[BSS] is an abbreviation derived from the Japanese phrase "Boku ga Saki ni Suki datta no ni," which literally translates to "Even though I was the one who liked her first."
"Be it kissing, be it hugging, or even falling in love with that guy..."
Sorry, crossed wires. There was no kissing, no hugging, and certainly no girl falling in love.
Although BSS is often associated with the NTR attribute, there is a core difference between the two.
NTR describes a scenario where a partner in an established romantic relationship is taken away by someone else, such as a lover cheating.
BSS, on the other hand, emphasizes that the character "never truly possessed" the other. The character is merely in a stage of unrequited love, having not yet confessed or established a relationship, only to completely lose the chance due to someone else's intervention. This sense of regret—"ending before it even began"—is the core dramatic conflict of BSS.
So strictly speaking, BSS shouldn't actually count as NTR.
But ever since NTR broke into the mainstream, the concept has long been broadened, so classifying BSS under NTR isn't entirely wrong.
After all, a useless male protagonist meets a girl he likes but dares not take action, acting timid and weak, thinking the girl will throw herself at him. The result? He watches helplessly as another boy takes the initiative, moving the heroine with practical actions and successfully establishing a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. Then, he has to witness them holding hands, kissing, connecting...
Finally, the male protagonist locks himself in a small room, fantasizing about the things he never owned. As he grieves alone over his love being stolen by a "Blonde," looking like a clown crying while jacking off—isn't this just a form of that self-cucking fetish that NTR victims find both painful and enjoyable?
From the male protagonist's perspective, it's enough to satisfy the spiritual needs of many "suffering masters," because they unconsciously fill in the self-cucking scenarios.
But change the perspective. Remove this irrelevant male protagonist, and it's actually a love story between the heroine and the Blonde.
Then, shape the Blonde into a slightly more positive character, and it becomes a sweet Pure Love story.
As for the male protagonist? He's just a dog by the roadside.
In fact, the upper and lower limits of BSS are very vast. Some can be made to feel "like NTR but not quite NTR" yet incredibly stomach-churning, with an aftertaste even stronger than NTR.
Others can be shaped into the ultimate Pure Love through contrast.
As for why draw BSS first, and not NTR?
Because there are too many unhinged things in the NTR genre. Even works with relatively decent sensory experiences are ultimately somewhat uncomfortable. As for NTRS, that's even more outrageous trash. Tsushima Kagami even considered whether to just skip drawing NTR and NTRS altogether.
After all, asking a Pure Love advocate to start by drawing such heavy material is still a bit too early.
So, it's better to use the BSS genre to draw some "borderline NTR" as a "small test of the blade," which also serves as an adaptation process for himself.
As for NTL, which has the largest audience, he plans to save it for last.
So, considering various factors, Tsushima Kagami found three BSS-themed manga in his mind. Actually, he had only read these three, as he didn't like reading NTR plots to begin with, and BSS is a very niche branch, so he had read even fewer.
The first one is Literature Girl by [Okita Ababa]-sensei. Although the full title contains "NTR," it is actually a love story about a Blonde.
He originally read this one because the character design—black long straight hair and glasses—really hit his XP, and she didn't take off her pantyhose (although she did later—rage!). The downside is the lack of main act scenes.
The story begins with the male lead and the heroine becoming familiar through the common topic of writing novels. However, the two show no relationship "above friendship," nor is there a confession. It's even doubtful if the male lead has a crush on the heroine; it's just a healthy classmate relationship.
At this point, the Blonde makes an abrupt entrance. For the sake of the woman he loves, he actively attacks, carefully tests the waters, and finally wins the chance to date the heroine.
Then on the day of the date, the Blonde, having made a perfect date plan, takes the heroine out for a pleasant day, and the heroine is also quite happy.
When the date ends and they return home, they encounter a groping molester on the train. The Blonde steps forward to angrily beat the molester, showing full demeanor, and completely wins the heroine's heart. Finally, when they part ways, the heroine actively chooses to go home with the injured Blonde.
The Blonde male lead didn't use any groping, coercion, or threats throughout the whole process. He won fair and square.
One can only say the Blonde and the heroine are a match made in heaven, destined for each other. No strange flavors—it is the Pure Love within Pure Love!
Eh?
Why does it feel like it has a bit of a josei flavor?
Tsushima Kagami recalled an analysis of the essence of the NTR genre he saw online before transmigrating. Some people said the essence of NTR is "male competition."
Thinking of this, Tsushima Kagami looked at Sayuri, Kosaka Akane, and Machida Sonoko, who were looking at him with sparkling eyes.
No wonder many girls like NTR. If they project themselves onto the heroine, isn't it purely male competition?
Moreover...
Tsushima Kagami thought about some josei doujinshi he had occasionally seen in the past. They seemed to all be genres like rape or forced love. Even he, a guy, felt a bit scared watching them. He really couldn't understand why girls usually cry about having no sense of security, yet when it comes to josei genres, it's full of this kind of slightly scary stuff?
Looking back at NTR: substituting into the heroine, the male lead and the Blonde fight over the "training rights" of the heroine, plus various coercions... it really is josei-style male competition.
Thinking about it this way, it actually makes some sense?
The second one is I'm Just Peeking at the Sex Life of the Gloomy Classmate I Used to Like by [Nonomiya]-sensei.
In this one, the male lead starts to look a bit like a clown.
However, an interesting little detail is that the second female lead watches the male lead with gentle eyes throughout the entire manga. From the second female lead's perspective, it feels a bit faintly stomach-churning.
If the male lead had chosen the second female lead back then, perhaps there would have been a good ending. But choosing the second female lead now feels a bit like "substitute literature."
And the third story is Big-Breasted Plain Literature Girl by [Torisolt]-sensei. This one should be the famous "All Members Are Incredible" BSS.
The male lead can no longer be described as a clown; he's practically scum.
You could say it's neither Pure Love nor NTR, but it leaves one with mixed feelings after reading.
In short, the male lead isn't as noble as he imagines, the heroine isn't as pitiful as imagined, and the senior isn't as unbearable as imagined, but none of them are good things.
____
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