DO NOT discuss the source material beyond this chapter. If you want to discuss future events, please use separate threads. DO NOT ask where to read/download this chapter or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material. DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters. DO read the Manga Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.
THIS IS A MANGA ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS ANYTHING BEYOND THIS CHAPTER.
----------------------------------------
I LOVED THE CONTRAST BETWEEN HIDEYOSHI AND TATSUHIKO THIS CHAPTER! The way it cut from Hideyoshi stealing and forcing his way into getting as many girls as possible to Tatsuhiko working his butt off for one singular less than conventionally attractive girl was all you needed to see.
Tatsuhiko spent a week helping get Mayaya a job, he tried really hard, and he got her one. To do even more he helped move her in. I think he meant what he said when he told her to work hard. If she does maybe she can get some customers into her body type and build a reputation, this is about as good an opportunity Tatsuhiko could get her. Further, he didn't need to spend so much time with her or even say those parting words. I think once he started to feel bad for her and see how hard life was for her that he committed to making sure she came out of this with something, even if he couldn't quite hide his disgust when he saw her naked or talked about having sex with her! I can only imagine she's going to come back into play later. :D I say this knowing he's also doing it for his job/drive to be like Mako duh, but we know his kindness is pure and his worst weakness, he believed Seki, Hideyoshi, and that girl who robbed him blind already, so I would argue this wasn't just duty but also largely kindness.
It also led to Hideyoshi's betrayal being exposed. Tatsuhiko may punch someone for insulting him and try and attack Yakuza for taking a girl away or intimidate an old guy for the sake of it, but the times I'd say we've seen his truest anger was when he was betrayed by people he trusted. Recall his "MARK MY WORDS, I'LL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU".. I think we saw that same anger, maybe on a lesser degree since he hadn't learnt to respect Hideyoshi the way he did with Seki, but still to a degree. I imagine anyone who could see him on that train would have been a little scared, he was steaming. To be fair, I think we also saw comparable anger directed towards himself when he couldn't protect Yuka!
A small detail I liked was how Tatsuhiko felt some regret and waste over dropping a promotion to help one girl, a consequence of his actions, but he was about ready to move on. It was the fact that his new acquaintance used him as a stepping stone that he got mad. It's not that he lost the promotion but that he gave trust to someone who lied to his face and betrayed him. Epic. "HIDEYOSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!"
The only fear is that if he gets there too late and Hideyoshi is an executive he won't have the jurisdiction to attack him!
Tatsuhiko staying strong and convincing that guy to give Mayaya a job was sweet. I like how the guy who took her in wasn't needless cruel to her face and ended up doing something nice that he didn't otherwise have to.
Also, the juxtaposition of Tatsuhiko's disappointment over wasting a week helping her reminded me of a certain Kaiji panel. Good deeds leading to self interested disappointment are always nice.
The page where Tatsuhiko says farewell to Mayaya was super pretty and I feel indicative of a larger theme and mantra of Shinjuku Swan.
"Work hard! If you do... good things will come for sure" is incredibly similar to later when he tells the former Burst scout "Face the actions of your decision! Regardless if you get beat up or get forced to do something, it can get better!" and later in the Yamikin arc when he tells Mayumi "If you believe and work hard you'll surely be rewarded". As horrifying as Shinjuku Swan is, and as much as Tatsuhiko has to fight to pertain this optimism, I think largely what Shinjuku Swan is about, at least to me, is retaining optimism within an unfair and cruel world. Tatsuhiko does grow stronger, he looks after Kaede, Aoi, Inukai, he does convince Ide to adopt the same philosophy, he does become valued by Burst as they go out of their way to save him when Ushio tries to tear him down. Without even knowing it he convinces Ushio to be more like him. It's never clean and it's always hard but we have to craft our own way and fight and that's what this sweet page reminded me of. To wish that same optimism onto a woman whose had an incredibly difficult life and do it earnestly is freaking beautiful!!
HE FINALLY REALIZED IT!!!! and ohhh it's about to go down let's hope he clears his name and they don't pull some shit where nobody believes him or smth