Dex-chan lover
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damn.. i think i read this back in 2012
AKB49 - Renai Kinshi Jourei - Vol. 29 Ch. 262 - AKB49
- Thread starter MangaDex
- Start date
To help those better swallow the ending. Minoru in the end was on the phone with haruko talking about the right hair color for the wig. Judging from the way they talk they are most likely dating but in secret mostly via text and twitter just like when minoru was using the kurokami persona
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2018
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Lovely, emotional ending. Despite starting with a goofy romance cross-dressing plot, AKB49 became a really engrossing "sports shounen"-type manga about the idol industry with a lot of heart. And it makes sense that it did't end with any romantic bits. They hadn't been important for hundreds of chapters by this point.
I think the only way I would have liked it better would have been if Minoru had fully been accepted as an idol despite being a boy, instead of this "keeping the secret" business. He was friends with everyone else in the group, and now he has to remain isolated from them. Even if its implied that he remained in contact, having to keep the secret seems like a real punishment after all his success. Its kinda tragic, especially when you consider how much of his life performing had become.
It would have been an incredibly affirming message have him performing, as a boy, with everyone else. "At the end of the day, you're still an idol". But maybe that's just too ahead of the times for Japan.
I think the only way I would have liked it better would have been if Minoru had fully been accepted as an idol despite being a boy, instead of this "keeping the secret" business. He was friends with everyone else in the group, and now he has to remain isolated from them. Even if its implied that he remained in contact, having to keep the secret seems like a real punishment after all his success. Its kinda tragic, especially when you consider how much of his life performing had become.
It would have been an incredibly affirming message have him performing, as a boy, with everyone else. "At the end of the day, you're still an idol". But maybe that's just too ahead of the times for Japan.
*Semiannual re-read accomplished*
There I have been since when the original Japanese chapter was released - wild it was, although not of a storm comparable to the more popular mangas at the time.
Anyway, Minoru is just suffering from a spontaneous emotional burnt-out. His blazing love for AKB and for the stage, combined with the belated confession, eventually became the deterrent to ward himself off from it. No, it is not quite the fear of contradicting himself, but more of the fear of his own experience - a gorgeous chapter of life it had been. We can see in the previous chapter, and some prior to that, whereby Minoru had thought over a normal life, a normal experience, and thus a strong desire to settle for the peace of his mind. Minoru is not Minori, whenever he cannot think like, or, be the Minori, his emotional instability would be observed rather frequently (ye, curse you god, why must you make males so fragile...)
That being said, he is accompanying Alice often - much to his annoyance, though of which he did not seem to mind it in particular. He is solitude for sure, but loneliness would not be the correct word to attach to him.
It was hence a good and satisfying ending - except the (unexpected unnecessary) part where I wish I could see a showdown between the girls as to how Minoru should be divided among them - or conquered solely by one goddess. I would bet $100,000 on Okabe Ai though. Lowest odds, highest gains.
There I have been since when the original Japanese chapter was released - wild it was, although not of a storm comparable to the more popular mangas at the time.
Anyway, Minoru is just suffering from a spontaneous emotional burnt-out. His blazing love for AKB and for the stage, combined with the belated confession, eventually became the deterrent to ward himself off from it. No, it is not quite the fear of contradicting himself, but more of the fear of his own experience - a gorgeous chapter of life it had been. We can see in the previous chapter, and some prior to that, whereby Minoru had thought over a normal life, a normal experience, and thus a strong desire to settle for the peace of his mind. Minoru is not Minori, whenever he cannot think like, or, be the Minori, his emotional instability would be observed rather frequently (ye, curse you god, why must you make males so fragile...)
That being said, he is accompanying Alice often - much to his annoyance, though of which he did not seem to mind it in particular. He is solitude for sure, but loneliness would not be the correct word to attach to him.
It was hence a good and satisfying ending - except the (unexpected unnecessary) part where I wish I could see a showdown between the girls as to how Minoru should be divided among them - or conquered solely by one goddess. I would bet $100,000 on Okabe Ai though. Lowest odds, highest gains.
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- Feb 13, 2021
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- 33
I really wasn't sure how this was going to end, but I'm glad I finally finished this after first checking it out years ago. I more or less marathoned the series over the course of a week as my unwind between studies. In some ways, I feel some disappointment that things are so mixed for Minoru, but I'm glad that he was able to maintain his dignity as an idol in the end.
I'm also surprised by how much I grew to like Alice over the course of the story; I initially thought she was annoying and would only serve as an annoying "blackmail the MC cuz of some secret" cliche, but she grew from an annoying 'bad guy' into the person I actually wanted Minoru to end up with. The fact that they seem to be dating at the end is actually really great in my mind, as Minoru's affection for Yoshika wasn't really something either of them could really achieve. In a way, the two felt like that couple in Bakuman that are supposed to be in love, but because of how much time they spend apart, it feels really weird when their affection is being shown off.
All in all, I'm glad that we got such a long crossdressing manga that actually went somewhere beyond "oh no, I'm a boy in an all-girl situation! time for lewd!". I don't regret my time with the manga and even though it has its faults (the reckless abandon that it has for idol worship & the lack of stakes whenever the MC continually had challenge of doing X or being kicked out), this is a story I will never forget. Even though I have 0 interest in the actual AKB49, I think this has made me appreciate the people over at Hololive more.
I'm also surprised by how much I grew to like Alice over the course of the story; I initially thought she was annoying and would only serve as an annoying "blackmail the MC cuz of some secret" cliche, but she grew from an annoying 'bad guy' into the person I actually wanted Minoru to end up with. The fact that they seem to be dating at the end is actually really great in my mind, as Minoru's affection for Yoshika wasn't really something either of them could really achieve. In a way, the two felt like that couple in Bakuman that are supposed to be in love, but because of how much time they spend apart, it feels really weird when their affection is being shown off.
All in all, I'm glad that we got such a long crossdressing manga that actually went somewhere beyond "oh no, I'm a boy in an all-girl situation! time for lewd!". I don't regret my time with the manga and even though it has its faults (the reckless abandon that it has for idol worship & the lack of stakes whenever the MC continually had challenge of doing X or being kicked out), this is a story I will never forget. Even though I have 0 interest in the actual AKB49, I think this has made me appreciate the people over at Hololive more.
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- Apr 9, 2025
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- 29
I know many were disappointed that the ending didn't develop any romantic interest or anything, but honestly this is okay.
Minoru's love clearly didn't waver or lose its value, he knows the rules against love. He can't date Hiroko, not until she graduates. Arisu has one big opportunity to get him before Hiroko does. Could be a fun love triangle story if it had a sequel.
Or maybe he'd take Togasaki's place as the theater manager, being able to once again mingle with the girls that he befriended for four years, that would honestly be a great sequel as well. Possible love triangle too for Takamina and Hiroko (or a square with Arisu)? Crazy idea, but could be very fun.
But in the end, I prefer this ending, and the story itself was very gripping and engaging: massive character development of both him and Hiroko. Sad that we went from this to Rent-a-girlfriend. Just sad...imagine the potential for a sequel to Minoru's story.
Minoru's love clearly didn't waver or lose its value, he knows the rules against love. He can't date Hiroko, not until she graduates. Arisu has one big opportunity to get him before Hiroko does. Could be a fun love triangle story if it had a sequel.
Or maybe he'd take Togasaki's place as the theater manager, being able to once again mingle with the girls that he befriended for four years, that would honestly be a great sequel as well. Possible love triangle too for Takamina and Hiroko (or a square with Arisu)? Crazy idea, but could be very fun.
But in the end, I prefer this ending, and the story itself was very gripping and engaging: massive character development of both him and Hiroko. Sad that we went from this to Rent-a-girlfriend. Just sad...imagine the potential for a sequel to Minoru's story.
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- Apr 9, 2025
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- 29
Since Okabe has started to rise even further, one can assume Thomas and the film crew decided to bring Elena to the film as a result of his graduation, gotta fill the slot in the end, which is how often show business works.
Yes, he loved being an idol, because it wasn't just for the fans, but also for his love interest: Hiroko. He wanted to see her achieve her dream, to be an actual idol that she once idolized. He never laughed at her, he secretly supported her for four years, and every girl gave their trust to him, especially Haruko, Chie, and the real-life personalities, even after being exposed in his graduation day (notice how the girls didn't care about the scandal). But such scandal will surely ruin AKB, far worse than him, as it will surely affect Akimoto, management, and the girls: senbatsu, next, future, and new kenkyusei, even worse, the American and global fans that got to know AKB because of him. That is a dangerous weight he would carry if such scandal happened, hence he wanted to get away from it all - not cowardice, but sacrifice, like how Arisu did for Hiroko, and how Goldman and Ran/Aphrodite did to save him, but his road of sacrifice was the most dangerous to undertake. But he was very uptight, he wanted to take responsibility (which is something many MCs won't even do), but the fans did it for him thanks to Sensei.
He is clearly trying to go to university...and then...somebody is chasing for his heart, and he is surely waiting for Hiroko to be free, his love clearly didn't end despite the distance. Potential sequel to a love triangle story of sorts, and also he could also just take Togasaki's job and mingle with the 15th Gen onwards plus the existing senbatsu and sousenkyo of the time (2016 to present if we're following the real AKB timeline).
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