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Honestly, this manga made me feel a lot, and I don't think I can articulate my feelings about it very well without seeming blunt and an asshole. I haven't read this manga in a while and I don't want to reread it lest I go insane and tear my hair out, so I'm going off vibes only. (If you see this review on tumblr, that's me. Don't worry.)
My favourite character is Ugetsu and I think this will skew my opinion of the manga a little, so be warned. I found Ugetsu to be a very compelling character, and it was a huge shame that he vanished partway through the manga, and I only kept reading to see him again. I have no criticisms about him as a character, he's interesting and compelling, and it's clear that he's someone who is still growing and learning to walk on his own two feet. I won't deny that his relationship with Akihiko was very toxic, but I definitely think this isn't something that can be blamed solely on him.
I won't say I dislike the manga, but I found some parts a bit... uncomfortable. (I don't know how to censor the rest of this, but spoilers below)
For starters, Akihiko coming onto Haruki, in a very assaultive kind of way, and later they started to date. Actually yeah, Akihiko pretty much assaulted him. That was a huge point of contention for me. I honestly don't know how to feel about it given the genre of the manga. I don't think it was dealt with very well. Given was framed as a realistic BL manga, but I feel that having this scene in rather than an argument feels completely wrong. Again, I'm someone who will digest pretty much anything the world throws at me, but the Akiharu assault scene came off wrong and it came off *scary* but afterwards all seemed to be resolved. I just have to wonder what was the point of that buildup if you were just going to allow things to end nicely?
What I'm trying to say is: What does it matter that Akihiko apologised, he still assaulted Haruki. Even worse is the way that they're framed as a healthy couple afterwards, this just made me all the more uncomfortable? I'm not an anti-anything and do not support purity culture, and I also believe that fiction should be fiction, and what people enjoy should no way equate to a person's worldview. But I feel like if your basis is a "realistic" love story, trauma after an assault should be dealt with better. I think it's more to do with fictional yaoi culture, that we've grown to accept SA that is unaddressed in our media to the point that Akihiko's apology is like a prayer more than something that's not even worth a second glance.
Saying that Akiharu started off rocky is an understatement, but if I pretend it never happened, I can say for sure that they are much healthier than Akigetsu, and they deserve each other. It's just not good storytelling especially because I don't really understand the motivations of Haruki liking Akihiko. Haruki feels like his character arc is based around Akihiko while Akihiko's character arc is based around him bettering himself as a person. I feel like Haruki also has a saviour complex that could have been expanded upon and turned into the point of his character arc but lmao it wasn't. Haruki deserved a better character arc.
In spite of saying this, I'm not an Akiharu hater, I swear. But I just found that ship much less compelling than Akigetsu in general. Akigetsu was a relationship where they were both massively toxic towards each other, there was an imbalance in the fact that Ugetsu literally owned the place they were living in, as well as how he'd kick Akihiko out whenever things were rocky. I think the end of their relationship was dealt well on both sides. They ended the relationship and went their separate ways, this was the best ending for them. The difference between these two relationships is that one was dealt well and the other was dealt *wrong*. Akiharu deserve each other and Ugetsu deserves to learn how to grow by himself.
Also the relationship between Hiiragi and Shizusumi. Okay, what do I even say about that. It feels like the start of a relationship on a crumbling cliff. I had no opinions on it before (because I'm someone who has their eyes solely on Ugetsu), but then I started frowning when they got together because those were... very twisted words on the page. I literally don't know what to say about it other than, bro what the hell, okay. Like listen, I read it and I had flashbacks to the Akiharu assault chapter but this time it was played as "love" rather than something reprehensible. Once again, assault was in the manga and it, once again, resolved with badly.
Sexual assault being played off as "love" should be garnering people's "??? what the fuck"s and not to bat for the opposing team for once but where are the anti-shippers. I've seen like? two people talk about this chapter and nothing else.
Anyway. Chapter 41 was so uncomfortable for me to read. Like I've read worse and I've digested worse, I've read yaoi and played the most fucked up yaoi games out there, but I don't think I've ever read something so... jarring before. I honestly believe this isn't even dub-con, this is straight-up non-con but it was played as something consensual and played as "character development". Hiiragi said he was scared and was crying, but they still fucked anyway. You can also say that Hiiragi was fine afterwards (I don't actually remember), but that would make this even worse because then it doesn't become a mistake that the character made but something purposeful by the author. SA is SA and the fact that the victim was giving an about it afterwards says something about this "realistic" BL and how "yaoi is always going to be yaoi".
Okay, to the protagonists. The other characters, Mafuyu and Uenoyama. Hm. I think they weren't anything particularly life-changing. I think they were kind of... average. Sorry, don't come at me. In terms of characters, I found Uenoyama more compelling than Mafuyu. I don't dislike either of them, don't get me wrong, soft characters aren't really my type, but I think their development together was very good. I'm just not really? interested in either of them as characters, so I didn't pay attention. They're cute. They get a pass.
Another thing that I found ugh with this manga is . hear me out . chapter 40. Holy shit holy fuck. Imagine if that had been Mafuyu. It's something played for laughs but what the hell is with Akihiko's attitude. Like I said, I don't care *that* much for Mafuyu but "Mafuyu stop with these sudden attacks" , my fucking guy, Mafuyu is *coming* to you for help, he's opening up to you, and you basically want to tell him to... stop? Like aren't you all friends? Also the fact that both Aki and Haru are pushing Uenoyama to get Mafuyu to rejoin the band. That's something else that bothers me heavily. That they're treating Mafuyu as Uenoyama's responsibility because they're dating. It's a band that is sure to fall apart if you are not all supporting each other.
Sigh. Honestly, I think that's all the qualms I had with this manga. Overall, I think this manga has a lot of ups and downs in quality, but towards the end, I feel like that's a nosedive. My only solace is seeing Ugetsu's face once again.
This manga has been ridiculously convoluted, and in the end, all that came out of it was some weird justification of unconditional trust that made me, overall, really confused about the message of this manga.
Honestly? I'm surprised to see how many people like this manga. I read this manga over a period of several years and only recently came back to read the final 8 or so chapters. I won't bash anyone for liking this manga, especially because I did like a few characters. Namely Shiho <3! And Satone is very endearing to me as well <3. I remember liking a few other characters throughout the manga but I don't recall them because of how long ago I read those arcs. And I did really like reading those arcs!
So, finally, my criticism of Tomodachi Game will probably be coloured by the time between each time I would binge the manga, but I want to focus mostly on what I read the most recently (the recent 8-10 chapters when the gang were in the shed & the cold).
The constant back and forth between "Yuichi is horrible and manipulative" vs "Yuichi is horrible and manipulative, but it was for his friends! He's actually selfless and decided to help his friends." Genuinely gave me whiplash with the constant back and forth. Each chapter is a plot-twist and a counter-plot-twist to the point that the manga had to spoonfeed you about what was actually going on. And right at the end, where the whole thing was about "the only way you can win is if you trust your friends no matter what, if you trust your friends unconditionally" is bullshit.
Don't get me wrong, it's good to trust your friends, but it's ridiculous to throw away your standards. It's ridiculous to continue unconditionally trusting your friends if you find out if one of your friends is a murderer who killed a pregnant woman. And the strange justification (to us) for killing said pregnant woman being because she was manipulative and, frankly, a rather awful person who drained her friends of money. Just because someone is an awful person doesn't mean they should be killed. And the justification of her murder (for Yuichi) being that Yuichi wanted to preserve the image of his "mother" (in quotations because I think that she was his adoptive mother? but I do not recall) being a kind person who loved her friends etc. I just want to say that even if Yuka is a horrible person, she still took care of Yuichi, and to kill her because her morals are fucked up is plain ridiculous to me. People can be both, they can be kind, and they can lack morals; saying that you want to preserve one or the other, saying that she was one or the other, is to deny the fact that people can be both!! <- I rambled a bit there. Apologies. But then again, he was a kid when he killed her and I don't know how kid brains work, and I do not know whether he would kill his parents now that he's older.
And towards the end, something that put me off severely was how, in the epilogue, Yuichi's friends are working hard for his sake, for his recovery. In my opinion, this is way too much of a burden to be given to a bunch of high schoolers. Also as much as the manga wanted to be wrapped up really neatly, I do not know of one person who wants to be kept on life support, draining the funds of their friends to keep them alive for the slim slim chance of them waking back up.
Overall? I don't like that Yuichi pretty much got off consequence-free for killing people (even if he was a kid) and manipulating his friends, like I don't mean in the eyes of the law but in the eyes of his friends. Just because he "saved" his friends and others, I don't think his friends should just go "you're forgiven!" Like?? He still killed people, he still manipulated you, even if it is in the context of the "game". I don't even think he apologised for lying to them, not even a "sorry, but I had to do this", sorry if he did, I do not recall.
If you're actually friends with someone, you won't forgive them for just anything and everything. You'd want them to take accountability for the things they've done. Friends don't let friends get away with anything they want; you want your friends to become the best people they can be. Accepting people for who they are is important, but that's in terms of personality or their tastes. If a friend of mine is actively conning people, being a shitty person in general, I will talk to them and try to get them to change their ways, but I will cut them off if they refuse to change. If a friend of mine finds an issue with something that I do, I will do my best to change it. You cannot unconditionally trust someone if they've lied to you time and time again. If you cannot hold your friends accountable for something they've done, then you're not a good friend, and neither are they.
Anyway? Do I recommend this manga? Sort of. Just stop reading before the final arc. Or do keep reading! I recommend that you make your own choices.
I was super excited reading the first paragraph of your analysis as it appeared you were going to give it criticism. Which I love, when it comes things I enjoy. As I like to see all types of different perspectives of the media I consume.
With that, I'll say your surprise towards many enjoying the manga is equally surprising. Although this manga though through the many twists and turns( some seeming unnecessary than others ) was overall really well thought out and put together. There were a multitude of characters I enjoyed. Shiho not being one of them and with me growing to love Satone.
The fourth paragraph I completely agree with. And I partly agree with the fifth paragraph.
But this -"Just because someone is an awful person doesn't mean they should be killed." And this -" I just want to say that even if Yuka is a horrible person, she still took care of Yuichi, and to kill her because her morals are fucked up is plain ridiculous to me. People can be both, they can be kind, and they can lack morals; saying that you want to preserve one or the other, saying that she was one or the other, is to deny the fact that people can be both!!" Is just a big head scratcher. So in the same breath you say Yuuichi's crimes and behavior should be checked, all the while you say that Yuka didn't deserved to be killed. Looking at both of the crimes both Yuka and Yuuichi committed I'd say their on the same level. Yuka didn't just make white lies to her friends--those closest to her. She exploited them to a degree to where she broke up homes with not just whole married couples but ones where children were involved. Ex: Yutori and with how messed her psych is and the abuse she endured. So no you don't just get to commit grave sins and crimes, and say "Hey don't kill me because-" because what? There's a multitude of people I can list off that have committed atrocities against humanity and were well deserving of death. Even then that's being merciful, because in the end they escape the level of pain they should've endured while being conscious and alive. Rambling here but what I'm trying to get across is you don't get to meddle with people's lives for selfish reasons and not get the consequences for them. And the first sentence regarding awful people shouldn't be killed is straight garbage. And just means to me that you're willing to protect evil, and unfairly too because you did not give Yuuichi the same grace as you gave Yuka.
Lastly I don't get why anyone would recommend reading something then telling them to stop before or after a certain part. Simply because it just doesn't make sense as this particular story one where you could necessarily just stop reading; and because I feel like that wouldn't be keeping the integrity of enjoying the story as a whole.
"So in the same breath you say Yuuichi's crimes and behavior should be checked, all the while you say that Yuka didn't deserved to be killed." — This is strange to me, having someone's crimes checked is not the same as believing that they deserve to be killed. In my case, I believe both of their crimes deserved to be checked.
I can understand where you're coming from and I also believe Yuka's crimes are unforgivable, her lies did affect her closest friend's families all for the sake of, what? Her own enjoyment? Obviously she had no right to, and obviously she's the villain there. But it was not Yuuichi's place to determine that she should die because of what she's done.
And in addition, correct me if I'm wrong, but what I believe you're saying is that you believe murder and manipulation of the lives of people you care about are about the same?
I won't bring in any more of my own political beliefs because this is simply in the case of fiction, but I'm someone who firmly opposes the death penalty. I believe that no one should be killed, life is more nuanced than "awful people should be killed" — in the first place, "awful" is subjective. I won't say your worldview is right or wrong, but it's my belief that people who commit atrocities don't deserve to die, rather they should commit to reformation and repentance.
And you're right about Yuka, referring to "you don't get to meddle with people's lives for selfish reasons and not get the consequences for them" — but that does not mean that she deserved to die, a more "righteous" solution would be for her to attempt to make restitution to the victims (her friends), but that whether that would have happened or not, could not have happened as Yuuichi killed her. And isn't that where all the issues stemmed from? Did her death bring any benefits to anyone? The death of anyone, even those at fault, ends up obscuring what really matters in the end— The truth.
As for me treating Yuuichi unfairly compared to Yuka, I just don't like him (LOL). But seriously, I, in no way, said that Yuuichi ought to be executed for his crimes and die like Yuka did. In fact, both Yuka and himself technically got off consequence-free. Yuka didn't have to apologise to her friends and face judgement to pay them back because she died, and… I don't really remember what happened to Yuuichi after he woke up but if I remember correctly, he just got a job and still— I don't think he apologised to his friends either.
And as for when I recommended people to stop reading, I may have not been clear enough. I believe that people should make their own choices whether to finish this manga or not, I don't think my silly comment to "stop reading! ...unless...?" would affect anyone's choice to continue reading or not and I apologise if it came off that way.
For some reason I didn't expect a reply lmao.
"This is strange to me, having someone's crimes checked is not the same as believing that they deserve to be killed. In my case, I believe both of their crimes deserved to be checked." Well then I'm genuinely confused as to what you consider 'checked'. If we are going off by laws, man-made laws not to mention. I would assume you mean jail time? Even so, let's say even 'outside of law', what do you expect? For Yuka and Yuuichi to sit around in a circle with their victims and sing Kumbaya?! And then afterwards lower their heads to the ground while giving their deepest apologies? So with being 'checked' to begin with is subjective.
"I also believe Yuka's crimes are unforgivable." So if even you believe Yuka's crimes are quote 'unforgivable' then how do you handle such cases? I'm basically repeating the first paragraph here. But if you deem what someone did as 'unforgivable' then what is left to do? Since no more forgiveness can be given.
"But it was not Yuuichi's place to determine that she should die because of what she's done." Now THIS is something I can agree with. Truthfully I don't think it was Yuuichi's place per say to kill Yuka. But does it really matter who kills her to begin with? I don't know that's subjective as well.
" correct me if I'm wrong, but what I believe you're saying is that you believe murder and manipulation of the lives of people you care about are about the same?" Well firstly let's put a set of quotation marks around that 'care' because can you even say that someone who cares about someone would even do something like what Yuka did in the first place? Secondly, it DEFINTIELY can be. Even within the story it is stated that although Yuuichi did kill 3 people with his own hands, he had also played a significant part in may others losing their lives. Same as Yuka. Sure she didn't hold a knife to her victims throat and slice away, but her actions did lead to people being harmed; GRAVELY. And I believe that's NOT subjective. It's the same as a leaders of a country sending soldiers to war.
"I'm someone who firmly opposes the death penalty." To be completely honest, this to me just sounds like a naive and wishful thinking person. Of course I don't know you nor your personal experiences, so it's a possibility that you may have experienced the worst of the worst by the hands of other people and still hold this worldview. But I don't think that's likely. Still this where I'd have to agree to disagree. Yeah it sounds nice, but that's realistic in the slightest. It's a cute, adorable even worldview.
"I won't say your worldview is right or wrong," Respect, and same here. -"but it's my belief that people who commit atrocities don't deserve to die, rather they should commit to reformation and repentance." Again that sounds nice and all, the words 'reformation' and 'repentance' but it's not realistic in the least. You would have to assume that those people who committed those atrocities BELIEVE in those things to begin with. Some, no MANY stand firm in their disgusting actions and don't even believe or can begin to believe what they did was wrong in the first place. So yeah it sounds optimistic but that's not reality we live in; fiction aside.
"a more "righteous" solution would be for her to attempt to make restitution to the victims (her friends)," I can see why you took a liking to Shiho now LOL. But again whose to say Yuka would've even want to do that in the first place. Of course we can't know now cause she's dead and gone but seeing her in her literal last moments and how she was talking about Shibe's dad as a goddamn MONEY TREE!!! I don't think that's likely. Oh and don't get me wrong I don't even dislike Yuka to begin, she's a certified menace which in some way I can respect the lengths she was willing to go to secure the bag .
As for the sixth paragraph, I don't like Yuuichi neither. Simply because he be doing way too much and annoys me sometimes. But with that aside he is super intelligent which is something I always had a deep admiration for. Yes Yuuichi and even Yuka in my opinion got away scot-free(even with Yuka being dead), and even now I still don't know what punishment Yuuichi deserves after all that, but truthfully I don't care.
Lastly, your comment regarding whether to stop reading or not is not all that serious. I know, but it just puzzles me anytime someone says a "stop reading! ...unless...?" because it may potentially get someone to stop reading around a certain part or even skipping it not fully indulging in the story as a whole. But I understand where you were coming from.
I thought long and hard about what the best way to respond to you is. I've thought of rebuttals and how to phrase them and I expect you want something of substance too, but I realised that I don't actually want to. I don't think that I'll be able to convince you to change your mindset, and I don't think you'll be able to change mine. I don't think either of our mindsets are inherently harmful, so I'm not in any rush to change them.
We're not going to be able to come to an agreement unless it's an agree to disagree situation. My perspective is that I don't believe there's anyone out there that's evil enough to deserve murder and you do, and that's fine with me that we keep our perspectives.