Imasara desu ga, Osananajimi wo Suki ni Natte Shimaimashita - Ch. 45 - Wandering Through The Night

[HellJester]

I mean, you're just not the 'overblown hate' kind of person that post was about. That's why it's interesting to read your opinions, unlike those that are just cursing Yami, Yuu or Hikari.

Yeah, as much as I root for Hikari, it bothers me to see people come in and disparage any of these characters, especially Yami. I just want to shake some of these people and be like "Yami doesn't have one adult in her life that she can really confide in. Her father is dead, her step father wanted to molest her (I can't remember if he succeeded and I don't want to search through the archives), her mother ignored what the step father was doing and then tried to kill herself - her teachers write her off immediately...like cut her a little bit of slack." I'm not saying forgive her just try to sympathize and understand her a bit.

You see, that's kind of the opposite of what I want from the story. When you, story645 or anyone else talk about growth, I always see words like responsibility, own the situation, apologize etc. Basically that they should all do the right thing (and in Yami's case that means to apologize, repent for her actions and gracefully step aside). And I don't want them to. I want them to clash, suffer, struggle, make more wonderful mistakes, get angry, depressed and all kinds of stuff in their pursuit of happiness that's maybe waiting at the end. And that's exactly why I prefer Yami over Hikari - the latter just seems to always do the "right thing". After chapter 36 I thought she'd finally do something unorthodox, but she still kept doing "the right thing". And I just can't find it interesting.

I'm the type of person who wants problems solved immediately lol. If I'm dealing with a problem in real life I want that problem gone pronto. So I read this manga and I'm immediately thinking what these characters need to do so the problems go away. I realize that would make this a very boring manga if all problems were solved immediately but it's hard to quiet something that's a fundamental part of me. I'm all about them doing the "right thing." Though I think there can be a little bit of middle ground. For awhile, Yami was doing the "right thing" aka going to school, making friends, talking to her mom, etc.

My issue with him is different, I think he's still an underdeveloped character. He had a short volume of his own but it didn't help much, we still don't know what he was thinking in all those situations that we saw in the manga. He doesn't really have any interesting interactions with either Hikari or Yami, aside from a few select ones.
TLDR - what he needs is more characterization, not growth.

Yes, it's a shame we don't get much from Yuu but Maruto seems to want it that way so I'll just have to be disappointed and suck it up.

 

[GennArc]

So I read this manga and I'm immediately thinking what these characters need to do so the problems go away. I realize that would make this a very boring manga if all problems were solved immediately but it's hard to quiet something that's a fundamental part of me. I'm all about them doing the "right thing."

This kind of frustration is also a fuel for good discussions I'd say, so for me this type of mentality is more than welcome.

Though I think there can be a little bit of middle ground. For awhile, Yami was doing the "right thing" aka going to school, making friends, talking to her mom, etc.

For sure. I'm not saying they should never do the "right thing", I just want to see both rights and wrongs.
Btw, I think from Yami's perspective that break-up was definitely the "right thing" to do.

but Maruto seems to want it that way

I still have hope he's saving it for later. Though I imagine some people will complain once Yuu becomes the protag.

 

[story645]

and gracefully step aside

I don't think she has to step aside to do the right thing. I think not stepping aside and being honest about her feelings would've been more "right" than the hash she made of things, but it would have also required her to be honest/ brave/vulnerable (ETA) and I acknowledge a fundementally more mature character than the one Maruto is writing. Which that's also what Hikari asked of her, that Aya be honest and not that Aya step aside. ETA: basically what I'd see as growth is Aya becoming the girl who wouldn't try to step aside but instead honestly face things head on. Eta2: to me the kiss doesn't count b/c Yuu thinks it's a good bye and she lets him, so it's still a half assed self-protective attempt where she doesn't force him to explicitly accept or reject her.

It's also not that I think Aya should never make mistakes, it's just that she keeps making the same mistakes and at a certain point I find that as boring as you find Hikari's actions. Maybe, b/c I empathize with Haru & Yuki - at some point folks like Aya just get exhausting. That also might be why I think Aya getting a happy ending w/o owning her mistakes just feels so unearned, but also yeah that's totally realistic (eta: and I guess a staple of literary fiction).

 

[GennArc]

I think not stepping aside and being honest about her feelings would've been more "right" than the hash she made of things, but it would have also required her to be honest/ brave/vulnerable (ETA) and I acknowledge a fundementally more mature character than the one Maruto is writing. Which that's also what Hikari asked of her, that Aya be honest and not that Aya step aside.

But when you bring up Hikari facing her, that's the "maturity" I don't want to see. Because when Hikari, who's just been betrayed by her best friend, goes to meet her without an ounce of malice or even ulterior motives, and all she wants is for Yami to admit she is still in love with Yuu - that's no longer a maturity in my book, that's just being a goody two-shoes. Later we read her thoughts and the only "blemish" on her perfect conduct is not willing to face Yami for now. I would be fine if her facing Yami and trying to have her be honest was her way to punish the girl, but that wasn't the case apparently. I don't want this kind of maturity.
I don't want that classic love triangle/harem situation where they are on perfect terms and entirely honest with each other while earnestly competing for Yuu either.

Also sorry in advance, I won't be able to respond for a while.

 

[story645]

I don't want that classic love triangle/harem situation where they are on perfect terms and entirely honest with each other while earnestly competing for Yuu either.

So I'm coming at this from a parallel kinda view, in that I don't want the classic shoujo childhood friend manga w/ the plucky female lead & insecure childhood friend w/ the unhinged ex.

that's no longer a maturity in my book, that's just being a goody two-shoes.

I think if Hikari was just being a goody two shoes, then she would've just forgiven Aya outright and given Aya her blessing to make a move on Yuu. ETA: I think if anything it's Yuu who is being a goody two shoes (doormat) here by insisting that Aya did nothing wrong given she ghosted him then showed up a year later and didn't explain anything, yelled at him, kissed him, then said goodbye. ETA: I mostly think Hikari's actions are the tuned to Aya version of shoving Yuu and then telling him she hates liars as both interactions are at core Hikari asking for honesty.

Also, for me the friendship between Aya and Hikari is fundementally what makes this manga interesting and also where I find Hikari relatable rather than mature. Haru, Yuki, and Aya's old friend all flag that Aya is a trainwreck, while Hikari & Yuu are both too sheltered/innocent to recognize the warning signs. Basically what you don't like about Hikari is I think why realistically someone like her (& Yuu) would even get involved w/ Aya in the first place. ETA: I think Haru says as much about Hikari.