(L) Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai - Manga Discussion

[BlueDo]

New chapter is out by Maigo Scans.
It feels very rushed. If I didn't read ahead in the novels, it would've been a bit hard to follow.

Originally Posted by Lime soda

I'm guessing its the first impressions based on the novel illustrations that made this a eye catcher. I would probably be suckered into buying this based on the cover/pictures.

Originally Posted by Falkor

I'm guessing here that the eye-pleasing character designs + the delicious artwork/covers may have helped to boost the popularity of this series. how many of you were convinced to read the manga after looking at the color pages and the nice-looking artwork? that's usually what first catches the eye of a potential reader;

Heh. I wish there were some other major reasons.
It's inevitable. Appearance counts for a lot.

Which is ironic.
If all the girls really did look that pretty, they wouldn't have problems making friends.
Sure, they may have terrible personalities, but that still shouldn't leave them friendless.

Originally Posted by Lime soda

Romance isn't in the tag but I'm hoping there's something between them developing at least.

Originally Posted by stuopidget

Maybe a couple more chapters and someone might add that tag since this is the manga topic afterall if you get what I mean =D.

Personally, I really hope there won't be romance until much later on.
In most cases, the "romance" element just feel rushed, cliched, and overall undeveloped.
My qualm with it just derives from being disappointed with how other manga set them up and ruin it.

After all, this is a novel/story about making friends, not exactly boy-girl relationships.
They first have to friends before getting to that part.
Though, chances are that the club will remain with those 7 members, and none of them will ever make friends. Haha...

Originally Posted by Falkor

I have to say that the premise is an interesting one that really works. Having "friendless" characters befriend other "friendless" characters, who then try to do interesting activities among themselves certainly ensues that something unique and enjoyable is about to happen. I think that's where the manga/light novel shines: in the activities the characters try to perform, and the different interactions that may be created as result.

It does seem the originality counts for a lot in its appeal.
Looking forward to how the author continues the story.

[Doraneko]

Regarding why the novel has become a hit, IMO it is attributable to the clever and humorous writing of Hirasaka, with random parodies of and references to eroge, moe, 2ch and other otaku stuff. On top of that, the abundance of blue jokes and dirty talks make it a truly "light" novel that anyone can pick up, immediately be immersed and have a good laugh.

Btw since this is the Manga & Light Novels forum, wouldn't it be a good idea to find some way to indicate on the thread title that this is for manga discussion only?

[Xacual]

Originally Posted by Doraneko

Btw since this is the Manga & Light Novels forum, wouldn't it be a good idea to find some way to indicate on the thread title that this is for manga discussion only?

Unless I missed it, it's in the first post of the topic. Maybe not the same as the title but most people read the first posts.

[Falkor]

chapter 03

rather than making fun of him, the two girls should be proud of the fact that he at least is not playing a female character. =D (his "new" look couldn't be so funny and different at the same time).

again, gotta love those two girls arguing and fighting with each other, even when they play a game and happen to be in the same team. it's funny how they never got to work together as allies, choosing instead to exact revenge should the slightest opportunity appear before their eyes, only to have things escalate a few steps at a time.

it's also ironic how they act and behave like very good "friends", even though they don't want to admit it. I think the animosity (and they way they express it) is what makes this and past chapters so enjoyable to read.

Originally Posted by BlueDo

It feels very rushed. If I didn't read ahead in the novels, it would've been a bit hard to follow.

I don't think this chapter was particularly rushed. it got the funny parts of the story together with most of the jokes. while the novel may have contained more detail and information with regards to the same event, I believe this chapter is actually pretty straight forward in what is set to do: a funny and entertaining situation in what is supposed to be an opportunity to create camaraderie among its "friendless" members.

[Bonta Kun]

LOL Sena is now atm at the forefront of fav character of this great little series.
She did the the one thing I always do when ever I can, chop down a companion in the back
Whether it be a FPS, MMORPG, whatever, everyone at least once will backstab just for the sake of it and I just love the way Sena did, right off the bat
Plus her staying up all weekened to play the game makes me like her even more, totally reminds me of times when I used to do that.

The girls downward spirl into chaos was pretty funny, think I've had that a few times when playing some games but more in the spirit of lolz, even if we would be swearing at each other

looking forward to more of this, hope we get a new member next chapter.

[BlueDo]

Chapter 4 is out.
Hahaha, it's hilarious.
Kodaka gets jealous of the MC for having a friend already.
Yozora and Sena are as socially incompetent as ever.
And... Nagata Yukiko?

Also, do we have the special announcement that came with vol.1 release?

[Falkor]

chapter 04

makes you wonder, what kind of game can they actually play together?
"Sena is so hard to pronounce" (I remember saying similar lines to my friends... lol)
it's funny how Sena and Yozora arrive to the same conclusion. :P
"I believed in you Yukiko" <--- lol

[Mizuno]

There's no doubt in my mind that this series will find its way to television eventually.

[Sai Feng]

Well chapter 5 introduces a cute trap...I mean new member who greatly admires Kodaka for the wrong reasons It's hard to say no to that face.

[frubam]

OMG, the trap is pretty good, even I was falling for him , and I don't usually fall for traps =02. Kodaka said he was losing rep, but he had to actually be gaining it; I mean, he had Yozu and Sena, two girls who are pretty much loners, following him around. That'd boost just about anyones rep .

[Xacual]

Well Sena isn't a complete loner, all the guys worship her, she just doesn't have any female friends which is what she wants.

I don't really like the trap character yet. I've really grown tired of the whole weak character that wants to serve main character type, and I don't see anything other than the fact that he is a trap to differentiate him.

[Bonta Kun]

OH SH**!

You know in that prologue chapter I thought it was a girl, thought Kodaka was the only guy in the club but damn did not see that coming!

Altho I love my traps, Sena is still my favorite character here, she's just so full of herself it's weirdly refreshing.
Btw as of ch 5 it's come to my attention that Kodaka, Sena and Yozura are way more entertaining than any of the gang from Haruhi.

oh and as I've said over in the Asobi ni Iku Yo thread, there was posters of this series in the ep 4, which makes me hope and beleive that a anime will come for this series!

So I wonder when Taser-chan and Imouto-chan will show up, looking forward to them

[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by BlueDo

Also, do we have the special announcement that came with vol.1 release?

A bunch of light novel related translations and news came out at the end of last month (lol and Starcraft 2) I totally forgot to check back on this, but apparently the supposed major announcement is that the series finally got its own homepage (orz I know, but ...) that has a pretty hilarious front page and flash intro (awesome beach picture from the LN). I remain hopeful this will get an adaptation eventually.

Originally Posted by Bonta Kun

So I wonder when Taser-chan and Imouto-chan will show up, looking forward to them

Oh, I missed this. Imouto shows up at chapter 6.

[BlueDo]

HAHAHAHA
When I saw Yukimura's name in the Yaminabe chapter, I thought of Sanada.
And wouldn't have known that he was a boy either if I didn't read the novel.

I'm guessing that someone would later force him to wear a maid outfit, eh?
Even though he was tricked into the club, he pretty much also fits under the category of "having no friends."

[frubam]

Totally unrelated, but I just read Mukuchi na Bakemono wa Yoru ni Naku tonight. It reminded me of this a lot(that's not to say they are the same, mind you), with the whole "main char getting avoided" theme. It's only a 46 page one-shot, and I know I'm just posting this initially on me being hyped or whatever, but i'd say check it out. It's too bad that it was only a one-shot .

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by frubam

Totally unrelated, but I just read Mukuchi na Bakemono wa Yoru ni Naku tonight.

Are you shadowing me?

Spoiler for off topic:

Ironically enough the girl there also reminds me of a darker version of...Prunus Girl. Huh.

That aside though I think the one-shot is rather amateurish. It has a great concept to start with, but the handling is rushed and it feels overly "cool" and "edgy." Had it slowed down, make the paneling and perspectives clearer, and allow both the main character and the reader time to reflect on the revelations, it would have been much, much better. As it is I feel "lost" as it fails to keep proper track of the story's chronological time (or alternatively, make it a point that it's going to ignore it).

Moreover, the main character still feels like a shell of what he was intended to be. Is he a high-functioning, good-hearted individual who merely puts on a mask he was expected to wear? Or is he in despair (zetsuboushita!) and seeking escape? Is he bored to death, or traumatized, or even content in his position? He acts chill, apathetic, but we all know it's a mask. Yet what is he actually feeling throughout the story? Why did he act diplomatically to the other girl during the climax? Why did he take the main girl's offering hand and what are the implications? The author needed to clarify that more.

That said, if it means it's going to get serialized and do a much better job overall as the authors improve, hey go for it. The concept's great and they can pull it anywhere.

Man I feel like I'm talking about someone's story in a creative writing workshop.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Ire

Are you shadowing me?

Spoiler for off topic:

Ironically enough the girl there also reminds me of a darker version of...Prunus Girl. Huh.

That aside though I think the one-shot is rather amateurish. It has a great concept to start with, but the handling is rushed and it feels overly "cool" and "edgy." Had it slowed down, make the paneling and perspectives clearer, and allow both the main character and the reader time to reflect on the revelations, it would have been much, much better. As it is I feel "lost" as it fails to keep proper track of the story's chronological time (or alternatively, make it a point that it's going to ignore it).

Moreover, the main character still feels like a shell of what he was intended to be. Is he a high-functioning, good-hearted individual who merely puts on a mask he was expected to wear? Or is he in despair (zetsuboushita!) and seeking escape? Is he bored to death, or traumatized, or even content in his position? He acts chill, apathetic, but we all know it's a mask. Yet what is he actually feeling throughout the story? Why did he act diplomatically to the other girl during the climax? Why did he take the main girl's offering hand and what are the implications? The author needed to clarify that more.

That said, if it means it's going to get serialized and do a much better job overall as the authors improve, hey go for it. The concept's great and they can pull it anywhere.

Man I feel like I'm talking about someone's story in a creative writing workshop.

I know not what you mean

Spoiler for still off-topic:

Lol, I can see her being like Aizawa, they do have similar personalities, plus that whole "I am as you see me as" bit she was saying. For me, she reminded like Tasogare's Yuuko, minus the sexyness, least at first, but now I see she is WAYY more like Aizawa than Yuuko.

I only read it once yesterday, but yeah, after re-reading it, I suppose I was just giddy from those minor factors that made me enjoy this(the main char's "cool" attitude, the main female's playful? attitude, and the 3rd girl's actions near the end). The story was pretty much everywhere, and didn't really focus on a particular point, nor was it really coherent. It's not like I turned my brain on for this, but the flaws are definitely obvious. You posed some good questions, which has me even further thinking about what's wrong. Even if it got serialized, I would have no idea where it could go; it's pretty open like you said, a monster story, maybe romance/harem, maybe just a "normal" supernatural story(which I think would be best).

Looking at it now it seems the elements that are actually like this(Boku wa Tosuki I mean) are just the main char getting ignored, and the two girls disliking each other at the end. Ah well, at least I enjoyed reading it.

[kemal_1915]

I have followed Hirasaka-san's novel a long time and I have a collection of his work at home
The essence of Hirasaka-san's novel is sarcasm and mockery, but not moe and fan-service
He made fun of otaku culture (mainly, like the previous chapter in this manga, galgame, monster hunter...) and the whole world (some of his early works)
Because of the cruel reality (the sales of his early works are not good), he compromised and added more moe elements.
This work is the result - a little mockery and a lot of moe.
The sales result proved that this is the right choice.
The novel is not as crazy as his early work. Still, I like it.

By the way, the title of this book is called "I have few friend" but we, the novel readers, always refer it as "I have few friend but I have a harem"

[Falkor]

chapter 05

"Drink this while it's still warm, Kodaka" <-- oh I think this is the reason why I like Yozora more than Sena. she will make Kodaka feel bad in ways she and only she can do---pure evil at its best. it's also ironic that the one who is saying this to him is the same person that has conversations with an imaginary air friend.

I wouldn't mind a cute underling. ~fufufufu

Sena and Yozora were having so much fun in this chapter at the expense of Kodaka. :P

Originally Posted by Bonta Kun

oh and as I've said over in the Asobi ni Iku Yo thread, there was posters of this series in the ep 4, which makes me hope and beleive that a anime will come for this series!

I read your post and went back to check the episode myself. didn't see it the first time around, so it took me a while to find it, but yes, there it is. There was also a poster of PuiPui and some others whose pictures I recognized, but whose titles I never learned.

[Mizuno]

Hm, if you guys like traps, check out Himitsu no Akuma-chan. There's a really dangerous trap right there.

Don't think it's scanlated yet though.