Hitozuma Kyōshi ga Oshiego no Joshi Kōkōsei ni Do-hamari Suru Hanashi by Iruma Hitoma
Illustrations by Nekoyashiki Pushio
*deep breath in*
ALRIGHT, here’s the main reason why I wanted to start this blog. I wanted to talk about this. This series is quite hard to discuss in the public eye without being labeled certain things. Here’s a quick plot summary from Wikipedia:
Itsuki Ichigohara, a high school teacher, finds herself becoming close to Rin Togawa, one of her students. Rin, who has a cheerful personality, has become attached to Itsuki. Learning that Rin has complicated family issues, Itsuki tries to help Rin. As she gets closer to Rin, Itsuki feels conflicted about her relationship with her, and how she can deal with her roles as a married woman and as Rin’s teacher.
Now, before anyone comes at me with their pitchforks, I am AWARE that the title and main theme of this light novel itself is certainly a RED FLAG. I read it with that pretense in mind. The novel is definitely aware of it as well and does not fail to remind you that yes, what the teacher is doing is wrong, and yes, she is the scum of the earth for pursuing it. But I’ve gotta say, this novel really hooked me from the start. Mind you, I do not have a lot of experience reading light novels, so my praise might end up just being recency-bias and just glaze.
I kept wishing that this would be a story about an age-appropriate couple because it is written extremely well. But a lot of the point of this novel does revolve around the questionable (and criminal) premise. I found myself reading all of it over the weekend but at times having to put it down because I could not relate to Itsuki’s thought process of pursuing a relationship with a minor. At the same time, I understand that feeling. That irresistible need to have someone–all of them–for yourself. It’s a feeling I’ve experienced a lot. And given my occasional obsessive tendencies, I can relate to her…to an extent.
Not to spoil too much of it, though, she does end up dealing with consequences and at the end of the story. In my eyes, this is not a story about grooming. I have not read any of the author’s other works (yes…I know), but I will JUST ONCE give them the benefit of the doubt that this story was done in good faith. And I reaaaally hope that someday they write a fully adult/josei story because I will definitely be one of the first people in line to read it. I truly enjoyed the writing and a lot of the steamier scenes were written with just the right amount of exposition and didn’t feel overdone.
About Rin though, I can’t say that she consents as she obviously is a minor. To keep my thoughts on her short and simple: she is, overall, a victim of the irresponsible and neglectful adults around her.
Do I recommend this work?
Yes and no. Whoever reads this has to have a certain level of maturity to understand the grayness that Itsuki represents and that this is not a story purely for fan-service, but an attempted introspection of the thought process of a normal person who happens to end up falling in love with a person much younger than them. I think a different message can be interpreted if the reader does not meet that criteria.
My Ratings
Story – 8/10
Characters – 7/10
Illustrations – 8/10
Where and how can I read it?
Ren Translations has a really well-done fan translation up on their patreon.
A manga has started serializing. Currently on chapter 6.
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