49 replies to this topic

[alcrowry]

Poor Tsutsumi. All those punches must be hurt. I cringed a bit when I first read this chapter, I must admit.
And Nagisa is one lucky girl eh?

The end of volume 5, two volumes to go!

[svines85]

Yep, Masaki really proved himself to be one bad guy that time. Tsutsumi definitely saved her, who can say just how bad that was going to get, but that was quite a pounding he took. Being down like that and having someone go at you seriously can turn out pretty bad.

[Comadrin]

This is off the subject of the latest chapter, but I noticed while re-reading some chapters that Minako (I think that's her name) has the same idea of "going to Tokyo to make it big," that Masaki had when he went there for college. I also noticed in an Adachi manga (I think it was "Adventure Boys,") where one boy left with his family for Tokyo, and the other boys knew that he would succeed and become a big shot. It seems like many manga reinforce a stereotype of "If you're not in Tokyo, you're in a backwater and will always be second class." I think that "Kimi no Iru Machi" shows a certain amount of that also.

I don't know why, but it seems as though all manga that aren't about a fantasy world are centered in Tokyo. The only exception I can think of off hand is "Fukuyadou Honpo," set in Kyoto. All the rest seem fairly provincial about Tokyo, stereotyping non-Tokyoites as having a broad Kansai dialect or an "Akita twang." The manga mentioned in the last paragraph seem to point this out, but most manga do not, and I wonder if that is a factor that would make people like Masaki and Minako yearn for Tokyo as the place "paved in gold." Is it a real cultural phenomenon?

Edited by Comadrin, 19 July 2012 - 03:11 PM.

[alcrowry]

This is off the subject of the latest chapter, but I noticed while re-reading some chapters that Minako (I think that's her name) has the same idea of "going to Tokyo to make it big," that Masaki had when he went there for college. I also noticed in an Adachi manga (I think it was "Adventure Boys,") where one boy left with his family for Tokyo, and the other boys knew that he would succeed and become a big shot. It seems like many manga reinforce a stereotype of "If you're not in Tokyo, you're in a backwater and will always be second class." I think that "Kimi no Iru Machi" shows a certain amount of that also.

I don't know why, but it seems as though all manga that aren't about a fantasy world are centered in Tokyo. The only exception I can think of off hand is "Fukuyadou Honpo," set in Kyoto. All the rest seem fairly provincial about Tokyo, stereotyping non-Tokyoites as having a broad Kansai dialect or an "Akita twang." The manga mentioned in the last paragraph seem to point this out, but most manga do not, and I wonder if that is a factor that would make people like Masaki and Minako yearn for Tokyo as the place "paved in gold." Is it a real cultural phenomenon?

I don't know if it's a really a cultural phenomenon or not in Japan, but it is understable since Tokyo is the largest city in Japan and the very capital city of Japan. And compare to other cities, maybe (and surely) there are more opportunities in Tokyo. Also, somehow, the passion of a capital city is not something to be underestimate of.
So I think, it's not that strange if people there actually hink, "Tokyo is the place to succeed!". Even though one must notice that not everyone is successful in Tokyo.

Edited by alcrowry, 19 July 2012 - 04:54 PM.

[svines85]

This is off the subject of the latest chapter, but I noticed while re-reading some chapters that Minako (I think that's her name) has the same idea of "going to Tokyo to make it big," that Masaki had when he went there for college. I also noticed in an Adachi manga (I think it was "Adventure Boys,") where one boy left with his family for Tokyo, and the other boys knew that he would succeed and become a big shot. It seems like many manga reinforce a stereotype of "If you're not in Tokyo, you're in a backwater and will always be second class." I think that "Kimi no Iru Machi" shows a certain amount of that also.

I don't know why, but it seems as though all manga that aren't about a fantasy world are centered in Tokyo. The only exception I can think of off hand is "Fukuyadou Honpo," set in Kyoto. All the rest seem fairly provincial about Tokyo, stereotyping non-Tokyoites as having a broad Kansai dialect or an "Akita twang." The manga mentioned in the last paragraph seem to point this out, but most manga do not, and I wonder if that is a factor that would make people like Masaki and Minako yearn for Tokyo as the place "paved in gold." Is it a real cultural phenomenon?

I guess I thought it was that way all over the world. My experience is that those in an area that's close to a big city yearn to go there to "make it big" (the lure of jobs not available anywhere but a major urban area). I know I grew up in a fairly rural area a few hours outside of a major city(middle of the US), and all anyone talked about when I was younger was how they were going to the city to work when they got out of school.

Minako reminds me of half the kids I went to high school with. And yeah, the Tokyo thing must just be because it's so much more a prestigious city in Japan than any other.

Edited by svines85, 23 July 2012 - 05:24 AM.

[idgit]

This is off the subject of the latest chapter, but I noticed while re-reading some chapters that Minako (I think that's her name) has the same idea of "going to Tokyo to make it big," that Masaki had when he went there for college. I also noticed in an Adachi manga (I think it was "Adventure Boys,") where one boy left with his family for Tokyo, and the other boys knew that he would succeed and become a big shot. It seems like many manga reinforce a stereotype of "If you're not in Tokyo, you're in a backwater and will always be second class." I think that "Kimi no Iru Machi" shows a certain amount of that also.

I don't know why, but it seems as though all manga that aren't about a fantasy world are centered in Tokyo. The only exception I can think of off hand is "Fukuyadou Honpo," set in Kyoto. All the rest seem fairly provincial about Tokyo, stereotyping non-Tokyoites as having a broad Kansai dialect or an "Akita twang." The manga mentioned in the last paragraph seem to point this out, but most manga do not, and I wonder if that is a factor that would make people like Masaki and Minako yearn for Tokyo as the place "paved in gold." Is it a real cultural phenomenon?

You know I was kind of curious about that too, but i thought Minako wanted to go to Toudai... maybe I just misunderstood... at least for her if that were so I would understand how Tokyo=success, but I've also noticed that like in KNIM and this manga as well, that it seems to people who are from Tokyo that DONT make it big or who have troubles, usually end up leaving it for the countryside... at least in manga

[Comadrin]

Wow! Mind blowing. The final chapters (in a huge group) really made my day. The mangaka did not disappoint but, in fact, surpassed my expectations. Hoshi No Furu Machi is now on my list of the five greatest manga of all time. Read it and weep. I did.

Village Idiot: thanks for the ride. It was great, and I loved every minute of it.

Edited by Comadrin, 03 September 2012 - 07:47 AM.

[svines85]

I like the ending a lot better after thinking about it for a while. On first reading the last two chapters I'll admit to being a little unhappy with the turn of events, but now I really don't think it was as bad as some people think. He had to go to support his family and wasn't willing to to ask her to wait (or pressure/guilt trip her into it). No contact for six years? Well, I choose to interpret that as him letting her make up her own mind. In the end, they both chose, voluntarily, to wait for each other.

I didn't find the ending boring or uninspired at all, I think the author just wrote what was probably the most realistic way for things to end. In the story, realistically, he had to go back to Tokyo and leave her behind. In the end, them being together was a much happier ending than I thought this story might end with.

[alcrowry]

Well, like I said before, there's another little twist towards the end of the story. It's actually kinda sad when I first read it, but yeah like svines said it's not as bad as you'd think it is.

[svines85]

Well, like I said before, there's another little twist towards the end of the story. It's actually kinda sad when I first read it, but yeah like svines said it's not as bad as you'd think it is.

Haha! You sure were right about the "little twist"! Quite a turn of events towards the end.....still, I liked it a lot. It's a seinen story, they just aren't always like shoujo and shounen where you're always gonna get this "happily ever after" with no strings attached ending every time.