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REVIEW: Ten Count GN 2




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BVerfG



Joined: 23 Oct 2015
Posts: 43
PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 1:03 pm Reply with quote
Honestly to me Ten Count is an example of everything that is wrong with the genre. The dub-con/non-con is just cringeworthy as hell to me. I never understood why anyone liked that, but suum cuique.
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jenny10-11



Joined: 25 Jun 2015
Posts: 98
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 4:31 pm Reply with quote
I'm getting tired of dub-con/non-con between romantic partners in yaoi, and as a former student of psychology, this makes me shudder. This could have been interesting if handled in a sensitive way but for now I'll be dropping this series. Maybe I'll come back if Shirotani starts managing his condition and drops Kurose like a bad smell (which is unlikely, given how abusive relationships in yaoi work).
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whiskeyii



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 2245
PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 6:56 pm Reply with quote
So while this review has made it abundantly clear that this series isn't for me, I do appreciate how well it was written, in that it discusses the issues presented, why some readers might find them problematic, but also allowing for different tastes to emerge within a genre that is not often examined as "fantasy". (I have to keep reminding myself that "Dark Romance" is a valid sub-genre, so it's not like Western romances are all that squeaky clean either.)

Obviously, that doesn't mean turning a blind eye to problematic elements when they arise--brief encounters with an acquaintance who works specifically in publishing romances does indicate that Western romances have elements of dom/sub, non-/dubcon tropes that are perhaps being normalized a little too broadly across the board--but this mangaka at least seems very self-aware of the issues at play, even if there's not much in the way of actually addressing them; that would obviously rain on the parade of the audience she's catering to.

TL;DR: This review was about as even-handed as it gets for a story that seems to typify a lot of what people associate with "bad" BL, and I can appreciate that even if the work as a whole isn't for me.
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Thread_Alchemist



Joined: 11 Sep 2012
Posts: 51
PostPosted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:49 pm Reply with quote
I felt like the biggest short coming this book had was the speed at which the story is moving. (Which is also a common problem with yaoi.)

Note: I don't know anything about psychology.
Until the big moment at the end of the book I got the impression that Shirotani was trying to push Kurose with a more extreme expose therapy. This line of thought does fall apart by the end of the book however. Maybe if the writer had taken her time with the story and gone back to the list but this time with sexual bend it might have worked out better. I really like the artwork though so I think I'll stick with this one.

(I don't have anything to add to the relationship dynamic argument. Lots of people have said it better than I could.)
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chaccide



Joined: 16 Aug 2016
Posts: 295
PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 12:31 am Reply with quote
I started reading this after the review here of the first volume and really love it. These kinds of relationships are so interesting in the right hands, and this mangaka has the right hands. Why do any relationships have to be portrayed positively, or sensitively, or in a lovely egalitarian or whatever light?

I don't have issues with the contents of this manga. I like to read about difficult and uncomfortable relationships, even when they're shown as titillating or romantic. These two characters are well drawn and they fascinate me, and I can't wait to read more.

Note: don't ever read Anne Stuart's het romances if you can't stand something like this manga- she'd make your hair stand on end. But for those intrigued by not so nice characters in f*cked up but fascinating dark relationships, I'd recommend some of her middle period books.
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crosswithyou



Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 2892
Location: California
PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 2:08 am Reply with quote
I'm with you, chaccide.

I'm not the type to deeply analyze anime/manga so if it's entertaining then it's A-OK with me. I love Ten Count, and Shirotani and Kurose's complex relationship. The latest chapter... just... OMG. Between this and Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai, I think I'm pretty set when it comes to darker, more mature stories.

PS Make sure to vote for Ten Count for this year's Sugoi Japan awards!
https://sugoi-japan.jp/vote.html
Saezuru placed #4 last year so I've got high hopes for Ten Count.

Doukyuusei is also among the nominations in the Anime category.
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Ashen Phoenix



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 2910
PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 5:11 pm Reply with quote
whiskeyii wrote:
So while this review has made it abundantly clear that this series isn't for me, I do appreciate how well it was written, in that it discusses the issues presented, why some readers might find them problematic, but also allowing for different tastes to emerge within a genre that is not often examined as "fantasy". (I have to keep reminding myself that "Dark Romance" is a valid sub-genre, so it's not like Western romances are all that squeaky clean either.)

Obviously, that doesn't mean turning a blind eye to problematic elements when they arise--brief encounters with an acquaintance who works specifically in publishing romances does indicate that Western romances have elements of dom/sub, non-/dubcon tropes that are perhaps being normalized a little too broadly across the board--but this mangaka at least seems very self-aware of the issues at play, even if there's not much in the way of actually addressing them; that would obviously rain on the parade of the audience she's catering to.

TL;DR: This review was about as even-handed as it gets for a story that seems to typify a lot of what people associate with "bad" BL, and I can appreciate that even if the work as a whole isn't for me.

I absolutely love your respectful, well-written response. I find myself intrigued by this series and am equally thankful such a tricky subject matter was discussed in so fair a way. Bravo.
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