It’s just that Yuki Ringo is one of my most fav mangaka out there. From storytelling to artistic style, I love it all. I have read two previous works by Yuki sensei, Goodbye Lilac and Tamayura, and both have moved me. The atmosphere that Yuki sensei is able to induce into manga is truly unique, because of which sensei’s work can easily be identified, which is something quite rare to come by. I love the characters and the slow, awkward, and sad way in which they interact with each other, ultimately finding happiness. I repeat, and stress again, ultimately finding happiness. That is something which is so rare in the BL world, that I am just moved to tears (please do not shove, nor try to justify, manrapetrash down my throat as “happiness” and “love”, and this is not about “different cultural views” either. No).
This work is no exception in my love for it. In fact, I was quite tense while reading this throughout because I feared Yuki sensei would give into the demand for portraying sex as being the panacea for all problems. Thus, I was double, triple, quadruple, overjoyed when it did not happen, well almost didn’t.
I will not make claims about identifying the right time when a person’s trauma is cured. This is something that is up to each individual (will I be accused of reading too much realism into this?). However, there are two critical junctures at which Kengo (meaning Yuki sensei) slips up. And, that’s something that I cannot ignore. Accepting Kengo’s innocence and factoring in his relative inexperience into account, I can understand these two instances, but I cannot excuse them. And, even as he does make up for them later on, and I start feeling all giddy again, I still somehow feel a bit cheated.
The first one is when
Kengo runs to check up on Yoshioka after hearing that Yoshioka was sexually harassed/assaulted (I know being sexually harassed and/or assaulted are two entirely different things, but it’s just that the word “assault” is used only once when Kengo rushes to Yoshioka the first time) the past year due to which he is repeating the year. When Kengo sees him sleeping he touches Yoshioka’s face and lips. Bad, bad, bad move. Do not ever do this to a sexual assault victim. It is triggering. Whether the person has been harassed or assaulted never do this.
The second moment is when
Kengo almost kisses Yoshioka. Control your libido! I super glad that Kengo saw the expression on Yoshioka’s face and stopped, but still god damn it. Always ask the survivor how okay they are with you in their personal space, and especially being intimate
, but later on Kengo does ask each and every time, and always waits for Yoshioka, that’s why I feel a bit cheated. This second incident I am somewhat willing to chalk up to difference in cultural views, because of all the manga that I have read, across all genres, the male right to invade female/personal space is extremely prevalent. Only in one manga, as far as I can remember, Sasaki to Miyano is there an active rejection of this trend by calling it out as the shit behavior it is. Ah, but these are merely two incidents in such a wonderful and lovely master piece. I am glad there are more positive conversations around the topics present within this manga. Ever hoping for the better.