Usagi Drop
Bunny Drop

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

It was not as bad as people say it is

So, many people who have seen and loved Usagi Drop definitely aren't a fan of the manga due to its not well received ending. OF course I have heard of the ending before watching the anime which ended up being one of my all time favourite anime. Then I wanted to witness the ending myself and so I did.

The story goes like the anime up until the 4th volume so in the 5th volume there is a huge time skip. Around 10 years or so where we see Rin attending high school with familiar faces ... such as Kouki. New people also arrived to the scene. Many of Rin's new friends questioned why Rin isn't attracted to Kouki since he is hot and very athletic but according to Rin because he is just a friend. At this time we also see Rin's mind develop and the effect of puberty and such. Rin starts thinking who he really is attracted to. To this he can only think of one man and that is his Guardian Daikichi. And this was the point where most of the hate towards the manga start to appear. Before that happening it was more smooth sailing.

First, The secret gets accidentally spilled by Kouki who first realized what was going on. Then of course Daickichi doesn't really believe Kouki. Rin kinda asks Daickichi how he feels about this but to this Daickichi says that it is impossible due to how he sees Rin. Some more build up happens and Rin asks again if it is okay and to this Daickichi says that give him 2 years until Rin graduates. Since he must first think of it and maybe Rin will find someone else. Does this happen? No, sadly enough. After the 2 years Rin hasn't changed her mind and Daickichi just accepts the thing that happened. Of course they don't get married instantly. After all this we see their life as a couple.

The first 24 chapters or so were simply a pleasure to read. The ideas and themes, though typical for this kind of narrative (certainly that Usagi Drop's influence can be felt in slice-of-life works today) were done in such a mature and thoughtful way, the pacing was just right, and the way the manga told and executed its story, through the eyes of our protagonist and budding parent, Daikichi was just great. Reading about the nuances of parenthood and the internal struggle of feeling lost despite being a central figure to look up to for a child was just an interesting read. So far, I've ... not read a manga that has told this kind of narrative with such subtle and gentle nuance.

Okay but with that said, past these 24 chapters, when we hit the time skip, that is when the manga's central focus began to shift and the story and theme of parenthood - of what it means to be an adult and to be relied upon - lost its focus. I don't blame the mangaka for the time skip. After all, it was necessary considering that there wouldn't likely be any more interesting conflicts left to read about past those 24 chapters. After all, Rin and Daikichi's relationship stabilised past that point. We'll just be reading about slice-of-life scenes with nothing strong to tie everything together (the bonus volume proves my point). Still, the rest of the story here pretty much fell toward your typical melodramatic affair that in the face of the first 24 chapters, reads rather disappointingly. Characters think they like each other, but as it turns out they don't, then throw in some kind of love triangle into the mix, and well, it's not particularly revolutionary or especially thoughtful as a coming-of-age story. I wish we could gleam more into the problems of puberty, desiring to craft your own journey, having your own life separate from your parents, and parental separation from the perspective of the parent that the story kept hinting at but never really fulfilled because the romantic melodrama kept taking priority.

Still, because of those first 24 chapters, I was invested. It also helped that there were nuggets of interesting perspectives from Daikichi's point of view seeing his daughter grow up and falling in love.

Though perhaps the manga's biggest grievance is its infamous ending. I won't spoil it explicitly, but I'm sure for people who roam around sites like this, you already know. Personally, I don't take that big of an offence to it. It is an interesting and rather unpredictable twist, and after all, where else would you find intriguing narratives like this other than in fiction? My problem here is its execution. For something so charged with psycho-analyst energy that it'll even draw in Freud from the grave for a chat, it's done with such little nuance, such a poor pace, and such little insight into the psychology of both parties that I can't help but be unconvinced by the twist. Maybe even the author felt this way because the ending just felt so flat and inconclusive it was as if it had to end before we see how the whole mess of 'after'. The whole end just felt so unstable and one-sided that it felt like it would just fall apart once the awkwardness of sexuality and other things came in.

At the end of the manga, there was even a small verbal callback to those early 24 chapters. But no, you can't do a callback to those early childhood days anymore because things have changed drastically. They aren't just family anymore. It's a new relationship with different expectations, different dynamics, and different perceptions from outsiders to consider. Maybe if the manga went toward a Shuzo Oshimi brand of psychological exploration, only then a route like this feel more plausible and read as more interesting.

All in all, I wouldn't go so far as to say stop reading at the 24th chapter but do set yourself up for a dip in writing quality.

Yup, the other reviews were right. This shit was weird.

the first half of this manga is a very touching and heartfelt display of an unwilling father coming to terms with the new responsibilities that come with raising a small child. There were some parts of the story that had me smiling from ear to ear. It was very cute.

There are lots of people that complain about endings ruining a good piece of media. But normally that is because the ending falls flat, or the ending does not give them the satisfaction that they desire. This, though, is one of the rare circumstances where the ending ... TRULY ruins the manga. The ending isn't just dissatisfying, it completely recontextualizes everything that happened earlier in the manga and gives it a sour taste.

If you somehow haven't been spoiled of the ending and want to experience a cute found family type of story, watch the anime and pretend the manga doesn't exist. Truly.