Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai - Light Novel Discussion

[zerozeronine]

Originally Posted by Somethindarker

Nah the illustrator is sick, the author has been quoted saying he's constantly bumping heads with his editor and he's basically just rushing to the finish. Why would an arc need an epilogue? If you've read the book you'd know the story is ended. Lame ending and all.

I thought that problems with an editor happens only in the U.S comics market

Seems like his editor was trying to control his plot and maybe the end girl,so he just went with Yukimura the girl that has the lowest character development,maybe to pissed off his editor?

New chapter is translated,so is the "dejected loser"the real Yozora or the one that was driving Sena away we saw on earlier volumes?

[Somethindarker]

Originally Posted by zerozeronine

I thought that problems with an editor happens only in the U.S comics market

Seems like his editor was trying to control his plot and maybe the end girl,so he just went with Yukimura the girl that has the lowest character development,maybe to pissed off his editor?

Not really. When a new writer and artist start a run in a comic book they flesh out the story first then hand it to the editor for approval. Unless you're a newbie comic writer editors give alot of leeway.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Somethindarker

Nah the illustrator is sick, the author has been quoted saying he's constantly bumping heads with his editor and he's basically just rushing to the finish. Why would an arc need an epilogue? If you've read the book you'd know the story is ended. Lame ending and all.

I don't think that is by any means the case. It's a cliffhanger ending, not a conclusion, and is meant to shock and cause misdirection. In fact, leaving the club like that is also meant to cause misdirection. I think we need to wait and see what the next volume brings. If it was really as you said, and this was all because of editorial conflicts, there wouldn't be a future volume. We need to wait and see.

[Somethindarker]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

I don't think that is by any means the case. It's a cliffhanger ending, not a conclusion, and is meant to shock and cause misdirection. In fact, leaving the club like that is also meant to cause misdirection. I think we need to wait and see what the next volume brings. If it was really as you said, and this was all because of editorial conflicts, there wouldn't be a future volume. We need to wait and see.

But the author stated that this last volume WAS the last one and the next one is an epilogue.

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Somethindarker

But the author stated that this last volume WAS the last one and the next one is an epilogue.

I think it doesn't mean that everything is resolved and that the door is closed to all developments. I'm not saying that I think that it means Kodaka will suddenly fall in love with Sena or anything, but I don't think this volume really wraps up the whole story. That's why there's a whole volume left. If it was just like "and they lived happily ever after" (and there was some sort of editorial in-fighting), he didn't need another volume, or wouldn't want it.

[l.kostas]

The one who made that Chinese review I posted before http://www.thesosblogger.com/2014/07...-novel-10.html commented in the end:
"The author seems to indicate that the next volume is the outcome. It seems that this work will be very exciting to the end!"

That means we will learn if he starts dating someone and whom in the next volume.

[zerozeronine]

Originally Posted by l.kostas

The one who made that Chinese review I posted before http://www.thesosblogger.com/2014/07...-novel-10.html commented in the end:
"The author seems to indicate that the next volume is the outcome. It seems that this work will be very exciting to the end!"

That means we will learn if he starts dating someone and whom in the next volume.

So the epilogue now doesn't seem to be an epilogue and a continuation of vol 10? The author changed his mind?or was forced to?

[Flere821]

Just finished reading Vol10 in Chinese - and GODDAMN, it was surprisingly GOOD. I'm inclined to believe that all the crap people complain about it on 4chan and stuff was mainly because rabid Sena-fanboys are butthurt Kodaka didn't fall for Sena emotionally; just because there's a ton of flags like 'childhood promise of marriage', 'parents knew each other' and so on IMO it doesn't mean Kodaka will fall for Sena.

The pacing didn't feel off too, despite all the developments loaded into it.

Spoiler for Vol10 comments:

The only thing I'm not sure of was why Riko ended up friend-zoning Kodaka - the attraction is there. Other than that though, everything was built up pretty well. With maybe the possible exception of Kodaka's lines at the end where Kodaka picked a fight with the whole school in order to act as the fall guy, when Yozora and Sena finally snapped under social pressure and called every student out on how people see it as socially acceptable as a group to bully anyone that doesn't fit the majority's conceptions.

The "Kodaka agrees to go out with Yukimura" spoiler thing is ridiculously overblown, now that I've read the actual text. It's no more of a "I Win" flag than Sena being revealed to be Kodaka's fiancee. Kodaka got his first kiss taken by Yukimura, and in the shock afterwards he said the first thing that came to mind. IMO if people agreeing to things while drunk/high doesn't count as actually agreeing, then Kodaka here isn't really going out with Yukimura.

*looks at clock* Right, feeling tired now, I'll answer questions if anyone has them later.

[Somethindarker]

Originally Posted by Flere821

Just finished reading Vol10 in Chinese - and GODDAMN, it was surprisingly GOOD. I'm inclined to believe that all the crap people complain about it on 4chan and stuff was mainly because rabid Sena-fanboys are butthurt Kodaka didn't fall for Sena emotionally; just because there's a ton of flags like 'childhood promise of marriage', 'parents knew each other' and so on IMO it doesn't mean Kodaka will fall for Sena.

The pacing didn't feel off too, despite all the developments loaded into it.

Spoiler for Vol10 comments:

The only thing I'm not sure of was why Riko ended up friend-zoning Kodaka - the attraction is there. Other than that though, everything was built up pretty well. With maybe the possible exception of Kodaka's lines at the end where Kodaka picked a fight with the whole school in order to act as the fall guy, when Yozora and Sena finally snapped under social pressure and called every student out on how people see it as socially acceptable as a group to bully anyone that doesn't fit the majority's conceptions.

The "Kodaka agrees to go out with Yukimura" spoiler thing is ridiculously overblown, now that I've read the actual text. It's no more of a "I Win" flag than Sena being revealed to be Kodaka's fiancee. Kodaka got his first kiss taken by Yukimura, and in the shock afterwards he said the first thing that came to mind. IMO if people agreeing to things while drunk/high doesn't count as actually agreeing, then Kodaka here isn't really going out with Yukimura.

*looks at clock* Right, feeling tired now, I'll answer questions if anyone has them later.

I'll ask a couple just clear up my own vagueness.

1. Why does Kodaka quit the club?
2. Does Kodaka flat out reject Sena or are things still unresolved between them?
3. Was Yozora magically cool with Kodaka being friends with Rika and what of the situation between Sena and her not liking them being "engaged"?
4. How did Rika "friend-zone" Kodaka exactly? Are they both in love with each other or is it one-sided?

[Flere821]

Originally Posted by Somethindarker

I'll ask a couple just clear up my own vagueness.

1. Why does Kodaka quit the club?
2. Does Kodaka flat out reject Sena or are things still unresolved between them?
3. Was Yozora magically cool with Kodaka being friends with Rika and what of the situation between Sena and her not liking them being "engaged"?
4. How did Rika "friend-zone" Kodaka exactly? Are they both in love with each other or is it one-sided?

Spoiler for answers:

1 - Technically, he wanted to quit but hadn't handed in his resignation yet by the end of the volume. Kodaka felt being in love kills friendships, and since much of the club's relationship is tied to him he felt he needed to go. After the events of Vol10 Yozora was the linchpin of the club, not him, so he felt even if he left there won't be a repeat of what happened last time he stopped coming to the club.

(long story short about Yozora getting better, she stepped up to help the Student Council after Hinata, her older sister, needed to study to graduate. Remember how Hinata told Kodaka you shouldn't judge people by appearances? Well, it turns out Hinata is a social pro on the surface and a model student, but absolutely horrible at academics; even Kodaka is smarter than Hinata academically Hinata knows from personal experience judging people by their looks is wrong. Yozora helped out the SC to the point the school at one point was willing to consider letting Yozora taking over as SC president, even though we found out Yozora was just trying to fake being a good SC member via using fiction as reference.)


2 - Things are still unresolved between Sena & Kodaka, they haven't talked about it yet.


3 - This was covered in Vol9 IIRC. Basically Yozora broke down and Kodaka tried to support her to get back up, which led to Vol10.


4 - Rika said "they'll always be friends to Kodaka" with emphasis a lot of times throughout the volume. Kodaka, with influence from Yukimura, thought it meant Rika friend-zoned him, since that's what that phrase is used for normally. Though I'm not sure if that isn't Yukimura twisting Rika's words in order to get Kodaka to give up on Rika
Both Vol9 & Vol10 showed Rika is still attracted to Kodaka, hence my previous comment of "I'm not sure why Rika friend-zoned Kodaka". At the end of the volume we found Kodaka is just so dense / socially inept that he mistook being in love with Rika with how good it is to have friends, so the feeling is mutual. At the rate things go however I wouldn't be surprised if everything turns out to be a misunderstanding and Rika wanted to push Kodaka into realizing his feelings but unable to do so, and Yukimura took advantage of the misunderstanding to further her own goals.

[Somethindarker]

Originally Posted by Flere821

Spoiler for answers:

1 - Technically, he wanted to quit but hadn't handed in his resignation yet by the end of the volume. Kodaka felt being in love kills friendships, and since much of the club's relationship is tied to him he felt he needed to go. After the events of Vol10 Yozora was the linchpin of the club, not him, so he felt even if he left there won't be a repeat of what happened last time he stopped coming to the club.

(long story short about Yozora getting better, she stepped up to help the Student Council after Hinata, her older sister, needed to study to graduate. Remember how Hinata told Kodaka you shouldn't judge people by appearances? Well, it turns out Hinata is a social pro on the surface and a model student, but absolutely horrible at academics; even Kodaka is smarter than Hinata academically Hinata knows from personal experience judging people by their looks is wrong. Yozora helped out the SC to the point the school at one point was willing to consider letting Yozora taking over as SC president, even though we found out Yozora was just trying to fake being a good SC member via using fiction as reference.)


2 - Things are still unresolved between Sena & Kodaka, they haven't talked about it yet.


3 - This was covered in Vol9 IIRC. Basically Yozora broke down and Kodaka tried to support her to get back up, which led to Vol10.


4 - Rika said "they'll always be friends to Kodaka" with emphasis a lot of times throughout the volume. Kodaka, with influence from Yukimura, thought it meant Rika friend-zoned him, since that's what that phrase is used for normally. Though I'm not sure if that isn't Yukimura twisting Rika's words in order to get Kodaka to give up on Rika
Both Vol9 & Vol10 showed Rika is still attracted to Kodaka, hence my previous comment of "I'm not sure why Rika friend-zoned Kodaka". At the end of the volume we found Kodaka is just so dense / socially inept that he mistook being in love with Rika with how good it is to have friends, so the feeling is mutual. At the rate things go however I wouldn't be surprised if everything turns out to be a misunderstanding and Rika wanted to push Kodaka into realizing his feelings but unable to do so, and Yukimura took advantage of the misunderstanding to further her own goals.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm still pushing for Rika and Kodaka end but whatever I'm still disillusioned by this series. The last volume better be damn good.

[khoa258789]

How about the relationship between Sena and Yozora then? i heard they became friends this volume, is it true?

[mironicus]

Yukimura's confession forces Kodaka to make a clear decision at the beginning of Vol. 11.

I expect that he just bows his head and will say something like "I appreciate your feelings, but I am always in love with Sena."

Unlike in the past he will now make fast and clear decisions (inspired by the way Sena lives her life, making fast decisions and moving forward).

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by mironicus

Yukimura's confession forces Kodaka to make a clear decision at the beginning of Vol. 11.

I expect that he just bows his head and will say something like "I appreciate your feelings, but I am always in love with Sena."

Unlike in the past he will now make fast and clear decisions (inspired by the way Sena lives her life, making fast decisions and moving forward).

LOL, I bet once you seen Sena's name in Flere821's summary everything else sort of just faded out like it was never there no matter that it was what actually happened...

[Flere821]

Originally Posted by khoa258789

How about the relationship between Sena and Yozora then? i heard they became friends this volume, is it true?

Spoiler for Sena & Yozora:

The last few chapters of Vol10 was basically the Social version of Sora come crashing in to help Taka out (VS back then it was helping out in a brawl), with Yozora supporting Sena in the face of being socially bullied by everyone for not conforming to the idiom "the nail that stands up gets knocked down". Sena and Yozora after that mess did become friends (or at least allies that respected each other), though not to the extent Taka and Sora had at this time.

[MacMeaties]

Originally Posted by Flere821

Just finished reading Vol10 in Chinese - and GODDAMN, it was surprisingly GOOD. I'm inclined to believe that all the crap people complain about it on 4chan and stuff was mainly because rabid Sena-fanboys are butthurt Kodaka didn't fall for Sena emotionally; just because there's a ton of flags like 'childhood promise of marriage', 'parents knew each other' and so on IMO it doesn't mean Kodaka will fall for Sena.

In regards to those flags people should have expected her not to win based on them alone, that is just how the typical tropes for this sorta stuff works.
As much as I'm a self confessed Sena shipper I knew it was doomed the second it revealed she was a childhood friend of sorts. Same reason I never for a second believed Yozora had a chance. The childhood friend never wins trope is one of the most predictable used in manga/LN romances.

I'm interested to see how this plays out.
Will Kodaka actually go out with Yuki?
How does he explain to Sena his change of heart regarding her either way?
Will anyone actually end up with anyone?
Will they even all still be friends by the end of it?


Now if you'll all excuse me I'm gonna go rock back and forth in the corner hoping that eventually, somewhere somehow, one of my many ships actually sails.
Maybe being from the city that made the Titanic has cursed me with sinking ships...

[Marcus H.]

Honestly, I don't see the need to be harsh to those who wanted the series to end with someone. First off, the story is being driven with far from optimal conditions, which makes taking this seriously harder than it really is. Second, due to the first reason, it also makes the story unpredictable. Can someone predict a drunk driver's course in the streets as he fumbles around the steering wheel? Absolutely not.

That said, I'm just going in for the ride after the author and illustrator has decided to end this once and for all.

[Marcus H.]

Anyway, I'm updated to Volume 9 Chapter 11 and there are two key things that happened: a certain revelation between the riajuu Student Council President and the self-defaming Neighbors' Club President, and a potentially caustic hot spring "episode" for the series.

The idea of an onsen episode filled with awkwardness and possible animosity is something refreshing honestly. We have two groups from the opposite end of the social spectrum, and the tension is one Jenga block away from escalating to dramatic levels.

[novalysis]

Now it's much clearer that the initiative came from Yukimura, not Kodaka, I suspect Volume 11 will open with Kodaka offering Yukimura the same deal - she'd get her answer after he graduates from High School - the same deal he offered to Sena, because it's the only way to be fair to all of the girls.

[khoa258789]

Originally Posted by novalysis

Now it's much clearer that the initiative came from Yukimura, not Kodaka, I suspect Volume 11 will open with Kodaka offering Yukimura the same deal - she'd get her answer after he graduates from High School - the same deal he offered to Sena, because it's the only way to be fair to all of the girls.

Again, another scumbag way to deal with the situation. I suppose Sena is good enough to put up with this kind of answer by why should Yukiruma also do the same? If this is really what he would end up doing and i seriously prefer to have a dense MC than this kind of coward.