In my family I have two working parents, but I read something about how the Japanese system is based on overworking, making it harder to find time to spend with your kids and take care of basic things(then again my parents are workaholics that didn't do those things anyway and relied on the kids to help).
I actually like this story but it has rough edges that could easily have been avoid story wise. Art wise it's good and sexy. Storywise, I don't have a problem with househusbands but it is forced and manipulative on the man here. I do have a problem with the mentality that fetishes... no that's not the right word. The mentality that really wants to push for it for no other reason than out of meanness(is the best way I can put it). This story has some of that. Fact is the guy could have kept his part time job, and the premise could have been to simply live together and have him just be a natural at housework(or do it cause he has the spare time), and then her merely asking him if they start a family if he would do that full time. Still, I like that she tried to find love, and she's basically the protagonist, it somewhat switches but it's really obvious this was written by a woman and the woman in the story is the character whose story this feels like and I'd say the audience relates to. But the way the other girl is turned down doesn't really make sense. If it was merely that he fell hard for the one he likes it'd be fine but they tried to rationalize it too much. Especially since you could say the same thing she's accused of about either woman, I'm not saying you'd be right in either case, which is the problem.
Like I said though, I imagine the audience will feel for the woman the most, and I'm glad its a story about her trying to find love since I feel in the U.S people would give her crap advice to make a statement instead of trying to figure out what would make her happy(or what she stated she wanted to achieve).
Also I've read two works by this author and she seems to like an older woman and a younger guy. I like age gaps either way with either gender. But like I mention, sometimes the gender stereotype flip can have a meanness mentality. Optimistically you'd hope that the system didn't take age into account too much(most dating sites have wide gaps in groups), and that they were just the most suited. But it could be a take that at guys going for younger women FROM A WOMAN'S POINT OF VIEW. And that's important because most women don't seem to get that guys don't do that on purpose(for one it's hard to tell age by sight to some degree) or out of fetishism most of the time. Guys feel women force it. With High school girls it feels like girls go with guys with licenses and cars(something a 14 year old couldn't get). One of my friends was the favoured race/shade of his country(yeah it's a shame that happens), with a college degree, and a good job, and he got dumped because the girl wanted someone older that would have things he'd have, but just couldn't at the age and time he was no matter how accomplished he was, true story.
Personally I think saying people are alpha or beta is insulting and used this way, it assigns roles that don't even make sense. A beta wolf is still a wolf, it is still dangerous, and it still does the things a wolf does. It's a concept that almost negates love for me. I think its fine for partners to decide to have a homemaker if that's how they decide to work together for whatever good reasons.
The second story isn't as good but it isn't bad. It reminds me of something... that I can't remember. It's more comedic, I think it's less sexy but some might consider it more lascivious. Well, most of it's clean except for a scene that seems inserted just for the ecchi(and it is that). I like it but something about the story seems like it's been done often enough that it felt familiar. I can tell why the first story got to be the title but it's fine.
(-25)
