The Lungfish Diaries

This week, Mami goes full mask off, pushed beyond the breaking point, but first, we learned a little more about what Kazuya and Chizuru did, and did not, say to Nagomi about the situation. We’ll also take a look at Kazuya and Chizuru’s states of mind through their discussions with Kuri and Ruka, and we’ll compare Ruka and Mami’s roles in the story, as this bathroom confrontation is an apt microcosm for their approaches and credibility as threats. Let’s dig into it. Lo how the mighty have fallen. The truth, the three-quarters truth, and nothing but partial truths? We open this week with Nagomi having summed up the situation for Ruka and Kuri. Ironically, aside from Kazuya’s family, the one person who knew absolutely nothing about the situation–Kibe–isn’t present, and we can look forward to seeing what Kibe is really doing and how he’s dealing with the news. What’s crucial to see here, as was suspected last week, is that the truth about Ruka, Mami, and Kuri is almost certainly n...

Hello again, friends. This week, Kazuya doesn’t seem to quite know what to make of what Chizuru’s done, Mami’s still in shambles, and the whole history of Kazuya and Chizuru was dealt with economically but in a way that leaves quite a few questions, but first, let’s talk about Chizuru’s massive turnaround this week. A girl with a plan, Fran I'd say, "Rise and shine, Kazuya!" but I think you already have the first part figured out. For weeks, we’ve talked about how Chizuru seemed to be dithering. When Nagomi demanded an explanation from her in 223, Chizuru couldn’t find the words, but aside from when she’s been overwhelmed, which does happen from time to time, Chizuru usually pursues her course of action with single-minded determination. Now, she’s applied that to taking her place as Kazuya’s supposed girlfriend. Chizuru’s single-mindedness has a long history: When Ruka accused them of being a rental couple in ch. 23, Chizuru practically took it as a challenge a...

Hello again, friends. This week, Chizuru aggressively sucked Kazuya’s face, and it was great, but did Kazuya really get the message? Chizuru makes a grand speech apologizing to his family and friends and laying out that she gradually fell in love with him, but even if that is all pretty much true, those words were for them, not for him. Chizuru still has a great deal to explain, and what’s Mami to do now that her victory has all but slipped through her fingers? Let’s take a closer look. Let yourselves breathe, Chizuru The kiss that takes no prisoners. If there was any doubt last week, after Chizuru rolled up to Kazuya and planted one on his lips, there is no doubt now. This ain’t no dollar store kiss; this is a grand smackeroo! After weeks of Chizuru avoiding Kazuya, being standoffish toward him, running to the bathroom or ignoring his attempts to talk, Chizuru has finally let go. She does not merely kiss the boy; it is a desperate smooch for the ages. We don’t get a lot to wo...

After 39 chapters, the Paradise arc reaches its most crucial moment this week, with Chizuru finally able to take action after Nagomi challenged her to explain a few weeks ago. While her decision may be a welcome one to some, there is still so much that remains to be said and done. Let’s take a closer look. The face of love itself. Whatever happened to Kazuya Kinoshita? We start this week with more flashbacks! Everyone else has been seen to except Kibe, who we see dealing with Kazuya on the heels of another unsuccessful attempt to start going out with a girl. Later in the chapter, Kibe will ask if he misjudged Kazuya, having seen him as only a lovable idiot. In a way, he couldn’t be more right. The Kazuya we see here is one we haven’t seen much of, if any, since Kazuya and company came back from the beach trip in the first twenty chapters. Fawning and desperate for affection, he would keep trying and keep getting shot down over women even if he was without a shred of hope. Cont...

Ruka makes a surprising move in the chess game between Mami, Kazuya, and Chizuru, and we finally see the meat of the conversation she had with Nagomi twenty chapters ago. It’s tempting to look at Ruka’s actions this week and think that she has finally come to grips with the situation and acted like a reasonable person instead of a petulant child, but to me, it is too little and far too late. Let’s take a look. The time has come, but does this show Ruka's true nature? Who is Ruka Sarashina? This chapter does a good job of reviewing Ruka’s feelings. It’s not a necessary touch for anyone who has followed the manga closely, but it is easy to forget that Ruka is motivated by her heart condition. After all, we once went over a hundred chapters without it even being mentioned, and Ruka became a run-of-the-mill clingy girlfriend instead of someone constantly looking, specifically, for heart-pounding experiences. Ruka’s heart condition is both central to her motivation and, on a da...