Hirunaka No Ryuusei: SHIZUME (Satsuki Shishio & Suzume Yosano)

So this post is going to be a rant and hints I'm getting from this manga. Therefore, I'm really going to input a lot of my own feelings into this so please don't be offended. Honestly, this could've been one of my MOST favorite manga ever, but I still don't understand (after a few months of thinking) why Suzume chose Daiki Mamura over Shishio. From the posts and messages I've been getting and reading, Mika Yamamori, the mangaka of Hirunaka No Ryuusei, fully intended for Suzume to end up with Shishio. While Mamura (and I'm not saying I have anything against him) is a completely fabricated person, Shishio is REAL. Supposedly, he's a love of Yamamori and this manga was, in a way, dedicated to him. But either way, Yamamori NEVER revealed who Shishio was modeled after, which again hints to this assumption. The biggest problem I have is the "hate" against the relationship between Suzume and Shishio, which was pure and flawed, and the "love" for the relationship between Mamura and Suzume, which was too fan-based and fictional. While most people say this manga is "different" to a typical shoujo manga, I have to say otherwise. Just because the main female protagonist didn't end up with the main male protagonist doesn't make this manga any less cliche. It's BECAUSE of that ending that made this manga a turn-down. Yes, Shishio is old, but not by much! There's only an 8 year difference between Suzume and Shishio, which, if you ask me, is a common and healthy age difference in relationships. While I'm not familiar with Japanese culture, I am still very curious about the strong resentment against student-teacher relationships. Shouldn't a person have the right to date who they want? I feel that it is NOT fair that Shishio was the one who has to give up. He says he is selfish and worthless, but it is he who gave up his happiness for the happiness of others.

He says to Suzume in Chapter 77: "Christmas. I'm sorry I was late. I kept thinking I really wanted to see you. Your birthday. I'm sorry I didn't notice. The first of December. I probably won't forget it. The first time you came to my house. I didn't tell you but, actually, I was really, really nervous. The school festival. The raccoon. The sushi-pattern tie. The time when we went home together. If all of these moments continued, it would be good... That is what I thought. Just by being with me, I feel like I ruined a lot of things around you. I even had to lie just to distance myself from you. But even so... The moment I let go of your hand, for the first time, I realized the magnitude of what I have lost. Somehow, speaking of this now, I'm being a selfish and worthless adult. I'm sorry."

It isn't fair, especially in a manga for a person to be left out like this. If you think of it this way, Shishio has loved Suzume all this time. He was hurt for 30+ chapters because he didn't want to hurt Suzume's future or happiness. She was so precious to him to the point that he was willing to sacrifice his pride and reputation to get back what he had given up. THAT'S what makes us human. And yes, I do know that this is a manga, but if people are choosing Mamura over Shishio just because Shishio "looks" like a creepy old man who hits on young girls, THEY are the ones who are mistaken for not seeing what being a human really means. The "too precious" person in this manga isn't Suzume. It's Satsuki.

I also noticed that there were many Shizume fan-fictions out on the web, and I can't say how happy I am to see others also believing that Shishio isn't that "bad" of a guy. Honestly, even if the manga ends as it is, with Suzume and Mamura, I doubt their relationship will last. In a way, Yamamori hints to this in the manga. After the last official chapter, where Suzume runs back to Mamura, there is a time-lapse of 6 years, where Shishio meets Suzume again at the party. This is assuming that they've never talked after Suzume goes back to Mamura. I couldn't help but notice that NO chapter or scene was given to Mamura, and this hints to his absence in Suzume's life, which probably means they've broken up. Obviously, if Suzume is at a wedding party, Mamura, if he was dating Suzume, should also be invited. If not, Yamamori would've given a scene to Mamura where Suzume at least mentions where he is or what he's doing. So this point is clearly made: It's highly possible that Suzume and Mamura have broken up. And though many Shizume fans have been going off about that smile Suzume gave Shishio, saying that it's very "sad" she didn't say or do anything else, I think that this is a hint at her new beginning. Suzume is now in her 20s, and Shishio is in his 30s. It's obviously that Shishio still hasn't gotten over Suzume as he still keeps her gift (a sushi tie) in his home. I can't explain this well, but if you read the chapter, it's pretty obvious he is still in love with her. Now, going back to Suzume: Her heart is still in love with Shishio. So while the chapter is not prolonged (probably to not upset Mazume fans), this manga is technically still ongoing. (A story has no ending!) While we "see" that Suzume got together with Mamura, I'm positive the relationship had lasted only 2 or 3 years (after Suzume graduates high school and realizes that Mamura is not right for her). She obviously doesn't go back to Shishio then because she has just graduated and is probably busy finding a job or applying to college. And BAM! She meets Shishio again after everything's settled. Her smile hints that she will meet Shishio once again somewhere else. And while the manga shows Shishio going home and getting drunk, the scene pauses in just a day. So we, as readers, never get to "see" what happens after that. Basically, and I think this is pretty obvious, Shishio meets Suzume again at another place by chance. They talk about their life and catch up. Shishio will find out that Suzume broke up with Mamura. Suzume will realize that Shishio still doesn't have a girlfriend or wife. Though they won't get together right away, their "moments" will arise again. Shishio will invite Suzume to a park or a place to "catch up." Suzume will finally realize the feelings that never went away. And after some time, Suzume and Shishio will confess their feelings again and officially get together. This time, their relationship most likely is approved since they both are adults and don't have that student-teacher relationship anymore. And they most likely will have a child and live a rocky but happy life. THIS is what I'm interpreting from the manga and the "ending" that I've read. It's impossible to not feel anything for your first love. And I know Suzume is aware of what she gave up.

Plus, the last chapter doesn't even make sense. I feel that the mangaka rushed a bit too much and merely caved in to her fan's request (have Mamura win). But now that I thought about it, I feel that this is done on purpose. Yamamori wanted her fans to be happy. But she also wanted a Shizume ending. So if you look at it this way, if you take out the last chapter (all the way to the last 3 pages where Suzume says you are my daytime shooting star), this manga is a Shizume ending. Suzume never mentions in the last chapter who her daytime shooting star was. She just says "you" were. So if you take out the Mamura parts in the last chapter, this manga is basically Suzume accepting her feelings for Shishio and getting back with him.

Also, I think the biggest problem isn't Yukichi finding out about Suzume and Shishio's relationship, as many people say. The problem is Suzume. She's way too dim. Any person would obviously realize that a person has feelings for them if 1. he/she tries to kiss her/him, 2. treats her/him differently, 3. basically confesses to him/her, etc. Shishio has made it clear that he likes Suzume and I'm dumbfounded that she believes it when Shishio tells her he doesn't love her. I mean, SERIOUSLY? He just tried to kiss you! I'm not sure if kissing is a tradition in Japan or something and can be disregarded as love, but this is pretty obvious to both the reader and the characters that Shishio likes Suzume. Plus, why would Suzume even write that to-do slip ("ask Sensei about his feelings, tell him how you feel, etc."? Shouldn't that be kept in her head? And if not, at least try to hide it somewhere safe, not just a random place where it can easily fall out, thus resulting in Yukichi finding out about the relationship and causing a rampage against Shishio. Though I don't have anything against Suzume, I'm just disappointed she gave up someone she truly wants.

I hope this rant doesn't offend anyone. I'm just really, really depressed that Shishio didn't get his happy ending. He sacrificed his own feelings for others and I think this is a really admirable trait.

#TEAMSHISHIO!