Watashi no Shounen

[DPLBatoDex]

This has been sitting in my mind for awhile and nearly forgot it at one point, but it's been long overdue that the Description of this series needs to be updated with the accolades this series has earned, since it has the Award Winning tag to it. Having looked it up again, these accolades need to be added (similar with the Descriptions on the main pages of these series: title/46531, title/23569):
[ul]Ranked 1st Place in the 2016 Oreman (俺マン) My Best Manga Gran Prix manga rankings[/ul] [ul]Won 2nd Place in the 2017 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Awards for male readers[/ul] [ul]Won 3rd Place in the 3rd Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Awards, Category Print Manga (2017)[/ul] [ul]Ranked #11 in the 2017 Manga Taisho Awards[/ul]

 

[zerothegreat121]

How likely will it be if we got a full colored ending chapter?

I think it be really sweet haha

 

[princess_daphie]

@zerothegreat121 I've never seen a colored final chapter though! and I saw The Garden of Words, recently, much after reading this manga and others of the genre, and I really liked the short anime movie. I find it very well executed and it got me good. I liked the post-credits ending...

 

[zerothegreat121]

I guess I haven't read any manga with a colored finished. But it be nice for a manga I live to have one haha.

Im just hoping this manga doesn't have a half ass ending like domestic girlfriend (first manga I read)

 

[voidox]

jesus, that there are ppl who actually want to see a romantic relationship between a woman in her mid-30's and a freaking 16 year old boy... and then saying stuff like "oh this manga is so deep, it really goes into the emotions" and so on, as if any of that is a justification or something when none of that has anything to do with the simple fact that he's 16 years old

"that's too cowardly to commit to the logical conclusion" ah yes, cause the only "logical" conclusion to this story is romantic love... can't possibly be anything other than that right -_-

 

[creolur]

Age-gap romance, my favorite

 

[kkfvjk]

I caught up on the last 12 chapters and am remembering how good the series is 😭 thanks for your hard work scanlators! I’m buying the official volumes for sure.

 

[Starbright]

@voidox if they decide to be together they would both be legal adults at that point

And if you've read mangas long enough age gap romances with minors arent new and since its fiction we dont pay attention to the age but the character relationships

Of course some people in fiction cant get over that fact me as long as the adult doesn't do anything inappropriate to the minor and decide to get together as adults I see no issue

 

[Starbright]

Feels like a weird point to end the series here theres really no big event pushing for an ending arc just kind feels its just abruptly ending

Also with

Spoiler

ogata giving up fairly easily just feeling rushed and not proper closure to these characters

At this point I'm not sure how this should end which will be satisfying if this went a bit longer and could flesh out things properly than a time skip ending would be good but maybe it's best to leave there relationship open ended and them just deciding to keep being with each other

 

[voidox]

@Starbright ah yes, let's just ignore all the issues with adults x underage kids cause "it's fiction" -_-

look, if you wanna ignore things then you do you I guess... but don't fault ppl for calling out the issues and how messed up things can be in these types of stories: from grooming to student/teacher to large age gap and so on. Ignoring said issues doesn't make them disappear or not matter, and "it's fiction" is not a be all end all excuse to dismiss messed up stories.

It's really hard to "just look at character relationships" when it involves a 30 year old adult and 12 year old kid.

Also, in general, when I usually see a defense of large age gap romance with underage kids, it's only when the story involves an underage boy x adult woman. Just goes to show the hypocrisy at play here, cause many of the same ppl who defend that, won't defend the same story if it was an adult male x underage girl. Both are equally messed up and they know it, but self-inserting into the underage boy means it's easier to defend I guess~

if you've read mangas long enough age gap romances with minors arent new

just cause there are other manga with age gap romances involving underage kids, doesn't make it okay or right :/
__________________________________________________________________________

Spoiler

for this manga specifically, the biggest issue is that Satoko has known Mashu from when he was 12, and has been basically raising him since then. So if she did end up romancing him, we end up crossing into territory of issues like grooming, she being 36 when he's 18, how she's his mother figure, their history together since he was 12 and so on.

That's why people would rather see these two just keep as is: caring for one another as a family and moving forward like that.

As you said, there's also the matter of not enough time for more development (since it's ending real soon) so a romance would also be incredibly rushed and kinda forced, so it is just better to end things as is and not end up with a half-assed ending that'd sour the series. And there is nothing at all wrong with them not romancing, some ppl are just obsessed with romance and always want that as the ending -_-

 

[Starbright]

@voidox it's your choice if you want to have an issue with these types of stories but this series is a bad example to be offended by.

These two characters have a bond that they arent sure what they should define it. Theres hints that's its romantic feelings they have but they don't push to define it and just happy to be together.

Again as long as the adult isn't doing anything inappropriate and they happen to decide to be together as adults I see no issue. Also it's not grooming when for one they were split up shortly after the met in the beginning and shes never pushed anything romantic or sexual towards him.

As for age gap stories in general it's really a case by case scenario on how I feel about them in most of them the adult acts responsible and never try to act intimate with them and relationships are usually established when they are adults. Also in most of these stories it's usually the minor who likes the adult that tries to push for the relationship and most series awknowledge age implication taboos of the relationship.

I can understand and respect and not wanting to see any age gap romances to me it's how its handled and how the characters are portrayed and if they act in a reasonable manor where the moral implications dont take me out of the story.

But also sometimes theres stories that are clearly morally bankrupt but I still read because it provides some entertaining value and sometimes presented in a absurdist nature that I don't impose real world morality on it.

Stories will at times deal with uncomfortable topics it just comes down how the author handles it.

Also in the world of fiction we excuse immoral things to some extent all the time did you enjoy game of thrones? It was one of the most popular shows a cultural sensation dealing with taboo topics but it was presented in way that viewers would watch it.

If you want to import real world morality to all your stories go ahead but this one isn't a good example of what you have an issue with.

 

[voidox]

@Starbright fair enough on your viewpoint and I just wanna say: thanks for being mature about this discussion. So many times I've dealt with idiots on this topic who do nothing but attack you and call you names for daring to question their manga -_-

so ya, glad we can have a civil discussion on this when we have opposing views on the matter
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

just wanna say, I wasn't actually saying anything about this series itself, I was talking about the people who are desperate to want a romance to happen no matter what. Also was talking more in general about people who defend age gap romance manga, and how it's usually almost always underage boy x adult female, then these ppl don't defend underage girl x adult male when BOTH have issues (not directing this at you btw)

back to this manga: like I said in my op, why I don't think a romance will happen is cause that has not been that type of relationship between them. It's very much been more about being happy and caring for one another <--- way more family than anything. Even the tiny hints of romance are mainly from the boy, which is understandable as he's teen + puberty, but even then Satoko is very much a motherly figure for Mashu.

Then the fact that ending is very near, that a romance would be extremely rushed and kinda forced

Again as long as the adult isn't doing anything inappropriate and they happen to decide to be together as adults I see no issue.

hmm, well if when both are 18+ and stuff happens sure no problem there, but if there is a history when the younger person was underage that goes more than just "they knew each other", then it's not so simple:

if an adult is defining a relationship with an underage kid in a romantic way, that's messed up. It's not just about physical relationship, the emotional relationship and such matters as well. Adults going after kids in a romantic way even just emotionally, is already way part inappropriate. There are laws, morals and ethics that exist and are present in our community, to protect underage children from abuse/control/inappropriateness/so on by adults

Even if they only "take action" when the kid is 18+, the fact is that there are very serious issues with underage x adult emotional romance like power dynamic, maturity of the kid, consent when not legally able to consent, morality, ethics (when it involves student/teachers) and so on. I brought up grooming cause that shit also is an issue and happens in age gap manga involving kids.

Though to note: I wasn't and am not directing these issues at this series itself, I was talking more in general with age gap romance manga first before going into the series itself at the end of my post (probably should have been clearer on that, my bad)

now I can understand and respect you being able to ignore these issues and enjoy the story, I just find that I can't and see it as not something to be represented even in fiction.

Stories will at times deal with uncomfortable topics it just comes down how the author handles it.

sure that's a fair point to bring up about taboo topics in fiction... it's just that it's incredibly rare for manga authors to ever handle this properly o.o and even in fiction in general, there is still debate about the use of serious taboo topics and writing stories with them: how things are written or presented, reasoning, sensitivity and so on... but I digress.

for manga specifically, almost all the time you do see an age gap romance, the underage kid can just be 18+ and the story would not change in the slightest. The reason the kid is kept under 18 is the stupid reason of: it allows self-insert and fantasy of "the milf loves the kid, i.e. me". And then some manga try to be more serious with the story, but ignore all the issues associated with the topic at hand... like wat?

Also in the world of fiction we excuse immoral things to some extent all the time did you enjoy game of thrones? It was one of the most popular shows a cultural sensation dealing with taboo topics but it was presented in way that viewers would watch it.

well, I'll just bring up that in the context of kids and romance: GoT cast older actors for some of the younger characters in the books, specifically to avoid bad things happening to kids being shown on screen and to not have to deal with stuff involving kids, like marriage and sex, that we see in the books.

Much of the taboo topics in the show were all with adults for a reason, and even then, while taboo topics can be presented in a watchable way... that doesn't change the fact that these taboo topics are messed up and something most people would rather not see. The taboo topics were not the reason GoT was popular and a cultural phenomenon.

 

[Starbright]

@voidox I think theres definitely been hints for romance by both of them Satoka has been presented to be uncomfortable when mashu was with a girl. Still the author doesnt really push romance with them and keeps there relationship ambigious. I've read some people say that the author said this isn't meant to end in romance. Personally I would like if it did since the author has hinted that kind of feelings for both but with 2 chapters left if they do end up together since it didn't get the proper build it would lack the emotional impact for me.

Also I'm not sure about the japanese legal age but in many countries even western countries its 16 it even can vary in America.

Also theres cultural taboos of age gap relationships even when people are of legal age. It's not like people object to young people having romantic and sexual relationships even in super young ages people usually have a cultural issue of older people in a relationship with someone younger and mostly older male and younger female relationship which people view in the lens of being predatory. Or just assume they are with that person for superficial reasons and judge the relationship and person.

As for why depict underage and adult relationships at all I agree at times it's just for self insert value. But in same time it's an interesting relationship dynamic and sometimes the drama aspect of the relationship drives interest for the story.

Again why you don't see large amounts of people taking issue to it is how the author handles it and nature of the series . When alot of people support age gap relationship they are doing it with one believing they get together as adults and more so looking at ages looking at character relationship. Could authors just depict them legal age and still be interesting yes but the conflict and sometimes maybe taboo nature of it attracts people.

As for game of thrones didnt really see people taking issue with cerese and jamies relationship if anything people championed it.

In a way fiction sometimes is like the premise of westworld escaping to a reality without moral boundaries and indulging in it.

Again I can respect not even in fiction giving leeway but again to many people it's how its handled and sometimes even in morally bankrupt stories people still want to indulge in it because its fiction.

 

[voidox]

@Starbright well, even if there are a few tiny hints, or like 1 one(?) for Satoka... and even that can have more explanations than just "omg she clearly loves him cause she got bit uncomfortable seeing him with a girl"... if said hints are never developed or made into anything, then it's fair to argue that they end up meaning nothing. Also, while sure on Mashu's side the hints are more clear seeing he's a young teen + puberty, but with Satoka there are other explanations to the hints than just romantic love

but that aside, the simple fact is that in opposite of those few hints, there are many real and clearly shown developments/moments of the two's relationship in a non-romantic way

and ya, author's comments + 2 chapters left = incredibly likely that their relationship will end as how it has been set up in this manga: the two caring for each other and being happy, i.e. very much a mother/son relationship, or adult guardian/child

age of consent in Japan varies by prefectures, Tokyo is 18 and most of Japan follows that afaik

But in same time it's an interesting relationship dynamic and sometimes the drama aspect of the relationship drives interest for the story.

well, in that rare case that this is true for a manga... then I can see this point I guess. But man, like I mentioned, there are just so many issues with adult x kid... though I guess maybe a real and serious story would look to tackle those

though I still argue that if the roles were reversed, e.g. a 30 year old man and a 12 year old girl, would it still be fine to explore the relationship dynamic or think of things going romantic. The double standard with the underage kid being a boy vs girl is very much real as underage girl = no more self-insert so ppl suddenly aren't okay with it despite both having the same messed up issues

When alot of people support age gap relationship they are doing it with one believing they get together as adults and more so looking at ages looking at character relationship.

the conflict and sometimes maybe taboo nature of it attracts people

sure, I won't deny this is true for some people, such as yourself, and there are for sure a few more serious and character driven age gap manga out there... but oh man my experience seeing the people who read and defend these type of age gap manga, especially on r/manga: usually is just the self-insert crowd, and most of these manga end up being self-insert trash

lol, the reason I brought up self-insert and fantasy is cause the reality is that a lot of those people always make comments like "date her already, get married already, just sleep with her" and so on specifically with the underage kid being young, i.e. they aren't looking for anything more than self-insert fantasy and just want the kid to "win the milf"

As for game of thrones didnt really see people taking issue with cerese and jamies relationship if anything people championed it.

true, but my point about GoT was in the context of kids and taboo topics: the tv show avoided most anything taboo involving younger characters, that we see in the books, by casting older actors for the role. There's a reason they chose to do this, and as such, most all the taboo topics of the show only involved adults, like the whole incest stuff between Jaimie and Cersei

Again I can respect not even in fiction giving leeway but again to many people it's how its handled and sometimes morally bankrupt but still want to indulge in it because its fiction

ya fair enough, same for me: I can respect your position and understand what you're getting it. So to avoid us going on and on, repeating the same points, not much else more to say in the end. I guess we can agree to disagree on the topic at hand, though I think we both better understand each other's position and are not totally in disagreement with everything~

 

[princess_daphie]

@voidox

though I still argue that if the roles were reversed, e.g. a 30 year old man and a 12 year old girl, would it still be fine to explore the relationship dynamic or think of things going romantic. The double standard with the underage kid being a boy vs girl is very much real as underage girl = no more self-insert so ppl suddenly aren't okay with it despite both having the same messed up issues

*Cough* *Cough* Musume no Tomodachi *Cough*

Yeah, the girl isn't 12, but 15, so it's relatable to this one after the time skips. There are stories with genders reversed. Although I've also read your comment on that one, so I know you're aware of it (and against, lol). Just wanted to point it out. I can't discuss these topics in length though as I've found myself unable to hold these overly complex conversations for long and I get emotional. I do like age-gap stories/romance though, can't lie. (I wouldn't be translating them otherwise!)

Now, I'm really anxious to translate chapter 42, and for 43, the last one, to go out. I think I'll be fine with any conclusion, as long as they don't straight up stray apart.

 

[voidox]

@princess_daphie

I do like age-gap stories/romance though, can't lie

here's the thing for me: age gap romance are fine as long as they don't involve underage kids... simple as that. Emotional relationships that involve an underage kid and adult are also a no-go, when said relationship is romantic in nature.

If you want an age gap romance, make the younger person 18+ and go ham.

Why I get into discussions about this is cause there are ppl who try and defend age gap romance that involve kids, and do so by ignoring all the issues that arise from such a story. Or they are people who desperately want an underage kid to get with the adult cause of w.e self-insert reason, again, ignoring all the issues with that or if it even makes sense with the story. Such as what's happening with this manga and people wanting the mid-30's woman to actually date the boy -_-

the thing is, 99% of the manga that do have age gap romance with kids, never tackle it in a proper or serious way such that you require the kid to be underage. It's almost always done so for stupid self-insert/fantasy fulfillment of "oh the kid got the milf/sensei"... which is just -_- In these cases, you can easily make the kid 18+ and nothing at all would change except the setting.

and as a side note, the whole student x teacher has it's whole own list of issues if we put aside the underage kid part, even university professors x students have moral/legal issues o.o

now there are those very rare manga that do tackle age gap relationships properly and deal with the issues head on, and sure that's a story to tell there... but ya, very rare you get that

 

[zerothegreat121]

Yeah, This Manga handles it really well when it comes to the Legal side of stuff.

And so does musume no tomodachi.

They both handle it quite well in my eyes.

I think this situation in the manga, is quite normal for Mashuu side of things.

 

[princess_daphie]

@voidox

and as a side note, the whole student x teacher has it's whole own list of issues if we put aside the underage kid part, even university professors x students have moral/legal issues o.o

well. the first two mangas i've read thru scanlation (which also led me to discover mangadex eventually) are "Omaera Zenin Mendokusai" and "Gal Gohan". i think i then found this manga Watashi no Shounen, then Musume no Tomodachi. retracing my steps.

now there are those very rare manga that do tackle age gap relationships properly and deal with the issues head on, and sure that's a story to tell there... but ya, very rare you get that

among the 4 mangas i've mentioned just now, the first two were more the fantasy-fulfilling type, while the other two, like @zerothegreat121 also mentioned, take on legal issues and more realistic situations head-on.

If you want an age gap romance, make the younger person 18+ and go ham.

sure, but then it's just romance, i mean, it removes the dynamics and problems that occur because of said age-gap. note i said "problems". yes, it's problematic. we can agree on that.

 

[voidox]

@princess_daphie

since you are into age gap romances, I'd recommend Koi Wa Ameagari No You Ni, though I have to imagine you've already read or watched this. But in case you haven't: it's a fluff manga/anime for sure, but it tackles a relationship between a 45 year old man and 17 year old girl realistically and maturely, especially with it's ending

This post is spoilers, but it summarises the overall message and idea behind the manga, if someone is interested in knowing and not able to read the manga itself: https://mangadex.org/thread/2086/4/#post_1709616

Koi Wa Ameagari No You Ni is an example of one of those really rare manga, that justifies the underage kid setting and properly tackles the issues instead of hand-waving them away for fantasy/self-insert nonsense

 

[princess_daphie]

@voidox now i really have to read it, because it's been recommended to me by so many people, lol! it's in my watchlist, but since i've started scanlating myself, i've stopped reading new series almost entirely, just keeping up with the series i'm following! but i'll be sure to read this one!