wot?!!'s question page 1 (39)

I'm talking about slurs, stereotypes and the like.
Can they be reclaimed, or should they be abandoned by the sidewalk.
Can words that cause people pain transform into empowerment?
For example, words like slut or bimbo. I see how some people are trying to reclaim it but i wonder if it works or not. and in addition to that, especially in the case of like historical ancient slurs...can they really change into positive words?

One thing that has always amazed me in shonen manga is how CLOSE the bromance can be for two protagonists or side characters in a shonen manga.

Some are even potentially amazing couple material: Naruto and Sasuke, who stand as both the moon and sun; who are tied by a bond of ancestry (sadly), who end up being tied to two parallel gods....

On that note, I wonder why there isn't many gay/lesbian/bisexual/pansexual romances in shonen manga.
Before you criticize me and say 'WHO WANTS THAT IN A MANGA MADE 4 BOYS" please let me raise a point here.
The characters who fight together and bond and grow together can remain just friends, and that's fine.
But I think that it would have IMMENSE impact if two characters who have a super close bond with each other, who have fought both against and for one another becoming a couple in the end would be so amazing!

I know Cardcaptor Sakura is like shojo manga but it is quite interesting. For example Touya and Yukito were GREAT and I also think Sakura's friend Tomoyo had one sided feelings for Sakura. And it not only was good romance, but took nothing away from the plot at all- it was an excellent manga/anime!
AND I HAVE HEARD ABOUT YUYU HAKUSHO being inclusive too.... so i just wonder why some recent shonen manga are so desperate to be as hetero as possible....

I do wonder if shonen manga genre is maybe a bit outdated when it comes to romance sometimes.

sometimes on internet i see very possessive posts like 'mark your territory by marking ur gf'- in reference to REAL people- and stuff and i find it pretty sad (because its a bit awkward lol)
i mean if they like it, that's okay but for me i feel unsettled.
and it makes me wonder, what do you guys think?

in fiction and real life (or one or the other) what types of romantic AND platonic relationships do you see as an ideal?
Do you like the hardcore ones? The soft uwu relationships? The controlling ones? The wild kinds of relationships?

For me personally for platonic relationships I like for them to be fun and adventurous with people being able to be open, and for romantic im not really a fan of possessive relationships because i don't like control. I like openness and comfortable relations.

But in fiction I love rivals to lovers and enemies to lovers stories a lot; and actually in fiction i don't really mind what kind of relationship it is as long as its not abusive. And if it is abusive i just pray that the character will be able to escape at some point.

WBU? (๑•ㅂ•)و✧

i read something really damn interesting online.
'it's better to be single than date someone you're not really that into'
'you should value dealing with your own issues instead of pushing them all aside for a crush/love/romance'
'do the best to be the you that you want to be'
'nice partners are not rare- its just that you haven't met them yet. don't look for them, find ways to enjoy life on your own as well'
'value yourself and your worth'

These were some of the most positive messages i've seen online compared to the usual 'omg sacrifice yourself for love', 'how to change yourself for love' kind of bs that many love sites recommend.

please don't feel bad if you don't have a lover. time without a lover is more time to tend to yourself even more than before.

https://picrew.me/image_maker/271049
ヾ(☆▽☆) it offers so much free choice

i was thinking isn't the issue with how toxic themes such as abuse etc are portrayed in manga due to how manga may romanticize these issues- instead of tackling them properly?
sometimes i wonder if authors themselves normalize the issues.

i othink the issue with toxic themes in fiction lies not in the fact that they exist (fiction is the no.1 best place to explore toxicity in my opinion) but the problem lies in the authors not really looking at the problems properly.

for adults, this may be okay because they can form their own judgments like 'why is this manga trying to justify this crap?'

but the issue comes when super young people read it and then think that this is the way life should be.

((Like how i used to think that being in a relationship with a dangerous oresama type was hot when i was a teen (there's so many of them LMAO)
but then now as an adult i see that sadist/masochist relationships are actually NOTHING like the abusive oresama; in fact it's all about making an agreement on how to treat each other.))

what do you think? have you got any examples of incorrect lessons you learnt from manga as a younger person that you've changed your opinion on?

lol i will talk on here about Durarara hes my fav(๑•ㅂ•)و✧

I know this guy has fun trolling people and loves to give people the resources to start chaos (though somehow the chaos he initiates tends to have a happy ending); but damn does this show that he knows people really well.

But this leads to my query. Izaya says he loves humans- admiring and observing them from a distance- but like I wonder if he ever feels lonely?
All he does is play the role of antagonist or support in others lives for his own entertainment, but I'm guessing that as a result of this- he ain't got many friends... he never really seems like he interacts with people on a personal level....
His relationships are like having many accomplices or acquaintances....

What do you think about Izaya Orihara? And oh yeah whos ur fav in Durarara?
(Also mangago trolling is on a p similar level lol)

y'all ever had an experience when somebody try to force you to fit their expectations?
or have you also experienced obsession before when you don't see someone for who they really are?

so in my case, sometimes i have admired people too much and put them on a pedestal whilst being mean to myself which is so bad cuz i get too insecure, and can also make the other person feel uncomfy too. i dont recommend it, because then i realized too late that said person is every bit as human as me. and let them mistreat me too ;; its just all around bad vibes on both sides.

^
Yaoi isn't a sin, nor is shounen-ai...and neither is BL!!!
Some BL may not deal with traumatic and abusive themes correctly and romanticize things that shouldn't be romanticized.
But BL/Yaoi is not the only genre that does that.
There are some really good BL manga out there, too!!!!
And I think its fine to have gay ships in a shounen anime/manga as well.
Two men in a manga/ anime who are dating is NOT a sin. Nor is it to ship them.
It feels so sad to me because nobody ever calls yuri/shoujo-ai a sin or hetero ships in other manga genres a sin, so why is YAOI A SIN?

Here, I would like ask you what makes a good yaoi manga? And how it varies from a bad one!

For anyone whose interested in seiyuu cd, here is a great youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGOjGrsQol6IASqEqT8C85g
It's called Rejet Archive.
There are no subtitles but it's still good ^^
This company is infamous for series like Diabolik Lovers (ughhhh XD), Criminale, Yuugen Uchoten Romantica and many other drama cd and game works!!!

Story:
Feeling bored, you took an ancient book from the school library and made a wish...AND ACCIDENTALLY SUMMONED A SUPERNATURAL BEING! They ask you what you wish for them to do!!!!!

Questions:
what would you like their personality to be like?
what kind of relationship would you like to have with them?
What kinda being are they? A demon? Angel? Vampire?

HEHEHEHE honestly this is one of my fav manga genres

is thirst a good thing? is it a thing to be ashamed of?
For years I've tried to get to terms with having thirst (mainly for 2D characters ).
I get that if you do get the thirst for a real person you have to be super careful that it doesn't hurt the other party and keep it away from them, but what if you just thirsting in general?
Like watching a drama CD (like those r-18 ones) or reading a good smut manga?
Is thirst a sin, do we need the holy water?
Or can it be enjoyed freely as long as its in a safe place?

I personally think as long as its been practiced in a way that doesn't hurt others or cause others pain then its okay to have the thirst.

I am curious to hear about various opinions on thirst.(￣∇￣")

some of ur reactions to my [holy water] post thread was pretty unkind.
ok i get it...i was dumb to ask about thirst in a forum full of trollers online.

But, you know...it was an issue ive been suffering with for a long time; and because so many of you speak so freely and happily about sex; i mistakenly thought it was a safe space to share my worries on being horny and receive the knowledge that it is okay to be horny.

well i was WRONG LMAO!!!!!!!!

but that's okay. y'know, i want to say something to the cruel times i was slutshamed as a teenager and made to think that my desires were a sin.
once i was like a normal teen enjoying my desires with no worries; but guess what? if you let bullying get to you it fucks up your thought process on what is and what's not natural!!!

let me bring out my big ass violin and play it for myself because damn do i deserve it!

i think the main reason why people may put up with abusive/ toxic parents is because:
1) lack of financial independence
2) nowhere else to go
3) not all abuse is physical or easily spotted. sometimes it can be covert (like parents who are too involved in kids' lives) or simply a parent that neglects their kid by being unavailable/busy all the time
4) they rely on this parents
5) other intimates don't believe the kid or see the abuse as 'normal parenting'
6) the victim is in denial and wants to believe in the love they have for their parents, hoping that things are better than they actually are
7) it may be a difficult situation

and many other reasons too.

thats just my 2 cents i think its unfair to blame the victim.
Leaving is hard, much harder than one would think.
it is so hard to move out nowadays.
(and as for parent who are always busy it is hard to tell if they do it on purpose or not, some parents have to work a lot to feed family)

Hello does anybody here like the fate series?
I definitely do. I think I've been a fan for a bit too long tbh XD

Which characters do you like in the various fate series? (there's a LOT of them so i think just picking 1 fav would be hard)
Ah yeah and what do you like about fate?

For me personally I like the vast cast of characters. There's all types of characters from mythology and history from a variety of countries and sexualities. Because there's such a variety of them, I feel like the servant characters end up behaving in super interesting ways!! As for the mages and masters, most are pretty hardcore based on the magi laws they follow; but damn are some of them super cool.... like Rin, Shirou, Bazett and Waver....

BUT on the negative side because fate series is so huge there are some fate works or things in fate im a bit apprehensive of ╮(￣▽￣)╭ but alas that's the struggles of being in a huge fandom

ok thats it i sleep now

I'd like to say, before blaming people who read BL: please ALSO look at the faults of the individual AUTHORS of the manga!!
The problem lies in the disproportionate views that many people in Japanese society have regarding homophobia, and that's what influences the authors!!
Gender roles are extremely strict in Japan, and i think this is reflected strongly in BL. When I visited Japan last year, people were shocked just to see two guy best friends hugging in public.
One man even gave two guys a weird look just because they were walking close to each other?
Issues surrounding proper gay representation is really prevalent in Japan.

Every issue has a root, but i feel like on mangago it is more of a fighting each other instead of looking to the root of the problem which lies in the authors of the manga and stereotypical views of sexuality and stuff that is heavily permeated in Japan.
These kinds of culture took many years to develop.

I studied online about bl and yaoi on a course in future learn. Here is the link if you want more info: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/intro-to-japanese-subculture
This will explain more of the issues behind yaoi and some reasoning as well. It doesn't serve as justification but provides an explanation as to how it became a huge genre in Japan.

part of the meaning for the word yaoi is 'imi mo nashi/ also no meaning' because it started off as a doujin genre for sexually repressed women who were not thinking of gay rights at the time, but of their own release instead from sexism.
Sadly, as they are so used to hetero-normative society, this leaked into their doujinshi and manga stories as well which is why we have the stereotypical seme and uke stuff.

and the phrase fujoshi 'rotten women' stems for the stigma that BL fans face in Japan because people looked down on them for reading about gay relationships. Fudanshi is now a male equivalent too.

Also please do not sleep on the incredible genre of GAY MANGA because guess what? There is a LOT of gay manga written by men for men as well. Popular themes include 'bara' and occasionally I read a bl that seems inspired by these gay manga, too.
Haven't you heard of 'Kuso Miso' the incredibly popular gay manga with the catchphrase 'yaranaika' before?

Many things are being misunderstood here, so I thought I'd add some notes I learnt from my Japanese studies.
You can criticise my points as much as you want but it is clear- BL is much deeper than some make it out to be.
There are many reasons as to why a person reads it. I cannot vouch for everyone as issues do arrive sometimes, but BL is not read or made by just ONE TYPE of person.

Part 1 http://www.mangago.me/thing/about/137576/?filter=date#about_137581
Part 2 http://www.mangago.me/thing/about/137608/?filter=date#about_137614


Guessing by most of your answers, you give the school player a cold response: telling them that although their manga looks good, they should probably rely on other sources than just you to learn more about anime and manga.
"Are you stalking me?" You were worried about this... At first they had asked you out (acting like a wattpad stereotype) , and now they wanted to talk to you about your favorite hobbies?!
The school player's expression deflates once you confront them for acting so shady.
"I'm sorry," They reply. "I must've really confused you, acting like a stereotypical player asshole in school... only then for me to act like a fool here. You got me... I've been trying to copy your interests in order to get your attention."
Things were still not adding up. "There are many other people who read manga, you know. Try befriending people before asking them out. Besides then, why is your doujinshi art so good?" As you turn to leave the diner, they grab your arm anxiously; their face pale.
"T-that's because I used to be an artist! Wait, don't go!" They looked very panicked. "The truth is... I... I!"
"?"
"Don't you remember me from art class? When we had to draw portraits of one another? And in language class, when you lent me a pencil that I never returned? And don't you remember the time in which you stuck up for me?"
"Not really..."
"You were the only one to compliment my art! That's why I wanted to get to know you more!"

Baffled, you tried to remember that day.
It was a winter day, with snowy skies. Your class was debating over various poster designs for the school festival.
When the school player shared their design idea, everyone laughed at them and said 'that's not your forte! stick to charming students to visit our stall instead!'
You were the only person that didn't laugh, and decided to take on their idea instead; saying that 'it was pretty good'.
The school player is a dumbass who has never forgotten the day you showed them kindness.

How would you react to their truthful confession?
p.s. this could make for a good gl or bl manga idea maybe

this white haired anime mans is so fucking sparkly my eyes kinda go 'OH MY GOD SENSORY OVERLOAD'
WHY IS HE SO SPARKLY?!

FINALE http://www.mangago.me/thing/about/138305/ (has links to the other parts too)
One of you suggested that you'd like route endings for the scenarios with the school player (who was very negatively received XDD)
So here are the endings based on how you reacted to their truthful confession.

1) If you rejected them FLAT OUT and want nothing to do with them again

The school player is happy that you at least heard them out, and responds with a, "Thank you. Despite rejecting me, you gave me good advice! Next time, I'll make sure to make some better friends who'll support me like you did."
As soon as you're out of sight, they cry uncontrollably and feel really bad for messing up with you- the first person who their flirting skills didn't work against!!!
Though you two never speak again, they sometimes stare after your figure when they see you in class.
They have also paused their casual dating temporarily in order to spend their dating time trying to make more anime/manga friends instead!

2) If you offered to be their friend instead

They're extremely happy. After apologizing for being too 'full-on' with you, they continue ask you for advice, and you give them many recommendations.
They also show you their doujinshi!!!
The school player is currently writing a psychological thriller doujin with a gay couple as the main which is a pleasant surprise!
Although not knowing much about anime and manga, they confess that they love watching psychological and spy thriller movies.
Though they are still a massive player and still mess around a lot, they are a very loyal friend to you and loves meeting you and your friends.
They also finally know the difference between DRAGON BALL and NARUTO (what a relief)!

3) If you wanted to date them only for their money

After a few weeks of dating in which they agreed to your every demand, and bought you many things; they suddenly cut off contact ALL AT ONCE.
When you call them to ask why, they say:
"I've repaid my favor to you for being kind to me, haven't I? Now leave me alone."
They are eerily colder than you expected.
Turns out that they were disappointed by you, and ended up using you like they used their exes...
I'm sorry...

3.5) If you wanted to date them only for their money BUT you also got along really well with them and ended up having a good friendship as well

Looks like they simp for you... your pockets will be laced with cash for eternity.
They're a huge dumbass when it comes to you, so they won't mind splashing the cash if you're treating them nicely and a person who helps with their anime and manga....?!!!

4) If you were willing to give them a try/ ended up getting feelings for them too

It's the best day of their life. They end up being a little too headstrong and clingy at first, so you have to teach them proper boundaries so that they'll respect you properly!
Because the two of you talk freely together, and you read their doujinshi and you guys visit all sorts of events together; their image at school has changed somewhat. They are still flirty but would like to try out the long term with you.
They hope you'll draw manga with them someday, and are happy to read the genres you like too.
"I am very grateful. I'm a bit of a fool, so thanks for accepting me. I'll make sure to make you happy."

Also thank you, they finally made other proper friends now too!!!

5) Extra (Their backstory)

They're your typical idiot. As a kid they always vied for attention, as their parents were always working busy jobs. The only things their parents really had time to cheer them on for was their amazing art, so to the school player this became VITAL to their identity.
Their grades average, looks too. With an average amount of friends, they didn't really stand out as a child.
Their art was the only thing that kept them going.....
UNTIL O SHIT THEY GOT TEASED FOR THEIR ART IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND FELT SO BAD THAT THEY WERE DESPERATE TO CHANGE THEIR IMAGE AND VOILA! That's how they became a player in high school LMAO

The End, thanks for reading!!!!

I was just wondering, what do you think of Japan?
When I first became interested in Japan, it was via shows like NHK, anime/manga, games and tourism. Because of this, I used to have a very 'fantasy-style' image of Japan.
But when I started watching educational videos about Japan and studying courses on Japanese issues in society, I realized that Japanese tourism presents an extremely 'perfect' image of Japan to the point of it being quite hard to discover things about the country's actual social issues and struggles until one actually goes there.
Even now, there are many things that I am still learning!


I know that yes, that is a skill of tourism. And I do notice that some anime/manga and tv show are actually really good at portraying the real life issues in Japan. For other countries, i feel like no matter what they do some big news comes out and their social issues end up on the news a lot. But I feel like Japanese tourism is quite good at controlling this kind of news.

But I have to say, regardless the country is very cool and one can have many wonderful experiences there. It is an interesting place with a huge history and many different kinds of cultures.