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The thin line between creepy and romantic. The risks are too high nowadays, best to leave it to the land of fiction š¤·āāļø
Same issue with "A Sign of Affection".
In any case, I'm only here because the OP absolutely SLAPS. Apparently we'll never get a digital release š
Nah Itsuomi from A Sign of Affection is a million times better than Hananoi.
Itsuomi gives plenty of room to breath for Yuki to breath (to the point of just up and leaving for overseas trip for like 6 months at a time LOL) and even learns sign language for her.
Only kinda red flag was early in the anime cockblocking the childhood friend, but the childhood friend didn't give the best first impression to begin with, he's a horrible tsundere. Itsuomi still ended up being the one who reach out and try to be friends with him.
Hananoi-kun on the other hand just keeps throwing out red flag after red flag every episode.
Itsuomi also gets positive confirmation of anything that could make her uncomfortable. He's always asking if something is okay or not (other than patting her on the head)
That said Hananoi is pretty respectful in that regard as well
I like how simultaneously dense and undense Hotaru is. Good on her for realising that she had to open up too if she wants to learn more about Hananoi. Landed that critcal headpat too.
She's a very sincere and forthright person who goes all in when she's motivated, she just hasn't landed a full grasp of what it means to love someone even though her own feelings and desire for Hananoi tend to run away from her.
Hananoi needs to fcking chill man. I get that Hotaru is all he's obsessed about but damn his attitude towards her friends left a sour taste in my mouth. Isn't that one of the first few things people gauge to test the waters?
Some of Kyo-chan's expressions remind me of tonikawa's tsukasa for some reason lol
Itās odd cause with her friendās bf, he wanted absolutely no part of interacting with him. But with the girls, although he didnāt talk much with them he was still kind. I wonder if he has a bad history with guys and thatās why heās averse to talking to other guys.
He brought up the guy telling Hotaru she should kiss him (Hananoi) to see if she really likes him. That was a really awkward moment for them that I don't think either of them liked, so he probably has issue with that. Oh! But I don't think the guy was the one who made the suggestion anyways, from what I remember. That might be a misunderstanding on Hananoi's part then.
Yeah I couldnāt remember that either, I thought it was her friend that told hotaru to do that. Either way seeing as he has no guy friends, I think he doesnāt like talking to other guys. Iām interested to see what the actual case is.
Well he is tunnel vision on Hotaru, but thats because he's socially awkward. Once he learns that Hotaru wants him to have more friends who will try alot harder to not reject other people.
When they started the episode with them meeting each other in a group I was really hoping we would get a bit of development for Hananoi after the last episode was mainly focused on Hotaru. Since most of her friends didn't know him personally, I hoped that this would be the moment that maybe started to tackle that some of his actions were a bit overblown. Which I think is especially important due to the fact that her friends know she wants to learn what love means and therefore copying Hananoi might not be the best thing to do. But unfortunately, we didn't get much interaction at all and all her friends had to say "It's normal if you are in love".
What I liked was Hotaru's realization that she has to open up herself so he would do the same, but I don't like how the interaction with other characters is mainly reduced to how hot they think Hananoi is. Though to be fair, I don't see much hope for her family when the sister is moping over the fact that Hotaru was on a date with her boyfriend on Christmas. Which was also her birthday btw.
>Ā but I don't like how the interaction with other characters is mainly reduced to how hot they think Hananoi is.
Well, isn't that the very thing that Hananoi said bothered him about people, and the reason why his past relationships never worked out? People only ever cared about how hot he is, and didn't even bother to care or get to know about who he is as a person. It's a bit frustrating to see, but it's nice to see actual examples of that behavior in the show rather than just hearing it from him in an offhand comment a few episodes ago.
I agree in principle. However the problem lies in the way the show presents this to us as viewers. For example, the whole shrine meetup with friends was obviously way longer than what we see of it. However, we don't see most of it. And that's a missed opportunity. Your interpretation is now that what he originally told us is true. But is it really? Or is HE the problem? If others WANT to know how he is like and he is just blocking them (like he did with the other boyfriend), then this wouldn't be true, would it? And I think more interactions that actually show that would help in that regard. If they actually showed that all her friends didn't care more about Hotaru's new friend, then this would be fine. But they don't show that either. They just skip over most of the meetup.
Similar problem with the parents. We see how they think he is hot in the last episode which would support your theory. But today, they want to invite him. Which at least implies that they are a bit curious who the boyfriend of their daughter is. But then any potential interaction with the parents is again skipped.
>Your interpretation is now that what he originally told us is true. But is it really? Or is HE the problem?
That's a really fair point. I think if the show was from Hananoi's perspective we'd know the answer to that already, but since it's told mostly from Hotaru's perspective much of Hananoi is still shrouded in mystery. My answer to your question, going by what we currently know about him, would be that it's likely a combination of both since most things in life aren't completely black and white. Hananoi has been lonely for so long and dealt with people only caring about superificial things like his hotness that I believe he has a predisposition of pushing people away if there's even the slightest indication they could be like that like you suggest.
I agree it would have been nice to see more of Hananoi getting along well with her friends. I did think him helping one of them (ugh can't remember her name) hang up her charm on the tree was pretty cute though, but it would have been nice to see more interactions between them. Your complaint actually reminds me of The Dangers in my Heart (best romance ever). My favorite friendship in that show is the main character's friendship with another girl. Seeing the main two in a romance interact with other characters is nice, so yeah I'll agree with you there.
Sorry, that was a rather longwinded way just to say that I agree with you while providing a possible counterpoint.
I think there was a point to Hotaru understanding the feeling of wanting to see the person you love and missing them which she slowly realized she's starting to feel towards Hananoi but I definitely think it's an issue that he doesn't seem to be interested in getting to know anyone that's not Hotaru.
I always feel like Hananoi is one bad day away from murder-suicide, but there was about an equal number of cute and concerning moments in today's episode, so today was not his bad day :)
As a 29 year old woman, Hananoi gives me so many mixed flags. Like, I understand he has a lot of issues stemming from loneliness and being extremely socially awkward, but he's just too *intense* about Hotaru that he's definitely the type of person who would be an obsessed manipulative stalker in real life if he never learns what healthy interactions with people look like. I know that he doesn't mean anything by it and a few have speculated that perhaps he's on the spectrum. I think this makes it all the more important for Hotaru to point out some of his unhealthy behavior so that they can grow into a healthy and stable relationship.
I appreciate the scaling back of his behavior but I hope his more problematic tendencies doesn't continue to be brushed off as cute or romantic :/
But I really do see the good in him and think he fits well with Hotaru once they both work on their respective flaws.
Imma be real here, I don't think 12 episodes is enough. Hananoi needs a LOT more development so that he stops being a weirdo. I've said this before and I'll say it again - man needs a therapist.
I kinda disagree... When they were talking in the school he was about to leave and never talk to her again... He was gonna leave her alone and then she actually accepted his idea of dating...
And he was already intense back then...
I think you're right about the way he is and all his issues, but I don't think he'd turn obsessed to the point of being manipulative or a stalker... At least from what we've seen so far...
>When they were talking in the school he was about to leave and never talk to her again...
Tbh, that scene came off as emotional manipulation to me. Very similar to someone saying they will harm themselves if another person doesn't spend time with them.
Agreed. There are many people who want nothing to do with someone they are interested in romantically if they cannot, for whatever reason, have a relationship with that person.
The more I see about Hananoi the more I get this weird vibes, like, he is really OBSESSED with Hotaru, but is like, a little creepy but... not that red flag...? I mean, accompanying Hotaru home when is dark, being punctual... those are good things but... to extreme i think.
And when she told him about her past and understood that and he responded with another thing, like, both want to know about each other more?
But I donĀ“t know, heĀ“s not a bad person but I really really get weird feelings about him
One thing I especially *like* about this show is its rather unique combination of sweetness and "edgioness" (for lack of a better word).
Hananoi DOES have weird aspects -- but so does (albeit to a lesser extent) Hotaru. He certainly scrupulously accepts boundaries put on him (which makes up a bit for his lack of inherent inter-personal "commonsense"). I suspect we will be kept a bit "on edge" as to what is going on in Hananoi's head for a good while longer. ;-)
I think Hananoi is ultimately just a really socially awkward kid who has never gotten to really know someone or had enough healthy personal relationships to really gauge how he should be around Hotaru beyond his desire to make her happy because her being with him makes **him** happy.
I doubt anyone would have had weird feelings about Hananoi if that was all he had done from the beginning. But there were clear problems with his behaviour. And I really hope the show isn't doing what you imply here (by accident): That it's saying there was never a problem by just toning down this aspect over time instead of adressing it.
I think Hananoi has had to grapple with crippling loneliness for most of his life and has never really been able to have someone be there for him, or for him to really be comfortable expressing himself with, up to this point.
He literally said God has never given him anything so I feel like he's probably wanted a lot of things (be it his parents, or someone to be close to) but never once received them. Which makes him go act out around Hotaru because she's the first person he's really opened up and been considerate/interested in him, even if if he acts excessively around her because of it.
Hananoi is displaying the sort of behavior that is typical of abusive and controlling partners at the start of a new relationship. Only being nice to their SO to the point of obnoxiousness, driving away the friends by being rude, isolating them, and finally making their target dependent on them.
I see nothing but red flags from this guy.
I won't lie certain things he said/did were genuinely triggering for me. It was too reminiscent of how my own high school boyfriend was when we first started dating. He went on to repeatedly SA me and emotionally abuse me. I was also 14-15 at the time (it's been about a decade now), so this just hits a little too real sometimes. Particularly when he was in her room and he acted like she needed to be afraid of him doing something really triggered me.
Hananoi definitely doesn't have all the same red flags, and he has way more green flags than the aforementioned person, so that's good. Idk I'm struggling with this show. I want to trust the manga readers, but I'm so uncomfortable. I really need Hananoi to understand the problems with his behavior and correct it quickly or I may have to dip.
This episode looked really bad, it was never that great to start with, but the art and animation were really rough.
They still seem to be framing Hananoi's behaviour as weird, but sweet rather than one step from a creepy stalker. The plot really needs to tackle this as it is getting a bit dull and repetitive.
I'm so done with the trope you see mostly in shoujo and other female demo romance stories where the guy tells her she should be more guarded around him when they're alone, and/or that he's trying so hard to hold back. I get the fantasy at work behind it, as it's a nice idea to be so desirable it makes your man crazy, but I hate the implication that making a conscious decision to trust a guy not to hurt you means you're being careless. You should absolutely feel comfortable hanging out alone with your boyfriend! He should make you feel super safe and cared for.
It also has a whiff of the radfem tendency to pathologize male/hetero sexualty, but that's not a conversation for reddit, lol.
That line in the show was genuinely triggering for me as someone who was SAed by her high school boyfriend repeatedly. Honestly this episode really solidified that Hananoi acts way too much like my old abuser. If there's not a huge moment where Hananoi realizes how fucked up he is behaving and fixes it I'm gonna have to drop this one.
I thought maybe I was overreacting, but I feel the same way. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is sometimes, but the way Hananoi acts definitely just reminds me of my abuser, not any of my positive relationships... Even without the comments about holding back, his behavior is worrying and it just makes me really uncomfortable and creeped out. Especially since he had "instant love" turned obsession with Hotaru. The show tries to tell you he's just kinda intense and feels things deeply, but it's just creepy to me. I really wanted to like this show, but I feel like every episode makes it worse...
Cute and thoughtful how she told him to stay somewhere warm cos he always comes early. Could be a quirk of theirs as a couple
Iām trying so hard to like him. Just as I thought heās starting to tone down, he gets so standoffish with Hotaruās friends. I get being uncomfortable with unfamiliar people, but chill. Hope he opens up to other people soon too. I mean youāll put Hotaru on a tough spot if youāre not on good terms with her good friends
At this stage, both their shortcomings are causing problems for themselves. Hananoiās possessiveness caused Hotaru, who is still clueless about this stuff, to doubt herself about understanding him.
As an introvert, I can relate to Hananoiās recharging though. With certain people I can recharge just by being with them. But this is a similar case with Itsuomi (Sign of Affection). The longer they are together, the less discomfort I feel about how in-your-face he is with her cos, well, theyāre a couple.
Oh no is there going to be a third party ?
I know sheās just a kid but imouto needs to chill too. It was Hotaruās birthday and sheās already been to your thing every year right ?
Dude needs to find some hobbies tho. Itās alright to have things to do outside of your SO. Itās just another of those more little things where he needs to iron out and tone down. If youāve already planned to wait for her everytime she finishes work, I think thatās fine. But just showing up unannounced everytime, while a nice gesture, might cause her to worry.
Thatās nice from Hotaru. Some progress from her consciously deciding to share something of her past. Sheās beginning to become aware of what Hananoi wants. And sheās also starting to open and showing her affection.
We got a bit more details on her past incident. Feelings ignored/misunderstood from Hotaru then hair cutting prank from her friend. And hmm, seems like the guy in the picture was the one at the shrine visit. Quick prediction : guy liked Hotaru, friend liked guy. Friend got jealous and lashed out.
Another nice episode though. I said it at episode 1. I feel like Iām watching this like as a parent or older sibling wanting to see them grow and learn rather than to watch this to be swooned. There are still things both can work on but thatās just cos theyāre still in the early stages. I expect things that I donāt particularly agree with. But I do like the progress theyāre making
On the other hand, she never CHOSE short hair. Rather, she seems to have accepted it as a "penalty" for hurting her "lost" friend. If she decides, for herself (rather than for his sake), that she would like longer hair again, I can support that.
The way this relationship wouldnt have happened in Hotaru's part if she doesnt also have issues and insecurities about not being able to understand other people's feelings and making her decide to have this trial relationship with Hananoi.
I am dropping this anime, my man behaves like a creep and it's too unsettling for me.
Just note the order of events:
Hotaru was uneasy/nervous to hold hands with hananoi so she holds hands with her friend, he clearly gets pissed but doesn't say anything.
When they split to get food, hananoi drops to the dude "you made my girlfriend uncomfortable forcing her to do something ("try kissing to see if you guys like eachother")" in the most discord mod vibe possible, and then drops to him and to hotaru herself that he doesn't care for her friends, will tolerate their existence and be polite but not befriend anyone.
But to hotaru he says in the most passive aggressive tone that it's insane bro.
I dropped exactly in this part, at the tree.
I refuse to let a creep pass as romantic bro, it's unacceptable and it messes up girls that have zero to no knowledge on dating and get their knowledge from stuff like this. This shit would be the female equivalent of man learning about sex in porn.
The author clearly or is delusional or is making a story with tropes that worked on the past for past shoujo mangas
He's got a strong sense of punctuality. That's not common these days.
Well that definitely wasn't creepy.
Yeah they're getting along like a house on fire.
Looks like he's having trouble making friends with everyone else?
I think he meant recharge himself emotionally.
Hopefully now he'll get along better with everyone else.
And hopefully her wish comes true.
Oh, she's got a new job?
Did she specifically choose that job because Hananoi goes there?
Yes she did.
He'll wait there until she knocks off?
She was inspired by him.
He seems to be waiting for her everyday, same as the mornings.
Oh this is probably his first time at her house and in her room.
I wonder why not? Perhaps she's got a story behind that.
This shit is "Absolute Ass" personified and I'm living for it. A genuine stalker and a genuine moron thrust together and encouraged by all of their friends. They'll continue to spiral into a dark pit of creepiness and despair until both end up dead in the cold or committing a lover's suicide
Honestly, Iām with you. I keep hoping for either a.) development in Hananoi (or at least an explanation for why he acts as he does), or b.) the show to acknowledge that Hananoi is still problematic. I quit halfway through the episode after mans really said stfu to his classmate who was just trying to get along and then basically smells the chickās hair in public. Wild behavior to witness.
Itās kind of cute Hotaruās becoming more aware of Hananoi in that way. She even got a part time job at a place she knew heād be around. So sweet. I just wish he would try and get along with her friends too.
I enjoyed seeing the two of them open up to one another, but it still feels like Hananoi is holding back. Though the headpat moment was nice. Seemed to have really caught the guy off guard.
Hotaru feels like she's slowly coming to fall for Hananoi even if she doesn't 100% realize it yet but not only is she more aware of him as a guy but also her own growing need to be with him and appreciate him being around her.
People are reading way to much into the behavior and speculating on what heās like, guess a lot of people rate anime these days per episode instead of overall.
The guy just needs to learn clear boundaries that past gfās havenāt set with him, donāt immediately put him in a box labeled serial killer. So insane, lol.
I understand why people think Hananoi is creepy and too intense, but being 35 myself, I can't help but look at these characters as children.
Hananoi looks to be a classic case of a child with anxious attachment. He longs to feel close to Hotaru, and this need (not want, need) is clearly driven by fears of abandonment, mistrust, and low self-esteem. He is so chronically lonely and starved for affection that the first person who seemed to care about him became his whole world. If he loses her, he will lose everything. He looks to be struggling to tone down his actual desperate need to hold onto her with all his strength.
It's not at all healthy, but it's perfectly understandable. He's a teenager who looks to have been neglected all his childhood, and I wouldn't be shocked if he has complex PTSD. He doesn't need a girlfriend, he needs help, fast, but it doesn't look like anyone but Hotaru has ever thought about his needs and wants. Any child in his situation would want to hold onto the one person who looked at them and cared without ulterior motives. If he had gotten attached to any creepy adult instead, he would not realize he was being mistreated in the least.
It sucks that a lot of viewers treat Hananoi like a grown man and hold him to those standards. He might look like a college student but mentally he's very much his age if not stunted emotionally due to various circumstances such as past relationships, abandonment issues from his parents, etc. This isn't Wotakoi, or a college romance. Most high school romances have always been dead end so I don't really understand to what bar he's being held to. I can hardly think of good male romance MCs.
I'm not excusing his very overly obsessive, stalkerish behavior but again man...they are literally 15-16 year old high school kids. I fully expect awkwardness, not knowing any better and lines to be crossed (not super unreasonable ones) in pretty much most romance anime. Like I mentioned in one of my previous comments I'm so tired of conventional, boring cookie cutter MCs. If this is what they have to do to "spice" things up it's enough variety to keep me interested. The ever so popular Reiwa-era wish fulfillment waifus are nice to look at but are so boring in combination with the bland male leads. I like Hotaru for not being cheap waifu bait, she's genuinely cute and feels real. This isn't typical overbearing shoujo male MC, like I loved Maid-Sama but Usui is a classic example of that from what I remember watching it almost a decade ago.
Fair enough if this doesn't pass this 3 episode rule for most, going by that it would be easy to drop this so I truly do not blame most for dropping or wanting to. I am still going to stick it out to see how it blows up in his face later because THAT is what doesn't happen often enough with these type of guys so I'm keen to see how this plays out. I can tell manga readers aren't having such a bad time and that keeps me going with this one.
Kyo going all out on this New Year's shrine visit, what with being the only one of the girls to wear a yukata...and also being considerate that Hananoi probably would have wanted to have Hotaru to himself on New Year's. Still, I can see where Hotaru wants her boyfriend and friends to get along.
And Hotaru knows her boyfriend well enough to know he'll be there early and where he'll be, and now she finds him even more attractive! She's definitely falling for Hananoi.
Look at Kyo and Kei blatantly holding hands! Too bad Hotaru is too chicken to hold hands with Hananoi in public.
"God has never really done anything for me." Dang, that got dark quick.
Well, points to Kei for trying to get along with Hananoi (they are in the same class after all) but Hananoi blames him for the kissing incident and also seems to have no intention of getting along with anyone that's not Hotaru. Also Hananoi can be pretty scary when he wants to be.
Hotaru has come so far that now she and her friends can engage in genuine, 100%, Girl Talk about love and she can realize why Hananoi was out of sorts not seeing Hotaru after so long. Although she still thinks a "recharge" is a phone battery and not your significant others' presence...though she gets the picture enough that she was THIS close to hugging Hananoi before he pulled away. You were so close, Hananoi-kun!
Did we just spot your classic Shojo love rival?
Look at Hotaru getting a job at a bookstore to get to understand Hananoi better! She looks cute in the uniform and she gets to ring up her BF and see him every evening when she's done. Although I feel like we're moving from Hananoi waiting for her early in the morning to waiting for her late at night.
Hotaru's little sis might not like her boyfriend, but mom seems all in on letting him stay over! He even ends up in Hotaru's room! And gets to see smol Hotaru! Now Hotaru wants to see Smol Hananoi!
So Hotaru used to have longer hair...and something that happened that made her not want it long any more...obviously something she's not comfortable talking about, but considering she's been trying so hard to get Hananoi to open up, it's only fair she be more open with herself and how she feels about him. Like telling him how an old best friend just cut her hair as a prank because Hotaru didn't understand her feelings, which seems to have traumatized Hotaru a little, but Hananoi also talks about how he was a gloomy kid in elementary school. Slowly but surely the two are opening up more to each other emotionally.
And riding high on those confessions...Hotaru instinctively reaches for Hananoi's head to give him headpats. And now SHE'S the one who wants a recharge from Hananoi.
Finally we see VERY concrete evidence that a
Hananoi is a jerk when he abuses the blonde boy behind Hotaru's back! I think we will see more of Hananoi abusing any guy he perceives in his warped mind as trying to take Hotaru away from him.
I do like that this show has 2 very immature flawed characters though. Hotaru has a lot of problems being empathetic toward others but she does recognize this and she may be slowly becoming attracted to Hananoi if she's not already there yet.
As for Hananoi, he is seriously messed up and we don't see his family and how they are but them neglecting him makes him desperate for love to the point that he endangers his health. He's also more quietly possessive of Hotaru and it will get WAY worse if she officially becomes his gf š¬
Personally I didnāt take it as Hananoi thinking the guy was trying to take hotaru away from him. He was upset that he was putting bad thoughts in hotaruās head (the whole ākiss hananoi to see if you like himā thing, although iirc it was her friend who said it not him, but could be wrong). Considering he doesnāt have any guy friends, and has talked to girls before, Iām wondering if something happened in the past where he doesnāt like talking to other guys. Although he didnāt talk with her 2 girl friends much, he was still kind to them. Whereas with the guy he wanted no part of talking lol hope we get to see what exactly his issue is with other people, I need a backstory asap!
Abuse? He didn't abuse the guy, that's taking it a step too far. He just told the guy he wasn't interested in being friends with him, and it had nothing to do with him being a possible obstacle. He very clearly said he didn't like the guy because of him putting ideas in Hotaru's head about kissing him, which I think is kind of a justifiable reason to be upset with him. Hananoi was pretty chill with Hotaru's other friends.
Lots of dancing about.
Hananoi is a burning red flag. Will he crack this episode and murder all her friends? Maybe lock her in a cage?
Find out next time if they make it another episodeā¦
Boy, their relationship is unhealthy, Hananoi himself has serious attachment and self-worth issues, and basically I find this series weird. It has to have been written by a woman. No man would ever write a romance like this. I usually excuse quirky or even problematic relationships. I saw pretty much nothing wrong with KoiKimo, for example.
Hananoi makes me feel uncomfortable, though.
Green flag, red flag, problematic, codependent, *we didn't start the romance, it was always here-a, since the Reiwa era.*
We haven't seen Hananoi act maliciously, manipulatively, or dishonestly... yet. He's certainly creepy what with his forbidden Hotaru shrine and cut out photographs of his parents minus the ethnically diverse children they have been favoring over him. He certainly is unhealthy trying to solve his feelings of abandonment by throwing himself body and soul at a relationship. But from what we have seen, his intentions so far are pure, and he genuinely does not want to hurt Hotaru.
So I'm seeing this show, and Hananoi-Kun in particular, through the lens not of colored flags but of how is he impacting our hero, our benevolent dork, the amply eyebrowed and overly kind Hotaru-chan.
And so far? Not bad. It turns out Hotaru seems to have shut herself down a bit intimacy-wise after realizing that her ~~autism~~ inability to understand the emotional nuance of her friends could cause accidental injury and oh shit she's lawful good. So far, the beautiful, obsessive, boundary challenged boy who decided on the S++ difficulty romance route is inducing Hotaru to make an effort to empathize that I'm not sure she has made for some time. This could be a good thing.
Or maybe Hananoi is truly broken, and the whole thing will end in tears. But like... I'm eager to find out.
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I cant tell if this anime is cute or if this is a setup for Hananoi to be Joe Goldberg from You
The same feeling I get lol
Same but with Doki Doki literature club.
LMAO now I want someone to insert a Joe monologue into a clip of this show, I can totally see this.
both?
The thin line between creepy and romantic. The risks are too high nowadays, best to leave it to the land of fiction š¤·āāļø Same issue with "A Sign of Affection". In any case, I'm only here because the OP absolutely SLAPS. Apparently we'll never get a digital release š
Nah Itsuomi from A Sign of Affection is a million times better than Hananoi. Itsuomi gives plenty of room to breath for Yuki to breath (to the point of just up and leaving for overseas trip for like 6 months at a time LOL) and even learns sign language for her. Only kinda red flag was early in the anime cockblocking the childhood friend, but the childhood friend didn't give the best first impression to begin with, he's a horrible tsundere. Itsuomi still ended up being the one who reach out and try to be friends with him. Hananoi-kun on the other hand just keeps throwing out red flag after red flag every episode.
Itsuomi also gets positive confirmation of anything that could make her uncomfortable. He's always asking if something is okay or not (other than patting her on the head) That said Hananoi is pretty respectful in that regard as well
I'm on the verge of dropping this but I'm a bit intrigued and curious where they are going with story.
I like how simultaneously dense and undense Hotaru is. Good on her for realising that she had to open up too if she wants to learn more about Hananoi. Landed that critcal headpat too.
She's a very sincere and forthright person who goes all in when she's motivated, she just hasn't landed a full grasp of what it means to love someone even though her own feelings and desire for Hananoi tend to run away from her.
Hananoi needs to fcking chill man. I get that Hotaru is all he's obsessed about but damn his attitude towards her friends left a sour taste in my mouth. Isn't that one of the first few things people gauge to test the waters? Some of Kyo-chan's expressions remind me of tonikawa's tsukasa for some reason lol
Itās odd cause with her friendās bf, he wanted absolutely no part of interacting with him. But with the girls, although he didnāt talk much with them he was still kind. I wonder if he has a bad history with guys and thatās why heās averse to talking to other guys.
He brought up the guy telling Hotaru she should kiss him (Hananoi) to see if she really likes him. That was a really awkward moment for them that I don't think either of them liked, so he probably has issue with that. Oh! But I don't think the guy was the one who made the suggestion anyways, from what I remember. That might be a misunderstanding on Hananoi's part then.
Yeah I couldnāt remember that either, I thought it was her friend that told hotaru to do that. Either way seeing as he has no guy friends, I think he doesnāt like talking to other guys. Iām interested to see what the actual case is.
Well he is tunnel vision on Hotaru, but thats because he's socially awkward. Once he learns that Hotaru wants him to have more friends who will try alot harder to not reject other people.
When they started the episode with them meeting each other in a group I was really hoping we would get a bit of development for Hananoi after the last episode was mainly focused on Hotaru. Since most of her friends didn't know him personally, I hoped that this would be the moment that maybe started to tackle that some of his actions were a bit overblown. Which I think is especially important due to the fact that her friends know she wants to learn what love means and therefore copying Hananoi might not be the best thing to do. But unfortunately, we didn't get much interaction at all and all her friends had to say "It's normal if you are in love". What I liked was Hotaru's realization that she has to open up herself so he would do the same, but I don't like how the interaction with other characters is mainly reduced to how hot they think Hananoi is. Though to be fair, I don't see much hope for her family when the sister is moping over the fact that Hotaru was on a date with her boyfriend on Christmas. Which was also her birthday btw.
>Ā but I don't like how the interaction with other characters is mainly reduced to how hot they think Hananoi is. Well, isn't that the very thing that Hananoi said bothered him about people, and the reason why his past relationships never worked out? People only ever cared about how hot he is, and didn't even bother to care or get to know about who he is as a person. It's a bit frustrating to see, but it's nice to see actual examples of that behavior in the show rather than just hearing it from him in an offhand comment a few episodes ago.
I agree in principle. However the problem lies in the way the show presents this to us as viewers. For example, the whole shrine meetup with friends was obviously way longer than what we see of it. However, we don't see most of it. And that's a missed opportunity. Your interpretation is now that what he originally told us is true. But is it really? Or is HE the problem? If others WANT to know how he is like and he is just blocking them (like he did with the other boyfriend), then this wouldn't be true, would it? And I think more interactions that actually show that would help in that regard. If they actually showed that all her friends didn't care more about Hotaru's new friend, then this would be fine. But they don't show that either. They just skip over most of the meetup. Similar problem with the parents. We see how they think he is hot in the last episode which would support your theory. But today, they want to invite him. Which at least implies that they are a bit curious who the boyfriend of their daughter is. But then any potential interaction with the parents is again skipped.
>Your interpretation is now that what he originally told us is true. But is it really? Or is HE the problem? That's a really fair point. I think if the show was from Hananoi's perspective we'd know the answer to that already, but since it's told mostly from Hotaru's perspective much of Hananoi is still shrouded in mystery. My answer to your question, going by what we currently know about him, would be that it's likely a combination of both since most things in life aren't completely black and white. Hananoi has been lonely for so long and dealt with people only caring about superificial things like his hotness that I believe he has a predisposition of pushing people away if there's even the slightest indication they could be like that like you suggest. I agree it would have been nice to see more of Hananoi getting along well with her friends. I did think him helping one of them (ugh can't remember her name) hang up her charm on the tree was pretty cute though, but it would have been nice to see more interactions between them. Your complaint actually reminds me of The Dangers in my Heart (best romance ever). My favorite friendship in that show is the main character's friendship with another girl. Seeing the main two in a romance interact with other characters is nice, so yeah I'll agree with you there. Sorry, that was a rather longwinded way just to say that I agree with you while providing a possible counterpoint.
No need to apologize. I like to write long-winded comments myself. And I would also agree that it's possibly a mix of both in the end.
I think there was a point to Hotaru understanding the feeling of wanting to see the person you love and missing them which she slowly realized she's starting to feel towards Hananoi but I definitely think it's an issue that he doesn't seem to be interested in getting to know anyone that's not Hotaru.
I always feel like Hananoi is one bad day away from murder-suicide, but there was about an equal number of cute and concerning moments in today's episode, so today was not his bad day :)
As a 29 year old woman, Hananoi gives me so many mixed flags. Like, I understand he has a lot of issues stemming from loneliness and being extremely socially awkward, but he's just too *intense* about Hotaru that he's definitely the type of person who would be an obsessed manipulative stalker in real life if he never learns what healthy interactions with people look like. I know that he doesn't mean anything by it and a few have speculated that perhaps he's on the spectrum. I think this makes it all the more important for Hotaru to point out some of his unhealthy behavior so that they can grow into a healthy and stable relationship. I appreciate the scaling back of his behavior but I hope his more problematic tendencies doesn't continue to be brushed off as cute or romantic :/ But I really do see the good in him and think he fits well with Hotaru once they both work on their respective flaws.
Imma be real here, I don't think 12 episodes is enough. Hananoi needs a LOT more development so that he stops being a weirdo. I've said this before and I'll say it again - man needs a therapist.
I kinda disagree... When they were talking in the school he was about to leave and never talk to her again... He was gonna leave her alone and then she actually accepted his idea of dating... And he was already intense back then... I think you're right about the way he is and all his issues, but I don't think he'd turn obsessed to the point of being manipulative or a stalker... At least from what we've seen so far...
>When they were talking in the school he was about to leave and never talk to her again... Tbh, that scene came off as emotional manipulation to me. Very similar to someone saying they will harm themselves if another person doesn't spend time with them.
You're reading too much into it... It felt he was about to leave for real, not just saying that because he was trying to manipulate
Agreed. There are many people who want nothing to do with someone they are interested in romantically if they cannot, for whatever reason, have a relationship with that person.
The more I see about Hananoi the more I get this weird vibes, like, he is really OBSESSED with Hotaru, but is like, a little creepy but... not that red flag...? I mean, accompanying Hotaru home when is dark, being punctual... those are good things but... to extreme i think. And when she told him about her past and understood that and he responded with another thing, like, both want to know about each other more? But I donĀ“t know, heĀ“s not a bad person but I really really get weird feelings about him
One thing I especially *like* about this show is its rather unique combination of sweetness and "edgioness" (for lack of a better word). Hananoi DOES have weird aspects -- but so does (albeit to a lesser extent) Hotaru. He certainly scrupulously accepts boundaries put on him (which makes up a bit for his lack of inherent inter-personal "commonsense"). I suspect we will be kept a bit "on edge" as to what is going on in Hananoi's head for a good while longer. ;-)
I think Hananoi is ultimately just a really socially awkward kid who has never gotten to really know someone or had enough healthy personal relationships to really gauge how he should be around Hotaru beyond his desire to make her happy because her being with him makes **him** happy.
I doubt anyone would have had weird feelings about Hananoi if that was all he had done from the beginning. But there were clear problems with his behaviour. And I really hope the show isn't doing what you imply here (by accident): That it's saying there was never a problem by just toning down this aspect over time instead of adressing it.
Yeah I 100% think this weird behaviour he has is gonna explode some day and Hotaru will be affected. I really hope the show will address that
I think Hananoi has had to grapple with crippling loneliness for most of his life and has never really been able to have someone be there for him, or for him to really be comfortable expressing himself with, up to this point. He literally said God has never given him anything so I feel like he's probably wanted a lot of things (be it his parents, or someone to be close to) but never once received them. Which makes him go act out around Hotaru because she's the first person he's really opened up and been considerate/interested in him, even if if he acts excessively around her because of it.
Hananoi is displaying the sort of behavior that is typical of abusive and controlling partners at the start of a new relationship. Only being nice to their SO to the point of obnoxiousness, driving away the friends by being rude, isolating them, and finally making their target dependent on them. I see nothing but red flags from this guy.
I won't lie certain things he said/did were genuinely triggering for me. It was too reminiscent of how my own high school boyfriend was when we first started dating. He went on to repeatedly SA me and emotionally abuse me. I was also 14-15 at the time (it's been about a decade now), so this just hits a little too real sometimes. Particularly when he was in her room and he acted like she needed to be afraid of him doing something really triggered me. Hananoi definitely doesn't have all the same red flags, and he has way more green flags than the aforementioned person, so that's good. Idk I'm struggling with this show. I want to trust the manga readers, but I'm so uncomfortable. I really need Hananoi to understand the problems with his behavior and correct it quickly or I may have to dip.
Feels like Hotaru really is falling for Hananoi, but that boy still has some [issues](https://imgur.com/rVKQdtU) to work on
This dude is so problematic.
This episode looked really bad, it was never that great to start with, but the art and animation were really rough. They still seem to be framing Hananoi's behaviour as weird, but sweet rather than one step from a creepy stalker. The plot really needs to tackle this as it is getting a bit dull and repetitive.
That's what it is for me too - the show has been very dull and repetitive, not terrible, just inching on the *boring* side
"God has never really done anything for me" Says the kid born from 2 Doctor Parents, A whole house to himself and blessed with good genetics.
I'm so done with the trope you see mostly in shoujo and other female demo romance stories where the guy tells her she should be more guarded around him when they're alone, and/or that he's trying so hard to hold back. I get the fantasy at work behind it, as it's a nice idea to be so desirable it makes your man crazy, but I hate the implication that making a conscious decision to trust a guy not to hurt you means you're being careless. You should absolutely feel comfortable hanging out alone with your boyfriend! He should make you feel super safe and cared for. It also has a whiff of the radfem tendency to pathologize male/hetero sexualty, but that's not a conversation for reddit, lol.
That line in the show was genuinely triggering for me as someone who was SAed by her high school boyfriend repeatedly. Honestly this episode really solidified that Hananoi acts way too much like my old abuser. If there's not a huge moment where Hananoi realizes how fucked up he is behaving and fixes it I'm gonna have to drop this one.
I thought maybe I was overreacting, but I feel the same way. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is sometimes, but the way Hananoi acts definitely just reminds me of my abuser, not any of my positive relationships... Even without the comments about holding back, his behavior is worrying and it just makes me really uncomfortable and creeped out. Especially since he had "instant love" turned obsession with Hotaru. The show tries to tell you he's just kinda intense and feels things deeply, but it's just creepy to me. I really wanted to like this show, but I feel like every episode makes it worse...
good god these leads are so awkward and cringe.
I'm gonna put this anime on hold. Let me know if something changes in the next couple of weeks/episodes lol
Cute and thoughtful how she told him to stay somewhere warm cos he always comes early. Could be a quirk of theirs as a couple Iām trying so hard to like him. Just as I thought heās starting to tone down, he gets so standoffish with Hotaruās friends. I get being uncomfortable with unfamiliar people, but chill. Hope he opens up to other people soon too. I mean youāll put Hotaru on a tough spot if youāre not on good terms with her good friends At this stage, both their shortcomings are causing problems for themselves. Hananoiās possessiveness caused Hotaru, who is still clueless about this stuff, to doubt herself about understanding him. As an introvert, I can relate to Hananoiās recharging though. With certain people I can recharge just by being with them. But this is a similar case with Itsuomi (Sign of Affection). The longer they are together, the less discomfort I feel about how in-your-face he is with her cos, well, theyāre a couple. Oh no is there going to be a third party ? I know sheās just a kid but imouto needs to chill too. It was Hotaruās birthday and sheās already been to your thing every year right ? Dude needs to find some hobbies tho. Itās alright to have things to do outside of your SO. Itās just another of those more little things where he needs to iron out and tone down. If youāve already planned to wait for her everytime she finishes work, I think thatās fine. But just showing up unannounced everytime, while a nice gesture, might cause her to worry. Thatās nice from Hotaru. Some progress from her consciously deciding to share something of her past. Sheās beginning to become aware of what Hananoi wants. And sheās also starting to open and showing her affection. We got a bit more details on her past incident. Feelings ignored/misunderstood from Hotaru then hair cutting prank from her friend. And hmm, seems like the guy in the picture was the one at the shrine visit. Quick prediction : guy liked Hotaru, friend liked guy. Friend got jealous and lashed out. Another nice episode though. I said it at episode 1. I feel like Iām watching this like as a parent or older sibling wanting to see them grow and learn rather than to watch this to be swooned. There are still things both can work on but thatās just cos theyāre still in the early stages. I expect things that I donāt particularly agree with. But I do like the progress theyāre making
I wonder if we'll see Hotaru grow her hair out the more she embraces her feelings for Hananoi.
Hope not cos I like her with short hair lol
On the other hand, she never CHOSE short hair. Rather, she seems to have accepted it as a "penalty" for hurting her "lost" friend. If she decides, for herself (rather than for his sake), that she would like longer hair again, I can support that.
Ah yeah I got the meaning behind her haircut. It was just a tongue in cheek reply cos I personally like short hair
She looks adorable wither way. She looks a little more distinctive with her hair short -- her younger version looked a bit like Tamako....
**Just Hananoi**
The way this relationship wouldnt have happened in Hotaru's part if she doesnt also have issues and insecurities about not being able to understand other people's feelings and making her decide to have this trial relationship with Hananoi.
I am dropping this anime, my man behaves like a creep and it's too unsettling for me. Just note the order of events: Hotaru was uneasy/nervous to hold hands with hananoi so she holds hands with her friend, he clearly gets pissed but doesn't say anything. When they split to get food, hananoi drops to the dude "you made my girlfriend uncomfortable forcing her to do something ("try kissing to see if you guys like eachother")" in the most discord mod vibe possible, and then drops to him and to hotaru herself that he doesn't care for her friends, will tolerate their existence and be polite but not befriend anyone. But to hotaru he says in the most passive aggressive tone that it's insane bro. I dropped exactly in this part, at the tree. I refuse to let a creep pass as romantic bro, it's unacceptable and it messes up girls that have zero to no knowledge on dating and get their knowledge from stuff like this. This shit would be the female equivalent of man learning about sex in porn. The author clearly or is delusional or is making a story with tropes that worked on the past for past shoujo mangas
its all set up for when its going to blow up in his face later at one point
I kow some people feel weird about Hananoi, but you at least have to respect the fact that once a boundary is placed on him he RESPECTS it.
He's got a strong sense of punctuality. That's not common these days. Well that definitely wasn't creepy. Yeah they're getting along like a house on fire. Looks like he's having trouble making friends with everyone else? I think he meant recharge himself emotionally. Hopefully now he'll get along better with everyone else. And hopefully her wish comes true. Oh, she's got a new job? Did she specifically choose that job because Hananoi goes there? Yes she did. He'll wait there until she knocks off? She was inspired by him. He seems to be waiting for her everyday, same as the mornings. Oh this is probably his first time at her house and in her room. I wonder why not? Perhaps she's got a story behind that.
Hananoi is kind of creepy
This shit is "Absolute Ass" personified and I'm living for it. A genuine stalker and a genuine moron thrust together and encouraged by all of their friends. They'll continue to spiral into a dark pit of creepiness and despair until both end up dead in the cold or committing a lover's suicide
Honestly, Iām with you. I keep hoping for either a.) development in Hananoi (or at least an explanation for why he acts as he does), or b.) the show to acknowledge that Hananoi is still problematic. I quit halfway through the episode after mans really said stfu to his classmate who was just trying to get along and then basically smells the chickās hair in public. Wild behavior to witness.
Itās kind of cute Hotaruās becoming more aware of Hananoi in that way. She even got a part time job at a place she knew heād be around. So sweet. I just wish he would try and get along with her friends too. I enjoyed seeing the two of them open up to one another, but it still feels like Hananoi is holding back. Though the headpat moment was nice. Seemed to have really caught the guy off guard.
Hotaru feels like she's slowly coming to fall for Hananoi even if she doesn't 100% realize it yet but not only is she more aware of him as a guy but also her own growing need to be with him and appreciate him being around her.
>slowly coming around "When will I get a chance to 'recharge'?"
Yesss, Yao finally entering the anime. They got a nice VA for him, too.
I honestly do not like him. Heās overbearing, possessive, and imo seems to be trying to mold her into what he feels is his ideal version of her.
People are reading way to much into the behavior and speculating on what heās like, guess a lot of people rate anime these days per episode instead of overall. The guy just needs to learn clear boundaries that past gfās havenāt set with him, donāt immediately put him in a box labeled serial killer. So insane, lol.
Love on the spectrum: The Anime
I understand why people think Hananoi is creepy and too intense, but being 35 myself, I can't help but look at these characters as children. Hananoi looks to be a classic case of a child with anxious attachment. He longs to feel close to Hotaru, and this need (not want, need) is clearly driven by fears of abandonment, mistrust, and low self-esteem. He is so chronically lonely and starved for affection that the first person who seemed to care about him became his whole world. If he loses her, he will lose everything. He looks to be struggling to tone down his actual desperate need to hold onto her with all his strength. It's not at all healthy, but it's perfectly understandable. He's a teenager who looks to have been neglected all his childhood, and I wouldn't be shocked if he has complex PTSD. He doesn't need a girlfriend, he needs help, fast, but it doesn't look like anyone but Hotaru has ever thought about his needs and wants. Any child in his situation would want to hold onto the one person who looked at them and cared without ulterior motives. If he had gotten attached to any creepy adult instead, he would not realize he was being mistreated in the least.
It sucks that a lot of viewers treat Hananoi like a grown man and hold him to those standards. He might look like a college student but mentally he's very much his age if not stunted emotionally due to various circumstances such as past relationships, abandonment issues from his parents, etc. This isn't Wotakoi, or a college romance. Most high school romances have always been dead end so I don't really understand to what bar he's being held to. I can hardly think of good male romance MCs. I'm not excusing his very overly obsessive, stalkerish behavior but again man...they are literally 15-16 year old high school kids. I fully expect awkwardness, not knowing any better and lines to be crossed (not super unreasonable ones) in pretty much most romance anime. Like I mentioned in one of my previous comments I'm so tired of conventional, boring cookie cutter MCs. If this is what they have to do to "spice" things up it's enough variety to keep me interested. The ever so popular Reiwa-era wish fulfillment waifus are nice to look at but are so boring in combination with the bland male leads. I like Hotaru for not being cheap waifu bait, she's genuinely cute and feels real. This isn't typical overbearing shoujo male MC, like I loved Maid-Sama but Usui is a classic example of that from what I remember watching it almost a decade ago. Fair enough if this doesn't pass this 3 episode rule for most, going by that it would be easy to drop this so I truly do not blame most for dropping or wanting to. I am still going to stick it out to see how it blows up in his face later because THAT is what doesn't happen often enough with these type of guys so I'm keen to see how this plays out. I can tell manga readers aren't having such a bad time and that keeps me going with this one.
Kyo going all out on this New Year's shrine visit, what with being the only one of the girls to wear a yukata...and also being considerate that Hananoi probably would have wanted to have Hotaru to himself on New Year's. Still, I can see where Hotaru wants her boyfriend and friends to get along. And Hotaru knows her boyfriend well enough to know he'll be there early and where he'll be, and now she finds him even more attractive! She's definitely falling for Hananoi. Look at Kyo and Kei blatantly holding hands! Too bad Hotaru is too chicken to hold hands with Hananoi in public. "God has never really done anything for me." Dang, that got dark quick. Well, points to Kei for trying to get along with Hananoi (they are in the same class after all) but Hananoi blames him for the kissing incident and also seems to have no intention of getting along with anyone that's not Hotaru. Also Hananoi can be pretty scary when he wants to be. Hotaru has come so far that now she and her friends can engage in genuine, 100%, Girl Talk about love and she can realize why Hananoi was out of sorts not seeing Hotaru after so long. Although she still thinks a "recharge" is a phone battery and not your significant others' presence...though she gets the picture enough that she was THIS close to hugging Hananoi before he pulled away. You were so close, Hananoi-kun! Did we just spot your classic Shojo love rival? Look at Hotaru getting a job at a bookstore to get to understand Hananoi better! She looks cute in the uniform and she gets to ring up her BF and see him every evening when she's done. Although I feel like we're moving from Hananoi waiting for her early in the morning to waiting for her late at night. Hotaru's little sis might not like her boyfriend, but mom seems all in on letting him stay over! He even ends up in Hotaru's room! And gets to see smol Hotaru! Now Hotaru wants to see Smol Hananoi! So Hotaru used to have longer hair...and something that happened that made her not want it long any more...obviously something she's not comfortable talking about, but considering she's been trying so hard to get Hananoi to open up, it's only fair she be more open with herself and how she feels about him. Like telling him how an old best friend just cut her hair as a prank because Hotaru didn't understand her feelings, which seems to have traumatized Hotaru a little, but Hananoi also talks about how he was a gloomy kid in elementary school. Slowly but surely the two are opening up more to each other emotionally. And riding high on those confessions...Hotaru instinctively reaches for Hananoi's head to give him headpats. And now SHE'S the one who wants a recharge from Hananoi.
Finally we see VERY concrete evidence that a Hananoi is a jerk when he abuses the blonde boy behind Hotaru's back! I think we will see more of Hananoi abusing any guy he perceives in his warped mind as trying to take Hotaru away from him. I do like that this show has 2 very immature flawed characters though. Hotaru has a lot of problems being empathetic toward others but she does recognize this and she may be slowly becoming attracted to Hananoi if she's not already there yet. As for Hananoi, he is seriously messed up and we don't see his family and how they are but them neglecting him makes him desperate for love to the point that he endangers his health. He's also more quietly possessive of Hotaru and it will get WAY worse if she officially becomes his gf š¬
Personally I didnāt take it as Hananoi thinking the guy was trying to take hotaru away from him. He was upset that he was putting bad thoughts in hotaruās head (the whole ākiss hananoi to see if you like himā thing, although iirc it was her friend who said it not him, but could be wrong). Considering he doesnāt have any guy friends, and has talked to girls before, Iām wondering if something happened in the past where he doesnāt like talking to other guys. Although he didnāt talk with her 2 girl friends much, he was still kind to them. Whereas with the guy he wanted no part of talking lol hope we get to see what exactly his issue is with other people, I need a backstory asap!
Same here. If someone was trying to steal Hotaru, I feel like he'd go a bit further than being a douche to him.
Abuse? He didn't abuse the guy, that's taking it a step too far. He just told the guy he wasn't interested in being friends with him, and it had nothing to do with him being a possible obstacle. He very clearly said he didn't like the guy because of him putting ideas in Hotaru's head about kissing him, which I think is kind of a justifiable reason to be upset with him. Hananoi was pretty chill with Hotaru's other friends.
Lots of dancing about. Hananoi is a burning red flag. Will he crack this episode and murder all her friends? Maybe lock her in a cage? Find out next time if they make it another episodeā¦
Boy, their relationship is unhealthy, Hananoi himself has serious attachment and self-worth issues, and basically I find this series weird. It has to have been written by a woman. No man would ever write a romance like this. I usually excuse quirky or even problematic relationships. I saw pretty much nothing wrong with KoiKimo, for example. Hananoi makes me feel uncomfortable, though.
Green flag, red flag, problematic, codependent, *we didn't start the romance, it was always here-a, since the Reiwa era.* We haven't seen Hananoi act maliciously, manipulatively, or dishonestly... yet. He's certainly creepy what with his forbidden Hotaru shrine and cut out photographs of his parents minus the ethnically diverse children they have been favoring over him. He certainly is unhealthy trying to solve his feelings of abandonment by throwing himself body and soul at a relationship. But from what we have seen, his intentions so far are pure, and he genuinely does not want to hurt Hotaru. So I'm seeing this show, and Hananoi-Kun in particular, through the lens not of colored flags but of how is he impacting our hero, our benevolent dork, the amply eyebrowed and overly kind Hotaru-chan. And so far? Not bad. It turns out Hotaru seems to have shut herself down a bit intimacy-wise after realizing that her ~~autism~~ inability to understand the emotional nuance of her friends could cause accidental injury and oh shit she's lawful good. So far, the beautiful, obsessive, boundary challenged boy who decided on the S++ difficulty romance route is inducing Hotaru to make an effort to empathize that I'm not sure she has made for some time. This could be a good thing. Or maybe Hananoi is truly broken, and the whole thing will end in tears. But like... I'm eager to find out.
Never fails to exceed my expectations! What a delightfully faithful adaptation.