WataMote Chapter 193

WataMote Chapter 193
Information
Volume Number	21
Chapter Title	Because I'm Not Popular, I'll Eat Rāmen.
Published	July 1, 2021
Previous Chapter	Volume 20 Special Edition Booklet
Next Chapter	Chapter 194

私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!

Watashi ga Motenai no wa dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!

No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular!

Synopsis

Yuri, Tomoko, Asuka, and Hina walk together outside of school. Hina remarks to them that days have been busy not just with the Cultural Festival but with exams as well. Asuka agrees as Tomoko and Yuri watch. Chibi Hina teases Yuri about her stomach rumbling. Chibi Yuri flatly tells her not to make so much of a little rumbling. Chibi Tomoko watches without comment. Normal, Tomoko turns to Yuri and asks her if she wants to eat ramen or something else. Yuri quickly insists that she will not eat; Tomoko suggests that she could not refuse immediately. Hina asks her if she is hungry; Tomoko responds that she is, but she has the dream of eating rāmen

Shown: "Dream"
Also Shown: Hina Surprised

Surprised by "dream," Hina remarks that she is like a high school boy from a manga. Asuka apologizes that she is having dinner with her family that night; Tomoko admits that she is doing the same. With a view of their walking legs, one of them, presumably Hina, notes that they are not boys so cannot eat dinner right after eating rāmen. Another, possibly her or Asuka, adds that tea and snacks might be possible. In the next panel, Asuka offers that she could go for rāmen tomorrow and suggests they all go together. Tomoko agrees.

The next day at breakfast, Tomoko informs her mother that she will be going out for dinner. As she walks to school, she admits that she is a little disappointed since she imagined a spontaneous trip in response to someone being hungry.

A montage follows where Asuka chats with Kaho, and Fūka, with Miho and Experienced Friend holding on to one another as they laugh. Then, after a view of staircases attached to a building, Asuka, Emiri, and Tomoko sit next to one another in study carrels. Tomoko muses that as an escape from planning her movie, she is able to focus on her studies.

Fūka then announces that she heard Asuka state that they wanted to eat "tasty (うまい・umai)" rāmen. She informs them that she has pick a place for them. Behind her in the group, Tomoko stands with a silent Yuri and Emiri. She remarks that it did not have to be "tasty rāmen." Addressing Asuka directly, Fūka admits that the place is a bit far away, but since it will only take about an hour on foot, it will be okay. Asuka suggests that since there are six of them, they can take a taxi. Miho remarks, "that place," and states that she will return home.

The remaining five file into a taxi. Tomoko sits in the back next to Emiri who sits next to Yuri. Tomoko inwardly marvels about a rāmen restaurant that requires a taxi ride.

Shown: "Rāmen Bastard"

"You'll Learn the Rules!"

They arrive at "Rāmen Bastard" (ラーメン野郎・rāmen yaro). Tomoko again inwardly marvels at a rāmen restaurant that has a long line. Still inwardly marveling, Tomoko marvels, inwardly, at these unique but troublesome rules. As Tomoko stares at the rules, Asuka, inwardly marvels worries that she came to this shop recommended by Fūka for Tomoko's benefit, but she does not appear happy about it. Standing in front of two signs, one of which forbids taking photographs and videos and the other of which encourages kindness to pigs, Fūka announces that there are some open seats, and she suggests that they enter and purchase their tickets. She enters followed by Asuka and Tomoko. An Anonymously-Drawn Worker happily reminds them to purchase their tickets. Before Emiri can enter, however, another Happy Anonymously-Drawn Worker informs her that they can only take the first three, which elicits a "Why?" whine from her.

Tomoko sits at the counter between another patron and Asuka who sits next to Fūka. An Anonymously-Draw Cook, happily, asks Fūka if she wants garlic. She enthusiastically responds that she wants extra garlic and vegetables with everything else "normal (普通・futsū)." When he asks Asuka and Tomoko, Asuka responds that she will take "normal" as well. When Tomoko responds, the man loudly asks her to repeat it, and she shouts back, "normal!" Tomoko looks to see a pleasantly smiling Hina with Emiri at a booth. Naturally, Emiri is looking in Tomoko's direction. Tomoko wonders where Yuri is, and she see her sitting alone in a single seat facing a wall. Tomoko rationalizes that Yuri is probably not bothered by being led to a "loner seat."

Shown: "Normal!"

The bowl of rāmen arrives, and Tomoko inwardly marvels, "normal?!!" As both she and Asuka stare at their respective bowls, Tomoko continues her inward marvel astonishment that while she has heard about such rāmen this is something she expected for a competitive eater. Asuka turns to Fūka to remark, "this . . ." but Fūka has her hands clasped as she delivers the traditional grace (いただきます・itadakimasu).

Shown: Asuka . . . "stunned"

With her hair pulled back in a ponytail, Asuka looks stunned as she thinks that while "delicious things are delicious," this is not a volume of food people can eat. She continues with a view of her bowl that she already feels full but she fears that leaving so much will be rude to Fūka. Tomoko, marveling, wonders if Asuka can eat so much. Struggling with her own, Tomoko rationalizes that the "Gorilla" will finish hers so she cannot be the only one to fail. This leads Asuka to inwardly feel bad as she observes Tomoko struggling to eat that she feels bad if she is the only one not eating.

Tomoko starts to inwardly marvel admit defeat as Asuka stands and leaves. She notes that she is going to the bathroom. Asuka emerges with an expression bathed in animesque sparkles that WataMote can only marvel at but not describe. Tomoko similarly marvels that she can continue eating. She suspects that "normies" must have strong stomachs.

Chibi Fūka congratulates Asuka for being the first to finish after her. Chibi Asuka merely responds, "so. . . ." Off-panel, Tomoko suggests that since other customers are waiting they should wait outside. Tomoko approaches Hina and Emiri. Emiri is flushed, holding her stomach, and muttering キモい. Hina responds that they both leave after they rest a bit. She adds that she cannot eat another bite. Tomoko wonders about "Yuri-chan." She sees Yuri bracing her head with her hand as she pokes at her bowl.

Outside, Fūka asks Asuka if she should call them a taxi, but Asuka, with her head still surrounded by sparkles, confesses that if she rides her dinner will probably come right back up, and she suggests that they walk. Tomoko looks at Yuri who is turned away from the group. Hina, concerned, asks Yuri if she is okay. Still flushed and holding her stomach, Emiri also watches Yuri as she stands next to Tomoko.

The group walks. In the front, Fūka strides with confidence. Tomoko and Asuka follow. Behind them, Yuri walks with her hands on her hips looking up with her bangs obscuring her eyes. Hina walks next to her looking concerned. Finally, Emiri follows with her head down. Fūka happily declares that it has gotten dark. Still "sparkly," Asuka agrees. Hina looks with more concern at Yuri whilst Emiri has a frown. The next panel cuts off Yuri with Hina looking back with greater concern. A Chibi Asuka asks "Tomo-chan" if there was a different ramen place she wanted to visit. Chibi Tomoko replies that the place was one she had wanted to visit. Normal, she then confesses that it was her dream to walk with everyone on a night like this. In a panel WataMote Wiki cannot adequately et cetera but will place in the Gallery, Chibi Asuka, happily, declares that she has a lot of dreams. Chibi Tomoko sheepishly laughs in response, but she things she did at least see Asuka's post-emesis appearance. Chibi Yuri's face looks stunned as it appears in front of the full Moon surrounded by Asuka's Post-Emesis Sparkles™ as Frightfully Concerned Chibi Hina calls out her name. For her part, Chibi Emiri achieves a new emoji face as she either emits a belch or commences the process of acquiring Asuka's Post-Emesis Sparkles™.

Characters

In order of appearance:

• Tomoko Kuroki
• Yuri Tamura
• Mako Tanaka
• Asuka Katō
• Hina Nemoto
• Mrs. Kuroki
• Fūka Sasaki
• Miho Narita
• Rise (Unnamed Experienced Friend)
• Kaho Kusunoki
• Emiri Uchi

Referbacks

• "You Can't Always Get What You Want?": Tomoko's dream is a fulfillment of her dream expressed in Chapter 27. From the Credit Where Credit is Due Department: as noted by reddit user AussieManny in this thread.
• Walking WataGirls: similar to the classic pose Chapter 131 but with Hinal staring at Yuri rather than Emiri staring at Tomoko.
• Yuri X Emiri: They sit together, but this time, Yuri does not pinch her.

Cultural References

• Honorifics: WataMote Wiki has pontificated previously on Tomoko and other characters' use of honorifics. In this chapter, Tomoko inwardly marvels thinks of Yuri as "Yuri-chan," but despite her agreed nickname for her, she thinks of Asuka as "Asuka-san." Asuka thinks of Fūka as "Fūka" without any honorific.
• "I Wouldn’t Go So far as to Call the Brother Fat. I Mean, He Got a Weight Problem.": discussion on the gluttony seen in manga and anime.
• Ichiran Rāmen (一蘭): probable inspiration for Rāmen Bastard.
• How to Eat Rāmen: here is an interesting video on the taboos, which explains why Asuka ties her hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz5NBvScSuE

Trivia

• Montage: have to have a montage.
• Vomiting: because WataMote Wiki cares, the linkypoo is to a review article rather than the Wikipedia article that has numerous unsourced claims.
• "The girl who vomits": The first character seen vomiting in the series was Tomoko, in the Chapter 7.

Memorable Moments

• "Who's That Girl?": Emiri tags along and no one seems to question it.
• Technicolor Yawn: the obvious implication is that Yuri politely vomited off the panel without making any sound. Emiri appears that she will soon follow. "Disgusting! Disgusting!"

Quotes

• "'BARRRRFFFFFFFFF!'" – Asuka Katō [Stop that! – Ed.]
• "Eating rāmen with everyone after school has been something of a dream of mine." – Tomoko Kuroki
• "True, we're not boys, so having dinner at home right after eating rāmen would be impossible, huh?" – Hina Nemoto
• "This isn't exactly what I had in mind. . . . Rather than knowing first thing in the morning that I'll be eating rāmen, I'd be more inclined to go if it were more spontaneous, like 'getting kinda hungry, Huh?' 'Wanna to get some ramen then?' or something. But well, I guess it's fine." – Tomoko
• "Escaping from the reality of the movie is helping me make great progress on my studies." – Tomoko
• "A rāmen place you have to take a taxi to! A rāmen place where you have to line up!? Unique and probably annoying rules?!" – Tomoko
• "I came to this rāmen shop that Fūka recommended for Tomo-chan's sake . . . but she doesn't look too happy about it" – Asuka
• "I've heard about rāmen like this, but seeing it in the flesh is something else. . . . Only a competitive eater could eat something like this. . . ." – Tomoko
• ". . . Delicious things are delicious, but I don't think this is the kinda volume people can eat. . . . To be frank, I'm pretty full already, but leaving so much after Fūka recommended this place to me would be rude." – Asuka
• "That gorilla will definitely eat everything on her plate, so there's no way I can let myself be the only one to not finish!" – Tomoko about Fūka Sasaki
• "Tomo-chan's too much too, so I'd feel bad if I'm the only one not eating. . . ." – Asuka about Tomoko
• "Holy cow... she's still eating!? The gorilla's one thing, but I guess all normies have strong stomachs!?" – Tomoko about Asuka
• "That's my Asuka, you're the first girl outside of myself who's managed to finish their plate!" – Fūka
• "Tomo-chan, was there perhaps a different place you wanted to go to?" – Asuka
  • "Eh? Ah, no. The place we went to today was somewhere I wanted to go to for its own reasons, so I'm glad we went. Besides, it was simple dream of mine to walk alongside everyone at night like this." – Tomoko

Gallery

Original Art from Nico Tanigawa Twitter

Shown: Asuka with an Expression WataMote Wiki Cannot Describe