Arashi no Ato
yea, it's realistic and the adults are mature, but it's also kinda boring. it can touch on the issues of hetero v. homo without it being this... hard to interpret, the simplistic art style and lack of expressions don't really help either. but, maybe it's supposed to have this subdued ambiance? idk
Insomniacs After School
ch32. quite cute and wholesome, but no drama or any exciting events. just slice-of-life events for the mcs who took an interest in astrophotography due to being insomniacs.
Kowloon Generic Romance
ch20. it has a nice "nostalgic" vibe, but the dystopian vibes are minuscule. other than the gene terra floating above them, it doesn't really give off fantasy vibes. it's just a slice-of-life romance between two realtor collegues. i mean, there is obviously something wrong with the snake-like director and the fl's missing memories, but the romance is at the forefront here. and personally, it's kinda annoying that she's not really trying to recover her memories despite knowing she doesn't have them, and for what? bc she wants the ml to fall for her current her and not her past self? these emotions are preventing us from getting closer to the core of the plot. and i thought living in Kowloon was terrible. it's crowded, must not be hygienic, dangerous to live in bc of the lack of security and law, and filled with whorehouses, opium parlours, gangsters, etc. but maybe the dystopian aspect is about hiding the dark side to give this illusion that the Kowloon place an adequate place to live in so people won't want to leave...? kinda like 1894, except this place is actually pretty liveable and the main leads lives' arent bad. ch56. it's more interesting than i expected, but mostly about the mystery surrounding this new kowloon illusion and the clones and deceased people living in it. the aspect about the doubles is really downplayed, even seemed trivial, no? like im confused why doubles are living there, how they came to be, why arent the originals doing anything about it? tho, i am confused how people there can live their life nomally cuz based on the image, half of the buildings has been reduced to rubble. also, liking this repeated theme about dwelling in the past cuz of nostagia, not moving forward and change, not being your "absolute self". anyway, no romance yet. ml is still lingering in the past, but ngl the past reko is really an enigma. it must be so difficult for him and bizarre, bc she commited suicide.
Doukyuusei (NAKAMURA Asumiko)
it has a cliched premise, but the execution was perfect. it's pure, sweet, bittersweet, refreshing and the hackneyed drama ends up being moving. ngl, i feel pity for the teacher; of all people, he fell for his student. tho, it wasn't really depicted as vulgar or sexual and he was gonna wait till his graduation to make a move (at least, he planned to). (edit: oof, did not realize he was 37(?) yo) (edit: turns out he has erotic fantasies about him, oof)
God of Bath
a well-written bildungsroman webtoon, that follows mc's spiritual journey as he develops a more mature outlook on society and life in general, shedding his egotism and main character syndrome, from his short period of time in the bath house.
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