I love this story and have to commend the mangaka as a pioneer for basing its plot on the issue of domestic violence, which is not common in Yaoi fiction. I mean, domestic abuse is not something most romance readers look for in their romance and smut fix, but when manga authors extrapolate real life evils into their stories and effectively execute them when they present them in real life context, that’s when a manga transcends its genre, and we can consider ourselves privileged for having the opportunity to read it. However, I will have to say that, so far in this story, the mangaka has not effectively executed or handled the issue of domestic violence as it relates to Kan-chan and Yumi.
I read the comment from a reader pretty much stating that, ultimately, this is a superficial yaoi smut and it is fatuous to look for and expect any profundity. This comment caught me by surprise because it is a sentiment I usually agree with 99% of the time regarding the Yaoi genre in general and the typical yaoi manga. However, I would argue that this is true only when we are talking about stories with commonly used tropes in Yaoi or fiction in general that are understood to have pre-established rules that require suspension of disbelief. In Yaoi for example, “incest/twincest romance”, “ravishment/dubious consent romance”, “crime world/yakuza slapstick and/or romance”, “bullying romance”, etc. are tropes that, usually, specifically establish and advance the superficial nature of the story, that clearly communicate to the reader that we are not meant to take things realistically; that the author has extrapolated certain real life issues or elements and has fictionalized them illogically to fit the genre; but that’s not the case here, because, in this specific story, the Mangaka did not present the topic of domestic violence and sexual harassment /abuse in the workplace as a fictional illogical trope, but in the context of serious pernicious real life issues, used as dramatic elements of the plot and as such, because the Mangaka presented the theme of domestic violence with all the serious gravity of its real life nature, the issue demands to be handled with utmost sensitivity and seriousness from beginning to end. Of course, it is the prerogative of authors how they want to write their stories, but again, It is the Mangaka telling me the reader, that she is treating the issue of domestic violence seriously, therefore, as a reader, I expect a serious treatment and resolution of the subject.
That doesn't mean the Mangaka should have written an entire volume of Kan-chan’s psychotherapy sessions and long-assed introspections, or every step of a lawsuit against Kan-cha’s previous company (that would be ridiculous), obviously that type of in-depth extrapolation is beyond the scope of the typical manga, but still, at the very least, Kan-chan’s abusive behavior and potential repercussions **needed** to be and could have easily been more succinctly addressed within the narrative simply because Domestic Violence is a very complex psycho-social malady that requires serious intervention (in whatever form works best) for both abuser and victim because it is not a problem that can be easily treated, overcome or cured. On the other hand, Psychotherapy has many forms; it is not exclusively the American formula of Psy Doc/Patient - office visits; there are multiple elements that influence the therapeutic method, such as individual personality traits, culture, socioeconomic status, etc. After all, In the annals of human history, people have been successfully overcoming psychological problems and traumas through various/different methods way before Psychology was established as a science, and let’s not forget the very poor population that doesn't have the means to pay for such services and instead find alternative means of coping and overcoming.
This is why people are correct in stating that it is totally credible and acceptable that Kan-chan may be self-treating, overcoming his problem with emotional support from Yuuna (it is definitely far from being a black and white issue)... but again, Kan-chan’s ease in entering a new relationship and the (mostly) normal and healthy dynamics of his relationship with Yuuna do not align with his history of violence and any other emotional traumas he should've developed as a result of the harassment he suffered at his previous job. As it stands, relative to the volatile and violent environment he subjected on both himself and Yumi, Kan-chan’s currently stable and –almost idyllic- relationship with Yuuna is simply not realistic, his and Yumi's pic on the wall notwithstanding. This is why I argue that even though the mangaka introduced domestic violence as a dramatic element of the plot in its real life context as harmful and destructive, she failed to expound the problem properly, and instead, just kind of shrugged it under the rug in favor of the required happy ending to fit into the short length format of the manga; a happy ending for which I’m happy for because I empathize and love all characters involved, but ultimately, either the subject of domestic violence was too big for the Mangaka to handle or she was limited by "the power's that be"; bottom line, because of these shortcomings, this yaoi manga fails to transcend its genre.
Dude ur comment is awesome. It's practically an essay. ε=ε=(ノ≧∇≦)ノ
Let me just add I understand what you're saying but at the same time I feel like the mangaka might still go deeper into the issue because ultimately it's not like kan-chan was naturally an abusive person if you look at it from a different perspective, generally as human beings wen shit isn't working out for us we tend to expound our frustration on loved ones or pple that care about us because we know that we're loved therefore we can be forgiven for our actions. Looking at it from that it's understandable how he came to start his abusive behavior however this doesn't absolve him of his actions but one can understand.
I feel that all matters relating to kan chans abusive behavior has been handled appropriately for now.
I agree, its not like he was born violent. Also, it was not easy for his to overcome this, it took him 4 years and he still feels insecure about himself. Finally the author still hasn't finished the story so you cant still tell of the whole domestic violence topic has been fully depicted or not ╮(￣▽￣)╭
Look, if you read carefully Shuuna and Hayashida don't have such a stable relationship as you said. You can see that Hayashida is still very careful about how he behaves with his partner and that he still hasn't closed the issues with Yumi. You can see in the last chapter that the author probably wants to give the old friends some sort of closure, so don't say that the whole topic wasn't fully developed, the story is still incomplete.
Finally you also need to know that the author can't just write what she wants, she's under an editor so if they tell her not to write something too heavy or too focused on the domestic violence she just can't deepen it. In Japan if the editor says something then the author does it, they can't really argue
I agree that the Mangaka may still go further into the story and flesh out the subject of domestic violence, and I also agree that Kan-chan wasn’t naturally an abusive person, but not because the mangaka has given us Kan-chan’s background information or adequately shown anything definitive that would lead us to make that assumption, but because the empirical data shows that both complex biological and environmental risk factors shape the expression of violent behavior; so, from that we can infer, even if it’s never expounded in the manga, that Kan-chan was probably exposed at some point in his childhood to violence and/or suffered emotional neglect from his parents, among a myriad of other potential situational causes, even if he seemed to be a happy child/teenager; but this is exactly why I said that a full exposition of the issue is too complex and out of the scope of a typical manga. I also both agree and disagree with your position on taking out our frustrations on our loved ones; yes, we take off the masks we use in society in front of our loved ones because we don’t have to act out social roles in front of them, we can be ourselves in front of them, and we can be more open and sometimes even odious because we know they love us, will forgive minor transgressions, and are not going anywhere, but that does not apply to violent behavior. Violent behavior, abusive behavior is not part of the emotional dynamics of functional (stable/normal) family relationships.
Now, my argument is not a criticism of Kan-chan. As a reader, I have already considered the multiple factors that triggered his abusive behavior and I empathize with him and I really want him to find peace with himself and embrace his happiness with Yuuna. Unlike some readers, I don’t begrudge his happiness, I don’t want him to “suffer” or be punished for what he put Yumi through; I loved and hurt for both characters. My argument is not against Kan-chan, my criticism is on the oversimplified way that domestic violence and all its emotional repercussions have been presented here, because domestic abuse is extremely harmful to everyone involved and nowhere as easy to overcome as it has been, so far, presented in the manga. That is the basis of my argument and I totally get why people would disagree because, despite my criticism, I’m still enjoying the manga and Kan-chan’s and Yuuna’s relationship. Anyways, thank you for sharing your viewpoint :)
If you read my post in its entirety, you will notice I have already made those observations. That the mangaka was probably limited by "the powers that be" and that Kan-chan's and Yuuna's relationship is (mostly) normal and healthy in comparison to the toxic environment he lived with Yumi. And yes, I have carefully read the manga in its entirety, otherwise, I would not have felt informed enough to formulate my criticism.
bro, the story isn't complete yet. don't talk like you're the one who write this story. I suggest you start to write your own if you want something goes the way you want
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OMG!! I was moving too fast and when I hit the last page, for a second I was confused at the guy with the cat, wondering, "who the hell is that guy watching them!" LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!(≧∀≦)
Lol me too
Hahahaha, I'm not bothered about the incest per se, so, call me an ageist, but I just cannot for the life of me get over the age gap; the fact grandpa looks exactly that, like a grandpa!! LOL!!! It hits the comedic mark, though (≧∀≦)
Wow, I feel overwhelmed with disappointment. I have to commend the mangaka for making the story different and attempting to give it depth, but I can't be a customer. I get it, love knows no reason, but I just cannot accept Tatsumi choosing Shingo over Tomomi... (╯°Д °)╯╧╧
This is nothing but speculation, but based on that picture on the last page, it looks like the coworker used to be high school/university friends with Sempai, which may imply that there may have been more to their friendship, like awareness and/or mutual attraction (our worst!....), which would mean that the coworker is not after our cutey pie, Yuu, but after Sempai and the foreboding angst we got by the end of the chapter may be that Sempai will feel conflicted/confused. I hope not, that would break Yuu's and our hearts
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It could be the other way around tho
You can be a drama script writer,I swear
But what I think is that the co worker has no idea about Yuu or sempai. He being shown in the manga is a sign that he will be involved and not that he is after sempai or Yuu
Well that's what I think
Well, I'll take that as a compliment! :p
My speculation is just my ingrained habit of always expecting the necessary angst in Yaoi, but of course, sometimes my imagination gets ahead of me! LOL
However, I really hope you're right, 'cause I don't want ur cutey pie (and us) to suffer!
Of course, which all his flirting seems to be moving towards; the only reason I think it may be otherwise is the picture at the end. But I hope either way is wrong!
Lol that was a compliment though!
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loooord you're such a cutie<3<3
OMG, What's not to love! Hahaha! I loved every damned silly thing about it! Can't get enough of these Yakuza stories with the melodramatic/silly/obsessive and indulgent dads and underlings "a'la Honto Yajuu", but Tomoki's dad definitely gets the MVP title! (≧∀≦)
I loooove these chinese Manhuas, but I can' t deal with these micro chapters that run into the 200+ （/TДT)/
I must decline (〜￣△￣)〜
It gets good ;)
There was a simple lesson on cultural differences in this chapter in the different way both Dick and Neto greeted Yuuto. Hispanics enthusiastically hug and kiss as a form of greeting, irrespective of gender. There is a misconception used a lot in Yaoi mangas by Mangakas where Caucasian Americans are portrayed as being very "touchy feely" in contrast to their reserved Asian counterparts, however, that is inaccurate, because Caucasian Americans are not that emotionally expressive and can be as reserved - and in some parts of the Unite States, even more reserved than Asians (just ask any Southerner their opinion of New Yorkers), but White Americans are most definitely not typically touchy feely. That characteristic is found in Central and South America and within the other cultural groups within the United States composed of different ethnicities such as African Americans, Latin Americans, Asians (like Philippines) and some highly acculturated Middle Eastern cultures, where you will find such open expressiveness, where hugging and kissing and open emotionality are characteristic of their communication styles. This is why even though Dick was probably ecstatic at seeing Yuuto, he barely lifted an eyebrow, while Neto who had just spoken to Yuuto, hugged him as if he had not seen him in years, and I gotta commend the mangaka for being spot on with these cultural nuances :D
I lived in Manhattan for 20 years, and I'm originally from somewhere in the area of the south, not saying where. I always found New Yorkers to be the warmest, kindest, and most helpful people anywhere in the entire United States. I will take New Yorkers over the inhabitants of the place I grew up any day. I much prefer frank open conversations that include getting out your feelings and opinions and quickly getting over it, above the cold polite smiles of my upbringing where a single difference of opinion can make someone shun you forever. Otherwise what you said was very nice and I agree. I'm just defending New Yorkers because they do not deserve any kind of unfriendly or cold reputation. Try living in the eastern part of Washington state if you want unfriendly. Also, regarding hugging, when I came home and stayed for a while, people acted like I was weird for hugging so much. New Yorkers hug more than most.
Indeed and agreed! I live in Puerto Rico. americans from NY and Cali are the more exposed to latins, middle easterns/arabians, and other lively ethnic groups, than the rest of USA. I did find americans cold/dry no matter where they were from. I've been to various states and white americans were equally cold/dry be NY, Penn, CT, etc. And I mean white americans, because irish and italians are lively as us latins.
Europeans are a little more touchy-feely. When I lived in Northern Europe many people would greet someone they had only met once or twice with hugs. Dancing in nightclubs almost always seemed to involve the partners touching the whole time (no matter how fast/slow the music) In pubs, strangers would invite others to join them for a drink ... etc. It all just seemed so welcoming.
I happen to be a New Yorker, so it is East Coast for me all the way :D but about 10 years ago, my family moved to Texas, and the cultural differences between the two states was like getting hit with a brick, not in a bad way per se, but the differences are stark. Multiple studies have also shown that the Southern States are definitely friendlier than those in the East/West Coast. Ironically, people in states that are more open and friendlier tend to be poorer, conservative and less educated, while people from the unfriendly or less friendly states tend to be liberal and college educated!
I've always made the argument that New Yorkers are very stressed out and move at an accelerated pace and we are also hyper conscious about respecting peoples' personal space and time, and those are big influencers in the perceptions people form about New Yorkers, something that people in the Southern states are less concerned about, and therefore, they are perceived as being more open and friendly. However, there are salient differences between the various cultural populations within New York, which balances things out. NY is one of the most diverse States with a very high concentration of everyone and everything (all ethnicities/all countries) and the level of warmth or friendliness will vary depending on whether you are White or not and on whether you approach the typical Puerto Rican, African American, Italian or White American. If you were to find yourself in need of help, the typical Puerto Rican would probably invite you (a total stranger) to their home, an African American would give you a helping hand on the spot and a White American would most likely not notice you standing there because they are too focused looking straight ahead in a hurry to get to their point of destination. Another big factor is racial attitudes across states. The empirical data indicates that White Americans are more fearful of non-White people/strangers, and therefore, are less likely to act friendly or offer a helping hand if you are not White. So I do agree that New Yorkers do not deserve the unfriendly bad rep, but there are definitely salient cultural differences; In general, White Americans are less expressive and less open than other cultural groups, so emotional openness and friendliness or being touchy feely are typical characteristics of Non-White New Yorkers and Non-Whites in general.
I know that it is a cultural shock for Latin Americans interacting with White Americans for the first time, and vice-versa; I think it is very important to recognize the differences among cultural groups, but just as important to understand that those differences are not indicative of character flaws, or that it makes them "bad" people., I understand that it is tough on both sides. For Latin Americans, aloofness is a interpreted as a slight, and for many, no matter how much they recognize that it is a cultural thing, they can't avoid automatically perceiving it as rejection. It's different when you're born in the States and you learn to live with the differences or because you have become highly acculturated, but for those visiting the US, they tend to share in your perception.
Not coincidentally, many countries in Europe follow the economic Nordic Model, which foments a more laid back, less stressed and open culture/society, in contrast to the hyper-competitive capitalist model of the United States, which foments chronic stress because most are trapped in the rat-race or extreme poverty. It makes sense that a relaxed and stress-free culture would be more conducive to friendliness and/or emotional expressiveness in general. Conversely, the concept of "siesta" is anathema to capitalism, a custom that is very hard to understand for many Americans, but still in practice in the old countries (Mediterranean and Southern Europe) and most of Latin America. However, causes of cultural variations are more complex than that. But I would tackle the argument that if we incorporated the "siesta" in the US, we Americans would become less stressed, and therefore, happier, friendlier and more touchy-feely (≧∀≦)
LOVE!!!!! Love, goddammit at first Neto sight! ლ(´ڡ`ლ)(づ￣ ³￣)づ ε=ε=(ノ≧∇≦)ノ
PRIME EXAMPLE OF OVERALL PERFECTION!! ε=ε=(ノ≧∇≦)ノ