Disgust? Huh– maybe to some, but I wouldn’t speak for all readers.

Diving into the first volume, I had to chuckle to myself when Kasuga is forced to wear his crush’s gym clothes in the middle of the school library. Perhaps I am a pervert myself? Maybe that’s the crowd this manga is intended to entertain, perverts.

Confusion? I would say more of a curiosity is born rather than a confusion. Who is this Nakamura girl and why is she trying to bring out Kasuga’s hidden desires and perversions to the world? Is Kasuga’s crush Saeki really “normal” herself? Or does she have a deep dark secret she intends on sharing too? Of course the concept of normal-ness and perversion is all relative and quite interesting to consider, especially when placed in the setting of Japanese culture.

But, I imagine Oshimi-san would be even pleased even to arouse such feelings of disgust and confusion from readers. The last thing you will do while reading his work is feel nothing– he brings the weirdest and most uncomfortable feelings out of you whether you like it or not.

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Haha! You do realize that this is about a teenage boy learning to deal with his hormones, and meets someone who makes him realize that other people are going through the same thing! Reading the first two volumes, I was able to completely relate to the main characters because thats exactly what I had been going through at the time. I loved what Nakamura said when they were about to trash the classroom, “They all say pretty words but inside its sex! ****y Sex!” And that one line that stood out the most, “DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE?!?”
And I think that this is what this series is going to be about.

Now, I wouldn’t be suggesting this manga to just anyone. It really isn’t for the sensitive mind, but I would suggest to people struggling with their sexuality, or hating themselves for having such awful thoughts at times just so they could realize, its normal. We’re all teenagers, we’re all growing and developing these new thoughts and ideas, and thats too be expected.

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You know, actually, a while ago when I first started reading Aku no Hana, I felt exactly the same. I was interested and curious about the story, but I felt so gross reading it that I couldn’t get past the first few chapters.
I’m older now and more open to the idea of sex, and now that the anime’s out, I think I can try to understand what Aku no Hana is trying to do this time around. It’s funny that you mention the art is great, because it seems like there’s quite a few fans of manga purely for the art. They’re turned off by the rotoscoping style in the anime, and I have to question – did you even like the series at all?

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you guys dont understand a thing.. about aku no hana.. maybe i could be wrong.. so i am going to say this is just my perception towards the manga.. first of all.. i would like to say i rarely read manga… and aku no hana is the only manga that i read from start till the latest chapter and waiting for the next chapter… i start to read it because of the anime.. first i just wanted to see whether the graphic in the anime n in the manga is the same or not… but i read finish or rather i catch up with it in one day.. thats how i am attached to it.. the thing i like about the manga the most is it show the worse of society.. how it disorganised.. this manga is not about perversity but rather the worse of society.. here we have a girl who longing for someone.. and hate the fact that she is all alone.. not by physical but my emotion n mentality.. you have to understand why kasuga choose nakamura over saeki… and why saeki n nakamura choose kasuga.. anyone who thinks that this anime is just a pervert bullshit is on other side of the society which nakamura n kasuga despise.. perhaps i am twisted my self.. the only thing i dont like about the whole series is.. the next chapter havent come out yet.. T.T

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Wow, if someone missed the mark it was you. I think it was a bit to early in the story when you wrote this to be making such determinations. It would have been normal for a boy at his age, to be crushing on a pretty girl and be curious. It would be normal to accept the beautiful girls advances and have sex with her. The things described are in the back of the mind of most people, even if unconsciously. The fact that he rejected his biological imperative, rejected the easy pleasures presented to him (which are normal and good), and instead chose to pursue being a deviant with irrational ideas, fantasy and becoming a ghost is what lay tragically beautiful. That line of thought would be considered insane… and that is what makes him a real pervert (abnormal).
Wanting to have sex and being curious about the opposite sex doesn’t make you a pervert, it makes you normal. Looking away from reality and choosing death over life is perversion.

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