Boku no Giovanni - Vol. 4 Ch. 23 - Heart
- Thread starter MangaDex
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I love every single page of this manga. Initially, I read the script to get the tension over with, then read it a second time to pay attention to the little details in each panel. The artist is quite proficient in drawing expressions, especially the eyebrows. You can see the confusion and inner conflict written on Ikumi's face. I commend Tetsuro for waiting half an hour to hear him say "white", a truly patient therapist.
It is also a bit funny how I keep forgetting that the agent is a woman and how she's so convinced that Ikumi is a perfect being that him getting angry is beyond her imagination. What she said about Ikumi not initiating and partaking in conversations with others is interesting to note, because he certainly wasn't shy about talking in length with Tetsuo in chapters 13 and 15. This, along with his attempt at threatening the agent, continues to prove how much Tetsuo still means to him, whether subconsciously or not, and my heart aches at the thought that there is still a long road ahead until the two of them can hug, laugh and play "Call of the Cello" again. I just hope that the author doesn't make the agent fall in love with Ikumi or Yukari with Tetsuo and let them be the reason why the two open up to each other again, but since the manga doesn't have the "romance" tag, I guess I don't have a reason to worry.
Thank you again for bringing this wonderful story into our lives, Symphonic Scans! Could I ask you to tell me what this page talks about in a few words? It has something to do with the manga, but I can't quite comprehend it after using an online translator.
It is also a bit funny how I keep forgetting that the agent is a woman and how she's so convinced that Ikumi is a perfect being that him getting angry is beyond her imagination. What she said about Ikumi not initiating and partaking in conversations with others is interesting to note, because he certainly wasn't shy about talking in length with Tetsuo in chapters 13 and 15. This, along with his attempt at threatening the agent, continues to prove how much Tetsuo still means to him, whether subconsciously or not, and my heart aches at the thought that there is still a long road ahead until the two of them can hug, laugh and play "Call of the Cello" again. I just hope that the author doesn't make the agent fall in love with Ikumi or Yukari with Tetsuo and let them be the reason why the two open up to each other again, but since the manga doesn't have the "romance" tag, I guess I don't have a reason to worry.
Thank you again for bringing this wonderful story into our lives, Symphonic Scans! Could I ask you to tell me what this page talks about in a few words? It has something to do with the manga, but I can't quite comprehend it after using an online translator.
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@Headphones13 That’s how I read this comic (well, and actually most comics...) because initially I just want to know what happens 😅 But especially with translating stuff, I have to read slower than English, and then I absorb more as I translate.
This isn’t really a spoiler, but tagged just in case:
I highly doubt that anybody will be romantically involved, though I suppose Tetsuo/Yukari could be a thing? But she did say in a previous chapter that neither Mitarai nor Tetsuo are her type... also I just read her as being very wlw (given her reaction/obsession with Lily). Kind of same with Sagi, she seems more like she cares about Ikumi as a person rather than having romantic interest. Another interesting thing is that she uses a more masculine way of referring to herself in Japanese, which leads me to believe that she's also wlw.
The only pairing I think might happen is Yuriko/Tetsuro, at least it seems the most implied. The shipper in me feels Ikumi/Tetsuo, but I think that’s both wishful thinking on my part, and highly doubtful that it would be confirmed in any way by the author.
So, the page you linked to is something I’ve run across several times in Japanese, it’s basically trying to predict when the next volume/chapter will come out based on previous release schedules. There are a lot of different versions of the same thing, I feel like they’re kind of ‘junk sites’ that just try to get hits based on people’s searches and get people to sign up for their services. That said, it actually seems pretty accurate, since I’ve dug through past issues of Flowers to see what Hozumi’s publication pattern is. I think whatever is going on right now is going to push back their predicted released date, though... I think she would have to release 2 more chapters pretty soon to have the 6 chapters for vol. 6 ready by May.
This isn’t really a spoiler, but tagged just in case:
you’re right about the agent being convinced of Ikumi’s perfection, it’s foreshadowing something that happens later.
I highly doubt that anybody will be romantically involved, though I suppose Tetsuo/Yukari could be a thing? But she did say in a previous chapter that neither Mitarai nor Tetsuo are her type... also I just read her as being very wlw (given her reaction/obsession with Lily). Kind of same with Sagi, she seems more like she cares about Ikumi as a person rather than having romantic interest. Another interesting thing is that she uses a more masculine way of referring to herself in Japanese, which leads me to believe that she's also wlw.
The only pairing I think might happen is Yuriko/Tetsuro, at least it seems the most implied. The shipper in me feels Ikumi/Tetsuo, but I think that’s both wishful thinking on my part, and highly doubtful that it would be confirmed in any way by the author.
So, the page you linked to is something I’ve run across several times in Japanese, it’s basically trying to predict when the next volume/chapter will come out based on previous release schedules. There are a lot of different versions of the same thing, I feel like they’re kind of ‘junk sites’ that just try to get hits based on people’s searches and get people to sign up for their services. That said, it actually seems pretty accurate, since I’ve dug through past issues of Flowers to see what Hozumi’s publication pattern is. I think whatever is going on right now is going to push back their predicted released date, though... I think she would have to release 2 more chapters pretty soon to have the 6 chapters for vol. 6 ready by May.
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@Violistofhameln
I absolutely understand your shipper feelings, XD. After reading this chapter, I once again thought about the possibility of Ikumi/Tetsuo and came to the conclusion that it would be for the best for them not to progress into something romantic. If they did, I believe that the emphasis on accepting and overcoming one's trauma, be it partly or fully, will be lost to an extent.
We have seen Tetsuo's growth, how he came to terms with what he isn't and only afterwards began discovering who he is. His wound has closed, allowing him to begin his journey to establish where he can stand in the world of music. Ikumi, however, has yet to heal, both from the incident and from the abandonment. If he becomes Tetsuo's most special person, having him all to himself, it would only fill his wound, instead of stitching it up, hence he wouldn't be making any progress towards improvement.
On the other hand, people with PTSD need their "special person" in order to be "reintroduced" into the world. A therapist is a wonderful aid, but when the patient has already "imprinted" on someone, they have to play a part in the process. Not to mention that Ikumi was already showing signs of liking Tetsuo in that way when they were 12, but it could be attributed to his attachment after the trauma XD.
In the end, I think this story will have a stronger message, if romance isn't introduced, except for Yuriko and Tetsuro, whose relationship has been implied, as you said. Only when we see that Ikumi has grown as Tetsuo has, maybe after a timeskip, then maybe, just maybe, something along those lines wouldn't come off as negative obsessive behavior.
I absolutely understand your shipper feelings, XD. After reading this chapter, I once again thought about the possibility of Ikumi/Tetsuo and came to the conclusion that it would be for the best for them not to progress into something romantic. If they did, I believe that the emphasis on accepting and overcoming one's trauma, be it partly or fully, will be lost to an extent.
We have seen Tetsuo's growth, how he came to terms with what he isn't and only afterwards began discovering who he is. His wound has closed, allowing him to begin his journey to establish where he can stand in the world of music. Ikumi, however, has yet to heal, both from the incident and from the abandonment. If he becomes Tetsuo's most special person, having him all to himself, it would only fill his wound, instead of stitching it up, hence he wouldn't be making any progress towards improvement.
On the other hand, people with PTSD need their "special person" in order to be "reintroduced" into the world. A therapist is a wonderful aid, but when the patient has already "imprinted" on someone, they have to play a part in the process. Not to mention that Ikumi was already showing signs of liking Tetsuo in that way when they were 12, but it could be attributed to his attachment after the trauma XD.
In the end, I think this story will have a stronger message, if romance isn't introduced, except for Yuriko and Tetsuro, whose relationship has been implied, as you said. Only when we see that Ikumi has grown as Tetsuo has, maybe after a timeskip, then maybe, just maybe, something along those lines wouldn't come off as negative obsessive behavior.
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@Headphones13 Yes, I think it would be... weird... and not fit with the story that is being established for Ikumi/Tetsuo to be a thing, and honestly would feel forced. I think Hozumi is much more interested in showing the more complex relationship that is their friendship and how it's impacted by Ikumi's PTSD. I also don't think that Tetsuo would reciprocate any romantic feelings, because it seems like he thinks of Ikumi as just a close friend. Even when they were kids, it felt like he was just glad to have a close friend, since it was implied that he didn't ever have that with any of his classmates. So I feel like taking it into BL territory -- no matter how much I enjoy that particular genre -- would cheapen the character development thus far.
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