So, didn't get the FB Ultimate as it's basically just two books I already own pastede on yay. But I did re-read FB 5 and 6, aka the Kisa intro books. I then followed it up with Gakuen Alice 3.

Don't get me wrong they're good books. But...

I hate Japan at times. The whole attitude of 'if you're being bullied, it's your fault for not being stronger and fitting in more' just makes my teeth grind. I know that they're slowly trying to change this in Japanese schools (possibly as it's harder to cover up the suicides in these internet days). But manga likely doesn't help, as it tends to enforce the same attitudes. Becoming stronger makes people like you, and makes your bullies become friends. Being weak makes you a laughable coward. See: every shonen manga ever (Usopp is possibly a big notable exception, but then One Piece is an exception to almost everything).

It's pretty weird with the Fruits Basket example, as they even discuss the fact that blaming the victim (as Kisa's teacher does) is wrong, but no one bothers to suggest that anything else be done about it. The attitude is 'it's wrong, but that's the way the world works, so get stronger anyway, Kisa!'.

And I don't even get to have Hiro be a sarcastic bastard this time.

As for Gakuen Alice, it's not even trying to subvert. The school is a giant bully palace, which the heroine deals with by being shiny and never giving up, and eventually the bullies stop by seeing her shiny niceness. In other words, it's most modern shoujo mangas. Even her best friend bullies her in a tsundere, I'm-doing-this-to-make-you-less-naive way.

In short, Japan is not America. Again. (Not that bullying in America is on the decline either, but that's another post...)