View Full Version : Hourou Musuko
Category: Drama, gender bender, school life, seinen
Author/Artist: Shimura Takako
Translated chapters: 57/65
Volumes available: 8
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Excerpt from OM:
Shuichi Nitori is a 5th grade student who likes to bake and has always been something of a feminine boy. When he transfers to a new school, Shuichi is mistaken for his 6th grade sister on his first day. Then he ends up sitting next to Yoshino Takatsuki, a tall, boyish girl who everyone calls "Takatsuki-kun." They both have secrets they can't let anyone know....
DAMN this is a great manga XD. I think this has some very good characterization. How both Shuu and Yoshino deal with dressing opposite their sex seemed very realsitic to me for children their age and gave the manga itself a far more mature feeling than I expected. The only thing I don't like is that it sometimes seems to jump from one scene to another out of nowhere, which confuses me sometimes, but it doesn't bother me at all, I just wanted to point that out.
Just finished reading chapter 31 and 32. Twas EXCELLENT!
Confessions EVERYWHERE(yes i'm overexaggerating)!! I'll admit, I was a bit impressed that Shuu was the one who confessed to Yoshino first, despite his quiet, timid nature. I was TOTALLY expecting Yoshino to say it first, so the mangaka caught me on that one. Man, it was really enjoying seeing all the potential love chains around. I wished Anna confessed to Shuu as well, since she obviously has a thing for him, bu I s'pose that wasn't possible and would be a bit unrealistic, since they didn't really know each other like that. Still, the relationship chain kinda reminded me of Hatsukoi Limited(they're not the same, but it did remind me of it).
Wow, I didn't expect them to NOT makeup. So Chiba and Yoshino openly admit to hating each other and loving Shuu. That's GOOOOOD drama right there :D. This makes things quite interesting and sets the next arc up with anticipation, esp since next volume, they skip some time and will be in junior high. I only hope they keep the fact that Shuu like to dress like a girl, and Yoshino likes to dress as a boy intact, since that was the initial premise that got me reading this manga. Of course, that very premise might have been simply a plot device created to base a boy/girl love story on, but I still find it interesting. I can't wait for the next set of chapters XD(whenever that'll happen, hopefully sooner than later >.>).
Honestly, I'm kinda scared for Chiba. She seems like the kinda girl that'll slit her wrists in depression. It's fortunate that she seeks relief/penance in God, and not in beating herself up. I dont' think I'd happen right away(since her heart is still completely set on Shuu) but hopefully she'll be able to bounce back with that guy w/glasses(Tamiga? Kagiya?). The Chiba-Shuu relationship died down kinda quick after the first couple of chapters and was nowhere near as consistent as the Shuu-Yoshino one, so i'm hoping the next arc can set it up so she can get a little love(and Anna too :)).
Also, I also think he's really Maiko. There're probably hints somewhere, but nothing comes to mind offhand, other than the fact that he appeared around the time Shuu and Maho started with that talent agency.
I looove Hourou Musuko and I can't wait for chapter 33.
Yandere alart.
Everyone loves Shuu.
Note, there is a thread for this here (http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=61171&highlight=hourou+musuko), but since the initial topic had no info on the series whatsoever(and the thread creator was banned) thought I'd make a new one. Merge'em if you see fit.
We don't normally like duplicate threads but in this case it was a good call since the original thread didn't really say anything (neither did the follow up posts).
The thread you linked above has now been deleted so you may want to remove the link from your opening post.
BTW, good job on this opening post, now this is the way it should be done :)
Irenicus
2008-07-24, 08:11
They put this one on onemanga? Hmm, I hope it gains some fans here then, since it seems a lot of us in this forum seems to use that site a lot. I was following it directly from the scanlators (Kotonoha -- great group, good quality and excellent choices in manga) but didn't keep up after a while.
A brilliant slice-of-life manga. I should go and read the latest chapters soon I think.
Yandere alart.
She's just a complicated girl. ;)
I looove Hourou Musuko and I can't wait for chapter 33.
Yandere alart.
Everyone loves Shuu. Ah yeah she was kinda like that when it came to Shuu :D. It'd been great if her and Anna could have met, esp after she called Shuu a freak, the conversation that would have erupted would have been interesting to see.
Ah yeah she was kinda like that when it came to Shuu :D. It'd been great if her and Anna could have met, esp after she called Shuu a freak, the conversation that would have erupted would have been interesting to see.
I don't like Anna to much, since she:
Took Shuu's notebook with his own story of Cinderella. I think I raged a little until I saw that she gave a present to Shuu.
excelence
2008-07-24, 22:50
Yandere alart.
oo yeah... second that, she's scary XD
btw what's the last chapter released in Japan?
YAY a new chapter http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa299/frubam/vashemoticon.gif!!! I didn't think I'd ever see another chap.Looks like Seya and Maho are getting kinda cozy together. Though I'm not too fond of her personality, I do like her character, so it's good to see her getting a little love.
I'm glad I don't have to see 6 chapters of Shuu moping around after he gave his confession. I'm kinda surprised that Yoshino hasn't put it past her yet, as I didn't think she was that kinda girl. Well, it IS understandable that its hard for things to go back the way they were. I feel bad for Chiba, too. She's still moping, even after all this time. I had actually forgotten that her and Yoshino hated each other(or was it just one way?), so reconciliation between those two is gonna be really tough. Still, I really hope that going to junior high can give her a fresh start(starting with that cute hairstyle :)), I really can't stand to see her looking so lonely.
It's really good to see that in Yoshino's letter, she said she didn't understand what love is, rather than typical shoujo plotlines(guess since it's about 6th graders, it's makes one think its going to be shoujo when it's actually seinen). When she said she wanted to have Shuu wear their uniform and go somewhere far away, it makes me think that she DOES love Shuu, and just that she doesn't know herself yet.
Aoie_Emesai
2008-11-30, 23:14
I just caught this manga. I love it ^^
Too bad it's been 2 months and no release yet >.<
Waiting for the next chapter is sooooo... ooo i'm impatient.
Wow, 6 months O.O. Anyway, more chapter releases to the end of vol 5. I think I might prefer it in vol batches. The story moves better this way.
It was a bit rough for those first few chapters, everyone was kinda split apart, but fortunately, everyone made up :). Sarashina is another great extension to the group with her little antics, though at first, it was confusing the hell outta me since her friend Momo refers to her as Chi-chan, not to mention Sarashina referring to herself like that in 3rd person and thinking they're referring to Chiba >_>).
I'm more happy that Chiba and Shuu started talking with each other again, having a bit of alone time to make up the story for that play. It's been awhile since I've seen Chiba look happy like that[in terms of time in the story], so it was good that she was finally getting a bit of love in the story. It also looks like the story is pointing out that Mako and Chiba is starting to look like an item. Well, Mako does seem to handle Chiba better than I would expect him to, but I can't expect anything out of it, since Mako's hinting at liking guys. I actually believe he has a thing for Shuu >_>.
The play looks like it's gonna be interesting. Honestly, I don't want Yoshino to get the main part as Romeo, but rather prefer Chiba(I just LOVE her char :)) or even Sarashina for a change of pace. Looks like that's a whiles away though before we see the outcome of the roles :(.
Okay, apparently Anon did the scans all the way up to the chap 57, which means it's more or less up-to-date.
Well, I'm surprised at all the events that went on. It still shows strong characterization that the previous chapters had. Still, it feels like they keep giving Chiba the short end of the stick :mad:. She's my favorite char in this series(I really like everyone in the main cast, but her I like a bit more), so it's hard to see her depressed.
Chiba and Mako playing the lead roles in Romeo and Juliet did nice to make them a bit closer. I thought they'd make to hook them up, but they didn't. It still could happen, though they ARE kinda good together, they really don't act any differently with each other than they do with everyone else. I'm not taking that last statement for granted though, after that Shuu/Anna thing.
Maybe I forgot something, but I'm COMPLETELY baffled at how Shuu ended up going out with Anna :confused:. Don't get me wrong, I like Anna as a character, but there hasn't been nearly enough of her in the story to justify how she helped him. Plus, I'm a fan of the Shuu/Chiba pairing, so I'm always looking for that. Well, it's been six months since I read it, so I guess I gotta go back and re-read the part where he confesses and gets turned down by Yoshino.
I thought Yoshino would take Shuu having a gf a bit harder. It seems like she had an "Oh, okay" attitude, like it didn't bother her. Maybe it didn't. Or maybe it hit harder than the surface showed. She did end up telling Chiba that so hastily, but I can't tell whether that was some kind of subtle angst going on or that she just wanted to piss Chiba off. Since that's not really in Yoshino's character, it's really hard to decipher it. If it was the latter, then I guess that was one of those 'innocent cruelty' moments that children do, much like when Sarashina was asking Shuu did he like crossdressing or not.
I knew Chiba wouldn't take Shuu going out with Anna easily, but nearly quitting school because of it? I'm glad it was only for a few days. It's still hard to see how her and Yoshino became decent friends so fast, even though they both hated each other. I wonder if it's because she found out that Yoshino wants to be a boy? Maybe she just has a fetish for people who crossdress, but I'd like to think that there is a bit more to her char than simply liking someone because they crossdress.
I'm glad you've kept us in the loop about this manga. Takako Shimura is fast becoming one of my favourite mangaka. A friend introduced me to this one after I read Aoi Hana. I'm definitely amazed at the subject matter she chose to take on. Thanks again!
I'm glad you've kept us in the loop about this manga. Takako Shimura is fast becoming one of my favourite mangaka. A friend introduced me to this one after I read Aoi Hana. I'm definitely amazed at the subject matter she chose to take on. Thanks again!
No problem :). I've been meaning to take a look at Aoi Hana. How is that?
No problem :). I've been meaning to take a look at Aoi Hana. How is that?
It's got that very dreamy quality that Hourou Musuko does except it's more yuri. You find yourself rooting for the most interesting characters. Some people find the pace in Aoi Hana to be slow but, after reading this manga, you'll see that it's fairly similar but change of subject matter (one girl falls in love with another, gets her heart broken, realises that she's still crushing on her best friend, deals with her feelings for women in general, etc). It's sweet, funny and sad. Kotonoha was doing that one too for a while. They finished up Vol 3. Vol 4 is due out sometime this summer, if I recall correctly.
It's got that very dreamy quality that Hourou Musuko does except it's more yuri. You find yourself rooting for the most interesting characters. Some people find the pace in Aoi Hana to be slow but, after reading this manga, you'll see that it's fairly similar but change of subject matter (one girl falls in love with another, gets her heart broken, realises that she's still crushing on her best friend, deals with her feelings for women in general, etc). It's sweet, funny and sad. Kotonoha was doing that one too for a while. They finished up Vol 3. Vol 4 is due out sometime this summer, if I recall correctly.
I'll check that out, thanks :). I'm just afraid of a cliffhanger like HM, where just before junior high, everyone was broken up, then no chap releases afterword. What a way to leave the series off. Pure torture I tell ya T_T.
denice25
2009-03-08, 05:31
cant wait to see the chapter 33..definitely a winner!!
cant wait to see the chapter 33..definitely a winner!!
It's already out there.
I'll check that out, thanks . I'm just afraid of a cliffhanger like HM, where just before junior high, everyone was broken up, then no chap releases afterword. What a way to leave the series off. Pure torture I tell ya T_T.
I can totally understand that. I was going through that same problem with HM until you filled me in on the rest. :D BTW, there are now 8 volumes of HM released in Japan. You might want to update your primary post to reflect that. I'm buying the rest of them today through Kinokuniya *dances excitedly*
I can totally understand that. I was going through that same problem with HM until you filled me in on the rest. :D BTW, there are now 8 volumes of HM released in Japan. You might want to update your primary post to reflect that. I'm buying the rest of them today through Kinokuniya *dances excitedly*
Thanks, I'll do that.
I read all the trans chaps of Aoi Hana today, and it's just as you said, it's just like this, but a diff subject matter. I'm not usually fond of yuri, but this story is done in such a way that you can't help but to root for the characters. I HATE Sugimoto though. I don't know if it's because she's a bit pompous about how she treats others or what, but the way she acts just rubs me the wrong way. I know she had her fair share of love and personal problems, giving the impression that she's the Chiba of Aoi Hana, but I'm glad Fumi broke up with her, and that she's going abroad. She just gave too much of an air of arrogance. Though Akira doesn't seem to sway 'that' way[yet :)], she's a better person for both Fumi and Kyouko. I just love that personality of hers, that shows that she can take care of her friends(even if she doesn't know how).
I HATE Sugimoto though. I don't know if it's because she's a bit pompous about how she treats others or what, but the way she acts just rubs me the wrong way. I know she had her fair share of love and personal problems, giving the impression that she's the Chiba of Aoi Hana, but I'm glad Fumi broke up with her, and that she's going abroad. She just gave too much of an air of arrogance. Though Akira doesn't seem to sway 'that' way[yet :)], she's a better person for both Fumi and Kyouko. I just love that personality of hers, that shows that she can take care of her friends(even if she doesn't know how).
Same here. She's like every cocky jerk I've ever met. Fumi is that mild kind of heroine. You both sympathise with her and admire her strength. And damned if you don't wish that she gets her happy ending. Aoi Hana is that rare yuri manga worth reading (I will admit to being a yuri fan, I am gay after all, but I don't read ALL yuri. Just the ones that catch my attention.) Morishima Akiko has a couple of volumes out there that are pretty good too. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy HM for as long as it lasts.
Fumi is that mild kind of heroine. You both sympathise with her and admire her strength. And damned if you don't wish that she gets her happy ending.
Yeah, since Fumi gives off an air of a type of girl that can never say 'No' to someone who's aggressive, I was surprised she blew 'her' off when 'she' asked Fumi to come back. The mangaka never disappoints :D.
Anyway, to get back on topic:
Another time skip. Well, I guess it's good they skip over the summer and jump right into the next school year. I would've thought they'd have some summer get-together, but I guess that wouldn't cut into the heart of the manga, and just be useless fluff.
With Yoshino growing her hair a bit longer, she's looking more like a girl than she did at the beginning of the manga. It's been two yrs, and when you're around that age you grow quite quickly. Not only that, she's looks quite a ways cuter than she did at the end of the previous school year. Shuu looks a bit more masculine as well. I wonder if this is gonna be kept serialized until they get to high school?
Too bad everybody got split up to diff classes. I hope that it won't affect them getting together and such as often, though judging from this chapter, they still seem to get together as much as before. Though I would have preferred Chiba to be in the same class as Shuu or Yoshino(yes, I am a Chiba whore >_>), being with Sarashina is just as good, much better than being by herself. I always like to see quirky, energetic chars with morbid, harsh chars, though it seems Chiba doesnt' really like that. Still hope they're able to do group stuff together, like when they were getting together for that play. Nothing's funner than seeing everyone's personalties mingle together. It ALWAYS makes for an entertaining read :).
Honestly, Saorin is such a b**ch that I am having a real hard time sympathising with her as a character. Shuu's sister is even worse. They're the two characters that I cannot stand overall. I keep wishing they'd get over themselves and see that other people are suffering because of their behaviour (and not just them).
I'm only up to Chapter 54 at the moment but I'm looking forward to Chapter 58 just to see Yoshino's new look. Poor Mako-chan....the kid's going to have a real complex when he gets older. I'd love it if this manga kept going until they graduate high school. It would be interesting to see how Shuu and Yoshino deal with their chosen identities beyond the sphere of family and childhood friends.
Well, I don't get why Shuu was so scared about telling Anna he liked girl clothes. Like she said, that was how they met, so I'm not surprised she wasn't bothered by it.That was pretty harsh of Maho though, basically calling him a freak. That kind of stuff can really break your confidence. These are SOME chars i tell you, not minding a good friend wanting to dress like a girl. Yoshino, I can understand, but Chiba, Sarashina, Makoto, and now Anna. I guess that almost adult-like acceptance as opposed to cliche' bullying is one of the things that give HM it's charm.
Wonder if Yuki was foreshadowing that Yoshino actually did like Shuu, but they were too young to understand it. I may have mentioned this before, but when Shuu confessed way back when, I also though Yoshino just didn't understand the concept of love, and that's why she rejected him. It doesn't feel that way so much anymore though; they're barely together these days.
Anna said Shuu was like a little sister. That definitely means they are gonna break up at some point in the story >_>.
Honestly, Saorin is such a b**ch that I am having a real hard time sympathising with her as a character. Shuu's sister is even worse. They're the two characters that I cannot stand overall. I keep wishing they'd get over themselves and see that other people are suffering because of their behaviour (and not just them).
I can see why you or anyone else would think that about Chiba, but I just LOVE her personality. She's just a complex girl to understand. She really just wants to be loved by Shuu and nothing else, which makes me just want to root for her all the way. Maho, on the other hand, I'm feeling ya. I don't hate her, but I don't like her either. Sometimes it's justified(like Shuu wearing her clothes), but generally, when she's not with Seya, she tends to be really bitchy >.>
Gah, tell me about it :twitch: She's so obsessed with being "normal" she doesn't realise how abnormal-seeming her own obsession with her brother's fluid sexuality is. I think she wants him to change because it bothers her how popular Shuu is. He's adorable and just himself.
What I think is really gut-busting hilarious is..
...that his sister will totally flip out when she finds out that Anna doesn't mind that he dresses like a girl. The fact that everyone is secretly cheering him on would really make her brain melt. :heh: I totally died laughing when Makoto made that crack about him expanding the size of his female harem. Was on...the..floor. :bow:
Honestly, though, Saorin needs to get over herself. She's in this "If I can't have him, no one can" phase that I never found attractive in women. Or men either :twitch:
Sol Falling
2009-03-18, 14:39
Honestly, Saorin is such a b**ch that I am having a real hard time sympathising with her as a character. Shuu's sister is even worse. They're the two characters that I cannot stand overall. I keep wishing they'd get over themselves and see that other people are suffering because of their behaviour (and not just them).
Honestly, though, Saorin needs to get over herself. She's in this "If I can't have him, no one can" phase that I never found attractive in women. Or men either :twitch:
Sorry, but I can hardly see this at all. There is basically one instance of Chiba making 'other people' (just Takatsuki, actually) feel bad with some sort of self-righteous behaviour. Furthermore, if you remember, Takatsuki later realized that Chiba was right and decided to apologize to Nitori-kun. Any other instances of Saorin 'being a bitch' were products of her entirely self-aware prioritization of her relationships with people she was actually interested in.
Your second indictment hardly holds water either. Although Saorin obviously exhibits feelings of envy, resentment, and standoffishness, she has never actively interfered in the relationships of other people. All Saorin has ever done is withhold her own feelings of friendliness, and that is hardly anything anyone is entitled to.
I can see why you or anyone else would think that about Chiba, but I just LOVE her personality. She's just a complex girl to understand. She really just wants to be loved by Shuu and nothing else, which makes me just want to root for her all the way. Maho, on the other hand, I'm feeling ya. I don't hate her, but I don't like her either. Sometimes it's justified(like Shuu wearing her clothes), but generally, when she's not with Seya, she tends to be really bitchy >.>
It's a good thing this manga is (at this point) relatively short, because aside from the attractive character designs, Chiba is pretty much the only thing keeping me reading. Even now, Shuuichi and Takatuski's consistent placement on the front covers of every volume is discourages me regarding her future aspects. I don't think Saorin's character is fully encapsulated by 'someone with a fixation on Shuu'. Given what's shown in the most recent chapters, clearly she has discarded any expectations for him and is attempting to move forward with her other relationships; arguably not a bad thing (I am currently fairly happy for her, actually). How I would personally describe Saorin's character is 'someone who loves deeply and powerfully, in a subtle and perceptive way'. I am still astonished over the ease with which she percieved Shuuichi's innermost longings, and her wholehearted acceptance/encouragement of their expression.
Regarding the main issue with her character. I think one early scene with her mother (where she tries to give Shuuichi three dresses, then her mother advises her to start with just one) highlights it perfectly: Chiba might understand exactly what [the object of her love] desires, but she embraces it more fully then they themselves. To a degree it might be a matter of security (a return for her affections): if she can make Shuuchi accept three dresses, then he might necessarily feel bound to her by gratitude, right? Or, furthermore, in a more sinister manner: if she can encourage his inclinations towards crossdressing, to the point that he feels ostracized by society, then he might begin to turn to her as the only one who 'understands' and 'accepts' him. Saorin's actions (including her choice of Shuuichi in the first place, though I'm extrapolating here) basically all reflect the mentality of someone who feels deeply and wants to ensure she is felt deeply towards in return, to the point that her (early, at the least) actions are tinged with manipulation.
...Well. I feel like I could write two or three more large paragraphs analyzing Chiba's character/interactions as above today, but I'm gonna stop here in the interests of saving both your and my (primarily my) time.
@Sol: Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. :D
It's a good thing this manga is (at this point) relatively short, because aside from the attractive character designs, Chiba is pretty much the only thing keeping me reading. Even now, Shuuichi and Takatuski's consistent placement on the front covers of every volume is discourages me regarding her future aspects. I don't think Saorin's character is fully encapsulated by 'someone with a fixation on Shuu'. Given what's shown in the most recent chapters, clearly she has discarded any expectations for him and is attempting to move forward with her other relationships; arguably not a bad thing (I am currently fairly happy for her, actually). How I would personally describe Saorin's character is 'someone who loves deeply and powerfully, in a subtle and perceptive way'. I am still astonished over the ease with which she percieved Shuuichi's innermost longings, and her wholehearted acceptance/encouragement of their expression.I don't really see a problem with Shuu and Yoshino being on the covers. It's all about the journey, not the destination. Despite the covers, the fact that Shuu and Yoshino hang out, converse, and cross-dress with each other far less than in their 5th grade year, not to mention that they've already passed the confession>rejection>moping faze and became 'normal' friends(just as much as anyone else) other than their cross-dressing excursions makes it easily quite tolerable. Shuu even has a diff partner(at least for now), and if that's so, it's not totally unbelievable Chiba will have a chance w/anyone, if that's within your line of thinking.
While I'll say that was an excellent analysis of Chiba's personality, i disagree with the "...clearly she has discarded any expectations for him and is attempting to move forward with her other relationships" part. It's hard to accept that when she was willing to not come to school after Yoshino told her Shuu was dating Anna. I feel that the fact that she was willing to skip school for any # of days with the intention of not going back for the rest of the year kinda points out how much value she had those other relationships. Perhaps that's changed in the latemost chapters; she seems to have accepted Yoshino as the next 'best' friend now(it was Sasa before she started hanging with Sarashina)but she still seems concerned about Shuu's actions; and by that, I'm specifically referring to how she acted in chp 59, when she stormed away when she overheard Shuu and Makoto talking. That doesn't seem like something someone who's forgotten, tossed away, or hidden her feelings(from the reader's perspective) would do, though I will agree that there's more to her char than just liking Shuu(though that's the aspect I like most about her).
Regarding the main issue with her character. I think one early scene with her mother (where she tries to give Shuuichi three dresses, then her mother advises her to start with just one) highlights it perfectly: Chiba might understand exactly what [the object of her love] desires, but she embraces it more fully then they themselves. To a degree it might be a matter of security (a return for her affections): if she can make Shuuchi accept three dresses, then he might necessarily feel bound to her by gratitude, right? Or, furthermore, in a more sinister manner: if she can encourage his inclinations towards crossdressing, to the point that he feels ostracized by society, then he might begin to turn to her as the only one who 'understands' and 'accepts' him. Saorin's actions (including her choice of Shuuichi in the first place, though I'm extrapolating here) basically all reflect the mentality of someone who feels deeply and wants to ensure she is felt deeply towards in return, to the point that her (early, at the least) actions are tinged with manipulation. Those are very interesting perspectives, but is that really in her character? She never seemed to be the type of person to use such subtle trickery and underhanded tactics and was more straightforward in that regard, though actually, I can't pretend to remember what happened before chapter 33; it's been too long since I read it :p. They DID work on that play though, and I recall her using that as an excuse to invite Shuu over and dress him up. But from the way she was acting, it's very hard for me to find any ill intent or unscrupulous motives in her doing that, other than wanting to make him happy by letting him do what he likes most, and being happy that her actions made him happy.
Sol Falling
2009-03-19, 21:57
I don't really see a problem with Shuu and Yoshino being on the covers. It's all about the journey, not the destination. Despite the covers, the fact that Shuu and Yoshino hang out, converse, and cross-dress with each other far less than in their 5th grade year, not to mention that they've already passed the confession>rejection>moping faze and became 'normal' friends(just as much as anyone else) other than their cross-dressing excursions makes it easily quite tolerable. Shuu even has a diff partner(at least for now), and if that's so, it's not totally unbelievable Chiba will have a chance w/anyone, if that's within your line of thinking.
Although Shuu and Yoshino don't see all that much of each other, I still wouldn't call their relationship 'normal friendship'. They have a fairly involved history with each other (as well as mutual acquaintances) and I think Takatsuki's calling off of that definately highlights some tensions. Again, given their prominent placement on the covers, I'm pretty certain their relationship is one of the central themes of this manga and will be revisited in the future. As for how that reflects on Chiba's role in the story, I suppose what I meant is that I'm discouraged because they aren't who I'm interested in and Chiba's ultimate status as a supporting character doesn't leave me confident I will be satisfied with the ending. It's not really that important though; that's just the way stories work, so I deal with it as I've done with others.
While I'll say that was an excellent analysis of Chiba's personality, i disagree with the "...clearly she has discarded any expectations for him and is attempting to move forward with her other relationships" part. It's hard to accept that when she was willing to not come to school after Yoshino told her Shuu was dating Anna. I feel that the fact that she was willing to skip school for any # of days with the intention of not going back for the rest of the year kinda points out how much value she had those other relationships. Perhaps that's changed in the latemost chapters; she seems to have accepted Yoshino as the next 'best' friend now(it was Sasa before she started hanging with Sarashina)but she still seems concerned about Shuu's actions; and by that, I'm specifically referring to how she acted in chp 59, when she stormed away when she overheard Shuu and Makoto talking. That doesn't seem like something someone who's forgotten, tossed away, or hidden her feelings(from the reader's perspective) would do, though I will agree that there's more to her char than just liking Shuu(though that's the aspect I like most about her).
Well, I agree that Saorin hasn't abandoned her feelings or anything but that's why I chose the word 'expectations'. Basically what Chiba's most recent interactions with Shuuichi indicate to me is that she's recognized that her romantic feelings don't really mean anything to him (as he seemed to explicitly demonstrate by his dating Anna while keeping it a secret from her). As a result, she's decided to abandon the futile effort of showing them to him. Her genuine interest in Takatsuki (and Sasa, now, too: before Saorin would say things like how she didn't want to be 'responsible' for Sasa and that it was okay if she left her alone, but now she freely offers compliments about how cute she is and is actually engaged when they spend time together) reflects this shift in priorities: because she no longer expects anything from Shuuichi-kun, because she can no longer spend all her time being in love with him, she is taking a closer, more honest look at the other things around her.
With regards to that scene you mentioned in chapter 59, taking a closer look at it, I suppose it's pretty suggestive that she does still care what Nitori-kun does. But it's also pretty clear that she's holding her feelings back in response to the 'rejection' I mentioned in the above paragraph. I guess I must admit to having fallen in love with that page I linked above; she looked so grim and resigned, but I suppose even Saorin's 'you've broken me' face must falter when she discovers that Shuu's been talking about her.
Those are very interesting perspectives, but is that really in her character? She never seemed to be the type of person to use such subtle trickery and underhanded tactics and was more straightforward in that regard, though actually, I can't pretend to remember what happened before chapter 33; it's been too long since I read it :p. They DID work on that play though, and I recall her using that as an excuse to invite Shuu over and dress him up. But from the way she was acting, it's very hard for me to find any ill intent or unscrupulous motives in her doing that, other than wanting to make him happy by letting him do what he likes most, and being happy that her actions made him happy.
I wouldn't really call Chiba's actions, at least regarding the three dresses, underhanded trickery (my other interpretation was, admittedly, a somewhat unsubstantiated extrapolation). I think it's just something natural to her, to want to deeply involved with someone. What I was sort of getting at was that, even intuitively, Saorin understood that the kind of personal investment she was making in Shuu just wasn't feasible if it wasn't reciprocated. As a result, a lot of her (early) interaction with Shuuichi is tinged with the desire to bind him to her. Of course, someone asking too much of you is also something one can feel intuitively, so this lead to Shuu being more comfortable in his more 'natural' relationships with Takatsuki and eventually Anna. I think it was only really this factor that might have held back Shuuichi's interest in Chiba. Interestingly though, Shuuichi makes the very same mistake in confessing to Yoshino (asking too much, not being natural). Heh, I dunno. It's rather tragic, I suppose.
Basically what Chiba's most recent interactions with Shuuichi indicate to me is that she's recognized that her romantic feelings don't really mean anything to him (as he seemed to explicitly demonstrate by his dating Anna while keeping it a secret from her). As a result, she's decided to abandon the futile effort of showing them to him.
Wouldn't that mean the opposite? I mean, if Shuu didn't care, he wouldn't have been so adamant in trying to keep the truth from her. He even talked about it in front of Yoshino. I'm not trying to insinuate that he harbors hidden feelings of love for Saorin or anything as that'd be how I think in stereotypical terms of manga, but he must have felt some anxiety about telling her.
I'm not surprised Maho went on a tangent about Anna accepting Shuu's hobby. I almost wonder(and it kinda hinted at) if she was just jealous of him looking better than her.
Def don't like that Doi guy. He just barged in on Shuu probably because he is interested in Yuki, but its like he doesn't approve of Shuu's hobby. He was annoying before, but now that he's stuck his nose out a bit too far with Shuu, it's easily turned to hate :mad:.
Of course, someone asking too much of you is also something one can feel intuitively, so this lead to Shuu being more comfortable in his more 'natural' relationships with Takatsuki and eventually Anna. I think it was only really this factor that might have held back Shuuichi's interest in Chiba.
Though I understood what you were getting at before, it's like I see first hand what you are talking about now. It's like Anna isn't too forceful and she lets him move at his own pace which made him feel comfortable.
Love the meeting between the girls and Shuu. Ahh, Saorin wanting to order beer after seeing Shuu and Anna together. I just LOVE it when she acts like that; she's SOOO cute :blush:. I knew Saorin and Anna would have a clash of sorts if they met, and was kinda waiting for that for a good while now. (http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=1753789#post1753789) It also felt like Anna and Saorin are similar in a certain respect when they were exchanging barbs; perhaps because they had a sort of nonchalant demeanor when they were doing it. Not to mention their[Saorin, Yoshino] relationship with him being put on the floor, all the while the boy in question, dressed like a girl, just sits there and listens :heh:. I thought that was just so hilarious and entertaining. Nice save by him at the end for starting the karaoke song.
chp 62 pg 11 confuses me :upset:. Someone explain it to me please!
The end of 62 has me worried, that Doi is gonna do something. I'm gonna be really, REALLY pissed if a one-dimensional stupid char like him ruins everything going on right now.
I'm not surprised Maho went on a tangent about Anna accepting Shuu's hobby. I almost wonder(and it kinda hinted at) if she was just jealous of him looking better than her.
I'm not surprised either. Her insecurity kind of showed a bit when she:
...was at the movies and, in her thoughts, she decided that she couldn't have a boyfriend that was "cuter" than her. :heh:
I did crack up when Shuu and Maho went to their grandfather's house and Shuu was mistaken for a girl.
Def don't like that Doi guy. He just barged in on Shuu probably because he is interested in Yuki, but its like he doesn't approve of Shuu's hobby. He was annoying before, but now that he's stuck his nose out a bit too far with Shuu, it's easily turned to hate.
I have to agree. Doi seems like he's up to no good. And Shuu is sort of like the UN...he wants to give everyone a chance and he doesn't have enough "street smarts" to know when people are playing him. It seems like Doi is trying to size up the competition...he probably thinks that, by pretending to be Shuu's friend, he can find out how he managed to get an "adult friend" and what his secret is.
Part of me thinks that Doi is setting the stage to blackmail Shuu so that Shuu will introduce him to Yuki-san.
I like Anna. She's growing on me more and more, mostly because she's taking a direct approach with Shuu without this frigid ice queen nonsense. She may be the best thing for him IMO.
Sol Falling
2009-03-23, 07:16
Heh. It's just you guys here, seems like. A bit quiet (I don't want to stand out), but then again I also don't know if that makes spoiler tags really necessary (correct me if you want).
I'm a bit concerned about how Maho's been treated lately. A while back her character's focus seemed to be about how she was learning not to be judgemental and to stand up for her brother, but her two latest issues (ignoring Shuu because she had made friends, being jealous of Shuu because she feels threatened by his prettiness) seem strictly negative. I don't want to think badly about Maho, as she's impressed me as a person on more than one occassion, but it seems like that's the way the story is pushing her.
I also loved the karaoke with all the girls. When Anna told Takatsuki to join her agency, it really highlighted my feeling of "wow, this is a bit of a fated meeting of hot girls". Anna's character has always been attractive to me in a way similar to Chiba's (they're both rather...straightforward, somehow; without regard for superficial displays of friendliness) but I find Chiba more interesting because while Anna's bluntness seems to be founded in self-confidence I'd say Chiba's stems from her desire for deep (non-superficial) relations with others. Anyways, damn, Chiba really knows how to put down others. That line about "I suppose some men are indecisive like that" had me rolling.
Heh. It's just you guys here, seems like. A bit quiet (I don't want to stand out), but then again I also don't know if that makes spoiler tags really necessary (correct me if you want).
Heh heh, it's a bit of a habit, I guess. Didn't want to spoil anything just in case there were people lurking.
I'm a bit concerned about how Maho's been treated lately. A while back her character's focus seemed to be about how she was learning not to be judgemental and to stand up for her brother, but her two latest issues (ignoring Shuu because she had made friends, being jealous of Shuu because she feels threatened by his prettiness) seem strictly negative. I don't want to think badly about Maho, as she's impressed me as a person on more than one occassion, but it seems like that's the way the story is pushing her.
Interestingly enough, I agree with your assessment. I'm not a big Maho fan but this seems a bit much, even for her. For a little while, I thought she was making at least some strides towards maturing and understanding perhaps a little of what Shuu might be going through. The last couple of chapters seem to be unraveling her progress.
I find Chiba more interesting because while Anna's bluntness seems to be founded in self-confidence I'd say Chiba's stems from her desire for deep (non-superficial) relations with others. Anyways, damn, Chiba really knows how to put down others. That line about "I suppose some men are indecisive like that" had me rolling.
This I find puzzling. How can one have deep, non-superficial relations with someone when it seems like they're constantly putting people down with every word they utter? I honestly can't see Chiba as something more than rude. But that's just my personal obseravtion. Takatsuki, OTOH, is starting to worry me with her recent tendency to just blurt out other people's secrets under pressure. This unintentional reflex may have severe consequences once other characters are introduced (such as Doi).
Sol Falling
2009-03-25, 01:04
This I find puzzling. How can one have deep, non-superficial relations with someone when it seems like they're constantly putting people down with every word they utter? I honestly can't see Chiba as something more than rude. But that's just my personal obseravtion. Takatsuki, OTOH, is starting to worry me with her recent tendency to just blurt out other people's secrets under pressure. This unintentional reflex may have severe consequences once other characters are introduced (such as Doi).
Heh, it's hardly constant :P. Saorin's reaction towards Takatsuki in that specific instance was based on her cluelessness/insensitivity in agreeing to hang out with Shuu and his girlfriend. That's the same cluelessness, btw, that led her to blurt out what she imagined to be a pacifier in order to 'explain' Chiba's confrontational behaviour. Chiba's just a lot more perceptive than others, and correspondingly quite a bit less forgiving. She may seem like she's rude, sometimes, but she's just trying to live by a higher standard.
As for Takatsuki blurting out secrets, I thought you were just talking about at the karaoke bar, but you're actually also referring to when she told Chiba about Anna, right? Hm, you do have a point that that makes it twice now...on the other hand, the circumstances are a bit different in that for the first one I think she told Chiba out of selfishness, in some minor sort of attempt to hurt her (or Shuu indirectly) while in the more recent case that was more of her attempt to stop (what she saw as) a pending catfight. We'll have to see if those kinds of situations come up again.
Wow, chapter 65 was....amazing. Now I'm depressed that we won't be seeing any chapters for a while. :(
Miles Teg
2009-03-25, 04:18
Wow, chapter 65 was....amazing. Now I'm depressed that we won't be seeing any chapters for a while. :(
It's possible that chapter 66 to 70 will be released shortly, probably starting at the end of the week.
It's possible that chapter 66 to 70 will be released shortly, probably starting at the end of the week.
Really? That's great! The message at the end of the chapter indicated the translator was having difficulty getting scans for volume 9, sounds like that was worked out. ^^
Miles Teg
2009-03-25, 04:36
Really? That's great! The message at the end of the chapter indicated the translator was having difficulty getting scans for volume 9, sounds like that was worked out. ^^
On /a/ when chapter 65 has been released, a kind anon has uploaded the raw for chapter 66 to 70. Problem resolved in less than 10 minutes :heh:
On /a/ when chapter 65 has been released, a kind anon has uploaded the raw for chapter 66 to 70. Problem resolved in less than 10 minutes :heh:
Lmao, chan has an answer for everything. :heh:
I figured Doi just wanted to see Yuki. I liked the straightforward way Yuki handled it, not wasting any time in telling him she was a trans and had a boyfriend. But I can't believe that quickly changed him into liking Shuu as a girl so quickly. That's good at least(for now), but I gotta feeling he'll say the opposite if the **** hits the fan.
Normally I'd think Shuu going to Sarashina, with her carefree attitude, wouldn't be the best choice to ask advice from, but surprisingly it seems she's given a considerable amount of thought about crossdressing at school. She knew of the consequences it held, and how people might view her, despite how she made it out to be not such a big deal to everyone else. It's great to see that even she has a deeper side at times. That is, unless she ALWAYS has a deeper side, and just happens to hide it with her playful, energetic personality(it kind of reminds me of how Morita[H&C] is).
I'm glad that Shuu wearing the uniform isn't entirely because of some selfish prick who wanted to see it. I know the story hinted at him wearing the uniform, but it still didn't seem like he was too concerned in terms of going to school with it on, even though Yoshino and Sarashina were doing it occasionally as well. I think here's were it gets interesting, because the 'bullying' might start when he comes to school, and I'm curious as to how the mangaka's gonna pull this off.
And why does a crossdressing Seya look hot :uhoh:? I see why Maho is afraid.It's possible that chapter 66 to 70 will be released shortly, probably starting at the end of the week.
That's good to hear. This cliffhanger reminds me of 6 months ago :upset:. Hopefully it won't be TOO long before we get to see the next chapter.
The conversation between Shuu and Saorin is just her being herself, using a random comment to get a reaction. Her comment to Takatsuki in the bathroom is similar, a vague and random statement that only Saorin really gets and causes others to go "what the hell was that?".
It's just part of her personality, which is why she gets so flustered when Takatsuki blurts out that Saorin likes Shuu later in the chapter. She usually keeps most of her emotions to herself, except for her random outbursts of "irrational" behavior, so she was taken off guard by someone saying out loud how she felt about someone else. Usually she's the one making the bold (if sometimes head scratching) statements.
Sol Falling
2009-03-27, 10:16
:P Not quite how I see it. I agree that only Saorin understands (for now; I think we'll get some clarification later) what she meant by 'Anna gets that nobody's perfect', but I don't think her intention was to be random or weird Shuuichi out. It basically feels like a statement of acceptance for Shuu picking Anna indicating she's not going to try to interfere with it.
As for Saorin getting flustered later on, I think that has more to do with her not wanting Anna (or Shuu) to get the wrong impression. Saorin doesn't want to appear clingy or pitiable because she doesn't want to be 'understood' on a superficial level. Though it may be true that she likes Shuuichi, that's not why she's treating Anna disrespectfully (as Takatsuki had been trying to imply). She's just rude naturally :p.
My apologies for taking so long to reply....it's been a very rough week :upset:
Heh, it's hardly constant :P. Saorin's reaction towards Takatsuki in that specific instance was based on her cluelessness/insensitivity in agreeing to hang out with Shuu and his girlfriend.
I can understand that, to a point. There really is a difference between speaking what's on one's mind and having tact. I hope that Saorin realises that difference as she gets older. Not everyone appreciates bluntness for the sake of being "truthful" (and I really do believe she does that sometimes because she's very uninterested in anyone's feelings other than her own).
Chiba's just a lot more perceptive than others, and correspondingly quite a bit less forgiving. She may seem like she's rude, sometimes, but she's just trying to live by a higher standard.
I don't think she's any more perceptive than anyone else in their group. She's just one who is far more open about speaking her mind and doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks of that (Sarashina is like that to some degree..just on the "crazy, whacky WTH?? kind of level, not like the serious, cerebral degrees that Chiba portrays). Again, that's not necessarily a good thing IMHO. But she's a kid so I guess that's to be expected.
As for Takatsuki blurting out secrets, I thought you were just talking about at the karaoke bar, but you're actually also referring to when she told Chiba about Anna, right? Hm, you do have a point that that makes it twice now...on the other hand, the circumstances are a bit different in that for the first one I think she told Chiba out of selfishness, in some minor sort of attempt to hurt her (or Shuu indirectly) while in the more recent case that was more of her attempt to stop (what she saw as) a pending catfight. We'll have to see if those kinds of situations come up again.
Do think that Takatsuki really might have indirectly wanted to hurt Shuu? I'm playing devil's advocate for a little here, since you brought it up, so I'd be interested to know your thoughts about why this would be so (just out of curiousity...I hadn't considered that possibility myself). Part of me wondered if Takatsuki had flux of the mouth in those two particular instances because there was a possibility of her nursing a minor crush on Saorin. The thought had crossed my mind a time or two.
As for Saorin getting flustered later on, I think that has more to do with her not wanting Anna (or Shuu) to get the wrong impression. Saorin doesn't want to appear clingy or pitiable because she doesn't want to be 'understood' on a superficial level. Though it may be true that she likes Shuuichi, that's not why she's treating Anna disrespectfully (as Takatsuki had been trying to imply). She's just rude naturally .
I think I can agree with this. Sad to say, I think Maho has pushed the brat meter up a couple notches. What's even more sad is:
Shuu is starting to see the double-standard being held for both males and females. He's noticed now, after his experiment with going to school as a girl, that it seems it's ok for girls to wear men's clothing and no one gives it a second thought. It's brushed off as a phase or as a joke, not to be taken seriously regardless of intent. For him, wearing women's clothes makes him a pervert, a pariah and the subject of instantaneous ridicule. He's feeling the heat both and home and at school and the poor guy just may fall apart. This is one of the few times we see Shuu actually cry. For the most part, he's been handling all of this rather well. I felt like crying for him myself. I really want him to be happy in his own skin. That's all he seems to want out of life.
@Frubram: That last bit about Seya cracked me up. :heh: Poor Maho...doomed to feel inferior to womanly men. BTW, did you ever figure out your translation problem?
Sol Falling
2009-04-01, 09:22
I don't think she's any more perceptive than anyone else in their group. She's just one who is far more open about speaking her mind and doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks of that (Sarashina is like that to some degree..just on the "crazy, whacky WTH?? kind of level, not like the serious, cerebral degrees that Chiba portrays). Again, that's not necessarily a good thing IMHO. But she's a kid so I guess that's to be expected.
:P With regards to Chiba's perceptiveness, I'll refer again to the very early stages of the manga, where Chiba was the first to percieve and encourage Shuu's 'desire to be a girl'.
Do think that Takatsuki really might have indirectly wanted to hurt Shuu? I'm playing devil's advocate for a little here, since you brought it up, so I'd be interested to know your thoughts about why this would be so (just out of curiousity...I hadn't considered that possibility myself). Part of me wondered if Takatsuki had flux of the mouth in those two particular instances because there was a possibility of her nursing a minor crush on Saorin. The thought had crossed my mind a time or two.
I think Takatsuki maybe wasn't happy with the idea of Shuu moving on before she had sorted out her own feelings (it's been a couple years, yeah, but still). I mean, she decided that she wanted those times when they went to see Yuki together back, but she calls it off all of a sudden when she finds out Shuu has a girlfriend. I take the possibility of Takatsuki/Shuuichi's having mutual romantic feelings seriously, given their cover placement and all. So I think Takatsuki's telling Saorin may have on some level been an attempt at interference. It's not something I'm absolutely sure about, though, as maybe the direct effect on Chiba was all she intended.
Your suggestion of yuri feelings is pretty interesting, too. I wouldn't mind if you expanded on that a bit (I guess it would make sense? for Takatsuki to, as Chiba has been talking about with Shuu, be attracted to girls as a 'boy', but why Chiba in particular?).
@Frubam: BTW, did you ever figure out your translation problem? I don't think it was a translation problem. It seemed kinda random, with no basis as she just said it and then everyone came in, causing the whole affair to be pushed aside, but I'll agree with Sol in that there might have been some hidden message in what she was trying to say. I just can't figure out what it is.
Your suggestion of yuri feelings is pretty interesting, too. I wouldn't mind if you expanded on that a bit (I guess it would make sense? for Takatsuki to, as Chiba has been talking about with Shuu, be attracted to girls as a 'boy', but why Chiba in particular?).
I know this wasn't directed at me, but it's kinda hard for me to look at it from this angle. Yoshino doesn't really show any particular interest in one sex over the other, at least not that I've seen. It's not like she hates men or anything like that, since she converses with Makoto sometimes. She even felt embarassed when that teacher was looking at her(though that prob meant nothing). Plus there're twice as many girls to guys, so it's hard to see whether she's into girls, when most of the chars ARE girls. Not that it isn't feasible, but I've been looking at it from Saorin's perspective.
I, upon first instant impressions, thought that the fact that Saorin warmed up to Yoshino so easily was because she was simply into people who crossdress, as I half-heartedly stated earlier (http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=2258876#post2258876). Perhaps being persuaded by Sol, I've come to think about how Saorin might be looking for someone who has the potential to be cut off from everyone else. Once Sasa began to hang out with everyone, more particularly with Sarashina, Saorin stopped hanging out with her. Originally, she(supposedly) hated Yoshino, but now knowing that Yoshino wont be hanging out with Shuu, she perhaps sees this as a chance to have a deeper relationship of her own that is on a different level than with everyone else; a relationship that only belongs to her.
:P With regards to Chiba's perceptiveness, I'll refer again to the very early stages of the manga, where Chiba was the first to percieve and encourage Shuu's 'desire to be a girl'.
LOL! Heh, I know we'll never agree on Chiba so I'm letting it go. I just don't think she's all that. :D
I think Takatsuki maybe wasn't happy with the idea of Shuu moving on before she had sorted out her own feelings (it's been a couple years, yeah, but still). I mean, she decided that she wanted those times when they went to see Yuki together back, but she calls it off all of a sudden when she finds out Shuu has a girlfriend. I take the possibility of Takatsuki/Shuuichi's having mutual romantic feelings seriously, given their cover placement and all. So I think Takatsuki's telling Saorin may have on some level been an attempt at interference.
That's an interesting theory and I can agree with that to some extent. I think that Takatsuki also is just having trouble figuring out what she should do and how she should act now that Shuu has a girlfriend (and I use that word oh so loosely...it's more like she's the big sister he SHOULD have had instead of a dating partner). I'm rooting for Shuu and Takatsuki too. They make a cute, yet complicated, pair.
Your suggestion of yuri feelings is pretty interesting, too. I wouldn't mind if you expanded on that a bit (I guess it would make sense? for Takatsuki to, as Chiba has been talking about with Shuu, be attracted to girls as a 'boy', but why Chiba in particular?).
I don't know I would go so far as to say there was yuri involved...just a simple, typical crush on someone that she admires on some level and probably wants to emulate. I don't know about you but, as a young teenager, there were several girls I had a crush on, not necessarily for pure romantic feelings but for their "aura", for lack of a better word. They were cool, competent, intelligent and had their head together. I think this might be something that Takatsuki may feel for Chiba, in some way.
Bad wolf
2009-04-02, 19:24
Wow, I can't believe I didn't notice this thread before.
i'm glad anon took over scanning the manga for whoever decided to just drop the project for no reason. This manga just keeps getting better and better.
Irenicus
2009-04-02, 23:34
Wow, I can't believe I didn't notice this thread before.
i'm glad anon took over scanning the manga for whoever decided to just drop the project for no reason.
Yeesh, that's pretty unappreciative. Kotonoha -- the group that scanned Hourou Musuko -- is one of the best out there...and until recently was practically dead for a very long time. They weren't dropping it as much as dropping everything they were doing, which is a lot of stuff actually.
Bad wolf
2009-04-03, 06:51
Yeesh, that's pretty unappreciative. Kotonoha -- the group that scanned Hourou Musuko -- is one of the best out there...and until recently was practically dead for a very long time. They weren't dropping it as much as dropping everything they were doing, which is a lot of stuff actually.
Lol opps sorry. xD
anyways yayy two new hm chapters. : D
uh....am I allowed to post link?
Damn, when I saw Saorin come to the door at the beg of the chapter, I thought that would be her chance to get closer to Shuu or something, esp since she was once part of the "Stay home!" club. It was nice for everyone else to want to come and see how Shuu was doing, but where was Yoshino? Is that all she can do, send a letter? I was kinda disappointed in her.
I'm feeling sorry for Maho now. Before, i thought it was amusing that she was angry because the girl Shuu looked better than her. Shedding some light on her feelings a bit, I can understand why she doesn't like Shuu[in a sense]. Maybe she just feels lonely and is jealous that Shuu has so many people around him despite his hobbies that she takes it out on him. Poor Maho :sad:.
I'm not surprised that Shuu's getting bullied. Actually, as cliche' as it is, I expected it so long ago, now it's more like 'It's about time!' more than anything. I don't know why, but Sarashina has been having this air of maturity about her IMO since she and Shuu talked together. I feel like she's doing exactly what Yoshino SHOULD be doing; supporting his decision and being by his side for those first steps to school. Then again, Yoshino supporting him would make it cliche, thereby inferring that she would 'love' Shuu because she's protecting him, therefore, in actuality, it's better this way.
I wonder how Yoshino's gonna take getting confessed to? Well, that kid is pretty ugly, so she should just brush him off. I HIGHLY doubt it, but it'll be upsetting if she ended up going out with him just to get away from some unnoticeable lingering feelings she might have for Shuu.uh....am I allowed to post link?
I don't think so. I got modded earlier =_=. It's a TotA.... I mean a ToS violation.
Damn, when I saw Saorin come to the door at the beg of the chapter, I thought that would be her chance to get closer to Shuu or something, esp since she was once part of the "Stay home!" club. It was nice for everyone else to want to come and see how Shuu was doing, but where was Yoshino? Is that all she can do, send a letter? I was kinda disappointed in her.
I'm feeling sorry for Maho now. Before, i thought it was amusing that she was angry because the girl Shuu looked better than her. Shedding some light on her feelings a bit, I can understand why she doesn't like Shuu[in a sense]. Maybe she just feels lonely and is jealous that Shuu has so many people around him despite his hobbies that she takes it out on him. Poor Maho :sad:.
I'm not surprised that Shuu's getting bullied. Actually, as cliche' as it is, I expected it so long ago, now it's more like 'It's about time!' more than anything. I don't know why, but Sarashina has been having this air of maturity about her IMO since she and Shuu talked together. I feel like she's doing exactly what Yoshino SHOULD be doing; supporting his decision and being by his side for those first steps to school. Then again, Yoshino supporting him would make it cliche, thereby inferring that she would 'love' Shuu because she's protecting him, therefore, in actuality, it's better this way.
I wonder how Yoshino's gonna take getting confessed to? Well, that kid is pretty ugly, so she should just brush him off. I HIGHLY doubt it, but it'll be upsetting if she ended up going out with him just to get away from some unnoticeable lingering feelings she might have for Shuu.
These chapters were shorter than I thought they were going to be.
I still have no real feelings for Maho. Sure, she may be embarrassed but he's going through far worse...and sadly, she wouldn't even stick up for him in school either (that whole "family sticks together" mantra is apparently lost on her) so it's probably best at home doing what she does best: sulk and blame him for things that are beyond his control (i.e. him having a lot of friends that support him). If she weren't such an ass to her own friends, they might have come to support her. She told them not to bother and they didn't. What did she expect? Doi's true colours have finally shown through. Part of me is a bit brassed at Shuu for being so damned gullible and not having any ability to know when people are taking advantage of him. His desperation to find someone who understands and validates him is making him a target of the bullies and straight-up a$$holes (see jerk boy who is trying everything he can to get Chiba to notice him and fails miserably every time. I have to say, I like how Chiba handles him. I thought she was going to knock his block off for being an twit to Shuu).
Sarashina is still cool but totally nuts in my book. She seems like one of the few that would take on the whole school for Shuu. And Mako...his hilarious way of viewing things and supporting Shuu always makes me laugh.
Sol Falling
2009-04-11, 00:17
Sorry, I disappeared for a while. Am waiting for the next chapters, but I'll do some late replies for now.
I, upon first instant impressions, thought that the fact that Saorin warmed up to Yoshino so easily was because she was simply into people who crossdress, as I half-heartedly stated earlier (http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=2258876#post2258876). Perhaps being persuaded by Sol, I've come to think about how Saorin might be looking for someone who has the potential to be cut off from everyone else. Once Sasa began to hang out with everyone, more particularly with Sarashina, Saorin stopped hanging out with her. Originally, she(supposedly) hated Yoshino, but now knowing that Yoshino wont be hanging out with Shuu, she perhaps sees this as a chance to have a deeper relationship of her own that is on a different level than with everyone else; a relationship that only belongs to her.
This was pretty much in line with my own thinking, but right now I'm a bit stumped. Although Saorin and Yoshino used to hang out together, we haven't seen anything since the karaoke (or, more accurately I suppose, since Shuu went to school dressed as a girl). Actually, the latest events seem to have shifted quite a lot of things: for one, if Anna isn't visiting Maho because Maho asked her not to, then she probably hasn't seen Shuu for a while either. I dunno if this could be counted as an opportunity for Chiba (since at the very least, the push for exclusivity in her interactions with Shuu has disappeared), but she does seem to have focused her attention on him again.
Well, to summarize my new thoughts on Saorin and Yoshino. After finding out about Anna, I think Saorin to a degree avoided Shuu. Takatsuki made a conscious decision to do so as well, so maybe the foundation of their closer relationship was the absence of Shuu. Their meeting at the karaoke bar sorta resolved all of that though (for Chiba, by coming to terms with Shuu seeing someone else and finally having a chance to speak with him; for Takatsuki, recieving permission to 'go out' with Shuu again), so they've sort of lost their reason for sticking together. As a result, Takatsuki actually seems pretty lonely right now, 'cause everyone's busy supporting Shuu while she can only struggle with her admiration/envy (or whatever it is that's preventing her from seeing him directly).
I don't know I would go so far as to say there was yuri involved...just a simple, typical crush on someone that she admires on some level and probably wants to emulate. I don't know about you but, as a young teenager, there were several girls I had a crush on, not necessarily for pure romantic feelings but for their "aura", for lack of a better word. They were cool, competent, intelligent and had their head together. I think this might be something that Takatsuki may feel for Chiba, in some way.
Hmm, well I've laid out my interpretation of Chiba and Takatsuki's connection above ('cause it honestly doesn't seem that strong to me) but I'll admit that Takatsuki admiring Chiba (on some level) seems plausible. :P Not to get on your case though or anything, but if you can even describe Chiba like that (from Takatsuki's perspective, at least), why do you dislike her?
I'll also clarify your implicit question there in that I'm a guy. :P Sorry if the avatar is misleading.
Damn, when I saw Saorin come to the door at the beg of the chapter, I thought that would be her chance to get closer to Shuu or something, esp since she was once part of the "Stay home!" club. It was nice for everyone else to want to come and see how Shuu was doing, but where was Yoshino? Is that all she can do, send a letter? I was kinda disappointed in her.
I'm feeling sorry for Maho now. Before, i thought it was amusing that she was angry because the girl Shuu looked better than her. Shedding some light on her feelings a bit, I can understand why she doesn't like Shuu[in a sense]. Maybe she just feels lonely and is jealous that Shuu has so many people around him despite his hobbies that she takes it out on him. Poor Maho :sad:.
I'm not surprised that Shuu's getting bullied. Actually, as cliche' as it is, I expected it so long ago, now it's more like 'It's about time!' more than anything. I don't know why, but Sarashina has been having this air of maturity about her IMO since she and Shuu talked together. I feel like she's doing exactly what Yoshino SHOULD be doing; supporting his decision and being by his side for those first steps to school. Then again, Yoshino supporting him would make it cliche, thereby inferring that she would 'love' Shuu because she's protecting him, therefore, in actuality, it's better this way.
I wonder how Yoshino's gonna take getting confessed to? Well, that kid is pretty ugly, so she should just brush him off. I HIGHLY doubt it, but it'll be upsetting if she ended up going out with him just to get away from some unnoticeable lingering feelings she might have for Shuu.
With regards to Maho, I wouldn't really say I feel sorry for her but I do understand her. She's just struggling with the idea that she's not a good person. Being jealous, pushing her friends away, when indeed she realizes that Shuu is going through tougher times than her and that she's really been a bit of a drama queen. Shuu gathering up the courage to go back to school before Maho because of his friends, when Maho was the one who told her friends not to come in the first place, must make her feel pretty dumb.
As for Yoshino not supporting Shuu, I think part of it has to do with them being (as far as wanting to be a boy/girl) in the same situation. Yoshino's shown a bit of cowardice with regards to being ostracized by her peers, and thus her staying back makes sense when you consider that her crossdressing is already somewhat known. If she were to stand up for Shuu as blatantly as Sarashina, that would open her up full blast for the kind of treatment he is getting. This actually almost feels like the exchange diary all over again, except with Yoshino feeling bad about it from the beginning (well, given the letter I'm just assuming. My interpretation is basically 'You're amazing for having the courage to do this' --> 'I'm not amazing' --> 'I'm too scared to stand together with you' ).
Speaking of 'protecting' though, I was just rereading today (result of making this post, heh) and do you guys remember that Yoshino used to be pretty violent? She slammed some kid's nose into his desk (after they fought because he teased her about her period). Haven't really noticed that kind of stuff lately.
These chapters were shorter than I thought they were going to be.
I still have no real feelings for Maho. Sure, she may be embarrassed but he's going through far worse...and sadly, she wouldn't even stick up for him in school either (that whole "family sticks together" mantra is apparently lost on her) so it's probably best at home doing what she does best: sulk and blame him for things that are beyond his control (i.e. him having a lot of friends that support him). If she weren't such an ass to her own friends, they might have come to support her. She told them not to bother and they didn't. What did she expect? Doi's true colours have finally shown through. Part of me is a bit brassed at Shuu for being so damned gullible and not having any ability to know when people are taking advantage of him. His desperation to find someone who understands and validates him is making him a target of the bullies and straight-up a$$holes (see jerk boy who is trying everything he can to get Chiba to notice him and fails miserably every time. I have to say, I like how Chiba handles him. I thought she was going to knock his block off for being an twit to Shuu).
Sarashina is still cool but totally nuts in my book. She seems like one of the few that would take on the whole school for Shuu. And Mako...his hilarious way of viewing things and supporting Shuu always makes me laugh.
Bringing up Shuu's gullibility is interesting. I was just talking, above, about how Takatsuki admired Shuu for coming out with being a crossdresser but from with his gullibility in minde it might not be courage but rather just a naivete about the world.
Also, speaking of assholes, you've already brought up 'jerk boy' (lol I can't even remember his name, guess that'll have to do) but Momoko (Sarashina's friend) is also pretty annoying. I dunno why, but they give off a similar vibe for me. Something about how they don't really care what Chiba/Chi-chan think but act clingy around them for their own reasons.
Sorry, I disappeared for a while. Am waiting for the next chapters, but I'll do some late replies for now.
No worries. I'm sure that we all have RL jobs, school and such that keep us from enjoying our guilty pleasures :D
Actually, the latest events seem to have shifted quite a lot of things: for one, if Anna isn't visiting Maho because Maho asked her not to, then she probably hasn't seen Shuu for a while either.
That may or may not be true. I didn't think that Anna told Maho ALL of the times that she and Shuu went shopping together or had lunch together, so they still might have seen each other at random times.
I dunno if this could be counted as an opportunity for Chiba (since at the very least, the push for exclusivity in her interactions with Shuu has disappeared), but she does seem to have focused her attention on him again.
The only thing I can think of is that she decided to limit her interactions with Shuu based on his having a "girlfriend"....out of respect for him and his other relationship that she didn't know very much about (this is just speculation on my part but it seems logical enough to me)
As a result, Takatsuki actually seems pretty lonely right now, 'cause everyone's busy supporting Shuu while she can only struggle with her admiration/envy (or whatever it is that's preventing her from seeing him directly).
*nods* This makes sense to me...but she's never been one to really seek out others to ask questions or validate her feelings. Shuu does this unconsciously mostly because he is so curious and, IMHO, very naive.
Hmm, well I've laid out my interpretation of Chiba and Takatsuki's connection above ('cause it honestly doesn't seem that strong to me) but I'll admit that Takatsuki admiring Chiba (on some level) seems plausible. :P Not to get on your case though or anything, but if you can even describe Chiba like that (from Takatsuki's perspective, at least), why do you dislike her?
LOL! That's ok. I dislike her mostly her attitude still grates on my nerves. I can where Yoshino would admire her distant, cool demeanor and her intelligence but the other aspects of Chiba's personality, in my personal opinion, are too self-centered for my tastes (though not uncommon since she is still a teen, after all).
I'll also clarify your implicit question there in that I'm a guy. :P Sorry if the avatar is misleading.
No clarification was necessary. I already knew that you were male. ;)
With regards to Maho, I wouldn't really say I feel sorry for her but I do understand her. She's just struggling with the idea that she's not a good person. Being jealous, pushing her friends away, when indeed she realizes that Shuu is going through tougher times than her and that she's really been a bit of a drama queen. Shuu gathering up the courage to go back to school before Maho because of his friends, when Maho was the one who told her friends not to come in the first place, must make her feel pretty dumb.
I like this observation and definitely agree with it. Plus it gave me a bit of a giggle :heh:
As for Yoshino not supporting Shuu, I think part of it has to do with them being (as far as wanting to be a boy/girl) in the same situation. Yoshino's shown a bit of cowardice with regards to being ostracized by her peers, and thus her staying back makes sense when you consider that her crossdressing is already somewhat known. If she were to stand up for Shuu as blatantly as Sarashina, that would open her up full blast for the kind of treatment he is getting. This actually almost feels like the exchange diary all over again, except with Yoshino feeling bad about it from the beginning (well, given the letter I'm just assuming. My interpretation is basically 'You're amazing for having the courage to do this' --> 'I'm not amazing' --> 'I'm too scared to stand together with you' ).
Hmm indeed. I hadn't really thought to examine Yoshino's tendencies when it came to her own crossdressing but you're correct. She really does have a hard time standing up for herself in the face of possible consequences. Shuu has unwittingly opened this can of worms because he's been relatively insulated by the support of his "harem" (I hesitate to use this word but since Mako did, with hilarious results, then I will too :D) I kept hoping that, as time went on, she'd be able to draw some strength and stability from the friends around her, like Shuu seems to have. Alas, that hope was in vain, at least for the time being.
Speaking of 'protecting' though, I was just rereading today (result of making this post, heh) and do you guys remember that Yoshino used to be pretty violent? She slammed some kid's nose into his desk (after they fought because he teased her about her period). Haven't really noticed that kind of stuff lately.
*ponders* You're right. It seems like she's fallen back into reacting more "like a girl" than like the boy she wants to become.
Bringing up Shuu's gullibility is interesting. I was just talking, above, about how Takatsuki admired Shuu for coming out with being a crossdresser but from with his gullibility in mind it might not be courage but rather just a naivete about the world.
It could be a little of both. He seems to be a little desperate sometimes (i.e. immediately trying to connect with Chiba's "jerk boy" and Doi, that evil little twerp).
Also, speaking of assholes, you've already brought up 'jerk boy' (lol I can't even remember his name, guess that'll have to do) but Momoko (Sarashina's friend) is also pretty annoying. I dunno why, but they give off a similar vibe for me. Something about how they don't really care what Chiba/Chi-chan think but act clingy around them for their own reasons.
Agreed. I really loathe both of them. These last few chapters have done nothing to endear Momoka to me. I keep wanting Sarashina to tell her about herself and drop her like a hot rock. But she seems to realise that Momoka is that kind of person and may even pity her to the point that she lets M. hang around her for that reason alone.
edited to add: Finally got jerk-boy's name in Chapter 71....Fumiya-kun...and he's still an asshole. -_- But Shuu is driving me NUTS! I wish he would stop trusting everyone so much.
Bad wolf
2009-06-17, 00:52
Wait, why did the new scanlator delete all his uploads?
Anyone know?
Wait, why did the new scanlator delete all his uploads?
Anyone know?
Hmmm....I see all of the uploads still. Which site are you referring to? The anonymous translator may simply be consolidating to a particular place.
Bad wolf
2009-06-27, 23:31
Hmmm....I see all of the uploads still. Which site are you referring to? The anonymous translator may simply be consolidating to a particular place.
ok yeah, I looked and they're back. But they were gone before....I dunno what happened.
Sorry, stupid post was stupid. D;
Dang, these were some amazing discussions, it's been so long and i've been busy(i.e. lazy :p) to post anything.
Sol Falling
2009-07-27, 04:19
The lack of updates is the main problem, but I also couldn't really think of anything to say about these two recent chapters. Iunno. I guess I'm pretty excited about the next one though, which I presume will be Shuu/Chiba/Yoshino's date.
Ah, everyone types so very much.
I wish I wasn't dumb, so I could read it. xD
But, I wonder what the ending couple would be.. I don't want a Yoshuu. >u<;
Hm, I doubt this'd happen, but I hope Yoshino and Chiba end up together, and Shuu and Anna.
Or maybe even Kanako and Yoshino. X'D Or Shuu and Chizuru. :'D
-continues to read-
Diedrupo
2009-09-15, 22:02
just finished reading chapter 77, some thoughts
ugh is the mangaka trying to push Doi as a possible love interest for Shuu? I'm going to be disappointed if Shuu ends up with him, Doi is just a really annoying character, and antagonist as far as I'm concerned. Even if Doi appears to be questioning his own sexuality by developing a crush on Shuu, I really don't think Shuu is interested in reciprocating.
Also, despite Shuu's gender identity issues, I don't think he'd just flat out become interested in boys like that. Doi should just go after Mako-chan or something.
Again, i gotta say those were some interesting discussions, i just don't get tired of reading them :).just finished reading chapter 77, some thoughts
ugh is the mangaka trying to push Doi as a possible love interest for Shuu? I'm going to be disappointed if Shuu ends up with him, Doi is just a really annoying character, and antagonist as far as I'm concerned. Even if Doi appears to be questioning his own sexuality by developing a crush on Shuu, I really don't think Shuu is interested in reciprocating.
Also, despite Shuu's gender identity issues, I don't think he'd just flat out become interested in boys like that. Doi should just go after Mako-chan or something.
I agree, Doi is f***ing annoying >=d[. He acts like there's something wrong with it while he's in class, but when they're all alone, he says he wants to see it. That is PURE HYPOCRISY!!! I give kudos to the mangaka for making his sorry butt useful in getting him to dress as a girl at school(I wouldn't call it encouragement... maybe selfishness?), but he still is an obnoxious character nonetheless. I also got a faint impression that Doi had a little thing for Sasa, but that's probably because that's the kind of thing that happens in lame, cliche' manga, and they've been butting heads about Shuu recently.
I am glad that the bullying has seemed to stop. With the gender-swapping play idea(AGAIN? this is the 3rd time, :heh: lol), seems being given the role of director has gotten everyone to forget about what he did, at least, in his class. It actually feels like they've changed their tune completely and now currently respect him or something, but that might just seem like that due to the mangaka's style to 'jump around'.
And I highly doubt Shuu is into boys or ever will be, he simply likes to dress up and look like a girl. He hasn't expressed any 'like' toward a guy, and has already shown that he likes various girls(Yoshino, Anna, Saorin).
And these chapters need more Sarashina :(.
hahahahahaha!!! I SERIOUSLY laughed my ass off when Shuu told Doi that he hated him, then Doi started tearing up and his mouth started puckering up. Man I have to say that was GREAT :D! I don't quite understand why Shuu felt bad though. He did the right thing. I'm also a bit surprised that Mako actually found Shuu attractive enough to say that he likes him 'in that way'. Well, I think his 'loves' are kinda impulsive more than some long, drawn out understanding of love, so i'm sure things wont be TOO awkward when he talks to Shuu, if they're awkward for anytime at all.
The Rumblefish
2009-10-22, 00:42
Chapter 78:
I think Shimura's intention is to show that Shû is getting more and more conscious and depressed about his puberty, and angry at the whole school situation. That is why she hints he is hating himself as much as he hates Doi. Doi seems like a very interesting, complex character.
Not so surprised about Mako's feelings, given that he openly mentioned before that he felt attraction for men. The target of his affection is not only a cute guy but also the closest person to him in many ways. I am actually more surprised that he went to Yoshino to discuss this issue.
I never intervened on this topic before but I love Takako Shimura's works, especially this manga. It's very tough to have to wait around a month per update.
Chapter 78:
I think Shimura's intention is to show that Shû is getting more and more conscious and depressed about his puberty, and angry at the whole school situation. That is why she hints he is hating himself as much as he hates Doi. Doi seems like a very interesting, complex character.
Maybe it's just because I don't like the guy, but he's not interesting at all, at least, in comparison to the other chars(except Sasha and Momo). To me, Doi seems like he likes these guys when they're dressed up like girls, but is too much of a coward to say so in front of his peers, which is why he acts like such an asshole and selfish. Ok, it's too harsh to call him a coward, but his complete hypocrisy on the subject is totally unacceptable! It makes him annoying more than anything. Now if he were to slightly change because of Shuu's words, it would indeed be interesting as to how he would change.
Not so surprised about Mako's feelings, given that he openly mentioned before that he felt attraction for men. The target of his affection is not only a cute guy but also the closest person to him in many ways. I am actually more surprised that he went to Yoshino to discuss this issue.
Well, I think she's experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations of a confesser/confessee relationship, I'd say that's the best person to turn to, esp since they've been kinda close recently.
The Rumblefish
2009-10-22, 16:38
Well, I certainly don't appreciate Doi, but he strikes me as interesting for a few reasons.
The first is Shimura's ever impressive skill to create what seems like a minor character that will only serve for one peculiar arc, then make the most out of this character throughout the story. From a dramatic standpoint, I thought it was a genius move to make Doi Shû's only familiar face in the new class.
Besides that, I think the character is interesting because he seems to struggle with the mere existences of people like Shû and Hiroyuki, at an age when sexual attraction is usually popping up in ways which you don't control or fully understand yet. The youth element is especially important here, as compared to when an adult bigot falls in love with a girl who happens to be a tranvestite or transexual. Doi is conflicted between his instincts (he is attracted to two beautiful women) and the moral and social conventions he has been brought up with, which make up for his inexperience of real life. The fact that he is an asshole specifically makes him more complex than a nice guy like Riku (Maho's boyfriend), for example.
A good story needs interesting bad guys. I think the two bullies have proven to be much more interesting than in most mangas and more subtle/useful characters than I would have ever imagined.
Well, I think she's experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations of a confesser/confessee relationship
Good point; I had not thought of that.
A good story needs interesting bad guys. I think the two bullies have proven to be much more interesting than in most mangas and more subtle/useful characters than I would have ever imagined.
I totally agree with you. I used to hate their guts, Doi and that other guy, back in 6th grade and the whole diary incident, but now, I'm actually interested in what's going to happen with them.
I really love Hourou Musuko, it's very refreshing to follow up young kids and their troubles. Also, the author's style of subtlity and "jumping around" is amazing! I' m used to 10 pages of characters exchaning looks and flash backs and all over one conversation. But here, days passes by withing few panels. :heh:
Also, I like how realistic it is. Not the cross dressing part (not here anyway LOL), but the interaction between the characters.
*siiighs*... It brings back school memories. :o
The Rumblefish
2009-11-17, 05:54
The newest chapter is "out there".
I thought the final page of last month was an excuse to switch back to Yoshino, but we stick with Shû and Doi's complex relationship. Doi remains as interesting as ever. I have no idea how intentional it is but it becomes harder and harder to distinguish Shû from his sister.
I also thought the conversation betwen Maho and Seya was a bit hard to follow because of the strange framing. It took me a few readthroughs to fully understand who was talking at which point.
Griffith
2009-11-30, 22:34
So I just sat down and read all 79 currently available chapters today, and I was just blown away. I've never been so engrossed in a manga to read so many chapters in one day like this before. The wait for chapter 80 is going to kill me now. :(
The Rumblefish
2009-12-01, 17:00
I am glad someone else gave this manga a chance. Please spread the praise around you !
Each new chapter usually arrives slightly after the 15th of the month.
GOSHDAMMIT how does Shimura-sensei DO IT?!?!? Managing to take such an annoying char, and turn him good in just the contents of a single chapter. I gotta admit, she had me grinning ear to ear on this one. As you said Rumble, I guess there WAS more to him than I thought, though that still didn't make him any more likable before now. Kinda makes me think that this entire time, Doi was either jealous and/or unsure how to deal with someone like Shuu(their personalities are different) which eventually led to him being a 'bully' toward him.
On some side note, i always thought Shuu was good at writing stories, so i'm kinda disappointed that it could be made better by their[the students] standards.
The Rumblefish
2009-12-19, 09:40
Chapter 80 is out.
- It's nice to get a little more focus on Yoshino because she has been in the shadow of Shû for a while now.
- As expected, it is now very likely that Shû has a crush for Doi.
- The professor sure seems like an important character for the story arc to come.
- Is it me or is that church boy / "fake" crossdresser slowly disappearing from the story?
I'd love to say more but work and New Mario Wii are melting my brain.
Although it took me forever to get past Volume 1, I raced through the rest of the chapters and I'm really enjoying the story. My favourite scene is when Yoshino has a dream where she thinks everyone's laughing at her before realising that they were all laughing at Shu instead and that his problems just might dwarf her own. Beautifully done and that whole chapter stayed in my mind for a long time.
I do wish the pace was just a bit faster though. The plot's picked up but it's still meandering around and I wonder what sort of resolution Takako Shimura has in mind. Will she show Yoshino and Shu as adults where their challenges will only get inevitably harder or will she reach some sort of touching resolution before then? Will they conform to the expectations of society or will they officially decide to become trans-sexuals?
Or will she take a different route? The last few chapters seem to hint at a path that lies between these 2 poles but then Shimura has so far really confounded my expectations which makes me all the more interested in following this subtle, nuanced story to the very end.
The Rumblefish
2010-01-15, 07:17
I am always glad to see another person enjoy this series.
The next chapter will come out in a few hours / days.
Will she show Yoshino and Shu as adults where their challenges will only get inevitably harder or will she reach some sort of touching resolution before then?
I think she will end the series at graduation and hint at how they decide their future (unless she goes for some out-of-left-field idea like a double suicide pact or something).
John Smith
2010-01-20, 21:33
Anna :D! I wasn't expecting that. I thought she would fall into obscurity. Hope she bumps into Shuu.
Love Maho's reaction to Seya cross-dressing. On the other hand, this stealing Seya from Maho (given their shaky relationship entirely possible) has been bounced by the author on more than one occasion, somethings gotta give. Poor Shuu would probably get caught in the crossfire.
Looks like Shuu and Mako have gotten over the awkwardness, about time.
Sasa 'likes' (probably too strong a word) Boy A (Sasaki who? He is actually mentioned in v04 p106 funnily enough). Completely unexpected, I'm just glad it isn't Shuu. Though a new love triangle appears I had forgotten Chiba was so popular this really hits the fact home.
Jerk-boy also makes a return. Cross-dressing too. Huh, maybe he likes it. I really don't know anymore.
More hinting for Doi x Shuu. Well I guess it was inevitable that he would experiment in that direction sooner or later. I'll be terribly surprised if it doesn't happen. I think both are almost over the denial stage at this point (or almost over at least).
The Rumblefish
2010-01-22, 07:34
Very interesting chapter, featuring a lot of characters I had not expected to re-appear. It's funny because I was so caught up in the Doi / Mako events that I had not realized the bunkasai was such a great opportunity to gather so many pivotal characters in one spot simultaneously. Even though this was obviously where Shimura was going all along. Quite exciting!
I am especially interested in seeing how the dark-haired bully developped. He seemed at least as complex as Doi. Given what we last saw of him before he "disappeared", I am convinced he became a rather nice and mature teenager. It is also quite well-played that the target of his affection is Saorin because, unlike him, she seems to have matured rather poorly. Furthermore, given her nature, she probably won't forgive him for his past actions. It will make for an interesting interaction.
Yeah, I liked the way the last chapter brought all the characters together too. It feels like there are 2 plays taking place: one on the drama stage and a larger one with the school itself as the setting and all the main characters of the manga involved. I'll be interesting to see if the 2 plays converge. Shimura often uses her stage dramas to make some subtle comment on the state of the characters in the story (especially in Aoi Hana).
One thing that surprises me is that while Shu received a lot of flak and teasing for cross-dressing at school, his classmates blithely continue with a cross-dressing theme for their play. You'd think they would be much more sensitive and shy away from the whole topic after the way they reacted to Shu's behaviour.
John Smith
2010-02-26, 10:17
Probably intentional but Shuu looks more and more like a guy, at least imo.
My ship has life (well there's some hope at least). This chapter was all about Anna and Shuu's relationship and giving it some closure. They clearly still have feelings for each other and now they understand each other a bit more. If they do get back together it'll be more like a romantic relationship and less like one between siblings.
Takatsuki really seems to be touched by the play. Chiba notices. Her attention seems to have changed from Shuu to Takatsuki.
Is Shuu trying to sound more feminine? (Or maybe he's just doesn't like the fact he sounds more masculine). That's what I'm getting from the scene in any case
Hagimorpey
2010-03-01, 06:33
Yet another reference to one of Shimura's previous works. I wonder if we'll get a crossover with Love Buzz or Aoi Hana at some point.
Takatsuki really seems to be touched by the play. Chiba notices. Her attention seems to have changed from Shuu to Takatsuki.
Chiba probably wrote the line, too. In any case, she still cares a lot about them.
Is Shuu trying to sound more feminine?
I think that's just his voice breaking.
It's also interesting to note that from Anna's point of view he didn't appear all that girly.
ANN (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-03-06/wandering-son-by-aoi-hana-shimura-listed-in-amazon): The Amazon online retailer is listing the first book of Takako Shimura's Wandering Son as a December 22 release from Fantagraphics Books in the United States. Amazon's listings do not necessarily indicate definite release plans or dates.
Interesting! I'm crossing my fingers waiting for an actual announcement to confirm this but if this is true I'm buying. But December is so far away...!
The Rumblefish
2010-03-07, 10:23
Interesting that someone is giving this manga a try in the struggling US market.
I know Aoi Hana is published in some European countries (France and Italy, I believe?) but I believe HM is still exclusive to its home market.
Regarding the most recent chapter (#82), I also found Chibi's interaction with Takatsuki very interesting.
Hagimorpey
2010-03-07, 12:26
Great news, but I'm surprised that it's published by Fantagraphics of all people. I mean, HM fits in well with what they usually put out but I think their only foray into manga territory was one volume of Tori Miki's silent strips a few years ago.
At least, it'll probably make for a very lavish edition. Plus, somehow, HM might have a better chance of finding an audience with Fantagraphics' target demographic than with the usual manga publishers'.
The Rumblefish
2010-03-07, 19:11
Sorry, I know nothing of the US market: what is so specific about Fantagraphics?
Hagimorpey
2010-03-09, 18:41
they mostly publish less "mainstream" stuff, which would make them editorially speaking somewhat closer to Comic Beam than, say, Viz (although I'm not sure making direct analogies between the US and japanese markets is such a good idea).
edit: Now, it's official (http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Here-Comes-the-Son---Fantagraphics-Starts-a-Manga-Line.html&Itemid=113)
The seinen manga Hourou Musuko will be getting an anime adaptation:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=2953248&postcount=3655
Chap 82 was a nice chapter. Loved the Anna/Shuu moment. Like JS said, it really gave their relationship some closure, also kinda hinting as to why they split up in the first place. I can somewhat see the "manly" qualities Anna was talking about. I think that he's naturally quiet yet speaks his mind(even if he muddles/stutters while saying it) is my fav aspect of him as well.
I was surprised for Anna to say she was shy though. Giving the personality she's shown thus far(sans this chapter), I always thought she was more like a less-temperamental Saorin. Seeing her get embarrassed by Shuu's words, I can see her shyness a little bit, but still it has me wondering whether she's just like that with only the people she "likes".
I did see the empathy Yoshino expressed when she was watching the play. It was really a perfect reflection of what her situation was. There's still a small part of me that's sad that Saorin's attention has been shifted from Shuu to Yoshino(being that I was(and still am) a big Saorin/Shuu fan), but I suppose Saorin's straightforward personality is more suited to be with Yoshino than Shuu. That probably works the other way around as well. The seinen manga Hourou Musuko will be getting an anime adaptation:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=2953248&postcount=3655
Hell ****ing YES! I really think this should have gotten animated before Aoi Hana, esp since it has more chapters(and I think it's more interesting). If it gets 2 seasons, I think that'd be enough material to reach the end of the 1st year of middle school. They would definitely have to make it well into the 1st year of middle school, since at the end of their primary school, everyone was kinda in disarray and split up(specifically Shuu, Chiba, and Yoshino, who were the major characters in those arcs).
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