Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji

Wow, some actual forward motion...  That's different.

boom shacalaca boom

I know, right? It seems like 90% of the time in manga, the character who can't decide what they want to be just becomes a teacher.

The second she said, "I don't know what I want to do,"  said out loud, I am going to scream if she decides to be a teacher... because if you have no direction in life, obviously instructing the youth is the way to go.

As a professional artist I take a bit of offense to this entire chapter. She's never really shown any interest in anything remotely creative. It's completely out to left field and as some would say, "an ass pull."

Ch. 51, surprisingly cool career direction.

Ch. 51, surprisingly cool career direction.

I love that it supports the idea that everyone has a different path they can take, and one is no less valuable because they follow something they love even if it appears to be against the mainstream or what one's friends are doing.  Good for her!

Ch. 51, surprisingly cool career direction.

I know, right? It seems like 90% of the time in manga, the character who can't decide what they want to be just becomes a teacher.

Ch. 51, surprisingly cool career direction.

That was a pretty nice chapter.  Actually, it's been taking a good turn lately . . . not as much checking off the standardized plot twists, a bit more character driven.

here comes the interesting part!!!

how I love it when shoujo girls graduating, become more mature and face up with reality, yet friendship and love remains.

no matter how Tezuka and her BF will be, I still hope it is a beautiful story.

D'aaw, I have no idea what happened last arc because I avoided those bullets (too much cringe for me), but Kyouya unable to express his excitement is adorable! I'm glad the people around him understand him. 

From what I could read you either love it since the start or begin half interested and start hating more and more the characters

I say leave it for later and pick something else, this is not even a classic

I'm at ch. 7 and I've been there for a while, seen the anime and I'm not really a fan... Someone tell me is this even worth catching up? And from what I've seen in the anime Kyouya is not getting any better...?

he gets WAAAAAY BETTER. 

There are a few stubborn parts but for the most part now, he's pretty much a loving boyfriend (but still reserved and stuff, he doesn't become a super happy guy like luffy or something)

I'm at ch. 7 and I've been there for a while, seen the anime and I'm not really a fan... Someone tell me is this even worth catching up? And from what I've seen in the anime Kyouya is not getting any better...?

Well, if they can get through one of those days without ripping each other to shreds, their relationship is better than it often seems.

Dad used cockblock. It's super effective!

OMG that shiritori scene... Kyouya-kun confirmed massive douche

well that was a nice chapter after some of the painful stuff we've been reading 

but who would have guessed that her dad liked violent gangster films lolol

in his introduction arc, he is sex maniac who will jump in anyone as long as there a hole.

Since it was a somewhat succesful approach (except with Erika because she's pure) I wouldn't have called him a loser

THEN

Who would have guessed Kamiya-kun was a fucking loser all along

Crash yourself third wheel

in his introduction arc, he is sex maniac who will jump in anyone as long as there a hole.

Spoiler

Actual GOTTA GET A GRIP moment

Now THIS is the romance we've all been waiting for...

Who would have guessed Kamiya-kun was a fucking loser all along

Crash yourself third wheel

Anyway, Kamiyas face on that last panel is the same one on mine right now.

Oh boy, for some reason this doesn't seem like it will end well.

I'm the last person who wants to argue with you about how 'meaningful' shoujo is, but this part of your comment really got to me

Spoiler

Media like this isn't just an 'escape'; it has power to affect and shape perspectives, especially when it's as pervasive as shoujo manga.

 

this series isn't just an exception. this is the mainstream and it's famous. with an anime and everything. I'm sure you also know about the amount of shitty shoujo manga out there with asshole love interests and stupid, love-struck protagonists who doesn't have a personality outside of their love lives. You and I may think it's just annoying and it's kinda amusing to waste a few minutes on, but for the "vapid, drama loving youth known as the majority of middle and high school girls", bullshit behaviours and attitudes seen throughout the entirety of this series is normalised. And it's just not this manga that's doing it with some special power; it's the widespread use of the shitty tropes used in this manga that's doing it. 

 

Who is affected most easily by such media/hobbies? who is going to grow up into adults with harmful attitudes about themselves and other people after being exposed so thoroughly to these kinds of media? yeah, the "vapid & drama loving" portion of youth - from your own words, the majority of middle and high school students. 

 

 

I'm not sure how you read it as 'stupid fun' when even in the last arc, the author showed she really knew what she was doing, and then went and undermined every realistic reaction from Erika???? I mean I don't like Erika, she's hardly an original shoujo protagonist but

 

Erika was annoyed by how Kyouya was being all close and friendly with Kasai - granted, it was petty and annoying from her, but something that needed to be talked about between the couple rather than be brushed off like it was so infantile, it wasn't even worth mentioning. But that's what the author did to Erika there. she invalidated Erika's feelings.

 

Then Terasaki went all clingy on her despite her protests, and then hit her in anger. Erika did try telling Terasaki she wasn't interested in him, and then she was very appropriately frightened by someone who she thought of as her friend hitting her. Again, the author continued invalidating Erika's feelings in both cases. In the end, it turned out that it was because of Erika that Terasaki kept hitting on her. because she thought of him as a trustworthy friend and confided in him. how in the fuck is that her being "full of openings" as Kyouya thought??? Terasaki knew she was already dating. if he thought she was unhappy in her current relationship, he could've confessed once and offered her something better, and then gone on his merry way and I wouldn't be complaining about it, but he persisted, and this is not treated as something 'not okay' in the series at all. and how did Kyouya treat her after she got hit and everything? Ok, he punched Terasaki and the idiot deserved it; then he declared "ERIKA IS MY THING AND NOTHING SHE WANTS MATTERS" instead of "u fucker, why did u hit my girlfriend? and also fuck off, she's not interested in your sorry ass, can't u see?", then yelled at Erika for ~allowing Terasaki to do whatever he wants~, as if she could control what another guy feels and does. in the end, she was treated as the source of the problem, ended up feeling remorseful about everything, and all of this is treated as a-okay! maybe it's a cultural thing, but whatever. fucking UGH.

 

I didn't intend to write an essay about this, and I'm not that invested in most shoujo manga, but I sure am tired of people treating media as if it exists in a bubble outside of reality where it doesn't influence consumers, especially these genre-specific shoujo series carrying these harmful tropes targeted at young girls that are extremely widespread and normalised.

at this point, I don't even know why I'm reading this. As another member said before, I think it might be morbid curiosity only to see how much of a train wreck it becomes

Loved your comment, you nailed it.