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spacedin
Joined: 08 Apr 2023
Posts: 44
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2023 3:41 pm
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Cryten wrote: | I wonder IF the author wants Akane to grow up or not. There are still a lot of ideals floating around mainstream culture Japan that places women needing to rely on men as a good and natural thing. I have seen shows with strong independent ladies flounder in Japan such as Good Luck Girl. But I may be reading too much into that.
Regardless I am unsure if we shall go the route of Self Actualisation or Learning Through Love. As that all depends on the authors own desires and emotional intelligence. It would be a very grown up thing for her to realise she shouldn't try to have a relationship with Yamada. But likely unsatisfying to many teenage readers unless handled very well. I wonder what the age gap is as the two other people we have seen as potential or ex partners both seemed to be barely out of school. |
Media depictions of age gap romances aren't controversial in Japan. Nor are they in western Europe. They only became controversial for North American media recently, and even there between older men and younger women. On Japan again, romances between younger males and older females are depicted so often in shonen and seinen that it is a subgenre. Works depicting romances between salarymen and high school girls aren't as common as they once were, but Usagi Drop atrocities aside the likes of After The Rain isn't controversial when it pops up now and then.
Also, it isn't just Japan. Media that depicts "strong independent ladies" doesn't perform well commercially in North America either. Romantic plots and subplots are the norm with male protagonists also. To the point where works like "The Lone Ranger", "Desperado" and "High Plains Drifter" had to warn "the protagonist will have no time for romance" in advance with the title. No one ever attributes it to a "culture placing men needing to rely on women as a good and natural thing."
So it isn't just teenage readers or Japanese audiences here. Instead, this isn't something that mainstream audiences of any demo appears to want in any country.
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Cryten
Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 1109
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2023 7:04 pm
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MFrontier wrote: | Yamda seems to be falling hard for Akane to the point he doesn't know what to do with his physical attraction towards her. Akane herself seems on cloud 9 whenever Yamada is around her or involved, but I feel like she's trying not to think that she might look at him romantically. |
I think you are spot on there. Akane is treating Yamada as a kind of mentor buddy at the moment, very much enjoying time spent with him but not seeing it as romantic at least for the moment. She even told herself in the episode that she shouldnt of held his head / hair. Which is quite pleasant that Akane is grooving and comfortable after all the trouble she went through.
@spacedin While in general I agree with you I do think there are different levels between the English West and Japan. I think Metroid is a great example as that game series has consistently done much better in the English market and when they tried to feminise Samus many Westerners complained, followed by the Japanese developers publicly defending their choices including Nintendo`s main heads.
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Leviathonlx1
Joined: 10 Dec 2018
Posts: 204
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2023 9:45 pm
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spacedin wrote: |
Cryten wrote: | I wonder IF the author wants Akane to grow up or not. There are still a lot of ideals floating around mainstream culture Japan that places women needing to rely on men as a good and natural thing. I have seen shows with strong independent ladies flounder in Japan such as Good Luck Girl. But I may be reading too much into that.
Regardless I am unsure if we shall go the route of Self Actualisation or Learning Through Love. As that all depends on the authors own desires and emotional intelligence. It would be a very grown up thing for her to realise she shouldn't try to have a relationship with Yamada. But likely unsatisfying to many teenage readers unless handled very well. I wonder what the age gap is as the two other people we have seen as potential or ex partners both seemed to be barely out of school. |
Media depictions of age gap romances aren't controversial in Japan. Nor are they in western Europe. They only became controversial for North American media recently, and even there between older men and younger women. On Japan again, romances between younger males and older females are depicted so often in shonen and seinen that it is a subgenre. Works depicting romances between salarymen and high school girls aren't as common as they once were, but Usagi Drop atrocities aside the likes of After The Rain isn't controversial when it pops up now and then.
Also, it isn't just Japan. Media that depicts "strong independent ladies" doesn't perform well commercially in North America either. Romantic plots and subplots are the norm with male protagonists also. To the point where works like "The Lone Ranger", "Desperado" and "High Plains Drifter" had to warn "the protagonist will have no time for romance" in advance with the title. No one ever attributes it to a "culture placing men needing to rely on women as a good and natural thing."
So it isn't just teenage readers or Japanese audiences here. Instead, this isn't something that mainstream audiences of any demo appears to want in any country. |
The age gap in this is just 2 years as well so it mind as well not exist. Though yea age gaps tend to be common in shoujo's since woman authors tend to like writing age gaps and, like you said, it's not controversial there or most the world.
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Thesarum
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Joined: 25 Mar 2022
Posts: 478
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2023 3:41 pm
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Cryten wrote: |
MFrontier wrote: | Yamda seems to be falling hard for Akane to the point he doesn't know what to do with his physical attraction towards her. Akane herself seems on cloud 9 whenever Yamada is around her or involved, but I feel like she's trying not to think that she might look at him romantically. |
I think you are spot on there. Akane is treating Yamada as a kind of mentor buddy at the moment, very much enjoying time spent with him but not seeing it as romantic at least for the moment. She even told herself in the episode that she shouldnt of held his head / hair. Which is quite pleasant that Akane is grooving and comfortable after all the trouble she went through. |
Yep. I think she thinks he's cute, enjoys spending time with him and finds his cool and calm demeanor both incomprehensible and soothing. She respects his skills/knowledge and seeks his approval as a "senpai" in game things. But she's hot off a painful breakup and isn't really looking for a new relationship. She gets the occasional doki-doki, but isn't really processing that as going anywhere in particular.
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absent
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Joined: 15 Dec 2022
Posts: 34
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2023 12:06 pm
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My initial impression was that Tsubaki is the girl that he rejected in that flashback, which would add some layers to that interaction in the classroom. I'm not sure if that's actually the case after looking back at it, but I'm interested in their relationship regardless.
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MFrontier
Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13160
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2023 12:51 pm
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Yamada out there breaking hearts ever since middle school, huh? Even though now he's starting to genuinely fall for Akane. And starting to get her expectations up.
That hair animation! I thought Akane had great hair, but they went all out with it. And that Yamada initiated letting it loose just to bask in it...wow.
Momo keeps crying about not finding her Prince Charming I'm half expecting her to meet Eita and they hit it off.
Is Akane going to work at the same convenience store as the employee who was crushing on Yamada?
It'll be interesting to see what happens at the school festival, especially with Tsubaki and the kind of dynamic she has with Yamada. She seems to know him as a gamer (and fellow gamer?) but that doesn't mean she's a love rival.
This story seems to be as much about Akane and Yamada falling in love as it is Akane evolving as a PC gamer.
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Azure Chrysanthemum
Joined: 23 Apr 2023
Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 1:34 pm
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Akane's need to lean into very material displays of affection to the people around her is definitely hitting some kind of way. I've known a lot of women like that, heck I am a woman like that and have definitely gone through the pitfalls of needing to reinforce my feelings with some kind of gift or favor-related action. It feels very real having gone through that myself.
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Cryten
Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 1109
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 7:45 pm
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Character faults can make for real interesting interactions between people if handled well and not over tuned and over reacted like we often get.
They handled subtext quite well with the ex-boyfriend there. Implying without ever saying anything through the contrast of words. That instead of wanting to reassure himself Akane was okay he was more interested in seeing the opposite, that Akane with all her overt personality traits should be showing signs of distress over him, and he wanted to see if he could spot any. At least that is what I take from Yamada asking the ex Is that what you want to see? Do you want peace of mind?
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MFrontier
Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13160
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2023 12:14 pm
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I feel like Akane was trying to downplay or ignore her feelings for Yamada to try to not mess things up between them, even though she's so drawn to him, but having the idea of dating him brought up and the possibility that he might be also be interested in her is making it so she can't any more.
Yamada too expresses that he isn't against dating her but sees her as too precious and amazing for him to be with.
I'm looking forward to seeing how things progress from here because it feels like both are on the cusp of a major realization about their feelings. I'm also curious what Tsubaki's deal is.
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Azure Chrysanthemum
Joined: 23 Apr 2023
Posts: 138
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Posted: Mon May 22, 2023 12:14 am
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Oh my god this dumb boy you can't just SAY that to someone.
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MFrontier
Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13160
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 10:21 am
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Anyone with eyes can tell how Akane feels about Yamada but after her last breakup she's probably still hesitant to go all in a on a relationship unless she's 100% sure she has a chance, especially when Yamada is so important to her.
Good thing Akane is there to prevent Runa from going after Tsubaki like Runa did to Akane.
So Tsubaki definitely likes Yamada. I'm curious if her joining up with the guild will stir up enough feelings to get Akane to make her move. Tellingly when Tsubaki asked Yamada if he liked Akane, he didn't say "no."
Nothing beats the romcom sick episode, complete with a princess carry!
I feel a little bad about Momo being so unlucky in love and yet she's so caught up in that she ignores Akane who was in need of a lot of help.
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Cryten
Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 1109
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2023 1:20 am
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The show makes me feel a little sorry for "Class President" As the childhood friend role and being respectful and unassuming is often the path to being overlooked in life. And caring and crushing can easily go unfulfilled in teenage life, let along teenage drama stories. Also this episode really re-contextuallises her conversations with Yamada from possible negging obsessive from his past to respectful friend wondering what was going on with Yamada.
Akane is finding herself getting very organically drawn to Yamada. We are getting a very strong sense of anticipation on the will they / wont they scale. While also making it very clear that they both fail to see themselves and peoples opinions of themselves in their own lives. As Akane continually rejects her instinctive actions while in her fever addled state.
I thoroughly approve of exploring these themes. As it hits a little close to home how easily opportunities can be lost when you do not hold yourself in high regard.
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MFrontier
Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13160
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2023 12:42 pm
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It's funny how Tsubaki basically fell for Yamada's gaming skills but saw all the red flags for why it would be a bad idea to fall for him...yet she did it anyways. But I guess like Akane said, that's just romance.
That poor girl. Bullied for liking Yamada, thought Yamada actually liked her back, but he was just doing it because the teacher asked her. At least she said goodbye to him with a smile and didn't seem to regret liking him.
Man, Yamada went above and beyond in this episode. I didn't expect Akane to be sick enough to have to go to the hospital, let alone that Yamada would carry her to and from it. And he's not even her boyfriend yet!
But Akane is falling hard for him now. She's way more flustered around him (which for a hot mess like Akane is saying something) and instinctively is drawn to him. She just can't help herself around him anymore. And coupled with her finally making peace with her breakup it seems like she might be ready to move on and admit her feelings for Yamada now. Because she definitely looks like she's head over heels in love at the end there.
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KamuiSuou
Joined: 27 Apr 2014
Posts: 3
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2023 7:18 am
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I know it's highly unlikely, but I wish there is continuation on their story. Especially since their characterizations really shine through after they're officially dating.
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MFrontier
Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13160
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2023 10:05 am
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KamuiSuou wrote: | I know it's highly unlikely, but I wish there is continuation on their story. Especially since their characterizations really shine through after they're officially dating. |
Yeah, I was glad to see them finally get together (the one good thing that came out of Akane getting herself wasted again) especially with such an adorably sincere confession from Yamada...but now I desperately crave a season 2 to show what they're like together as a couple. They already look really cute together.
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