I didn’t read this bc I have read the manga yet but I like people like you
I agree that some of the gender related stuff was executed questionably. The whole omega thing sounds bad on paper, but in that current society it makes sense? Everyone at the company just casually mentioning that getting married is the only way for an omega to climb the corporate ladder. Plus the manga does bring up the whole issue about being able to have kids. I’d chalk it up to Japan’s desperation to increase the birthrate.
As for Masaru, I think you’re maybe forgetting volume 1? He was pushed to be an alpha that is superior to everyone else by his father. His father pushed his ideology onto Masaru because he felt like a loser. In volume 2, they show how that affected Masaru, and also how it affected their relationship. Sure it was done in a few panels, but I feel like it was pretty clear. Masaru was in tears promising his dad that he’d be a great alpha and then we see how he didn’t even look at his father when he left after saying he got hired. His father knew that he’d robbed Masaru of his job by forcing him to be a perfect alpha which is why he could care less about Masaru being an omega if it meant he could see his son smile again.
I think that if you’re used to reading manhwas with 50+ chapters, these small details might seem understated. But manga authors often have no idea if they’re going to even get another volume so they focus on what they deem important and the relationship is clearly the focal point. This is surely a story about gender mutations but it’s about how two people living in a rigid society find peace with each other. The societal issues are secondary because they’re literally the backdrop for their relationship. I’m if the author thought they’d have 5 or so volumes, they would have spent more time fleshing out the world and the side characters.
I feel like you'll like omega megaera
NGL, I feel like this went by fast--but since Japanese mangas aren't as long as Korean manhwas, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But lemme point it out: that first panel is insane. A company is encouraging marriage contracts, and children from workplace relationships? How is that not controversial? Wouldn't that cause a huge conflict of interest if they're hiring more omegas? It's basically encouraging workplace harassment and failing to notice the problems of workplace romance.
Glad to hear Tsuneyoshi is climbing the corporate ladder! He even got back to where he was, albeit a different department. I was ticked when he got relocated/demoted. But he kinda became less likeable in this volume. First, he basically told Asakawa how stupid he is; "even if you find someone else, I won't divorce you." That's not romantic. And then he reveals he hasn't talked to his dad in a year since he became an omega, with his dad not wanting to intrude upon him and Tsuneyoshi being a workaholic. He's more guilty about not being an alpha any more, but the bigger issue feels like he's a terrible communicator with his dad--and this is one of the few BLs where the dad is a kind and supportive person (and still alive). Like, EVERY reader could've told him that his dad was gonna accept him, but Tsuneyoshi doesn't seem to know that; it's like he doesn't know his dad at all. That's more of a concern than his gender change. Now to be fair, we do find out about Tsuneyoshi's mom and that his dad has feelings about omegas and alpha/omegas, but that's all in one chapter, which felt like poor pacing when up to this point, the narrative made it seem like Tsuneyoshi was insecure because of how alphas are viewed in society rather than his father's specific situation. I wish Tsuneyoshi explained this earlier, or it was more stretched out.
But then that's the thing: since Tsuneyoshi and Asakawa have low chances of having kids and the fact that their love is getting the side-eye when he got home, this could've just been a regular world series about a gay couple instead of using an omegaverse. And all things considered, I'd have thought the alpha-to-omega transition would've been MORE emotional and stressful for Tsuneyoshi, since it changed his life, work, and threatened to alter his family dynamic. I'm bummed because this volume is really significant, but it didn't feel built up for me, since the focus of vol 1 was moreso the romance. We had flashbacks, but not specifics, and it felt resolved quickly. Again, it may just be me being used to longer narratives to let things flow longer.
Oh, and I CANNOT stress this enough: it feels like they only half-understood the assignment. The secondary genders are highly important in the relationship, but A LOT of important stuff is in the background. Tsuneyoshi's work as a demoted worker is in the background, and he mentions that when he returns to his OG job, he wants to investigate random secondary gender changes. That sounds like a cool storyline--but then it's over. The actual gender stuff and how it impacts society is mainly only used for the main characters' relationship, and the actual jobs they have, however important to the topic of SGs, are minor. A shame.
TLDR; great couple, neat concept, but subpar execution.