went to war and lost his childhood friend and love. (This is the only chapter with anything explicit) Trigger warnings: war, suicide. Ch.3b - Kuroda's story continued, several years later when his first hybrid child learns to speak and reminds him of the one he'd modeled them after all along.

Satoru loves his younger brother, Tooru, but Tooru has a stutter that has caused him to become a recluse. Even though Tooru sleeps with Satoru and seems to love him, when Satoru suggests they move out together, Tooru refuses. But when Satoru finds out it's because of their mother's abuse, he finally snaps. I'd say it's at interesting read, but upsetting and definitely not for everyone. Trigger warnings: incest, abuse, murder.