Funny, while so many comments reflect a worry about fictional incest (don't read if it bothers you), the thing that struck me was once again the extreme seeking of social status, a theme that often pops up in manga and anime. I can't help but wonder how much is fictional exaggeration and how much is based on reality. Would the Japanese really find acceptable or be sympathetic to such parents who only approves of a child as long as that child achieves results?
Goes for every Asian parent my friend. They want you to succeed especially if they themselves have succeeded. The difference is they won't feel too depressed after a while about it if you do something unconventional with your life, this manga kinda over dramatizes that part, because at the end of the day, you are still their child. (Some parents are dicks and will disown you)
Tbh, it's actually pretty common in Asian households. Specially if the family has a name to uphold. Happened a lot to my friends. Parents tend to put a lot of pressure on their children, much harder when there's one who's superior in terms of achieving results. Even in not-so-well-off families, it tends to happen. It's the usual, 'I'm your parent and I'm doing everything I can for your education, so I expect you to give me the best results. I am doing this for your future, and not for myself'. Suicide rate is also high for students who suffers from this.
Thank you both @Anonymous & @Anon for your thoughtful replies. Sad that it is so based on reality. The ramifications of such a status oriented culture is that people tend to judge a person much more on superficial qualities alone. No wonder then that so often characters in manga/anime seem to making such shallow value judgments of other people, even when they really don't have the right (like who is a 'worthy' partner for some idol or person). That isn't to say superficial or shallow judgment doesn't happen everywhere else, just to a more extreme degree in such a culture.
It is pretty common in asian households but sometimes its not about social status or upholding the name of the family .. Not everyone finish schools some didnt even reach high school so most of them know all to well how harsh life is and who in their right mind want their child to experience those .. They believe (in my country at least) that education will give u a brighter future so they push them to study hard.. Some sadly ended like their parents while some will really just inspires you (like the one i watch on tv recently a daughter of a fisherman graduated magna cum laude thats inspiration right there)
This isn't about pushing your children scholastically, though that can be done both in good or in bad way, but about not accepting or acknowledging your children if they don't live up to your expectations of them. Basically writing them off as failed, and mainly focusing on the child/children who do well. Not because the 'failed' children are actually bad, either by behavior or even in school, just your average normal child. To me that just seemed beyond cold, it seemed cruel. But it was a recurring theme in manga and I couldn't help but wonder just how acceptable such parenting would be socially. In such cases I would find the parents seriously lacking not the child.
For a moment I got all excited thinking there was a new update, and then I noticed that it was just raws.
Well this certainly grabbed me. And though I thought various elements a bit tropey and hinting an overly dramatic backstory, I think the story still looks like it promises to be good. While early days yet, the mangaka seemed to have a deft touch with the trope and drama, and so will probably give us a moving story.
The art is lovely but I feel like I'm being thrown into the middle of the storyline not the beginning. I know authors sometimes think this is a good way to get a reader's attention, but I hate starting off confused and feeling like I have to play catch up with events in the story.
So I hope the next update will have a more natural and easy to follow sequence of events, and will take the time to introduce the characters to us.
Gosh I just died from all the cuteness, but in a good way. Often I don't like it when kids are in my yaoi as it becomes too cute the wrong way, but sensei knows her stuff! Not only can she do chibis too perfection but I loved the kids as well. And I bet they are a yaoi couple in the making. :)
I couldn't agree more with you!
(づ￣ ³￣)づ
I think the that girl just played both of them. She told Alex that she and Cole had made some kind of bet, which I bet (hehe) was untrue, and then probably equally untruthfully implied to Cole that she and Alex slept together. It would seem that she is intentionally trying to break them up, and the question remains as to why.
As to the gun, as so many have already pointed out, Cole had it in ch. 4. But it is a bit drastic, even if he does believe that Alex cheated on him and is now somewhat ignoring him. But then Alex never did ask him about any bets he might have made and was ready to suspect the worst, just because some girl said so, and let it get to him. And Alex, unlike Cole, doesn't suffer from inferiority and lack of confidence issues.
I think Alex is upset because Cole never speaks his mind... He asks Cole about his feelings, his interest, where does he want to go, but Cole responds nothing or I don't know or wherever it's fine... Even if Alex asked Cole about the bet I belive Alex thinks Cole wouldn't be honest anyway... Also Alex is upset because he knows Cole doesn't trust him.
The girl doesn't seem serious about Alex to me, she seems to be just playing for no reason, maybe she is curious about how strong is their bond... (I know she tried to seduce Alex but she didn't insisted when he said he wasn't interested... she doesn't seem to dislike Cole or be jealous either... she is weird xd)
Also the gun stuff is pretty messed up... I mean I would be scared if someone went all psyco because he thinks I amm cheating when I am not... But Alex seems also angry... I think he is offended because Cole says he loves him but still doesn't make an effort to communicate with him, doesn't rely on him as a boyfriend when he ofers to listen...
I agree that Alex might be feeling a bit upset overall with Cole for not speeking out more, but it didn't really show that much. Besides, you might say that not having any preference as to where to go meant that Cole was saying he was happy as long as he was with Alex. I would also say, that there's no way you can know that Alex didn't ask Cole about the bet just because Alex thought Cole wouldn't be honest. In fact why would he think that? Nor is it clear if Alex is still getting upset over Cole's lack of trust in his preference at this point, but if he's aware of it he should realize how things might appear to Cole that morning and reasure him.
As to the girl, her behavior if not intentional is then more than wierd. Do you ramdomly mess with a strange couple you just met on a beach, lying to both separately, knowing full well that they may break up over it? Just for kicks? Or like some self proclaimed cupid see it as your mission to "test love bonds" uninvited? Most women have the decency to back off when their advances clearly aren't welcome, and look elsewhere. She may not dislike Cole, but she certainly is not being nice to him either, more like mean, insensitive, and callous in the extreme.
Well I am not defending her... I think everything she did and said was inmoral... I was just trying to point out that I don't understand her motives at all.. she seems like she's just toying with them..
Also I have not idea why Alex hasn't asked Cole about the bet... I was expressing a possible explaination, but I am not sure.... Also if they were real people this relationship would be even more confusing and complicated because people often behave irrationally and contradict themselves when romantic love, insecurity,and obssession are involved
;) I think it's a problem all of us have when reading any sort of fiction, when the author chooses to leave a character's motives and thoughts vague it is all too easy to read our own initial impression into it, and sometimes far more than we should. Often we tend to read into it what we want to it to be, not what there is evidence for. But I did realize that you were only expressing an opinion. What I stated rather badly in return was was we did know was that Alex didn't ask, but could say nothing as to why.
I would also think that Cole's issues on communicating his feelings and preferences as to where to go is not the same thing as not telling the truth if asked about a bet. Indeed, Cole usually admits the truth when Alex confronts him. The only reason for Alex not to ask would be if he believed it of Cole, and either didn't want to hear him admit it or wouldn't believe a denial.
But you're right, people IRL behave with same irrational ways, and people will also assume too much as well. Sometimes it is a good thing to keep in mind just what it is what we do know and that there can be more than one possible explanation.
As to that girl, I really hope she wasn't just a mere plot device of a moment to cause trouble between our boys. Her actions would be so nonsensical in that case. So I hope she had some reason and intention with what she was doing. Which would also mean that we will see her again.
This suddenly got a lot more serious and dark in mood. I have to admit, I'm somewhat doubtful as to how I feel about it, as it just feels a bit too heavy and dramatic compared to the rest of the manga.
Ré Shiro; I hope that not only he and Kei get together and so resolve Shiro's angsts, but that they in turn take over running the Circus so the Shiro's adoptive parents can finally retire.
Unlike the story there's a few comments that reflect a desire for an ideal for that perfect someone not to have any emotional past whatsoever. Seems very unreal to me asmost of us experience several loves, more or less serious, before we're lucky enough to get it right. But each of those experiences teach us something about love and what we want and need from relationships, and so make us better for 'the right one'.
Beautifully said. We all bear scars on our hearts and they make us who we are today. Just as a broken bone heals to be stronger, so too, do our hearts. A lover with no past heartache is nice... if you want to train them. However, if you want someone who can stand proudly beside you through any adversity, a little bit of toughness from a few scars on their heart is always a good thing to have.
It's actually pretty difficult to find someone with no past relationships because those people tend to be rather unapproachable and you will likely get nowhere with them. This is coming from someone like that haha..
As I read ch. 5.5 I can't help but wonder if there has been some mistake, because it doesn't seem to belong at all. I certainly don't get what it's doing there, so I'm very much hoping it was an error of some sort.
I really enjoyed the start of this manga, but it has already been a while since it updated. I really hope this won't be yet another one of those unfinished projects out there! So please update.