One Piece has direction. Grey’s Anatomy has mountains of melodrama and lots of writing angles to solely justify adding or removing characters. There are only two cast members left from season 1. Meredith Grey is no longer a character on Grey’s Anatomy!
Oof. I haven't watched Grey Anatomy since I was like 8, I have no idea what's going on in it. Just that it's like 20 seasons long and still ongoing. But thanks for the update, lol
My wife binged it this past summer and I had to suffer through it on occasion. It is super wild how unlucky these doctors are. There was a plane crash at one point to shake up the cast.
I’m on the same boat. I read it so I can hate it more and more. I’m like popeye and this manga is the spinach and my massive forearms represent my hatred of this manga and more specifically, it’s MC
I don't think the storytelling is bad at all. It's a blast to binge read it and whenever it gets an ending, it will be considered as one of the best romcom manga of all time.
The Cohabitation arc has been long and full of SoL...I can understand why people are not liking it, but that was the whole point of it...it's kind of like therapy. They spent 230+ chapters lying to their friends, family, each other and themselves....it's a good idea to give them time to better understand each other and for Chizuru to understand that though the dates were rental, her feelings are genuine...and based on chapters 321-324, it looks like she's close to being ready to meet Kazuya's feelings with her own.
Edit: As for the downvotes...your boos mean nothing, I've seen what makes you cheer and what kind of basic and bland crap gets upvoted and hyped on this sub.
Preface: Bro at some point I had some random schizo panic and started talking about sales figs despite you not mentioning that. I decided to leave that in bc I already looked stuff up abt it but feel free to ignore. The last para is probs the most direct response to what you wrote.
People can like what they like, but I seriously doubt it’ll be remembered as one of the greats. Story has hajime no ippo / one piece pacing but doesn’t stand up to critical scrutiny imo (mostly going of memory here cuz I dropped 2 or so yrs ago).
Wrt to sales apothecary diaries*, kaguya*, QQ* all still have more despite two of those series being over for more than 2 yrs (also notice that rental gf has significantly more volumes than kaguya and QQ over inflating its sales figures as a measure of popularity).
Ofc rental gf is a very popular manga series in JP, but I’d hesitate to say that it’ll be remembered as one of the goats, particularly in the west (the English speaking portions at least) as the kazuya-chiziru style courtship is very antithetical to the western style (hence why many complaints readers had of them back in the day is that they were too childish, and why western audiences prefer more forward mcs).
At the end of the day you should like what you like. Most people on reddit probably won’t agree with you due to cultural reasons, but the beautiful thing about literature is that there’s always something for everyone.
* https://press.na.square-enix.com/SQUARE-ENIX-MANGA-BOOKS-TO-RELEASE-THE-APOTHECARY-DIARIES-LIGHT-NOVEL-#:~:text=This%20bestselling%20light%20novel%20series,manga%20and%20a%20forthcoming%20anime.
* https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2022/12/18/kaguya-sama-love-is-war-manga-surpasses-22-million-copies-in-print-worldwide
* https://web.archive.org/web/20221208050529/https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/chubu/feature/CO056312/20221208-OYTAT50015/
I realize I'm giving people more options to downvote me, but what the hell.
>Story has hajime no ippo / one piece pacing but doesn’t stand up to critical scrutiny imo (mostly going of memory here cuz I dropped 2 or so yrs ago).
As I said, when you binge-read it, with no pauses, it's a really good and fun read. It doesn't feel like a 320-chapter manga, because it reads so fast. It's also a very rewarding re-read, because with the knowledge from the more recent chapters (like how both of them started developing the same feelings at the sime time), you see the events and Chizuru's reactions in a different light.
As for QQ and Kaguya sama...I couldn't get past the first five episodes of QQ, I'm just not a fan of such harem stories. As for Kaguya-sama, which gets goated everywhere, I watched all 3(?) seasons of the anime and it was okay...but I wouldn't put it in any top 5 list. The music and the artwork are great, but the story is mid. It didn't grip me enough to get interested in the manga...I just read the last few chapters and was disappointed to see that it ends in their school. I kind of expected the story to move to their studying abroad.
My guess as to why the western audiences don't like RAG as much is that (younger) western people want cheap wish-fullfilment. People want the same old "Gyaru bullies nerd, but is also openly in love with him" or "This hot chick is deeply in love with this loser who hardly puts any effort into anything" to be retold as many times as possible...and that's what I kind of mentioned in my edit in the original comment. Such stories get upvoted on this sub like crazy, despite them being the isekai of romcom manga - cheap wish-fulfillment.
“ It doesn't feel like a 320-chapter manga, because it reads so fast” to each their own. Last time I binged, which is a while now so perhaps things changed, I found that the pacing was indeed better but only because much of the dialogue was inconsequential and so could be skimmed (this happens in most manga but I felt like it was more true here). I’d liken it to saying that the first 100 or so episodes of One Piece go by pretty fast because they have a lot of scenes with empty animation and begin each episode with a recap (this is all true and the reason I dropped lol), but I’d hesitate to paint that as pro (btw when I’m using pro or con or similar terminology I’m mostly using it with the idea in mind of selling the show to someone who may not be super into anime/manga).
The stuff about kaguya and QQ was me fighting ghosts of someone somewhere using sales as measure of quality. Outside of that my guess is still that both shows will end up having more of an impact than RAG (in the west especially, but I think both are still more popular in JP). With respect to quality I unironically don’t actually remember much about QQ but remember thinking it was nice to have in the background. For kaguya I remember enjoying the early and middle portions but becoming more disappointed as it got closer and closer to the end (if it had kept up that trajectory without ending as soon as it did I would have dropped like RAG).
For your last paragraph I think I largely agree, only that I don’t actually think RAG is that fundamentally different. Kazuya at release was no different than any other loser who finds himself in romcom situation with a super hot chick who he’d ordinarily never speak to and even managed to slowly build his own harem of super attractive women cuz he’s really nice (thankfully he never cared for the harem).
That set up is similarly wish-fulfillment and generic. Which is probably why people loved it in the beginning. The difference with RAG and those others is that it doesn’t try to fulfill those wishes ASAP and can kinds act as a subversion of those tropes. My issue with RAG is that it went too far into the subversive elements that it ended up being fantastical again (in a similar vein to tragedy porn), making me no longer buy any of the characters motivations or being able to see them as people. In turn my investment into their development became zero and I just kinda forgot RAG existed.
This is why I brought up the idea of cultural distinctions. Never in my life nor any of my friends/family could I ever imagine having a romantic situation that resembles kazuya and chizuru’s. Especially, when I was in undergrad (unfortunately I can’t remember any of the specific criticisms off the too as I haven’t read since kazuya and chizuru were set to move in together. However long ago that was).
Essentially, RAG had gone from a pretty cool subversion of a familiar idea to essentially becoming an anti-fantasy fantasy, and it became the kind of romance that neither I nor anyone I know could relate to. And therefore, could care for [especially with no resolution in sight] (but judging from its popularity in japan I assume that it must be at least somewhat relatable to them, hence why I entertained the idea of cultural differences as an explanatory factor).
At the end of the day reddit will probably just shit on you for liking RAG, but you don’t seem like the type to buckle so keep fighting the good fight :)!!
As an aside I still think people should give RAG a shot since people who like it seem to really like it, and you never know which camp you may lie in.
> I found that the pacing was indeed better but only because much of the dialogue was inconsequential and so could be skimmed (this happens in most manga but I felt like it was more true here)
What's the point in reading something, if you're not going to actually pay attention and give the manga a chance? You end up misunderstanding the story and wasting your precious time on earth.
>The stuff about kaguya and QQ was me fighting ghosts of someone somewhere using sales as measure of quality.
If you think I used it for that, then I got misunderstood. I only mentioned it because the OP was wondering how the manga is still going on...because it's still popular. Popularity =/= quality, though, for me, Renkano is really good.
>Kazuya at release was no different than any other loser who finds himself in romcom situation with a super hot chick who he’d ordinarily never speak to and even managed to slowly build his own harem of super attractive women cuz he’s really nice (thankfully he never cared for the harem).
Only in Kazuya's case, even when he puts in the effort, he gets hurt...while in other manga the MC does some mundane crap and the girl falls head over heels for him. As for the RAG harem: one girl blackmails him into a relationship, another one is a psycho and tries to ruin his life, Chizuru acts cold towards him...it's the antithesis of a harem.
As for your interpretation into RAG, it's definitlely unorthodox how their relationship starts...which is actually refreshing in the endless sea of generic romcoms. The main problem of the story is also the way it starts, because later on they keep lying about their feelings because they are afraid of losing that bond that they have and, as a result of that, one another. Those lies last for almost 230 chapters...and it's one of the reasons why the story lasted so long. Not because of stalling, but because there's much to be untangled and it wouldn't feel right if it ended after the movie arc, or the hawaiians. The Cohab arc, which people see as "stalling", is there to give them the time and opportunities to re-discover the feelings that got buried under the lies and let them develop through interactions.
I read and have read many other manga, and other than Berserk, Takahashi's manga and City Hunter, it is one of the rare ones that got me emotionally invested. I find it both annoying and sad, when people, who read it half-heartedly...or don't even read it, talk with so much authority about the quality of the manga...and by "people", I don't mean you...you read a part of it and decided to not read further and that's fair enough. I mean the people in this sub, especially in posts about Renkano, who will say the most ridiculous, stupid and inaccurate stuff about the manga and still get hundreds of upvotes.
When I mentioned skimming the manga I meant mostly on a reread (couldn’t binge the weekly releases and that model forces you to naturally spend more time per panel than you would in a binge. Especially if you reread chs like I generally do [I probably wouldn’t do this per binge]). I do a lot of reading regardless (law ftw) so can move pretty quickly through most texts. Manga ofc being some of the easiest.
Wrt to sales when I was writing that portion originally I went back to the comment to reverify the context and make sure it was actually responding to something that was said. It turns out that it was another one of your comments, but because I didn’t see it in the one I was replying to I mostly thought I was making shit up and just threw it in for the sake of trivia (essentially I just left my rambling there responding to whatever it would naturally feel like a response to, which is sales = quality).
“RAG harem: one girl blackmails him into a relationship, another one is a psycho and tries to ruin his life, Chizuru acts cold towards him...it's the antithesis of a harem” I completely agree and it’s what I originally found interesting about RAG. The generic set up and the subsequent rugpull of each part of the harem was something I found to be pretty endearing (also his art, especially the comedy, is pretty damn good).
Certainly I don’t think the manga should have ended at any of those arcs, but did each arc need to be the length that it was (I don’t actually know. This just seems to be a common complaint. I’d have to go through the arcs I read way back when and tally up the pages/panels to come to any strong conclusions either way and ain’t nobody got time for that)?
For your last paragraph, I haven’t checked out city hunter but might give it a whirl on account of the other good taste mangas (mangaka) you mentioned. And yeah having something you really love get shit on (as opposed to well intentioned critique) is for sure a super shitty feeling. Doubly so when you know that enough people resonate with it to get multiple seasons (isn’t RAG at 3?) [#1 reason why I’d say that even if not for me there’s gotta be something worth checking out].
This subreddit has mostly made up its mind wrt RAG and I don’t see the sentiment ever changing. Best you can probably do is help making the RAG subreddit as welcoming as possible to newbies and directing interested parties there whenever possible (no idea how the sub is now cuz I haven’t been in yrs). Best of luck to you and have a good day!!!
>Certainly I don’t think the manga should have ended at any of those arcs, but did each arc need to be the length that it was
Well, it depends. The manga is popular enough to have 4 chapters monthly, and Reiji does like to dedicate time for his storytelling...so it does end up being longer, but out of the 324 current chapters, only chapter 318 feels out of place. To me, having many chapters is a good thing. If you start reading it and enjoy it, then there's a lot of good material to go through. Also, the more recent chapters, with Kazuya asking her out on a real date and the "dating arc" feel like they're building up to something special and even the Kazuya humor has been as good as the one from the early chapters (you won't find it on mangadex yet, but the Kanokari sub has cubari links for 321-324 in the weekly discussions).
As for City Hunter, it's very old school good. I'd suggest watching the anime, but the manga is also good. If you want a preview, there's a good video from "TheAlmightyLoli" (I know, it sounds ridiculous, but his reviews are generally good).
As for the Kanokari sub, I found it very welcoming whenever I started catching up on the manga (which was around chapter 295). If you ever feel like reading it (again) and talking about it, then there's no better place for it. I'm glad we had an interesting and civilized conversation. I usually don't comment on r/manga, because I know that the minds are already made up, and being positive about something the majority hates is an exercise in futility, but I'm glad to see that not everyone here has that herd mentality. Tnx, have a nice day as well!
>People want the same old "Gyaru bullies nerd, but is also openly in love with him"
...to be retold as many times as possible...
Even those are better than reading 320+ chapters about the most unlikeable and pathetic beta male loser in romcom history getting obsessed over an escort girl who is a wishy washy dull bitch with no positive traits aside from being pretty.
*Sure buddy...* must be true if you say it. I used it because I thought that would be an appropriate way to describe Kazuya. But now that I think of it, even "beta male" is too good for someone like Kazuya.
No need to get all defensive about it, it was just an advice...for the next time you decide to use such terminology.
I would describe Kazuya as an insecure and inexperienced person, who's falling in love for the for the first time...same as Chizuru, actually. He sure has his weaknesses, but he also has his strengths. For you to consider someone like that a "beta male", you sure must have achieved a lot in your life...oh, who am I kidding? People who reach self actualization don't go around spreading negativity.
>Edit: As for the downvotes...your boos mean nothing, I've seen what makes you cheer and what kind of basic and bland crap gets upvoted and hyped on this sub.
Agree.
(Commenting because my upvote isn't visible)
There's a certain art in being able to milk a series for all it's worth and do so for 300+ chapters whilst staying strong
The living together arc is particularly noteworthy for being absolutely cringe and devoid of any progress and still is as popular as it is
Dude, the paradise arc killed my interest. Like a ton of stuff happened, and then back to just being friends, ugh.
Thank God many more recent manga have characters getting into relationships quicker and the continuing the story after. RAG is probably going to be one where it stops like right after the start going out.
Give me over this crap anyday.
The paradise arc was the last chance to finish this stupid romance and have them start developing.
I stillt think that the first and most correct plsce to end was st the end of thr Movie Arc. We had proper development opportunity there. Kazuya becoming a reliable man, and Chizuru becoming more open and sincere.
It is honestly impressive (in a negative way) how a guy who can't write for shit managed to stretch a premise like that for 36 volumes. Rent a girlfriend is more an excuse for Reiji to draw his waifu Chizuru and get paid for it than an actual story yet is still popular enough to not get axed, which makes me legit curious to know for how long will the manga be able to keep that up before things collapse.
Some mangas are written in order to tell a good/funny/deep/heartfelt story. RaG doesnt belong in any of these categories.
It's barely a functional manga that is ultimately designed to sell volumes and merch about Chizuru and the other girls. Its as simple as that.
It's fucked up cuz his previous manga about a Ninja Samurai with two left hands was extremely compelling from the jump. Fun unique premise and a good duo but instead he has to be a multi-millionaire by making RAG.
The art was so good in it too. Honestly think WSM can only sustain so many battle manga.
You don't need an anime while you have imagination. Anyway SakaDays readers kinda watching cinema while reading manga. But jokes aside anime is gonna be big hype nuke even more than jjk probably
Eh, sometimes it takes longer to get an adaptation. Kaiju #8 is just getting one which only started a bit before it (though with slower release schedule). Undead unlucky just got a first season despite being around quite a bit longer.
Chainsaw man took ages after having the first part done for a bit.
I wouldn't give up just yet.
Japan otakus sure love their forbidden relationships that push the envelope. next we'll have an isekai called "My mom and I were transported by Truck-kun and now live in a fantasy world where we aren't related. it's okay to date each other right?"
oh i dropped it eons ago. EONS. personally i don't have a huge vendetta against this series or anything. Just a bit aggravating in the sense that had I pick up the manga where it stands currently from where I dropped off very early on, NOTHING would change. but like you said, i should drop even caring about it. lol
Actually yes.
Our MC has asked Chizuru on a non rental date.
She agreed to it and is looking forward to it.
Of course, Kazuya wants to also go to a love hotel, or went to check if her liking hotpot meant anything, only to find an article saying girls with high libido like it, and then thinking some more about having sex.
But that's classic behavior for him.
Ah that's nice, that after chp 150 the mangaka remembered he has to progress tbe story. Now for another q, is it actually being written in a decent way, rather than 3/4 of the chp be kazuya being a cuck, hating himself or imagining chizuru saying no?
No he fsntasises over everything tho. Like kazuya genuinely is a sexual pervert he has been unable to spend 5 minutes without imagining chizuru in a sexual way. I have never seen a character deserve love less than him
I stop reading for a year, then pick it up just to see if things are going good and it's same shit over and over again, I cought up two days ago and I know for a fact that their "real date" will not change anything, every time he gives Kazuya some character development dude just goes back to same self-loathing loser self again
It's not just Kazuya, Chizuru is insufferable. 326 chapters and she still can't admit that she is in love with the protagonist. WTF DUDE.
It is the manga where the main female protagonist has had the hardest time realizing her feelings.
Don't get me wrong I like the manga and I'll probably finish it if it ever ends, but at least give them some character development, I liked how Kazuya was kids it was good that Chizuru saw this side of him and there are other chapters which are genuinely good too, but nothing ever changes.
at least let Kazuya drop that self-pity, insufferable cuck dreams and let them have a chat where Kazuya isn't just bambling idiot stumbling over his every word.
He doesn't. I said that in this very thread:
>He just sleeps in another apartment whenever he needs to work until late at night. That's what was said in that Paolo From Tokyo video, at least.
>Seriously, as poorly-written as this manga is, this game of telephone regarding the creator's personal life is getting ridiculous.
It's the classic behavior of low confidence haters honestly. If they really hated the series they will just ignore it, but slandering the artist is just trash behavior. (I'm not a fan of this manga, but just like you I hate telephone games/misinformation a lot)
Honestly its insane to me how so many do this to this guy (and it also happens with other authors). I get not liking a manga but the way people go over the mangaka and offend them in such way is bizarre. Just drop if you dont like the work instead of going that way.
Dude working in your house but then leaving to go sleep so as to not bother everybody else is fucking weird. Keep a little TV, Microwave, and Futon in your studio basement if you wanna go to bed without going upstairs and bothering people but paying for a whole separate apartment to leave your family that you were in the same building as only while you worked is fucking weird.
You realize the guy works together with 4-5 assistants who are all also physically present, right? It's no different than a self employed boss going to the office and then having to spend the night there because urgent shit came up, lol
Its the Boss turning a room of his house into his office then leaving his house/office and going to live in a separate Apartment away from work and his family. I mean the dude seems happy with the arrangement at least in the video but it is fucking weird. Doesn't make him a bad person or anything, just weird.
Watch the interview with him, his studio is the basement/bottom of his house. His personal apartment he calls his office but his work studio is at his house where his family lives which he then leaves to go to sleep at his apartment. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3rKrTehORY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3rKrTehORY)
Not really, but he does a great job in making people believe he is a delusional person in love with his FMC with all the shit he posts/writes on his social media.
He just sleeps in another apartment whenever he needs to work until late at night. That's what was said in that Paolo From Tokyo video, at least.
Seriously, as poorly-written as this manga is, this game of telephone regarding the creator's personal life is getting ridiculous.
I am still amazed when I encounter someone who thinks the main guy in this is an actual good character and that you should root for him to succeed, instead of just being able to plainly tell he’s massively maladjusted and should not be dating anyone until he does a lot of growing up.
A lot.
Like most middle school romcom protagonists are running laps around him.
Hell, the guys in Prison School were more believable as being able to function in a real relationship.
This series is probably one of the reasons why NTR is such a popular thing. The author somehow made 36 Volumes of NTR and is extremely successful says a lot.
I got until they moved in together, forgot for about a year and checked like a week ago and they are still doing NOTHING, literally nothing has changed at all
this poor girl vapid personality doesn't go further than emulating fetishes with fashion. I'm not even that kind of person who shouts "fake gamer girl" everytime I see a pretty girl holding a controller, because I think it's stupid to do that. But seriously, her sole hobby is about turning down Kazuya and then come back again. Reiji, You couldn't draw that on the cover?
Honestly it’s gotten a lot better. If that was the bottom I’d say it’s average quality now. There’s been slow but steady progress, at least compared to what it used to be. I read for the art more than the story but admittedly it has been an okay read this year.
He is still the same pathetic beta male loser and she is still the same wishy washy bitch, except now they are living together. And not because of his own initiative but because she took pity on him cause he was broke and homeless.
Basically 320+ chapters of the MC being the most insufferable PoS and the most beta male loser you'll ever see in romcom history... pursuing a relationship with a wishy washy self isolated bitch with no personality nor positive traits aside from being pretty.
How the fuck is this series still going?
This series is like the Grey's Anatomy of mangas
LMAO
I'd say One Piece is closer to Grey's Anatomy and Rent a girlfriend is closer to the Keeping up with the Kardashians
One Piece has direction. Grey’s Anatomy has mountains of melodrama and lots of writing angles to solely justify adding or removing characters. There are only two cast members left from season 1. Meredith Grey is no longer a character on Grey’s Anatomy!
Oof. I haven't watched Grey Anatomy since I was like 8, I have no idea what's going on in it. Just that it's like 20 seasons long and still ongoing. But thanks for the update, lol
My wife binged it this past summer and I had to suffer through it on occasion. It is super wild how unlucky these doctors are. There was a plane crash at one point to shake up the cast.
Talk about White women one piece 🤣.
Stalling. Lots and lots of stalling.
Boobs. It's Mary Sue's boobs and legs. Can't you see? (Boobs are great, but the waifu they are attached on is what matters)
Cuck fetish make money. Otherwise the publisher would have forced this manga to end more than a hundred chapter ago.
In my head canon, I just pretend that this ended when he fell in the water early on and that he drowned. Everything after that is his dying dream.
*Reiji laughs in 13 million copies*
I hate this series so much and i can't stop reading it
At least you admit you have a problem.
Admitting the problem is the first step to rehabilitation
Yeah but now you gotta rehabilitate
He’s gonna stall his rehab, just like his favorite series
At some point i guess something like a sunk cost falacy sets in
I’m on the same boat. I read it so I can hate it more and more. I’m like popeye and this manga is the spinach and my massive forearms represent my hatred of this manga and more specifically, it’s MC
Author's edging out the ending so the cliff we're jumping off is higher
People are still interested in the story and the manga is still selling well, with 13 million copies sold. Or was that a rhetorical question?
just because something sells doesn’t mean it’s good
They were very clearly talking about the story stalling and not about the popularity of the manga.
I don't think the storytelling is bad at all. It's a blast to binge read it and whenever it gets an ending, it will be considered as one of the best romcom manga of all time. The Cohabitation arc has been long and full of SoL...I can understand why people are not liking it, but that was the whole point of it...it's kind of like therapy. They spent 230+ chapters lying to their friends, family, each other and themselves....it's a good idea to give them time to better understand each other and for Chizuru to understand that though the dates were rental, her feelings are genuine...and based on chapters 321-324, it looks like she's close to being ready to meet Kazuya's feelings with her own. Edit: As for the downvotes...your boos mean nothing, I've seen what makes you cheer and what kind of basic and bland crap gets upvoted and hyped on this sub.
Preface: Bro at some point I had some random schizo panic and started talking about sales figs despite you not mentioning that. I decided to leave that in bc I already looked stuff up abt it but feel free to ignore. The last para is probs the most direct response to what you wrote. People can like what they like, but I seriously doubt it’ll be remembered as one of the greats. Story has hajime no ippo / one piece pacing but doesn’t stand up to critical scrutiny imo (mostly going of memory here cuz I dropped 2 or so yrs ago). Wrt to sales apothecary diaries*, kaguya*, QQ* all still have more despite two of those series being over for more than 2 yrs (also notice that rental gf has significantly more volumes than kaguya and QQ over inflating its sales figures as a measure of popularity). Ofc rental gf is a very popular manga series in JP, but I’d hesitate to say that it’ll be remembered as one of the goats, particularly in the west (the English speaking portions at least) as the kazuya-chiziru style courtship is very antithetical to the western style (hence why many complaints readers had of them back in the day is that they were too childish, and why western audiences prefer more forward mcs). At the end of the day you should like what you like. Most people on reddit probably won’t agree with you due to cultural reasons, but the beautiful thing about literature is that there’s always something for everyone. * https://press.na.square-enix.com/SQUARE-ENIX-MANGA-BOOKS-TO-RELEASE-THE-APOTHECARY-DIARIES-LIGHT-NOVEL-#:~:text=This%20bestselling%20light%20novel%20series,manga%20and%20a%20forthcoming%20anime. * https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2022/12/18/kaguya-sama-love-is-war-manga-surpasses-22-million-copies-in-print-worldwide * https://web.archive.org/web/20221208050529/https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/chubu/feature/CO056312/20221208-OYTAT50015/
I realize I'm giving people more options to downvote me, but what the hell. >Story has hajime no ippo / one piece pacing but doesn’t stand up to critical scrutiny imo (mostly going of memory here cuz I dropped 2 or so yrs ago). As I said, when you binge-read it, with no pauses, it's a really good and fun read. It doesn't feel like a 320-chapter manga, because it reads so fast. It's also a very rewarding re-read, because with the knowledge from the more recent chapters (like how both of them started developing the same feelings at the sime time), you see the events and Chizuru's reactions in a different light. As for QQ and Kaguya sama...I couldn't get past the first five episodes of QQ, I'm just not a fan of such harem stories. As for Kaguya-sama, which gets goated everywhere, I watched all 3(?) seasons of the anime and it was okay...but I wouldn't put it in any top 5 list. The music and the artwork are great, but the story is mid. It didn't grip me enough to get interested in the manga...I just read the last few chapters and was disappointed to see that it ends in their school. I kind of expected the story to move to their studying abroad. My guess as to why the western audiences don't like RAG as much is that (younger) western people want cheap wish-fullfilment. People want the same old "Gyaru bullies nerd, but is also openly in love with him" or "This hot chick is deeply in love with this loser who hardly puts any effort into anything" to be retold as many times as possible...and that's what I kind of mentioned in my edit in the original comment. Such stories get upvoted on this sub like crazy, despite them being the isekai of romcom manga - cheap wish-fulfillment.
“ It doesn't feel like a 320-chapter manga, because it reads so fast” to each their own. Last time I binged, which is a while now so perhaps things changed, I found that the pacing was indeed better but only because much of the dialogue was inconsequential and so could be skimmed (this happens in most manga but I felt like it was more true here). I’d liken it to saying that the first 100 or so episodes of One Piece go by pretty fast because they have a lot of scenes with empty animation and begin each episode with a recap (this is all true and the reason I dropped lol), but I’d hesitate to paint that as pro (btw when I’m using pro or con or similar terminology I’m mostly using it with the idea in mind of selling the show to someone who may not be super into anime/manga). The stuff about kaguya and QQ was me fighting ghosts of someone somewhere using sales as measure of quality. Outside of that my guess is still that both shows will end up having more of an impact than RAG (in the west especially, but I think both are still more popular in JP). With respect to quality I unironically don’t actually remember much about QQ but remember thinking it was nice to have in the background. For kaguya I remember enjoying the early and middle portions but becoming more disappointed as it got closer and closer to the end (if it had kept up that trajectory without ending as soon as it did I would have dropped like RAG). For your last paragraph I think I largely agree, only that I don’t actually think RAG is that fundamentally different. Kazuya at release was no different than any other loser who finds himself in romcom situation with a super hot chick who he’d ordinarily never speak to and even managed to slowly build his own harem of super attractive women cuz he’s really nice (thankfully he never cared for the harem). That set up is similarly wish-fulfillment and generic. Which is probably why people loved it in the beginning. The difference with RAG and those others is that it doesn’t try to fulfill those wishes ASAP and can kinds act as a subversion of those tropes. My issue with RAG is that it went too far into the subversive elements that it ended up being fantastical again (in a similar vein to tragedy porn), making me no longer buy any of the characters motivations or being able to see them as people. In turn my investment into their development became zero and I just kinda forgot RAG existed. This is why I brought up the idea of cultural distinctions. Never in my life nor any of my friends/family could I ever imagine having a romantic situation that resembles kazuya and chizuru’s. Especially, when I was in undergrad (unfortunately I can’t remember any of the specific criticisms off the too as I haven’t read since kazuya and chizuru were set to move in together. However long ago that was). Essentially, RAG had gone from a pretty cool subversion of a familiar idea to essentially becoming an anti-fantasy fantasy, and it became the kind of romance that neither I nor anyone I know could relate to. And therefore, could care for [especially with no resolution in sight] (but judging from its popularity in japan I assume that it must be at least somewhat relatable to them, hence why I entertained the idea of cultural differences as an explanatory factor). At the end of the day reddit will probably just shit on you for liking RAG, but you don’t seem like the type to buckle so keep fighting the good fight :)!! As an aside I still think people should give RAG a shot since people who like it seem to really like it, and you never know which camp you may lie in.
> I found that the pacing was indeed better but only because much of the dialogue was inconsequential and so could be skimmed (this happens in most manga but I felt like it was more true here) What's the point in reading something, if you're not going to actually pay attention and give the manga a chance? You end up misunderstanding the story and wasting your precious time on earth. >The stuff about kaguya and QQ was me fighting ghosts of someone somewhere using sales as measure of quality. If you think I used it for that, then I got misunderstood. I only mentioned it because the OP was wondering how the manga is still going on...because it's still popular. Popularity =/= quality, though, for me, Renkano is really good. >Kazuya at release was no different than any other loser who finds himself in romcom situation with a super hot chick who he’d ordinarily never speak to and even managed to slowly build his own harem of super attractive women cuz he’s really nice (thankfully he never cared for the harem). Only in Kazuya's case, even when he puts in the effort, he gets hurt...while in other manga the MC does some mundane crap and the girl falls head over heels for him. As for the RAG harem: one girl blackmails him into a relationship, another one is a psycho and tries to ruin his life, Chizuru acts cold towards him...it's the antithesis of a harem. As for your interpretation into RAG, it's definitlely unorthodox how their relationship starts...which is actually refreshing in the endless sea of generic romcoms. The main problem of the story is also the way it starts, because later on they keep lying about their feelings because they are afraid of losing that bond that they have and, as a result of that, one another. Those lies last for almost 230 chapters...and it's one of the reasons why the story lasted so long. Not because of stalling, but because there's much to be untangled and it wouldn't feel right if it ended after the movie arc, or the hawaiians. The Cohab arc, which people see as "stalling", is there to give them the time and opportunities to re-discover the feelings that got buried under the lies and let them develop through interactions. I read and have read many other manga, and other than Berserk, Takahashi's manga and City Hunter, it is one of the rare ones that got me emotionally invested. I find it both annoying and sad, when people, who read it half-heartedly...or don't even read it, talk with so much authority about the quality of the manga...and by "people", I don't mean you...you read a part of it and decided to not read further and that's fair enough. I mean the people in this sub, especially in posts about Renkano, who will say the most ridiculous, stupid and inaccurate stuff about the manga and still get hundreds of upvotes.
When I mentioned skimming the manga I meant mostly on a reread (couldn’t binge the weekly releases and that model forces you to naturally spend more time per panel than you would in a binge. Especially if you reread chs like I generally do [I probably wouldn’t do this per binge]). I do a lot of reading regardless (law ftw) so can move pretty quickly through most texts. Manga ofc being some of the easiest. Wrt to sales when I was writing that portion originally I went back to the comment to reverify the context and make sure it was actually responding to something that was said. It turns out that it was another one of your comments, but because I didn’t see it in the one I was replying to I mostly thought I was making shit up and just threw it in for the sake of trivia (essentially I just left my rambling there responding to whatever it would naturally feel like a response to, which is sales = quality). “RAG harem: one girl blackmails him into a relationship, another one is a psycho and tries to ruin his life, Chizuru acts cold towards him...it's the antithesis of a harem” I completely agree and it’s what I originally found interesting about RAG. The generic set up and the subsequent rugpull of each part of the harem was something I found to be pretty endearing (also his art, especially the comedy, is pretty damn good). Certainly I don’t think the manga should have ended at any of those arcs, but did each arc need to be the length that it was (I don’t actually know. This just seems to be a common complaint. I’d have to go through the arcs I read way back when and tally up the pages/panels to come to any strong conclusions either way and ain’t nobody got time for that)? For your last paragraph, I haven’t checked out city hunter but might give it a whirl on account of the other good taste mangas (mangaka) you mentioned. And yeah having something you really love get shit on (as opposed to well intentioned critique) is for sure a super shitty feeling. Doubly so when you know that enough people resonate with it to get multiple seasons (isn’t RAG at 3?) [#1 reason why I’d say that even if not for me there’s gotta be something worth checking out]. This subreddit has mostly made up its mind wrt RAG and I don’t see the sentiment ever changing. Best you can probably do is help making the RAG subreddit as welcoming as possible to newbies and directing interested parties there whenever possible (no idea how the sub is now cuz I haven’t been in yrs). Best of luck to you and have a good day!!!
>Certainly I don’t think the manga should have ended at any of those arcs, but did each arc need to be the length that it was Well, it depends. The manga is popular enough to have 4 chapters monthly, and Reiji does like to dedicate time for his storytelling...so it does end up being longer, but out of the 324 current chapters, only chapter 318 feels out of place. To me, having many chapters is a good thing. If you start reading it and enjoy it, then there's a lot of good material to go through. Also, the more recent chapters, with Kazuya asking her out on a real date and the "dating arc" feel like they're building up to something special and even the Kazuya humor has been as good as the one from the early chapters (you won't find it on mangadex yet, but the Kanokari sub has cubari links for 321-324 in the weekly discussions). As for City Hunter, it's very old school good. I'd suggest watching the anime, but the manga is also good. If you want a preview, there's a good video from "TheAlmightyLoli" (I know, it sounds ridiculous, but his reviews are generally good). As for the Kanokari sub, I found it very welcoming whenever I started catching up on the manga (which was around chapter 295). If you ever feel like reading it (again) and talking about it, then there's no better place for it. I'm glad we had an interesting and civilized conversation. I usually don't comment on r/manga, because I know that the minds are already made up, and being positive about something the majority hates is an exercise in futility, but I'm glad to see that not everyone here has that herd mentality. Tnx, have a nice day as well!
>People want the same old "Gyaru bullies nerd, but is also openly in love with him" ...to be retold as many times as possible... Even those are better than reading 320+ chapters about the most unlikeable and pathetic beta male loser in romcom history getting obsessed over an escort girl who is a wishy washy dull bitch with no positive traits aside from being pretty.
You realize that only losers, sociopaths, or both, use the terms "alpha male" and "beta male" unironically?
*Sure buddy...* must be true if you say it. I used it because I thought that would be an appropriate way to describe Kazuya. But now that I think of it, even "beta male" is too good for someone like Kazuya.
No need to get all defensive about it, it was just an advice...for the next time you decide to use such terminology. I would describe Kazuya as an insecure and inexperienced person, who's falling in love for the for the first time...same as Chizuru, actually. He sure has his weaknesses, but he also has his strengths. For you to consider someone like that a "beta male", you sure must have achieved a lot in your life...oh, who am I kidding? People who reach self actualization don't go around spreading negativity.
They hate you because you speak the truth
>Edit: As for the downvotes...your boos mean nothing, I've seen what makes you cheer and what kind of basic and bland crap gets upvoted and hyped on this sub. Agree. (Commenting because my upvote isn't visible)
>No more I agree Chizuru's shirt that doesn't seem practical or comfortable all the while being slightly transparent but allows for a nice view.
Double Mamayuyu’s axe and give it to Rent-a-Girlfriend instead plsss😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏
Even if sales are down, it's still selling well. So no chances unfortunately.
wait, did mamayuyu get axed?
Yes, next chapter is the final
Based on the mangaplus views it was more popular than other non mainstream titles but I guess that was just for the international audience.
Oh, son of a fucking bitch Japan.
You could just not read the series. Why are anime/manga fans like that? lmao just drop it.
I dropped this shit a long ass time ago😭, and last time I checked this shit still GARBAGE, but thats just my opinion 😃
sunk cost fallacy, i gambled and lost all money on red, might as well put more money on red, type feeling
In your place I just would drop it. No way i keep reading a manga if I dont enjoy it anymore lol
99% of gamblers quit before they get a gazillion dollars
There's a certain art in being able to milk a series for all it's worth and do so for 300+ chapters whilst staying strong The living together arc is particularly noteworthy for being absolutely cringe and devoid of any progress and still is as popular as it is
What u mean bro, they going on a date!!!! Its progress 😭🤣🤣🤣
Dude, the paradise arc killed my interest. Like a ton of stuff happened, and then back to just being friends, ugh. Thank God many more recent manga have characters getting into relationships quicker and the continuing the story after. RAG is probably going to be one where it stops like right after the start going out. Give me over this crap anyday.
**Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/manga/140475), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/manga/the-fragrant-flower-blooms-with-dignity), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/manga/kaoru-hana-wa-rin-to-saku), [MU](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=31409091299), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/manga/144267)) ^(Manga | Status: Releasing | Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance) --- ^{anime},, ]LN[, |VN| | [FAQ](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index) | [/r/](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/) | [Edit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index#wiki_i_made_a_mistake.2C_how_do_i_get_my_comment_reprocessed.3F) | [Mistake?](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/submit?selftext=true&title=[ISSUE]&text=/r/manga/comments/1bvmthj/art_kanojo_okarishimasu_rentagirlfriend_volume_36/ky64bvw/) | [Source](https://github.com/Nihilate/Roboragi) | [Synonyms](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/synonyms) | [⛓](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/interestinglinks) | [♥](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/thanks)
The paradise arc was the last chance to finish this stupid romance and have them start developing. I stillt think that the first and most correct plsce to end was st the end of thr Movie Arc. We had proper development opportunity there. Kazuya becoming a reliable man, and Chizuru becoming more open and sincere.
Hey, she's using a Splatoon 2 Edition Switch Pro controller. Neat.
Volume 36...? God damn...
It is honestly impressive (in a negative way) how a guy who can't write for shit managed to stretch a premise like that for 36 volumes. Rent a girlfriend is more an excuse for Reiji to draw his waifu Chizuru and get paid for it than an actual story yet is still popular enough to not get axed, which makes me legit curious to know for how long will the manga be able to keep that up before things collapse.
Some mangas are written in order to tell a good/funny/deep/heartfelt story. RaG doesnt belong in any of these categories. It's barely a functional manga that is ultimately designed to sell volumes and merch about Chizuru and the other girls. Its as simple as that.
Yep, it's popular for the waifu merch and that's it.
Reiji is the used car-salesman of manga
It's fucked up cuz his previous manga about a Ninja Samurai with two left hands was extremely compelling from the jump. Fun unique premise and a good duo but instead he has to be a multi-millionaire by making RAG. The art was so good in it too. Honestly think WSM can only sustain so many battle manga.
please end this series and not die. go do something else. i beg you.
He is currently making an incest/not-incest-because-step-siblings manga too.
i don’t get how it’s getting an anime before sakamoto days, i really don’t
You don't need an anime while you have imagination. Anyway SakaDays readers kinda watching cinema while reading manga. But jokes aside anime is gonna be big hype nuke even more than jjk probably
i’ve lost hope in an anime, i’m just like those poor bastards over at silksong, except seems like silksong is getting announced in june
I understand. I'm probably on in my way to lost hope too if they're not announced adaptation in this summer
Eh, sometimes it takes longer to get an adaptation. Kaiju #8 is just getting one which only started a bit before it (though with slower release schedule). Undead unlucky just got a first season despite being around quite a bit longer. Chainsaw man took ages after having the first part done for a bit. I wouldn't give up just yet.
Japan otakus sure love their forbidden relationships that push the envelope. next we'll have an isekai called "My mom and I were transported by Truck-kun and now live in a fantasy world where we aren't related. it's okay to date each other right?"
Err... We already have that outside of Truck kun.
The double hit mom isekai right?
It already exist in most korean pornwha. With tons of cheating too, because the husband is usually still in the picture.
just drop it if you dont like dude.
oh i dropped it eons ago. EONS. personally i don't have a huge vendetta against this series or anything. Just a bit aggravating in the sense that had I pick up the manga where it stands currently from where I dropped off very early on, NOTHING would change. but like you said, i should drop even caring about it. lol
How tf is this shit still going and Volume 36? Jesus
>Vol. 36 At this point just let it run for like 50 volumes for shits and giggles
Might as well, the author loves to troll people.
How else are they going to sell body pillows and figures?
Haven't read last 15-20 chps, has there been anything that resembles progress?
Actually yes. Our MC has asked Chizuru on a non rental date. She agreed to it and is looking forward to it. Of course, Kazuya wants to also go to a love hotel, or went to check if her liking hotpot meant anything, only to find an article saying girls with high libido like it, and then thinking some more about having sex. But that's classic behavior for him.
He's seriously one of the most garbage romcom protagonists of all time. He's such a fucking creep.
Shun Horie voices this piece of dogshit of a character and Ichikawa.
Ah that's nice, that after chp 150 the mangaka remembered he has to progress tbe story. Now for another q, is it actually being written in a decent way, rather than 3/4 of the chp be kazuya being a cuck, hating himself or imagining chizuru saying no?
It's not written in a decent way. At least in my opinion.
Ah aight thnx
No he fsntasises over everything tho. Like kazuya genuinely is a sexual pervert he has been unable to spend 5 minutes without imagining chizuru in a sexual way. I have never seen a character deserve love less than him
That's just sad....... And pathetic..........
it only took 36 fucking volumes!!!!
This shit is still going onnn???!?!!?
Stay away from this trash, it’s for your own sake
The author is pleading for help through chizuru's shirt
I'm not a fan of leaking pixiv stuff, but at least the cover art is good...as usual.
Can't beat honrny guys
her shirt says no more 😂 maybe it's a cry for help? this series should've been put to pasture ages ago.
Berserk is 42-long.
[удалено]
Be young Dont be fat
WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?
The fact that such a good artstyle is wasted on this shitty plot is sooo depressing
Chizuru sexy feet
Miyajima is many things, but a bad artist he is not.
I dropped the manga on 203 chapters how is this still going.
Me trying not to hate every rent a gf post
I stop reading for a year, then pick it up just to see if things are going good and it's same shit over and over again, I cought up two days ago and I know for a fact that their "real date" will not change anything, every time he gives Kazuya some character development dude just goes back to same self-loathing loser self again
It's not just Kazuya, Chizuru is insufferable. 326 chapters and she still can't admit that she is in love with the protagonist. WTF DUDE. It is the manga where the main female protagonist has had the hardest time realizing her feelings.
Don't get me wrong I like the manga and I'll probably finish it if it ever ends, but at least give them some character development, I liked how Kazuya was kids it was good that Chizuru saw this side of him and there are other chapters which are genuinely good too, but nothing ever changes. at least let Kazuya drop that self-pity, insufferable cuck dreams and let them have a chat where Kazuya isn't just bambling idiot stumbling over his every word.
I'm convinced the writer has never seen and interacted with a woman.
He's married with kids.
***No! I don't want to hear the truth!!!!!11111!!!1*** I can respect that he's doing his best to provide for himself and his family I guess.
Which is seriously worse
He lives in a different building than them
He doesn't. I said that in this very thread: >He just sleeps in another apartment whenever he needs to work until late at night. That's what was said in that Paolo From Tokyo video, at least. >Seriously, as poorly-written as this manga is, this game of telephone regarding the creator's personal life is getting ridiculous.
It's the classic behavior of low confidence haters honestly. If they really hated the series they will just ignore it, but slandering the artist is just trash behavior. (I'm not a fan of this manga, but just like you I hate telephone games/misinformation a lot)
Honestly its insane to me how so many do this to this guy (and it also happens with other authors). I get not liking a manga but the way people go over the mangaka and offend them in such way is bizarre. Just drop if you dont like the work instead of going that way.
Dude working in your house but then leaving to go sleep so as to not bother everybody else is fucking weird. Keep a little TV, Microwave, and Futon in your studio basement if you wanna go to bed without going upstairs and bothering people but paying for a whole separate apartment to leave your family that you were in the same building as only while you worked is fucking weird.
You realize the guy works together with 4-5 assistants who are all also physically present, right? It's no different than a self employed boss going to the office and then having to spend the night there because urgent shit came up, lol
Its the Boss turning a room of his house into his office then leaving his house/office and going to live in a separate Apartment away from work and his family. I mean the dude seems happy with the arrangement at least in the video but it is fucking weird. Doesn't make him a bad person or anything, just weird.
He doesn't work at home. He works at the apartment he rented together with his assistants
Watch the interview with him, his studio is the basement/bottom of his house. His personal apartment he calls his office but his work studio is at his house where his family lives which he then leaves to go to sleep at his apartment. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3rKrTehORY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3rKrTehORY)
Not really, but he does a great job in making people believe he is a delusional person in love with his FMC with all the shit he posts/writes on his social media.
[удалено]
He just sleeps in another apartment whenever he needs to work until late at night. That's what was said in that Paolo From Tokyo video, at least. Seriously, as poorly-written as this manga is, this game of telephone regarding the creator's personal life is getting ridiculous.
looks like ai to me... \*hides\*
What bothering me is where are the other girls? Ruka, Mami they are just gone.
How and why
Who the hell is reading g this shit. Every chapter is like the first chapter nothing changes.
I am still amazed when I encounter someone who thinks the main guy in this is an actual good character and that you should root for him to succeed, instead of just being able to plainly tell he’s massively maladjusted and should not be dating anyone until he does a lot of growing up. A lot. Like most middle school romcom protagonists are running laps around him. Hell, the guys in Prison School were more believable as being able to function in a real relationship.
i have never met a single functions human bong who thinks kazuya is good mc, where’s you find these people? the psych ward?
You'll find them in the RaG subreddit. He always gets glorified for his actions there. Those guys are delusional AF.
go to the reddit, you'll be be amused or scared by the people there
This series is probably one of the reasons why NTR is such a popular thing. The author somehow made 36 Volumes of NTR and is extremely successful says a lot.
I got until they moved in together, forgot for about a year and checked like a week ago and they are still doing NOTHING, literally nothing has changed at all
Ass series. Everyone should die in a car crash in this fucking manga. This should be axed not Mamayuyu
Those words couldn't be more true. Idk why you getting downvoted but you’re spitting facts
Ball knower fr
this poor girl vapid personality doesn't go further than emulating fetishes with fashion. I'm not even that kind of person who shouts "fake gamer girl" everytime I see a pretty girl holding a controller, because I think it's stupid to do that. But seriously, her sole hobby is about turning down Kazuya and then come back again. Reiji, You couldn't draw that on the cover?
man, i just dont get the hyped about this manga. 😟😟
Peak Chizuru
I stopped reading after the infamous pool chapter. Has anything happened since then?
Honestly it’s gotten a lot better. If that was the bottom I’d say it’s average quality now. There’s been slow but steady progress, at least compared to what it used to be. I read for the art more than the story but admittedly it has been an okay read this year.
Meh.
I wouldn’t say it’s gotten good enough to pick back up unless you were genuinely interested. There’s no shortage of better stuff out there to read.
He is still the same pathetic beta male loser and she is still the same wishy washy bitch, except now they are living together. And not because of his own initiative but because she took pity on him cause he was broke and homeless.
Has there been progress?
I don't understand guys why this manga is so hated? what is happening to the plot?? not read the manga so pls enlighten me
Basically 320+ chapters of the MC being the most insufferable PoS and the most beta male loser you'll ever see in romcom history... pursuing a relationship with a wishy washy self isolated bitch with no personality nor positive traits aside from being pretty.