Yesterday I finished volume 7 of Watanare light novel - the latest one published in English, as of this writing. Combined with watching Cosmic Princess Kaguya yesterday, it made me think.
I don’t plan on making this review spoiler-free, but neither it is synopsis of whole series. This will be the last warning.
When you searched Watanare in your favorite search engine, you’ll find accusation that it is male gaze. This is wrong, but not in that way. Let’s know the main character: Renako Amaori.
Renako wanted her high school debut to be success. Because during her middle school, she spent the day in depressive funk-slash-hikikomori, not retaining any friends at all (if she has any) nor developed any social skills. She grew envious of her classmates; spending time with their friends, getting boyfriends, and so on. She want these, too. She want to be normal girl, who can do all these things. With the help of her little sister, her mother, and her own reserve of gumption, she managed to get into good school. And with luck, she introduced herself to Oduka Mai; the idol of her year if not the whole school; and then a succession of characters, all of them have their own charms.
Now, I’ve more-or-less lived in yuri swamp for the past, oh, call it a decade or so, excepting occasional foray on western-side and nonfictions. But even if I’m a bit rusty, if you’re familiar with heterosexual harem series, this will be similar. This also apply for reverse-harem. A friendless loner MC that conveniently has little attachment to the past that’s also (almost) entirely new to the situation they about to enter in, and gaining attention half-dozen beautiful and interesting characters? Dang. That’s textbook harem.
Renako distinguishes herself among yuri MC by being a lot more lustful - albeit all in her head, which is why I feel it’s almost unfair accusation. Hey, who knows right? Maybe the other yuri MC want these things too, you just don’t get to peek in her head. But you know what this means? That means I can vicariously experience Renako appreciates her beautiful friends, and that’s great.
So that’s why Watanare has accusation of male gaze. Here’s my rebuttal: Renako want to be normal girl.
Can you see male MC want to do that? Maybe if they themselves are eggs, eh. But - because Renako herself is a girl - it’s actually possible for her to be beautiful girl. Incidentally, that too is why there’s strong trans vibe to Watanare. Renako awkwardness of being downbadly crushingly on her beautiful friends while trying to be just normal friends; trying to navigate how to actually be normal girl; and a massive streak of imposter syndrome, even above and beyond of her own flaw. Coupled with later volume showing various characters’ perspective of Renako (and each-other), that, you know.
Renako isn’t too bad. None of them really is too bad, actually.
I appreciate that Renako constantly struggling. Depressive episodes are the worst, and some day, it get harder. It’s nice to read about that; and even nicer when she overcame it, even if only for a day. Just enough to advance the plot. And little by little, you’ll notice Renako pick a little thing here and there from her friends, too. And that’s my second rebuttal:
Renako can be special girl.
One of my girlfriends noted that male harem MC are bland. This is to advance self-inserting, undoubtedly, though of course he’ll be revealed to be more special than he initially appear. In this, Renako is similar; but I think what distinguish Renako is she really can be special. She can be part of special group. Actually belonging to them, not as head of harem or other nonsense, but as just… special girl.
And that’s beautiful, isn’t it?
Of course, a group of girls that turns out to have no small attraction and cares with each-other, and they’re all inexperienced with such attraction, will cause various situation to appear, good or ill. And I like that, too. Watanare characters does feel like teenage girls, not yet aware of their limits and how much they can push boundary - or not to push boundary.
Same with the fact that they seems to grow into proper polycule, with each volume. This does make it unfair to call it yuri harem, isn’t it? Well, we’ll just have to see.