Domestic Girlfriend, Vol. 12

ドメスティックな彼女 [Domestic na Kanojo] #12

by Kei Sasuga

"Let’s settle this by the end of the cultural festival." On a stormy night, Natsuo finds himself alone in bed with a naked Rui. But just when it seems like the miscommunication between them will finally end…! Now with Al and Momo going for the kill, the love square rapidly reaches the climax! Just who will end up with who…?

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shonen, Young Adult, Comics Manga, Japanese Literature, Graphic Novels

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2017

About the author

Kei Sasuga (流石景, Sasuga Kei) is a japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Jon Ureña · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half, and a four for this genre.

The overall theme for this series is a rather sober one for real life: that people can't control how they feel, and they don't have a say in what they are talented at (or if they are talented enough to begin with). If they work hard and are lucky, the stars might align and they will find happiness with the people they love and with what they are meant to be doing. If they are unlucky, they'll have to soldier on with the next best thing, even if it involves hiding their suffering behind a façade of normality.

After the last volume I reviewed, although I love this series, I keep getting frustrated. It's one of those stories of this genre in which the protagonist and the objectively best girl (Rui, his stepsister) should just become a couple and live happily ever after, but the protagonist keeps finding reasons not to, mainly that he promised undying love to Rui's now 25 year old sister, who moved away to a somewhat remote island to escape from the mess at home. The fact that the protagonist and Rui are technically siblings also plays a part in his reluctance, even though it doesn't matter to her.

At one point, the protagonist found his runaway ex, who rejects him bluntly while forcing herself to smile. I find her character disturbing, maybe because I've had to deal with people like her in real life: they know they need to be somewhere else, with other people, and yet they will force themselves to smile and pretend to be happy as if they were penitents for life. If they are unlucky, when they least expect it they will break down hard; one person like this I know in real life attempted suicide, and yet failed to learn anything about the event and went back to hide the pain behind forced smiles.

I wish for the protagonist to get his ex out of his mind and just accept the wonderful woman that loves him, and yet, as Rui herself put it, "when I try to get close to you, you push me away, and when you risk losing me, you pursue me". His wishy-washiness gets really infuriating. To find a way out of her misery, in a behavior rather common among real life women, she decided that for now she'll accept, with reservations, the love of the most relentless orbiting man, a rather annoying douche who also happens to be the one who attempted to rape her during a class trip several volumes earlier.

This is one of those series that delves quite a bit into the slice of life genre: time passes, the characters age, they enjoy festivities and plan for the future. Some of the chapters focused on the character arcs of secondary or even tertiary characters; the first that comes to mind involved a cabaret hostess that the protagonist was interviewing to become a better writer (because he had been accused of being unable to write about anything that didn't directly involve his feelings). That woman was a failed actress that had given up years ago, and in the process broke up with her boyfriend because she didn't want to share the disappointment that her life had become. The protagonist convinces her to visit her ex, only to find out that he had died of leukemia. She talked to his headstone, while in tears, the way she would have as if he had lived. A heartbreaking moment, and an example of the author's ability to set up and pay off very emotional moments perfectly.

I fear for what's in store for the many remaining chapters. The main characters are about to graduate and move on with their lives. The protagonist intends to go to college, but the coprotagonist won't. I suspect things are going to get much more miserable for everyone involved; a painful prospect given how attached I've become to these guys.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was solid even though it uses the school festival trope. Rui and Natsuo and at their critical moment and all the characters are deciding to take big steps towards their feelings. The fan service was much lighter in this one which I liked. I still feel like Momo is a poorly used character. They could explore some serious issue with mental image and insecurity with her but she comes off as shallow and a walking stereotype.

[Dumb popcorn's manga · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fucking hate this. I never thought that a spoiler for the ending would make the reading experience so much worse but knowing this is all for nothing... Also I hope Al fucking dies or something, I hate him.

[Eke · Rating 2 out of 5]

yeah this one wasn't as good to my taste, i didn't care much about the festival

[Dhanush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey back, here again, it's so hard to root for one person goddamnit. Natsuo's feelings and thoughts are so relatable. His situation with Rui and the way things are going, I wonder what will happen. I am still on Team Rui though, and I hope it turns out positive in the next volume. Until the last page, I was so sure it wouldn't work out, but now I think it might. I feel so bad for Momo. The school festival arc was excellent and was an answer to many things.

[Kieran Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t like when mangas do festivals and I didn’t like this one, this whole story kinda turned into everyone tryna figure out who they like and it’s getting kinda boring, but Ofc I’m gonna keep reading as I’ve come this far...

[Laura ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took him long enough! I hope this can work out. Rui deserves some happiness.

[scarlettraces]

At this point I'm not sure why I'm still reading. Apart from the fact that I own them - thanks Humble Bundle - and - nope there is no and.

[Paola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww~ School Festivals are so much fun 😊 Rui-chan looked so beautiful in her kimono 😍💖💖💖

[Guillermo Schmitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo pensaba que el lío amoroso sería corto pero esto está cada vez más bueno aunque pobres personajes

[JayLando22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess Al being a piece of shit is just going to be swept aside... uuuuugh. Natsuo is annoying in this one but only because they are dragging out the next steps.

Last year of school and their last culture fest in this volume. I know it is cliche but like festivals, it is an excuse for nice backdrops for scenes and cute outfits! An interesting turn for Subaru in this one. As always, the side characters are enjoyable, maybe a little underwritten but clear and defined and interesting.

The ending is so obvious and expected and "of course" but it matters that I keep reading, I want to get there. I want to see what comes next. etc...