Not really. The translation is "That man, it was a request from Rika to bring him here. But at the same time, i got confirmation that i can do as i like". It's not about her, but how he deals with Sousuke at the party.
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Aisai no Ura Aka
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Since there are no pronouns in Japanese, this phrase can be translated both "with her" and "with him". But the picture in the background gives us a clue.
Both phrases are in agreement with the same object. The object in question being Sousuke. The condition for bringing him to the party was that Iwabuchi had the freedom to deal with him as he( Iwabuchi) wished. This ties with both last chapters, as Iwabuchi has had his moments of exposition in showing both party public and readers how much control of the situation he actually has, and how he wants to break Sousuke in this environment
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In fact, this phrase is not clearly addressed to whom. The author could have done it on purpose to confuse everyone even more. Just like Ricky's last phrase, where she says "no matter what you do, the result will be the same". On the one hand, she is focussed on Soska, because she was thinking about him before that. On the other hand, this is the answer to Iwabuchi's last words.
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I want to guess what will happen in the next chapters. As we have already found out from Iwabuchi's words from chapter 74, the goal is to force Soska to have sex with someone. In parallel, he wants to break his heart. The main question is how he is going to break his heart, what should happen?
1. Quite an obvious option, a demonstration on the big screen of a sex video with Rika. But as we realised, it won't be able to break a heart, because Soske already knows that Rika is cheating on him.
2. It's also quite an obvious option, it's that Siho and the unborn child are not from Soska. Most likely, Soska will be ready for this, since he did Siho's DNA test behind the scenes and the manga didn't show it to us.
When Iwabuchi realises that his plan has failed, he will switch to blackmail. Most likely, it will be a choice between publishing Misato's photo and information, and having sex with someone. For Sosuke, it will be a very difficult choice, between his principles and the saviour of Misato. Of course, he will choose to save Misato, but since he has a "problem" he will not be able to do it. Who do you think will come to Soska's aid? There are two options:
1. Satsuki, she will somehow get to the party and try to kill Iwabuchi.
2. Rika, she will be brought by Misato and Akiba, and she realises that she can lose Sosuke forever.
3. Sister Akito, she will decide to sacrifice herself for the sake of other women.
If this is points 1 and 2, then Rika's goal is most likely to prove to Soska that he is not able to save everyone, that there are factors that he cannot influence. Most likely, this is what happened to Rika in the past, when no one could save or help her, which is why she became "what she is". In this case, after the fall of Iwabuchi, Misato and Akiba will not be able to find Rika. Rika will go to the roof to commit suicide. Most likely, the last dialogue between Soske and Rika will take place there. With her suicide, she will again try to prove to Soska that he will not be able to save everyone.
As for point 2, Rika probably realises that her "games" have gone too far and if Soska has sex, he will no longer be the one she loves so much. She realises what a creature (scum) she was in relation to him. And it is her actions that will crush Iwabuchi, she will decide to protect Soska. She will tell Iwabuchi's secrets, and if she has access to the server, she will forgrate it.
What do you think about it?
1. Quite an obvious option, a demonstration on the big screen of a sex video with Rika. But as we realised, it won't be able to break a heart, because Soske already knows that Rika is cheating on him.
2. It's also quite an obvious option, it's that Siho and the unborn child are not from Soska. Most likely, Soska will be ready for this, since he did Siho's DNA test behind the scenes and the manga didn't show it to us.
When Iwabuchi realises that his plan has failed, he will switch to blackmail. Most likely, it will be a choice between publishing Misato's photo and information, and having sex with someone. For Sosuke, it will be a very difficult choice, between his principles and the saviour of Misato. Of course, he will choose to save Misato, but since he has a "problem" he will not be able to do it. Who do you think will come to Soska's aid? There are two options:
1. Satsuki, she will somehow get to the party and try to kill Iwabuchi.
2. Rika, she will be brought by Misato and Akiba, and she realises that she can lose Sosuke forever.
3. Sister Akito, she will decide to sacrifice herself for the sake of other women.
If this is points 1 and 2, then Rika's goal is most likely to prove to Soska that he is not able to save everyone, that there are factors that he cannot influence. Most likely, this is what happened to Rika in the past, when no one could save or help her, which is why she became "what she is". In this case, after the fall of Iwabuchi, Misato and Akiba will not be able to find Rika. Rika will go to the roof to commit suicide. Most likely, the last dialogue between Soske and Rika will take place there. With her suicide, she will again try to prove to Soska that he will not be able to save everyone.
As for point 2, Rika probably realises that her "games" have gone too far and if Soska has sex, he will no longer be the one she loves so much. She realises what a creature (scum) she was in relation to him. And it is her actions that will crush Iwabuchi, she will decide to protect Soska. She will tell Iwabuchi's secrets, and if she has access to the server, she will forgrate it.
What do you think about it?
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Yes, it will.
I really don't know how many more chapters the author plans to make, but I think it will all end in 90 or 100 chapters. What do you think?
Tem mano. Acho que depois desse a gente pega a pausa de 1 semana.
I can already see it ending in about 120 chapters. 130 tops.
Arc 1: Who's Rika's lover?
Arc 2: What's Rika's past?
Arc 3: How to really get to Rika?
- Misato and Akiba will find Rika. Some key information will be revealed/alluded to, but that will be postponed for the plot. Overall, both will be shocked by how expendable Iwabuchi seems to be to her, and how she treats Sousuke as a domesticated pet, following her whims;
- Both will be caught( because yes, you can't believe someone won't be caught sneaking around in a fancy hotel);
- Iwabuchi will probably force Sousuke to have sex with Misato, with the fallback that, if he doesn't, she'll be exposed just like Momoyo. Akiba volunteers as a "sacrifice". Sousuke accepts;
- Plot device, Satsuki appears, assaults Iwabuchi( because yes, who would have thought). Shuri steals the moment and takes control. They secure the evidence against him;
- 2~3 chapters of exposition about Iwabuchi's story, how he met Rika, his dealings with her and what he knows about her;
- Meanwhile, Rika is safely scouted from the vicinities. During her escape, she lusts again over Sousuke finding her...but soon switches to full demon mode upon thinking how easily he went to Akiba and gets somewhat preocupied about a gap in her plan;
- 2 chapters of closure about Iwabuchi + timeskip + another breather + retrospective to set for the last arc( albeit it being a shorter one).
Arc 1: Who's Rika's lover?
Arc 2: What's Rika's past?
Arc 3: How to really get to Rika?
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Chapter 87 dropped. Interesting one...
- Following last chapter, Sousuke asks if Miyabi is the one with access over the secret server with data of blackmailed women, who are then forced to work. He asks her if she could tell him how to access it;
- She doesn't speak, and Sousuke remembers Iwabuchi's speach from earlier, and believes it is still in effect;
- He tries to reassure her by saying he came there to delete it, so as to defeat Iwabuchi. If there's no data, there's no reason for them to follow him;
- He proceeds to tell her it's scary, Iwabuchi does not have any qualms about shaming and humiliating women. It's scary. Further, he addresses that his wife is in the same position as her( Miyabi);
- When she asks about his wife, he responds that she, too, is an Ura aka streamer. Behind his back, she did awful things, but he believes she( Rika), too, may have been threatened all along;
- He knows it's a simply way to big thought, but he really wants to defeat Iwabuchi. That's why he needs her power. He then formally asks her to lend him her strenght;
- Miyabi asks him what's his wife's channel name. He answers "Momonga channel". Her faces lightens up upon realizing he's the husband of the No.1 Ura aka streamer. He wonders what happened, as she gains momentum. She begins laughing and saying it's finnaly her chance;
- She says it's her chance to finnaly become No. 1. Then takes Sousuke's hand and asks him to follow her quickly. In the way, they pass through Maruppi, who just observes;
- They go into her room, where she explains the 4 heavenly kings have individual rooms, different from the others. She explains that being one of the 4 gets you special treatment. Sousuke asks why do they need to go into the room, if she's going to tell him the secret;
- She removes her mask and asks him to do the same. He does and thinks that, since he already told her who he is, and it's only the 2 of them, there's no further risk. She becomes surprised about the face of momonga's husband. Sousuke asks her if she knows Rika, to which she confirms;
- She says Iwabuchi is showing favoritism to the No.1 Ura aka streamer. Upon repeating the word "favoritism", Miyabi/Shuri says that's also why she thinks the numbers are so inflated. But that's why she( Shuri) wants to win against her( Rika) someday;
- Sousuke then becomes surprised, as he believes they're doing the streaming against their will. She denies( acting rather crazy/childish) and says it's the story( as in backstory) from the others. She has no past to be troubled with;
- She says the enjoys making the videos. The world of Ura aka needs her. And every time a video is played, her "brain is pumped until it bursts"(?)( guess it means she gets so much stimulus from being watched that it overstimulate her to breaking point);
- That's why she ditched her gyaru image and switched to a strangle focused channel, to search for more views. That's also why she didn't have much problem with what Iwabuchi did earlier: the lesser competition, the more views she gets and closer to the top she goes;
- Sousuke thinks of how scary she is to not be scared of earlier. He sees how obsessed she is with her videos. He then asks her, if so, why does she have evidence over Iwabuchi's secret. She explains it's a trade secret. But Sousuke wants that, right? So, in this case...
- She demands to do a choke play. Upon surprise, she explains it's her biggest chance. To show that she seduced and strangled the husband of the top woman, the sex will be, definetly, a hot topic;
- She's currently the 4th place, but will be able to climb to the top. She'll surpass Momonga, Maruppi and Paopao. Sousuke asks if she really wants to stream this, but she says those are the conditions( as in exchange to Sousuke acquiring the access to the server);
- She asks if he's gonna do it or not, either way is fine to her. Sousuke wonders how to proceed. Filmed sex is instant infidelity. And "cheating scum must die";
- That's why he decides to pretend to have sex, create an opening and try to access the data with the weakness;
- Chapter ends with him agreeing to nipple play.
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Minor points about chapter 87:
- It is interesting to be addressed so much late in the story, but the dramatic irony that's been piling up finally made it more visible. Sousuke still sees Rika as a victim, someone who can be saved and is forced to do things against her will or principles. We, the readers, don't see it that way because of the visual aid. The way she nonchalantly lent money to Matsuo Jin, how she treated Shiratori in the happening bar, how she was the one to approach Shingo and how comfy she is near Iwabuchi. She isn't being threatened, and is more free to do as she pleases. The sad part is, it also means he doesn't solidly trust Misato's story of being blackmailed( still in belief that it's all a scheme from Iwabuchi).
- While not trustworthy as much, the fact that Shuri may or may not know the others faces is an interesting point. If we believe Suguru Terauchi approached Sousuke on purpose, about showing him Rika on Momonga, it's fair to believe someone with enough resources to track her identity is on into her( probably Maruppi herself).
- Another simple ironic idea of mine is how Chapter 87 mirrors 77 and 78. The final constestants of the drinking game where Mitsuri and Akito, both with someone close to them who they believed were "taken" into something wrong( adultery and blackmail), only for them to be involved into Ura aka out of their own will.
- It is interesting to be addressed so much late in the story, but the dramatic irony that's been piling up finally made it more visible. Sousuke still sees Rika as a victim, someone who can be saved and is forced to do things against her will or principles. We, the readers, don't see it that way because of the visual aid. The way she nonchalantly lent money to Matsuo Jin, how she treated Shiratori in the happening bar, how she was the one to approach Shingo and how comfy she is near Iwabuchi. She isn't being threatened, and is more free to do as she pleases. The sad part is, it also means he doesn't solidly trust Misato's story of being blackmailed( still in belief that it's all a scheme from Iwabuchi).
- While not trustworthy as much, the fact that Shuri may or may not know the others faces is an interesting point. If we believe Suguru Terauchi approached Sousuke on purpose, about showing him Rika on Momonga, it's fair to believe someone with enough resources to track her identity is on into her( probably Maruppi herself).
- Another simple ironic idea of mine is how Chapter 87 mirrors 77 and 78. The final constestants of the drinking game where Mitsuri and Akito, both with someone close to them who they believed were "taken" into something wrong( adultery and blackmail), only for them to be involved into Ura aka out of their own will.
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Even after iwabuchi's defeat I don't think girls will go back to their original life since they don't have to work under iwabuchi,they will keep the money for themselves.
Sousuke should think carefully are they really victims or stupid people
If I was sousuke I will keep slapping shuri whenever she speaks nonsense.There is no point in saving this mental person.
I feel like i’ve discussed this before, from the very beginning Sousuke never actually made Rika his primary target but i forgot what i've told. However, it does seem a bit contradictory here. On one hand, Sousuke knows and firmly believes that his wife has done various terrible things from his back, just as he mentioned to Shuri in this chapter. On the other hand, he still views his wife as a victim of Iwabuchi. Though one thing is clear : whether Rika is truly a victim or not, Sousuke's ultimate goal right now is to get a direct confirmation from her regarding, "If she wanted the ultimate love, why did her actions end up making everyone hate her?" right?
Yeah, agreed. Momoyo didn't seem to want to stop, but rather tried to have another income, outside of Iwabuchi's system. Shuri doesn't seem to care about life outside the Ura aka.
Sousuke says that "cheaters must be punished". That Iwabuchi should hang himself. And that he's going to drag him to hell.
Now i'm starting to romantize Iwabuchi as a "gatekeeper of hell": Asie from scenarios like Misato, who knows how far crazy( adultery, outdoor, exhibitionism or other kinks) they would've gone if not for him keeping them under a leash of blackmail and submission?
Yeah, I agree, and I think that if these four heavenly kings at least became streamers, they would all likely be anomalies. They are doing it not because of Iwabuchi's threat, but because of their own desires and goals. Take Maruppi as an example, who is resembled Kanebayashi (a lawyer who previously encountered Sousuke and Misato) he loves money very much. So, it wouldn't be strange if he became a streamer purely for the money not because Iwabuchi's threat
I think that, in every possible situation, Sousuke still victimizes her. There's a hope for him that, even with all the testimony and visual confirmation, there must be an explanation to the discrepancy between the image she always showed him, and the image everyone else has of her. That maybe she was "seduced", now it's possible threats/blackmail.
I talked about dramatic irony because we have confirmation from the readers perspective, but from Sousuke, who still refuses to see the whole image and blinds himself from the truth, it's something else. Albeit it shouldn't be like this, even Misato's story showed him that.
I mean, he probably realized the truth, but upon Misato's story, instead of understanding that Rika is this way because of her own free will, he choose to push the entire blame unto Iwabuchi.
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I think everyone agrees that the series has become outright unbearable in terms of pacing and presentation after the trip arc.
There can be countless reasons for the protagonist's behavior, including realistic ones. However, the more often the author returns to the same pattern - justifying Riki’s actions through his hope of rebuilding his family with the partner who betrayed him - the less readers are able to identify with the main character.
Doesn’t the author realize how unattractive this looks from a storytelling perspective? How can you simply refuse to develop the protagonist’s character arc?
And I would like to ask people who are more well-read and experienced:
Why do this author - and many others - portray the criminal underworld in such a strange way?
I recently read Scandal in Neon Tokyo and compared it to the current manga. There seems to be a recurring logic regarding prostitution and sexual exploitation.
What surprises me is the author’s apparent obsession with a plot device in which sexual exploitation of women must involve either blackmail or outright coercion.
One of the Kings is an exception to this pattern, but even so, Iwabuchi is practically the embodiment of an illogical criminal mindset.
As the “King of the Night City,” there would be no need to blackmail women into becoming “actresses.” The modern world already pushes many women toward this type of work. The internet is full of channels, OnlyFans pages, revealing Instagram accounts functioning as advertisements for escort services, agencies, and independent workers.
Given the generally consumerist and permissive attitudes I see among women in my own environment, I strongly doubt that women in Japan would behave fundamentally differently.
In real life, the King of the Night City would probably have to fend off an endless stream of applicants rather than stalk individual women and devise blackmail schemes against yet another unfortunate victim.
Constantly manipulating people’s emotions in this way would inevitably have serious consequences for Iwabuchi himself. Actions like these would almost certainly provoke “irrational” reactions from his victims.
Even the latest example:
When Iwabuchi arrogantly confronted the protagonist in Riki’s hometown on a deserted road.
How could an “experienced” criminal possibly do that? He met a betrayed husband face-to-face without even knowing who else might be in the car.
Doesn’t the author realize that in situations like this, people- especially men- often act irrationally and may resort to violence or grab a knife?
How is he even still alive?
And I do not even want to discuss the organization of the event itself. It is so poorly written that it is not even funny.
There can be countless reasons for the protagonist's behavior, including realistic ones. However, the more often the author returns to the same pattern - justifying Riki’s actions through his hope of rebuilding his family with the partner who betrayed him - the less readers are able to identify with the main character.
Doesn’t the author realize how unattractive this looks from a storytelling perspective? How can you simply refuse to develop the protagonist’s character arc?
And I would like to ask people who are more well-read and experienced:
Why do this author - and many others - portray the criminal underworld in such a strange way?
I recently read Scandal in Neon Tokyo and compared it to the current manga. There seems to be a recurring logic regarding prostitution and sexual exploitation.
What surprises me is the author’s apparent obsession with a plot device in which sexual exploitation of women must involve either blackmail or outright coercion.
One of the Kings is an exception to this pattern, but even so, Iwabuchi is practically the embodiment of an illogical criminal mindset.
As the “King of the Night City,” there would be no need to blackmail women into becoming “actresses.” The modern world already pushes many women toward this type of work. The internet is full of channels, OnlyFans pages, revealing Instagram accounts functioning as advertisements for escort services, agencies, and independent workers.
Given the generally consumerist and permissive attitudes I see among women in my own environment, I strongly doubt that women in Japan would behave fundamentally differently.
In real life, the King of the Night City would probably have to fend off an endless stream of applicants rather than stalk individual women and devise blackmail schemes against yet another unfortunate victim.
Constantly manipulating people’s emotions in this way would inevitably have serious consequences for Iwabuchi himself. Actions like these would almost certainly provoke “irrational” reactions from his victims.
Even the latest example:
When Iwabuchi arrogantly confronted the protagonist in Riki’s hometown on a deserted road.
How could an “experienced” criminal possibly do that? He met a betrayed husband face-to-face without even knowing who else might be in the car.
Doesn’t the author realize that in situations like this, people- especially men- often act irrationally and may resort to violence or grab a knife?
How is he even still alive?
And I do not even want to discuss the organization of the event itself. It is so poorly written that it is not even funny.
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Sousuki’s constant bumbling through this is so frustrating and hard to rationalize. Knowing what these people do, he should suspect, even if he’s wrong, that Iwabuchi (or Rikka if he wasn’t so blinded with his own projecting onto her) probably designed the situation to get him cheating on camera, showing him what a hypocrite he is, and how unworthy of Rikka he is (to both him and Rikka). It’s not like it’s the first time, either.
To me, at this point of this manga, it just feels like the author is milking it for more content/chapters. If he can’t wrap this up by chapter 100, I don’t think I can continue with. It feels insulting to my intelligence.
To me, at this point of this manga, it just feels like the author is milking it for more content/chapters. If he can’t wrap this up by chapter 100, I don’t think I can continue with. It feels insulting to my intelligence.
I understand the authors were trying to make some sort of "Alice in wonderland", but with a cheated husband entering a dark, twisted sexual world. However...
Sousuke is too naive, stubborn and ignorant to be appealing. Even by his age, there's no malice, no life experience, no "evils of the world". This worked somewhat good on the first part, his negative character development arc, as he refused to see the truth. The truth kept piling up, how the image he had of Rika wasn't true, how she was not trustworthy, how he only the knew her image, no her real self...but he still choose to believe there must've a reason for her to act this way. Seduction, blackmail, anything that could justify her demeanor.
But now, on this second part, his positive character development arc? Although the lie is still there, although we have seen how she treated Misato, he still believes that there's must be an explanation for this, and projects said explanation unto Iwabuchi alone. I know this entire part will finish with Sousuke having his lie broken and starting seeing the truth, the world, for what it really is...but it's still horrible to believe that, albeit growing as a person( trusting more people, recording conversations, even using his ED as a weapon), his character arc still refuses to shatter until dictated by a dramatic moment.
I'll abide by the finale having a clash of views, but as things are right now, i wonder what was it all for? Sousuke has already checked out emotionally, the only person interested on doing real harm to him is a chief of night city who moves and does things by himself, relying less on henchman. And the Ura aka scenario is becoming a "the plot insisting upon itself" thing, is more of a plot device than real plot...
Sousuke is too naive, stubborn and ignorant to be appealing. Even by his age, there's no malice, no life experience, no "evils of the world". This worked somewhat good on the first part, his negative character development arc, as he refused to see the truth. The truth kept piling up, how the image he had of Rika wasn't true, how she was not trustworthy, how he only the knew her image, no her real self...but he still choose to believe there must've a reason for her to act this way. Seduction, blackmail, anything that could justify her demeanor.
But now, on this second part, his positive character development arc? Although the lie is still there, although we have seen how she treated Misato, he still believes that there's must be an explanation for this, and projects said explanation unto Iwabuchi alone. I know this entire part will finish with Sousuke having his lie broken and starting seeing the truth, the world, for what it really is...but it's still horrible to believe that, albeit growing as a person( trusting more people, recording conversations, even using his ED as a weapon), his character arc still refuses to shatter until dictated by a dramatic moment.
I'll abide by the finale having a clash of views, but as things are right now, i wonder what was it all for? Sousuke has already checked out emotionally, the only person interested on doing real harm to him is a chief of night city who moves and does things by himself, relying less on henchman. And the Ura aka scenario is becoming a "the plot insisting upon itself" thing, is more of a plot device than real plot...
