Syosetsuka ni Narou Discussion Thread

[Greenish Growth]

So what happened to syosetu's bookmark system?

Did they change the way how they handle them recently? The web novels I'm reading often don't show up as updated now. I don't see any news there mentioning anything. I have to check for my webnovels by hand now like the old days.

I'm probably just doing something wrong.

[Rinvelt]

If you mean the bookmarks page, still working fine for me.
If you mean the notification thingy (or whatever it is) you can have on your homepage, never used it, so don't know.

[Greenish Growth]

Ah okay, thanks. I think I'll just check them manually again because it's something on my end.

I've noticed there's a big decrease in the number of bad childhood friend relationship stories coming out lately so that trend from a year and a half ago is over. Those stories were very similar to each other, but I still found some of them to be fun in a way.

I didn't see very many stories where the childhood friend was tricked into making the wrong decision. That's probably because the author wants the childhood friend to be just straight out bad/wrong so as to have no sympathy (but it be would be more interesting if they weren't obviously in the wrong). Sometimes even if the childhood friend WAS tricked, they ended up doing something else really bad to the main character so the sympathy is negated.

It's hard to find authors trying to do something even a little different from the way things usually go. The road less traveled can be interesting. The author that's doing the nocturne story where the main character is the leader of party in an expulsion story was something different for example. The nocturne main character that became a prince in an otome game where he went after the villainess AND the main heroine was fun. The nocturne short story of the main character that became the otome game villainess and went after the main heroine of the game to everyone's shock was amusing as well.

But it's hard to find those attempts.

I don't see too many sisters/stepsisters reincarnating or isekai with the main character either. Or maybe I just didn't like how the main story summary sounded so I didn't even attempt to start reading them. I only remember seeing about 15 of those types of stories out of hundreds.

Well...there's a good chance they wouldn't put in the summary that the sister/stepsister reincarnated/isekai-ed (possible big spoiler) so I suppose there's that. But even out of all the stories I've read, sisters/stepsisters from the old world rarely show up. It's usually quite amusing when they DO show up.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Greenish Growth

I've noticed there's a big decrease in the number of bad childhood friend relationship stories coming out lately so that trend from a year and a half ago is over. Those stories were very similar to each other, but I still found some of them to be fun in a way.

I didn't see very many stories where the childhood friend was tricked into making the wrong decision. That's probably because the author wants the childhood friend to be just straight out bad/wrong so as to have no sympathy (but it be would be more interesting if they weren't obviously in the wrong). Sometimes even if the childhood friend WAS tricked, they ended up doing something else really bad to the main character so the sympathy is negated.

I'm glad to see this trend dying out.

I always wondered where on Earth it actually started from. Was it people reacting against childhood friends they saw as hindering the plot in other series, like the oft maligned Manami?

[Greenish Growth]

Originally Posted by Endscape

I always wondered where on Earth it actually started from. Was it people reacting against childhood friends they saw as hindering the plot in other series, like the oft maligned Manami?

Manami? Which series is she from?

I suppose me enjoying those bad childhood friend relationship stories is kind of like enjoying NTR stories. Part of the fun is seeing how characters react and suffer from their bad choices or lack of doing anything - even in those highly setup situations.

I suppose watching the bad childhood friends get zamaa (usually) is like expulsion story zamaa so perhaps they came out as an extension of expulsion stories?

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Greenish Growth

Manami? Which series is she from?

She's from Oreimo.

I suppose me enjoying those bad childhood friend relationship stories is kind of like enjoying NTR stories. Part of the fun is seeing how characters react and suffer from their bad choices or lack of doing anything - even in those highly setup situations.

In my case, i can't stand them for the same reason i can't stand hero party expulsion stories; you're just subverting something for no reason at all. There's no added value there.

I suppose watching the bad childhood friends get zamaa (usually) is like expulsion story zamaa so perhaps they came out as an extension of expulsion stories?

Yeah, but stories like those have their roots in wanting to punish ikemen characters right? A lot of these bad childhood friends stories have the childhood friend be super glamorous, so is it about punishing hot girls who aren't into the writer?

[Greenish Growth]

Ah okay. I didn't watch much of Oreimo, but I understand what you're saying.

Originally Posted by Endscape

Yeah, but stories like those have their roots in wanting to punish ikemen characters right? A lot of these bad childhood friends stories have the childhood friend be super glamorous, so is it about punishing hot girls who aren't into the writer?

I'm sure that might be some of it, but personally I like reading the better ones just because it's amusing seeing characters suffer because of their bad, airhead decisions. Sometimes the better ones can generate a great feeling of tension as you read it - that feeling of loss. But I wasn't thinking about anti-Ikeman so much as maybe it's a bit of anti-romantic couple in general. It's like "the main character is having trouble with women just like me and he actually had a chance to pair up with someone. Hahaha, he really screwed up big time. Be miserable like I felt that one time!" Well...backstabbing characters can be fun to read too. Like watching something being trashed. Now most of those kinds of stories aren't very well written and don't generate any tension/angst at all, but the better ones might.

There might be around nine different categories for me in my reading ruined childhood friend relationships. Some of these are really in the same category, but my enjoyment for each type is different so I separate them:

1. Bad or evil childhood friend right from the start ----- These stories I rarely find interesting because the childhood friend is (very likely) irredeemably bad. They (probably) will never change. It's probably only zamaa and only a setup for a new relationship.

2. Completely stupid childhood friend ----- These are not interesting to me either because the childhood friend doesn't have the ability think. They are airheads that don't even know what they're doing. Another setup to just to get someone else.

3. Childhood friends that commit huge mistake(s) ----- Example -they collaborated with the bullies of the main character and then never told the MC about why they did it until years later. It may or may not be too late to salavge the relationship (usually it's too late). The really boneheaded mistakes can be fun to watch try to be resolved - Example - just because the childhood friend wanted to get a reaction from the MC, she tells him she is going to go out with a senpai that confessed to her. He replied "I see, congratulations." Too funny. I think most of my favorites come from this category.

4. Betrayed main character because their hearts were so empty or they got tired of wating for the MC to confess properly so they went with someone else ----- These could be sympathetic or not. It could be mainly the main character's fault too, if they didn't make much of an effort. But at least the childhood friend should end the relationship with the MC instead of continuing to go out with two people at the same time.

5. Abusive tsunderes that can't be honest ----- If they treat the main character badly, I can't blame the MC for not being interested in them. These stories are usually pretty simplistic, but sometimes they're funny depending on how the relatioship was built up. If it's too over-the-top and exagerated it's not interesting.

6. Childhood friend didn't realize they liked the MC before going out with someone else ----- Often the MC didn't even know the childhood friend was going out with someone else until they find out at the same time as everyone else in the school. This is a more understandable mistake by the childhood friend, but the MC's ego is probably too fragile after being embarrassed by the entire school (maybe at 2 or 3 schools) so they'll end up with someone else.

7. Conspiring against the childhood friend into believing something that didn't actually happen (like the MC was cheating) ----- I don't see this very much. This could get nasty, but usually if the childhood friend is considered "good" then they don't get tricked for very long and if the childhood friend is considered "bad" then they become worse and won't end up with the MC anyway.

8. Childhood friend was not a great person, but was still somewhat sympathetic and had some likable traits ----- A traumatic event happened between them and they became estranged. Later, (probably years later) after the former childhood friend finds out the MC is going out with someone else, they turn into an evil, blackmailing, threatening, nasty monster and hangs around in the story for a long time causing major problems ----- I don't like reading about psycho childhood friends so I stop reading when these types show their true face. It's more like a horror story.

9. Childhood friend has a surprise arranged marriage with a bad guy that breaks the relationship ----- Childhood friend is not happy about it, but they feel they have no choice and hope the marriage will at least turn out acceptable. The childhood friend says goodbye to the MC. Or maybe the childhood friend wanted to date the main character before the forced marriage would be after HS graduation and they never told the MC. Main character finds out about it after seeing the two of them together and the childhood friend does a bad job at explaining why the engagement came about.

[sasuke706]

Originally Posted by Greenish Growth

So what happened to syosetu's bookmark system?

Did they change the way how they handle them recently? The web novels I'm reading often don't show up as updated now. I don't see any news there mentioning anything. I have to check for my webnovels by hand now like the old days.

I'm probably just doing something wrong.

You probably hit your notification limit. When you bookmark a web novel, it usually automatically checkmarks 'notify' (更新通知) for the series, but for some reason limits itself to 400. What they have changed fairly recently, however, are the category bookmark limits; these also used to limit themselves to 400 per category. They seemed to have just removed the limit altogether now, rendering the home page 'notify' system completely pointless, as you can just open your bookmarks and get the exact same information albeit at more clicking.

Sadly my bookmarks are a mess already due to the old 400 limit and so many stalled/dropped novels I keep there in hopes of coming back one day despite basically never checking on them because they're not in my main category tab.

In other news, I don't know how many here remember it from years ago, but エイリアン使いの異世界探索侵略譚 has rebooted again.
This makes what, the third time? Haven't read it yet due to this.

[Greenish Growth]

I think I only have 18 bookmarked at syosetu and 60 at nocturne though, but thanks. After not too long I tend to drop web novels from bookmarks when I can't even remember what the story was about anymore and can't remember the characters. I'm less patient with syosetu, but I keep the link in the bottom of my dropped folders and sometimes I recheck the bottom links in the folders. I often get tired of waiting, but the memorable stories I keep bookmarked.

I notice that if you try to bookmark something it goess to a different page now though and the web novels are out of order by update times.

Three times? Geez.

[apr]

Originally Posted by Greenish Growth

I notice that if you try to bookmark something it goess to a different page now though and the web novels are out of order by update times.

Are we talking about https://syosetu.com/favnovelmain/list/ ? There's a sorting order dropdown menu above the listing, which you may have clicked at some point. I have mine set to 新着更新順 to see what's been updated recently.


In other news, I tried to read Earth With Dungeon, but the writing was so bad I had to give up. Kept swapping between first and third person narrative on the same page at random, etc.

[Greenish Growth]

Originally Posted by apr

Are we talking about https://syosetu.com/favnovelmain/list/ ? There's a sorting order dropdown menu above the listing, which you may have clicked at some point. I have mine set to 新着更新順 to see what's been updated recently.

Thanks! It seems like it's working so far. I was using a different page for updates and that page only 40% works now. The nocturne update page I'm using isn't fully working, but at least that one is 85% correct instead of 40%. I'm just going to put all my currently reading links into the same folders over time and check more updated stories more often so I have a backup for their webpage changes.

[apr]

Originally Posted by Greenish Growth

The nocturne update page I'm using isn't fully working, but at least that one is 85% correct instead of 40%.

Not https://syosetu.com/favnovelmain18/list/ for Nocturne?

[Greenish Growth]

Yeah, that seems to work. Thanks.

I notice that's the new page that comes up when I bookmark on Nocturne now.

[Greenish Growth]

Since last time, I realized that not many NTR stories are on Syosetu because they moved to Kakuyomu. There's too much threat of censoring/deletion at Syosetu so they left. But I don't like Kakuyomu's interface because of the frequent lack of chapter numbers to keep track of where I stopped reading.

Does anyone know of any blessing/gift stories that have dark and or chilling scenes to them? For example - like losing blessings because someone's actions or a blessing affecting minds in a bad way? Examples:

1. Gift - Eternal Rainbow anime (near the end) O_o;; That was freaky

2. もう全部俺一人でいいんじゃないか？　～人々にギフトを与える能力に目覚めた俺は、仲間を集めて魔王を倒す のが使命らしいけど、そんなことはどうでもいいので裏切った奴等に復讐していく～

3. 好きだった幼馴染みが剣姫になって出ていったら、王都でイケメン騎士を捕まえて帰って来たので 一人旅に出る

4. まともな加護をもらえなかったけど気にしなかったら色々変わった話 (R18)

[Rinvelt]

Make an account on kakuyomu. The site keeps track of the last chapter you read (puts a blue dot next to it)

[chopitos_93]

It's been a long time since I've been in Narou and I've seen that the rankings are full of otome novels, have male readers migrated elsewhere?

[Greenish Growth]

Originally Posted by Rinvelt

Make an account on kakuyomu. The site keeps track of the last chapter you read (puts a blue dot next to it)

I didn't think it was worth the effort so I didn't do it. Maybe some other time. Putting a counted chapter count and date in my bookmark title is enough for me now.

It's been a long time since I've been in Narou and I've seen that the rankings are full of otome novels, have male readers migrated elsewhere?

I'm getting the impression that Narou being so restrictive on the ecchi has caused many writers to go to Kakuyomu or elsewhere. It's hard to ecchi on Narou without getting flagged nowadays.

I've been enjoying this novel here:
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6812gi/

I'm surprised it hasn't been flagged and removed like other ones have. An adult guy becomes an elementary school student and enjoys getting bullied by the girls. Obviously it's not for people who dislike ecchi at that age, but I find it funny.

[Rasty]

It's real pity how we are watching Narou die so unceremoniously and it's mostly caused by terribly restrictive policies. I get they tried to push those works to Midnight/Nocturne, but firstly they shouldn't have deleted the novels/accounts so fast, and secondly, those platforms never had a meaningful enough user base anyway. Especially Midnight, which is a pity, borderline 15/18+ content with a focus on the plot is usually the best. Pure R18 is just boring after a few chapters.

So, considering this has been a general web novel thread since forever (despite the name). What are some good novels to read on Kakuyomu? Weak to strong + true harem preferred. If anyone is interested I might throw in some CN-themed fast food ones in return.

[shmaster]

Narou is filled with Otome stuff because it is popular.
Experimental campaign had been conducted and it shows Otome does attrack more popularity than the other genre right now.

But really, why looking at the ranking chart if you want quality work. Most of the good writing doesn't make it up there in the first place.

[sasuke706]

It's due to the rankings encouraging less effort and higher chapter numbers. They're basically number of views over a given time frame, so the less and more frequent chapters will always beat out well thought out longer chapters that update less frequently. And these quick-interest quick-forgotten novels, getting more attention and readerbase, will naturally have more points and reviews, rendering the ability to search by score also pointless.

Like I've come across a recent novel where the protagonist in-story talks shit all over this meta, saying the trend is no effort, all reward, no struggle and maximum power. Which it really is.

The administration does little to help the rankings out. Like a few years back they broke fantasy up into low fantasy / high fantasy, which they define has low fantasy being 'modern fantasy' and high fantasy being 'other fantasy,' and then the rankings further break those up into the low/high fantasies, as well as isekai romance and isekai fantasy. Isekai romance has always been full of otome game protags / saintess protags, essentially female demographic works. Now it seems that audience has spilled over into all the other fantasy rankings save for low fantasy, which was always less popular and rarely changes anyway. Which means there's little actual content variety between most the rankings now, which has been getting worse over time since the division happened.

Honestly the only notable things I can think of the narou staff doing is removing the bookmark limit on categories (but not for the notification tab for some reason) and letting you put memos on bookmarks a few months back. As far as finding novels worth reading they've done actually nothing. Even checking out novels that get published have been massively disappointing, especially considering half the time these novels have been dead or a long time.

I've tried looking up things worth reading on kakuyomu but I've noticed a trend the authors there seem to abandon works or update very slowly, even moreso than Narou ones. Of course I mean kakuyomu exclusive ones, not ones posted concurrently to both sites.

So the question becomes how do you use the search features available to find something worth reading, and honestly, there kind of isn't a way. You just look and get lucky. Authors generally also suck at tagging their own works or make a mess of their synopsis so you can't even really count on those.