Kodomo no Jikan

Necrosaro Sep 14, 2016

8

So, lets be frank. The first thing ANYONE thinks about the first time they hear about this is "OMG KIDDY PRONZ!!!!" and i was exactly the same way. I used to think this was just basically a way to skirt the law and deliver borderline CP to creepy AF dues. I was wrong. After recently hearing about how there was apparently a successful Kickstarter to have this brought to US shores, i couldnt ignore it. Much like when i heard about the infamous second half of Bunny Drop, i had to investigate for myself and see if what everyone said was true, or if people were blowing things way out of porportion with ignorant reactions. Much like with Bunny Drop, they were. Don't get me wrong, theres a LOT of stuff in here that i'd say is still a bit sketchy, and could probably still be handled without being so... graphic. But it is ABSOLUTELY a mature, well thought out, and very adult story, full of well thought out characters dealing with very real issues. Those issues just tend to be the kinds of things we sweep under the rug and pretend don't exist. Is this a manga for everyone? No, not even remotely. It deals with subjects a LOOOOOT of people are going to be uncomfortable with, and even I feel it goes a bit overboard at times, BUT, it is absolutely NOT the pandering creepy lolicon bait everyone makes it out to be. If you're up for it, if you can read it with a completely open mind, without judging it out the gate and genuinely try to take in the nuances and development that is there, GO FOR IT!  This review was writen at about chapter 60/93... maybe things will take a really wrong turn, maybe it WILL devolve in to just a sketchy way to legalize CP. but i highly doubt it. Theres a story here to tell, and even if it IS super uncomfortable at times, it's a good one, one i don't regret reading in the slightest.

Ant1989 Jun 18, 2021

9

I already saw someone putting this manga in the list of stories that shouldn't exist. I disagree in its totality. If you read this manga and left thinking this is a pedophile story, you didn't understand anything. This is not a story of a child getting in love with her adult teacher, or said adult teacher seducing a child, nor the story that sexualizes children. It's a story of Kokonoe Rin seducing her teacher.  This is the story of a girl, who happens to be a pre-teenager, getting in love and seducing her teacher. Does she tries to use sexual innuendo, or show her body? Yes, she does. Does this sexualize children? No. If you pay attention, you'll notice that Rin is the only child that sexualizes herself, the other children behave like children. Rin is different, she's an anomaly. She matured too fast, maybe because of the traumas, or whatever, but that is an adult woman seducing a man. You notice many times that her maturity doesn't manifest only in the sexual way, but in the responsibility and in the protection of her loved ones, including self-sacrifice. This is brilliantly contrasted with her step-father, who is immature, a boy who didn't grow up. He is selfish simplistic, and incapable of self-reflection. And this is the main theme. What makes someone a child and someone an adult? Is it really just age? In Justice League, Batman says that he isn't a child since 8 years old. Is that really that absurd, when traumas are taken into the equation? Besides Pedophiles won't like Kokonoe Rin, she may have a body of a child, but doesn't behave like one, she isn't innocent, or easily controllable. A little spoiler here And of course, her pre-pubescent body, isn't really attractive to the teacher either, he doesn't feel attracted by any other child at any point of the story, it's her dominant and sexy character that wins him over. So each time I see someone saying this is a pedophile story, I feel they are losing a great story.  And now you may ask "After reading this manga do I think the laws and conceptions about pedophilia should be rethought?" Not at all. The laws and conceptions are right here. And should be respected even in a case like Rin. You never know how many traumas a relationship with an adult could cause to someone so young, as you never know if you're really dealing with a case like Kokonoe Rin, nor if even in such cases there wouldn't be any traumas. Spoiler [spolier]Which is why I completely agree with the ending the author chose. It's the right way to deal with a case like this. [/spolier] PS: The ending also gives you a nice question to think over too, showing how brilliant the author of this story is. 

Gabukage Jun 25, 2019

7

I liked watching the three girls grow, I felt sappy watching them graduate. It's fine whenever Kokonoe Rin teases Aoki Daisuke and I was enjoying the series but there were some issues I had that showed up later in the plot that I will now point out now so spoiler warning. I really did feel bad about Kokonoe Aki passing away and wanted to praise her in person of how even though giving birth to Rin put her life at risk she still wanted to have Rin. I respected Rin's guardian Kokonoe Reiji at first but I got irritated by how he wanted to make Rin take her mother's place as his lover when she got old enough because she was a daughter to him! Next is after all that Reiji tells one of Rin's friends, Usa Mimi who has had a crush on him because of the bond they share of not feeling loved by their parents to have his babies to which I wanted to punch the bastard as he said that and hugged Mimi. It was bad enough when he was going after Rin and he claims that Aki is the only woman he loves! He could have gotten a new lover when a co worker was visiting his home and Rin being jealous not wanting Reiji to forget about his love for Aki told the nice co worker that Reiji has someone he loves to which she nervously leaves and then later marries someone else, what a waste! Anither part that also annoyed me was that Aoki could have gotten with another teacher Hoin Kyouko who loves him, is beautiful not to mention has nice big breasts and is really fun to be around and supportive. At a bit passed the middle of the story she confesses to Aoki and he turns her down just because he loves Rin, Rin was still at that point in primary school and like 11 or 12 years old and I could not help but get mad because of Aoki's stupid way of thinking! The last bit that really made me want to punch Aoki repeatedly was at the end of the series where he tries to put his penis inside Rin and she couldn't fit him because of his size which was painful for her and he pats her on the head and says "let's take things slow". You piece of trash rapist, he was concered about Reiji wanting to be lovers with Rin and that's a problem but if he does it, it's okay?! Go to hell you damn hypocrite! Other than that I was fine with this series, can't say I want to finish the anime because of the trash in the show. Man do Aoki Daisuke and Kononoe Reiji anger me to no end.