Shounen no Abyss

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Spoiler for 143:

I thought he was lying in order to provide her with some comfort before putting her out of her misery. The last person he thought of before attempting to burn the house down was Nagi.

He did the same thing with Gen. Waiting for him to get out of prison? That was a complete lie.

Yeah, that is a possibility, but I'm not sure if I'd lean into that, Chako shipping notwithstanding. He disclosed his feelings in the previous chapter and said that because his mom didn't die and that he'd wait for Gen to get out, that he was stuck in the town, so I don't think it was a lie. And I'd have no reason to believe he'd say that with some devious or deceptive intent(i.e. doing a Yuko), given his body language. I expect him to be the same ol' kind Reiji at the core. But that kindness could also contribute to your hypothesis(i.e. being kind by lying to Chako at her end), esp after the grandma stuff. I'd rather put hope that he hasn't fallen into that way of life yet =0v...

I think the part with him looking at Nagi on his phone was that he regrets not knowing about the real her. I feel that he might've been thinking about saving her somehow, but not getting that chance before his attempted end.

[frubam]

Spoiler for 144:

Of course she wasn't really dead .

Chako really didn't care about dying with Reiji himself; only that she deals a blow to Esemori and become this supposed main character =0(. That's kinda disheartening tbh. I think if she really thinks about it, she does care about Reiji at least enough to want to die with him, and relive the story of "Spring's Coffin"(i.e. dying with someone she loves). But alas, the fact that she stated that she was going to die with "Esemori's ex's son" and not "Reiji", made it seem like she really doesn't. Either way, I can only wonder what Reiji thinks about that, if anything. He could be hurt; or he could not really give a damn because something something Nagi or whatever.

I guess if anyone were to pop up and try to save Chako, Saki would be the best contender, as she's been in Chako's shoes already and knows how it feels to be on the outside of the one you love(it's a bit different with Reiji, but from Chako's own perspective, not so much...). Even if Chako has an epiphany, she potentially, or its implied, that she still hurt her parents. I imagine there will be repercussions for that that will keep her from Reiji in the long run and maybe even end her arc.

[Kanon]

Shino'oka is probably the only ordinary character in this story. The only one who has truly managed to escape the town and Yuko's abyss.

I read the author's previous' work Himegoto over the weekend and Yuko is pretty much Mikako 2.0. As in more fucked up. The art and the writing have improved a lot since then, Himegoto was pretty silly most of the time. It was fun in a watching a trainwreck kind of way. It did give me hope that Shouen no Abyss' ending isn't going to be bleak though.

[frubam]

Spoiler for 145:

If there was any doubt in my mind how Chako felt about Reiji, those doubts have now been completely cleared. She didn't even see Esemori as a person, but rather, as a novel; a clear indication of her obsession with being a heroine. Essentially, Esemori didn't really mean s*** to her. I thought her calling Reiji as "Esemori's lover's son" or whatever instead of just "Reiji" some chapters ago meant she no longer saw Reiji as a person, but as a plot device. But no, she was just misguided by her obsession; seems at the end after overcoming it, she dropped that obsession for Reiji. Probably about the best conclusion I could ask for in this situation.



Reiji however, I'm still not sure. Instead of getting Chako help, he was more insistent on taking her to Tokyo for some reason. He was also simply going to walk away after Saki said she'd call an ambulance. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, as either he might have thought he was in trouble with the officers and wanted to escape, or, he was looking for death once again, and once deterred, decided to move on(whatever that may mean). At the end there, he didn't look enthralled about "getting better". Curious to see what kind of turn he'll take at this juncture.



Can't believe this manga gaslit us again. Made it seem like Chako had done something irreprehensible, cause she had a knife in her hand(and didn't use it to attempt to kill herself). That, coupled with her proclamation in that moment, meant the most obvious conclusion would be she stabbed her father, or mother, or both.

Originally Posted by Kanon

Shino'oka is probably the only ordinary character in this story. The only one who has truly managed to escape the town and Yuko's abyss.

I read the author's previous' work Himegoto over the weekend and Yuko is pretty much Mikako 2.0. As in more fucked up. The art and the writing have improved a lot since then, Himegoto was pretty silly most of the time. It was fun in a watching a trainwreck kind of way. It did give me hope that Shouen no Abyss' ending isn't going to be bleak though.

Guess you can add another =03.

Himegoto was indeed pretty silly, but I was pretty hooked on it when I was reading it as it was being scanlated at the time. Mostly cause it was a train wreck.... yeah, like you said . My thoughts were the same though; never expected the protagonists to come out of that unscathed as I was reading it, esp considering the love... triangle?(or whatever you call a situation in which one person loves a second person, who loves a third person, who loves the first person), but everyone had a solid ending. Hoping at the very least, most of the chars in this story get that ending. I'm not sure about how I feel about Yuko though. She was a product of her environment essentially, but that doesn't excuse the terrible s*** she's done. Hard to say if she deserves a nice ending... at least not yet...

[Kanon]

Although she hasn't gotten her hands dirty, Yuko has caused the death of at least three people (the john Uryu killed, Uryu himself, and of course her husband). There's a point she stopped being a victim and became a villain. She doesn't deserve a nice ending.

It's so hard to trust the cop because he's just way too nice to Reiji.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Although she hasn't gotten her hands dirty, Yuko has caused the death of at least three people (the john Uryu killed, Uryu himself, and of course her husband). There's a point she stopped being a victim and became a villain. She doesn't deserve a nice ending.

Fair point.

It's so hard to trust the cop because he's just way too nice to Reiji.

Is he? I was actually thinking he was doing his job very thoroughly, almost as if he was trying to "catch" something. He does seem overly invested now that I think about it, ever since Reiji's mom ended up in the hospital. There wasn't much need to pursue Sensei, but he did. Maybe he is particularly meticulous to the events surrounding Reiji, but I'm not seeing any point where his actions were abnormally nice for his well-being, maybe except the end of this last chapter, where(i assume) he suggest he get some mental help(and even that questionable if that's 'too' nice, unless you mean by this manga's standards or something ).

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by frubam

Is he? I was actually thinking he was doing his job very thoroughly, almost as if he was trying to "catch" something. He does seem overly invested now that I think about it, ever since Reiji's mom ended up in the hospital. There wasn't much need to pursue Sensei, but he did. Maybe he is particularly meticulous to the events surrounding Reiji, but I'm not seeing any point where his actions were abnormally nice for his well-being, maybe except the end of this last chapter, where(i assume) he suggest he get some mental help(and even that questionable if that's 'too' nice, unless you mean by this manga's standards or something ).

I mean by this manga's standards. 95% of the adults in this manga are twisted in one way or another.

[frubam]

Ooof.... back down the spiral we go....

I thought this manga would be getting to the end, but, looks like Reiji is in the worst state possible right now. It feels like his kindness won't allow him to just abandon Yuko nor Gen, as long as they are alive(at least that's how I interpreted his dreaming sequence). I wonder if his dead eyes means that he's given up on the suicide thing? Like, that and Chako have been the only things he's looked forward to in his life; he kinda lost the shine Chako brought ever since she was abandoned by Reiji for Yuko many chapters ago, and now it looks like even suicide is possibly off the table. If not that, I have no idea what he could be thinking right now.

And looks like Sensei won't give up on Reiji just yet, but I'm not sure what exactly can she do now; I thought Reiji already rejected her, in a sense. But then again, at that time, she was still using her teacher approach to get closer to him. She hasn't pursued him where he realizes her as a woman, though I doubt this will go over well.

[frubam]

Spoiler for 147:

I wonder how Nagi felt when she read the letter from Saki detailing Reiji's recent suicide attempt with Chako. I felt like that was her "Eureka!" moment; after all this time, he still wanted to commit a lover's suicide(at least, from Nagi's perspective, it can be seen like this, but the readers obvs knows its more to it), and if she can just get to him, then there's still a chance he can be the one to take her to the other side..

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by frubam

Spoiler for 147:

I wonder how Nagi felt when she read the letter from Saki detailing Reiji's recent suicide attempt with Chako. I felt like that was her "Eureka!" moment; after all this time, he still wanted to commit a lover's suicide(at least, from Nagi's perspective, it can be seen like this, but the readers obvs knows its more to it), and if she can just get to him, then there's still a chance he can be the one to take her to the other side..

I'd like to think it's Esemori telling her she should talk to Reiji about her past that made her want to go back to the town rather than that. But she was angry at him so I guess this is more likely.

[Kanon]

Spoiler for 148:

I enjoy her greatly as a character but that woman is fucking nuts. Of course, sane characters in this manga are a dime a dozen.

[frubam]

Is she really nuts though? She's Reiji-obsessed, sure, but I don't feel she's done anything so grand to place her in that category... at least not yet. She's been restraining herself, hiding behind the teacher facade for a while now, but once she gets to Reiji again... she might really go off the deep end this time . Kinda can't wait to see it.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by frubam

Is she really nuts though? She's Reiji-obsessed, sure, but I don't feel she's done anything so grand to place her in that category... at least not yet. She's been restraining herself, hiding behind the teacher facade for a while now, but once she gets to Reiji again... she might really go off the deep end this time . Kinda can't wait to see it.

She's thanking her grandfather for dying because it gave her an opportunity to sneak away and see Reiji again. She's crazy.

[frubam]

Spoiler for 149:

Sensei winning the Reibowl??? Noh wai!

Seriously though, I think this'll be a turning point. I wonder what exactly is Reiji's intention here? I mean, he could just be giving her lip service(literally and figuratively); you know how much this series loves to throw the red herring at the end of the chapter, only for it to be something else in the next one. Or this could be the beginning of Yuko-esque Reiji... we'll see....

[Kanon]

Reiji has embraced his role as the Abyss. The only person who can save him is Nagi, and vice-versa. Unfortunately, they might be both too broken to help each other.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Reiji has embraced his role as the Abyss. The only person who can save him is Nagi, and vice-versa. Unfortunately, they might be both too broken to help each other.

Spoiler for 151:

Looks like you might have been right. Nagi shows up, and there was a clear light in his eyes that he hasn't had for a long time. There is a certain rapport he has with her that the other girls just can't match.

Not gonna lie, when Nagi asked Reiji could she stay at his place for the night, and I saw the "Huff"s in the next panels, I thought they were getting it on like mad rabbits, haha. Author totally knew what she was doing there.

Nagi has such a different countenance this chapter; like she's somehow more free. Usually she's like dead in the water, but maybe that was because she was always at the receiving end of the drama. Ultimately, the biggest thing here is that Reiji expected her reason for being there to be because someone told her to get her phone, but clearly, she's there of her own free will. I think this is the first serious decision she's ever made on her own accord in this manga shown thus far, and that just might be the catalyst to bring Reiji back from the position Nagi was in at the beginning of the story(which Reiji has essentially become).

But that Yuri... oh boi..truly going for a

YouTube

https://youtu.be/aQ3Xs86Io00

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end ....

Seriously though, this(what I will call) "thermal shock" effect is going to be real devastating for Yuri. Just last chapter, she was on cloud nine when Reiji accepted her for who she is; even said they'd get married. Going from that to what I expect... I mean, it might not go down as intended, but events are looking like the letter Kazumasa sent to Yuri will eagerly make her go see Reiji during the funeral, only to somehow see him with Nagi. I have NO idea how that will turn out. That is going to be a CRAZY chapter... but first, hopefully, and finally, some Nagi backstory.

[Kanon]

Reiji is also clearly pissed off at Yuri, so the next time they meet each other, it really will not go well, whether he's with Nagi or not (but he will be, of course). IMO, Reiji and Nagi can find salvation because they're merely broken people, they haven't gone over the edge yet. Yuri is a lost cause, she's in too deep inside the Abyss. Let's not even talk about Yuko...

[Kanon]

Spoiler for 153:

Wow, Nagi just telling Yuko to hurry up and die. She did it super politely too. Really hope she won't go back to Tokyo and will stick around longer, given what we know awaits her.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Spoiler for 153:

Wow, Nagi just telling Yuko to hurry up and die. She did it super politely too. Really hope she won't go back to Tokyo and will stick around longer, given what we know awaits her.

Yeah, that was WILD! There are so many ways one can look at this or take this too; is Nagi essentially taking Reiji away from Yuko? I mean, she basically said "I am the wife of the man you love, and now that I'm done with him, I'll give him back to you. Go die with him so I can take your son instead." . Or did Nagi rob Reiji of saying/asking what he wants to say/ask? What was Yuko thinking when she looked at Reiji that last time as she closed her eyes? A lot of subtle, and not-so-subtle contexts.

I wouldn't expect Nagi to leave just yet; I thought it'd be inevitable that in the very near future, Yuri would come across Reiji and Nagi being together. I expect at least that to happen before they split up from each other.

[frubam]

Spoiler for 159:

So... I guess Sensei off the deep end. Hard to say if she kidnapped Nagi, or just sheltered her like she did Gen, but given the abruptness of her disappearance, I'd certainly say the former. Seems while he seemed very convincing to Yuri when she delivered that letter about them being together, it seems he now has reservations about doing so. And now that he heard her phone in Sensei's parents' house, he definitely doesn't trust her. But I wonder what exactly can such a passive person like Reiji do in this situation?