Ichigo 100% Chapter 167 Discussion

Like cecropiamoth, back in March, said: Nishino is clearly (and from early on) the most mature, best choice.  



I found from very early on that this manga wasn't a story about predestination  (junpei/aya) or sex appeal (junpei/satsuki) but about being concerned about the other party.  Except for a few occasions, Tsukasa really only did things for junpei's benefit.  She urged him to talk to her, she gave him space.  She told him how she felt.  She showed vulnerability.  She gave him up when it was the clearest path towards being together.  (Strong!)   I think I was even more than a little in love with all three by the end, but Tsukasa the most.  I definitely wanted more than just Ch. 167 + omake.  



Aya's & Satsuki's final confessions slaughtered me.  Even when I was happy for Junpei & Tsukasa in 167, I was still blue from earlier.  I have been days since being sad everytime I think about it.



It was actually a story about the obstacles in the way of them eventually being together.  I'm not sure junpei & Aya were mature enough to be together, and Satsuki (imo) never had a chance.  She was a sexy, distracting pal.  Love needs more.



Currently, Kawashita Mizuki is drawing (G) Edition, which is about as far removed from Ichigo, Kasukoi Limited or Ane Doki as you can get.  I'll give it a read, but so far I am disappointed.  A lot of manga I read through despite the lolicon fan service, and g edition is maxing my tolerance.

Man, after 14 years, I have finally started and finished this manga. That was 3 days ago, and my mind still can't rest.



I have no issue with Manaka picking Nishino, given the circumstances and the progression before them, Nishino was the most developed as Manaka's girlfriend.



But really hurts is the fact that Toujou and Manaka was so destined to be together, but due to so many missed opportunities and their unwillingness to open up their feelings to each other, they cannot be together. I mean, they had 2 years at least to work on it, but every opportunity that was presented to them, they squandered it. The scene that got me in the feels the most is the one in chapter 164 where Manaka reminisce their time in middle school talking about Toujou's novel and how they will make it into a movie, the epiphany that if they express their feelings to each other, they would probably be together.



This series, even though got the ending that I think is most justified, still punched me in the gut because of the "what could have been". It's the same feeling of my regrets in life that I can never go back to redo. Looking back in the early chapters, the manga was so full of comedy and light heartedness, I never imagined it would turn into an emotional nuke like this. Damn I wish I can cry, but the feeling of the regret cannot be soothed by crying.



On a side note, I think at least Mukai got a happy ending with Migishima, the guy with the forehead scar. Also, I really would've liked the author to show Yui after the time skip, it felt like she just got thrown to the wayside after her arc with her father. Actually, I think every character except Toujou and Nishino got thrown to the wayside after their respective arcs. Even Satsuki felt pretty irrelevant in the third year.



Also, am I the only one who feels like Manaka kind of failed in life. He took on part time manual labor work. I know he won some award for a film and joined his the alumni's production company, but who knows how far he will go.

If i not mistake after start from chap 140 onward it already in bottom, i got this information from Rugia from onemanga forum

When i started the manga I would have never guessed I would actually finish it. There were many times when i thought that the author was reusing too many scenes throughout the series. I still think the manga could have been 50 chapters thinner without losing anything noteworthy.

However.. as unattached I was at the start, the more attached I became towards the last 60 chapters. The author made it hard for me to keep a preference for a single character throughout the manga. This helped place myself into Manaka's mindset and his doubts. I was especially pleased with the ending chapters, not because I was rooting for Nishino, but because i felt it was a somewhat realistic closure to a long series.



Thank you Kawashita Mizuki and everyone who helped creating and translating this work.

one of the reason why i love this manga is the mangaka's decision on how to wrap the ending, it's not your usual first-girl-always-gets-the-guy story, although in the beginning it showed some sign to follow that track.



i started to notice Nishino's potential to be a good heroine since she decided to going out with Manaka, and the scene where she confessed to manaka after the aquarium scene is the one that made me want to see her to be the final girl for manaka.



as for Toujo and Manaka, i think it's better for them to be close friends, supporting each other.



oh well, i never get bored re-reading this manga.. beautiful story, beautiful ending.. really inspiring and made me think about how i should never stop pursuing my dreams as well, no matter how hard it is..  :)



conclusion, definitely one of my all-time favorite manga~



final score : 10/10

I was at around 145 last night, but I decided to push through to the end. And, yes, I to though Amachi and Satsuki would hook up...but apparently not. Funnily enough it seems Misuzu was the only one to hook up during the 4 year gap, at least that we know of.



About the princess/childhood friend thing, I thought that the mangaka was just stating that was her original intention and that the two of them got flip-flopped when she actually got to drawing the manga. But, you may be right.

I read this whole series inside a week, I tried to pace myself, in order to pay attention to details. The big attraction for this manga seemed to be simply not knowing what was going to happen with the main plot. (That should have been a clue, now that I think about it.) I wanted to take my time, and follow the different threads of the story, similarly to the way you pay attention to a mystery. Enjoy the suspense, try and figure it out, and delight in the ending.



This manga is definitely memorable. It was definitely interesting to find out what was going to happen from chapter to chapter. The author introduced many events that both built the characters, and left you guessing. Eventually though, the story really seemed to stretch on. The different events that kept you guessing became superfluous, and seemed more and more like a way to drag on the story. Eventually, the author started to add in events that were contradictory or that hurt the plot as a whole. It seems there's pressure to continue a popular, or even successful story as long as possible.



You can easily determine the area of the story where the focus changed from "drag this on, and keep them confused about the outcome" to "conclude the story quickly as popularity is falling" This was prior to the time of the senior year festival. (I'd have to re-read to find out exactly when, but I suspect right after the summer filming trip.)



The problem is, the author dug several holes for herself, and had to bend things to conclude the plot. I strongly suspect that character popularity data could have been involved in the author making her choice, and possibly the urge to make the ending surprising for the readers. If this were a typical manga story, Toujou would have ended up with Manaka. The fact that it was different counts as a surprise. I'm not opposed to this, and think it's refreshing to see a non-typical, or especially more realistic ending. (someone as shy, closed up, and self-sabotaging as Toujou wouldn't get the guy in a real situation, unless the guy was such a loser that he had zero other options.)



The problem I have is that the author sabotaged Nishino, starting early in the plot, in the typical "best seeming girl actually has lots of bad points" style. He did avoid making most of them personality flaws though. Furthermore, while a great character person by the end, it wasn't a realistic choice based on the personality built up for Junpei. (A person who has a hard time deciding on things, a hard time moving his own life forward, and someone with as many self confidence issues as Junpei has, would likely go for the more "sure" option of Satsuki.)



So yeah, the ending surprised me. I admit Aya was who I expected for the ending though not my favorite character. But I really didn't expect a Nishino ending, even after they got back together as BF/GF. (which was really pathetic, the way Manaka basically ended up accepting by default, which turned out to be poor writing, rather than a plot point.) To be clear, I don't mind that it was Nishino in the end, I just thought the writing to do it was poor. The Sabotaging of the Nishino option throughout the story also wasn't properly cleared up. (Just a few examples,  breaking her promise to go to the same school, remaining undecided about her feelings (in different ways) for much of the plot, choosing to leave Junpei for France, showing only marginal interest in Junpei's dreams/desires)



at one point, I actually thought that the cram-school girl was a more likely surprise-twist ending than Nishino.



Nishino - Has a reason to love Junpei, because he helped her find her dream, and supported her going after it. She really didn't help him towards his dream, though she occasionally showed an interest or expressed some encouragement. (Mostly due to "keep things interesting" moments the author threw in.) She isn't a childish character, but she also leans towards the selfish side in several cases. She also made it pretty clear that her wants and dreams were more important to her than Junpei. (also... 4 years, and it seemed she didn't visit him? the last scene gave the impression that they hadn't really stayed in touch... wish that had been expounded on.)



Toujou - She loves him because he was the first to recognize her, and to value her, despite her appearance and introversion. He helped her to change and gain friends as well. The supported each others dreams, and actively helped each other. He helped her write, and she helped him film, and they shared a lot of passion where their dreams overlapped. In the end though, she constantly sabotaged herself by giving the impression she didn't like Junpei, and by clamming up and not talking to him when something slightly difficult came along. She went years without confessing. While she might have been written as the "soul mate" character for Junpei, it's perfectly realistic that they didn't end up together. At least Junpei gave her the final push to continue with her dream before abandoning her. She seems to be doing okay though, and she is living her dream.



Satsuki - Probably the most supportive of Junpei. She has one of the less obvious reasons for liking Junpei, but it's pretty easy to attribute it to compatibility and chemistry. She supported Junpei the entire story, in the day to day life matters that are often glossed over in this sort of story. She also helped him towards his dream the best way she could, and encouraged him as well. She's not the smart-talented type that has a lofty dream, but she's pretty clear about making her dream to support Junpei and his dream. She's the only character that was consistently there for him, and the one who showed she cared the most. She understood his weaknesses, and unlike other options, was willing to accept them. In the end though, her lack of a distinct dream other than supporting Junpei seemed to be her downfall. I think using seduction to get a man is probably somewhat taboo in japan, so that didn't help.



Toujou has that soul-mate power that imagination can use to say "they're destined to be together" so a long term relationship could be possible. It seems that the co-mingled dreams are realistically a pretty tenuous connection. Satsuki is the one who Junpei had the best chance of realistically having a long relationship with. She was devoted to him as a person, and the difficulties of life would be survivable. Nishino is great, but it's also very difficult to imagine them having a long happy relationship together, or even get married. They love each other, but their dreams will pull in opposite directions, and neither are really the type to give up their dreams for the other person. It's easy to see the difficulties of real life pulling them apart. I really like her though, It's nice to see a strong female character who puts her dreams, rather than love, first. They just don't match that well.



GAH... I guess this thing got me worked up enough to type a freaking novel... which is it's own sort of greatness... 8/10

@ LeonLanford

You right in last chapter Ichigo 100% is in bottom ToC, but ending close the curtain splendidly.  Too bad latter Mizuki Kawashita losing her brave and made mediocre series.