History YMMV / AfterSchoolNightmare

* FanDislikedExplanation: Some readers disliked the ending that reveals [[spoiler:everything that happened in the series is just a metaphor for pregnancy and childbirth, with the students being unborn children]], as they felt it negates everything the characters experienced, especially since [[spoiler:they won't remember anything that happened anyway]]. The explanation given for Mashiro's struggles with gender identity ([[spoiler:they're actually a pair of boy-girl twins struggling for possession of one life]]) also didn't go over well with some fans.

The people who were reading for the mystery arc, who thought that the final explanation ([[spoiler:the story is an allegory for pregnancy and childbirth]]) was simply too silly and bizarre.\\

The people who were reading for the exploration of ambiguous gender, who thought that the revelation that Mashiro's gender ambiguity being because [[spoiler:they are actually fraternal twin fetuses sharing a mind]] meant that the situation was either reactionary in implication, or too fantastic to have any possible real-world relevance.

The people who were reading for the mystery arc, who thought that the final explanation ([[spoiler:it was AllJustADream in the minds of unborn babies in a maternity ward]]) was simply too silly and bizarre.\\

* EsotericHappyEnding: It turns out [[spoiler:the entire series takes place in a metaphorical realm within the minds of the unborn babies in a maternity ward]]. [[spoiler:The babies who have already "graduated" are all born safely, but they lose their memories of anything that occurred in the series. As for the ones who haven't, they're wiped from existence (except for Mashiro, who escapes just in time to be born as a girl) as they and/or their mothers are killed in a hospital fire]]. A scene at the very end shows [[spoiler:Mashiro and Sou running into each other years later and having no idea who the other is]], teasing readers about possibilities that may never be.

* EsotericHappyEnding: It turns out [[spoiler:the entire series was taking place in the minds of the unborn babies in a maternity ward]]. [[spoiler:The babies who have already "graduated" are all born safely, but they grow up knowing nothing about anything that occurred in the series. As for the ones who haven't, they're wiped from existence (except for Mashiro, who escapes just in time to be born as a girl) as they and/or their mothers are killed in a hospital fire]]. A scene at the very end shows [[spoiler:Mashiro and Sou running into each other years later and having no idea who the other is]], pointlessly teasing readers about possibilities that will never be.

* EsotericHappyEnding: It turns out [[spoiler:the entire series was taking place in the minds of the unborn babies in a maternity ward]]. [[spoiler:The babies who have already "graduated" are all born safely, but they grow up knowing nothing about anything that occurred in the series. As for the ones who haven't, they're wiped from existence as they and/or their mothers are killed in a hospital fire]]. A scene at the very end shows [[spoiler:Mashiro and Sou running into each other and having no idea who the other is]], pointlessly teasing readers about possibilities that will never be.

* EsotericHappyEnding: It turns out [[spoiler:the entire series was taking place in the minds of the unborn babies in a maternity ward]]. [[spoiler:The babies are all born safely, but they grow up knowing nothing about anything that occurred in the series]]. A scene at the very end shows [[spoiler:Mashiro and Sou running into each other and having no idea who the other is]], pointlessly teasing readers about possibilities that will never be.

The people who were reading for the exploration of ambiguous gender, who thought that the revelation that Mashiro's gender ambiguity being because [[spoiler:they are actually fraternal twin fetuses sharing a mind]] meant that the situation was either [[UnfortunateImplications reactionary in implication]], or too fantastic to have any possible real-world relevance.

* DieForOurShip: Some people really have it in for Kureha...

The people who were reading for the exploration of ambiguous gender, who thought that the revelation that Mashiro's gender ambiguity being because [[spoiler:they are actually fraternal twin fetuses sharing a mind]] meant that the situation was either reactionary in implication, or too fantastic to have any possible real-world relevance.

* HoYay: Between Sou and Mashiro, who doesn't belong to either sex but identifies as male. Sometimes. That's sort of the entire point of Mashiro's journey. [[spoiler: And by the end, Mashiro identifies as female, full stop. Although it's less that Mashiro "identifies as female" than it is that [[FridgeHorror the unborn sister kills her twin brother to gain full control of the single life they were sharing]].]]

* EndingAversion: The ending upset a lot of different fan factions for different reasons:
** The people who were reading for the mystery arc thought that the final explanation was simply too silly and bizarre.
** The shippers were unhappy that [[spoiler:Mashiro and Sou end up in the real world but with no knowledge of each other or memory of their love]].
** The people who were reading for the exploration of ambiguous gender thought that the revelation that [[spoiler:Mashiro's gender ambiguity is because they are actually fraternal twin foetuses sharing a mind]] meant that the situation was either reactionary or too fantastic to have any real-world relevance.

* ValuesDissonance: Mashiro's gender identity is based on a very hard division between masculine and feminine (among other things [[HideYourGays largely ignoring the concept of homosexuality]]), to a point it can come across as offensive to some Western readers. And that's before getting into [[EndingAversion the problems with the ending]] that reveal [[spoiler:Mashiro technically doesn't actually ''have'' "gender issues" because they're really two different people struggling for possession of one life, not one person struggling with their own identity]].

* ValuesDissonance: The way Mashiro's gender identity is handled can come across as offensive to some Western readers, to the point where a few actually stopped reading. And that's before getting into [[EndingAversion the problems with the ending]] that reveal [[spoiler:Mashiro technically doesn't actually ''have'' "gender issues" because they're really two different people struggling for possession of one life, not one person struggling with their own identity]].

* NightmareFuel: [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/after_school_nightmare/v09/c035/19.html Oh dear god.]]

* HoYay: Between Sou and Mashiro, who doesn't belong to either sex but identifies as male. Sometimes. That's sort of the entire point of Mashiro's journey. [[spoiler: And by the end, Mashiro identifies as female, full stop.]]

* ValuesDissonance: The way Mashiro's gender identity is handled can come across as offensive to some Western readers, to the point where a few actually stopped reading.

* ValuesDissonance: The way Mashiro's gender identity is handled can come across as offensive to some Western readers, to the point where a few actually stopped reading.

* UnfortunateImplications: Considering this is a manga about a hermaphrodite facing his/her fears and dealing with his/her sexuality, you would think that its stance on gender roles would be quite progressive. For the most part, this is true. Sort of. It's understandable when Mashiro defines what a man and what a woman is through stereotypes since it is his/her learning that those idealizations are just stereotypes that allows him/her to grow in the manga. It's less understandable when Kureha realizes that Mashiro actually wants to be a girl because he/she slapped her and "A man would never hit her".
** Then there's the whole issue with Sou. On the one hand, Sou does a great job of making Mashiro realize his own inner desires to be a girl through loving him. In fact, Sou is able to make Mashiro not only come to accept himself and possibly love himself, but also accept and love others. However, Sou's tactic? To constantly subject Mashiro to his masculinity, ridicule Mashiro's sense of manhood, continuously play up Mashiro's femininity and submissiveness, and basically forcing Sou's own desire for Mashiro to be a girl on to him. Sou makes it more than clear that he loves Mashiro, but only sees him as a woman and only loves her as such.
*** Even that could be seen as unfortunate if you have an AlternateCharacterInterpretation of Sou. Is he really a guy that saw Mashiro's inner femininity, fell in love with it, and wants to draw it out to the surface or is he a guy struggling with his own sexuality that cannot accept being in love with a man and therefore forces the man (who is conveniently a hermaphrodite) to become a woman? Viewed as the latter, Sou becomes a sad example of homosexuality portrayed in the media.

** Then there's the whole issue with Sou. On the one hand, Sou does a great job of making Mashiro realize his own inner desires to be a girl through loving him. In fact, Sou is able to make Mashiro not only come to accept himself and possibly love himself, but also accept and love others. However, Sou's tactic? To constantly subject Mashiro to his masculinity, ridicule Mashiro's sense of manhood, continuously play up Mashiro's femininity and submissiveness, and basically forcing his own desire for Mashiro to be a girl on to him. Sou makes it more than clear that he loves Mashiro, but only sees him as a woman and only loves her as such.

* NightmareFuel: [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/after_school_nightmare/v09/c035/19.html Oh dear god.]]

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Sou. In an idealist light, he comes off as a guy who used his love to teach Mashiro not only how to love him/herself and accept his/her own sexuality, but also how to truly love others and let others into his/her heart. In a more cynical light, Sou comes off as a guy who refuses to accept that the person he's in love with may not be female and therefore feels the need to assert his masculinity and play up Mashiro's femininity to force Mashiro to classify him/herself "appropriately".

* AlternateInterpretation: Sou. In an idealist light, he comes off as a guy who used his love to teach Mashiro not only how to love him/herself and accept his/her own sexuality, but also how to truly love others and let others into his/her heart. In a more cynical light, Sou comes off as a guy who refuses to accept that the person he's in love with may not be female and therefore feels the need to assert his masculinity and play up Mashiro's femininity to force Mashiro to classify him/herself "appropriately".

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/after_school_nightmare/v09/c035/19.html Oh dear god.]]
* NightmareFuel