Rokudou no Onna-tachi - Vol. 17 Ch. 146 - Yagen Unleashed

[BestBoy]

What a weird chapter. We already knew he was a hardcore masochist. Why reinforce it?

 

[Lyanhyrt]

I have to re-read 125+a few chapters to cleanse myself from this guy.

 

[AWLDIU]

@OniBarubary To me, it seems more like the author is saying "A Man is somthing that fights for what it believes in"

Yagen is no longer a "Man" because he abandoned his friends and responsibilities so he wouldn't have to deal with the pressure. Even going so far as to hurt those he used to call friends, just so he wouldn't have to go against the flow.

In the end, I'm guessing yagen will see Ranna or something and say "Wow! Now that's a real man." "I'm no longer a wimp." or some cliché Japanese trope.

 

[OniBarubary]

@DonHazzy I know it probably instantly triggered you really hard, but this is 100% toxic masculinity. Masculinity in and of itself isn't toxic, you have to realize that toxic is used as a qualifier for very specific interactions/reactions/situations wherein ideas of what it means to be a man negatively impact your ability to be yourself or to interact with others. Things that people call masculinity that is really just unhealthy beliefs. Lifting weights and talking about gains isn't toxic masculinity. Being competitive at a fighting game isn't toxic masculinity. Watching John Wick isn't toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is being depressed, unable to express yourself and you can't talk to your best friends about your emotions because "having emotions is for girls and fags." It's when other guys look down on you because you like reading manga and watching anime instead of playing sports or looking at cars or other normal "manly" activities. It's people thinking you're less of a person or sad and pathetic if you haven't had sex yet. And yes, sometimes it's the attitudes and actions men act out against women or other men that attacks their idea of their masculinity even though none of it is actually what it means to be a man.

Yagen is constantly told he's the epitome of a rough and tough bad dude so he always has to be "on" he always has to be the manliest man in front of everyone so that his friends aren't disappointed or come to hate him. He's tired of keeping up this performative manliness and he finally finds an outlet for all of this stress and anxiety. In being dommed he gets release from all of that, he doesn't have to be the tough guy, the man in charge, he doesn't have to think about what his friends think of him. It's freedom from all of that.

@AWLDIU Also a possibility. Still fits in a bit with what I'm thinking this whole thing is about tho. Being true to your word, believing in something and not willing to give up on it when people try to fight you on it is pretty manly. And not toxic at all. Well, unless you fight for what you believe in and you believe in like, genocide or something.

 

[manyouginobili]

this dude ain't it chief

 

[ZombiesAreNotOkay]

@AWLDIU Well, I completely agree with that. 👍

 

[UnieCetterie]

If there is less y chromosomes then there will be less males...

Well no shit.

 

[kwendy]

How to train your banchou.

 

[AWLDIU]

@OniBarubary It's not that Yagen is tired of the social implecations of being a Man; it's that he was suddenly thrust into a position of power, "The Banchou", just for being his normal self, a tough delinquent. He was going about his daily life, but now he carries the hopes and expectations of Harikura on his shoulders. In the end, he crumbled under the weight of the responsibilities. The title "Yagen Unleashed", refers to the moment Yagen was seperated from his responsibilities as Banchou, it's a flashback episode. This is where Yashiya comes in. She's someone who doesn't see him as great, but as dirt, which acts as a release to all the responsibilities he had gained, making him Free, as he said, "I've been released". While toxic masculinity is awfull, I feel the author only brought manliness into the story to claim that Yagen turning his back on his friends to take the route that was easier for himself was Un-Manly.


Now, going into infferences/speculation, the non-toxic approach would be to level with his kouhai on the situation, and they create a solution together. Heck, Yagen could have even ATTEMPTED the peace talks, instead of just running away. But being a deliquent school, he'd be percieved weak, and lose face. That fact wasn't hinging on manliness, but on the expectations of a banchou, and what it means to stand at the top. If people see that you're human, that you really can be beaten, then there's no reason to listen you, and they'll aim for the position of banchou, or another school will take over yours. It's lonely at the top...

Rokudo shows that you can be weak, but have strength through relying on your friends.


Tldr: Yagen's troubles stem from being strong, not from being a man. While there are overlapping symptoms to toxic masculinity, it's a different disease.

 

[Sharpedgs]

@BestBoy

Padding to make the chapter count requirement.

 

[Loksel]

The bathroom scene seems like a nice parallel to earlier chapters

 

[Uvenam]

I REJECT MY HUMANITY ROKUDOU

 

[Amplify]

@DonHazzy
I'm on your side, but tbh you should have known what you were getting into when you gave attention to the sort of person who unironically says "toxic masculinity", or toxic anything really.

 

[t28]

Yashiya being the source of Yagen’s beating and the current state of Harikura’s ongoing beef with Aomori is fucking hilarious

 

[Confused]

wow, that EXPLAINS A LOT.

 

[JulesMFinWinnfield]

It's not just me, is it? Is the box in the lower-left panel of page 2 missing text completely?

 

[OniBarubary]

@AWLDIU That is also a well thought out different idea on what is going on. I certainly see a lot of your points.

 

[gum_rummy]

@OniBarubary fwiw I read it the way you did at first but I think both you and @AWLDIU's are right. It's a combination of the toxic masculinity thing in addition to everyone in the school pushing the responsibility for their success onto them.

AWLDIU, I think he did attempt peace talks, but got jumped/dommed on his way there and then gave up.

With naming the main villain gang "Chromosome" and placing so much emphasis on crossdressing, etc, I really do feel like the author is trying to do some kind of gender commentary, although it may just be a gimmick by the end of the arc.

 

[boag]

@Buyobae
@Gimmy
@wanko_wanko
Yes, thats the stuff, enjoy the ride if you havent read it, also the LN is pure comedy gold.

 

[Buyobae]

@Gimmy
@wanko_wanko
Thanks for the answer!