The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All - Ch. 147 - Not Really Into That

[LMXInferno]

It would seem a bit strange to introduce a love rival plot this far down the line. Hopefully Shu isn't gonna try to be a homewrecker, and hopefully if she does Aya doesn't develop some stupid obliviousness (or god forbid we actually get a cheating plot... but that seems really out of character for this manga so I doubt it).
Of course if Sumiko really does want Blue Yuri to happen a cheating plot would certainly be an effective way to make that happen, but. It would seem strange to do something that would alienate so much of the fanbase.

I also feel like the "I'm not really into that" chapter title might be a double meaning in some way too. But I am not clever enough to see what it would be.

 

[Thrembs]

There it is!

 

[eclipsa.]

I really enjoyed and loved this manga, but lately, every chapter feels like a filler episode. Or is it just me? I'm confused af.

 

[kahouin009]

I did not realize who this was until someone pointed out she appeared in chapter 144. But for real, I thought this manga was coming to an ending after they graduate

 

[SrNevik]

This precisely! a lot of times people will think "I hate when it ends right after they kiss" and now we got to see more of their dynamic and everyone's lives but some people don't like that...
You know, for those of you who want it to end so badly just close the damn window lmao, don't come next week and there you go! perfect!

No they're being held at gun point. Have mercy on them. If they don't like the series anymore, it must end for everyone! Honestly, you should be more understanding but I'll give you a pass this time.

 

[mtfunky]

I’m deadass lost on the framing and plot

 

[Pandacyborg]

Im not necessarily as upset as some people seem to be that this manga is continuing. But it does feel like we’re in a sequel rather than the same story. I wonder if maybe that would’ve been better? Or call this season 2 like webtoons do?

 

[WolfenLady]

Love triangle, I rebuke thee the the name of Yuri!!!

 

[TheRealDrMcCoy]

This precisely! a lot of times people will think "I hate when it ends right after they kiss" and now we got to see more of their dynamic and everyone's lives but some people don't like that...

When I say that I want to see it continue after they kiss, I mean I want to see them being together, living their lives, together. Doing cute couple stuff. Together.

So far, we've seen them doing things apart. And the 4 pages every week format doesn't help with it feeling disjointed.

Also, maybe that's just me, but in the chapter where they did interact, it felt... oddly cold to me?

 

[Andigo]

Look, the first arc is done, the main pairing will get through their issues as they arise no matter what, so the new arc is being written like an original Arai Sumiko work. That's a bit of tone shift maybe but the author draws different angst and lesbian worries from those who aren't Aya or Mitsuki.

I can empathize with folks who wanted more of a victory lap like the occasional bonus content in the manga. That can be nice. Personally I trust those two will be alright and appreciate the story broadening out. If it feels 'too soon' then I think if the manga keeps doing well it'll work out with plenty of fluff over time.

And whether Shu-chan is saphic or not, I kinda like this new plot about some grumpy girl who is a bit uncomfortable with the success and sexyness of those around her. The framing thus far is Shu-chan not at her best as the viewpoint character, so she's probably gay, but it's a bigger stretch to guess pairing when no one else has been properly introduced. It's an interesting choice that Shu-chan isn't likeable thus far, and we have light associations to delinquent characters due to her attitude and bandages. Y'all who complain but couldn't drop reading should be celebrating we got a new androgynous girlfailure who's going to have to grow up.

The kind of plot to expect (not an actual prediction) is this sad designated losing heroine followed her girlcrush to join a club, finds out the girlcrush is gay but taken, finds out she's gay but has no shot, ends up flirting with a girl when she's in slacker or androgynous or butch style and is mistaken as a guy (or vice versa). Because the title still exists. And since she's not Mitsuki she'd screw it up in a different way. That's basically the kind of scope the author is working with - androgynous style and girlfailures pulling girls and having to figure it out. I'm probably way off but I've demonstrated the range of the scope creep.

I guess if I was to wildly speculate the other new girl not even properly introduced as Mitsuki's coworker is the most likely pairing? That's maybe a bit too simplistic Checkov's Lesbian but eh I'm just noting that even at this barebones early stage the author could run with it.

I hope this does well enough to continue as its own thing and not only the celebration and relationship awkwardness of the main couple.

 

[mgRdr]

Besides the "-chan" suffix which would hint at Shu being a girl (but it can be just an endearing way of address), there's absolutely no indication in the language about the gender. Japanese is actually very egregious about that, because characters can talk about someone for a long time without ever revealing the gender or keeping it ambiguous and it's a pain to translate. Especially with gender benders.

I mean, sure there is ambiguity when they talk in 3rd person, but aren't there like "ore" and "atashi" and all this sorta stuff when they talk about themselves in 1st person? Like when Shu says, "I'm not really into that kind of stuff", would there be a pronoun identifying their gender?

 

[TheRealDrMcCoy]

I mean, sure there is ambiguity when they talk in 3rd person, but aren't there like "ore" and "atashi" and all this sorta stuff when they talk about themselves in 1st person? Like when Shu says, "I'm not really into that kind of stuff", would there be a pronoun identifying their gender?

Japanese pronouns do not work like that, they are not gender markers. Neither are honorifics, like someone else argued above. Saying that is very reductive

Yes, more men or boys than women or girls use, for example, "boku", but that's more your role in social society and how to see yourself than a statement about your gender. The stereotypical anime/manga tomboy using boku is your common example. But that happens for "ore" too, if statistically less so

And again, in many contexts, you don't need to use any pronouns at all, Japanese sentences work without them. You usually only use them when it's otherwise ambiguous. While in English, you say "I" and "you" at lot, in Japanese you don't.

 

[Ahlurglgr]

To all those who doesn’t know if Shu-chan is a girl or not. She’s a girl. chan at the end of name is mostly for girls.
Seems like rival might happen. But I guess we will see.

Nah, it doesn't mean anything. You can use it for male friends

 

[Ahlurglgr]

I mean, sure there is ambiguity when they talk in 3rd person, but aren't there like "ore" and "atashi" and all this sorta stuff when they talk about themselves in 1st person? Like when Shu says, "I'm not really into that kind of stuff", would there be a pronoun identifying their gender?

No, Japanese language has a different structure for sentences like this. The original phrase is "Sou iu no nigatenande", the personal pronoun is omitted there

 

[thewomanliest]

Anyone else accidentally mistake the new girl for Chizuru (Aya's old highschool friend) LMFAO?? I do wonder where Mao and Chizuru are though

 

[mgRdr]

Yes, more men or boys than women or girls use, for example, "boku", but that's more your role in social society and how to see yourself than a statement about your gender.

Sure, but that's still information that'd give us better idea about their identity that might've got lost in the translation

Look, our conversation is about hypotheticals still. I made it quite obvious that I know zilch about Japanese, you might know more, but it still feels like we're talking about our inferrences based on the translation. There might've been something said in this chapter or chapter 144 that could've helped identify Shu's identity, or there might've been nothing at all - I wouldn't know, and so I am fishing for someone who'd be able to definitely say "yes, Shu's a girl" or "yes, Shu's a guy" or "there's nothing in the Japanese verisons of these two chapters that could've hinted at any of that"

 

[TanyaTheEvil]

Thanks for chapter and translation

 

[TheRealDrMcCoy]

but it still feels like we're talking about our inferrences based on the translation

True. I tried looking for the raws, but since I don't have a Twitter account anymore, the account timeline appears in random order for me and I couldn't locate the most recent chapter, and then I got frustrated and stopped looking.

 

[pik3rob]

Kind of in agreement with people saying the manga's less good now, but as someone who's always thought it was just okay, this part of the series just has a lot of the same problems as the rest of the series, just that now it doesn't have as much going on narratively (narrative was always quite barebones regardless), so people are getting bored. Truthfully, I think they'll probably resume the plot with the whole music career shtick causing problems or some shit like that, but that's not exactly something I'm particularly excited to see, since it's such a common thing in media, and the idea of it being done in a 4 page per week Twitter manga doesn't make me feel confident they'll do anything particularly different or interesting with ideas with the only major thing different about it being the yuri.

 

[alfirizkyr]

I welcome the new arc at all, but ngl I was a bit surprised Aya explicitly said she preferred not watching the films at home. I'd have thought she'd love to have a Halloween watchalong with Mitsuki. Maybe Mitsuki just doesn't feel like watching movies in general?