Good Ending (GE)

[aliasxn]

Originally Posted by cloak_and_dagger

Does anyone see this manga even hitting 100 chapters?

When the big secret is revealed it usually means we're close to the end. Unless Utsumi develops super-powers and starts fighting crime, soon there won't be much to talk about.

I wouldn't mind reading a nice 10~15 chapters of him doing silly couple stuff with Yuki, though. Most mangas lack a good epilogue, IMO.

[ZODDGUTS]

I say I'll come close to the end once Tohru shows up again. We'll likely see/hear he's side of the story told to Yuki, some drama ensues when we find out that Tohru wasn't entirely the bad guy, she forgives him for whatever part he may have played in that incident. Leading to Yuki to choose either Utsumi or get back together with Tohru. Yuki chooses Utsumi thus finally moving on from her past. The End.

[lightbringer]

Originally Posted by cloak_and_dagger

What would both of you say to, upon the introduction of Touru, that he turns out to be a long lost relative of Utsumi's? Probably overkill; I don't think it'd stand a good chance to prolong the manga. I can't think of any other devices that'd make things more interesting while reading past the resolution of the Touru situation, unless it takes a page out of the KNIM book and adds in meddling relatives.

If that cheap ploy was true, he would have recognized him back at the festival, wouldn't he have? I think they've met there already. Right now new drama probably will come from Utsumi working at that photo atelier and getting too close to the girl assistant there, making Yuki display her insane jealousy yet again and making Utsumi run around in circles yet again.

Originally Posted by aliasxn

I wouldn't mind reading a nice 10~15 chapters of him doing silly couple stuff with Yuki, though. Most mangas lack a good epilogue, IMO.

True, the endings are often short and lacking even for mangas that end naturally without getting the axe early on. And this genre in particular is susceptible to the "cheap drama - x year separation (study abroad, w/e, no mail or phone of course) - reunion in tears and joy" kind of ending.

[Mughi]

I can see a reconciliation between Yuki and Touru, creating a situation where we end up with the classic love triangle. Touru comes to plead innocence and old flames are reheated between Yuki and he, leaving Utsumi in the lurch once again.

For his part, having finally had a taste of love, Utsumi doesn't give up like the wimp he once was and works to sway Yuki back to his side. Only once Yuki realizes that being with Touru is bad old news for her and she comes to terms with his actions, will she move on to Utsumi, who will have been following her initial directions from the early chapters to properly woo her.

100 chapters. Bang!

[cloak_and_dagger]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

If that cheap ploy was true, he would have recognized him back at the festival, wouldn't he have? I think they've met there already.

Not saying it isn't a cheap ploy, but next time you may want to look back at the chapters before you shoot it down. Utsumi didn't even see the guy.

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Right now new drama probably will come from Utsumi working at that photo atelier and getting too close to the girl assistant there, making Yuki display her insane jealousy yet again and making Utsumi run around in circles yet again.

True, the endings are often short and lacking even for mangas that end naturally without getting the axe early on. And this genre in particular is susceptible to the "cheap drama - x year separation (study abroad, w/e, no mail or phone of course) - reunion in tears and joy" kind of ending.

I agree with everything you say here. I guess Utsumi still has to realise a goal.

[Key Board]

The main character is a textbook beta male

[Haru~]

Originally Posted by Key Board

The main character is a textbook beta male

This. Typical /a/. He has some alpha moments though. It's just Yuki is a tough one to deal with.

[Darknemo2000]

Originally Posted by Mughi

For his part, having finally had a taste of love, Utsumi doesn't give up like the wimp he once was...

He still is actually.

[Mughi]

Originally Posted by Darknemo2000

He still is actually.

Relatively speaking, no. He's stepping up.

[Darknemo2000]

Originally Posted by Mughi

Relatively speaking, no. He's stepping up.

Doesn't seem so to me. Shows some good moments and then again same hesitation, wimpy doubts etc.

He is better at social relationships, particularly with the girls though, but doesn't seem like he has enough balls left for anything else.

[Rainrir]

The only beta males here, are the ones who actually buy the idea of a beta male. Who the hell peddled all this stupid ideas of alpha and beta males in human relaionships anyway? Oh yeah, probably guys who can't look beyond themselves when something goes wrong or when they can't get the girl.

If there is an alpha male, I suppose he is Yuki's dad huh?

[lightbringer]

Originally Posted by cloak_and_dagger

Not saying it isn't a cheap ploy, but next time you may want to look back at the chapters before you shoot it down. Utsumi didn't even see the guy.

Touché. In my defense, Utsumi really makes me not want to re-read even a single chapter of this manga, and it's been a while since I read it initially . Gomen.

[cloak_and_dagger]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Touché. In my defense, Utsumi really makes me not want to re-read even a single chapter of this manga, and it's been a while since I read it initially . Gomen.

Hahaha, no worries. I can empathise with you there . I was re-reading it because the drawings are quite good, and I could learn a thing or two about expressing emotions without words in my drawings.

[Rainrir]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Touché. In my defense, Utsumi really makes me not want to re-read even a single chapter of this manga, and it's been a while since I read it initially . Gomen.

Character growth happens and had happened.

[lightbringer]

Originally Posted by Rainrir

Character growth happens and had happened.

Sure. The protagonist went from "so pathetic I can't stand him" to "generally unlikeable".

[n0c0ntr0l]

Originally Posted by Rainrir

The only beta males here, are the ones who actually buy the idea of a beta male. Who the hell peddled all this stupid ideas of alpha and beta males in human relaionships anyway? Oh yeah, probably guys who can't look beyond themselves when something goes wrong or when they can't get the girl.

If there is an alpha male, I suppose he is Yuki's dad huh?

I've seen soooooo much evidence for the difference between the two its unreal.

I'll show you the difference. I have one friend who is very good looking. He's funny as hell too and just a REALLY nice guy. Now at first the guy just seems to pull girls towards him. Like they all flock to him. But they never stay. So one day we sat down and had a chat over a bottle of whisky. So he proceeds to tell me about all his relationships. He was always telling me about how well he treated the girl. How he went out of his way to make the girls happy. I just let him talk. And it was clear, with no malice in him he had just let the girls do what they want, stamping all over him and his feelings. So when he was done talking I just said one simple sentence. "When someone sucks up to you and treats you like you are better than you what do you think?". The look on his face was priceless. Like his world has just been smashed into pieces.

So he stopped being so nice. He started doing stuff only cause he wanted to. He did stuff on his terms 95% of the time. And you know what. His current girlfriend and him have the most stable relationship. He loves his current girlfriend, she loves him and this is the first girl that doesn't treat him like crap.

[Rainrir]

That's not a beta male, that is someone who is overeager to please, to the point where it gets on the nerves of targets of his affection. That kind of behavoir makes one look insecure. Regardless, perhaps the girl is not the type for him, nor were they that into him. Factors can be multiple and complex. Insecure or not, along with other compatibility traits, is too complex to be simplified into a alpha/beta labels. I have friends who are overeager to please too, and their girls like them because they are the way they are (along with being genuinely fine people).

Being genuinely nice, being nice to get into someone's pants and being a pushover are distinct categories. This is something most people seem to be unable to put their heads around.

[Waven]

Point is that you can't apply the terms alpha/beta male to human beings. They refer specifically to animals only so if you don't want to reduce the story's characters to their natural drives and biological traits (or whatever you call that) you might want to refrain from using terms that could come right out of social darwinism.

You might call me a nitpicker here but I like to think that I'm already out of the cave

[n0c0ntr0l]

Originally Posted by Waven

Point is that you can't apply the terms alpha/beta male to human beings. They refer specifically to animals only so if you don't want to reduce the story's characters to their natural drives and biological traits (or whatever you call that) you might want to refrain from using terms that could come right out of social darwinism.

You might call me a nitpicker here but I like to think that I'm already out of the cave

Since when did human beings stop being animals. Our courtship process looks a lot similar to most animals if I am honest.

[jzmagic]

Originally Posted by Mughi

I can see a reconciliation between Yuki and Touru, creating a situation where we end up with the classic love triangle. Touru comes to plead innocence and old flames are reheated between Yuki and he, leaving Utsumi in the lurch once again.

For his part, having finally had a taste of love, Utsumi doesn't give up like the wimp he once was and works to sway Yuki back to his side. Only once Yuki realizes that being with Touru is bad old news for her and she comes to terms with his actions, will she move on to Utsumi, who will have been following her initial directions from the early chapters to properly woo her.

100 chapters. Bang!

I see the reconciliation too, but I see Yuki ending up with Touru in the end. Think of that Freddie Prinze Jr. movie She's all that. It starts with some bet but Touru catches feelings in the end and it was real.

I really think Utsumi will get with Shou or Risa.