Kimi no Iru Machi (A Town Where You Live)

[SoFarGone]

With Haruto being responsible I'm sure Eba's dad will accept him as her boyfriend.

[solomon]

Originally Posted by Shinn Kamiyra

No need to get heated. 'Tis why I mentioned that that was just a bit of a rant on my part, nothing more.

To be fair however, even Suzuka had more progress to speak of at this point.

FEEEEL MY AWESOME RAGE THROUGH ALL CAPS RRRAAARGGHHH!!!

I wasn't heated in the least pal. I'm just saying it's textbook.

Also, I may be stepping right in the line of fire of the firing squad but I have to ask.....

Why does everyone hate Haruto so much? I mean he seems a little wishy washy but compared to a lot of other manga protags, he is MUCH more tolerable. Not sniveling or quivering in the sight of a woman for example.

He tried hard to get Eba and he did, it was bumpy sure but isn't that life?

I do agree though that it's really crazy how all these shonen romance mags tiptoe around sex when they know that the RL is TOTALLY different. And this runs in Shonen Magazine which is not the young One Piece crowd, I'm sure they know about the birds and the bees.

[DragoZERO]

Originally Posted by Freeter

Looks like your radar needs work

I was hoping no one would remember that, haha. I've revise my statement and say she is done with Haruto and will remain as a comic relief now.

Originally Posted by SoFarGone

With Haruto being responsible I'm sure Eba's dad will accept him as her boyfriend.

I think so too, especially since he's a super late bloomer and dense as a shonen romance lead.

[HayashiTakara]

Originally Posted by solomon

FEEEEL MY AWESOME RAGE THROUGH ALL CAPS RRRAAARGGHHH!!!

I wasn't heated in the least pal. I'm just saying it's textbook.

Also, I may be stepping right in the line of fire of the firing squad but I have to ask.....

Why does everyone hate Haruto so much? I mean he seems a little wishy washy but compared to a lot of other manga protags, he is MUCH more tolerable. Not sniveling or quivering in the sight of a woman for example.

He tried hard to get Eba and he did, it was bumpy sure but isn't that life?

I do agree though that it's really crazy how all these shonen romance mags tiptoe around sex when they know that the RL is TOTALLY different. And this runs in Shonen Magazine which is not the young One Piece crowd, I'm sure they know about the birds and the bees.

The problem is, is that before he was a bit more forth coming with his desires, like the kiss at the trainstation before the breakup. But now he's acting like his dick fell off and has regressed in sexual maturity.

[Excorsism]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Now that I think about it, why aren't there any doujins on any of Seo's works? This should have been an easy rule 34.

Based on the nature of Seo's works, I'm afraid only NTR would pop up, . I get the feeling I wouldn't mind reading it though, .

[solomon]

I don't like NTR but don't mind it here either as long as it's not out and out rape.

Cause for crying out loud SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE!

[Ricky Controversy]

Maybe Seo will shock us all by having Haruto develop a brain and a spine and throw himself on Asuka's mercy, get rejected as a lover but have his apology accepted, and then he can escape Eba and lead an actual life. That'd be satisfying enough to turn my whole perception of the manga around. Well, at least rotate it 90 degrees.

[solomon]

Why don't you think he's leading a life? That's a little harsh.

[Johnny]

I think some expect Haruto to shoot fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse...

[Ricky Controversy]

Originally Posted by solomon

Why don't you think he's leading a life? That's a little harsh.

Ever since Eba entered his life, he has allowed himself to be defined by her; at first in the context of her apparent neediness. She took him very much for granted, and the closest she ever came to actually expressing gratitude in any meaningful way was admitting that she needed him around. That is the basis of their entire relationship, both as awkward acquaintances and as lovers.

Haruto is in the grips of a kind of Stockholm Syndrome. He is so used to this girl just overturning everything in a hurricane of selfish decisions that he doesn't really know what to do anymore but let himself be swept along. Granted, it's not all Eba's fault: since page one, chapter one, Haruto has been a spineless loser with no motivation; the appeal in the plot, for me, was the hope of him really growing up in that regard and taking up becoming a chef as a real life-goal. The closest thing to a proactive decision he ever made was moving to Tokyo to chase Eba, but that wasn't really a proactive decision, he was being swept along by her at full force by that time.

He couldn't approach Nanami without Eba pushing him, he dilly-dallied with Asuka after she took the initiative and made a half-ass commitment to her when he did finally take the plunge. He at no point took control of the contrived 'omg teh awkwardz' situation with Shiori, and most of all, he is cripplingly unable to deny Eba anything.

He has nothing to call his own, and ruined his chance with one of the two actually decent girls in the manga for a girl who really adds nothing to his life. The only appeal of a girl like Eba is a misogynistic "well, she really needs me, how charming," feeling.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

Maybe Seo will shock us all by having Haruto develop a brain and a spine and throw himself on Asuka's mercy, get rejected as a lover but have his apology accepted, and then he can escape Eba and lead an actual life. That'd be satisfying enough to turn my whole perception of the manga around. Well, at least rotate it 90 degrees.

No thanks. If Asuka is going to stay as passive as she was with Haruto, I'd rather not see her again.

[Ricky Controversy]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

No thanks. If Asuka is going to stay as passive as she was with Haruto, I'd rather not see her again.

Passive? She was the initiator in that relationship, by and large. What she was was understand and forgiving--far more than Haruto deserved? certainly--and interested in having an actual, functional relationship with the guy. Anyone who is annoyed at she and Haruto having a stagnant relationship needs to take it up with Haruto, who prevented the relationship from going forward, rather than Asuka, who kept opting to be patient and work things out.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

Passive? She was the initiator in that relationship, by and large. What she was was understand and forgiving--far more than Haruto deserved? certainly--and interested in having an actual, functional relationship with the guy. Anyone who is annoyed at she and Haruto having a stagnant relationship needs to take it up with Haruto, who prevented the relationship from going forward, rather than Asuka, who kept opting to be patient and work things out.

Yeah, bailing out on a trip to Okinawa that they planned weeks in advance and falling asleep when they were about to do it are totally great initiatives.

[vansonbee]

@Ricky Controversy. You really put some effort into analyzing this dysfunctional story.

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Yeah, bailing out on a trip to Okinawa that they planned weeks in advance and falling asleep when they were about to do it are totally great initiatives.

No need to be shady toward his reply. Asuka has a reason on canceling the trip and Haruto could of woken her up or do it next time.

[Ricky Controversy]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Yeah, bailing out on a trip to Okinawa that they planned weeks in advance

Which she brought up the idea of in the first place...

and falling asleep when they were about to do it are totally great initiatives.

Yes, especially since she took his off-handed little "look at how spontaneous I can force myself to be" dare and offered to go through with it even as he started to back down. She offered herself to him and kept trying to get a mood going...and Haruto kept fouling it up.

So no, there's actually no blame on her. Oh, and let's also remember that Asuka confessed her feelings to Haruto first, getting the ball rolling in the first place. She also prompted the first attempt at a kiss and then followed through with the first actual kiss.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

Which she brought up the idea of in the first place...

Which Haruto then worked to fund their trip, only for Asuka to cancel it on short notice. Asuka could have asked Haruto to come with her if both of them really were set on the "I'm fine anywhere as long as I'm with you" line, but instead she sent him to Hiroshima. This is an initiative she did not follow through on.

If she is as active as you claim she is, then I would think she could at least pull Haruto along as well as Rin does, if not Yuzuki. Rin was able to get more out of Haruto than Asuka ever did.

This isn't some character driven flaw that you can exclusively pin on Haruto. Seo made everything about the AsukaxHaruto pairing grind to a halt from all sides. Asuka was better at pushing Haruto towards Yuzuki than she was at pulling him to herself.

[Ricky Controversy]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Which Haruto then worked to fund their trip, only for Asuka to cancel it on short notice. Asuka could have asked Haruto to come with her if both of them really were set on the "I'm fine anywhere as long as I'm with you" line, but instead she sent him to Hiroshima. This is an initiative she did not follow through on.

If she is as active as you claim she is, then I would think she could at least pull Haruto along as well as Rin does, if not Yuzuki. Rin was able to get more out of Haruto than Asuka ever did.

This isn't some character driven flaw that you can exclusively pin on Haruto. Seo made everything about the AsukaxHaruto pairing grind to a halt from all sides. Asuka was better at pushing Haruto towards Yuzuki than she was at pulling him to herself.

Actually, what you're describing here is needy, manipulative and domineering. You use the phrase yourself; 'pull Haruto along.' That is what the sisters do; one to screw with him, and the other because she struggles to function without a man to take care of her and essentially treat her like a child. This isn't the sign of a good, healthy relationship. It's the sign of one rife with insecurities, trust issues and bad priorities.

Asuka took initiatives where it was sensible to do so, and allowed Haruto the freedom to make his own choices because she was treating him with trust and respect. It just so happens that Haruto is unreliable enough to be suckered back in by Eba, for reasons I've already described.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

Actually, what you're describing here is needy, manipulative and domineering. You use the phrase yourself; 'pull Haruto along.' That is what the sisters do; one to screw with him, and the other because she struggles to function without a man to take care of her and essentially treat her like a child.

Asuka took initiatives where it was sensible to do so, and allowed Haruto the freedom to make his own choices because she was treating him with trust and respect. It just so happens that Haruto is unreliable enough to be suckered back in by Eba, for reasons I've already described.

And what you're describing is an equal relationship that does always work well in practice. Asuka giving Haruto the freedom to make his own choices is nice, but that puts their relationship in a position where both sides have to take an active role to function well. Considering how much of a stationary doormat Haruto is, if Asuka leaves him be, nothing good will happen to their relationship, and as it turns out nothing did.

[Ricky Controversy]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

And what you're describing is an equal relationship that does always work well in practice. Asuka giving Haruto the freedom to make his own choices is nice, but that puts their relationship in a position where both sides have to take an active role to function well. Considering how much of a stationary doormat Haruto is, if Asuka leaves him be, nothing good will happen to their relationship, and as it turns out nothing did.

So you're agreeing with me, then, or are you blaming Asuka for not trying to have enough of a relationship for two people? Having been there and done that, let me tell you that it's a horrible way to live.

Let me be clear. I'm not saying that their relationship would have worked or gone anywhere. What I am saying is that its dissolution is entirely Haruto's fault, and that Asuka is far more qualified to be someone's girlfriend than Eba. Part of Eba's appeal to Haruto is that she enables him to continue being spineless, because she'll always throw herself at him enough to force something out.

But Asuka was and is, still the better person and the better girlfriend.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

So you're agreeing with me, then, or are you blaming Asuka for not trying to have enough of a relationship for two people? Having been there and done that, let me tell you that it's a horrible way to live.

Let me be clear. I'm not saying that their relationship would have worked or gone anywhere. What I am saying is that its dissolution is entirely Haruto's fault, and that Asuka is far more qualified to be someone's girlfriend than Eba. Part of Eba's appeal to Haruto is that she enables him to continue being spineless, because she'll always throw herself at him enough to force something out.

But Asuka was and is, still the better person and the better girlfriend.

I am saying that Asuka, however good of a person she is, is not qualified Haruto's girlfriend at all because it will take someone who will try to have enough of a relationship for two people. She would be the better girlfriend in the case of a normal guy, but she is definitely not the better girlfriend in this series.