Chapter 217-1 | ||
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Volume Number | 25 | |
Chapter Title | Because I'm Not Popular, It's the Cultural Festival's Stage (First Part) | |
Published | September 20, 2023 | |
Previous Chapter | Omake | |
Next Chapter | Special 15 Year Anniversary Chapter |
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[]

Shown: Shiki-Chan!
"She Smiles!"
かわいいいい!😍
The screen shows Suzuki nonchalantly kicking his shoe off his foot into his shoe locker. The time on screen is "AM8:00."
At the projector, Akane and Yoshinori smile and fist bump, while between them Shiki smiles brightly. The audience is heard clapping[1] and yelling approvingly.

Shown: A Somewhat-Bleached Tomoko
Hina peeps through the two doors. Viewed from outside, she remarks that it iss getting really excited in there. Sitting on the steps, Tomoko reacts with sheepish surprise. Somewhat bleached, Hina tries to assure Tomoko that that does not mean they were not excited by her movie. Tomoko sits with a somewhat-bleached expression whilst Yuri, sitting next to her, regards her. Severely, she tells Tomoko that, in her opinion, a movie is not good just because everyone likes it.
From Hina's perspective – rather her ankles' perspective – Yuri continues to explain that while some say that only movies that sell are good and movies that do not are bad, even ones that do not sell can be interesting and influence a lot of people. Yuri reminds Tomoko that her film was not made with a everyone[2] in mind, but she is sure its good elements have reached a few people.
Tomoko replies that in her mind she was hoping to be popular with the masses and everyone. This elicits an "え?" from Yuri. Yuri then replies, "Well, since you have no talent, don't pick up the megaphone[3] again." Chibi Tomoko complains that the comfort she recently received appears a lie and has suddenly turned harsh. Normal, Tomoko explains, ". . . it would be a little more popular, I thought, though." Yuri turns back to Hina and asks her if the reaction was that bad. Hina insists, "No, it was a little funny."

Staring ahead, Tomoko laments that, in her mind, it was a vortex of laughter with the entire school calling her a genius. Even when released tomorrow, she concludes, it would be a huge hit. With a view of part of her video online, the title reads, "Cultural Festival [Girl]" with 4.12 million views and 11,212 upvotes. Tomoko continues that she would also release the video and it would become a "buzz."[4]
The next panel justifies the existence of Galleries. Hina stands next to the seated Asuka, who is next to a standing Shizuku. Tomoko sits with a black turtleneck, and marked circles about her eyes, between Shizuku and a standing Yuri who is in a black dress. Finally, Kotomi sits with her arms folded just in front of Yuri. Over it, Tomoko continues that in college, she started the "Beautiful Girls Theater Group. The next panel has Hina stands in different stylish clothes striking a pose next to similarly pose-striking Shizuku and Asuka. Tomoko explains, "Each member became popular visually during the course of their activities." However, the next panel shows a somewhat surprised Yuri with a caption: "Never Dated a Man." Tomoko continues, "Yuri-chan has become especially popular among weak men."
Returning to the present, Tomoko stares ahead as she concludes, "I started writing screenplays for TV and became a charismatic writer." Still standing at the doorway behind her, Hina smiles and thinks it is, "a little good. . . ." Yuri asks, "Did you think that movie would be that successful?" Looking resigned, if not a bit depressed, Tomoko asks, "After all, should I steadily aim to become a light novel writer or become a NEET civil servant?" She then adds that she thinks junior high school students think it is easy to become a civil servant. Chibi Hina interrupts to ask if they should return to the gymnasium since there will be a break after the class movie is over. Chibi Tomoko expresses surprise that there will be another break. Concerned Chibi Hina explains that they apparently put in extra breaks since they did not fill out the time. Chibi Tomoko reacts in silence.

Inside, three members from Class 2-2[5] advertises churros and melon bread. Mitsuki Wakui returns to announce that next since the Drama Club has not finished its preparation, she invites others to jump in and advertise. Sitting between Yuri and Tomoko, Hina sweats a bit as she remarks that they caused a lot of trouble and will have to later go and apologize. Meanwhile, on stage after the 2-12 members depart, Nagi stands next to Natsu who stands next to Kayo who regards Emiri pirouetting next to her.[6] Both Emiri and Kayo wear "alien antenna" headbands. Nagi announces that there is a coffee cup in the 3-4. "Please[7] come and have fun!"[8]
Then Sayaka approaches, and Mitsuki hands her a microphone. Sayaka identifies herself as "2-4," and Mitsuki welcomes the 2-4 commercial. In the audience in a manner that further justifies Galleries, Akari stares ahead in abject horror as inwardly marvels, "Saya . . . ?!! Wasn't she in the toilet?!! I just have a bad feeling!! No, it's not just a bad feeling, she's going to do something definitely unpleasant!" A seat away from her, Track Suit Twin Tails-Chan asks Director Glasses-Chan, "you asked for an advertisement?" Director Glasses-Chan replies that she did not, but "Yoda-san" said to leave it to her.
Seated in front of them, Tomoki glares in a manner that mandates Galleries.
On stage, Sayaka enthusiastically announces that, "We in 2-4 are doing theater!" She explains that they are doing a mixture of Shakespeare,[9] and "it's an interesting staging." She then continues, "Soccer Club Ace Kuroki Tomoki-kun and 2-4's Idol Iguchi Akari-san also have a love scene so please come see!" In yet Another Moment that Mandates a Gallery™, in the audience, Faced Sachi stares with a smile as she emits, "hee. . . . (へぇ)." Blushing deeply, with her veins pulsating, and with a pained expression WataMote Wiki cannot hope to describe, Masaki stares, which makes the sound "piki (ピキ)." Next to her, Mako looks on with a smile. For her part, Kotomi darkly adjusts her glasses.[10]
Stunned, Akari stares ahead and inwardly rages, "Sayaka[11]. . . maybe I had a part in raising this monster[12]. . . ?" Track Suit Twin Tails-Chan looks slyly at Director Glasses-Chan and asks, "Do we have that scene?" Director Glasses-Chan sheepishly admits, "we don't have any," to which Track Suit Twin Tails-Chan notes, "well, it's publicity?" For his part, Tomoki is covered by his thought bubble that contains: "Kill . . . Beat . . . Strangle . . . Kick . . . Pierce. . . . " Mitsuki announced over them that the preparations of the Theater Club are done so there will be no more commercials. Over a view of the stage where anonymously-drawn students sit at desks, Mitsuki announces the Theater Club's "That Time of Promise (あの時の約束・ano toki no yakusoku)." The next panel shows the desks and chairs stacked as one of the anonymous girls pushes another in a wheelchair.

In the audience, Tomoko watches between Hina and Asuka. As she gazes, Tomoko thinks that normally she would always spend this time playing with her smartphone: "Today, I'll not take my eyes off!!" She imagines two versions of herself, which further justifies the existent of embedded images. The first has extremely parched and cracked eyelids. She rationalizes that if it is a story that makes one's cry, she will let her eyeballs dry out. As the second stares wide-eyed ahead, she vows, "If it's a comedy, let me slide down and put on a straight face with all my joy, anger, and sadness gone."
Next to her, Hina regards her with a smile. Next to her, Yuri also gazes in Tomoko's direction. In the next panel, Tomoko's dark thoughts, "" are highlighted as they float in front of Hina and Yuri. Still smiling and blushing a bit, Hina thinks that her mind has changed after making a movie that she is watching so seriously: "You're on this side!"[13]
However, Yuri muses, "Since your own movie failed, you wish for others to fail."
Characters[]
In order of appearance
- Suzuki
- Guy with Black Hair (check)
- Akane Okada
- Shiki Futaki
- Yoshinori Kiyota
- Hina Nemoto
- Yuri Tamura
- Tomoko Kuroki
- Asuka Katō
- Mitsuki Wakui
- Shizuku Hirasawa
- Kotomi Komiyama
- Nagi Ōtonari
- Natsu
- Kayo
- Emiri Uchi
- Sayaka Yoda
- Akari Iguchi
- Track Suit Twin Tails-Chan
- Director Glasses-Chan
- Tomoki Kuroki
- Masaki Yoshida
- Mako Tanaka
- Sachi Mima
Referbacks[]
- "If I was a NEET...": In Chapter 63, Tomoko had the dellusion of becoming a NEET at 25, where she was maintained by Tomoki.
- "The top 5 of future jobs": when Tomoko had to fill her form about future career previously before the parent-teachers conference in Chapter 90, when she searched online the ranking of most pursued careers, the found civil servant on the 2nd place.
- "We've got a teacup ride": In Chapter 192-2, Emiri commented how the class 2-4 was choosing between doing whether a haunted house or a teacup ride as project for the school festival, being shown the teacup ride as winner on Chapter 197.
Cultural References[]
- "Cult Classic": term used for a film that does not do well financially, but gains a following. Such films can even become very influential.
Trivia[]
Memorable Moments[]
- FAILURE "When Your Best Just isn't Good Enough!": "Spectre does not tolerate failure!" Does Yuri engages in a bit of "tough love" by suggesting if Tomoko is so upset that her work is not as successful as she hoped, then she should give up trying, or is she stating that she really does not have talent?
- Spinning Emiri: Emiri is seen having fun and laughing with her Emoji Posse but usually in single panels or as a cover. She usually is seen as silent and watching Tomoko until recent chapters. Emiri spinning about on stage, which Kayo notices, seems a bit of a departure and may suggest a bit more openness on her part.
- "Sayaka has Alerted the Horde": Sayaka once again forcibly ships Tomoki and Akari together, this time doing it in public and therefore enraging Yoshida, Sachi AND Komiyama, the three that can and will ruin your life.
Quotes[]
- "A- it's not that Kuro's movie wasn't great." – Hina Nemoto
- "Even movies that don't sell well can still be interesting and have an impact on many people." – Yuri Tamura to Tomoko Kuroki
- "In my mind, I was trying to be popular with the masses and be popular with everyone." – Tomoko to Yuri
- "Well, since you have no talent, don't pick up the megaphone again." – Yuri
- "The comfort from just now feels a lie and suddenly harsh." – Tomoko
- "Yuri-chan has become especially popular among weak men." – Tomoko
- "After all, should I steadily aim to become a light novel writer or become a NEET civil servant?" – Tomoko
- "Saya . . . ?!! Wasn't she in the toilet?!! I just have a bad feeling!! No, it's not just a bad feeling, she's going to do something definitely unpleasant!" – Akari Iguchi thinking about Sayaka Yoda
- "Soccer Club Ace Kuroki Tomoki-kun and 2-4's Idol Iguchi Akari-san also have a love scene so please come see!" – Sayaka
- "Sayaka . . . maybe I had a part in raising this monster. . . ?" – Akari
- "Kill . . . Beat . . . Strangle . . . Kick . . . Pierce. . . . " – Tomoki inwardly raging about Sayaka
- ”If it's a comedy, let me slide down and put on a straight face with all my joy, anger, and sadness gone." – Tomoko
- "Since your own movie failed, you wish for others to fail." – Yuri on Tomoko
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ "Pachi (パチ)" is the sound of Japanese clapping.
- ↑ Curiously, Yuri says "everyone" (みんな) in hiragana furigana over the kanji for "general public/masses" (大衆・taishū). In her response, Tomoko uses and pronounces that kanji.
- ↑ メガホン (megahon)
- ↑ バズ (bazu)
- ↑ From The Continuity Problem Department: Thus spoke the Chan with the microphone, but the boy ["Kun" – Ed.] has a "2 -1" hat and the other Chan holds a sign with "2 of 1" on the top.
- ↑ Which makes the sound "kuru kuru (くる)."
- ↑ Translational Nota Bene: Nagi and Mitsuki-chan extend the "please": くださーい (kudasāi).
- ↑ Translational Nota Bene Times Two: the phrase Nagi uses is ぜひ遊びに来て (zehi asobi ni kite) which is the traditional "come and visits/stay" invitation. It literally means, "certainly, come to [experience – Ed.] fun!" as in "certainly, come and enjoy yourself (with me and my electric toys and lubricants [Stop that! – Ed.]." WataMote Wiki feels a "come and have fun" better fits Nagi's intention. Emiri, of course, deems that "disgusting."
- ↑ "Sheikusupia (シェイクスビア)" in the Japanese Original.
- ↑ Which WataMote Wiki notes Manga and Anime Glasses-Wearing Characters invariably do just prior to fucking you up. [Citation Needed. – Ed.]
- ↑ She actually thinks the kanji of her name.
- ↑ As is often the case, Akari says the katakana モンスター (monsutā) over the explanatory kanji for "monster": (怪物・kaibutsu).
- ↑ Translation Note: Hina actually thinks "this one" in the katakana (こちら・kochira) over the kanji 表現者側に (hyōkensha gawa ni) which is the combination of "expressive person," as in a performer, and "side." She is basically saying that Tomoko is now on the side of performers.
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