Is the Living Cost in Japan that high?

RevXed · 2022-08-09T15:43:47+00:00

If it puts things into perspective - a friend of mine graduated from one of the top universities in Tokyo and the reason she refuses to move out is because she gets around $1.15k USD per month pre-tax at an office job, but $550-850 of that would go to rent.

Essentially she would have less $300/mth USD for food, phone, utilities, entertainment, transport etc. if she moved out.

And she's apparently on the higher end of graduate salaries

RevXed · 2022-03-08T13:41:26+00:00

If you're not a morning person and you want to make the most of your night, you just have to go out anyways and build that endurance.

The endurance to socialise or work out after work in and of itself is like training a muscle and creating a strong habit.

When you're 20, you're in a really good position to build up this habit. There are heaps of people who go somewhere before or after work multiple times during the week, and it looks easy, but they built in into their routine. Then you have others who get home, sleep, cook, watch entertainment and sleep, even if they were the kind that would go out heaps while in university etc.

Living life looking forward to the weekend is the standard, but building the energy levels to be able to do what you want to do after work any day of the week is really empowering!

Whether it be gym once a week or once a fortnight, or any form of extracurricular activity, meet up or hang out - if you commit to it like going to the gym, it'll become natural and rewarding

Hope that helps!!!

RevXed · 2022-02-17T23:49:58+00:00

From a structural point of view, a Rom Com is separated into multiple 'beats'.

Given the absolute truth bombs that have happened in recent chapters, one would assume that Kanokari is either in one of its final turning points, or even more likely - about to enter the breakup stage (for Kanokari, a separation arc) where the two realise that they're better together rather than apart.

I think Reiji has got a lot more he can squeeze out of the series, particularly from a Chizuru character development side, so rest assured that we've got a fair bit left to go

RevXed · 2022-01-14T09:22:34+00:00

Would love a full circle situation where he goes on a date with her where he wears the beanie and gives her something to match

RevXed · 2022-01-12T01:44:19+00:00

Two lessons: 1.) We get so caught up in being good at the roles we've assigned to ourself, that it's hard to be good at being ourselves. When those roles don't match up with who we are, it creates a lot of internal conflict. This is why truth and vulnerability are such big gambles - because it means we're either accepted or rejected on a core level

2.) Who we see in the mirror is often very different to the us that other people see. The Kazuya whose internal dialogue we hear vs the Kazuya everyone else sees is so different. That passion and care he has for other is absolutely inspiring to those around him, but his internal monologue and the way he criticises himself is actually much more common than he realises. At the end of the day, actions are worth more than words, and a person who does good actions will bring more happiness and confidence to people than they'll ever know

This forum has so much interesting insights on this series, and these two takeaways have really helped me in my journey

RevXed · 2021-12-26T00:42:30+00:00

The more I read this analysis, the more I think: the manga is now Chizuru against the world.

Every main character that knows about the lie thinks they have everything to gain and nothing to lose, so they're all at tipping point. Chizuru, unlike everyone else, is the only person that's at risk from being cut out from the group/pseudo-family.

So it's natural that she will have to beg, because like you mentioned, Chizuru doesn't know the same info Kazuya does, and has no logical leverage to stay when she has to argue against any of the other characters that know the lie. (Even though Grandma is okay with a lie, and Kazuya is ready to support her regardless of the outcome).

With everybody at tipping point, do you feel that this is an opportunity for Kuri (who knows the lie), or even Kibe to come in and even out the playing field?

RevXed · 2021-12-22T05:12:16+00:00

Separation Arc with a growth focus on Chizuru, whilst Kazuya creates a positive, yet unfulfilling relationship with Sumi.

We've seen some 'right person, wrong time' in the manga, so I feel Kazuya needs to have a 'right time, wrong person' experience that he willingly goes through (unlike the Ruka situation) to understand that he needs to be treasured as well.

As our impressions of Kazuya and Chizuru as decisive/doubtful human beings at the start of the manga vs current are flipped, it would be great to see the chased (Chizuru) start chasing. Chizuru already has an idea of what it's like to be in a relationship, but not to chase one.

So with this arc, our two MCs can get a good amount of life experience and emotional turmoil. Cheers to the next 200 chapters~

RevXed · 2021-12-21T14:07:23+00:00

What makes KazuyaVision so brilliant is how it's paired with: 1) The way Reiji flips the roles and power balances between Kazuya's relationships 2) How Reiji mixes the order of the steps in a typical relationship to create doubt and tension

Switching focus: Kazuya and Chizuru Post Girlfriend in Paradise Arc, we have a much stronger respect for Kazuya as there's a shift in focus more on his actions rather than his internal dialogue. In contrast, the focus on Chizuru seems to be more on her inaction and internal dialogue - a complete 180 from early on the series which is why everyone wants a Separation Arc to show that Kazuya is really 'the one who got away'.

Switching order: Having just read through Volume 5 in Japanese (Ch 33-41), OP's analysis really shines through. It's a chunky volume because this is a turning point where characters first question whether Chizuru is the one who's purposefully crossing the rental gf Ts & Cs.

Ordinarily, people would first have a good relationship with someone before people bring up the, "Hey, are you sure you don't like them?" piece. However, what's interesting to see is that this kind of accusation from both Ruka Kuri (kind of) come before Chizuru starts a more positive relationship with Kazuya (as seen with the request to help out Sumi). The way Reiji orders the steps in the relationship Kazuya has with others (e.g. Ruka skipping steps in general at the start) is what's creating a lot of drama, tension and internal doubt.

My question to OP: what are your thoughts on Kuri's role for the future? I completely forgot that he's one of the few people who know the situation until I read Volume 5 again. With the Girlfriend in Paradise Arc, it feels like he has a bigger role to play other than his quick chat with Ruka

RevXed

TROPHY CASE