Skip and Loafer - Vol. 9 Ch. 52 - Heart-thumping Ocean, Pt. 2

[Suben]

I've actually been really disappointed with this arc so far.

This has been built up since first year and for most of second year the girls have been pushed into the background first to establish and integrate Ujiie and Yasaka into the main cast and then for the Mitsumi/Shima romance/dating stuff. I understood it but with the "dating" not working out and the trip back to Mitsumi's home town with her friends now coming I was hoping Mika, Makoto, and Yuzu would finally take center stage again and that we'd get to see plenty of interactions of them with Maharu and Fumi and the rest of Mitsumi's family and friends.

But so far that really hasn't happened at all. The girls are still stuck being little more than background decoration (same with Mukai but he's always been like that) and instead the focus has mostly, so far, been on Maharu feeling jealous and still with the Mitsumi/Shima stuff. When Nao said a few chapters ago that she hadn't heard back from his parents, I was kind of hoping this meant Shima would be left off of the trip precisely because I was worried that him coming would mean that he and the romance would continue to dominate over everything else and so far that worry seems pretty justified.

I just want Mika, Yuzu, and Makoto to be relevant and important characters again because the chapters that focus on them are the best in the series... better than the Shima romance stuff if I'm being honest.

 

[TermsAndPrivacyAlongWithPolicy]

I've actually been really disappointed with this arc so far.

This has been built up since first year and for most of second year the girls have been pushed into the background first to establish and integrate Ujiie and Yasaka into the main cast and then for the Mitsumi/Shima romance/dating stuff. I understood it but with the "dating" not working out and the trip back to Mitsumi's home town with her friends now coming I was hoping Mika, Makoto, and Yuzu would finally take center stage again and that we'd get to see plenty of interactions of them with Maharu and Fumi and the rest of Mitsumi's family and friends.

But so far that really hasn't happened at all. The girls are still stuck being little more than background decoration (same with Mukai but he's always been like that) and instead the focus has mostly, so far, been on Maharu feeling jealous and still with the Mitsumi/Shima stuff. When Nao said a few chapters ago that she hadn't heard back from his parents, I was kind of hoping this meant Shima would be left off of the trip precisely because I was worried that him coming would mean that he and the romance would continue to dominate over everything else and so far that worry seems pretty justified.

I just want Mika, Yuzu, and Makoto to be relevant and important characters again because the chapters that focus on them are the best in the series... better than the Shima romance stuff if I'm being honest.

I can see where ur coming from but also this arc has just begun i think there'll be more moments between the girls and Nao and her parents. And the jealousy of Maharu has also been built up for awhile so i think it makes sense that the author is handling it now than later.

 

[ennadora813]

I think I read Fumi's comment totally different than others here, for me it seemed like she was dissing Mitsumi behind her back saying she's not good at anything besides studying? But everyone's comments here made me think I misread the subtext.

I don't think she meant it in a bad way. Mitsumi's good trait is that she believes in her opinion/perception of others, so she does not let other's opinions get in her thinking, which makes others admire and like her. But this trait has drawbacks is that her perception is not true all the time, in the case of her thinking that Shima doesn't like her THAT way. So Fumi is basically saying Mitsumi chan is very clumsy with things other than studying, so you should think about YOUR feelings YOURSELF instead of taking what Mitsumi said to you as a fact. It's actually very helpful advice to Shima since he's used to let others dictate his feelings, never get to think for himself instead of others. So this advice really got him thinking. Fumi probably just wanna help Shima realize that it's his feelings that he gets to decide, don't be sway by anyone assumptions of it. She is not saying it to diss Mitsumi, but more just advice for Shima cuz we know that she really treasure Mitsumi as a friend.

 

[winterume]

really love how realistic this manga is, author san didnt go overboard with swimsuits but went with how would actually high school would wear swimsuits.

 

[Sky_Ravager]

FUMI-CHANNNNN
GIGA W
OMEGA W

 

[buff730]

I've actually been really disappointed with this arc so far.

This has been built up since first year and for most of second year the girls have been pushed into the background first to establish and integrate Ujiie and Yasaka into the main cast and then for the Mitsumi/Shima romance/dating stuff. I understood it but with the "dating" not working out and the trip back to Mitsumi's home town with her friends now coming I was hoping Mika, Makoto, and Yuzu would finally take center stage again and that we'd get to see plenty of interactions of them with Maharu and Fumi and the rest of Mitsumi's family and friends.

But so far that really hasn't happened at all. The girls are still stuck being little more than background decoration (same with Mukai but he's always been like that) and instead the focus has mostly, so far, been on Maharu feeling jealous and still with the Mitsumi/Shima stuff. When Nao said a few chapters ago that she hadn't heard back from his parents, I was kind of hoping this meant Shima would be left off of the trip precisely because I was worried that him coming would mean that he and the romance would continue to dominate over everything else and so far that worry seems pretty justified.

I just want Mika, Yuzu, and Makoto to be relevant and important characters again because the chapters that focus on them are the best in the series... better than the Shima romance stuff if I'm being honest.

At first, I thought it would primarily be romance, but after reading the manga I realized I was wrong. I see this as half slice of life and half romance. It's funny because I was actually hoping for more with the Shima romance because I was annoyed with how it ended. At this point, I think I would get bored if it was always only focusing on one group. I like the ensemble of characters. I think all the different people and personalities are the charm of this manga.

 

[Kaios]

And when I thought I couldn't love Fumi more, we got this chapter.

 

[kuma]

i love that author didn't sugarcoat the writing. sometimes, things didn't works. flaws are what make they are. life must go on...

 

[Hicleric]

At first, I thought it would primarily be romance, but after reading the manga I realized I was wrong. I see this as half slice of life and half romance. It's funny because I was actually hoping for more with the Shima romance because I was annoyed with how it ended. At this point, I think I would get bored if it was always only focusing on one group. I like the ensemble of characters. I think all the different people and personalities are the charm of this manga.

I'd put the proportions more at 3/4 SoL and and 1/4 romance, but I totally agree with your conclusion here. The charm of this manga is how real the characters feel, so the petty drama we see here is, well, petty and realistic. I'm kinda torn if I want Shima and Mitsumi to end back up together at the end of this reconciliation arc, but either way I have faith it will feel a) natural; and b) a tiny bit rushed

 

[Bananawithaknife]

I think I read Fumi's comment totally different than others here, for me it seemed like she was dissing Mitsumi behind her back saying she's not good at anything besides studying? But everyone's comments here made me think I misread the subtext.

Buddy, There two types of people who will mock you with a smile and those are your enemies and your best friends

 

[aryllelric]

Glad they finally called out this pointless break up arc. Fumi is the best.

 

[DanJADO]

Shima:s head is like "wait, what? how so?"
Bro just had a revelation XD

 

[eviljackspicer]

...huh........Fumi bringing the perspective to both parties....

Funny, somehow I feel vindicated

Shima tells her that Mitsumi interpreted Shima's feelings toward her not as romantic AND we have Mitsumi's friend, basically pointing out a potential flaw in her as in "all she really focuses on is studying". If you guys are telling me that Shima wasn't ready, SHE wasn't ready either. And if this is the confirmation from her friend, how on earth are you guys going to tell me that she was right on the money about Shima's feelings toward her? This just vindicates what I just said, and yet all you guys just keep handwaving everything Mitsumi does and dump all of this on Shima.

Both of them were not ready.

 

[calledout]

what a great chapter!!!!!! again the panels with the lighting really do make everything so sentimental and evocative. i love this manga. i love this manga!!!!!

 

[Manri]

damn, Fumi the GOAT

 

[tenzout]

🥺🥺🥺🥺 fumis so right
mitsumi as she is rn isnt the quickest to see the nuance of the truth right away

and shima is so much more insecure than he lets on - babeys 😭😭😭

 

[zephyrnepres]

common fumi w. she is the anti-misunderstanding GOAT of this manga and i respect her from the bottom of my heart

 

[jackalan]

Good chapter as always! I really appreciate the swimsuits page. Maybe I'm just fed up from a lot of romcom having two-piece, wow she's sexy with lanky body and breasts. Good representation.

Btw, doesn't it hurt when salt water get into your contacts? I wear contacts and wouldn't let anything slip into my eyes cause it would hurt like hell.

 

[sotokouya]

bali mentioned

 

[Luke_chase]

That’s the first time I’ve seen him not be super composed lmao