Ikoku Nikki - Vol. 10 Ch. 49 - page.49

[MangaDex]

 

[crimony]

i love kan. she said straight-up what makio sucks at saying. really, makio is not great with words sometimes, which is funny considering her profession.

 

[Zauzainis]

Uhhh this is soooooo!! This has me crying man!

 

[dovh]

i love kan. she said straight-up what makio sucks at saying. really, makio is not great with words sometimes, which is funny considering her profession.

Makio isn’t bad with words, she simply dislikes giving direct answers and prefers that the person figure things out for themselves.

 

[crimony]

Makio isn’t bad with words, she simply dislikes giving direct answers and prefers that the person figure things out for themselves.

my comment is old but i think i was talking mostly from Asa’s perspective - aka what words she might need to hear as a fragile kid. Kan conveys comforting words more directly and unambiguously to Asa, which is what Asa wants from Makio but can’t get usually.

i agree that Makio is generally intentional with what she says to others but idk if her words always have the desired effect and she’s at times surprised by Asa’s reactions. i think she tries to comfort as much as she can while still being true to herself, but it’s not always effective and sometimes leads to fractured understanding from others. this is the crux of her character development as Asa’s guardian, because even if she prefers people to figure stuff out themselves, kids need more guidance than that.

it’s been awhile since i read this tho 🫠

 

[riflow]

I love Kanda for blatantly voicing the fear Asa has been battling with BC she's been crying out in existential horror this entire time since her parents died and, much as I am fond of makio, the figure it out yourself method she has is a type of introspection a grieving child would find very difficult when not equipped with the same skills as adults.

Like she....she NEEDED literally anyone to tell her that even if you stripped away every "worth while" (to a conservative confirmative society) thing about her that she fundamentally is still a person worthy of respect, dignity and self actualisation.

And I'm so relieved she got it off her friend who has had a loving and understanding upbringing (and likely been bullied for the kind of person she is, it's not easy being a big girl anywhere but especially not in Japan) and show the kind of compassion only a peer who is in distress for you, can show. Like she just got what she was giving to Chiyo ping pong back at her.

I love it so much, I hope all these kids end up happy and fulfilled no matter what happens to them. Desperately.