I'm not interested enough in these types of work to pass this one of as anything but torture-porn / dark-erotica. I mean, maybe in 3 years an video essay will pop-up about this "underated psychological masterpiece" or something, but as far as I am concerned this one was not meant for me at all and I really want the time I spent reading it back.
That’s not fair…Didn't even read the story but I can say with a hundred percent honesty that is garbage just based on the ending alone.
I am honestly happy I did not read this...
The dots are shotsMy long long extrapolating take: Makoto's idea of love is hate because of his "brother", and now he has the desire to hurt someone/only knows how to love like Mutsumi did. However, Makoto didn't like Mutsumi's "love", so when he's expressing his own love, he wants the person to hates him and what he does to her.
On some level, Makoto recognizes that he was forced into being like this and is fundamentally warped by what he underwent. He would prefer something normal, but kind of like Mikoto developing her fetishes, he can't help but only like Mikoto with that look of repulsion (lol).
I think what the author was going for with the ending was that that's why they can't both be happy, because Mikoto would be happy if he killed her and he doesn't want her to be happy with that. Makoto isn't happy that he's been made this sort of person, so he's disgusted at the thought that someone would accept or want someone like him. Unlike Mutsumi, who thought Makoto did love him and this was love, which is why when he realized Makoto didn't accept him, Mutsumi just let him go and chose the pet girl who loved him instead.
However, I do think Makoto does genuinely find her cute and like her beyond just the hate on some level- he's not completely opposed to making Mikoto happy (their dates, the start of the shoujo sex, their 'marriage', her happy face being in his page of memories for her), he is amused by how dumb she is and that she'll take it this far to fit in. He doesn't really comprehend it, though. Likewise, I think Mikoto genuinely likes that she can be her real self around Makoto and she does want Makoto, specifically, to be the one who kills her. I think another part of the ending was that both of them are so warped that this is how people like them would end up if they're apart.
But honestly, a lot of this is me reaching. The manga is underdeveloped because the author wanted to draw gore, ryona, erotica, and dark comedy instead. Their marriage arc/date arc was touching on the thought that Makoto was treating Mikoto like he was and he found it unpleasant, the idea that Mikoto was somewhat beginning/wanting to understand him was just brushed on. Makoto's feelings for her were all over the place. There are traces of themes like normalcy and what love means and wanting to be accepted with the serial killer guy and pet girl/Mutsumi, but they don't quite connect back.
Other random thoughts: Mikoto is ugly- she has these little eyes compared to Makoto and the other girls in the manga's big ones. Also, I keep noticing these dots on the arms of the girls and I'm not sure what they're supposed to represent. Drugs?
The Dots are vaccinations and nice analysis ☝️ idk why it replied twice to your comment sorryMy long long extrapolating take: Makoto's idea of love is hate because of his "brother", and now he has the desire to hurt someone/only knows how to love like Mutsumi did. However, Makoto didn't like Mutsumi's "love", so when he's expressing his own love, he wants the person to hates him and what he does to her.
On some level, Makoto recognizes that he was forced into being like this and is fundamentally warped by what he underwent. He would prefer something normal, but kind of like Mikoto developing her fetishes, he can't help but only like Mikoto with that look of repulsion (lol).
I think what the author was going for with the ending was that that's why they can't both be happy, because Mikoto would be happy if he killed her and he doesn't want her to be happy with that. Makoto isn't happy that he's been made this sort of person, so he's disgusted at the thought that someone would accept or want someone like him. Unlike Mutsumi, who thought Makoto did love him and this was love, which is why when he realized Makoto didn't accept him, Mutsumi just let him go and chose the pet girl who loved him instead.
However, I do think Makoto does genuinely find her cute and like her beyond just the hate on some level- he's not completely opposed to making Mikoto happy (their dates, the start of the shoujo sex, their 'marriage', her happy face being in his page of memories for her), he is amused by how dumb she is and that she'll take it this far to fit in. He doesn't really comprehend it, though. Likewise, I think Mikoto genuinely likes that she can be her real self around Makoto and she does want Makoto, specifically, to be the one who kills her. I think another part of the ending was that both of them are so warped that this is how people like them would end up if they're apart.
But honestly, a lot of this is me reaching. The manga is underdeveloped because the author wanted to draw gore, ryona, erotica, and dark comedy instead. Their marriage arc/date arc was touching on the thought that Makoto was treating Mikoto like he was and he found it unpleasant, the idea that Mikoto was somewhat beginning/wanting to understand him was just brushed on. Makoto's feelings for her were all over the place. There are traces of themes like normalcy and what love means and wanting to be accepted with the serial killer guy and pet girl/Mutsumi, but they don't quite connect back.
Other random thoughts: Mikoto is ugly- she has these little eyes compared to Makoto and the other girls in the manga's big ones. Also, I keep noticing these dots on the arms of the girls and I'm not sure what they're supposed to represent. Drugs?
I feel like this manga’s biggest anchor was that the story’s plot got away from itself too quickly for the author to correct. From the beginning, you can really tell there was a certain direction the plot was going in but something happened along the way and it got lost;
Towards the end there were various filler chapters with no contribution to the overall storyline that could have been dedicated to more things getting fleshed out. Entire characters were abandoned and it feels like no one really “grows” except Makoto and we’re only really told so..
I think going into more of his past with the neighbor would have been interesting and even his life before then. The older brother neighbor also kinda goes from being a pretty frightening antagonist (?) to just a helpless guy who only begrudgingly watches Makoto, his life’s obsession, live his life without him.
Dog girl only really exists as a suuuper minor foil to Makoto and doesn’t contribute much honestly. We get the slightest hint of depth that crumbles when she’s embraced by the neighbor.
I don’t know how Mikoto is finding all these guys willing to beat her up when Shuichi is framed as completely abnormal and sick in the head for wanting basically the same thing…?
Mikoto is such a vapid protagonist whose obsession with being normal makes less and less sense the more the series goes on. Why does she feel this way? Hasn’t she accepted multiple times the relationship is NOT normal? I also think the moment Saki broke up with her that should have been the end of things. It just… goes back to usual with them.
Mikoto is clearly meant to be unintelligent but idk it’s too much and becomes so cringey… the saving grace of her character is her death fetish. (I don’t mean this negatively I mean it makes her interesting ><)
We were all very lucky to have read this as it was translated so kindly and uploaded here because reading it all in one go would have been a total mind screw. The quality shift is super apparent and maybe the art style change could have been jarring but it wasn’t bad -~-
I have more opinions but overall it’s like the author wanted to tie up sooo many loose threads but in the end just made an untidy knot.
Uh having said that I still like it and mostly had a good time reading ;-;
Man I know that was alot of work thanks so much!It is over!!!!!! Yipee!!!! Only spent 3 months of my life on this!!!!
Good reach. I like your incite of Makoto's view of himself and love. I was never quite sure if he was trying to re-explore what "Normal" is. He had that whole moment of "growing up" where he realized that he isn't that child anymore and he's no longer at the mercy of his brother. I also considered that he and Mikoto where changing each other little by little. Each fulfilling a need in one another. Everyone seemed to be trying to fill a void of some sort with another person. I wish that was explored more. Maybe I'm the one that reaching now. lol.My long long extrapolating take: Makoto's idea of love is hate because of his "brother", and now he has the desire to hurt someone/only knows how to love like Mutsumi did. However, Makoto didn't like Mutsumi's "love", so when he's expressing his own love, he wants the person to hates him and what he does to her.
On some level, Makoto recognizes that he was forced into being like this and is fundamentally warped by what he underwent. He would prefer something normal, but kind of like Mikoto developing her fetishes, he can't help but only like Mikoto with that look of repulsion (lol).
I think what the author was going for with the ending was that that's why they can't both be happy, because Mikoto would be happy if he killed her and he doesn't want her to be happy with that. Makoto isn't happy that he's been made this sort of person, so he's disgusted at the thought that someone would accept or want someone like him. Unlike Mutsumi, who thought Makoto did love him and this was love, which is why when he realized Makoto didn't accept him, Mutsumi just let him go and chose the pet girl who loved him instead.
However, I do think Makoto does genuinely find her cute and like her beyond just the hate on some level- he's not completely opposed to making Mikoto happy (their dates, the start of the shoujo sex, their 'marriage', her happy face being in his page of memories for her), he is amused by how dumb she is and that she'll take it this far to fit in. He doesn't really comprehend it, though. Likewise, I think Mikoto genuinely likes that she can be her real self around Makoto and she does want Makoto, specifically, to be the one who kills her. I think another part of the ending was that both of them are so warped that this is how people like them would end up if they're apart.
But honestly, a lot of this is me reaching. The manga is underdeveloped because the author wanted to draw gore, ryona, erotica, and dark comedy instead. Their marriage arc/date arc was touching on the thought that Makoto was treating Mikoto like he was and he found it unpleasant, the idea that Mikoto was somewhat beginning/wanting to understand him was just brushed on. Makoto's feelings for her were all over the place. There are traces of themes like normalcy and what love means and wanting to be accepted with the serial killer guy and pet girl/Mutsumi, but they don't quite connect back.
Other random thoughts: Mikoto is ugly- she has these little eyes compared to Makoto and the other girls in the manga's big ones. Also, I keep noticing these dots on the arms of the girls and I'm not sure what they're supposed to represent. Drugs?
Thanks for explaining that. It confuse me so much this whole series. I was thinking allergy test.That’s not fair…
The Dots are vaccinations and nice analysis ☝️ idk why it replied twice to your comment sorry
Ok Odd. Bit of an ignorant statement. Why invalidate your own comment? Its like saying "I didn't read the book or watch the move but it sucked Just read the synopsis on the back. But Trust me I know these things"Didn't even read the story but I can say with a hundred percent honesty that is garbage just based on the ending alone.
I am honestly happy I did not read this...