Until I Become Me - Ch. 63

[Orangechrisy]

I don't trust non yuri authors though

Big mood, but how this manga has gone so far and how its handled sexuality gives me a lot of hope, so I'll trust Hatsuki.

Hum, that is true unless it goes for love triangle between Rumi and a boy I guess, actually, I feel if anything we're more likely to get yuri drama than het, didn't we get some subtext with other girls too?
Example, that one girl who Akira didn't exactly like but she kept inserting herself and trying to be friends, although she might have been part of a het drama we had with side characters, I remember too little lol

True I think there has been some other subtext, but even if other drama happens, whether gay or straight, Rumi remains the clear main interest, there's just been too much with her for it to make any sense otherwise.

As for the manga quality, I think the mangaka either has personal experience or simply did their research about gender and sexuality, unfortunately most Japanese don't really know shit about the subject, much less LGBT.
Japan can be surprisingly backwards with some social issues thanks to their focus on collective "harmony", you know, suffer in silence because it's more convenient for everyone else.

Oh definitely, this manga hits way too hard at the trans experience for it to not be something done either through experience or research, or through speaking in depth with others who have experience. And I hope others who don't know as much about lgbt stuff can learn from this, cause its effective at expressing big parts of the trans experience.

Note 2: I could probably make a spreadsheet of all the gays movements

Honestly please do, that would be really cool. Could also make an addition to it for other moments as well that help to define Akira and her interpersonal relations and potential interests/rivals for Rumi.


Also whatever @Monstrengo is saying is lmao, just ignoring all the points of the story that are trying to hit home that sexuality is not tied to gender/sex, like its a major thing that the manga is trying to say, that her attraction is not dependent on how she used to be a boy, or how she is now a girl. How do people read through a manga like this and come to that sort of conclusion? "Well you see sexuality is tied to genetics and she is now a girl so therefore she must be straight because that is what is most common for girls because genetics" my dude this is a manga about a trans person we're already well out of the realm of "most common".

 

[Areos]

That there is a good friend. A very beautiful chapter.

 

[Nissedood]

Maybe Smileguy will develop now also again from somewhat crappy translations to average translations.
Maybe one day to even somewhat good and good translations.

 

[runfromwolves]

You want me to be your bad guy.
You seem to be the one more interested in being right. Otherwise you'd provide links to debunk my statements. You did not do that. You wrote a manifesto instead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burden_of_proof_(philosophy)

you are using a fallacious argument. kindly cite sources for your initial claims before demanding that others cite sources refuting your unsourced claims.

 

[T-sama]

Big mood, but how this manga has gone so far and how its handled sexuality gives me a lot of hope, so I'll trust Hatsuki.

Unfortunately even good stories get screwed, so I prefer to not have expectations.
You'll never get disappointed if you have no hopes, dreams or expectations

True I think there has been some other subtext, but even if other drama happens, whether gay or straight, Rumi remains the clear main interest, there's just been too much with her for it to make any sense otherwise.

At least I think its safe assuming she's indeed main love interest, it would give me a little of whiplash if after all the sexuality talks and so on she was just a good friend, since she definitely goes way beyond acting as just a friend.

Oh definitely, this manga hits way too hard at the trans experience for it to not be something done either through experience or research, or through speaking in depth with others who have experience. And I hope others who don't know as much about lgbt stuff can learn from this, cause its effective at expressing big parts of the trans experience.

I meant sexuality and LGBT as a whole before, but yeah, this is one of the few gender bender manga to properly touch the trans angle without going through generic "sex / gender don't matter" or just magically handwaves and ignore all the implications.
I like how it touched that liking boys and girls are equally valid, far too common to just assume their sexuality changed too, or goes through typical "if it's you it's okay" instead of saying the character is gay, and God forbids any mention of bisexuality lol
Fucking Japan man.

Honestly please do, that would be really cool. Could also make an addition to it for other moments as well that help to define Akira and her interpersonal relations and potential interests/rivals for Rumi.

I might do but no promises, for I'm a very lazy man lol

Also whatever @Monstrengo is saying is lmao, just ignoring all the points of the story that are trying to hit home that sexuality is not tied to gender/sex, like its a major thing that the manga is trying to say, that her attraction is not dependent on how she used to be a boy, or how she is now a girl. How do people read through a manga like this and come to that sort of conclusion? "Well you see sexuality is tied to genetics and she is now a girl so therefore she must be straight because that is what is most common for girls because genetics" my dude this is a manga about a trans person we're already well out of the realm of "most common".

I ain't touching any of that shit lol runs away

 

[Monstrengo]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burden_of_proof_(philosophy)

you are using a fallacious argument. kindly cite sources for your initial claims before demanding that others cite sources refuting your unsourced claims.

I don't want to continue this argument, especially since it has nothing to do with the chapter in question. As for citing sources, I've continuously said that I'm basing an opinion (a personal belief that is not universal, nor am I demanding anyone else to have it) on what little I know. I did not make an absolute statement. If it seems otherwise it is due to my poor comunication skills. The response to that was a more specific claim, in other words, he was trying to debunk me without anything. When you debunk you bring in facts. Also, the person in question did insult me, and I felt riled up by that.
Now could you please tear me apart for other things which I said about this story? Like my claim that Akira might be a model, or start dating Aoi's brother or something? There's plenty else I said that you could easily argue against.
This is getting annoying.

 

[Nokinirus]

My heart... This was... Really... Wholesome.

 

[crossx1993]

Finally!!! She finally shared her secret! I'm so happy. But now I'm sad again because its gonna be another 4 months between chapters ;-;

is that the manga schedule or is the translation just slow?

 

[MuYu]

"Make it a Date"

I really do hope has the two of them getting together going forward. I wonder if this manga will tackle some of the other issues they might run up against?

Like, I wonder if Rumi has considered that homoromanticism/homosexuality are a thing, and what the nature of her feelings for Akira is? There's plenty hints dropped throughout that she might be gay for Akira, but I wonder if she's conscious of it or not? It'd be interesting seeing the story. If it does move in a relationship direction with the two of them, how Rumi handles realising she's not straight if she hasn't already, and how she reconciles Akira's stat pre-shift with that if so.

I also have a feeling that if we go in the relationship direction, we might see some challenging of the supposed japan-stereotype against gay relationships among ther youth? I'm given to understand it's somewhat of a norm/stereotype/expectation in japan that girls crushing on and/or dating eachother in school is just something that isn't taken seriously, and is just treated as a phase rather than actually respected. If that's a real thing it'd be interesting to see this manga challenge it. If any manga would, it seems like this one would, seeing how it's handled other things. I honestly have the confidence that the gay hints from Rumi probably are hinting at it going over this, since given how the manga has handled Akira's experiences, I don't feel like the author would play into the whole "playful non-serious gayness" thing like that

is that the manga schedule or is the translation just slow?

I think this manga is basically done on a "when the author gets around to it" schedule... so yeah it takes a while

 

[Raptorofwar]

aquarium yuri date /hj

 

[AncientWatcher]

Girl's love tag when?

 

[CuteGothLolita]

Akira's relationship with Aoi is what would be considered a typical girl-with-girl friendship. Akira's relationship with Rumi is way beyond that .... It's actually poised on the brink of Yuri, IMO.

 

[rotationplus]

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
SHE CAME OUT!!!!! (only as trans, but I feel like the attraction to girls will come soon)

 

[Thrembs]

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
SHE CAME OUT!!!!! (only as trans, but I feel like the attraction to girls will come soon)

Let’s be fair, here.
“Trans” is a bit, eeeeeh.
She started transition against her will, and it was all magical biological stuff.

She’s got a story close enough that I ain’t upset, but this is isn’t the same as what we go through.

“mother uncomfortable about her being a girl, but seeing it as unavoidable.”
Isn’t the same as
“Mother doesn’t accept her gender identity.”

It’s, like, backwards?
Inverted?

This has a different vibe to all the accurate stuff I’ve read.
wow, that gets boring. It’s like “yep. Yep. Uh-huh. That’s how it works. Mm-hm. Oh, that context is interesting. Yeah, that. Yep. That’s too bad. Nice. Uh-huh…”
Rav Abby Stein’s autobiography “Becoming Eve” taught me some stuff about Hasidic life, but the main narrative was the same as EVERY OTHER story aside the “my parents were supportive from childhood” stories, which are all the same.

All these stories are important, and I recommend reading 2-3 of them, as it’s very affirming for the very reason it’s very tedious after that.

PS
73 COMMENTS?
Wow.

Then my fav stuff (Sasaki & Miyano is top) is getting 5-15, and half of that is me raving about how the details make me feel!

 

[Orangechrisy]

Let’s be fair, here.
“Trans” is a bit, eeeeeh.
[more of that comment]

Tbh, to me this manga has felt like it really understands the trans experience, the emotions and situations Akira lives through resonate hard despite the different circumstances. So it ends up feeling more trans than a number of stories that are actually trying to more directly state trans experiences. But I guess that might just be me

 

[Aishdoll]

I hope I can witness the end of this story

 

[chairlight]

I kinda hope things stay as is.

That is Rumi and Akira being extremely close friends(almost codependent), who now that the laundry is aired become even more close and intimate.

It really can be really rare to have such actually developed close friendships that don't become romantic relationships, and/or haven't had people shipping them to the moon and back.(it's a bit of a shame how shallow friendships are in general, that when things actually get kinda deep, everything always jumps to thinking in terms of shipping and romance)

Of course if that's where the story goes, it's whatever, no biggie. Let Akira take her time and figure things out. No need to rush into anything.

 

[rotationplus]

No need to rush into anything.

Except that the story seems to be ending maybe? Though, I guess there could be a time skip to make it less rushed.

 

[rotationplus]

Let’s be fair, here.
“Trans” is a bit, eeeeeh.
She started transition against her will, and it was all magical biological stuff.

She’s got a story close enough that I ain’t upset, but this is isn’t the same as what we go through.

“mother uncomfortable about her being a girl, but seeing it as unavoidable.”
Isn’t the same as
“Mother doesn’t accept her gender identity.”

It’s, like, backwards?
Inverted?

This has a different vibe to all the accurate stuff I’ve read.
wow, that gets boring. It’s like “yep. Yep. Uh-huh. That’s how it works. Mm-hm. Oh, that context is interesting. Yeah, that. Yep. That’s too bad. Nice. Uh-huh…

sure, the magical trans experience is different, but, here, it comes really close.

Example: ch. 50 pg. 9
Seriously, that is the most relatable mood.

So yeah, it probably comes down to preference how concrete you like your stories, but there is nothing cis about wishing your real gender was assigned to you when you were born. This may not be our trans experience, but it is still a trans experience.

One more thing is that “mother uncomfortable about her being a girl, but seeing it as unavoidable” is really similar to the times where parents of trans kids aren't as supportive as they should be, not because they think being trans is wrong, but because they think it's possible to avoid being trans to prevent people from transphobic to their kids, and when they inevitably fail, they either accept it as unavoidable (what my experience was) or they get cut off.

 

[Thrembs]

sure, the magical trans experience is different, but, here, it comes really close.

Example: ch. 50 pg. 9
Seriously, that is the most relatable mood.

So yeah, it probably comes down to preference how concrete you like your stories, but there is nothing cis about wishing your real gender was assigned to you when you were born. This may not be our trans experience, but it is still a trans experience.

One more thing is that “mother uncomfortable about her being a girl, but seeing it as unavoidable” is really similar to the times where parents of trans kids aren't as supportive as they should be, not because they think being trans is wrong, but because they think it's possible to avoid being trans to prevent people from transphobic to their kids, and when they inevitably fail, they either accept it as unavoidable (what my experience was) or they get cut off.

I don’t disagree with this, but “came out as trans” is a bit of an oversimplification (overstatement? Both?).

Just because something is relatable doesn’t make it the same.

If it was the same I probably wouldn’t read it. Because it would be boring.