TheDoctorX

Thanks!

I now has interwebz! Finishing up Chapter 170 currently.

I understand, good luck with that of fixing your internet connection, I don't like to press or being intense at you, it's for that reason I would be good to know when you got time for discussing things about the series. Like the previous comments 1 and 2 for example, as well as the very recent I found while I was reading 4chan treads. Someone posted certain image hinting this was the draft version of Tomoko, I'd like to know if you can confirm its veracity.

Meanwhile, I'll leave the link of this gallery over here, who know, it could be useful for future references.

Working now. Long story short, went back to the previous company who underbid the idiot company.

Chiba Lotte: it seems clear the Author loves to use names of players and former players. I have tried to hunt the rosters as new characters come in.

As for whether or not that is her name, I think we should wait until she gets a name. If it turns out to be Matsuda, we can just make a note of it. Sort of like realizing we saw the back of Yuri's head chapters before she appeared.

Oh, a shame, I expect you can resolve your working problems, I also have my own one to which deal.

A agree with your statement, I think for now the best is having in account the Matsuda last name, at least until it's corroborated the 'Girl with Short Hair's, last name of.

Once resolved (for now) that affair, maybe you want to give your opinion about the other ones (1). But to summarize what I wrote in those comments:

• The correction about the day when Tomoko phone calling Yuu, but I preferred to ask you firstly in respect to your status as admin.
• A maybe not so relevant question about how easy is finding someone's address in Japan with just looking at a map.
• Knowing that supposed draft of Tomoko is whether or not an official drawing made by Nico Tanigawa.
• A simple gallery of Tomoko's t-shirts.

All mentioned above, you can knowing more deeply by clicking on links.

I struggle myself for not being too pushy by asking you for that, all my life I've had the issue of making people get bothered at me for being too intense, whereas it's not my intention.

1. You can always correct an error.

2. As for the address, for all I know they still have phone books.

3. It looks like one but I do not know.

4. Feel free to add that to the Commentary on Tomoko.

You are not pushy. This is a community where people should contribute.

1. Done, furthermore, I also added a pair of trivia elements to article.
2. I see, I have also heard rumors about Japanese people still manage fax machines, though I don't know if that's true. And I guess Japanese phone books work differently from the ones from here, I mean, how does Asuka even know Tomoko's parents first names to begin?
3. In all these years I have been following the series, I have never found with a sketch version of Tomoko, it's for that reason I'm so renuent to believing the picture shown there is whether or not authentic.
4. I'm going to do it, though I'm not still sure about how it should be managed the content about that specific part of her outfit in the article.
5. I almost forgot it, for so long, I've read rumors spread around internet from people who said that the manga was going to finish in volume 20th (or chapter 200), finally, I could find where those came from, being this afterword chapter the origin.

Sorry for the delay.

See I have to add those to Volume 10!

You read my mind and the last chapter sort of brings out a lot of interesting information. I am currently with intermittent internet so I have not been able to explore it. That will be solved tomorrow so I hope to expand on that. 

Lot to think about. Notice that Asuka stares at Tomoko's toys which she arranged in a salacious fashion!

It's true. She really liked those plushies.

I don't know what the "thing" is, but it can't be clearer that Asuka has one for Tomoko. A thing is a thing.

I will look it over, thanks!

Now going with "Write Sisters", unless there are other chapters which have not been translated, I'd say it's the biggest NT's failure in their career as authors, in view it had only 8 chapters and the las one doesn't show any 'end'.

Regarding story, it can be noticed elements shared with Watamote, such as cringe seen in first chapters, as well as meta-references to otaku culture. However,  it feels like if metaverse of series goes out from boundary of 'realism', like if this were losing any factor of credibility in certain moments, and that I'm saying while having knowledge Choku! and Number Girl manage with even more unrealistic moments, yeah, I know, I myself don't know how explain I'm talking about, though of course, that is just my conclusion with basis in my reading. 

And in what concerns to elements, this time I couldn't find so many of those,  lets see, Watamote wasn't first series in making reference to One Piece, the well known place where Tomoko and Yuri went to practice table tennis,  and I recognize it sounds too ambiguous and risky to assert it, but it seems like if those background students are wearing the school uniform of Haramaku.

PS. By looking the appearance of those two protagonist of Write Sisters, I'm kinda curious about how the things would be if Tomoko and Asuka were sisters.

And finishing with "Kuzu to Megane to Bungaku Shoujo (Nise)", I'd say that together with Choku, it was one of Nico Tanigawa's series with more potential (not counting Watamote of course, that series is in another league).

With regard to elements, the set is quite ambiguous. However, I'll post what I found.

• Taking borrowed dad's gloves, by similar way than the happened with Tomoko's dad glasses.
• In more one occasion, I found comments about a recycled idea concerning lo looking at someone less attractive for calming him/herself down (reference to Aoyama University), now I know what they were talking about.
• Watamote wasn't the first NT's series in managing the No-Disneyland trip trope.
• Bad actions aren't exclusive from Tomoko, and taking dad's credit card without permission for the buying of inappropriate +18 content seems like a common issue in middle school.
• In a more lasting extension, the gag of Another is used once more, though this time is focused mainly in the book, instead of Anime, I mean, it's almost like an entire arc talking about that novel.
• Because jokes about what it sees underneath skirts are never enough.
• Reading the mood, living true to yourself, one of subjects used in second chapter of No-Disneyland trip arc.
• Looking for familiar faces, the name of that chapter, and maybe a too convenient one by considering what one can see there, Ucchi is in everywhere.
• Someone didn't have the same blessing than Ucchi when she got the disgusting water bottle.

Once I've listed the different interesting elements which I managed to find in other Nico Tanigawa's manga, I'm going to post my ranking of these ones with basis in what I interpreted at reading them.

1. Choku!: The first manga published by Nico Tanigawa, it could be said it's the Watamote's elder sibling, and among all other NT's works, I'd say it's the one with more potential, it can be noticed authors were experiencing with their characters, there are cringe humor with extravagant elements which almost touch into the surrealist mood and sometimes something very sadist, the protagonists are interesting and it's fun their interactions, and there are also misunderstandings which accumulate until moment of big catharsis, this manga is the closest what NT has made regarding developing a romantic story (by their very peculiar way), which I appreciate a lot. If there is something which I'd consider a fail in this series, it's the fact the male protagonist frequently doesn't have pants to make front to the girl when situation gets more awkward, literal and figurative talking (You'll understand by reading it). It's a shame Choku! didn't keep on, I'd like to have seen a real conclusion of relationship between its protagonists.
2. Kuzu to Megane to Bungaku Shoujo (Nise): The last one manga made in parallel with Watamote by authors, and which ended up with an open finale, in view this one got cancelled due its low sales, more than one in 4chan blamed Watamote because of that. If there is something which I have to give thanks to this series, it's this gave leadership to male characters (one thing which its lacking in Watamote is still frustrating for me). One can find there cringe, misunderstandings, and references to novels, being the latter one an important argumentative pivot in story; one can notice a slight character development in characters as one goes reading the manga. However, I'd say there are two main fails, the 4koma format in it definitively doesn't help to course of story, because this does it feel paced, and that goes strongly linked with the other issue, around 70% of story is set in school library, and when it isn't so, characters spends big part of time reading novels, I know literature is a main aspect of this series, but it does the same feels claustrophobic, if in Watamote this aspect is a slight problem, in Kuzu to Megane to Bungaku Shoujo (Nise), not even in Watamote characters spend a big part of talking about either manga or anime; and in a lesser aspect, whereas characters aren't necessary hateable, they lack of enough desirability for you to care about them. For concluding, Kuzu to Megane to Bungaku Shoujo (Nise) finished where it seemed an important twist for story, which it's a shame because in case of not having been cancelled, this could have given to it a new breath of fresh air.
3. Number Girl: Among all mangas from this list, this manages the most fanciful setting. I said it already in the past, all the mangas created by Nico Tanigawa exist in a same Universe, except for this one, that unless it's set in a far future where the Number Girls are actually modified clones made from Tomoko's cells, though I can't imagine why scientists would use Tomoko's DNA for that purpose, ok no, I'm branching off from core subject. Talking about plot, this is filled with cringe, misunderstandings, and a little of philosophy in story, I myself must admit I laughed more by reading Number Girl than with other 3 mangas from this ranking, at difference of Kuzu to Megane to Bungaku Shoujo (Nise) where the 4koma format played against of it, with Number Girl, this isn't a problem, maybe it helps the fact characters is constantly changing of location. However, it holds a big problem which I couldn't look away my sight, series manage a big amount of characters, and this causes not all of them have the enough screen-time for developing them the enough (a similar problem shared by Watamote), and given the fact of what it says in its premise, this is counterproductive, it's like reading a manga about Emoji Gang, where only two of them outstand, and the other three are little more than background characters, and even so, the outstanding two are memorable just because of either a change in their appearance or a gag built in past chapters, that is like I felt Number Girl, perhaps with more duration, that problem could have been corrected.
4. Write Sisters: Probably the one with the most premature end. Charged with the proper Nico Tanigawa's cringe humor and references to otaku environment. Although I consider its premise a pretty interesting one, as well as how this could be developing itself, the elements involved around this manga, as well as the cause-effect relation feels quite implausible and unrealistic, and that the events which happen in Choku! and Number Girl are way more extravagant and out of place, in some way I feel the plot of Write Sisters is quite unbelievable like as for that I can buy it; and it's pretty clear series was cancelled instead of having at least an open finale. Who knows, if series would have lasted a little more, perhaps this could have been more outstanding.

I must put clear this listing, I did it with basis in my observations and my likings, it isn't absolute truth, though you're free to debate it.

No problem! I will take a look at it in a few hours and add it to the article!

I did link it to the NicoTanigawa article. I started skimming it because the intervieweres were silly and Nico clearly does not want to give away a lot of information about himself or the series. He does admit changes, but what series does not develop.

"He does admit changes, but what series does not develop."

That sounds contradictory, taking in account all it has happened along series.

I do not see why it would be. Unless he sat down and mapped out a 200+ chapter series, his characters will develop as they will. It is not as if he wanted 200+ of constant and increasing cringe until Tomoko was either arrested, committed suicide, destroyed the school, or joined a J-Pop group but then suddenly thought, "well, what if she went to Disney World?"

It is more "lively" but I wonder if it can carry the idea of "intimidating." Well, the World Three translation is out so I will compare notes!

Well, I am not sure they can justify some of their translations which are rather loose and use too many American idioms.

Unfortunately, your comment did not "alert" the Recent Activity for some reason so I missed it. I just replied.

Thanks for that, I will check it out and add it to his section. I am busy translating all of those Relationship Charts since they are quite interesting. I am putting them with their respective volumes since . . . why not?

Which is Chapter 70.5?

Is it 

• WataMote Volume 08 Special Edition
• WataMote Volume 08 Omake

?

According written in Tomoki's article, is the WataMote Volume 08 Special Edition, the one of Christmas Special.

Thanks!

In this translation, World Free is VERY loose, adding words and intepretations.

With Akari, she does not, in anyway, in any interpretation, says "punch."

She says what is in the summary. I rendered it literally. She says: 親友だしグーでいってもいいかな. This is "Because she is my best friend is it also good (should I) say 'good?'" In other words, Akari is getting pissed, but given her attempt to tolerate her friend who always supports her crush on Tomoki, she is trying to let it pass since she is her "best friend." Akari does not appear to be the type to punch anyone. She does not punch Sayaka when she rants to her about moving on from saying she wanted to see Tomoki's dick in their classroom.

They do a better job than I do, and faster, but there are a lot of loose to mistranslations that miss the point:

• Miss Fūka thinking Tomoko says "dick."
• Miss what Miyazaki recalls what Uchi said: this is important since Uchi asks Miyazaki if she and Tomoko are together without finishing the sentence. Miyazaki thought that Uchi was asking if they were "friends." With the montage, Miyazaki is starting to wonder what Uchi meant which is probably why she wants to find out what Tomoko has been saying about Uchi.
• Suspended?: wrong word. Heck, there is no indication that Ogino had Tomoko suspended for the Searching for Dick Incident.

However, they figured out that when Tomoko seems to literally thank Asuka for giving her "sexual harassment to study hard" Tomoko probably means that Asuka interpreting a "non-sexual harassment" move like touching her hair--though do not try that at work!--as touching "down there"--has given her the energy to study harder given her explanation that touching Yū helped her when she was fatigued.

So no one is perfect!

Sounds like translating Japanese is a bitch.

I don't really understand what Akari meant in its literal sense, though.

I read a lot of Japanese stuff and am stunned by some of the divergence over the "literal" sense. Sometimes I wonder whether it isn't infinitely more tonal and associative than English is.

It is since it is so "different" from the languages that we get English from. Translation is always interpretation, whatever language one translates into another. I find appeals to "literal translation" hilarious since you cannot do that with most particularly since sentence structures can be completely different. You get a mess. The phrase "dream a dream" in English comes from the Hebrew practice of combining the verb form with the noun form of the relevant root to describe an activity to give an example.

She is basically saying that since Sayaka is her best friend she guesses that it is best for her to just tell her "it is fine" rather than explode over Sayaka's accusations regarding her "needs" with regards to dicks!

Japanese is not tonal as in stress and accent changing meaning. Length of vowels can do that. The idioms are different and require interpretation and that you cannot always get from bloody textbooks--though I have one on "dirty Japanese" from long ago that explains what "Butter Dogs" are!

As with my comment on origins of language, unlike French or Spanish when one finds words that come from the same origins, you do not get that with Japanese. Every word is "different" including loan words since they pronounce them the way they want and meanings change over time.

Where I do object to World Free is when they change the meaning. From the previous chapter, the Auther included the censored Japanese rendering of "fuck" for a specific reason. Tomoko is trying to sound "cool" and "delinquent" and "speak Masaki's language" and all of that. It comes out as rude as it is suppose to be. Like the Late Great R. Lee Ermy saying to Pvt. Joker, "I like you! Hell, you can come over and fuck my sister!"

Rendering it as "have your way with my brother" just . . . well . . . we completely miss what Tomoko is doing. Further, Masaki does not react as Tomoko would expect, but I do not think Tomoko has fully grasped how uncomfortable Masaki is with sex. Hilarious given the NEXT chapter! Anyways, does Masaki finally "put two and two together" and figure out the "Punk" she flirted with is Tomoko's brother, given she heard he is a brother of one of her friends?

But . . .

Many chapters ago, Kii asks Tomoko what she likes, and Tomoko responds, "I like rape!" 

Then I realized she meant "rap music." 😰

Made for an "interesting" interpretation of the scene between the two in Tomoko's room!

My pleasure.

They have to take the time to clean away the Japanese and then fit in the English. I am glad they are usually able to provide a translation in two or three days.

I'm grateful to them as well. They usually move at staggering speed. This is a really important chapter, so I'm glad they're not.

I wasn't criticizing them. As a matter of fact, I don't know how they do what they do. Other than Mieru, how many people are there in the team? Not many.

For better or worse, I think this chapter represents a major turning point, toward what I do not know. But some central questions that have been obscured by a lot of gentleness in the previous chapters are emerging in force.

1. That was a typographical error I just happened to recognize before reading this.

2. That was a difficult translation for me since I did not know the game. I looked at two others and what she is doing is noticing the differences in the pictures.

3. That is not what she says, I included the Japanese. I guess someone can argue "either way," but I think Yuri is doing with they all do: extending a bit then retracting. She wants to have friends but because of Wall of Text trust issues, she does not want to admit it, just as Tomoko knows Yuri will not recommend that Yuri played table tennis to play with her.

Thanks, that makes sense.

This was a very important chapter regarding Tomoko, Yuri, and the extent to which a loner should contribute to the well-being of a group. I just wish it hadn't felt a bit ambiguous to me. But it's miraculous how much clarity emerges.

World Three seems to be very loose, but the quick "fantranslation" on reddit, which tends to be very literal, mistakes "Mako" for "Tomoko" which makes no sense since it would imply that Tomoko should know that Yuri plays those games.

What is interesting--and I will add it as a memorable moment--is Yuri does listen to Futaki. She invites her to join her after hearing how Futaki preferred individual sports. We do not know much about Futaki; she does not seem a "loner" given she has male friends, but she certainly did not seem to interact with any of them other than that one time in the calvary . . . cavalry game. So it indicates a willingness of Yuri to interact. This is probably, I think, the first time she invited a "stranger" to join her in something.

I am creating the "Template" for the next chapter! Have fun adding to it! Should be done in a few minutes!

That is a memorable moment!

Between the relative intimacy of the "arcade/game center" chapter and the quiet alienation of this one, there is clearly some tension in Yuri and Tomoko's relationship. But it's true that she's opened herself up to Futaki and she was actually interacting with others in terms of that last game.

I think the "problem" is they are both "works in progress." We all look back and see the progress Tomoko has made: She has friends! She even seems to care about the feelings of others! However, it took awhile, and she sometimes retracts to form. Case in point: she has not shed her judgmental superior nature. Her calling Futaki weird--and she is weird!--is a bit "Pot calling the Kettle 'black!'" Tomoko still fits people into categories based on her ignorant prejudices.

I did not expand on it, but notice how she misses Katō's point on table tennis: Tomoko just assumes that Katō thinks it is beneath her. Of course, we see her make a different argument to Fūka. Part of Tomoko's problem relating to people is she still struggles to get to know them without judging them as I suspect she thinks people judge her. Hence her belief that those other students will "shit talk me" when she leaves the Not McDonalds.

Same with Yuri. She is like a prarie dog slowly peeking her head out, then pulling back in. Which is why I think her "I don't care" is so "funny." I am sure fans will deem her "tsundere"--"Not that I care, BAKA!" and all of that. She is just slowly, slowly, slowly steping out.

Another funny thing: Tomoko sort of accuses her of retreating into a shell by playing that game while everyone is talking. Futaki is saying something that makes sense. So Yuri reverses it by inviting Futaki to play.

I think you're right about that. Gotta take the suicide thing out of the page for ch. 154.

Meh, it is okay.

The "Cry for Help" does seem to apply to WataMote in that a lot of characters seems to expect things to happen and/or others to pull them out of their shells:

1. Tomoko sort of expected to just "be popular" and live "the fantasy" she never could create.

2. Yuri expects friends to jump hurdles to pull her out of her shell.

3. Uchi, if I read her correctly, wants Tomoko to explain what she is feeling.

so I think Yuri does lay it out there, and "while she won't admit it," she hopes Tomoko, Katō, and the rest will continue to invite her in.