At last! Here's Yukarism chapter 5! First off I would like to thank Ichigo Stars for some amazing redrawing gymnastics on the title page. My socks have been completely knocked off by her skill. I would also like to thank Suzume for her amazing redrawing skills as well. Suzume has been working really hard to develop her Photoshop skills and I must say that she totally shredded the learning curve by getting this good so quickly.
Oh! And we've got some new people helping out with the Proofreading and QC! Please welcome Chibi Anime Freak and Anime Lover.
A little warning about this chapter: They get to nitty-gritty of Yuumurasaki's profession, prostitution, in this chapter. There is no nudity, but it is quite clear what's going. Actually, the scene is quite hilarious...but still I feel the need to warn readers.
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler's Ahead!
Kuroneko003 and Kuma-chan's discussion about "Yukarism" chapter 5:
[Kuma-chan]: Man, I know nothing will happen but it's still funny to see Yuumurasaki and Shizuka!
[K3]: That was hilarious!
[Kuma-chan] I mean, they're both guys now so it's awkward but they seem to have a strange kinda friendship in the Edo period.
[K3]: Are you sure about that? I think Mahoro is actually Shizuka and Satomi is Kazuma. Shizuka seems more worried about general security, whereas Mahoro is somewhat possessive. There's also the explanation of why Satomi lost his job -- excessive loyalty. Oh! And Yukari said Satomi's vibe didn't match Shizuka's. I also think the snakey hair is the indication of some sort of mystical ability.
[Kuma-chan]: I'd like to see more of Kazuma though.
[K3]: I wonder now that Mahoro is feeling dizzy, will she too also start traveling to the Edo period when she falls asleep.
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[Kuma-cha]: I have to ask, why do you think he's being misled? It's not that I don't agree with you, I'm just curious to know your thoughts. I was thinking that the new guy might have hidden skills like Shizuka and Mahoro is protective and possessive of Yukari like Kazuma was of Yuumurasaki. But we might all be misled as you are suggesting.
[K3]: Sorry, but this may come out as incoherent babble...Mainly, my feeling is that Satomi's personality is more calm and subservient like Kazuma's and Mahoro seems more hot-blooded and passionate like Shizuka. Honestly, Shizuka is a nutty fan of Yuumurasaki. He's pays ridiculous amounts of money for her company. It's in the way they talk and their facial expressions. For example, Mahoro's demand that Satomi leave mirrors the demand Shizuka made in chapter 3. Also, there are visual cues like hair color. More and anything, Satomi's continuous mumbling to himself about how carefree Yukari is about security and his general benignly servile attitude scream Kazuma to me. While Mahoro's fangirling, hot-temper, possessiveness, and need for Yukari not to think that she's a bother seems more Shizuka-like.
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[Kuma-chan]: I think I'd have to agree with your reasoning there with the Mahoro/Shizuka + Satomi/Kazuma thing. I kinda based my initial decision upon what I observed on the surface but their personalities are pretty important eh. And yeah, the 'get outta here' stuff is quite a parallel. I didn't even pick up on that. Doh! But I have to wonder, are Shizuka and Yuumurasaki actually lovers? Or does he just pay all that money for her company, and nothing more?
[K3]: He's a customer. Whether it goes beyond that, I guess we'll find out.
[Kuma-chan]: And this gender switch business is disturbing. Unless Kazuma isn't a love interest for Yuumurasaki.
[K3]: I don't think he was. He seems more like a good friend. Though, if Kazuma did love Yuukurasaki, it doesn't mean it translates into the present.
[K3]: I don't think we have to worry about anything explicitly same sex. Betsuhana is VERY tame.
[Kuma-chan]: Which would be strange because he's a handsome guy who's so close to her. Makes you wonder about the direction of the plot.
[K3]: If Mahoro is Shizuka, then the question becomes whether he's crazy and killed Yuumurasaki and will Mahoro become jealous in the present day and kill Yukari. I'm hoping it is like that because then the basic plot would be a lot like a movie I love called "Dead Again". In that movie we are led to believe that the husband killed his wife out of jealousy and that they are reincarnated and brought together again so the same fate can befall them. The woman is an artist in her present life and is obsessed with scissors, the weapon used to kill the wife in the couple's previous life. The guy is a private detective. The twist at the end, though, is that the man in present life was actually the wife. Oh, how I love that movie!
[Kuma-chan]: Yeah, Kazuma might be a good friend who dies protecting Yuumurasaki. But I don't think the past will repeat itself. First, we don't even know if Shizuka actually killed the people in Yoshiwara. I'm willing to bet it was an enemy, perhaps of Shizuka since he seems to work for high ranked people. That scroll covered in incantations might have been an attempt by Shizuka to protect Yuumurasaki but it might have been too late. While he is scary and says things like "I can end your life" etc. I don't think he'd kill her. He seems interested in her because she's the only one that doesn't fear him and I guess she's like his friend. Though he throws money at her she doesn't seem to be acting all obedient around him and just trying to please him. She's herself. But Yukari's got himself in a nice pickle this chapter. XD As for the history not repeating itself part: I think whatever went wrong in the past will be fixed by Yukari in the present. I don't think he'll change history (though he might be able to?!) but I think he won't let the same mistake happen again in the present.
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Hahaha! I guess we'll have to see in later chapters whether any of this speculation comes true :).
Next up!
Next up is "The Ghost Apartment Manager" chapter 4
