Onanie Master Kurosawa: After the Juvenile

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Was just alright. So short that It's worth reading, so short that it hardly does anything. Made me happy to read about these characters again.

If you read OMK, read this because literally why not. It was a very quick read. It's literally just two chapters and the word count is 9,000 or something (?). We get to see some old characters--the field trip crew--and other than that it's insubstantial. Still worth it though. Especially to squeeze out just a BIT more Sugawa and Kurosawa content out of the OG writer.

Realizing there was a NOVEL made based on OMK, or some adaptation or whatever, made me ... sad since that is NOT getting translated to English man...I wish this series wasn't so enigmatic to the west.

*Disclaimer*
Just personal scratch.
Advised, possible spoilers.
Opinion & Informal

Illustrations: N/A
No illustrations from what I could find.

Clarity and Flow: 6/10
This is the first time I'm reviewing a novel so I can't talk about animation or panel progression. Instead I decided to have an area on clarity and flow. Of course, the translation and translator play a part in this but I'm going to look more at how the dialogue is presented and how well the story paces itself. Overall though I thought it was fine. The clarity was fine and things weren't confusing. The flow was fine as well. Everything progressed logically and at a reasonable ... pace. Things that were meant to be focused on were focused on so that's a plus to me.

Characters: 6/10
The choice of characters as well as the choice in the timeline were nice. I appreciate the dynamics of the MC and his girlfriend and how the other cast members played a role in the conclusion of the story; the MC was able to learn something pretty simple, that the feelings of his girlfriend weren't anything complex or deep. The attention to the character appearance details was nice to see in the narrative.

Plot: 6/10
Pretty much the true ending to the entire story as a way to finally let them live on outside of the pages.

Development: 8/10
I liked this. I though that the development in this novel really added a lot more to the characters and their dynamics with one another. It really fleshed out much more of their personalities and gave reason to some of their worries and problems. The sort of awkward atmosphere that was able to be built was nice and reminds me of the type of airs that you see in things like Watamote or SNAFU.

Conclusion: 8/10
A fitting and well done conclusion to their story. I'm impressed by both the depth and simplicity of the conclusion. While at the surface it was a simple slice of their lives, there was a lot of meaning behind their interactions that day. The MC was able to learn more about himself, his feelings, and the feelings of others. I'm glad that the conclusion was another, like the main, open-ended conclusion to a positive future outside of the pages.

Overall: 7/10
This was a good addition to their world, the characters, and as a conclusion. A must read for those who liked the main.

In this captivating sequel novel of miscommunication and teenage angst, we follow the protagonist, Kurosawa, on a supposedly fun-filled trip with old classmates. But things quickly turn 'mature' as the characters engage in melodramatic quarrels and ridiculous team-naming debates.

Kurosawa's bimbo girlfriend, Sugawa, is a master of overreaction and melodrama. Her demands to join the trip and subsequent anger provide a humorous display of immaturity. You can't help but chuckle at her dramatic 'we're breaking up' outburst over a seemingly trivial matter.

Kurosawa's attempt to appease Sugawa by buying her a souvenir is met with skepticism, highlighting the absurdity of their relationship dynamics. One wonders why they're ... even together if they haven't progressed beyond holding hands after five months.

As the story progresses, we meet characters who seem to have changed very little since middle school. Takigawa and Nagaoka bring comic relief with their enthusiasm and questionable team-naming skills. The trip continues with mundane activities like visiting an aquarium and riding a ferris wheel. Kurosawa's strange obsession with shipping Kitahara with the fat otaku and Kitahara's (understandable) discomfort add an awkward cringe factor to the story.

The narrative's focus on mundane details like checking emails and pondering the lack of communication with Sugawa contributes to the story's boring tone, and Kurosawa's profound internal monologues about touching Sugawa's 'voluptuous boobs' inject teenage hormones and immaturity into the mix.

The second half revolves around the awkward atmosphere among the group during their trip to Universal Studios Japan. Kurosawa observes the strained relationship between Nagaoka and Takigawa, as well as his own confusion about how to interact with them. As the day progresses, Kurosawa has a candid conversation with Takigawa, who reveals her own troubles with Nagaoka. They discuss Kurosawa's recent quarrel with Sugawa, highlighting his fault in not informing her about the trip in advance. Kurosawa learns the simplicity of human relationships and realises the importance of treasuring the person you're with.

Kurosawa tries to call Sugawa but gets her voicemail, leaving him worried and realizing the importance of proper communication. He returns to his friends on the train, asking Kitahara to keep in touch with Pizza-ta, showing his concern for their relationship. As the journey ends, Kurosawa reflects on the anxiety caused by being separated from someone important and the need to stay connected.

Moral of the story? Keep your girl close, otherwise, she might cheat on you. Or in Kurosawa's case, you may, figuratively, get 'NTR'd'.