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A review by dianacanread
Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Vol. 8 by Akiko Higashimura
2.0
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
So. Let’s recap here.
Key and Rinko have a one night stand and for whatever reason, she obsesses over it endlessly for over five volumes even though a) she was insanely drunk, b) he was instrumental in getting her fired, and c) he has insulted everything about her from her appearance, her demeanor, her work ethics, her talent, her hobbies, her friendships, and how she handles just about everything. Did I mention HE GOT HER FIRED, causing her to feel completely insecure in her career and her life choices? And to also be UNEMPLOYED???? Rinko is also exceeding quiet, timid, and meek around him - a departure from how she behaves with every other character in this book.
Now we find out that the reason Key is such an absolutely vile character is because he had a wife that died. A wife who was his former pediatrician when he was really sick as a kid??? Who he married when he was barely out of his teens? Anyway, she died, so he is SAD and needs to treat everyone poorly so they can feel as sad as him. And if this wasn’t an obnoxious justification for his actions, his wife! Looks! Like!! Rinko!!!!!!!!
And now he apparently treated her terrible cause he LOVES her AND she reminds him of his wife!!!!!
Hahahahahha.
So Rinko, who just moved in with her nice, stable boyfriend who is DELIGHTED at having someone in his life, gets whisked away by her supposed friends who ignore her wishes to stay in her new, comfortable life and INSIST she has to go three hours away to save Key, the same guy who had also insulted all of them. Cause what if Key loves her? What if what if? They literally scream at her into going in a reversal of what actual supportive female friends would do - no good friend would be like, yah, drop your life for this guy who abuses you at every turn. Please. They would be telling her to run the other way.
And now we’re here where I think there is supposed to be some massive twist that Key is actually way more like the women than he bargained for and I think I am supposed to swoon by them having sex in a row boat on a beach?
The thing is: Key is irredeemable. The opportunity to redeem him passed ages ago. It’s like the mangaka got bored of the story half way through and the chapters where Key was supposed to grow as a person, where there was supposed to be some justification as to why he is worthy of our lead female protag, were lost. His behavior got exceeding worse and more than that, aside from being cruel, snarky, vindictive, creepy (when he just??? Shows up???? At Rinko’s date???????????) and stoic, he has zero personality. When has he shown us personality other than staring blankly at people and being annoyed?
Key’s faults lie in not in his trauma, but in his terrible characterization and often lazy, vague writing. How disappointing for a series that started off so promisingly.
One volume left. Ugh.
(Also, those pages and pages of filler that were supposed to give us more background into the girls’ history and friendship? Added nothing to the overall story at all.)
So. Let’s recap here.
Key and Rinko have a one night stand and for whatever reason, she obsesses over it endlessly for over five volumes even though a) she was insanely drunk, b) he was instrumental in getting her fired, and c) he has insulted everything about her from her appearance, her demeanor, her work ethics, her talent, her hobbies, her friendships, and how she handles just about everything. Did I mention HE GOT HER FIRED, causing her to feel completely insecure in her career and her life choices? And to also be UNEMPLOYED???? Rinko is also exceeding quiet, timid, and meek around him - a departure from how she behaves with every other character in this book.
Now we find out that the reason Key is such an absolutely vile character is because he had a wife that died. A wife who was his former pediatrician when he was really sick as a kid??? Who he married when he was barely out of his teens? Anyway, she died, so he is SAD and needs to treat everyone poorly so they can feel as sad as him. And if this wasn’t an obnoxious justification for his actions, his wife! Looks! Like!! Rinko!!!!!!!!
And now he apparently treated her terrible cause he LOVES her AND she reminds him of his wife!!!!!
Hahahahahha.
So Rinko, who just moved in with her nice, stable boyfriend who is DELIGHTED at having someone in his life, gets whisked away by her supposed friends who ignore her wishes to stay in her new, comfortable life and INSIST she has to go three hours away to save Key, the same guy who had also insulted all of them. Cause what if Key loves her? What if what if? They literally scream at her into going in a reversal of what actual supportive female friends would do - no good friend would be like, yah, drop your life for this guy who abuses you at every turn. Please. They would be telling her to run the other way.
And now we’re here where I think there is supposed to be some massive twist that Key is actually way more like the women than he bargained for and I think I am supposed to swoon by them having sex in a row boat on a beach?
The thing is: Key is irredeemable. The opportunity to redeem him passed ages ago. It’s like the mangaka got bored of the story half way through and the chapters where Key was supposed to grow as a person, where there was supposed to be some justification as to why he is worthy of our lead female protag, were lost. His behavior got exceeding worse and more than that, aside from being cruel, snarky, vindictive, creepy (when he just??? Shows up???? At Rinko’s date???????????) and stoic, he has zero personality. When has he shown us personality other than staring blankly at people and being annoyed?
Key’s faults lie in not in his trauma, but in his terrible characterization and often lazy, vague writing. How disappointing for a series that started off so promisingly.
One volume left. Ugh.
(Also, those pages and pages of filler that were supposed to give us more background into the girls’ history and friendship? Added nothing to the overall story at all.)