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I will be honest in here: I made this review as reply to review about Shimanami Tasagore in here that i feel like miss the point and have little to do with the series. I feel the other review already explain perfectly about the latter. If you ask me why the hell i felt compelled to even reply one review is because certain condescending rant at the end especially regarding how to enjoy a story

Heck, if not for abystoma2 last paragraph on his review, i will not even made this article and just let his opinion slide. After all this series is all ... about living together with people you can't understand. But his last paragraph made him act like hot guy that decide how to enjoy series and what deserve to have high score on MAL just because he completed over 6.000 anime.

Nobody that "reasonable" spent that much time on anime even series they don't like (Sorry can't resist myself from using his own word). Say that i am salty or whatever, i dont care because my purpose is only to put my thought. Also what a better way to reply a review rant with another review rant. So just buckle up because this gonna be long rant (Spoiler Alert)


First, Misora is ten year old and so he will act like emotional brat. You ask a kid to act like proper adult which guess what? That how most of adult character on the series from Utsumi, Daichi, to Chaiko act, even when they face with uncomfortable thing. You selectively choose a certain character and portray the series other character as just simply like that. And not even a single character in Shimanami Tasagore say "I'm this or that" except Tasuku when he finally accept himself which the point of his arc in Volume 1.

Second, even some people like Utsumi, Chaiko, and Anonymous prefer to separate their personal life from public work, even when they are with LGBT people. Some of the character like Tsubaki or Misora not even manage to understand themselves to choose "I'm this or that". Which return to the point of Volume 2 that you completely fail to understand is that Tasuku force Misora to choose and just straight away assume that he want to become female.

That the value and i even think you choose to not understand it by making it look like the mental breakdown is came suddenly and not because the deliberate act of our protagonist asking him to choose identity. Not to mention his lash out at festival came after protagonist insensitive comment on the festival, blaming his cuteness for the sexual harassment and treat him like girl on distress.

Funny how you leave that part out but you shout rape on every other BL review so easily. You even admit that his identity is still not decided which made think how dense your brain can be when reading the scene. Yet you complain that the series is don't use "Show don't tell" formula and this so called blunt scene fail to be understand by you.

Which bring to third point, that it is "Show don't tell" series. I agree that it also use a lot of exposition but there also a lot scene where there nothing said outright. Heck, i even count only one arc that uses heavy infodump and that Anonymous chapter in Volume 4 which because it tell from outsider point of view. You know why is that? Because Anonymous is not "I'm this or that" type of person when come to identity!

Tsubaki never say if he gay or anything, but the manga use symbolism to represent his alienation and confused state of mind. Utsumi never said the main reason why he doesn't like his classmate despite her almost too good desire to try made people understand trans people. We knew from how he carry himself in Cat Clowder and how he try to act as ordinary as possible with other people.

And of course Misora never said the reason why he lash out to Tasuku but we understand right away after Utsumi incident. Then there is little scene like use of fish bowl when Tasuku enter Lounge, beginning of Volume 3, and when both Tsubaki and his dad stare at same thing in Christmas night. This is the series that use heavy symbolism and you don't even mention that when talking how you wish it more "Show Don't Tell".

Fourth, i dont know what you have anything aganist BL because you review a lot of it despite not enjoying it, but this story is not Shounen Ai okay. The term already dead in Japan and the series never have any romance between two boys. Yet, you somehow complain how unsatisfying with the finale. Why? Because the main character not get partner in the end? Because Anonymous have really elusive answer at the end?

Jeesh, your review is almost like walking contradiction. You question how the story turn into "Shounen Ai" you say, but expect a romance ending. You criticize character that "I'm this or that", but don't see any value when someone don't manage to say that outright. You want "Show don't tell", but dislike the idea that it don't tie neatly for the MC and Anonymous at the end.

But most outright bullshit thing you say that people like this manga because just because there is LGBT character and you should not need to search validation when reading fiction. Have you consider LGBT people like this because how some character is outside the norm even for LGBT story? two character felt no need to identify themselves at least right know just because they feel like not cis, straight, or follow ordinary gender expression.

How it manage to say good intention on LGBT people can made some of us uncomfortable if you try to force us to be the poster person on the issue. The fact some of the character content just living ordinary live and misunderstood by people because they don't feel need to explain why they are like this. Then there a couple with two different point of view on coming out and came to conflict because that. How the fuck they just exist because they are LGBT just because you are unable to understand the point. Once again you contradicting yourself, by saying the story realistic but not interesting but then said the character only exist because their orientation.

But just say that the case, so what wrong with it? Did people need to follow your definition of good story and enjoyment to enjoy thing? Did a lot of non LGBT reviewer on various news outlet who give this series high rating don't find this interesting? Are people who just like good art can't say they enjoy this? Or you know "fucking two dudes" banging as you say in other review (that also apply to two girl, one girl one dude, two dude one girl, etc) can't be entertain by it? I bet you analyzes your hentai too while jerking off like with BL (Sarcasm Note: I actually hope you really do because if you don't, well nevermind)

Just because you thing validation don't equal enjoyment doesn't mean everybody should follow you mister "Straight Male Person" (Sorry can't resist myself again). I knew that most story you read involve 'Straight Male Person" so you can act like you only read story for plot and not validation. I knew you never feel need to validate for your sexuality because nobody ever invalidate you in life because you can't date opposite sex. If you don't understand it then just admit it, give bad score, made review why you don't understand it, and move along without trying to made broad assumption about the reader. Your approval if the manga deserve general high score at the end of your every review don't mean shit.

The series message is that we can live in same boat even though we fail to understand each other, which hard thing to do to be honest. I fail to understand your contradictory review and you fail to understand people who rate this series high and in general, LGBT people. I be happy if somebody disagree with me and or just think i am salty over one review. At least you knew that i can't understand you and you can't understand me. Have nice day, abystoma2.

I write this review to give you the second point of view of this series (In not gonna be in depth review but more like quick one). I find the series is really enjoyable especially if you are fans of episodic manga. Some people make it sound like it just two brother running hotel everyday and bunch of people who come into their hotel mountain with no reason but actually all of them have their own reason to climb the harshness of Denali (yes, it set in Alaska, probably around late 19th century) mountain and has their own story. From old man who want to ... quit his puppeteer business and want to find new job to widow who become prostitute after his husband goes to war, and two soldier that just came back from war in which one of them lose his sight from chemical warfare. This is story about hardship of two brother abandon in middle of cold Denali mountain and only to found out that this world is can be cruel but as long as you have that one small thing that we call it hope, we can survive even if it through hell. If you like tragedy story with some twist in the end, check this story as it pretty short and at least present you with fresher look in yaoi genre as i always enjoy story that dont try to do same thing over and over again. If you like well written tragedy story and not just for sex, the make sure to check this out.

Closing Qoute:
"No matter what horrible place you're at or how dirt you end up, human can keep living as long as they eat and sleep whether they have hope or not, bit the people that cling just one small piece of hope, a hope that other would easily throw away, always holding it dearly, those people are strongest and being strong is being beautiful" - Mytyl

"When I came to Denali before, i saw one (Aurora). Only after i lost my eyesight did i understand. Once you cant see. you're trapped. Like if you had turned into glacier. Trapped inside your most beautiful memory. Left all alone in there as time has stopped and you cant go anywhere. A sight of end of world. That was aurora is for me" - Blind Soldier