Short version: It feels like something made for the gays and by the gays and it's far from recreating very toxic tropes willynilly but either way tmfly's "Do You Want To Go Out Or...?" or the illustrious Yuhki Kamatani's "Shimanami Tasogare" is just as good a use of your time.* And I'd recommend those instead. Sad gray area.
Long version (lmao): Bikkuri far from being just the title of this tankobon, is actually just the first story. The second story - titled Bitansan Danshi rounds out the tankobon with a much more, er, realistic take on the exact same onesided and confusing dynamic. Weirdly, it's both terrible and thrilling to read. Here is my critique of it from a Youtuber's comment section (more on that later):
On the other end of the spectrum a manga that surprisingly and maybe even unwittingly examines a world After Homophobia Is Ended initially and then (later) a more familiar world where Homophobic Heteronormative Masculinity Still Is Oppressive (Yay) in the second half, "Bikkuri suru hodo doji na..." by Kevin Komine truly honestly slaps. It's like if miss thing, Ms. hayakawa nojiko, wasn't disgusting and had morals. Can't believe that talented mangaka wrote a story with **sault .
The effect is overall really nice and full of contrast. However. Really sad at the end... and feels like the author had gone through a breakup and used her storytelling to build a woo-woo fantasy land. It's easy to forgive if that author is LGBT and I'm inclined to (I'm bisexual and not cis). But it's depreeeeeeeesssssssssing how much the "flamboyant" coded men are like lauded for accepting a chaotic relationship when they and every other character knows what not-enough looks like and feels like (spoiler - it feels like shit). And all because being in a relationship with someone who's clearly not good for you and being jilted is supposedly better than being alone. I would rather be alone than be in a toxic relationship. Didn't expect to get so annoyed. I WAS... even though the first bit, which is almost like a Part A, is like.... HIMBO CENTRAL. It's kind of sad what msm who can't unlearn or reject nominal ideas of dating, masculinity, and sexuality without extreme censure do with their lives. The irony is that unlearning them is the only way to f-cking live. I'm not even bullsh-tting. But Kevin Komine takes a very idealistic stance that's mostly just hahahah ooh well whatever lelelelelel it'll be fine hey Siri play Despacito. Such B.S. What I mean by that is that it doesn't really come from a pure place and the heart of it just feels fake.
Even if there isn't a scene in the second half where, to quote Miles Jai, aforementioned Youtuber, relatable queen and Weave Weview creator, "a trope (comes up &) rationalizes r*pe and s-xual assault" I still think that the rhetoric is intact. The love interest is put on such a pedestal despite some obvious red flags. Take for example the fact that old boy isn't even explicitly a closeted bi guy or actually freely expressive about being "out" and an msm whether he's experimenting or not. And yet the entitlement is there. He wants to be centre of someone's entire universe, not to give and receive genuine love. He doesn't have the range. It's so toxic!!!! There's no doubt in my mind that I would reel from a *ex scene between that a-hole and his roomate. Imagine being that dumb. Imagine being that amoral. Imagine that being the end of their narrative arcs...
If it were more intentional and less bullsh-tting about these societal issues and these different brands of individual maladaptiveness (which, the characters have begun to form a sort of soft, kind, fictional safe space around them to have them be observed, maybe even dissected...maybe), I'd be way more critical. But honestly... The manga is so superficial. Typical BL, despite everything else. Taken as a whole it's still really lovely so honestly? Just enjoy it.... Be better and do better. Hug someone you love. Save yourself from "not-enough."
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- caveat : if you guys want recommendations that comprise less serio-comic narratives and more "soft" i recommend "Mizu no Haru" which also looks at dating, homophobia, and onesided(?) love. As for BL work that runs parallel to Kevin's but is still very horny / sexually explicit i wouldn't hesitate to pick up a copy online of the tankobon by Kishi Torajiro
Boku To and try to read it, the whole entire thing, any way you can. *
(-18)
