Normality and Monsters - Vol. 1 Ch. 9

[Bomang]

Genuinely got flabbergasted at slenderman

 

[Nautical]

So itou only hated the teacher cuz he didnt like her lmao.

 

[EchoGirl]

Genuinely got flabbergasted at slenderman

makes me think of '09 with all those slendervlogs/args lol, quite nostalgic

 

[FSLGS]

All of these monster probably are just genderfluid

If it is anything like the shapeshifter in Majin Tantei Nogami Neuro, they have probably forgotten their original form, including their original gender and sexual preference. At this point, it probably changes as their form goes.

 

[Cogito3]

Not sure there is much to address, I imagine Itou treats both as girls since it's their current form and in part cause she's gay as fuck, but otherwise it's never actually clarified how the monsters really see themselves, but goibg by how they can transform into anyone and are impossible old, I'm assuming sex and gender are literally meaningless to them.

Well, as you saw, Niehara can flip back and forth between the male and female forms (and this continues in future chapters). By our standards they would be "genderfluid," but as you say it's never clarified how either monster defines themselves. While "sex and gender are literally meaningless to them" is a plausible interpretation, there's some evidence against it too. After all, one of the major themes of the manga so far is how Takahashi is a lot more like a human than she might think; e.g., she's denied liking or disliking anything, but we've seen clear evidence that's not true. So I do think it's open to multiple interpretations.

That said, what I will have to address isn't how Takahashi or Niehara see themselves, I think I can keep that ambiguous, but rather: now that Itou knows Niehara is a shape-shifting monster, how will she refer to it? (In Japanese you almost never use third-person pronouns, but in English you use them a lot.) Currently I'm leaning towards her using male pronouns since she does keep calling it "Sensei" or "Nie-sen," which suggests she still somewhat identifies the monster with her dead teacher. It also fits with how she still views Takahashi as a girl. But we have some time before I have to make a decision so I'll keep thinking about it.

(And for the 'who goes into the bio lab' iline, just assumed she meant that most ppl wouldn't usually wanna talk with the og sensei after school normally and she only chose that as a waiting place in ch 2 b/c she knew it'd be empty with the teacher being gone/low chance of another classmate being there and having to awkwardly talk to them)

Maybe my translation was a little ambiguous, but in the original it's clear she's complaining about how weird Niehara is in that line. ("Why would anyone be in the bio lab after school?" would also be a natural translation.) So yeah, she's being 100% hypocritical there lol.

 

[Yuri_Enjoyer_Deluxe]

Wut da hell

Monster Lesbion 2?!

 

[Unma]

When monsters fight over a character with romantically charged violence, it's always a wild ride. I am here for this shit, and should probably look up that one where eight foot lady and the guiding dog are fighting over the tasty boy. Anyone here remember that one?

You're thinking of Hachigatsu Kokonoka Boku wa Kimi ni Kuwareru. Glad my not-so-small obsession with this manga made it easy to help someone else find it.

 

[Ecchan]

Itou san...
Takahashi is the true path. Do not deviate.
Wormussy > Slenussy
Although, that shark tooth gyaru is cute.

 

[Wouju]

dumbest girl with the biggest guts
(new) Niehara turning out to be a shapeshifter seems a bit obvious, but I still really like the reveal, especially how it was handled
Also various neat details, Shapeshifter is keeping veiled chameleons, and he wants to avoid answering any questions most likely due to not knowing everything about Niehara

 

[EchoGirl]

Well, as you saw, Niehara can flip back and forth between the male and female forms (and this continues in future chapters). By our standards they would be "genderfluid," but as you say it's never clarified how either monster defines themselves. While "sex and gender are literally meaningless to them" is a plausible interpretation, there's some evidence against it too. After all, one of the major themes of the manga so far is how Takahashi is a lot more like a human than she might think; e.g., she's denied liking or disliking anything, but we've seen clear evidence that's not true. So I do think it's open to multiple interpretations.

That said, what I will have to address isn't how Takahashi or Niehara see themselves, I think I can keep that ambiguous, but rather: now that Itou knows Niehara is a shape-shifting monster, how will she refer to it? (In Japanese you almost never use third-person pronouns, but in English you use them a lot.) Currently I'm leaning towards her using male pronouns since she does keep calling it "Sensei" or "Nie-sen," which suggests she still somewhat identifies the monster with her dead teacher. It also fits with how she still views Takahashi as a girl. But we have some time before I have to make a decision so I'll keep thinking about it.

Maybe my translation was a little ambiguous, but in the original it's clear she's complaining about how weird Niehara is in that line. ("Why would anyone be in the bio lab after school?" would also be a natural translation.) So yeah, she's being 100% hypocritical there lol.

That said, even with the original teacher missing, i'd expect there to be a janitor or some other teacher, if not locked off just in case the bio lab might have 'dangerous chemicals' or so. (Imagine if someone knocked over a beaker and it reveals some common thing you'd know about in chemistry class actually could affect monster's skin too rather than it just being an irritant on 'human' skin)

If it is anything like the shapeshifter in Majin Tantei Nogami Neuro, they have probably forgotten their original form, including their original gender and sexual preference. At this point, it probably changes as their form goes.

i wonder if monster-human hybrids are possible...tho idk if they'd need to procreate, even with an 'overpopulated' humanity, maybe they're asexual and can split off into multiple forms versus also having some kinda birthing cycle

 

[potatoawards]

Yuri has always been a problematic genre with drama n stuff, but this is just something else lol

 

[Quern]

Well... I expected the core twist, but not the final result.

 

[Lustrist]

now this is a monster girl

 

[ghostkun]

no fucking way

 

[EchoGirl]

Well... I expected the core twist, but not the final result.

With the title i expect all the 'boring'/normal ppl MC comes across in the future to also have a monster form or be connected lol

 

[Raptorofwar]

...this manga is very neurodivergent in the best way.

"Oh, you're a monster, but you don't make me uncomfortable. Other people make me uncomfortable, but non-humans don't." Fucky. I love it.

 

[Blackwar]

Slender Man can't be this cute!

 

[TOPPUSUPIDO1998]

Slender man can’t be this cute

 

[TOPPUSUPIDO1998]

Thanks for the translation we will wait for you

 

[Blackwar]

Thanks for translation, now i wonder if this Slender thing is some sort of otaku.