I have started writing this, and suddenly understood that I’m on foreign territory. I have never before wrote about a manga. About a manga on such an embarrassing theme, moreover. So I backspaced everything, and started over. And since it’s my first time, I’ll try to be short and right-to-the-point.
Embarrassing, in some way. My parents were raised in the Soviet Union, where it was a taboo to say something else than that the children are brought by the stork, and a part of their world view took residence in my head. Though it works only as a narrator, annoying me with periodical parental remarks. While I’m absolutely fine, just, I don’t like too much fanservice in anime.
Great, in controversy, in all ways. From the comedian, visual, storytelling and emotional side. In fact, there were moments where I, to my surprise, had tears in my eyes, and there was one place where one tear drop even found its way out. They were all manly of course, the tears.
And I was given the opportunity to learn what real moé means. Before, my understanding of moé was based on the cute examples of Miyuki from Lucky Star and the famous moéblobs from K-ON — but it wasn’t the real one. Moé is, when you want to protect somebody. I didn’t want to protect the moéblobs, they were just cute. But Kitahara, she is another case. Real moé. When the girls from the class bullied her, I wanted to do something about it — it was surprising for me, because I’m rather the type whom you don’t notice. My classmates often suddenly see me in middle of the day and say to me, wow, I didn’t know you were here! In fact, I am a mix of Kurosawa and Kitahara. People don’t notice me, I don’t exactly like when they do, and sometimes some of my classmates joke with me (read: bully). I regret that when I came to the class, I was proud enough to be ‘unstandard’ and have told about my immigrant being and Jewishness. They don’t let the jokes and silly questions go. But first, I ignore them and give their words, which are really meant just as a joke, no meaning, and second, if they really annoy me I don’t hold it in like a martyr. So back to the topic, for me, to imagine to stand up and intervene in a conflict with somebody was indeed surprising. On the other hand, this being just classmates, saying something like, hey, you annoy like goddamned hell, go search another place to play around isn’t quite a difficult or extravagant action. I wonder why Kurosawa, or at least somebody of the class, didn’t do it. So much about Japanese collectivism.
So in fact, concluding the above paragraphs (the last of which seems to have grown a little to large), I would describe Onani Master Kurosawa as a ‘great, heart-warming and to the lulz shameless manga.’
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10 Comments
T_T SO SAAAAD
We ignored types are.….well…ignored. I put it on the fact that they could not recognize my brilliance. Proven how they always flock to me the moment I have something they need/want, and of course, disappear shortly after.
Oh, how I understand you! When they need something to be drawn, they ask so kindly, but when you ask them for a pencil or whatever small thing afterwards, they ‘don’t have it, sorry.’
I can’t say I can relate, though perhaps I’ve had classmates that seem similar to how you’ve described yourself. However here in the Philippines there isn’t much of a bully culture. At least, I’ve never seen it happen.
Sure there are mean tough types, but I’ve never really seen the kind of casual cruelty that gets depicted in manga, anime, and in Western television programs.
I’ve been part of such bad boy crowds and have been involved in inter-grade and inter-school fights, but the nature of the fighting stems more from teenage hormonal aggressiveness and posturing rather than bullying and cruelty.
Nonetheless I sympathize with your story, and wish you better days ahead.
There’s no Hollywood-bullying here as well, so far I see.
Thank you, but well, these days aren’t really bad — as I said, I don’t take my classmates’ childnesses seriously. They aren’t that often, either.
This could qualify as a Diary of an Anime Lived entry. I mean, aside from the fact that it’s not anime.
It’s borderline. I say he needs to bring back all that stuff he “backspaced” to qualify.
Do I really need to qualify? I can’t remember what I deleted anymore, except that it were a few sentences. :3
Thank you, very much! Your words mean much to me.
It was unintended, however, I remember reading Digitalboys’ story related to Ikari Shinji, and now when you mention it, perhaps it influenced me in some way.
Also, we need OMK anime.
Remembering the End of Evangelion, I think it wouldn’t be too nice. Ikari Shinji committing his activity wasn’t quite a view I’d like to recall.