Because Growing Up Sucks, even for the Marui triplets
"I always thought that graduating meant losing the things you loved. So I was scared and ran away. So I ran away. From Gachi Rangers....from Nipples...and from you."
— Hitoha about Yabe.
— Hitoha about Yabe.
A month before graduation, Hitoha finds out that the Gachi Rangers show is ending soon. She realizes that now that she’ll graduate from elementary school, she has to leave behind the things she loved as a child. Of course, she doesn’t take this well, so it’s Yabe-sensei work to reach to her. But, will she acept him this time?
The World that Begins in April is a Mitsudomoe doujinshi released in 2011 written and illustrated by "Quick Waipa" focusing on a possible What If? in which the characters finish elementary school. It has the style and black comedy proper of Mitsudooe, but it’s also a Tear Jerker.
The World that Begins in April provides examples of:
- 0% Approval Rating: Yabe. His colleagues don't like him, since he's Mistaken for Pedophile. Also, his students make fun of his immature and childish personality. Well, it was this way in-series too, but here it's more realistic.
- A-Cup Angst: Mitsuba has a case of this after Futaba starts wearing a bra at the end of the story.
- All Love Is Unrequited: Hitoha has a Precocious Crush on Yabe, who’s 23 and her teacher to boot. There’s also the background event of Airi trying to confess her love for Satou, who in-canon, considers her a stalker and actually hates her.
- Bittersweet Ending: The class 6-3 graduates and will presumably go to different schools. Unfortunately Hitoha was able to “mature” after being separated from the things she loved as a child: the Gachi Rangers (it stops airing), Nipples the hamster (he’s passed to the next class) and Yabe-sensei (he moves out to teach in another school). The Marui triplets prepare to go to high school and life goes on.
- Break the Cutie: The doujin is about Hitoha's progressing disillusionment with the world as she's forced to grow up.
- Also, Yabe-sensei, the childish and suportive teacher. He has all the right to be disillusioned, stemming from the contempt of his colleagues, his students disrespecting him, Hitoha's situation and how it affects him, among other things (such as being transferred to another town), but continues to smile. When Hitoha apologizes and gives him an Anguished Declaration of Love, he cannot take it anymore and starts crying.
- Burn the Witch!: After seeing Yabe-sensei depressed the whole day, Matsuoka concludes that he was Driven to Suicide and his spirit is now roaming the school. She decides to burn Nipples as an offering so she could "pray for his soul". Fortunately, Hitoha saves the hamster before something bad could happen.
- But Now I Must Go: The reason why Yabe wants desperately to cheer up Hitoha and give a nice graduation to his class. He was transferred to teach in another school in the nearby town. Considering how he was treated as All of the Other Reindeer by his colleagues and a Butt-Monkey for the students, this is probably the best for him. Hitoha even acknowledges it in the end of the story.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Hitoha towards Yabe, initially. One of the motifs in the doujin is how she cannot communicate effectively him, her friends or her family.
- Coming of Age Story: For Hitoha.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: When the Marui triplets go to high school, Hitoha stops using her hair bun. Futaba and Mitsuba keep using their pigtails, though.
- Funny Background Event: While Hitoha is dealing with the fact that Growing Up Sucks, Airi is preparing to confess her love for Satou. A follow-up fanfic written by the author reveals Satou rejected her, but is willing to start over with her as a friend.
- Also, the teachers who mock Yabe behind his back.
- And Yoshioka fangirling after Hitoha’s Anguished Declaration of Love.
- Genre Savvy: Apparently, the characters are now savvy enough to avoid misunderstandings and the usual One Dialogue, Two Conversations, which is one of Mitsudomoe's known running gags. Doesn't stop Matsuoka from misunderstanding Yabe was driven to suicide, though.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Mitsuba. After Hitoha realizes how ungrateful she was to Yabe and apologizes to her sisters for the troubles she causec, Mitsuba accepts her apology... after stomping on her head and demanding candy as payment for the next weeks. She was considerate enough to take off her shoe, though.
- Limited Wardrobe: Futaba is always seen wearing her bike shorts and blue top from the series. Even in the graduation ceremony, no less!
- Mood Whiplash: Several times, and it’s Played for Laughs.
- Hitoha realized how self-centered she was and how ungrateful she was to Yabe-sensei….only for Mitsuba to stomp on her head.
- When she is about to apologize to Yabe, she takes out a piece of paper which seems to be an apology letter... it’s actually the Gachi Rangers OP lyrics.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Hitoha has this reaction after realizing that Yabe wanted to reach out to her so badly because he'll be moving to another town after graduation. The anger that drove her to distance from him (claiming that she needed to do so as a means to grow up) instantly evaporates and she briefly goes into denial, only to be slapped out of it by Mitsuba.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Yabe's attempts to reach out for Hitoha before she graduates causes more harm than good. Also, when Futaba goes to console Yabe and sits in Hitoha's place under his desk, the teachers are quick to assume that Yabe put her in there and start insulting him behind his back.Teacher 1: That Yabe got another girl under there [his desk].
Teacher 2: Fucking creep.
Teacher 3: Die. Go kill yourself. - Title Drop: The final words of the story. It turns out it's a reference of how the Marui triplets are entering high school."The world that begins in April.... starts now!"
- When She Smiles: Hitoha, after giving an Anguished Declaration of Love to Yabe-sensei.
