Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite - Vol. 7 Ch. 46
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I think I figured out why this sort of plot device bothers me, and why characters like Mimi are among my least favorite in a given series.
Because the entirety of their use to the narrative, right down to their demeanor, mannerisms, speech patterns, temperament, and effect on other characters, is predicated on manipulation and generating negative emotional states.
And then, once the big tense narrative incident/event has concluded, they suddenly come forward and say something to the general effect of "oh I was simply putting on an act and none of that was the truth/my real feelings and I only wanted to push you to do your best/have some fun with you". All of their antagonism, all of their manipulative words and actions, are neatly placed into the box of "it was for your own good, [protagonist], and you shouldn't take any of it personally for realzies."
Like....we see Ayumu's behavioral shift here, even as she calls Lilisu's guitar playing shit and that she "switched sides" purely to crush her. After stating she was a fan—which was cover for being one of Lilisu's oldest friends—and then having to act like it's some sort of "I'll knock you down so you quit because I think it's best for you".
And Lilisu's bought it. Not just the challenge aspect, but the lie that Ayumu, whom she thought was a true friend and confidant, was actually lying to her the whole time. Lilisu already struggles because she has to hide her "true self" out of fear of losing things that are incredibly important to her. She thought she'd found an ally, and now that ally is spitting in her face and tearing that fragile foundation out from under her.
How is that a kind thing to do? How is lying to this extent compassionate? And you know that at the end, whatever the outcome, she'll come crying saying "I wasn't be honest, it was all a ploy, I didn't mean it" and Lilisu will just have to accept that because this isn't a series where characters will actually walk away from one another. They'll just go back to being friends like this very real moment of betrayal didn't happen. Maybe she'll tear Ayumu a new one, a la what she and Otoha are always doing (though I doubt that—feels like it'd be cheating on Oto, honestly), but it'll still get wrapped in a nice little bow like all of this coercion and browbeating for the sake of Mimi and Marika's weird love spat is absolutely how people interact all the time and are better for it.
It's just something I've been picking up on more and more, and this series finally hit on it for me. But I don't think it's a very good narrative device, because it sets up characters feeling betrayed, hurt, lost, afraid, and then it's all just "haha just kidding" and there's no actual repercussions for the one who subjected them to it.
And I link all this back to Mimi, because it's pretty clearly telegraphed that she's the entire reason that Ayumu is even doing this to Lilisu, and it's for her own personal bullshit that is turning Lilisu's own situation into collateral damage. All of this is so that she can be a pest to Marika, who unfortunately keeps falling for Mimi's bullshit and not just writing her off. But even then—Lilisu sees that Mimi apparently likes Marika, but Mimi's inability to be honest with herself is now causing problems for people entirely unrelated to her cowardice toward Marika. And now Ayumu goes and says something that actually cuts Lilisu to the core, and it's not like she'll be properly shamed for it at the end, either.
I just think there are better ways to set up conflict and narrative tension that don't involve non-villain characters lying and manipulating others to set up specific events, then going "lol jk we're all friends though right" and having nothing come of that. Because Mimi and Ayumu aren't villains; there are no villains in this story. But this is actually pretty villainous behavior that doesn't warrant them getting a free pass, like I very much suspect they will.
Because the entirety of their use to the narrative, right down to their demeanor, mannerisms, speech patterns, temperament, and effect on other characters, is predicated on manipulation and generating negative emotional states.
And then, once the big tense narrative incident/event has concluded, they suddenly come forward and say something to the general effect of "oh I was simply putting on an act and none of that was the truth/my real feelings and I only wanted to push you to do your best/have some fun with you". All of their antagonism, all of their manipulative words and actions, are neatly placed into the box of "it was for your own good, [protagonist], and you shouldn't take any of it personally for realzies."
Like....we see Ayumu's behavioral shift here, even as she calls Lilisu's guitar playing shit and that she "switched sides" purely to crush her. After stating she was a fan—which was cover for being one of Lilisu's oldest friends—and then having to act like it's some sort of "I'll knock you down so you quit because I think it's best for you".
And Lilisu's bought it. Not just the challenge aspect, but the lie that Ayumu, whom she thought was a true friend and confidant, was actually lying to her the whole time. Lilisu already struggles because she has to hide her "true self" out of fear of losing things that are incredibly important to her. She thought she'd found an ally, and now that ally is spitting in her face and tearing that fragile foundation out from under her.
How is that a kind thing to do? How is lying to this extent compassionate? And you know that at the end, whatever the outcome, she'll come crying saying "I wasn't be honest, it was all a ploy, I didn't mean it" and Lilisu will just have to accept that because this isn't a series where characters will actually walk away from one another. They'll just go back to being friends like this very real moment of betrayal didn't happen. Maybe she'll tear Ayumu a new one, a la what she and Otoha are always doing (though I doubt that—feels like it'd be cheating on Oto, honestly), but it'll still get wrapped in a nice little bow like all of this coercion and browbeating for the sake of Mimi and Marika's weird love spat is absolutely how people interact all the time and are better for it.
It's just something I've been picking up on more and more, and this series finally hit on it for me. But I don't think it's a very good narrative device, because it sets up characters feeling betrayed, hurt, lost, afraid, and then it's all just "haha just kidding" and there's no actual repercussions for the one who subjected them to it.
And I link all this back to Mimi, because it's pretty clearly telegraphed that she's the entire reason that Ayumu is even doing this to Lilisu, and it's for her own personal bullshit that is turning Lilisu's own situation into collateral damage. All of this is so that she can be a pest to Marika, who unfortunately keeps falling for Mimi's bullshit and not just writing her off. But even then—Lilisu sees that Mimi apparently likes Marika, but Mimi's inability to be honest with herself is now causing problems for people entirely unrelated to her cowardice toward Marika. And now Ayumu goes and says something that actually cuts Lilisu to the core, and it's not like she'll be properly shamed for it at the end, either.
I just think there are better ways to set up conflict and narrative tension that don't involve non-villain characters lying and manipulating others to set up specific events, then going "lol jk we're all friends though right" and having nothing come of that. Because Mimi and Ayumu aren't villains; there are no villains in this story. But this is actually pretty villainous behavior that doesn't warrant them getting a free pass, like I very much suspect they will.
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"Her Guitar ain't shit"
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Stop, she's bottomless?
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Phew.
Things we're getting a little too peaceful before shark teeth got the ball rolling again.
Things we're getting a little too peaceful before shark teeth got the ball rolling again.
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I mean...I think that Lilisu/Lilisa is actually getting what she was trying to do, specially because of the "her guitar ain't shit" bit. Also the fact that it's pretty clear AUM can't have a single reason to switch to a different venue besides going head to head against Rock Lady.
She DID want to go head-to-head here, and the manager of Badlands definitely took advantage of her for her shitty little bet with the manager of Mix Hall. Hell I even think she meant when she said "her guitar ain't shit" to some degree. But specifically, because she has never used speech like that before, so aggressive and/or uncouth, when giving criticism.
Unless Lilisa is hiding her frustration there very well, she wouldn't have a smiling snarl there after taking those words as a betrayal to her heart: she would be giving her a determined and/or angry sneer instead. If there's any anger, it probably is at the way she went about doing all this. And also pissed at the manager of Bad Lands for pulling both bands into her shitty little scream for attention.
And if that wasn't the point, I honestly blame the mangaka for doing such a bad job on the expressions of Lilisa here, when otherwise she wears her heart on her sleeves for this kind of shit.
