Ashita no Kimi wa Koko ni Inai

Ashita no Kimi wa Koko ni Inai

By Yamamoto Kotetsuko

Overall: Mediocre
Smex Factor: Modest
Art: Different
Status: 1 Volume; Complete

Review: I always have a problem with these relationships born out of irresponsibility. By which I mean, of course, teacher/student relationships. More often than not, like in this case, a student declares his “like,” the teacher weakly protests for about a half second, and then they go at it like rabbits. I know this is just porn. I know this is just fantasy. But I believe that some BL manga-ka truly are trying to create a story sometimes. (Maybe I just want to think that because this is Yamamoto Kotetsuko and I love her so much.) Porn is for oneshots—you don’t need six chapters to draw a penis.

I say irresponsibility because these teachers always treat their high-school students like adults. “Mio,” Sensei asks, “if we enter into this relationship, we can’t be serious. It will only be physical. I’ll never love you back. It will be painful—can you agree, even on those terms?”

Fuck no, he can’t agree! Sure, he’ll say yes NOW, but he doesn’t know what he’s getting into! He’s a teenager! The teenage years should be officially decreed as a MENTAL HANDICAP. I’m stupid! My brother’s stupid! If you’re a teenager, you’re stupid too.

This is especially true of 16 and 17 year olds. Ye gods, I just look back at how much I’ve grown in the past year alone…

This kid, Mio, if he is like any other teenager, will not be the same person in a year. Any adult who’s gone through puberty would know that. Yet still, Sensei goes along with it. And of course Mio, in his infinite teenage-boy lust, sobs about his unrequited feelings for Sensei (clarifying that yes, he is like any other teenager).

I expected it. If you read this, you’ll expect it too. In fact, even if Mio wasn’t stuck in this supposedly loveless relationship, you’d still expect it because Mio is a whiny little crybaby douche. Was there any chance that his heart wouldn’t be broken? That he would keep it impersonal, or that he wouldn’t cry about a painful relationship that he, himself initiated?

Shut up, Mio. Nobody cares about your tears, and your desperation is pathetic.

His sister Yuna, on the other hand, is awesome. She’s logical and rational—I love her—she’s supportive and kind, and she bends the rules for the people she cares about. Tough, slightly immoral love. She’s the kind of big sister I hope to grow into.

But of course all of my complaints are moot, and everything ends happily(?) because Sensei is actually crazy possessive, and his cold attitude was meant to give Mio a chance to run away. YOU’RE STUCK WITH HIM FOREVER NOW, BOY.

So obviously I’ve been raggin’ on this quite a bit, but I do like their message about “taboo relationships” and how they don’t always have to fail miserably. Persistence and strength, talking things out and communication—Well, yeah. That actually is what a good relationship is built upon.

The problems with this manga actually don’t lie so much in the story, but within the weaknesses of the characters. So really, the story isn’t that bad at all (if you can stand annoying teenage boys and their drama), and many negative qualities are definitely salvaged by Mio’s pragmatic sister.