otakulys's manga / #childhood friends(71)

Super short little one shot. Cute enough, but five pages doesn't leave much of an impact.

I don't know why I'm torturing myself with this, knowing how it ends. I thought I could handle it, then the flashbacks showed up. I don't know if I can take watching a sweet, beautiful love develop, knowing that it all falls apart in the most painful way possible, with no happy ending. But here I am.

Eh. I guessed the entire thing by the description alone, and I assume most other people will, too. It had some potential regardless, but the translation made it hard to get into it. Still, an effort was made all around, so that's worth noting.

Ume, how many straight boys you gonna fuck? Anyway, I liked this at first, but now I don't know how to feel, because I'm not sure how this will go. They're probably going to end up together (and I'd seriously rather Hara had his heart broken while Ume went off with Mori or something), but how are they going to reach that point with everything Hara is doing or has done? They keep playing Ume's legitimate pain for comedy. I don't really get how it's funny to be jerked around like that. Hara calls all the shots, and Ume just goes with it. But the story seems to have this air of self-awareness, so I want to keep going, but I'm really worried it's gonna be one of those weird, yaoiland solutions, where they suddenly at the last minute work it out, and they never really address what a selfish dick Hara is. The thing about that, though, is Hara isn't even really a dick, is he? It seems like he's legitimately mentally challenged. Like, is he mentally delayed, maybe? He literally always has the same expression, no matter what's happening, and he acts entirely on impulse without being considerate of other people's emotions, and he's not coming from a malicious place. It seems like he's either mentally challenged or on the autism spectrum. Either way, they portray him in such an odd way, I feel like it can't be accidental, but who knows. As of chapter three, I'm not sure what to expect. Bring more Mori, though! I'm sick of Ume dancing around this crap.

Read this in the full collection. It's kind of confusing, trying to follow the time line with all of these oneshots. I didn't know where to start.

Ugh, I'm still crying. Why is it that every time I find a new mangaka lately, there's hardly anything out. I love her art and the warmth of her storytelling, and I want more. Mooooore. D: Rio doesn't deserve hate at all for everything. She wasn't certain in high school, just had a hunch. It isn't like he told her he loved him and she ran off and took him for herself. She realized later that they both liked one another, which is why she broke up with Gaku. Obviously she loved both of them very much. If she hadn't died, they would all be together and happy. It's not like she would have tried to ruin things. Anyway, such a sweet and sad story. Poor Rio. But I liked it a lot, and I really want more from this artist.

A little rushed at times, but ultimately sweet. I feel like the second story would have benefited by being a full novel, where the friendship is explored and deepened. As is, it's like a snapshot of something he saw happen, the end. He hints at wanting change, but nothing changes. At any rate, not a bad read. I feel like I've read it before, but it must have been a while ago, since it was just vague recollections.

I need to read this again carefully from the beginning, but either way, it was a pleasant read. I may have skimmed a bit near the beginning, mostly due to anxiety, but I really liked this story of friendship! You just don't get to see that as much. However, a lot of good stuff was too brief or glossed over. I wish it had better-explored those themes. Oh well, still liked it.

Through the first half, this was hands down the most fucked up of the Gintama DJs Harada has done, because he trusted his friends, and they were all happy together, only for them to turn on him and brutally rape him. That scene was so messed up and sad, but that was what I came here for, so I loved it. Once he just sort of gave in and stopped fighting, then went crazy, it lost some of the appeal. I liked the idea of them sharing him evenly, though. The three of them living together. I hope that happens, even though this is messed up. Harada is great with intentionally fucked up relationships. This just ended too abruptly to give it the satisfaction it could have had. They regret what they did, but can't let him go? Are they trying to let him go? I feel like it's just a mind break, and they're going to push him over the edge in the end.

...Wtf. I mean, maybe it was partly the awkward translation, but... that was a pretty weird one. Glad he had that maraca there so the guy could rape him with it. If he hadn't had it, he never would have found his true love! Serendipity!