WataMote Chapter 224-2

Chapter 224-2
Information
Volume Number	26
Chapter Title	Because I'm not popular, the Cultural Festival First Day Ends (Middle Part).
Published	July 10, 2024
Previous Chapter	Chapter 224-1
Next Chapter	Summer Special

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

This chapter is a multi-part chapter that follows directly from Chapter 224-2. The cover depicts Hina addressing Tomoko in the school hallway while Yuri and Mako observe. Hina asks what to do after this; Tomoko replies that she will just go home. With a view of a class room with a partially-obscured sign reading "Cineple[x], Chibi Hina asks about meeting tomorrow. Chibi Tomoko insists that they will just play the completed movie in the class room so it is not necessary. Normal, Hina suggests that it will be good if they have an evaluation of what was attempted in the gymnasium. Tomoko stares back at her in silence.

Behind her, Yuri states that she would rather go and watch a movie. This elicits an "A?" from Tomoko, but Yuri continues to explain that she has a certain habit. Chibi Tomoko notes that she suddenly talks about herself. Chibi Mako thinks, "Yuri is taking about herself. . . ."

Yuri narrates over the image of dressed quite stylishly as she observes a poster for "4D." She claims that she is not into big flashy "attraction" movies, but the next scene shows her sitting in a shaking chair wearing special glasses: "Only after watching a low-budget, crappy movie do I sometimes watch such a movie and enjoy the difference. Turning to Hina, Yuri concludes that Tomoko is going to go see a movie with them. Tomoko flatly reminds Yuri that she directed that "crappy movie," and she was in it. Mako drops her smile and wonders if Yuri's plural includes her as well.

From behind Hina, Asuka apologizes for making them wait. Hina pleasantly asks her where she was, but Asuka merely indicates that she was detained a bit as she looks at Tomoko. Tomoko silently thinks, "?" Hina brightly explains that they should change locations and discuss what happens tomorrow. Yuri corrects here with, "You're wrong. We were talking about going to see a movie." Over the Smiling Asuka, and the Glaring Tomoko, Happy Chibi Hina suggests that she can do alone. Chibi Yuri asks if that is how she always makes people outcasts. Irritated Sweating Chibi Hina tells her to stop acting with her bad personality from the past.

Beaming, Asuka continues that since they have a lot going on tomorrow, why not meet today: "Let's all go see a movie later, right!" With all of them looking at her, Yuri emits an "E?" then conceded, "yeah. . . ." Tomoko thinks, "weak. . . ." With her patented smile returning, Mako inwardly enthuses, "Yuri's shyness. . . ."

Shown: Surprised Yuri!

The next panel depicts the entrance of the high school decorated. It is followed by a view outside a café: "Family Restaurant Guest (ファミレス　ゲスト・famiresu GESUTO)." Inside, various anonymously drawn "Chans 'n Kuns" chat, obtain food, et cetera. Hina marvels that it is crowded, with most of them being Haramaku students. Asuka suggests that maybe everyone is also connected with the Cultural Festival. Yuri stands surprised but offers to put aname in for a reservation. Mako follows her and happily enthuses inwardly as Yuri starts to write on the reservation list, "Yuri's taking the initiative!"

Yuri writes the name "Tanaka Mako" while Shocked Chibi Mako realizes Yuri is not using her own name.

An Anonymously Drawn Waitress-Chan calls out to apologize for making the five people waiting under "Tanaka Mako-Sama." They are seated at a table with Yuri sitting between Mako and Tomoko on one side and Hina and Asuka sitting on the other. In the other table next to them sits Director Glasses-Chan. Possibly sitting alone behind Mako and Yuri is Sachi. Waitress-Chan explains that the drinks bar is over there. A hand places a drink in front of Tomoko with the explanation, "It's black tea." The owner is reveals to be Nagi, who gestures that it is from a customer over there.

The next panel reveals she gestures to the table across from them. Emiri looks forward as stirs the ice in her empty drink. Sitting with her, Miyazaki and Kayo look in the direction of Tomoko. Kayo wonders, "What are you doing. . . ?" Tomoko sips the drink, and her eyes swirl as she reacts. For her part, Emiri places her glass to her lips as she thinks, "A drink that combines the bitterness of black cola and black coffee with coffee milk and gross taste added with gum syrup to create a Kuroki-inspired drink."

Next to a view of drinks, Chibi Hina returns their attention to tomorrow. She asserts that, today in the gymnasium, "Kuro" got scared and they failed, and she then asks what to do tomorrow.

The scene changes to Tomoko and Hina standing on the stage in the gymnasium. Hina apologizes that there is some trouble with the movie to be screened. Tomoko appears to explain that the person with the data for the film to be screened has not arrived at the school yet. As a film screen unfurls behind them, Hina puts her phone in her ear as she announces, "A- Tamura-san, where are you now?" The screen shows Yuri standing with her back to the camera and facing the beach. She nonchalantly replies that she came to see a slightly dirty sea. Sweating, Hina screams. "No what are you doing when the Cultural Festival's already started!! Do you have the data?" The screen shifts to reveal the front of Yuri. Yuri holds a data stick as she nonchalantly asks, "You mean this?" "That's it!!" Hina screams back, "Hurry!!" Yuri calmly replies that she is heading out now and for her to buy them some time so they are not exposed. "It's already too late, though!" Hina screams back.

Back to the auditorium, the screen behind Tomoko and Hina depicts Yuri walking along the beach. Hina again apologizes to the audience and asks them to wait for it to arrive but insists that it will be screened in the allotted time. The two walk off the stage as Yuri still walks on the screen.

Back stage, they confront a group of Anonymous Chans 'N Kuns that includes Oka. Panicking, Hina demands, "What do we do?! There's only one hour left so we've got 30 to 40 minutes!" Tomoko turns to Masaki and asks if "Yoshida-san" can fetch "Yuri-chan" on her scooter. Masaki reminds her that if she displays that, she will be suspended. "Fine, use a bike," Tomoko replies.

Irritated Chibi Hina tells Chibi Yoshinori that until "Yoshida-san" arrives they have to buy time. He brightly suggests that the losers of a janken ["Rock, Paper, Scissors" – Ed.] game perform a comedy-duo (漫才・manzai) act.

The next panel shows Yoshinori performing just that with a sweating Hirotaka. The next shows Hatsushiba furiously drawing his anime muse with the narration, "Live Painting (ライプペインティング)." Finally, the next depicts Masaki furiously peddling on her Not Scooter with Yuri sitting on the back. Probably Hina laments that she does not know what to do, but she cannot put it off any longer.

They are interrupted by initially anonymous characters behind them: "It's too early to give up!" Tomoko stammers, "Y-you . . . !!"

The next panel reveals one of them is Kawamoto. Tomoko screams, "We were in the same middle school class, Kawamoto-san?!" Kawamoto cheerfully informs her that she has come to pay back the miso soup and sexual harassment. The next reveals the girl who had the naginata. Tomoko screams, "On the train, my crotch by a naginata was raped by this high school girl?!" "Today is also fully booked, right," the girl replies. Finally, there is a cat, who mews a "nya." Tomoko concedes that, "These three people can manage for about 20 minutes!!"

The next panel returns to the café where Tomoko sits between Yuri and Emiri. She glumly explains that she imagined something like that, wanted to do it, "but. . . . " Hina complains that a lot of people she does not know showed up. Tomoko continues that it is her "pinch (ピンチ・pinchi)" and "climax (クライマックス・kuraimakkusu)," so she feels it is a great gathering of everyone who has been involved with her up to now. Hina complains that there seemed to be little connection.

Shown: Yuri Acting!

Tomoko continues to complain that she cannot depend on the people around her to act, and Yuri is "a radish," and she, herself, does not have the courage to speak on stage. She concludes that it is just an unworkable plan and delusional. Mako silently smiles as she imagines a Yuri Radish. This is interrupted by a robot server with a cat face delivering their food To Emiri's surprise, and Asuska's amusement, the robot apologizes for the wait, "nyan," and asks them to take the food, "nyan." As it leaves with a "out of my way, nyan," Emiri still stares in surprise while Tomoko thinks, "Robot Cat (ロボ猫). . . ."

Outside of the café, Shizuku and Kiko watch the group through the window. Kiko turns to Shizuku and suggests that she is being called and not to worry about it. Shizuku politely emits a "but," but Kiko assures her that she will later take a seat so no one notices. She watches Shizuku leave, then sits on the curb. Tomoki, with his cheeks red, walks along the road. To his shock, he notices his smiling cousin.

Characters

In order of appearance

• Tomoko Kuroki
• Hina Nemoto
• Yuri Tamura
• Mako Tanaka
• Asuka Katō
• Director Glasses-Chan
• Sachi Mima (?)
• Nagi Ōtonari
• Emiri Uchi
• Miyazaki
• Kayo
• Oka
• Masaki Yoshida
• Yoshinori Kiyota
• Hirotaka
• Hatsushiba
• Kawamoto
• Naginata-Chan
• Kiko Satozaki
• Shizuku Hirasawa
• Tomoki Kuroki

Referbacks and Referforwards

• “Failure in the Gymnasium:” In Chapter 215, Tomoko panicked and did not do the planned introduction for her film.
• "Just something to do:" in previous chapter, Kiko goes directly with Asuka, and once alone, she says her what kind of person she is by mentioning her by points.
• "You've been tagged as a horrible person for life:" in Chapter 213-3, Yuri condemned Hina for leaving Tomoko alone in first year school festival, subject which Yuri brings again in Chapter 224-1. It seems that accusing Hina of leaving people out will become Yuri's habit.
• "Yuri-chan the pushover": in Chapter 172, when Asuka told Yuri to go by her own to bathroom and put off with not having Tomoko, this one gave in with no resistence. This time, Yuri again gives in easily when Asuka suggestes to gather to discuss about the movie in the after-party.
• "Supportive glasses wingwoman:" when Emiri ran crying and left her group and Tomoko in Chapter 152, it was Nagi the one who asked Tomoko her LINE and that called Emiri by 'Ucchi'. In Chapter 200-1, Nagi adviced Emiri how to take Tomoko to study together at cafeteria. Now Nagi offers Tomoko a drink by Emiri's part.
• "Picturing the process of school festival, take 2!:" Tomoko had introduced the initial idea for film project in Chapter 186-2. This time, during the after-party to decide on how it'll be managed in second day of school festival, Tomoko describes again the production, but deepens in it with details that weren't included in the previous one.
• "You Ride One Time? You Get a Set of Chains!": Masaki and Tomoko were suspended for riding Masaki's scooter in Chapter 157.
• "Let Your Fingers Do the Walking!": Tomoko Stimulates . . . er . . . she thought it was Yū . . . but . . . um . . . 78.
• "Gazpacho Miso Soup!": A fiery vindaloo washed down by the finest and generally least likely to cause blindness Jupiter Mining Corporation lager to any smegheads who catch the reference. Tomoko cause Kawamoto to get covered in miso soup in 46.
• "Dream a Little Dream of Me!": why Emiri could dream of Kawamoto in Chapter 211.5, which takes on New Year's after this chapter takes place, is explained.
• "Naginata-Chan!:" She appears in Chapter 24, depicted in Episode 4.
• "Cat?": In Chapter 18, when Tomoko went alone to the park to watch the shooting stars, she wished for a guy being with there to watch the stars, in that moment, a cat appeared, which turned being a male.
• "Hello again, onii-chan": in 220-1, after Kiko played as Sayaka's wingwoman, this walked in hallway and ran into Tomoki, causing this one to get freaked while Kiko smiled. Now, outside a restaurant, while Kiko hides, Tomoki appears by chance, sort of reenacting the previous awkward meeting.

Cultural References

• Lots

Trivia

• "Has anyone ever seen Kawamoto": to someone who's been mentioned in more of one occasion, Kawamoto has never appeared in real time, her presence has never gone beyon flashbacks, as seen in chapters 46 and 78, a short mention in Chapter 198-2 and for some reason, Emiri's dream in Chapter 211.5.

Memorable Moments

• Nagi Ōtonari WataMote Wikia's Best Wing Woman™: Once again Nagi-chan is the efficient causality encouraging Emiri to pursue her crush.
• "What is She Doing?": on that note, it would appear Kayo is wondering what Emiri is "doing" by having Nagi give Tomoko a drink from her. Howeveer, she is looking at Tomoko when she thinks the question: is she wondering why Tomoko is just accepting a drink without comment or any acknowledgment towards Emiri? Did WataMote Wiki pull the espresso shots a bit too much?

Quotes

• "It's a certain habit of mine" – Yuri Tamura inwardly
  • "She's suddenly talking about herself" – Tomoko Kuroki inwardly
  • "Yuri is talking about herself.. . ." – Mako Tanaka inwardly
• "I directed that crappy movie and you were in it too." – Tomoko Kuroki to Yuri
• "A drink that combines the bitterness of black cola and black coffee with coffee milk and gross taste added with gum syrup to create a Kuroki-inspired drink." – Emiri Uchi Master Bartendress
• "No what are you doing when the Cultural Festival's already started!! Do you have the data?" – Hina Nemoto . . . acting!
• "You were in the same middle school class, Kawamoto-san?!" – Tomoko
  • For the miso soup and sexual harassment, I've come to pay you back!" – Kawamoto
• "On the train, my crotch by a naginata was raped by this high school girl?!" – Tomoko

Gallery

Original Art from Nico Tanigawa's Gallery

Shown: Director Glasses-Chan!!
Possibly Shown: Sachi?

Not Shown: The Ghost of Tomoko Christmas Past