Ore no Imouto - Light Novel & Manga Discussion Thread

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

The fact that it was a ring was also pretty darn important, since it recounts their first date in Akiba (when he didn't buy the ring), their "engagement" a year later (when he did buy the ring from the first year), and now she's asking him for a ring again. Kyousuke definitely understood the message she was sending and was responding in kind.

I also like this interpretation. This also shows that Kyousuke, after always saying he doesn't understand what Kirino's thinking, has finally gained that understanding. As for why Kirino then gets tsundere again, well, she didn't expect him to retaliate immediately in that surrounding.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by SigUp

As for why Kirino then gets tsundere again, well, she didn't expect him to retaliate immediately in that surrounding.

Well, yeah: he stole her initiative. The last thing she wants is to lose control because then her emotions (her love for him) could take over, and she's well-aware of the risk of screwing things up. This was her solution so they could stay together forever, after all. So she immediately has to react harshly, rebuke him, and regain control of the situation -- even though that doesn't mean she wasn't happy about it. By this point in time, he absolutely knows her well enough to follow her lead anyway, because if there's one thing he can be absolutely sure about it's that she still loves him, and now she's reassured that he still feels the same way. That was his reason for doing it, after all.

[Wilshere]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

The fact that it was a ring was also pretty darn important, since it recounts their first date in Akiba (when he didn't buy the ring), their "engagement" a year later (when he did buy the ring from the first year), and now she's asking him for a ring again. Kyousuke definitely understood the message she was sending and was responding in kind.

This interpretation does make the most sense and its really fitting. Gutted it was not included in the anime but happy for them as a result. She can ''never'' be honest with herself and that's what makes her special.

[protheus]

I'm very please with the endings in both the novel and the anime, despite the limitations to not cross the red line of incest ending officially admitted.
For me the ending is they live together, but can't say forever since it's a pair of teenagers, barely stepping into the world of feelings, although I hope it is. There are too many points showing how deep their love for each other is, just to give it up after a few days of happy dating and a fake marriage (not in their eyes), because the world wouldn't agree with them. Their "Life counseling" continues!

[Sakuratsuki]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

The fact that it was a ring was also pretty darn important, since it recounts their first date in Akiba (when he didn't buy the ring), their "engagement" a year later (when he did buy the ring from the first year), and now she's asking him for a ring again. Kyousuke definitely understood the message she was sending and was responding in kind.

I also think this interpretation makes the most logical sense. Because there are 'hints' in the story that can't be ignored easily.

[ZedX]

This was a good read, thanks
Bit late and the party may already be over but I Just signed up to say that...

Usually stories don't make me think so much. This one only really did because it included similar to experiences I've been through. Except (to my knowledge) there was no incest.

Anyway the arguments in this thread all have their merits, I found I could agree with opposite interpretations.

In my case, despite the Author stating 100% Kirino intention, I enjoyed thinking about the possibilities after based on the actual writing regardless.

Some examples:

• The siblings relationship stays mutual and they remain otherwise secret/single.
• They needed to hit rock bottom/top of the peak before they could rise out of the ashes / get back to reality. - So they carried out their wishes, only then could they really move forward in new chapters in their lives.
• <insert favorite char name here> would forgive having their hearts torn out. Kinda like how Kyousuke did once receiving an explanation after he got rejected. (Although this does feel like grabbing at straws, we have seen it before, people can still hold on to hopes for a lifetime and people can change their minds even after originally believing wholeheartedly themselves they had made a final decision with no turning back)

Well, I kinda wish I could find the 10 year after mini story, haven't found it. Just nice to have something that shows not all friendships was lost over these events. As insignificant and otherwise vague as it may be.

I'm probably making no sense. I wonder why I'm even trying to analyze fictional characters, guess its fun?

Anyway I enjoyed reading through some of the pages on these forums, just really wanted to drop by to let/remind the posters here know~

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by ZedX

Well, I kinda wish I could find the 10 year after mini story, haven't found it. Just nice to have something that shows not all friendships was lost over these events. As insignificant and otherwise vague as it may be.

This story focuses on Kuroneko's two younger sisters meeting with Kirino, and doesn't really say much about anyone else -- although it certainly stands to reason that Kirino and Kuroneko are still friends too.

The only "friendship" that I really see being lost at the end of the day was the friendship with Manami, and even that may heal at some point years later (when they can all look back and laugh). I don't think that Ayase will stop being friends with Kirino by any means, and we know that the "Otaku Girls Unite" club is still meeting. So it really wasn't "scorched earth" as much as it may have seemed at first glance.

[lyngriz]

Pretty much seems like the new member of"otaku girl unite" is Ayase for me.In the story with the stalker she was caught buying a figurine for her.

The only "friendship" that I really see being lost at the end of the day was the friendship with Manami,

Why did you put friendship in quote here? It was quite obvious that all the stuff Manami did to make Kyou fall for her was so he would not be with Kirino .She said it herself that everything began when she learned Kirino was in loved with her brother.Plus it s not that she s against their relationship but more like she wants Kyou to be happy and knows that there will be a lot a trouble awaiting them ahead and thinks it s bettter if they broke up.
She s exactly what Kyousuke said "the best friend".She never was in love with Kyousuke so there s a near no chance that their relationship is lost.

Moving on, I m kind of disappointed learning the content of "10 years later".I was hopping to learn a bit more about Kiri x Kyou future relationship ...

[Preciize]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

This story focuses on Kuroneko's two younger sisters meeting with Kirino, and doesn't really say much about anyone else -- although it certainly stands to reason that Kirino and Kuroneko are still friends too.

The only "friendship" that I really see being lost at the end of the day was the friendship with Manami, and even that may heal at some point years later (when they can all look back and laugh). I don't think that Ayase will stop being friends with Kirino by any means, and we know that the "Otaku Girls Unite" club is still meeting. So it really wasn't "scorched earth" as much as it may have seemed at first glance.

So it doesn't say anything about Kyousuke and Kirino's future? I wish the author actually gave us some details I personally hate open endings >.<

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Preciize

So it doesn't say anything about Kyousuke and Kirino's future? I wish the author actually gave us some details I personally hate open endings >.<

It's not an open ending, they ended the series in a de facto relationship


But yeah i understand what you means. I just need 2 pages of manga or 20 seconds of anime to make it right:

6 years later, we will see adult Kirino wearing apron chopping up vegetables in the kitchen. Then she hear the front door noise, walked out, see Kyousuke coming back from work. Then she smile, walk up, give him a 'welcome home' kiss on the lip. Done. Finished. We will be all happy about the ending

[Preciize]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

It's not an open ending, they ended the series in a de facto relationship


But yeah i understand what you means. I just need 2 pages of manga or 20 seconds of anime to make it right:

6 years later, we will see adult Kirino wearing apron chopping up vegetables in the kitchen. Then she hear the front door noise, walked out, see Kyousuke coming back from work. Then she smile, walk up, give him a 'welcome home' kiss on the lip. Done. Finished. We will be all happy about the ending

Exactly! I personally interpret the ending as they continue their forbidden relationship in secret but still ...

I know the author, who wanted a true incest ending, was pressured by the publisher and public to make Oreimo end the way it did but I'd still like to see some closure of them in the future

[jandkas]

Darn Publisher ruining the integrity of stories. If only the author could draw his own illustrations and just go post on twitter a illustration of what RisingStar said.

[Wilshere]

I liked the mini-drama CD of Volume 3 of the BDs. What mainly caught my attention is that they have put the Kyousuke-Akagi conversation in Volume 7(where Akagi hides in Sena's closet) and towards the end, they reveal what Kirino had said to Ria about Kyousuke(that part was actually cute). Also liked the interaction between the siblings in this one. Loved Ayase's reaction when she misunderstood that Kirino and Kyousuke still bath together

[protheus]

Originally Posted by jandkas

Darn Publisher ruining the integrity of stories. If only the author could draw his own illustrations and just go post on twitter a illustration of what RisingStar said.

I prefer seeing new works from the author getting published, instead of a concrete ending to one series.

[the-crocodile]

Originally Posted by jandkas

Darn Publisher ruining the integrity of stories. If only the author could draw his own illustrations and just go post on twitter a illustration of what RisingStar said.

well it wasn't only the publisher, two month before the release of the last novel in japan was approved a law that banned some content in manga and anime wich aren't +18 (if i remember right oreimo it's +16). But even with this "implicit" ending it's pretty obvious that they continued their relationship (when kyosuke kiss kirino she run off but was smiling because was happy of that and she talk about " life counseling when we get home" and life counseling about what? ) i wanted too a more "explicit" ending but even this it's okay. Maybe the author can make a sequel with new element maybe some disturb elements for kirino and kyosuke (the new member of the Otaku Girl United?) Or take something from the psp game like the fact that kyosuke it's kirino cousin or the episode when kirino lost her memory and she forget about her otaku hobbies and the friend that she made in the last years technically the author can do it, he's the one who wrote the kirino route for the psp game (and he stated that want to expand oreimo story so i will hope forever for a sequel and if it's necessary make it +18)

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by the-crocodile

well it wasn't only the publisher, two month before the release of the last novel in japan was approved a law that banned some content in manga and anime wich aren't +18 (if i remember right oreimo it's +16).

Well, that law was never actually passed, and even then it wouldn't have affected novels (which were exempt)... but, even still, I suppose you could say there's a bit of a tough political culture in some circles, and the publisher has their own editorial policy. Kirino had also become a bit of a mascot for the Dengeki brand, so there's probably a bit of a limit to just how much controversy they wanted to attract for an all-ages work.

But honestly, although much has been made about the author's comments that a more explicit ending isn't possible in Dengeki Bunko, I don't take that so much to mean that the author ever had some other ending in mind and editorial told him "no". But he, like Kirino and Kyousuke, have to try to conform to the rules imposed on him, even if it's only on the surface and his true feelings run deeper. There's a nice parallelism going on there in the way the ending was written and the author's own mindset when writing it.

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

So it really wasn't "scorched earth" as much as it may have seemed at first glance.

I never expected it to be as harsh as Kyousuke thought it would be. My feeling was that Kyousuke was getting a bit removed from reality in noticing human resilience with relationships. I suppose both his living an "average" life and all the life counselling he did screwed his perspective.

[relentlessflame]

Sorry for the delayed approval here (just noticed this post now).

Originally Posted by lyngriz

Pretty much seems like the new member of"otaku girl unite" is Ayase for me.In the story with the stalker she was caught buying a figurine for her.

I actually was thinking of this earlier today. It would be completely consistent with the story for Ayase to be the new recruit given her newfound friendship with Kuroneko (and the suggestion that she would join), and would actually be a very good way to tie everything together at the end of the story. In that sense, I'm a bit surprised that they didn't actually show this (or further hint towards it) as it would have tied up one extra loose end. But, by the same token, I think that takes the emphasis off of what they were trying to hint about Kirino and Kyousuke in the Epilogue, and could instead send a message that "the battle for Kyousuke's heart is back on; Round 2"... and I think that isn't the point the author intended for the last volume on the whole.

The story ended in a pretty delicate way, all things considered.

Originally Posted by lyngriz

Why did you put friendship in quote here? It was quite obvious that all the stuff Manami did to make Kyou fall for her was so he would not be with Kirino .She said it herself that everything began when she learned Kirino was in loved with her brother.Plus it s not that she s against their relationship but more like she wants Kyou to be happy and knows that there will be a lot a trouble awaiting them ahead and thinks it s bettter if they broke up.
She s exactly what Kyousuke said "the best friend".She never was in love with Kyousuke so there s a near no chance that their relationship is lost.

This is an interesting argument, but I'm just not so sure that I can totally agree. Manami certainly showed plenty of signs that she wanted Kyousuke to notice her as a potential love interest, and this was even before she had any idea that Kyousuke was on the road to patching things up with Kirino. The reason why Kirino had to provoke Manami was to get her to reveal her deepset emotional reason for her grudge, and that wasn't simply about it being "wrong". And Kyousuke's comment at the end of the fight was that this was the end of both of their first loves, right after Kyousuke rejected her confession and said that he chose Kirino instead. (She phrased it as a hypothetical, but the tears in her eyes weren't just for show or because a "good friend" was about to do something he shouldn't do.)

I think that if Manami and Kyousuke are going to repair their friendship, I think it'll take some time. For now, I think he needs to give her some space. I think he'd also want to consider Kirino's feelings as well; I don't think he wants to send the mixed-message that he's getting it on again with her main romantic rival when he just spent so much effort to close all those doors.

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

I never expected it to be as harsh as Kyousuke thought it would be. My feeling was that Kyousuke was getting a bit removed from reality in noticing human resilience with relationships. I suppose both his living an "average" life and all the life counselling he did screwed his perspective.

I think that Kyousuke's main objective was to try to make it as clear as humanly possible to everyone what his choice was so there wouldn't be any more misunderstandings. This is why I sort of like the book's intimation that he had to summon his "Super Kyousuke" persona to build up his resistance to the emotional damage he knew he was going to cause by making that choice. In that state of mind, it was a bit "damn the consequences"... which is hurtful, but in his view ultimately less hurtful than the status quo. Having gone through all that, I imagine that part of him thinks that he doesn't deserve their friendships... but because admitting his own feelings was such a realization to him, I think he neglected to consider that other people (like Kuroneko) had him figured out long before he did. It was still a shock but, once they got over it, it wasn't actually that surprising other than that they were both actually admitting it.

So yeah, rationally speaking I think Kyousuke could have expected this wouldn't be the end of all friendships... but his suddenly-admitted feelings didn't seem rational to him at that time.

[type-R!]

One thing I liked keeping track of in the novels was how Kyousuke started resembling Kirino in her stubbornness and tsundere attitude. Just count the number of times he says 'I'm not doing it for her sake but for mine' or 'Just to be clear I hate my little sister' right before throwing himself into the fire for her sake. I also like how at several times he managed to stop short of saying that he is starting to truly care for her and simply interrupts that thought and continues with whaterver is going on

By the way, maybe it is just me but I find a scene in chapter 3 of volume 6 very endearing: when they visit Saori for the first time, and while at her door, Saori (which they didn't recognize) surprises and scares them with a rifle she was carrying (they did think she was serious and got genuinely scared). She then points it at Kirino while jokingly saying she will shoot at her face, and Kyousuke immediately jumps in front of Kirino to use his body as a shield, while poor Kuroneko was left standing alone .
Of course some would say that he did so out of pure instinct (even Kyousuke himself says so), or that had he already been dating Kuroneko by that time, he might have done something else. But nonetheless, I find this scene as a nice extra in Kyousuke's feelings for Kirino.

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by type-R!

One thing I liked keeping track of in the novels was how Kyousuke started resembling Kirino in her stubbornness and tsundere attitude. Just count the number of times he says 'I'm not doing it for her sake but for mine' or 'Just to be clear I hate my little sister' right before throwing himself into the fire for her sake. I also like how at several times he managed to stop short of saying that he is starting to truly care for her and simply interrupts that thought and continues with whaterver is going on

By the way, maybe it is just me but I find a scene in chapter 3 of volume 6 very endearing: when they visit Saori for the first time, and while at her door, Saori (which they didn't recognize) surprises and scares them with a rifle she was carrying (they did think she was serious and got genuinely scared). She then points it at Kirino while jokingly saying she will shoot at her face, and Kyousuke immediately jumps in front of Kirino to use his body as a shield, while poor Kuroneko was left standing alone .
Of course some would say that he did so out of pure instinct (even Kyousuke himself says so), or that had he already been dating Kuroneko by that time, he might have done something else. But nonetheless, I find this scene as a nice extra in Kyousuke's feelings for Kirino.

Yeah, the siblings are more alike than they realize.
As for the second point, I always had the feeling that Kyousuke was not head over heels in love with Kuroneko. Of course he was smitten by her interest in him and a little bit high with the prospect of a first girlfriend. But I found it quite telling that he had to contemplate going out with her for quite some time and kind of needed Kirino's push to get him over the top. That isn't to say that he had no feelings for her, but they were developed more through their interaction afterwards, rather than than him falling for her before.