(L) Iris Zero

[Claies]

Originally Posted by noobita

and? and? how about the conversation between Toru and Tokita? I am really curious about that one.

and thanks for your quick summary.

That one I can't figure out.

Oh wait, upon rereading it more closely, there are some details that I misplaced. Let me rephrase what I wrote. This actually puts things in a more sympathetic light.

Spoiler for edited:

This short story is about Houjou, who is revealed as not just some random smoking jerkass, but actually a good friend of Tokita and Kuga.

Basically, he used to be Kuga's friend (though a little crude, he probably wasn't much of a problem child) whose Iris lets him see the bad things people say about you as stickers on your body. He started defending Kuga because he noticed that people say bad things about her. Later, however, he was suspended for punching one of the girls who was harassing Kuga (they look kinda manipulative, I'm willing to believe the girls did it to themselves and blamed it on him). Since then, he acquired the reputation of being a violent delinquent.

Before he left for his suspension, Tokita and Kuga came up with a plan and promise Houjou to get him elected to student council president in order to clear his name. Towards that goal, he came back as a more proper, popular, and sociable person. Life was looking good.

Then, with Tokita heavily supporting him as the election officer, Houjou ran for class president. Just as Tokita tried to undermine Koyuki in order for Houjou to win, Toru came in the picture with what happened in chapter 1, and Koyuki won as a result.

With Houjou plan failed after so much hard work in rehabilitating his name, the girls came back to trash talk him some more, which pissed him off more than anything and he started hanging out with actual delinquents and picking up bad habits (like smoking). Friendship soured.

So yes, Toru unknowingly caused some damage.

From the way I look at it, Koyuki's ability can be misunderstood this way: If she was aware of the talk that Houjou was a delinquent, her Iris would not have allowed her to select him, so Tokita undermining her authority in the elections may actually be necessary.

Also, this probably means Houjou is a sensitive guy. It's probably worth rereading the Iris Hunter arc from here.

[Xacual]

Originally Posted by Claies

That one I can't figure out.

Oh wait, upon rereading it more closely, there are some details that I misplaced. Let me rephrase what I wrote. This actually puts things in a more sympathetic light.

Spoiler for edited:

This short story is about Houjou, who is revealed as not just some random smoking jerkass, but actually a good friend of Tokita and Kuga.

Basically, he used to be Kuga's friend (though a little crude, he probably wasn't much of a problem child) whose Iris lets him see the bad things people say about you as stickers on your body. He started defending Kuga because he noticed that people say bad things about her. Later, however, he was suspended for punching one of the girls who was harassing Kuga (they look kinda manipulative, I'm willing to believe the girls did it to themselves and blamed it on him). Since then, he acquired the reputation of being a violent delinquent.

Before he left for his suspension, Tokita and Kuga came up with a plan and promise Houjou to get him elected to student council president in order to clear his name. Towards that goal, he came back as a more proper, popular, and sociable person. Life was looking good.

Then, with Tokita heavily supporting him as the election officer, Houjou ran for class president. Just as Tokita tried to undermine Koyuki in order for Houjou to win, Toru came in the picture with what happened in chapter 1, and Koyuki won as a result.

With Houjou plan failed after so much hard work in rehabilitating his name, the girls came back to trash talk him some more, which pissed him off more than anything and he started hanging out with actual delinquents and picking up bad habits (like smoking). Friendship soured.

So yes, Toru unknowingly caused some damage.

From the way I look at it, Koyuki's ability can be misunderstood this way: If she was aware of the talk that Houjou was a delinquent, her Iris would not have allowed her to select him, so Tokita undermining her authority in the elections may actually be necessary.

Also, this probably means Houjou is a sensitive guy. It's probably worth rereading the Iris Hunter arc from here.

Maybe it's just different morals at play here but I still don't see it as that sympathetic.

Spoiler for New chapter:

They tried to trash Koyuki just to get their friend to get rid of a bad past image. Blaming any of that on Toru who helped Koyuki win is still stupid. Koyuki winning had nothing to do with the guy being too weak to deal with people bad mouthing him. Maybe he shouldn't have put himself out there in the spotlight all over again if he was so sensitive he can't deal with people saying bad things about him.

I just see it as a really damn stupid reason to hate someone if this is seriously it. Also I'm seriously disappointed in this series now.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by Xacual

Maybe it's just different morals at play here but I still don't see it as that sympathetic.

Spoiler for New chapter:

They tried to trash Koyuki just to get their friend to get rid of a bad past image. Blaming any of that on Toru who helped Koyuki win is still stupid. Koyuki winning had nothing to do with the guy being too weak to deal with people bad mouthing him. Maybe he shouldn't have put himself out there in the spotlight all over again if he was so sensitive he can't deal with people saying bad things about him.

I just see it as a really damn stupid reason to hate someone if this is seriously it. Also I'm seriously disappointed in this series now.

Maybe it's only obvious to me because I tried to figure out what they're saying, but if you look at the way Toru and Tokita resolved their conversation, even Tokita realizes quickly that it's a bit ridiculous to blame him like this.

Spoiler for more things from reading the later parts:

After the election, Houjou started hanging out with delinquents, and Kuga started taking harassment from other girls again (recall that she was alone during the school trip). It's a pretty sucky outcome, especially when Tokita is looking out for Kuga.

From looking at the end, it looks like Tokita was just frustrated that he couldn't make everyone happy on his own, and he was assured when he saw that Toru isn't being defensive about it.

Look, I shouldn't have let my partial translations mess with your reaction. This is exactly the kind of series where you should just wait, because there's always some detail missing about why people act in certain ways that the authors will give you later, and me providing just parts of the detail isn't helpful, so I apologize.

[Xacual]

Originally Posted by Claies

Maybe it's only obvious to me because I tried to figure out what they're saying, but if you look at the way Toru and Tokita resolved their conversation, even Tokita realizes quickly that it's a bit ridiculous to blame him like this.

Spoiler for more things from reading the later parts:

After the election, Houjou started hanging out with delinquents, and Kuga started taking harassment from other girls again (recall that she was alone during the school trip). It's a pretty sucky outcome, especially when Tokita is looking out for Kuga.

From looking at the end, it looks like Tokita was just frustrated that he couldn't make everyone happy on his own, and he was assured when he saw that Toru isn't being defensive about it.

Look, I shouldn't have let my partial translations mess with your reaction. This is exactly the kind of series where you should just wait, because there's always some detail missing about why people act in certain ways that the authors will give you later, and me providing just parts of the detail isn't helpful, so I apologize.

Sorry it's not this chapter specifically that made me disappointed, the series just felt like it lost focus with bringing this Tokita problem up after him acting all happy and good after Iris Hunter arc end.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by Xacual

Sorry it's not this chapter specifically that made me disappointed, the series just felt like it lost focus with bringing this Tokita problem up after him acting all happy and good after Iris Hunter arc end.

That's what I mean. We don't know what might have happened since. Maybe Houjou took a turn for the worse, and Tokita is really frustrated that the one way to help him get back on his feet is to go to "this guy" again.

I probably look like I'm grasping at straws and being a silly fanboi, but I like to give series like these a chance. :P

[Sixth]

Ok, now who are the weak one? Toru? No way...he is stronger than Houjou by miles. All those cheap talks will not affect Toru at all.

[Sixth]

Ummm...well, the chapter 23 is released.

Overall, it is a nice chapter.

[felix]

Nice? It's freaking awesome. I loved the backtracking and extra depth.

[Okashira]

So, in 23 Toru easily exposed Tokita's argument and we get to see a more reasonable background to the whole Iris Hunter deal, personally I think that overall 23 has been the best chapter in a while because it revealed many things that wouldn't have been noticed otherwise.

[cyberdemon]

you know. i almost feel sorry for Houjou. He actually seems like a decent guy. it's only ALMOST because of nearly burning out Toru's eyes.

i hope those girls get humiliated later though. seriously, why would you hit yourself just because someone told you off?

[BladeEntity]

Best manga period... My favourite manga up to date next to Kami nomi and this chapter well showed many of the qualities I like about it. The characters deal with every day problems which have an interesting take to them, their Iris abilities. Likable characters and situations that can be easily identified with. Most importantly an non wimpy MC.

[LeaD36]

^There are many awesome series out there u haven't read yet then.. e.g. Mx0 was really good, and you would have wanted to murder the Author (or the JUMP editorial department) for canning it so early

[BladeEntity]

^ Actually read Mx0 but I think I lost interest after the first 3 chapters and when I found out it got canned early it was mostly it being ended early that made me discontinue it...

But I think that Iris Zero is one of my favourites because I find the characters extremely likable among other things.

[Xacual]

Originally Posted by LeaD36

^There are many awesome series out there u haven't read yet then.. e.g. Mx0 was really good, and you would have wanted to murder the Author (or the JUMP editorial department) for canning it so early

Offtopic: MxO is a constant complaint but let's be honest, the plot had stagnated for a while and it was no longer doing good in the polls so it got the axe. A lot of people that complain about MxO probably never read it on a week to week basis.

Chapter 23 was alright, still somewhat annoyed by how random this past issue came up though. Hoping the next arc is more interesting.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Xacual

Offtopic: MxO is a constant complaint but let's be honest, the plot had stagnated for a while and it was no longer doing good in the polls so it got the axe. A lot of people that complain about MxO probably never read it on a week to week basis.

But it looked like it was just about to become good again!

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

you know. i almost feel sorry for Houjou. He actually seems like a decent guy.

I suppose, but there's a fundamental weakness in him, where he's easily pushed into doing bad stuff.

i hope those girls get humiliated later though. seriously, why would you hit yourself just because someone told you off?

They saw a weakness (his delinquent appearance), and they pounced. Generally, people in Iris Zero are not nice.


Though I don't approve of taking it out on Toru, I can see Tokita's point. Society's reliance on Iris can really suck.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Xacual

Chapter 23 was alright, still somewhat annoyed by how random this past issue came up though. Hoping the next arc is more interesting.

It's not really that random. The Iris Hunter arc was the most recent long arc we had.

[Flawfinder]

Okay, how come there are so many assholes in this manga? Am I reading Beck or something? But glad that issue ended at least...sort of.

[Okashira]

Originally Posted by Xacual

Chapter 23 was alright, still somewhat annoyed by how random this past issue came up though. Hoping the next arc is more interesting.

Actually, with the extra amount of background and with the fact that the business hasn't exactly gotten a closure on his part, I wouldn't be surprised if Houjo's case is revisited again until he gets his own happy ending or something.

Also, his iris could potentially lead him to see that Koyuki loves Toru, he just need to witness a conversation between the two of them and deduct what's going on from the labels that they paste into each other at the time.

[~Yami~]

hmm... a flag for Tokita X Toru??? lol
at least they're getting along together

this chapter is just sad... I won't give any respect to Houjou... he's just got a weak resolution.... boo~~

[Sixth]

I guess there is a reason why Koyuki's Iris didn't see Honjou as qualified candidates. Honjou is just weak-willed person. In this chapter, it shows that having the ability to see something is never a good thing, especially on weak-willed person.