My New Girlfriend Is Not Human? - Vol. 3 Ch. 181 - Mothers

[PhycoKrusk]

I don't read this series for them.

It doesn't really matter if they're here before the comic; people like me don't or haven't read their other series. It's not the freaking MCU and I don't want to have to do required reading of other works just to enjoy this one series.

Yes I'm aware of some Japanese legends, but for those who don't know nor care enough about them, they are missing out big time. Even then it doesn't matter, what matter is what's happening IN the comic. Going from that, they're basically just "Who the hell are these rabbit people?! And why should I care about them, they're not the main characters?".
All I care about is Haru, Taya, their baby, and maybe their parents.

I likewise don't really understand how the Legend of the Bamboo Cutter entered into this; there is a different, much more relevant legend that would apply, and the plan fact is that you do not need to know it.

The rabbits have appeared in this comic previously (ignore other works where they have appeared, they are not relevant to you), and while their role is not totally clear, they are presented as some sort of guardians. Previously, however, they have been presented as guardians of balance (or to that effect), so this one asking for something that is plainly selfish is exceedingly suspicious.

Never mind, I've gone off-track. I think what I'm trying to get at is that all this information coming out at the eleventh hour is equally applicable to the character that you actually care about: They don't know any of this stuff, they don't know who all these other actors are, and they don't really know what's going on; all they know is that they have, against their will, been wrapped up in some cosmic mess far larger than any of them, and where the only way out is to keep moving forward and try to reach the end.

 

[sparky3787]

Spoiler

Well, we're pretty sure that at least the child is ok, since someone with her name appears in one of his other comics, and is called a "spider."

The rabbits have been around since before this comic was created, yokai have been referenced in this comic for a while now, and The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is one of the most famous Japanese legends.

Real shit.

This manga (esp the 2nd half) heavily relies on some semblance of prior knowledge regarding Japanese mythology. These aren’t random lore dumps, they’re playing on what the author expects the readers to already know to some degree

 

[BP]

This reminds me of the tale of Hercules and Atlas, where Atlas asked Hercules to hold up the heavens for "just one day" and then Atlas decided not to return to his role, he had to be tricked into taking it back.

Exactly what I was thinking of.

Yes I'm aware of some Japanese legends, but for those who don't know nor care enough about them, they are missing out big time.

Then they shouldn't read a story about Yokai.

 

[Sasso]

 

[radstylix]

Then they shouldn't read a story about Yokai.

If it's too confusing for you, my issue is the sudden and massive lore dumps about characters that are outside of the main hook of the series (spider GF, now waifu), also when the series is almost ending. There's been minimal build up for this.

It doesn't really matter if they are yokai or whatever mythological creature, or even if they're just normal people. Dumping lore, backstories, or heck, a villain is bad when its this late when the series can end on a good note RIGHT NOW.

All I'm asking is for the lore or other characters to be slowly introduced, like you know, what other good series do.

 

[radstylix]

I likewise don't really understand how the Legend of the Bamboo Cutter entered into this; there is a different, much more relevant legend that would apply, and the plan fact is that you do not need to know it.

The rabbits have appeared in this comic previously (ignore other works where they have appeared, they are not relevant to you), and while their role is not totally clear, they are presented as some sort of guardians. Previously, however, they have been presented as guardians of balance (or to that effect), so this one asking for something that is plainly selfish is exceedingly suspicious.

Never mind, I've gone off-track. I think what I'm trying to get at is that all this information coming out at the eleventh hour is equally applicable to the character that you actually care about: They don't know any of this stuff, they don't know who all these other actors are, and they don't really know what's going on; all they know is that they have, against their will, been wrapped up in some cosmic mess far larger than any of them, and where the only way out is to keep moving forward and try to reach the end.

Admitting you've gone off-track is not really helping the author's case tbh. It just goes to show how unfocused he (and some readers) is, and/or gets easily distracted by wanting to add stuff he wants but not know how to do it. 😅

Anyway, I would expect all that stuff from a more fantasy/action series, but not in a series that is supposed to be spider GF/wife slice-of-life series. I mean, that was what hooked most of us into reading this.

I've previously brought up that some other similar slice-of-life(ish) series that mix it up with story-heavy arcs like in Dragon Maid which involve gods/dragons/beings from other mythologies, yet IMO they're done so much better. Why is that? I think it's because, like I said, they don't dump all this lore and build it up slowly through multiple arcs. In-between those arcs are actual slice-of-life "arcs" to give the characters and the reader plenty of breathing room for the next serious arc.

 

[radstylix]

Real shit.

This manga (esp the 2nd half) heavily relies on some semblance of prior knowledge regarding Japanese mythology. These aren’t random lore dumps, they’re playing on what the author expects the readers to already know to some degree

Bruh, I came into this series to read about the living with a sexy monstergirl spider waifu. Most of us did. That's what it was marketed as.

Most of us readers do not know what kind of Japanese monster she is until late in the series, nor do they care.
Most of us just googled what kind of monster she is afterwards (you just did that, didn't you 😉).

I wouldn't go too far and say this series is bad, but "requiring" the reader to be a Japanese mythology expert later on when it wasn't required from the start certainly doesn't make for good storytelling.

I think this problem is similar to heavy reliance on pop culture references. For example, one is telling jokes that rely on references: it's funny if one gets the reference, but they're not as funny if the audience don't get it. I've noticed better writers write the jokes in a way so that if one doesn't get the reference, the joke is still funny because the joke in itself is funny.

Same situation in storytelling.

I'm a big Urusei Yatsura fan (have finished watching the remake a while ago). That series has a lot of Japanese mythology and culture inspirations. Not getting the references does NOT ruin my enjoyment of the series. Ataru and the sexy flying electric bikini-wearing oni's antics (and other characters) are in itself funny.

I'd also bring up Lord of the Rings. Knowing the mythology and inspirations for the setting and characters will deepen one's enjoyment of the series, but the writing can stand on its own even if one doesn't get the references.

 

[Malachite_Dragon]

"Ahha, a story about a yokai wife.

Man whats with all this yokai shit that keeps popping up"

 

[spiffinn]

thanks for the updates! on page two, the plural of millennium should be millennia.

 

[MrTurtleMan]

"Take her place for a day" sure, get him to agree to it and just leave him there, I don't trust it.