I mean, I get what Gramps is trying to do (though it should have been done a lot earlier). And taking all the things he GAVE Takane makes sense too, but not all of it. Takane has worked, and he worked hard. Family or not he earned a big sum of money from working - and those are money/assents he is entitled to not because of his Grandpa, but himself.
And I get that he might not have worked where he does if not for his family relations, but work is work. Fire him if you wish, but money he earned is still his money. ┑(￣Д ￣)┍
Warning: a long rant ahead!
PoT used to be my top 5 manga of all time for YEARS! I'm a fan of both manga and anime. I even watched the Live Action. Darn! I even started playing tennis myself because of it (as a hobby though).
I've been reading it since early 2000s (right after it started being translated). Considering it's been more than 10 years I've been a fan...I'm slowly stopping being one. Oh don't get me wrong The Prince Of Tennis (original) will always stay at the top for me. But this sequel? It started interesting, it pulled me in, but somewhere in the middle it just became slightly riddiculous and well...even boring at times.
What was about Ryoma (above all) and his friends playing, improving and growing while loving tennis, changed to be focused on violence, blood, supernatural moves (yeah weird and exaggerated - I was used to and liked, but this borders on fantasy a lot more now), and everyone else apart from the main character. In the last 50 chapters we've seen Ryoma - and briefly, around 4 times. Now, I do appreciate seeing All Japan Team playing, I do, but ekhem...can we also see our main character playing, improving and beating some serious ass in tenning (not physically)? It seems like the author doesn't know where to take the manga to anymore, as if lost somewhere in the plot...which got pretty shallow in comparison to before.
I'm not even going to comment on the Greek team's looks (enough has been said in the comment section), and the fact middle schoolers look like high schoolers, while hs like college/university ones...it's what I'm used to. But it's a shame since 1999 they're the same age all the time. We have 2017 already. Ehh...sorry for the rant. I just had to write it all somewhere...
Here I was still hoping...that maybe finally we'll see how Chihaya improved...but nope. Now Rion's hearing is getting better than hers. Darn, even Taichi's is becoming better. I mean...What is the purpose of Chihaya being the main character again? Because atm she feels more like a spectator rather than the protagonist. ┑(￣Д ￣)┍
I never thought I'd say that. Ever. Especially since it was one of my top 5 mangas I was waiting for uploads to no end. Where I went and read the raws, and even did some translations myself. Now I couldn't really bother clicking on the update for a few days. It just started to bore me, when the focus went from Chihaya to everyone else...Literally EVERYONE ELSE! ┑(￣Д ￣)┍
Even the last chapter...I mean...Yeah I appreciate Taichi's mum getting there with listening to what her son wants for ones, but do I care about Hanano? NOPE! Do I care about each and every person they play agains? NO!
Taichi became an annoyance (and I'm saying this as a long-time Taichi supporter). Arata...lost the spark he had in my eyes. Shinobu got boring. Meijin...is still a jerk like he was. Karuta club members are becoming more annoying than before (HOW?!). Chihaya somehow stopped being the manga's focus.
WHAT IS MORE: now everyone can apparently develop the ability of great hearing that Chihaya and Meijin have. WTH?!
(╯°Д °)╯╧╧
Dude. I UNDERSTAND 100％!!! Taichi was so sweet and now it feels like he's a total d-bag bc Chihaya won't return his feelings so he wants to be his emo self and "find himself" by emulating an even BIGGER d-bag. (c" ತ,_ತ)
I love Chihayafuru. I've loved this manga since years ago. But recently...I don't know if it's how the story's progressing, or how the characters are changing...but I'm getting slightly irritated.
I was cheering on Taichi for a long time, but since he confessed to Chihaya and ditched everyone after, I came to be not as fond of him as before. Now I don't even look forward to learning about him much witht he way his character is progressing and changing.
Suou meijin literally annoys the hell out of me, but then again that didn't change much - I didn't like him almost from the beginning. Shinobu though...atm I couldn'r careless about her "I'm the best" attitude or any struggles she has - she's a very much secondary character I'd like to see only as a inspiration for improvement for others.
All new Karuta club members are people I dislike...literally. I got used somehow to Sumire (and it was hard), but the newer ones are literally...annoying as heck. There's nothing likeable I can find about them.
And now the author is making it as if anyone who tries can learn to have abilities like Chihaya and Suou meijin WTF?! I actually loved how Taichi, Shinobu and Arata were amazing at Karuta because of their own hard work and abilities...It made them be completely different from the main character and I appreciated it A LOT. I'm kind of not liking where the manga is going. Basically right now Chihaya is under pressure from everyone - herself included. She's basically left alone, and I truthfully only see the bad stuff coming her way in the upcoming chapters. I like Karuta a lot even if I can't play it myself. It's an amazing sport, and Chihaya made it even more fun for me. Now to be honest...I'm getting tired. We see more side stories (and of side characters as well) than we see actual Karuta. Plus there is almost no interactions between main characters at all recently. It's like they all got separated and I don't see how they can ever come together again.
Ehh..sorry for the long rant. I just had to get it off my chest. I love this manga, I'll stres sit once again. But recently it frustrates me and annoys me more than it gives me joy of reading it, as it did before. So I'm just sad... ┗( T﹏T )┛
What are both Akatsuki no Yona and Skip Beat mangas doing to me today! It's like eating delicious chocolate. I can eat one piece, but I need a second one and so on. It's never enough! ლ(´ڡ`ლ)
Least Yona's manga puts out! There was soo much awesomeness in this chapter!
H-h-how can they end the chapter like THIS!! I mean! I've waited the whooole long month to see Kyoko-chan show the Director what she's made of! (╯°Д °)╯╧╧
I won't be able to sleep well for the next month now... ┗( T﹏T )┛
What is this that I'm feeling?! Can this get any better?! Such bliss!! It hasn't been a week since the previous chapter got translated an we've got ANOTHER ONE!
AAANDDD!!! Such an amazing thing happened in it! I feel like my eyes are tearing up from happiness!!! (▰˘◡˘▰)
I feel the same way, I could only say, OMG!!!!!
I've re-read this after around 8 years I think, and I have to say my opinion still didn't change.
I love the manga but hate the ending.
I think I would've prefered for Nobara to continue playing Voleyball. The ending made it seem as if her dream wasn't really serious and made her long fight, for being able to play, just...pointless. Which in my opinion is just sad. I mean...what was the whole manga for really? Wat was the point of Nobara going thourgh all those hardships? Wasn't it for her to play and grow as both a girl and a voleyball player and how serious she was about her dream?
The only thing I may guess at (looking at the development of the few previous chapters before last one) is that mangaka or editor decided to change the ending at last minute, as they wouldn't like young girls to get the "bad example" of going against their parents to pursue "useless dreams" if Nobara turned out to become pro player. While if she listened to her mum and ended up "happily ever after" even if she abandoned her dream for her mum's wishes..that would set another "good example", right? IMO...not really...but that's just my "theory".
Sorry for such long rant. (￣∇￣")
I can not stress how much I agree with you. Shoujo mangas usually have insecure, destructive main characters, but this manga had a main character who could make her own decisions. She wanted to make a volleyball team. She did not get inspired by someone else to pursue this goal. And so she made one. She worked hard for a goal without relying on others (maybe a little for emotional support) but she ended up creating the team ON HER OWN. This made me appreciate this manga. However, the ending just crushed it. It was a huge punch on the face. It was as though they were saying women in shoujo mangas could not pursue whatever they want to. As long as girls in shoujo mangas pursue the guys they like, it is a good ending.
Although she had this huge talent of jumping 3 meters as a girl, she did not go pro. What was the point of giving this amazing talent if it was not going to put into good use? What was the point of her rebelling if she was going to end up working for her mom anyways? She did end up getting the Spring Tournament trophy, but I am just very disappointed because the ending felt as though it was belittling all her efforts to accomplish her goal.
I guess we feel exatly the same way about this then. Most people I talked about this issue before were actually on a cloud nine with how it ender (because of Yuushin), and didn't take into consideration how author bellitlled something the actual main character fought for through the whole manga. It was as if her efforts were all in vain and her dreams were just a childlish tantrum she threw when her mother tried to make her take care of the ryokan, but apparently to many this was just one of the "all's well which ends well" type of and closure.
I'm not sure if the realization of the problem comes with the level of maturity one has, but appreciation for the manga is one thing, however the treatment of its characters by their creator is another thing whatsoever. This time, although I like the manga in general, I don't think the justice has been served. :(
I just think it's really unrealistic. There's just no way, she wouldn't be scouted by a strong team to go pro eventually. Nobody in their right minds would want to waste such talent. And then even her mother would recognize that this is actually better than sticking to the tradition like glue. The only logical possibility for would be, when she were so badly injured that she simply couldn't continue. And even then, I can't imagine her giving up her passion for volleyball. She then would at least become a coach.
And of course I see your point. It makes me angry, too. Still, compared to other shōjo mangas it's still one of the best overall. After all, her really becoming the restaurant's heiress is just an after story. Something that originally came long after the main story was finished. So I like to think about this extra chapter as only one possible but not probable outcome. In reality she's going to play for Japan at the next Olympics. ^^
Now THAT'S a Christmas present I needed!!! ⁄(⁄ ⁄·⁄ω⁄·⁄ ⁄)⁄ (≧∀≦)