(I don't feel like thinking up a more creative title so I'm titling it as is for now.)
The manga I'll be discussing in this post is Bitter Virgin by Kusunoki Kei. I've only read this manga one other time. I'm not sure why I never read it again after that. I knew that the story was quite serious, complex and quite worth reading but for some reason I avoided reading it again. Recently I happened upon this manga again and because I was bored with all the new manga coming out while waiting for updates for much anticipated ongoing mangas, I decided to finally reread this manga. Note, the content of this manga is mature and not a topic to be taken lightly. There is, in my opinion, pettiness involved but ultimately the tone is serious drama.
I finished my second read over this manga in about a day or so. It was really intense in the way that the male lead Suwa was constantly walking on egg shells and stressed over Aikawa (the female lead). I can't say much about the story other than how strong it was because I can't actually connect to the experiences of Aikawa but the raw emotion and amount of responsibility that Suwa took upon himself to look after this girl whom he inevitably fell for touched me.
The rest of this post from here on out is a spoiler in relation to the end which prompted me to write this post. You have been warned thus if you read from here on out, you are solely responsible for allowing yourself be spoiled.
The ending of the story is very bittersweet. It walks in the end with reality in mind, that even though they are together now and it is a happy ending, it will not change the realistic future that they will someday split upon finding someone else who they will fall in love with probably. It shocks me how mature both parties are and they realize this realistic side of a relationship going into the story. I like how the mangaka doesn't cover all the bases with this controversial relationship like when Suwa's mother finds out or like when the child of Aikawa possibly comes to seek her out-which would probably contribute to the reality of the future (not happily forever after). It really saddens me in a way though (bittersweet) because of all the mental stress and turmoil that Suwa suffered from this knowledge about this girl he came to love throughout this manga really makes me want to believe that in the end, he will definitely see to it that Aikawa will be happy. I guess the idea is that for Suwa, in the end if they don't end up together, he will still treat her with the up-most care in order to see to it that Aikawa will never have to suffer under those circumstances again (or at least I hope it would be like that). In addition to what Suwa had to go through in this story is obviously Aikawa's physical and mental trauma that she suffered through. It's amazing how much she's been able to step out of the darkness and with Suwa, I hope she'll eventually be able to somehow come to terms with her experience (whatever that means). I hope someday she grows up to be a strong woman like Suwa's sister.
All in all, this story is a definite read. If you get passed the petty and quite hysterical "girlfriend" Kazuki, this manga is really amazing and kind of opens up your mind. For me, I've read more than a few mangas where there is this sort of traumatized character and this other character come together and find some sort of happiness as a couple and usually they end with a happily ever after as though it's saying, "finally, I can be happy and at peace" but this manga strikes through that. This manga brings us all down to reality that no matter if we find happiness, happiness is and can be fleeting and can potentially come to an end. However, I sincerely hope that these two characters will come out strong through thick and thin because if anything, I feel as though they are a much more deserving couple than idiotic happy go lucky love birds.
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