Asahina-san no Bentou Tabetai - Ch. 12

[iamcake]

I’m loving the art on this manga, her expression is really something

 

[lesseffective]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ENDING.

This ain't deep writing, the author is just being edgy for the hell of it, and throwing every drama trope they can at the story.

If I were to give the author any benefit in this regards it's Asahina trying to respond to Maki in a similar open manner that he does. The only times we ever see him put up any kind of facade is at work; and that's with a couple of interactions with Mizuki-san, and the less that's said about the end of chapter 9 the better.

There are no layers to how he speaks at school, which is something that lies at the entire opposite spectrum of all the interactions that Asahina deals with in her day-to-day. In that regard he may as well be a cryptid for coming off as the kind of being that simply shouldn't exist in the first place.

 

[testableneptune]

God damn just give him the damn lunch!

 

[webakinem]

I don't think the author even understand what they're writing

i have a feeling this is deviating from the LN (though you maybe right) i just think this is ending soon

 

[kirik]

Boy's Abyss with positive vibe

 

[Tofsla]

Maki-kun next chapter: Hello everynyan! How are you? Fine, thank you.

 

[comeonnow0]

"inexplicably" drawn to him. Yeah, it really is unexplainable when the author makes such flimsy reasons for her attraction to him.

A lot of Asahina's characterization feels shallow and artificial. She is propelled along by the fact that this is somewhat of a romcom. The plot needs her to have a breakdown, so she has a breakdown. The plot needs her to be attracted to Maki, so she is attracted to Maki. The author tries to give some reasons and excuses with varying degrees of success, but it still feels like she's held up by strings and barely a real character.

Which is ironic on multiple levels, considering the other characters. Yui and Maki, and to an extent Terazuki too, are purposefully putting on a show themselves. I find myself constantly wondering how much of what Maki does is how he truly feels and how much is an act for others. I actually think we don't see much of Maki's own internal thoughts, only ever Terazuki's, so it's interesting.

But the difference is that how Maki and Yui act seems to come from an internal motivation. They are characters who have agency. Asahina has been blown along by the wind almost endlessly since the beginning.

 

[Senros]

imo she dodged a bullet (or a thousand), so good for her. I hope she actually goes to America and forgets about Maki. He is a lot more than what she can currently chew.

 

[Logical_Overdrive]

God fucking dammit! I agree with the t/n note at the end, SHE HAD HIM RIGHT THERE! HE WAS ALL HERS! FUCK!