Any spoilers, for the current chapters must be behind spoilers or detail curtains. When we get further in you don’t need to hide details that were revealed in previous chapters.
Always mention where you are in the book when discussing, ideally by chapter so people reading different versions have a clear point of reference.
Feel free to read ahead if it’s exciting! But please refrain from spoiling ahead of the appropriate week
If you have a question about grammar, vocab, cultural things, etc - ask! That can be part of the discussion too and I’m sure some folks would be happy to help.
Even if you don’t read the chapter(s) in time, you are still encouraged to post in the thread for that reading once you have finished it. I advise not reading ahead in the threads as you may see spoilers.
I really like the voice actors, but the accent the guy uses for O’Neal is really hard to understand, somehow. Plus all the church vocabulary, I guess. Thankfully, I remembered that part reasonably well, so it wasn’t an issue
Since people were worried about racist tropes during the first week, I wonder what you all will think this time
Ignoring that, I really liked the dynamic between the two main characters.
It was certainly laying them on thick It’s a bit jarring, for sure.
This chapter mostly just felt like relationship scene setting to me. マトバ (who I keep wanting to call 真壁 for some reason) being called out by ティラナ for cozying up to the criminals and her show of force with the bouncer.
Not really much plot development, but still, it was a short chapter and the pacing isn’t bad.
There are some questionable decisions the author makes, but I think I’ve come to terms with it and can just enjoy the story while ignoring stuff like that.
I was starting to worry a bit when Kei felt that it was necessary to inform us that his colleague is gay, but thankfully so far it’s been rather harmless. I don’t see why sexuality should matter when it comes to supporting and comforting each other over someone’s death, but oh well.
Me too. I’m also glad that ティラナ isn’t some helpless little girl and can in fact defend herself.
Felt like this chapter moved a lot faster than the last. I can definitely start to feel what I assume will be the main theme(s) of the book start to take root as ティラナ finally starts to find her footing and push back a bit. Also, Kei speeding and blasting rock music to try and mess with her was probably my favourite part of the chapter. Also despite intending to read along with the audiobook, I’ve found myself going without the last few weeks. It’s a lot of effort to keep pausing for look ups so I’ll only do it when I’m feeling up to it.
turns out that if you scratch at the " DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED" text on the cover, you will uncover the real subtitle of the book: “各国差別ワールドツアー”
jokes aside, I’m just rolling with it still. Not that I’m hoping it gets worse, but I don’t think they can throw much else out at this point that would get me to drop it.
Interesting fact related to that: according to his JP wikipedia, the author himself is often mistaken for being gay, supposedly due to his writing style and focus on the male characters in his stories. Unfortunately they don’t seem to have any citations for that section to really follow up on it, though it’d be interesting to research if that might have have had any influence on that choice.
That immediately brought bara to mind but that book is not that.
I haven’t read anything else from the author, but I’d also be curious to know more about that.
Agree heartily with cat who said this is a relationship development chapter. The bickering was fun.
I thought this chapter also helps to develop ティラナ as a character, particularly her neat sword skills and strong sense of justice (when she gets upset seeing マトバ get info from O’Neal while not reporting on his shady business dealings).
Finally had time to read this chapter. Not much happening but some character/relationship development. I rolled my eyes so hard when Matoba worried about the coroner measuring his penis length. Not wanting to die, just so that the coroner doesn’t get her hands on your corpse. OK.
it does if you are homophobic.
I hadn’t realised O’Neil was black until the illustration. I hear that name and my brain immediately thinks Stargate.
Oh, I guess I missed that. In fact, I missed quite a bit during that scene with just the audiobook. (I still remembered the plot points, though, so that was fine)
I’m pretty sure it is also mentioned explicitly for both him and the bouncer, but it’s hard to check with the audiobook.
It does. I checked. But it’s 1 time for each and the 黒人男 is pretty forgettable, for me. I do that in other languages as well, tbf. My brain just doesn’t really seem to care. Unless it’s relevant for the story and it rarely is. I recently read a book in English and until like the very last chapter, I thought the MC was BIPOC, but turns out he was white. Sometimes you aren’t told what skin colour or race a character is, so my head cannon gives them all sorts of appearances until I am proven wrong. And even then… eye colour? hair colour? height? shape? If it’s not relevant to the plot, it means nothing to me. nothing. I can barely remember names at the best of times.
(This contrasts a lot with how often the fact the guys in the first chapter were filipino was hammered in. Not even I can ignore/forget that. )
“Uh, not enough anime titties and female characters fawning over the main male character in this LN, instead focusing on character development. This writer must be gay.”
I mean, you can stereotype people without explicitly being homophobic, right?
If I remember correctly (and it’s been a few weeks):
He is explicitly stating that it’s awkward because the guy is gay. Why would anything be awkward/uncomfortable because of someone’s sexuality if you don’t have a problem with that sexuality? He is not actively being an a-hole towards his gay colleague, but he clearly doesn’t want to be near him solely based on the fact that he is gay.
Oh, right. It was worse than I remembered. I kind of had a hard time parsing that sentence, since it didn’t really make sense. Tried to give it the benefit of doubt, but oh well…
I mean, as far as that goes, the world would already be a much easier place for LGBTQIA+ people if people just coped with being a bit uncomfortable and just get on with their lives. It’s a very low bar, tbh.
Yes, that’s what I mean. It’s still homophobic but at least he is not making life difficult for the other person. I was just saying, if every homophobic person would act like this, we would already live in a much better world.
2 Likes
As an Amazon Associate, Natively earns from qualifying purchases through any Amazon links on the site.
It’s a bit jarring, for sure.
but that book is not that.
Sometimes you aren’t told what skin colour or race a character is, so my head cannon gives them all sorts of appearances until I am proven wrong. 
