My thoughts on Strobe Edge

Ugh, okay. I just really need to let out all of my feelings about this manga because even though it's been already a month ever since I finished reading it, I JUST CAN'T STOP REREADING IT? LMAO, I really hate myself for going back to it again and again, not gonna lie. I wish I could just move the fuck on, dammit. Maybe if I write down my thoughts about it somewhere, I'll finally be able to...!!

But anyway, there are a few aspects of the story I'd like to talk about. One of the most important elements of the story has got to be the love triangle between Ninako, Andou ( eeeeeee, he's my favourite character, by the way ), and Ren. Now, I know any sane fellow Strobe Edge fan would ask me the "Who do you like the best for Ninako?!" question, so this one's up first.

Andou & Ninako

As I mentioned earlier, Andou is actually my favourite Strobe Edge character. So it'd be only logical to assume that he's the guy I ship with Ninako, right? Ahaha, actually, no. I don't think Andou/Ninako would have worked out no matter how much Andou pushed for it. Ninako just doesn't get Andou. The other night, I was actually rereading the chapter where Andou confesses to Ninako for the first time and I ended up crying yet again because despite Andou's efforts of easing up the ( would have been ) awkward atmosphere between them, Ninako wasn't even able to comprehend what was going on and why he was acting that way because she's such a dumbass LMFAO.

gurl, he just told you how serious he is like 5 mins ago

See, this is exactly what I meant by Ninako not getting Andou. His efforts somehow can't reach her, and it all results to one big misunderstanding on Ninako's end. It's not Andou's fault though, I just don't think that they're compatible with each other? What Andou needs the most is someone to understand him. He needs someone who's able to be on par with him and keep up with his narcissism LMAO. Sorry, but I don't think that person is Mao either. He should just look at me instead OH WAIT. oops....

Ren & Ninako

So, by default, Ren wins this battle of course. I don't know, I just think that they're meant to be? Ninako flaunted the fact that she knows "what kind of person Ren-kun really is", and Ren himself stated that he's fine with Ninako being the only one out of everyone to know that side of him. Ren is actually such an endearing character and often tugged at my heartstrings with his tsundere moments. I usually don't like those gentlemanly, brooding types, but Ren was just so fucking adorable that it's impossible for anyone to hate the guy. Except maybe that time when he selfishly lied to Mayuka about how he'll stay with her forever~~~; all those fancy phrases & shit. Yeah, he was an ass and sure, he was only thinking about himself when he uttered those words, but that's what made me wanna hug him & rub his head forever. ; ^ ; For someone who's practically perfect, the author gave him his one and only flaw and the manga shows how he overcame that. She did such a good job developing Ren sajkfashf.

Ren & Andou's bromance

Oh my God, I have seriously been wanting to rant about this topic because askfjaskfasf THEY ARE SO ADORABLE??? If Ninako didn't exist, I swear the story behind Ren & Andou's friendship could be used as a premise for a kawaii shounen-ai manga. No matter how much they both deny it, they obviously value each other even though shit had gone down between them in the past.

even Ninako the airhead can sense the bromance in the air...

In the first place, Andou didn't even want to stop being friends with Ren because, just like Ninako, he knows that Ren isn't the type of guy to do a horrible thing like acting all sneaky and stealing somebody else's girlfriend behind their back. Andou is a selfish brat though, and he realizes this so he wanted to "grow up" as soon as possible so he could get rid of the hatred he was feeling towards Ren. He wanted to be friends with him again and close off the distance that formed between the two of them. Isn't it so beautiful?! And oh jeez, the fact that Ren admires Andou is also worth taking note of.

"I want to be looking at you from behind", he says. Ren just wants Andou's ass, yep

Okay, I kid. Kinda... UGHHHH I need to suppress my inner retarded self and stop shipping these two LMAO. T 3 T I can't help it though! Seriously. Andou, who just had just resorted to the pleasure of sex, was still feeling depressed over Ninako. UNTIL! Ren comes along and confesses how much he admires Andou. That made him feel better. How gay is that, honestly.... Ren confessing how he had been staring at Andou's butt all this time > having sex with any hot girl, obviously.

The reason why Andou is my favourite

i'm willing to give ninako a bitchslap for you though

To say that I only like Andou because he's smug and cocky is a little.... LMAO OKAY FINE, that's one major factor, alright??? But aside from his narcissism, I also like the fact that his determination all throughout the entire series was unwavering. Even after Mao confessed to him, his feelings for Ninako didn't change. For a second there, I thought he was going to become a softy and get back together with her. Instead, he made peace with her and told her that they're even now that she's the one in pain. He's so much kinder than he actually lets on, and I love that about him. ; ^ ;

"You'll just end up drunk on your own supposed, selfless, goodness, y'know?"

Every single thing he said to Ninako was legit spot-on, too. His words may seem harsh, but he was only doing it out of concern for Ninako. Honestly, that scene caught me off-guard; I had no idea that he was putting on the bully act for Ninako's sake. Do I even deserve to consider myself an Andou fangirl? I guess I don't know him as much as Ninako does, sob. T 3 T ( that scene between Andou and Ninako actually made me cry, by the way. )

Mayuka's break-up with Ren

Oh maaaaaan. I cried while reading the break-up chapter too LMFAOKJSFAHSF I'm a crybaby, yes. But seriously though, Mayuka handled the break-up with such class and grace that it left me in awe. Quite honestly, I think all break-ups should be like that. They ended on a good note, and Mayuka herself saw it as a "mature" decision.

This one especially stuck to me. I never looked it at that way... I've always wondered, "Then what the hell happens to your old lover??? Did you ever love that person? What happened to your feelings towards that person?" whenever a couple goes through a break-up. Mayuka answered those questions in one go. She wanted to make sure that Ren truly loved her in the past, when they were still together, before they parted ways. This mature bitch sadjkhaskfj AAAHHHH I REALLY LOVED HER. ; ^ ; She saw things through while Ren was in the process of denying everything, and opened his eyes for him. Props to her, seriously.

Uhhhhhhhh. I think that's everything??? LMAO who am I kidding, this won't stop me from rereading this series, will it....? Oh well, I actually had fun posting those manga caps Too bad nobody would be able to see this... If you somehow stumbled upon this post via Google or something like that, I hope my tl;dr-ness this convinces you to read the manga! :DDD