Here’s a story that earns its explicit rating - Yuni and Fuuko set the pages on fire during the first chapter, where Yuni crosses pretty much any lines she had left and damn does it ever get the passion across. Fuuko owns that girl.
So, yes, the awful people are at it again and there are no heroes. Nanase is currently still the only person with any virtue, although she makes her own missteps. Starting to date Yuni was probably one of them.
Yuni is basically the villain by this point, although that is a distillation of a lot of emotional issues. She already had nothing but her own justifications for cheating and she continues to use them here, even after she and Fuuko have been all over one another like a rash.
Yuni actually doesn’t love Nanase, or, if she does, she is utterly incapable of staying away from the temptations of Fuuko. The way she crawls to her at the end of the volume is completely pathetic, indicating the nature of Fuuko poisoning her mind.
Except that would let her off way too easy and, during a pool date, Yuni is only too happy to tear into a teammate of Nanase’s who she thinks is getting a little too friendly. Yuni’s issue is that she wants everything and has no clue that that’s not going to work for anybody but her.
There is really no way that the narrative can redeem Yuni at this point, which is kind of fine. Sometimes it’s nice to exchange wholesome for the kind of flaming car wreck of human existence that this represents.
Anybody looking for healthy relationships has hopefully run for the hills after the first volume, but this is pretty much the worst yet of something that was already pretty mean. And next time looks like it’s going to be even crueller still, so that’s fun!
I’m not reading this because it’s great literature or a complicated look at infidelity as a thing that happens due to many factors. This is a horny girl being ignored by her girlfriend and falling for a lunatic who would probably do anything for her. Hey, maybe we’ll get a murder at one point…
3 stars - deliciously nasty, but also very nasty. It’s a recommend if you want something seething with bad ideas and poor impulse control, but utterly not for all readers.
Okay with that out of the way Volume 3 of My Girlfriend's Not Here Today intensifies the drama, pushing its characters into morally questionable territory. Yuni's self-pity and continued infidelity make her an infuriating protagonist, constantly sabotaging her relationships. Fuuko's manipulative games are equally frustrating, yet her twisted ways help drive the chaotic plot forward. This volume truly escalates the toxic dynamic, leaving readers both annoyed and strangely engrossed.
Surprisingly, Nanase, initially unlikable, gains sympathy as she becomes an unwitting victim of Yuni's betrayals. This volume expertly contrasts intense, explicit moments, like the hot opening sex scene, with the characters' shitty behavior, creating a steamy and angry plotline throughout this volume.
In essence, My Girlfriend's Not Here Today Volume 3 is amazing trash. It masterfully depicts toxic relationships and manipulation, delivering a compelling, uncomfortable, experience. For those who enjoy messy drama and characters you love to hate, this volume delivers, ensuring you'll be annoyed, disgusted, but utterly unable to stop turning the pages.
Whelp... holy crap did that ever escalate quickly. I mean, I knew things were coming to a head, but wow was Vol. 3 ever front-loaded with the spiciest trash ever -- just coming (literally) out of the gate hot, only for things to continue spiraling downward.
There's not a single character to root for, either. This story answers the unasked question, what if the cast of Mean Girls, in addition to the intense acrimonious atmosphere, also secretly wanted to hump one another into oblivion?
I am learning more and more about myself with each new volume, and I'm not exactly thrilled about that.
But go ahead and call me a trash panda because I've already got Vol. 4 waitlisted.
At this point, the protagonist finally crosses the line and descends fully into darkness. There are certainly issues of bad timing, but ultimately this feels like the inevitable result of repeatedly avoiding honest confrontation, even if it was done under the guise of being considerate of the other person.
While I think the story has built up to this moment very effectively, it is honestly painful to read. The ending, especially the final panel, makes it unmistakably clear that another emotional battlefield lies ahead, which only adds to the sense of exhaustion and dread.
the art is beautiful - and this story is such a train wreck i have to keep rating it 5 stars because it keeps me on my toes with how ridiculous it gets. i would truly hate to be in anyone’s positions if this was irl but bc this is a manga i am thriving
what is up with yuri authors and the borderline sexual harassment in their works 😭 the art is nice but everyone is so annoying i cant even enjoy the toxic yuri. also the fact that most of these ppl are high schoolers is kinda. idk! whatever!
dios, Yuni en serio se tiene tan poca autoestima?! siempre le culpa a Nanase por no darle atencion y que por eso ella termina siempre con Fuuko ppfff pero por favor!
holy freak. this series is SO good and the built up to everything is AMAZING i was so interested the whole time this series is GENUINLY perfect i love it so much
I am writing this having read volumes 1-6. This whole manga is trash, objectively, but in a very intentional way that is exactly what some people will want. It is an absolute drama-fest full of cheating and lying and manipulation, toxic people and relationships, and unrealistic everything. Most of the people in this manga are terrible people except for one who is an idiot, and one who (so far) seems to be a normal nice person who is caught up in the drama. So, if you want a drama full of toxic people then this is probably a good fit; if you want something realistic, romantic, or wholesome, then keep walking. Sometimes you just want to watch the dumpster fire, and there isn’t anything wrong with that! Oh, and the art is well done.
Rating manga volumes is hard; not a lot happens in each one after all as they are only a piece of the story. 4-star rating is based on the assumption that you want to read a toxic mess of a story. Withholding the last star because this is very unrealistic; I can’t follow the characters motivation other than “this is what we want to happen in the story”.
Volume 3 has the drama dialing up. Worlds collide, lies collapse. Suspension of disbelief is taken to new heights.