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REVIEW: My Girlfriend's Child GN 1




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FireChick
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Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Posts: 2499
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2023 12:39 pm Reply with quote
I will admit, my exposure to the concept of teenage pregnancy was through bad Lifetime movies, many of which portrayed it as the absolute worst thing ever that'll get you disowned by your family even if said pregnancy is unwanted or accidental. Some of those went so far as to portray the girls who got pregnant, whether intentionally or accidentally, as irredeemable sluts who didn't deserve help, assistance, or support...and I'm ashamed to say that I bought into that toxic mindset for quite a while. I grew out of it in later years, thank God, and having read this manga recently, I'm glad it's come to the US because I agree that it's a frank, non-judgmental take on the subject without coming across as preachy, condescending, or even fearmongering. And yes, I definitely appreciate that Sachi's family and boyfriend are portrayed as supportive and helpful in a story like this, and that needs to happen more often in such stories.
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Shay Guy



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 2351
PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2023 5:36 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
The title of this one is a little bit misleading, at least in this first volume. Not when it comes to the subject matter – this is a story about teen pregnancy – but inasmuch as it frames the narrative as being from Takara's point of view rather than Sachi's. It may change going forward, but this book is almost exclusively from Sachi's perspective. While her pregnancy will affect both of them, removing her agency from the series' title feels a little disingenuous.


I notice the Japanese title is "Ano Ko no Kodomo", which sounds a bit awkward in English ("That Girl's Child") but seems to fit better. Also it reminds me of "Kodomo no Kodomo".
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 6902
Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2023 7:31 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
The title of this one is a little bit misleading, at least in this first volume. Not when it comes to the subject matter – this is a story about teen pregnancy – but inasmuch as it frames the narrative as being from Takara's point of view rather than Sachi's. It may change going forward, but this book is almost exclusively from Sachi's perspective. While her pregnancy will affect both of them, removing her agency from the series' title feels a little disingenuous.

Indeed, seeing the title "My Girlfriend's Child" made me think that "[but not mine]" was implied. Which brings to mind scenarios like the girlfriend becoming pregnant by someone other than her boyfriend, either through cheating or a nonconsensual situation. Or a storyline where the guy starts dating a girl who is already pregnant or has a child from a previous lover.

While any of those probably could be (or already have been) valid manga storylines, it's nice to see something more grounded and less scandalous.
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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1529
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2023 7:47 pm Reply with quote
I thought the title meant that a man fell in love with his girl friend's child.... Oh anime, how you've jaded me....
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