21 replies to this topic

[Hanan-chan]

I would really love to discuss so many things and aspects of this great work, so here is the thread for it!

We really start to spoil the comments area, like already mentioned!

I didn't know that just anyone can start a thread, but here I'm doing it!

The first thing I would like to talk about is Suwa and the consequences he will have to suffer (or not) when Naho really is able to change the past and rescue Kakeru!
If rescuing Kakeru really changes the outcome of the future, then you really can't do anything but feel for Suwa and sympathize with him! He is a really great guy, even supporting Naho in so many ways, although it will have the opposite effect of what he wishes for!

[StrawberryChocolate]

true but I never felt that Suwa really liked Naho that much actually(so far) My impression is that a "friendship love" (as in I'll marry you because I like you and don't have someone I really love) that's my thought

anyways I have this feeling that they all got a letter from their future selves because a lot of stuff that isn't in the letters is happening or maybe I'm just over thinking it and all the other stuff is happening because of the changes Naho already made.

Edited by StrawberryChocolate, 05 August 2012 - 08:23 PM.

[Hanan-chan]

Do you mean, if he really loved her he wouldn't help her the way he does now but instead become possessive and jealous of the attention Kakeru gets from Naho? Maybe he just isn't the jealous type but all he wants is to see her happy? ...now that I think about it, I'm doubting my own words...


There was also a moment I thought Suwa knows more, like he also got a letter, he behaved rather suspicious. That could be really possible. Why would Naho be the only one wanting to rescue Kakeru and being able to send a letter to her past self?

[StrawberryChocolate]

i agree with everything you said just to clarify yes what I meant to say in my previous post was what you just said that Suwa is the "I just want to see her happy type" sorry I wasn't clear with my words

I have a feel all of Naho's friends got a letter because they all care about Kakeru and they were all there when Suwa give Naho the confidence to talk to Kakeru.

I hope we learn how the "sending to past self" works soon

[Hanan-chan]

It was rather suspicious that they were all involved and sat there on the stairs, but it also could just be her female friends who are really worried about Naho but couldn't find the courage to talk to her like Suwa could so they asked him for that favor. They saw that Naho was depressed but couldn't approach her directly because Naho is the mother-type person, always taking care of others, never the other way around.

Hmm, I actually don't want to see an unsatisfying explanation for the time traveling letter, then I would prefer it to stay a secret so the readers can use their own imagination to find an answer! But it is always boring seeing the truth behind magician tricks, if you understand what I mean.

[StrawberryChocolate]

true

i agree some things are better left unsaid but if the mangaka has a explanation that makes sense and is satisfying I love to see it

[Hanan-chan]

What's with Suwa being so happy about Naho inviting Kakeru like that?! I don't get it at all! Weren't his feelings that strong? Or he is really just happy that his beloved Naho is happy? Could there really be such a nice guy?

[Sootopolis]

What's with Suwa being so happy about Naho inviting Kakeru like that?! I don't get it at all! Weren't his feelings that strong? Or he is really just happy that his beloved Naho is happy? Could there really be such a nice guy?

Maybe Suwa doesn't have any particularly deep feelings for Naho just yet? Sure they get married and have a child in the future, but I always got the impression that their friendship gradually turned to love years later. It's possible they grew even closer after Kakeru's death, because she turned mainly to Suwa for comfort. I read the early chapters when they were first uploaded so I may simply have forgotten, but I don't have any strong impressions of Suwa being in love with Naho in high school (not saying he wasn't crushing on or mildly interested in her though).

Btw, in chapter 5

Spoiler

Kakeru took the photo of Naho when her eyes were closed. Yet in the pic, her eyes are open! Lol.

Edited by Sootopolis, 26 August 2012 - 10:17 PM.

[madelinelime]

Plot twist theory: Kakeru is the one sending her letters, perhaps from a parallel dimension, or his spirit. If this is all the stuff in her diary, it's not impossible to think someone else has seen it and knows her thoughts for each day. They are pretty sparse letters.

I think Suwa is happy to make her happy, but the theory about them all getting letters is pretty amazing. If they did all get letters, I like my theory about Kakeru sending them even more.

[Hanan-chan]

Kakeru being the one to send the letters....that would make the mangaka of this work the master of trolling! I didn't read any other works of this mangaka so I can't really size him/her up, but that theory is definitely a mind-blowing one!

[leyend]

suwa......he deserves more love -crying-...........o_o he really is the "I just want to see her happy type" o_o......it must be hard x_x........>_< i really want to see how this continues *o*

[Hanan-chan]

Oh no! Poor Suwa!!! Chapter 6 confirmed my guesses! Now I don't know who to root for! How can he be that devoted, so altruistic!

And Naho, goddamn, so cute and dumb at the same time! "Takamiya...no it can't be me, even though Suwa became bright red and ran away after glancing at me..."
Even I felt embarrassed after seeing his face :3

[blue-y]

Wow chapter 8!!!

Does this mean Suwa also got a letter from his future self? Or was he referring to a different letter?

[Nugester]

One more day until the raw comes out!!!

Anyway, with the whole present-Suwa-Naho-Kakeru love triangle. It might it end up like Yume Miru Taiyou; the heroine thinking she loves character A but really loves character B (I hope that isn't the case). To put it in a different perspective; there is no way that only two dimensions/timelines exist (present-Naho and future-Naho). There has to be multiple timelines, similar to a favorite science fiction anime of mine, Noein. My point is, assuming that these other timelines don't receive letters and proceed as usual (similar to future-Naho's timeline), Kakeru ALWAYS DIES, while Suwa ALWAYS ENDS up with Naho. When I think of it like that, having a couple timelines where Kakeru lives and ends up with Naho doesn't seem too bad. Also, we shouldn't forget: if present-Suwa truly loves and cares for present-Naho's happiness, he should respect her decision if she does choose Kakeru in the end. However, I am sure at some point, once present-Kakeru has been saved, present-Suwa will reveal his feelings to present-Naho. At that point, assuming present-Naho does her best to help present-Kakeru while retaining her love for him, there is no way present-Suwa will win. But then again, what could possibly happen is: present-Suwa and present-Naho works closely together to save Kakeru. And in the process they fall in love. In the future, Kakeru is alive, happy, and with a different lady. I wouldn't mind that as well ....

Wow chapter 8!!!

Does this mean Suwa also got a letter from his future self? Or was he referring to a different letter?

Present-Suwa has been trying way to hard to get present-Naho with Kakeru. I suppose present-Suwa believes that if that happens, Kakeru will be saved. I do think he received a letter as well. Though I am curious to what the future-Suwa has revealed if this is indeed the case. Does he mention that they got married and have a family? I wonder if the rest of the friends received a letter as well. My initial feeling is that they did not; it will be limited to present-Suwa and present-Naho because they are pretty close and it would be really difficult plot-wise to have so many different letters floating about.

Edited by Nugester, 11 November 2012 - 02:54 AM.

[Nugester]

Yay! Pictures of the opening of chapter 9/Betsuma can be seen at: http://orange-takanoichigo.tumblr.com/

[Nugester]

Chapter 9 is awesome! Looks like present- Taka, Hagita, and Aza have received letters as well. A little too suspicious that they asked Kakeru what he wanted and that coincided with the future- Taka, Hagita, and Aza's gifts.

[Larg]

I think that Naho and Suwa will end up together. The ending of the manga would be with Suwa as a successful football player, with Naho as his wife, and their infant- nothing would change except their wealth, and the fact that Kakeru will be with them, alive, as a close family friend. The author would likely have Kakeru and Naho date, then break up on somewhat good terms, teaching Kakeru how to deal with grief and sadness, so that he doesn't kill himself. The point of the letters is to stop Kakeru from suicide, and given that this is a romance manga, the idea of fate, and that Naho and Suwa are fated for each other, won't be undermined by anything. The reason why the letters are given are to teach Kakeru how to deal with loss and rejection. He couldn't handle his mother's death, and then he couldn't properly deal with is feelings towards Naho, and so he killed himself. The relationship with Naho will help him get over his grief with his mother, while teaching him emotional stability, while the break up will be amicable, demonstrating that even when things go bad, there is still hope, not despair and misery. That's what I think this mangaka will do. This line of reasoning also prevents Naho's grief, which is something Suwa regretted having happen, having to witness, which is probably detailed in the rest of Suwa's letter that he didn't reveal to Naho. "Instead of chasing Naho, become a rich footballer, they'll break up anyways, you'll get to marry her, have a kid, and she'd never have to deal with the grief of Kakeru's death, because he'd still be alive and a really close friend". That's how I see this story developing.

[Nugester]

I think that Naho and Suwa will end up together. The ending of the manga would be with Suwa as a successful football player, with Naho as his wife, and their infant- nothing would change except their wealth, and the fact that Kakeru will be with them, alive, as a close family friend. The author would likely have Kakeru and Naho date, then break up on somewhat good terms, teaching Kakeru how to deal with grief and sadness, so that he doesn't kill himself. The point of the letters is to stop Kakeru from suicide, and given that this is a romance manga, the idea of fate, and that Naho and Suwa are fated for each other, won't be undermined by anything. The reason why the letters are given are to teach Kakeru how to deal with loss and rejection. He couldn't handle his mother's death, and then he couldn't properly deal with is feelings towards Naho, and so he killed himself. The relationship with Naho will help him get over his grief with his mother, while teaching him emotional stability, while the break up will be amicable, demonstrating that even when things go bad, there is still hope, not despair and misery. That's what I think this mangaka will do. This line of reasoning also prevents Naho's grief, which is something Suwa regretted having happen, having to witness, which is probably detailed in the rest of Suwa's letter that he didn't reveal to Naho. "Instead of chasing Naho, become a rich footballer, they'll break up anyways, you'll get to marry her, have a kid, and she'd never have to deal with the grief of Kakeru's death, because he'd still be alive and a really close friend". That's how I see this story developing.

That is an interesting theory and something I figured might occur, but I hope doesn't occur because it won't be as gratifying (to me at least). We all know the point of the story is for four friends to set aside their issues and work together to save an important person. Friendship and love as friends should take priority over any romantic love, which will come as a byproduct. Though I am more interested in how Kakeru will be saved, most threads from other forums seem to focus on romantic love and end pairings, so no surprise, here is my take to why Kakeru will end up with present-Naho.

Based on this story, there are infinite timelines (like in the anime Noein) with minute variations, however, overall each timeline proceed in a similar manner. Here I assume that the norm is where Kakeru dies in every timeline, Suwa and Naho always get together, and no letters are ever sent because hey, that is how life normally works. Is that considered fate? Possibly, which is a bitter pill to swallow. However, there are outlier timelines, such as the future and present timeline, as seen in the story. Generally, I believe that Kakeru and Naho are the characters fated to be together because they fit the ill-fated star-crossed lovers archtype. Viewed as such, it would be more gratifying as a reader for these two characters to end together for the mass majority of timelines this would never occur (assuming receiving letters isn't normal).

Another reason why I believe present-Naho will end up with present-Kakeru is based on my observation/interpretation of the future timeline's Suwa and Naho. While I do acknowledge that they are happy and content, I do question future-Naho's type of love that she holds for future-Suwa (until Takano Ichigo shows us ten years of future-Suwa/future-Naho). It is unquestioned that future-Suwa holds a romantic love towards future-Naho, but I do not believe the converse is true. It feels more like a friendship or companionship type love (which isn't a bad thing). I do believe that the present/future-Naho has/had a romantic love towards Kakeru, which ultimately in shoujo mangas, wins. This is because even future-Suwa has acknowledged and pushed present-Suwa to accept: what present/future-Naho has/had with Kakeru is/was something special; hopefully clearing the love triangle and focusing on saving Kakeru until the end of the story.

1. Have a story where star-crossed lovers finally get together? Check!
2. Have a story of ultimate friendship/sacrifice and moving on? Check!
3. Have a story where everyone works together to save Kakeru? Check!

Maybe Takano Ichigo pulls a reverse and present-Kakeru finds out about the letters and pushes present-Suwa/Naho together and fulfills #2, but I doubt that will occur, so I hope my version pans out. Thoughts are appreciated!

Edited by Nugester, 25 November 2012 - 01:17 AM.

[lebdawho]

I think that Naho and Suwa will end up together. The ending of the manga would be with Suwa as a successful football player, with Naho as his wife, and their infant- nothing would change except their wealth, and the fact that Kakeru will be with them, alive, as a close family friend. The author would likely have Kakeru and Naho date, then break up on somewhat good terms, teaching Kakeru how to deal with grief and sadness, so that he doesn't kill himself. The point of the letters is to stop Kakeru from suicide, and given that this is a romance manga, the idea of fate, and that Naho and Suwa are fated for each other, won't be undermined by anything. The reason why the letters are given are to teach Kakeru how to deal with loss and rejection. He couldn't handle his mother's death, and then he couldn't properly deal with is feelings towards Naho, and so he killed himself. The relationship with Naho will help him get over his grief with his mother, while teaching him emotional stability, while the break up will be amicable, demonstrating that even when things go bad, there is still hope, not despair and misery. .

I completely agree with you. No where in any of the letters has Naho stated, "I regret not being married to him for the rest of my life". What she regrets is a friend taking his own life and being unable to help him. The letters are filled with how the future Naho wants her past self to help Kakeru, but never does she state that she wants them to be together forever; just to stop him from a quick end.

The reason I say that is because Takano makes sure that the future Naho tells the past Naho that she realized that Suwa cared about her when he saved her from Ueda and her cronies. There is no way that the future Naho would regret Suwa and their child.

Edited by lebdawho, 06 December 2012 - 06:24 AM.

[phio_chan]

While reading the series you can't help wishing that Naho and Kakeru end up together, I'm not yet sure it ca happen. Luckily this does not happen in one world, one line; instead we have parallel worlds with events not affecting the others so there is a chance that Kakeru might be saved or whatever else in the current world line. Though I'm sure the older Naho and friends who sent letters to their past selves do not regret many things in life; Naho's mainly not being able to save Kakeru from how he blamed himself for everything.

 

... Well, that is, if we ever get to see the end of this series. I'm sad to hear Takano's current situation; I hope there's a way to finish Orange somehow. To see such a cliffhanger is another regret in life, lol.