#kuraku

[hell-is-cozy]

I'VE WAITED TWO YEARS FOR THEM

[coolestzed]

Has this been done yet?

[patibato]

[Bitter Sweet Sixteen] 002-A05 - Healthy Party

*continuous typing*

Momiji: …

Yukikaze: … Momiji…

Momiji: ……

Yukikaze: You're frighteningly concentrated, so I was holding my tongue while watching you, but - I can't take it anymore.

Please answer me. What happened?

Just what work do you need to complete so badly that you're making such a demonic expression…!

Kafka: Sigh. You don't need to be so weirdly worried.

They said they'd quickly finish a "thorough and easy to understand proposal with no room for wisecracks", then quickly return to the school to get revenge on those cute kids.

Yukikaze: …I see, so that's it.

Kafka: This Chief-chan is great. They're full of energy, or forcefulness, perhaps. I like it♪

Yukikaze: Right, I agree. At times like this, Chief's vigour is like mapo tofu with Sichuan pepper.

Kafka: You never change, can't you do something about those idiotic comparisons?

Momiji: ……

Yukikaze: …

Kafka: …

*door opens*

Ten: Wow~ …such pleasant expressions. Don't you feel like two parents watching their kid play with building blocks?

*door opens*

Renga: Hey… …ah, T-Ten. Didn't know you'd be coming to the office!

Ten: Renga-san, hey.

Renga: Um, if you want, when we leave today, how about we… visit a bar together? I'm in your debt from when we went to your sushi restaurant before, so…!

Ten: Oh. Are you gonna treat me, Renga-san? Sure thing~

Liguang: …I could hear some kind of hitting sound coming from outside the door, is it your doing, Momiji?

Momiji: ……

Liguang: …You're not listening at all.

*typing stops*

Momiji: President. What is the judgement criteria for the Tourism Ward Mayor candidates.

Kafka: I'll leave that to you.

Momiji: Understood.

*typing starts again*

Momiji: ……

Renga: Hey, what on earth is Chief doing?

Kafka: Seems like Chief-chan got kinda messed up because of some Asu-High students, so they're in work demon mode.

Renga: Asu-High? …Right, that takes me back.

Liguang: For Tourism Ward Mayors, they said? …Dealing with brats is troublesome.

*typing stops*

Momiji: It's done…! Now to dash back to the school-

Sakujiro: The school gates have already been closed.

Momiji: Huh…

*crows cawing*

Sakujiro: As it's the day before Summer break, it seems the gates were closed earlier than usual.

Momiji: N-no way… Even though I decided I'd definitely redeem myself…!

Sakujiro: No. I believe it's still too soon to draw a conclusion. This very day, for the purpose of going all out with celebration before Summer break-

The Student Council President, Kuraku Yumenosuke, is hosting a large scale house party that all ten thousand students are invited to.

Momiji: What!

Sakujiro: Don't you suppose the students in question will be attending too? Perhaps it would be worth taking a look.

Momiji: That's right! Absolutely!

Sakujiro: Then please, put this on posthaste.

Momiji: What are these clothes?

Sakujiro: There seems to be a dress code for participation. This time, the theme is "clothes that look like they're from a young adult movie"-

For this day, Saku-me* has poured his heart into sewing this stitch by stitch.

Ten: Huh, it's hand made? Cool.

Momiji: Thank you so much!

Kafka: Get changed in five minutes. I'll call a car right now. …Be careful, and take care.

Yukikaze: Go without regrets. I'll be waiting with your favourite dinner.

Renga: I don't really get what's happening, but… don't overdo it!

Momiji: Thanks, everyone! I'll be off!

Momiji: Amazing… this isn't the level I'd expect from a student's house party.

There's a night pool, a DJ booth, even a counter bar. Though, obviously they're not serving alcohol…

Look, there's so many people in black suits. The security's flawless.

Sakujiro: The Kuraku family are elites of the political world, after all.

The large garden parties frequently held here are famous in various circles.

Momiji: Right, I've got it. So if it's a place like this, those five will definitely be here.

-For now, I'll try asking around.

Sakujiro: Certainly. I'll be back later, then.

---

Student A: Huh… Isotake? You mean that dangerous guy who's rumoured to be complicit in murder?

Student B: There's no reason to call those guys here. Who knows what'd happen if we did.

---

Student C: Kurama? He's got bad vibes, no one goes near him…

Student D: By Kaguya, do you mean the helmet-wearing Student Council Vice President? I hear he's so beautiful he has a fanclub, but I always thought he was a dangerous guy.

---

Student E: That guy called Kinugawa, I didn't know about him. Nanamegi, though, he's handsome and well-known, so I'd heard of him.

Student F: No one wants to approach Nanaki-kun after that happened. It's really a waste, he was so popular. If you're hanging out with those guys, probably best you stop.

---

Momiji: (Those kids don't have a very good reputation, huh…)

(That "incident" certainly left a lasting impression. If I'd just looked into it properly…)

??: Excuse me! You over there!

Momiji: Y-yes!

??: You're the one searching for those five heinous criminals, correct?

Momiji: He-heinous criminals?

Yumenosuke: Nice to meet you. I'm the Student Council President of Hama Asunaro High School, Kuraku Yumenosuke. Thank you for being here today.

Momiji: Ah, right… sorry to bother you.

Yumenosuke: As our school posseses a student body of ten thousand, I believe strong friendships between students are essential-

Today's party is for assistance in social mingling, however! At the same time, it functions as a place to cultivate a sound mind in the students, and what's more! For the peace of mind of their guardians, each and every area-

Is guarded by our notoriously strong staff, who have helped protect and nurture the Kuraku family since my great-grandfather's time.

In regards to you, who is searching for those heinous criminals, by all means, I would be tremendously grateful if you could quietly watch over the healthy growth of our youth!

Momiji: (I didn't ask, and yet he exposited so many things…!)

(Now that he mentions it, those strong-looking black suited guys are staring at me. I suppose it's natural that I'd be considered a suspicious person…)

Sorry for the late introduction. This is who I am.

Yumenosuke: A business card…! Thank you for your consideration. Hmhm… the Regional Revitalisation Club's…

I see, so you were an advisor!

Momiji: Yes. My reason for being at this party is linked to my work.

Yumenosuke: …I see, so that's the situation, I understand! It was of my own arbitrary discretion that I doubted your position, sincerest apologies for that!

Black-Suited Staff: Sincerest apologies!

Momiji: No, as long as you understand now then…

Yumenosuke: I'm thankful for you being lenient with me. However… before you return to your search, would you mind putting up with my nonsense for just a little longer?

Momiji: Uh, alright…

Yumenosuke: I had a Student Council Vice President who I put my trust in. I used to believe that whatever life had in store for me, our mutual trust would never be shaken, but-

He completely betrayed my expectations! On that night, one month ago!

The old school building… a building of cultural heritage symbolising its era, where my father - now a cabinet member - studied… was blown up, unbelievable as it is!

Colluding with four hooligans whose corrupted souls are of the same level as his own!

Momiji: (B-blown up…!? I see, that's the "certain incident"…)

Yumenosuke: Among them were people admired by the other students - but now, they are all Rank One.

Student A: Rank One means they're the lowest rank, y'know.

Momiji: (There's that "Rank" talk again…)

Yumenosuke: You over there, do quiet down. Discrimination based on Ranks could invite criticism towards our school's education system.

…Nay, this too is a result of the hard work he neglected. It can't be helped that he's being slandered for his act of betrayal.

Momiji: Um, excuse me. Just what exactly do you mean by "Rank"?

Yumenosuke: Oh my, could it be that you weren't acquainted with them!

Momiji: Sorry, I've not done much research…

Yumenosuke: I shall explain it in simple terms. The ranking system is a tradition of our school.

To start, the ranks are split into five levels. Those who are studious, active in clubs, and diligent in particular are Rank Five-

Conversely, those who slack off are Rank One, giving each student an incentive to make an effort.

Those who strive the most… the Rank Fives are given appropriately favourable treatment. From the cafeteria menu to special privileges in club activities, the right to make suggestions, and above all, being the envy of all the other students. Just like myself.

And as Rank Ones are the exact opposite… I'm sure you understand without me saying any more.

Momiji: (They're treated coldly… I see.)

Yumenosuke: After hearing all that, I'm sure you understand now! Even so, do you still intend on searching for them?

Momiji: Yes, I do.

Yumenosuke: … I understand. It's important to confirm these things with your own eyes. Well then- take a glass, external advisor-san.

Everyone! In celebration of our first semester passing by safely, let's once again toast with our champagne-style carbonated drinks!

*students saying "cheers"*

Momiji: (If I was Rank One, and knew I'd be getting shunned like this-)

(I absolutely wouldn't come here. It's unpleasant.)

(Maybe it'd be best to start over and take a different approach…)

Student G: Ah! I spilled my champagne-style carbonated drink! Anyone got a tissue?

Student H: There's lots of pocket tissues over there.

Student G: I don't want to use those ones though… Feels like bad luck.

Momiji: (How on earth would a tissue feel like bad luck…)

(Hm?)

(There's an advert on the back…)

Advert: "The genius galactic movie director ISOTAKE presents a once in a lifetime screening of an ultra brand new movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Momiji: ("Isotake" meaning, Akuta-kun!? The date for it is-)

Today…!

*Sakujiro is referring to himself in third person, with "me" being a humbling suffix.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Masterlist

[collectorcookie]

(fragmem) I know the subtitles say "kurode" but i hear it as "kurodo" and it makes me wonder if his name is actually "claude"

[themangaiveread]

[mytownishaunted]

Here's a clump of latest drawings I made with some lazely made excuses for background :p

 Asuka Kuraku from Hana no Asuka-gumi! She beats peoplr up with a coin.

Falete Gaskin finds something from his forgotten past.

Sayaka Kanamori from Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Better pay your animators or she's comming to collect.

Another quick drawing of Heather Dean

[disasterotis]

Oh my god, this manga is ridiculous. I really must wonder where this is going, on the surface level it's just a racist rant, and what is up to date, what this manga want to say to me, dosn't seem that positive.

Tbh only if our main protagonists will just turn out to be racist villans, and manga will state that, i can only in that way see this messaging as any positive, but i don't think this is going this way.

Well i will be following it for sure, sometimes it's worth to engage with something problematic, and i'm also really curious about where this will go.

Also the art is ridiculously good, a shame if this will turn out, how it already turns out.

[angelfoodscake]

bocchi op stuck in my head………

[abyssus-aeterna]

汝よ、くたばれ。反敵意主義などもくたばれ。由無ければなり。

内なる月影の中を忍び寄る翳りたる惡しき者、

媒介者を沁み透り、唾に溶くる喰ひ捲りの素、

内向きの停止裝置惰性、外向きの單純象徵反轉、

内なる淡紫の靈氣によりて呼び出だされし暴れ癖、

許しは讓られ、果てし無き永久の醉ひに迷ひ込み、

彩やかなる氖の通ひ路を通り拔くる天圖り、

幽くなりたる靈氣ぞ、心に傷を負ふ夢幻を通して碎け散りたる。

切り裂かれて朱に塗られたる手首、黃泉に沈み込む總ての亡き魂。

[Classic transliteration]

Nare yo, kutabare. Fantekii syugi nado mo kutabare. Yosi nakereba nari. Uti naru tuki-kage no naka wo sinobi-yoru kageritaru asiki mono, Baikai-sya wo simi-tofori, tuba ni tokuru kufi-makuri no moto, Uti-muki no teisi saũti daseĩ, soto-muki no tanjun syaũtyoũ hanten, Uti naru afa-murasaki no reĩki ni yorite yobi-idasaresi abare-kuse, Yurusi wa yudurare, fate si naki tofa no yofi ni mayofi-komi, Azayaka naru newon no kayofi-di wo tofori-nukuru ama-fakari, Kuraku naritaru reĩki zo, kokoro ni kizu wo ofu yume-maborosi wo tofosite kudake-tiritaru. Kirisakarete ake ni nuraretaru te-kubi, yomi ni sidumi-komu subete no naki tama.

[Modern transliteration]

Nare yo, kutabare. Hantekii shugi nado mo kutabare. Yoshi nakereba nari. Uchi naru tsuki-kage no naka wo shinobi-yoru kageritaru ashiki mono, Baikai-sha wo shimi-tōri, tsuba ni tokuru kui-makuri no moto, Uchi-muki no teishi sōchi dasei, soto-muki no tanjun shōchō hanten, Uchi naru awa-murasaki no reiki ni yorite yobi-idasareshi abare-kuse, Yurushi wa yuzurare, hate shi naki towa no yoi ni mayoi-komi, Azayaka naru neon no kayoi-ji wo tōri-nukuru ama-hakari, Kuraku naritaru reiki zo, kokoro ni kizu wo ou yume-maboroshi wo tōshite kudake-chiritaru. Kirisakarete ake ni nuraretaru te-kubi, yomi ni shizumi-komu subete no naki tama.

fuck you & fuck your anti-hostility principle, ain't mean nothing:

shaded demonic entity creeping through the inner moonlight,

seeping through vectors & dissolving in saliva, binge material,

inward killswitch inertia & outward simple symbol inversions,

violent minded tendencies summoned by inner violet auras,

permission delegated, lost in endless perpetual intoxication,

celestial mapping through the vivid neon shaded hallways,

darkened aura, shattered through these traumatic visions;

wrists slit & slick with vermilion, all lost souls sink below.

[renardtrickster]

Drama Queen and a Dissection of Fascist Thinking, Framing, and Language

If you're at all plugged into the anime sphere, you know what's going on. If you don't, Drama Queen is a manga made by Kuraku Ichikawa, and made its debut in Weekly Shonen Jump on December 1st of this year. Kuraku Ichikawa's past works have been drama-action oneshots, none of which I believe are particularly relevant to the discussion of today. What is relevant is that with one chapter released and eight days of time to ferment, Drama Queen has been embroiled in drama, with the common talk being that it's a blatantly xenophobic, anti-immigration screed that at times seems to almost perfectly trace common alt-right arguments and talking points.

Sickened, but curious, I decided to read the one chapter released thus far. The following is not only a window into what's going on, for those who are equally sickened but curious, as well as my analysis and thoughts on the same.

The backstory for Drama Queen is that, nine years ago, a meteorite was hurtling towards Earth, spelling destruction for the planet and all of its inhabitants. They were saved by the intervention of a species of unnamed aliens, who kind of look like humanoid puffballs with goofy face trunks. The two coexist, but there's an underlying tension from the very beginning. A male alien/female human couple walk the street, as we see advertisements for high-rise apartments available only to aliens, hourly parking where aliens don't have to pay, an alien baseball MVP on a big screen in the public square. As the alien points up, our first main character, Nomamoto, stands behind, bleeding from the nose.

Out of the gate, we obviously see that the aliens are given a preferential treatment, but I want to focus on the nosebleed. The implication is obviously that Nomamoto was just elbowed in the face, and she's going to begin yelling about it, but the panel looks like this.

It's not impossible that she was elbowed in the face, but I wanted to draw attention to a few things. No impact sound is drawn implying that contact was made. The angle between where Nomamoto is standing and where the alien's arm is positions feels off. And in the panel after showing Nomamoto's bloodied nose, she's shown standing quite a distance away from the couple, that implies only a moment or two passed between "contact" and confrontation.

This isn't immediately relevant, and in the grand scheme of things, whether or not the alien actually did elbow her is irrelevant. But this is our first suggestion that Nomamoto might not be the most reliable narrator. It's not out of the pale that she was either bleeding from the nose already and decided to pick a fight, or deliberately walked into him so she could start one. In discussions on this manga, I've seen multiple people say this is their first impression of what happened. But I digress.

Nomamoto points out that the alien just elbowed her, only for the alien to ask "who are you" and then accuse Nomamoto of making false accusations. As Nomamoto demands an apology, the human woman apologizes on behalf of her "partner", only for Nomamoto to storm off angrily, wishing death upon aliens for being rude, and cursing out the woman for calling her boyfriend her "partner". A bizarre, almost out of place gripe. #wokeness, am I right?

Nomamoto notes that she's grateful the aliens destroyed the meteor, but also notes that the aliens "clearly" look down upon humans. "But I'd probably be in trouble if I said that", she says to herself. She passes by posters for "New Universe Week", a celebration held to "remember our love and gratitude for that day". On the television, a newscaster proudly reports that the alien population in Japan has exceeded 17 million, with 60,000 in Senno city alone. They interview people who are grateful for the aliens, glad that they're alive today, or that space travel is now easily affordable, as Nomamoto wonders when she last ate meat. Her paychecks are abysmal, but she can't fall into self-pity. Can't be miserable, stay positive.

Nomamoto's job sucks. A factory job with the aforementioned miserable paychecks. The AC isn't on, with her boss using some sort of "cooling spray" on himself. Despite being her boss, he barely speaks Japanese, with his text bubbles rendered as random scribbles that vaguely resemble kanji, but are in fact more gibberish than anything else. Nomamoto's boss is screaming at her, and her nose has recently been bloodied, implying he struck her. Nomamoto even asks why he always hits her, but we once again do not see the impact (and if it's hot, which the lack of AC corroborates, it could just be a heat nosebleed). As is to throw Nomamoto's reliability further into question, her coworkers note that Nomamoto is frequently in trouble with the boss, she's always scowling, and even they don't like her.

The first time we see an alien actually hit someone on-screen is when the boss accidentally elbows a man behind him. Said man turns around, demands an apology, and when faced with the unintelligible speech, ask how he can be the boss when he can't even speak the country's planet's language. The man also notes that the working conditions are garbage, he won't turn the AC on, and nobody else complains as the boss makes money off of everyone else's backs. This man is Kitami, and he will become very important soon. He and Nomamoto get acquainted, and Kitami, before leaving, notes that it would have been a big deal if Kitami hit his boss back, because the higher-ups are all aliens, and "society is on their side".

At home, Nomamoto summarizes her shitty living situation, which I'd like to make another aside for. She's 17 years old, cut ties with her parents for reasons unknown, and doesn't want to come crawling back to them. Her full time job returns a payslip of roughly $1,000, and she feels like she can't find another job because she has no skills to speak of. Nomamoto lives a financially insecure life with nobody else to fall back upon. She's isolated, but not just by her poor economic status. But by the fact that something isn't right about all of this. Nomamoto wonders, how could anyone else work for chump change for a smile on her face? Are they happy, working themselves to the bone for an alien boss? Sure, the aliens saved humanity, but something doesn't feel right. And she hates it. It's not like she's supposed to feel this way. "But I'd probably be in trouble if I said that", she says to herself. "I wish they'd all just disappear".

In this moment, Nomamoto translates her economic anxieties into racial scorn. She doesn't explicitly say it, but does suggest that, if the aliens didn't come down to Earth, her lot in life would be better. That it's their fault that she's poor, and miserable, and alone. She even projects that fear and hatred onto other people. She's a madwoman, because she's the only one who can see the truth that's in front of her face. That everyone else either can't see, or will punish her for naming it. And by framing herself preemptively as a victim, a martyr who would be hung on the cross for saying what she truly feels, she pushes herself further into isolation.

And to wrap this aside up in a bow, Nomamoto brings her own introspective journey to a close. Acknowledging that she's not supposed to feel this way, she declares "misery is for the weak" and decides to watch dog videos to take her mind off of things. This close to "the truth", and she shies away with a thought-terminating cliche, and some mindless entertainment. The blue pill that prevents you from waking up, the goyslop meant to distract you and keep you complacent.

At a nearby beach, Nomamoto and Kitami meet up to do some fishing. It's not very eventful. What's important is the conversation after they accidentally lose the tiny morsel they managed to catch. Spaceships dot the sky, trailing by constantly. They're constantly visible in any shot of the skyline, and Kitami notes that they're reflected even in the ocean. The world's changed in a few short years, and the ocean he used to know and love, where he'd play with his family, is no more. Modernity may bring wonders (as mentioned before, trips to the moon are routine and very accessible now), but they've taken the past away from this man.

Bringing up his family directs the conversation towards that, and Kitami drops his first bombshell of the night. His tragic past is that HIS WHOLE FAMILY WAS KILLED BY ALIENS. As he relates the story, they were celebrating his sister's high school graduation when an alien car came flying in reverse. "I'm sure he was a drunk driver" Kitami says, as though he doesn't know all the details. But according to him, the police didn't try looking for the culprit, probably too afraid it'd turn into an interplanetary incident. In one fell swoop, we not only see why Kitami hates aliens, but we also, rather blatantly, reference reports of "migrant crime waves". When I read this, the first thing I thought of were the "rapefugees" craze, or constant news cycles about Muslim migrants killing children and the police not arresting them due to "cultural differences", because as we know, police love NOT arresting brown people. For a more contemporary example, you might have thought of "they're eating the cats and dogs".

But that isn't the only bombshell Kitami drops in this conversation. He asks Nomamoto if she thinks any of this is weird either. How it seems convenient for the aliens. He then openly speculates, what if there was no meteor in the first place? The aliens have access to technology well above that of humanity, so isn't it possible the whole thing was staged? Kitami has no evidence that this is the case. He just asks questions and posits an idea. But in this moment, we see the birth of a conspiracy theory. With no proof that the aliens are intentionally malicious, Kitami invents the proof, and the free-floating, directionless hatred that Nomamoto feels can now be given justification.

Kitami calls what the aliens are doing a "soft invasion". A nonviolent effective takeover of the planet Earth. And I'd like to digress her for a second to point out some disparate elements and weave them into a more coherent thought.

The first thing we see is an alien with a human girlfriend, walking around town with her hanging off of his arm. I don't personally read the earring as any sort of explicit racial coding, because I don't think the aliens represent anything other than a vague concept of a "foreign other", but you do you.

News reporters happily announcing that the Japanese population is increasingly becoming composed of aliens.

The cover featuring Nomamoto surrounding by the phallic trunks, even appearing to jerk one of them off, suggestive of an interracial gangbang of sorts.

The meteorite with an alien trunk, expelling spermlike spaceships...

...Which trail along the sky and the ocean, as though the aliens were figuratively raping the very planet and filling it with their seed? It hasn't been said outright, but the implications and the visual storytelling all evoke the idea of the Great Replacement. A "soft invasion" where through immigration and miscegenation, the native population of the country (or planet) will be supplanted by another race. A racist conspiracy theory that tends to go hand-in-hand with another racist conspiracy, that said Great Replacement is being orchestrated by some nefarious group (usually the Jews, most conspiracy theories go back to antisemitism if you give it enough time). In this case, the aliens fake a meteorite, so they can become heroes to humanity, so they can cow them through love and gratitude into not objecting to the destruction of the planet and the replacement of their demographics, so says Kitami.

Kitami follows up his thoughts by saying that it's all rotten, the world can go to filth for all he cares, and he wishes the aliens would all just disappear. Nomamoto says the same, and that she'd always felt that way. The two spend the rest of the day talking trash, building alien heads out of sand and kicking them into dust, punctuating each kick with a personal grievance and a "drop dead".

"This is so much fun. Who knew it was so much fun," Nomamoto says to herself, "being miserable?". This entire time, Nomamoto has held back her hatred towards the alien with a kick to herself. Stay positive, don't pity yourself, misery is for the weak, etc. Her attempts at not giving into hatred and staying positive were her taking the blue pill. Once she had a serious talk with Kitami, someone more in touch with his own hatred, he talked her into taking not just the red pill, but the black pill as well. Feel miserable. Feel hopeless. It's not just that your life is bad, the whole world is going to shit as well. It's unfixable. And you know who to blame and who to hate now.

The next day (another bloody nose implied to be caused by physical abuse, another suspicious omission of us actually seeing it), Nomamoto is fired. Her boss accidentally set himself on fire, while according to her coworkers, she just sat there and watched him burn to death. She feels bad that she got fired, but felt no guilt whatsoever upon seeing her boss die. Kitami calls her phone, having looked up her address online, and brings the dead body of a different alien inside. Kitami claims that the alien turned around and accidentally hit him in the face, giving him a bloody nose. Kitami beat him to death in rage. "Killing people is fundamentally wrong. Only I don't see this thing as a person", dehumanizing the man he murdered in cold blood.

After discussing how to hide the body, Nomamoto suggests eating the alien, citing how her boss' burnt body smelled like grilled squid. They eat the entire body, bones and all. Nomamoto loves the taste, but Kitami hates it. He does decide, however, that they have a perfect system set up.

(Also the aliens are strong enough to fake a meteor catastrophe and take over the country, but are dumb enough to set themselves on fire by sheer accident, and weak enough that two random people, with enough determination and cunning, could weed them all out by killing and eating enough of them.)

Before I continue on to the conclusion, I do want to address a pervasive reading of this manga I've seen thus far. From what we've seen, the aliens are the dominant power in society. They get preferential treatment, are effectively worshiped, protected, and live in luxury. Meanwhile, our antiheroes are decidedly working class, and suffering in poverty. And Kitami's plan of using Nomamoto as a human garbage disposal would entail her, in a sense, literally eating the rich. However, I don't buy the idea that this is *actually* about capitalism, or at least, not exclusively. Even if I were to adopt that reading, and it isn't entirely incompatible, it wouldn't shake off the racial overtones and tropes previously invoked. Attention is drawn to the cultural differences between humans and aliens repeatedly. They're drawn in an incongruous art style, obviously out of place in this world. "If you live in my country, speak my language" is not a proletarian criticism towards the bourgeois. The class power the aliens wield is not what is bad about them. It's simply a tool they wield, and they are bad, and they do not belong here.

Another read I've seen is that this isn't an anti-immigration screed, it's anti-colonization. The aliens are a technologically advanced culture who take over a less advanced one, framing themselves as saviors while making the native population second-class citizens and living in luxury off of the fruits of their labor. Taken at face value, this is an accurate description of the events of the backstory (at least according to Kitami's read of things). However, I hesitate to say this one is a good read either. As above, even if it's an anti-colonial screed, it's one that still heavily indulged in malicious, baseless conspiracy theory and an explicitly racial animosity. And as above, it's not uncommon for the language of colonization and decolonialism to be appropriated by the alt-right or equivalent figures. But more to the point, colonization is about dominance and subjugation, not integration. Aliens may be privileged, but Nomamoto's boss isn't where the rot stops and ends. The aliens are baseball stars, and they're dating Japanese women (colonial regimes have famously been kind towards interracial couples, of course of course). As it stands, this is currently the "white genocide" version of colonization, where nobody dies but there's DEI, more people of a different race than you, and you have this vague feeling that life would be better for you if they weren't here anymore.

It should also be noted that, if we're going to draw parallels to real life, Japan doesn't have a colonization problem, and has in fact been a colonial power itself in the past, in addition to having pervasive issues regarding xenophobia, anti-immigration sentiment, and all around just being a conservative hell country.

So I think I've demonstrated the idea that Drama Queen is absolutely dripping with a certain alt-right language and framing (inb4 someone tells me Japan doesn't have an alt-right and my American mind cannot comprehend their mystical nuanced, superior Nippon politics folded 1,000 times or something). Boiling it down to barest essence, this is a story about a teenager with no money, no power, and no place in the world who hates her shitty life and is harboring a free-floating grievance towards a group of foreigners who, at best, are frequently rude and catered to, at worst are directly responsible for her misery. After various attempts to ignore this feeling about what feels right to her, and to ignore how bad her life is, she meets a man who feels the same way, but he knows he hates them. He endears her with a sob story about how he was wronged by the foreigners, and then weaves a conspiracy theory about how they tricked the entire native population and have now effectively enslaved them. This "peaceful coexistence" is actually an invasion, and with all of this freshly implanted, the teenager goes from passive annoyance that she tries to suppress, to open hatred she embraces, consciously wallowing in her misery because she knows that she's a victim now. And then uses that hatred and sense of victimization to indulge in dehumanization, vigilante justice, and open, genocidal hatred. This *is* Racist Dungeon Meshi.

So I don't think that's part is arguable. The story of Drama Queen is anti-immigration, it uses alt-right arguments and framing, and by my count, looking over Umberto Eco's 14 points of Ur-Fascism, we hit 7 of them (rejection of modernism, action for action's sake, fear of difference, appeal to a frustrated middle class, obsession with a plot, enemy is too strong and too weak, and maybe pacifism is trafficking with the enemy). However, there is another question present. Drama Queen's narrative is a fascist one, but is it so because the author is pro-all of that shit, or are we going to get a rug pulled out from underneath us when we reveal that the protagonists are in fact villains, and they're meant to be seen as irrational and bigoted?

I dunno lol

As I pointed out, both Nomamoto and Kitami seem like unreliable narrators. They're obviously biased, and we only have one chapter worth of manga to see what the world is like, so I can imagine that they're skewing things to be in line with their worldview, or else are so trapped in their ideologie *schniff* that they can't see outside of it. Adding onto that is the fact that while Nomamoto is young and dumb, Kitami seems older, more hateful, and more violent. He's the one who proposed the conspiracy theories, he's the one who murdered an alien because he got bumped into, he tracked down where Nomamoto lives online and then forced her into hiding the body. And he's the one who proposed the kill-and-eat plan. Nomamoto is no saint, but Kitami is actually deranged in his hatred, and he's pushing her further into radicalization. Not to mention, "Drama Queen" can refer to nobody else but the main characters, taking their slights and everyday frustrations and blowing them up into a war of extermination. It's not impossible that Drama Queen might be Mouthwashing-esque in the sense that our viewpoint characters are unreliable, warp the story to suit their needs, and not only do you need to read between the lines to see what's really going on, but it will all crescendo in a moment of undeniable denunciation of the thought processes displayed. If this possibility turns out to be the case, then Drama Queen might actually be genius satire, intentionally evoking anti-immigration rhetoric for the purpose of spotlighting and deconstructing it, leaving an open question to the audience of if they fell for it as well. If they cheered on monsters and believed their lies.

On the other hand, it's entirely possible that this is not "satire and criticism of the thing" and is in fact just "the thing". I've "read between the lines" to showcase how Nomamoto and Kitami are self-deluded and invent narratives to make themselves the heroes of their own story. But is there anything actually written between those lines, or am I being overly charitable, or stuck in a sense of denial, refusing to believe that such an obviously bigoted work like this would get published. It's not the first time this has happened. If you've never heard of Tokyo Shinobi Squad, don't worry because nobody else was reading it either. I could tell you the plot is about cyberpunk mercenary ninjas fighting each other, but I don't care about that and you don't either. The only thing people talk about when they bring up Tokyo Shinobi Squad is the opening textcrawl and first line of the main character, where they bemoan globalization turning Japan into a crime, slum, and terrorism ridden wasteland (businesses totally aren't in bed with organized crime in modern day Japan, don't worry about it the yakuza doesn't exist). And this was published in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2019!

Everything is very uncertain right now. In the first few pages, Nomamoto complains about women who call their boyfriends "partner", a gripe about progressive trends completely unrelated to the main thesis surrounding aliens. Is that another dogwhistle meant to appeal to reactionaries who view progressive and queer things as being part of the same rot as the immigration bringing aliens into the world, or is that a heads-up to let us know that we're going to be picking apart, making fun of, and talking *about* reactionaries? The aliens are drawn to look out of place in the world, but they also look cute, being goofy, fluffy creatures with floppy ears and elephant trunks. Is it meant to make them look cute, so we understand how monstrous the protagonists are for killing them? Or does the fact that we're brutalizing such patently ridiculous-looking creatures add to the black comedy angle, and it also serves to desensitize us towards the violence committed against them, a reassurance not to take it so seriously (also they kinda deserve it and they look cute and pitiable so you fail to realize just how much they deserve it)?

I don't know. We'll have to wait and see where this is all going. Only one chapter has been released so far [EDIT: I started writing this last night and since then, another chapter has been released. Still inconclusive]. We're basically flipping coins as to whether or not this is peak subversive fiction, or just /pol/. If you want to take away anything from this post, it's two things.

1. Regardless of the answer you know that racist weebs with K-on! icons are going to scream "based based based" and co-opt this manga, we're just asking whether or not it's "meant" for them. Also please note the irony of white Americans cheering on anti-immigration sentiment in a country that would ban them for being filthy rude foreigners all the same. Especially because, if we had to ask "who are the aliens meant to represent", I've seen some people say "Koreans" but the overwhelming consensus has been "Americans and Europeans".

2. Despite everything, I found this a very valuable read. I talked about this manga with my brother, and he doesn't think as a work of art it's very interesting, putting aside the politics. But what I find interesting *is* the politics, how all of the arguments and talking points I've mentioned are laid out so openly, almost masterfully in a way. This is a certified Media Literacy Moment, and I think it's very interesting as a filter or litmus test for said media literacy. Whether or not you personally think Drama Queen is going to be an unironic anti-immigrant manifesto or a subversion thereof is less interesting to me than if you are capable of *identifying* why and how we are having the conversation that we are having.

[utapri-translations-uuuu]

One Day - Lyrics + Translation

Please do not repost/retranslate without permission.

Kanji:

【All】 「おはよう」そして「おやすみ」を

生まれてきてくれて　有難う

これからもずっと傍に…

【Ei】 月にエスコートされて太陽は

【Sh】 空を目映く照らし出す

【Ki】 小鳥のさえずりを伴奏に

【Ei・Ki・Sh】 「いってらっしゃい」を愛で語ろう

【Ng】 街の賑やかさが

【Va】 高揚感を連れ出して

【Ng・Va】 今日も笑顔が咲いてゆく

【Ya】 後悔と反省は

【Ej】 暗くなる前に

【Ej・Ya】 手を繋ぎ合って

【Ng・Va】 希望と勇気に

【Ej・Ya】 変えてゆこう���

【All】 幸せが「おかえり」って花ひらくから

【All】 一日の始まりから終わりまで

共に廻る 色とりどりの景色

どんな日々も (La la la)

一緒ならば (La la la)

いつだってアニバーサリー (アニバーサリー)

365日 そしてその先へ 丁寧に重ねてゆこう

【Ei】 四季折々のフェスティバルや

【Sh】 尊き誕生日はもちろん

【Ki】 ありふれた毎日の中さえ

【Ei・Ki・Sh】 奇跡は起こってゆくものだから

【Ng】 遊びだって 何だって

【Va】 手加減ナシの本気モード

【Ng・Va】 今日もついつい夜更かしさ

【Ya】 たまにするケンカは

【Ej】 信頼の証

【Ej・Ya】 喜怒哀楽が

【Ng・Va】 織り成していった

【Ej・Ya】 トクベツが　ほら

【All】 日に日に かけがえのない場所になるんだ

【All】 うたた寝に温かなブランケット

揃いのカップ 涙に甘いカフェオレ

共に過ごす (La la la)

日常ぜんぶ (La la la)

羽ばたいたアニバーサリー (アニバーサリー)

365日 ひとつひとつから 愛を教わったんだよ

【Ei】 暁が高らかに 世界の

【Sh】 誕生に舞い 黎明は唄う

【Ki】 Morningの瑞々しさが育みを

【Ng】 Middayの輝きが 営みを

【Va】 黄昏は 喜び叫んでく

【Ya】 そしてオウマガトキ 抱きしめ合うように

【Ej】 互いを大切に想う 宵闇

【All】 空が移ろうたび 降り注ぐ祝福…

【All】 共鳴する夢と 感謝の歌を

最初からひとつだった魂

名前を付けよう (La la la)

この瞬間を (La la la)

美しきアニバーサリー (アニバーサリー)

365日 ��してその先へ 丁寧に重ねてゆこう

【All】 「おはよう」そして「おやすみ」を

命の限り　贈り続けよう

いつの日も「愛してる」を

Rōmaji:

【All】 “Ohayō” soshite “oyasumi” o

Umarete kite kurete arigatou

Korekara mo zutto soba ni…

【Ei】 Tsuki ni esukōto sarete taiyō wa

【Sh】 Sora o mabayuku terashi dasu

【Ki】 Kotori no saezuri o bansō ni

【Ei・Ki・Sh】 “Itterasshai” o ai de katarou

【Ng】 Machi no nigiyaka-sa ga

【Va】 Kōyōkan o tsuredashite

【Ng・Va】 Kyō mo egao ga saite yuku

【Ya】 Kōkai to hansei wa

【Ej】 Kuraku naru mae ni

【Ej・Ya】 Te o tsunagi atte

【Ng・Va】 Kibō to yūki ni

【Ej・Ya】 Kaete yukou yo

【All】 Shiawase ga “okaeri” tte hanahiraku kara

【All】 Ichinichi no hajimari kara owari made

Tomo ni meguru irotoridori no keshiki

Don’na hibi mo (La la la)

Issho naraba (La la la)

Itsu datte anibāsarī (anibāsarī)

Sanbyaku rokujū go nichi soshite sonosaki e teinei ni kasanete yukou

【Ei】 Shikioriori no fesutibaru ya

【Sh】 Tōtoki tanjōbi wa mochiron

【Ki】 Arifureta mainichi no naka sae

【Ei・Ki・Sh】 Kiseki wa okotte yuku mono dakara

【Ng】 Asobi datte nan datte

【Va】 Tekagen nashi no honki mōdo

【Ng・Va】 Kyō mo tsuitsui yofukashi sa

【Ya】 Tama ni suru kenka wa

【Ej】 Shinrai no akashi

【Ej・Ya】 Kidoairaku ga

【Ng・Va】 Orinashiteitta

【Ej・Ya】 Tokubetsu ga hora

【All】 Hinihini kakegae no nai basho ni naru nda

【All】 Utatane ni atatakana buranketto

Soroi no kappu namida ni amai kafeore

Tomo ni sugosu (La la la)

Nichijō zenbu (La la la)

Habataita anibāsarī (anibāsarī)

Sanbyaku rokujū go nichi hitotsuhitotsu kara ai o osowatta nda yo

【Ei】 Akatsuki ga takaraka ni sekai no

【Sh】 Tanjō ni mai reimei wa utau

【Ki】 Morning no mizumizushi-sa ga hagukumi o

【Ng】 Midday no kagayaki ga itonami o

【Va】 Tasogare wa yorokobi sakendeku

【Ya】 Soshite oumagatoki dakishime au yō ni

【Ej】 Tagai o taisetsu ni omou yoiyami

【All】 Sora ga utsurō tabi furisosogu shukufuku…

【All】 Kyōmei suru yume to kansha no uta o

Saisho kara hitotsu datta tamashī

Namae o tsukeyou (La la la)

Kono shunkan o (La la la)

utsukushiki anibāsarī (anibāsarī)

Sanbyaku rokujū go nichi soshite sonosakihe teinei ni kasanete yukou

【All】 “Ohayō” soshite “oyasumi” o

inochi no kagiri okuri tsudzukeyou

itsu no hi mo “aishiteru” o

Translation:

【All】 “Good morning” and “Good night”

Thank you for being born

Please stay by my side forever...

【Ei】 Escorted by the moon, the sun

【Sh】 Begins to dazzlingly illuminate the sky

【Ki】 Accompanied by the chirping of birds,

【Ei・Ki・Sh】 Let’s lovingly tell each other “See you later”

【Ng】 The bustle of the city

【Va】 Brings forth a feeling of exhilaration

【Ng・Va】 Today, too, smiles will blossom

【Ya】 Before it gets dark,

【Ej】 Let’s turn any

【Ej・Ya】 Regrets and remorse

【Ng・Va】 Into hope and courage

【Ej・Ya】 By holding hands

【All】 Because happiness blooms with a “Welcome home”

【All】 From the beginning to the end of each day,

We cycle together through a world of colorful scenes

No matter what kind of days may come, (La la la)

As long as we’re together, (La la la)

It’s always an anniversary (Anniversary)

365 days, and beyond — let’s carefully add to them one by one

【Ei】 Not just in the seasonal festivals

【Sh】 And precious birthdays, but even

【Ki】 Within our ordinary days,

【Ei・Ki・Sh】 Miracles are always happening

【Ng】 Whether we’re playing or doing anything else,

【Va】 It’s always serious and wholehearted, no holding back

【Ng・Va】 Today, we ended up staying up late again

【Ya】 The occasional argument

【Ej】 Is a sign of trust

【Ej・Ya】 Joy, anger, grief and pleasure

【Ng・Va】 Have woven together

【Ej・Ya】 Creating something special, you see

【All】 Day by day, it becomes an irreplaceable place

【All】 A warm blanket for a nap,

Matching cups, sweet café au lait for your tears

All the everyday moments (La la la)

We share (La la la)

Become a soaring anniversary (Anniversary)

From each of those 365 days, we’ve learned about love

【Ei】 Dawn rises high, celebrating the birth

【Sh】 Of the world and daybreak sings

【Ki】 Morning’s freshness nurtures,

【Ng】 The brightness of midday is alive

【Va】 And dusk shouts for joy

【Ya】 Then, by twilight, we hold each other close

【Ej】 We cherish each other deeply at midnight

【All】 Each time the sky changes, blessings rain down upon us…

【All】 A song of similar dreams and gratitude

From the start, our souls have been one

Let’s give a name (La la la)

To this moment (La la la)

A beautiful anniversary (Anniversary)

365 days, and beyond — let’s carefully add to them one by one

【All】 “Good morning” and “Good night”

For the rest of our lives, let’s keep exchanging these words

Everyday, let’s say “I love you”

[soraneko3]

KURAKU

「小春日和」展示作品　2024年10月制作

「黄落」-秋が段々深まり、植物達が冬へと向かい黄葉を地面に落とすこと。 さくさく歩きたくなる穏やかな散歩日和の一時。

[jjs-brainrot]

Alright, we've finally gotten the full Girls Band Cry Episode Title Mixtape!

Tōkyō Wasshoi (Tokyo Hype) by Kenji Endo (1989)

3-Biki no Yakō-Sei no Ikimono (3 Night Owls) by Yura Yura Teikoku (2003)

Zukkoke Mondō (Stumbling Conversation) by Eastern Youth (2001)

Kansha（Odoroki) (Gratitude (Surprise!) by Fishmans (1994)

Utagoe Yō Kore (Raise Your Voice) by Sambomaster (2005)

Haguremono Sanka (A Tribute to the Outcasts) by FLOWER COMPANYZ (2007)

Namae wo Tsukete Yaru (Giving It a Name) by Spitz (1991)

Moshimo Kimi ga Naku Naraba (If You Were to Cry) by Gingnangboyz (2005)

Kaketa Tsuki ga Deteita (The Crescent Moon Rises) by The Groovers (1997)

Wandervogel by Quruli (2000)

Sekai no Mannaka (In the Middle of the World) by The Blue Hearts (1989)

Sora ga Mata Kuraku Naru (The Skies Darken Once More) by RC Succession (1990)

Rokku n Rōru wa Nariyamanai (Rock 'n' Roll Never Ends) by Shinsei Kamattechan (2010)

Bonus tracks (songs that got referenced somewhere in the episodes)

Sekainoowari (The End of the World) by THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT (1996) (found by @mahoushoujotechsupport here)

Genuinely a pretty fire mixtape of classic 90s/2000s J-Rock. I highly recommend giving all of these bands a listen alongside togetoge's songs. Yura Yura Teikoku is quickly rising as one of my favorite bands and I've been thinking about that Gingnagboyz song nonstop for the last few weeks...

[patibato]

[Bitter Sweet Sixteen] 002-B01 - The Hateful Five

Female Student A: Oh, ufufufu! Just what I'd expect from you, Yumenosuke-san! Sharp, smart, athletic, and funny to boot.

Female Student B: I'm so happy we can spend time together in mahorova like this.

Yumenosuke: I'm also honoured to be able to talk with delightful ladies such as yourselves. It's a shame that, due to me being at my villa in Switzerland, the metaverse is our only way to meet, but… well, there's only about half of Summer Vacation left.

Next on the agenda is how to make the best use of the remaining time—let's have an open discussion about it!

Female Student A: Sounds good to me! By the way, what are your plans?

Yumenosuke: I completed all my assignments in the first week, so in the remaining time, I think I'll put all my efforts towards ensuring the success of the open days we'll be holding at the end of the month.

Female Student B: Oh my! That's wonderful! We should learn from you.

Female Student A: We should. I've just been obsessed with the "LashColle" releases lately…

Yumenosuke: LashColle… "Eyelash Collection", you mean? Unfortunately, I'm rather unfamiliar with the eyelash world, so I appear to be falling behind.

However, I believe the top LashColle award from the other day was acquired by my Uncle, with an overwhelming point difference, yes?

Gannosuke: Indeed, along with one of the audience awards.

A pleasure to meet you, lovely young ladies. I am Yumenosuke's Uncle, Kuraku Gannosuke.

Female Student B: I was wondering who the mysterious gentleman next to Yumenosuke-san was… so you're that renowned eyelash artist?

Female Student A: Congratulations on your winnings! Your work was the boldest, most radiantly decadent one of them all…!

Female Student B: So true. On top of that… it felt a little different to your usual style!

Yumenosuke: Huh… has there been a change in your mental state or something?

Gannosuke: Well, the other day I had a once in a lifetime encounter on the island. There's no doubt that he sparked a flame in my imagination.

Yumenosuke: Oh! That's wonderful to hear. I wonder, just what kind of encounter was it—

Student Council Member: President Kuraku!

Yumenosuke: What is it? Quiet down.

Student Council PR: It's serious! Please look at this news!

Yumenosuke: …!? "Active High Schoolers Recruited as Tourism Ward Mayors"…!?

Student Council PR: What's more, while this hasn't been announced yet, my mother who works with the news says the ones nominated are—…

Female Student A: Of all people, it's those lowly Rank One students who may have blown up the old school building…!? Aah, I'm getting dizzy…!

Female Student B: A-are you alright, Yumenosuke-san? You've gone pale…

Yumenosuke: …Kh!

(Ward Mayors have a lot of influence over the political world, and despite knowing that, the Ward 0 Mayor chose THEM? In the first place, it's clear this personnel decision was enforced without proper consideration… an unacceptable folly!)

(What's more, being a Ward Mayor…! It's the position that I should have been inaugurated into in "Kuraku Yumenosuke's Life Plan Chapter 3 ~Tourism Ward Mayor Edition~"…!)

(Surely those savages responsible for the bombing incident took the positions with no great effort involved—absolutely unforgivable! How dare they do this to my perfect life plan… how dare they…-)

Gannosuke: Are you alright, Yumenosuke-kun?

Yumenosuke: … Excuse me. I have some business to attend to, so I shall take my leave now!

Gannosuke: …

Momiji: Everyooone! The press release is ouuut!

Akuta: Ooh! For real!? Can I see~~~?

Nanaki: Oi, Akuta. Sit properly while you eat.

Ushio: Hmm… this celebration* soba is pretty good.

Muneuji: Indeed. I'm sure even my mother, who's very particular about Japanese food, would choose to eat this 100% buckwheat soba.

*slurping*

Kiroku: … Slurp…

Akuta: Uuum, "Actibb high shkoowers~"…

Yachiyo: Ah, should I read it out? Since everyone's busy eating…

Renga: That's thoughtful of you. —Hey, you guys, hand it over.

Momiji: Sorry, Yachiyo-kun. Please go ahead!

Yachiyo: "Active High Schoolers Unexpectedly Chosen for Wards 5-9 in the Hama Special Tourism Ward"

Liguang: … …

Yachiyo: "Aiming to incorporate a new sense of values into Hama's tourism based on the younger generation, who bear the burden of the future—"

"We are pleased to announce that active high schoolers have been inaugurated into the position of Tourism Ward Mayors for Wards 5-9 under the orders of Ward 0 Mayor and Hama Tours President, Oguro Kafka."

Yukikaze: …

Yachiyo: "As with the tour held by R1ze—the Mayors of Wards 0-4—which concluded to high acclaim the other day, their upcoming first tour will include a Hospitality Live."

"And this time, there'll also be an inauguration ceremony held on the first day, making this a tour packed with events."

"Furthermore, it will be held at their school building, one of the symbols of Hama—"

Ten: This soba's good.

Yachiyo: "Hama Asunaro High School, in collaboration with the open days being held."

"It will be a tour that can be enjoyed by not only the prospective students and their guardians, but the general public as well, so please rouse yourselves to take part, everyone."

—Done!

Momiji: The press release really does make it hit home and get you motivated.

Akuta: A Hospitality Live for the tour…! Just hearing that gets me going all of a sudden~~~!

Liguang: Don't shake the table, boy.

Nanaki: Ah, sorry, I'll scold him later.

Renga: But you know, feeling excited for it is… well, I understand it. But what will you do about the contents? Your concept is important.

Kiroku: …The… concept… …

Ushio: Our dear Idiotake-san, how's that coming along?

Akuta: Nghe?

Muneuji: Thinking up the concept is the leader's role. Do you have anything in mind?

Renga: W-wait! Students. —I appreciate that you guys don't know up from down when it comes to making plans.

If you're struggling, I could deign to lend a hand—

Akuta: Ac-tua-lly, I DO have a proper plan!

Renga: Wh—

Liguang: Patronising them is futile.

Ten: Isn't it nice that they won't be taking up any of your time, Renga-san?

Renga: …- Y-yeah, right.

Momiji: —Alright, if we're finished with the soba, let's get on with the rest of the moving process!

All Five: Got it.

Nanaki: So the room arrangements have me, Akuta, and Kiroku rooming together.

Akuta: The room's called "Coil" huh. We should think up a coiled pose later.

Kiroku: … Hm…

Momiji: Are you fine with this room arrangement, Ushio-kun?

Ushio: Can't complain about rooming with Muneuji. The name, on the other hand…

Muneuji: "Whinny Clan" is an interesting one. Shall we devise a Whinny Clan pose later?

Momiji: (The former inn does have weird room names…)

Nanaki: We should finish carrying in our luggage now. Let's go Akuta, Kiroku.

Kiroku: Mhm…

Ushio: … …

Yukikaze: Why are you scowling at your phone? Have you finished putting away your luggage?

Ushio: Elevator's full so I'm waiting for it to be empty. Gotta use that spare time to ego-search that news from earlier.

Yep, there's the slander. Reported.

Yukikaze: …

Ushio: …You think what I'm doing is pointless, don't you? So do I. It doesn't really matter.

Yukikaze: No, it's not pointless. I'll help.

Ushio: … Idle curiosity, huh.

Momiji: (It's not out of curiosity, it's out of kindness. Ushio-kun…)

Muneuji: Uuchan, step aside a bit. I want to put this there.

Momiji: Woah! That bag looks super heavy…!

Yukikaze: How grand. …It doesn't look like a piece of furniture.

Kafka: Amazing, right? It's full of congratulatory gifts sent by Muneuji's family.

Momiji: Wow~! It's got everything from high class sweets to electric appliances!

Kafka: Looks like we won't need to worry about equipment for a while. There's even tea cakes for tea time with Chief-chan.

Akuta: Lured by the presence of food, I have arrived from the second floor!

Ushio: Are you a dog…?

Akuta: Can I have this gold leaf castella? Ah, if I gather up the gold leaves, will I become rich?

Momiji: Ahaha, I wonder.

Ten: What's your home like, Akuta? Your family must be happy to hear you're a Ward Mayor.

Akuta: Nyah, my uncle's holed up at work so we've not had a proper talk yet. Nom nom…

Momiji: Your uncle?

Akuta: He's an animation director, Isotake Taiji. He's been looking after me.

Momiji: Is that so…

Ten: Isotake Taiji's a pretty famous animator. And even if he wasn't, people working in animation have it hard.

Momiji: (There goes Ten-kun…! Splendidly moving past the complicated circumstances and continuing the conversation…!)

(Come to think of it, the family member who signed the letter of consent for the trip was his uncle, wasn't it.)

(I wasn't going to touch on it, but—I see, that was why.)

Renga: Oh, Akuta! You're here! I was looking for you!

Akuta: Mgh?

Renga: A-about your concept! Earlier, I wondered if you were bluffing in front of everyone… I understand that too, or like…

A concept isn't something you can put together so easily! So I, the leader of the Morning Team, shall-

Akuta: Nah, I'm good. But thanks for the thought, Renga-san.

! Nanaki and Kiroku have come back at just the right time.

Hey, gentlemen of Asu-High! Attentiii~~~~on! Please gather here tomorrow!

Renga: …Uu.

Akuta: I'll be announcing the best, most powerful concept to render the guys who treated us like idiots speechless!

Renga: I-I… can lend… my knowledge…

Momiji: (I'll console him later…)

*"引っ越しそば" (hikkoshi soba) is soba eaten to celebrate a successful move. It's traditionally given by neighbours, but in recent years has become something eaten regardless

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Masterlist

[kfkr1ze]

[002-B01] Hateful 5

Summary — ✈︎The students have now become official members of HAMA Tours. Now, they are filled with excitement about their upcoming activities.

Characters— ✈︎ Akuta, Kiroku, Nanaki, Muneuji, Ushio, Kafka, Renga, Ten, Yukikaze, Liguang, Yachiyo

Location: mahorova Lobby

Female Student A: Oh, fufufu! As expected of Yumenosuke-san! Not only are you intelligent and athletic, but you’re also good at telling jokes!

Female Student B: I’m so glad we can spend time together like this in mahorova[1]!

Yumenosuke: I too am honored to be speaking with both of you wonderful ladies. It’s rather unfortunate that our only way to meet is in this metaverse, what with myself being away at my villa in Switzerland… Good thing that summer vacation is around halfway over.

Next up on our itinerary is to plan how we should spend the rest of the timeーー Let’s have a discussion about it!

Female Student A: I fully agree! What are your plans, Yumenosuke-san?

Yumenosuke: I’ve already completed all my assignments within the first week of the break, so I intend to use the remaining time I have to place all of my resources into ensuring the success of the open campus event happening at the end of the month.

Female Student B: Woow! That’s amazing, Yumenosuke-san! We should all follow your example.

Female Student A: We definitely should. I’ve just been so caught up in my LashColle lately…

Yumenosuke: LashColle… Is that an abbreviation for “Eyelash Collection”? Unfortunately, I’m not the most knowledgeable person about the world of eyelashes, so I may be a little behind.

However, I believe that the grand prize for a LashColle contest held recently was won by my Uncle. He won by an overwhelming majority, if I recall?

Gannosuke: You would be correct. I also won the audience award as well.

Good evening, it’s wonderful to meet you ladies. I am Yumeosuke’s Uncle, Kuraku Gannosuke.

Female Student B: You’re that person who’s been lingering next to Yumenosuke for a while now… Wait, are you that famous eyelash artist?

Female Student A: Congrats on your award, sir! Amongst the others, your work was the most boldest, colorful, and most decadent of them all…!

Female Student B: Seriously. Actually, it feels like your style was pretty different from all your previous work!

Yumenosuke: Hm…? Did something occur to your mindset recently?

Gannosuke: I wouldn’t see that exactly, but just the other day, I had a once in a lifetime encounter on the island. There is no doubt that “he” has influenced my inspiration.

Yumenosuke: Oh! Then that’s wonderful. I wonder what kind of encounter it wasーー

Student Council Member: President Kuraku!

Yumenosuke: What’s the matter? You came in extremely loudly.

Student Council Member: This is really serious! Please check the latest news!

Yumenosuke: …!? It says… Current high school students have been appointed to be Ward Mayors!?

Student Council PR: What’s more, although  this information has not been released to the public yet, according to my mother who works in the news department, the people who are going to be appointed areーー…

Female Student A: Out of everyone they could’ve chosen, they chose those Class 1 students who may have been involved in the explosion at the old school building…!? Ah, I’m starting to feel faint…!

Female Student B: Are you okay, Yumenosuke-san? Your face has gone extremely pale…

Yumenosuke: …Kh!

(Ward Mayor 0 knows fully well how influential Ward Mayors are in the political world, and yet he chooses those students!? It’s clear to me that this decision was made by personnel who haven’t done any thorough research… This is unforgivable!)

(What’s more, this is the Ward Mayor position…! This position was written directly in my “Kuraku Yumenosuke’s Life Plan ー Chapter 3: Ward Mayor Edition”! It was mine…!

(I cannot believe those barbaric bombers who blew up that old school building could get a job such as this without putting in any real effort! How dare they ruin my perfect life plan… How dare they…)

Gannosuke: Are you alright, Yumenosuke-kun?

Yumenosuke: … Please excuse me.

I have sudden business to attend to, so I will be seeing myself out!

Gannosuke: ………

Location: HAMA House Living Room

Kaede: Everyoneee! The press release came iiin!

Akuta: Ohh!! Seriously?! What’s it say, what’s it say～～～?

Nanaki: Hey, Akuta. Sit down properly when you’re eating.

Ushio: Hmm… This Moving-in Soba is pretty good.

Muneuji: Agreed. Even my mother, who is particularly picky about Japanese food, would enjoy this 100% buckwheat soba.

Kiroku: …Slurp slurp…

Akuta: Umm let’s see… “Curwent hishchool shutends…”

Yachiyo: Ah, should I read it out to you all? Since you’re all busy eating right now…

Renga: That’s a good idea. ーーHey, you guys. Hand over the press release.

Kaede: Sorry to ask this of you, Yachiyo-kun. Thank you!

Yachiyo: “Current highschool students were unexpectedly appointed as Ward Mayors for HAMA districts 5-9.”

Liguang: ………

Yachiyo: “The goal is to incorporate a fresh set of values from people of the younger generation, who will lead the way of the future, into tourism in HAMAーー”

“We are pleased to announce that current high school students have been appointed as Ward Mayors for districts 5-9 under the orders of Ward Mayor 0, also known as the CEO and President of HAMA Tours, Oguro Kafka.”

Yukikaze: ………

Yachiyo: “The upcoming debut tour will feature a Hospitality Live, similar to the first tour given by R1ze, which featured the Ward Mayors 0-4 and ended with a great success rate.”

“In addition, an inauguration ceremony will be held on the first day of the tour, so we can expect this tour to be packed with many events.”

“Furthermore, this tour will also feature their school, one of our very own symbols of HAMAーー”

Ten: This soba’s super good.

Yachiyo: “Hama Asunaro High School. Thus, they will be holding a collaboration event with the school’s open campus.”

“This will be a tour that can be enjoyed by fellow students and parents alike, as well as the general public, so please do come by and check out the tour.”

ーーThat’s the end!

Kaede: Reading the press release really makes it feel real and just gets me even more motivated.

Akuta: Seeing stuff like “A special Hospitality Live planned for the tour” makes me get SUUUPER excited～～～！

Liguang: Kid, don’t shake the table.

Nanaki: Ah, sorry, I’ll make sure to scold him properly later.

Renga: But y’know, I get feeling excited for it… Well, as much as I do get it, what about the actual content? The concept is really important.

Kiroku: …Our…concept……

Ushio: So what’s the plan, our dear Idoitake-san?

Akuta: Neh?

Muneuji: The leader’s job is to come up with things like a concept, isn’t it? Do you have any ideas for this?

Renga: W-Wait! You high school students. ーーWe’d get it if you guys aren’t sure what to do, since you’re novices at planning and all.

If you’re feeling troubled, I wouldn’t mind taking the time to lend you a handーー

Akuta: Act・ual・ly, I already got a plan!

Renga: Whaーー

Liguang: It’s pointless to try to act like a senior now.

Ten: Isn’t it nice that you don’t have to give away your free time, Renga-san?

Renga: … Uh, y-yeah, I guess.

Kaede: ーーThen, once you all finish eating your soba, let’s start finalizing your move in!

All 5: ‘Kayyy.

Nanaki: Alright, so we got our room assignments. Akuta, Kiroku, and I will share a room together. 

Akuta: The room name is “TOGURO[2]” huh. We should do some sorta coil pose or something later.

Kiroku: ……Mm……

Kaede: You’re okay with the room assignments too, Ushio-kun?

Ushio: Since it’s Muneuji, I don’t have any problems. I do have a problem with the room name, though.

Muneuji: “Neigh[3] Clan” is an interesting one. Should we do some sort of duo horse pose together too?

Kaede: (The names of the rooms from the original inn sure are strange…)

Nanaki: Well, I’ll start bringing up my luggage then. Let’s go, Akuta and Kiroku.

Kiroku: Mhm……

Ushio: ………

Yukikaze: What are you staring so hard on your phone at? Have you already finished putting away your luggage?

Ushio: The elevator’s full right now, so I’m just waiting for everyone to be done already. I’m just using my free time to ego-search after the news got released.

Yup there it is, slander. Reported.

Yukikaze: ………

Ushio: … You think this is stupid, don’t you? I do too. It doesn't really matter.

Yukikaze: No, I don’t think it’s stupid. I’ll help you.

Ushio: … You’re curious, huh?

Kaede: (I don’t think it’s curiosity. He’s just trying to be kind, Ushio-kun…)

Muneuji: Uu-chan, could you please move over a bit? I need to put this there.

Kaede: Wah! That’s a lot of luggage…!

Yukikaze: It really is a massive amount. …But, it doesn’t look like there’s any luggage there.

Kafka: Isn’t it amazing? All of these are congratulatory gifts that were sent by Muneuji’s family.

Kaede: Wow〜 There’s a lot of giftsーー from appliances to luxury sweets!

Kafka: Seems like we don’t have to worry about needing supplies for a while. There’s even some tea time snacks I could have with Chief.

Akuta: Lured by the smell of food, a wild Akuta has arrived from the second floor!

Ushio: What are you, a dog…?

Akuta: Can I have some of this gold leaf castella? Hmm, I wonder if I could get rich if I gather all the golden leaves?

Kaede: Ahaha, I don’t know about that.

Ten: Speaking of family, what’s your home life like, Akuta? I’m sure they were ecstatic to hear you became a Ward Mayor.

Akuta: Mm, nah my Uncle’s pretty much holed up at work so we haven’t really talked about it yet. Munch munch…

Kaede: Your Uncle?

Akuta: Yeah, he’s looking after me right now. He’s an anime director, Isotake Taiji.

Kaede: Oh… is that so…?

Ten: Isotake Taiji’s that famous animator, right? Even if he wasn’t, people working in the anime industry got it pretty rough.

Kaede: (Good move, Ten-kun…! He managed to work the conversation around the complicated subject and continue talking like normal…!)

(Now that I think about it, the relationship of the guardian who signed the consent forms for the study trip definitely said “uncle”…)

(I didn’t really think to ask him about it, but that’s why, huh.)

Renga: Oh, Akuta! So you were here! I was looking for you!

Akuta: Mgh?

Renga: I-I wanted to talk about the concept! I thought you might’ve been acting cool in front of the others earlier so… I can get that… Um…

A concept isn’t something that you can put together so easily! I’d know, as the Morning Squad’s leader, soーー

Akuta: Nah, it’s fine. But, thank you for the nice offer!

! Nanaki and Kiroku came back just in time.

HEY, ASU HIGH STUDENTS! ATTENTIONNN PLEASEEE！

Please gather here tomorrow!

Renga: … Uu.

Akuta: We’re gonna show those people who treated us like idiots with the BEST concept ever!

Renga: I-I… I’m in the know… so…

Kaede: (I’m gonna have to comfort him later…)

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Notes — ✈︎

Just in case you don’t know, mahorova is the metaverse space in 18trip ( made by Raito and Nayuki )

TOGURO means coil, but I kept it as TOGURO since it’s romanized on the room key images and many people just call it TOGURO online ( at least from what ive seen LMAO ). iirc the names are based on the chinese zodiac, with R1ze’s rooms being based off the tiger and rabbit, so I’m assuming this one is the snake.

The room name is “ヒヒン" or hihin.  It’s the sound effect of a neigh. I believe this one is named after the horse zodiac.

[themangaiveread]