Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san Volume 5 Discussion

Playcool said:
TBH I felt the quality of the editing for the fan translation from the official release right away (the fan translation got much better for volume 6), so since the volume is almost out, I would recommend those who can wait, to do so, this was a poorly edited volume at might parts, not that I could do a better job myself, but I m used to better for fan translations, still, I m glad I could read this right away, so I won't complain more about it (but I will reread the official to pick some stuff better).

This volume works mostly to set up volume 6, so I don't have as much to talk about (edit: lol, I thought I had not), without addressing stuff from volume 6...
But not delaying more, the start was great, getting right into where it left off in the last volume, Masha is UNLEASHED in the world, and we finally get the full scope of what happened. It is a pity because Maria still loves him, and he never understood that she meant to come back and that if he was still waiting to this day for her if he had not believed he was abandoned, right now he would be in love with Masha, and he would get some nice hugging EVERY DAY (honestly she still hugs him a lot after this), I feel bad for the children that they were, to turn into this. It feels worse about the whole situation of Masachika with his family, which this separation was a catalyst to the rupture for good.

Masachika becomes really depressed after this reunion and this was one of the highlights of this volume, his thoughts and monologues, it is very grounded and made me care for him much more than some crazy twist on a lot of fictions that go for something much more unrealistic. The drama is amazing in the series, and the climax for that was when Yuki was there for him shortly after, and he for once took Maria's words to heart and embraced his sister, it was ADORABLE, these small bits of character development is very soothing but emotional to read.

Ayano denies she is an M, understanding what it means, but then is cataloged as super M, and the stuff she says, I can't argue lol.
She thought it was actually a good choice if wincest was to rule, that she would carry out his babies since with Yuki would be too controversial, "Yuki-sama...that's a very good suggestion!", that had me LMAO!!!
Sure I want Alisa to win, but if that was not a thing, Ayano herself would be a good candidate, maid, and childhood friend, there is tons of potential there, ignoring the quiz game betrayal of course...

Alisa getting more lovey-dovey with him, spending more time with him during summer, and wanting to go on dates is cute, she is a tsundere, but a sophisticated one, she easily breaks out her shell and does tons of things to spice it up, Masachika the chad teaching the hand's communication, and she immediatly started to use it to tease him up, from both sides it was cute to see for different reasons!
Supposedly it was quite a challenge to learn this technique, since she was sweating and breathless, huh. When this is adapted, I expect to see the PEAK of fanservice. :3

I was not a fan of the whole band thing, but with the payout of volume 6 I ended up digging it a lot more, and it was a cool excuse to put Sayaka and Nonoa more in the story, still, they already have some baggage with the other characters, and especially Nonoa is a fearsome female that I m expecting we will see more development on because she is way more ruthless than Yuki, gives me a cold shiver to think about people that don't hold back because they simply FAIL to understand the very root of empathy and caring for others, they can easily become the most unpredictable and SCARY ones, so Nonoa's character has tons to be explored.
She is not truly emotionless, she can show some really nasty ones, outside that, frightful creature, hyped for her development.
(I have never read Classroom of the Elite, but starting this volume and the next, reading Roshidere reminded me a lot about it, due to this and how the MC behaves ruthlessly sometimes being an almost unstoppable force)

Another seed that is planted here is the pressure that Masachika ends up putting on Alisa, both acknowledge the necessity for it, but across this volume and the next, indeed, Masachika has a lot of room for improvement in reading Alisa still.
Scattered across this volume are some plentiful scenes with Masha UNLEASHED and gotta put respect on her charms as the Madonna, relentless and providing of nice onee-sama scenes~~
She is Supposedly competing for his love, no matter what she says, but I just can't dislike her, as a supporting character she is there for both Alisa and Masachika. For Alisa, I feel like she is like Yuki is for Masachika, indeed both the older and younger sisters looking out for the main couple, aside from them spicing things up too, KAWAII!!!

"Because you are special." "Well then, I'll give you a little of my time, you jealous, lonely little thing."
One of the best scenes of the volume, the romcom on this is so damm GOOD, I'm never feeling short on sugar in my bloodstream after finishing a volume, it is just that they sometimes end in such drastic ways, that it messes with all the fluttering feelings I had inside, fuzzy and warm, then my heart is ripped of its chest and beaten up!!!

Addressing the problem.
The quiz show was good (but the quality of the editing took a big toll here, many things I didn't understand properly), but I felt the battle against Yuki in volume 3 was more engaging, I felt both sides were raising the stakes but higher there, than here, and tbh it felt like coming from nowhere to suddenly have the contest, this time whoever, Ayano left me kinda sour.

Okay this is a competition and you should strive to win, but Masachika is not going to resort to such tricks unless he is FORCED to, and the other side was already doing it, so I'm not a fan of BOTH Yuki and Ayano resorting to such manipulating tactics to win, it feels dirty, and it coming from Ayano herself I felt more betrayed than from Yuki, since I already know she can go there (that said that fanservice maid chapter in volume 6 was a nice apology).


Regarding the ending, Alisa and the whole "taking responsibility by marrying me" thing never gets old, but HONESTLY, it doesn't match, she realizes she is saying this in russian, but she is not aware she loves him, so I guess she is mostly saying this not thinking too much of how she TRULY feels about it.

After I finished this volume I got immediatly in the next, been having a ton of fun, by far the series is surpassing my expectations, and volume 6 would only up the bar further (but I'm curious if anything will change with the release of the official release).

DragyG said:
To be honest the quizz thing was messy in the original version too.

Playcool said:
What you meant in the original too? I don't think this ever got a web novel first, so what we are seeing in this volume is the original volume itself no?
Besides to have read it yourself, you probably had to go through the same fan translation, so you get my point there, I m curious to see how much it will improve in the official english release.

But I have grown fond of some honorifics and nicknames for vol.6 and 7, that I will dislike not seeing in the official version...

DragyG said:
By original I mean the Japanese version.

DragyG said:
Ho and there is actually a web story in which Alya learn (the guy that will become) Masachika does understand the Russian.

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2778gf/

There is also another one from the other pov

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8730gf/

Both are written by SunSunSun

Playcool said:


Well I had not seen your profile before but I understand now, to me learning Japanese was something I gave over when I realized I would not use for things other than hobbies and since most things where getting translations, especially VNs that made many people learn Japanese years prior... at this point is a meaningless endeavour for me, it is a skill you need to cultivate, doing so by consuming a ton of content in Japanese to get practice at it, and most of the content I would use this ability for, is already translated.
I could see some people still going for it, since japanese has such depth and complex with all the meanings, that when you understand it to the point you do, you would easily see flaws in many translations, always hoping to see the original text to get the closest and most accurate meaning to it, without filters and subjectivity others put in translating stuff.
I don't ever see myself going for it ever since I would never find time amid everything else.


I knew from the afterword from volume 1 or 2 that this series evolved from the concept of having a female heroine saying stuff in russian, so my guess is that is what you are linking to, and it would have hints on the future of this work, tbh right now I could not even imagine Alya realizing Masachika understands her, it feels impossible to ever happen.
Because the baggage she would have, dear god, she has said so much already, her brain would fry just from trying to process things, then she would punch Masachika till he blackouts out lol.

DragyG said:
Actually the moment Masachika confesses clearly is the moment when he tells her he understands Russian.

AND THAT'S WHEN THE COUPLE IS OFFICIALLY MADE

Alya says she loves him and he tells her in Russian 'me too'

It might happen towards the end of the elections as the pair would have fought together against everything that could come.


(Still I think Alya will lose in the end no matter what Masachika told her after the quizz)

Playcool said:

So in your opinion, the cat will be out of the bag when he confesses his love for her... now that you say that, it seems plausible, but I feel this author is rather crafty and he could easily fool everyone out that has read these shorter stories, rather I can already imagine in writing an afterword teasing people that were expecting, with him being all dandy about having fooled you all.

So you feel Alya will lose to Yuki in the elections for becoming President then? I think she will win, her vision for it seems more plausible, than Yuki's of shouldering everything herself. Yuki herself has not said anything on why she is doing this, volume 9 will probably reveal stuff, but is it only because Geisen wants it, or does she get something out of him, if she wins it and gets inside that private circle... depending on how Masachika's family drama enfolds Yuki could lose her motivation to go for it at all.

So it would be safer to assume the family drama will not be solved right away, and Masachika will not come back to the family even if things get better with his mother, cuz if he did, would there be a need for Yuki to go for the election if he were to become the successor again?!
ANYWAY, this is not the right thread to be speaking about since it might lead to someone saying something that would spoil people who have only read up to volume 5.