Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun ep 3: DAMN YOU PLOT CONFLICTS SERIOUSLY

This week’s episode reveals the ~conflict~ of the story. You know THE ONLY REASON THEY CAN’T BE TOGETHER RIGHT AWAY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fucking shoujo.

Now as a shoujo fan I am well aware of the need for conflict. When you have a couple who is already together early on, like in Mars, you have to develop the relationship slowly and that is seldom ever done well. Half the time you get Kimi Ni Todoke syndrome where we see one hundred misunderstandings that seem to encompass 6 months time in story, otherwise things are great. So most mangakas know to avoid this scenario because they know they couldn’t write their characters that way, so they do what I like to call the ~shoujo magic conflict~ that prevents them from having to write two characters together before they get to 50 chapters and have a lovey smoochy magical kiss under fucking fireworks.

 

And I don’t like how this show does it at all.

The beginning of this episode starts off with Shizuku admitting her feelings, and Haru revealing he was relieved when she said she was just lying. Right off the bat that pissed me off, and the rest of the episode doesn’t help. This episode we get another bonding moment as Haru’s rooster becomes the class chicken (this is a real thing) and they go on a journey to build his cock a home. Pun pun punny pun.

But come the fuck on man, the whole episode is Shizuku going WHAT THE EFF WHAT DO I FEEL WHAT DO I DO and I am like, so kosher with that. That’s how teenage girls really act, they worry a lot about the person they love. Even older people do that! But it’s everything after that I want to punch in the face.

 

Let’s roll it back to an example I want to show you. Love Com, an anime that it will take 50 years for me to cover, is a great example of misunderstandings and feelings being hurt in a good way. Er, well, an understandable way. Premise: the main characters are a tall girl and a short boy and the height difference make them the class mascots, and they have personalities that clash so they always argue. For both of them romance was not really in their minds right away, and when one admits they love the other they are rejected. For awhile. Then it develops, you see things change, and you can believe ‘oh yeah they’re compatible’.

But this episode of Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun makes me want to punch babies. There were no such feelings. There were just…weird feelings of weird. A popular fan theory is that Haru is a high functioning autistic, and that makes sense for a lot of his behavior for not this. As the episode continues Shizuku re confesses and Haru admits he loves her but ‘not in the same way’ and didn’t want her to leave him because of that.

What the eff?

Did this show just seriously try to tell me WELL IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO NOT BE TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER

He has admitted he is attracted to her sexually. During the episode he even cares enough to point out her behavior and it’s differences, and repeatedly punch someone who touches her. And yet, the feelings aren’t even close? If he flat out has some feelings but they’re not the right type, they probably don’t have much in the way of a relationship coming. If you really love someone you shouldn’t be relieved they don’t love you! You should be kind of hurt, even if you think it might be different!

And you know, that would all be okay. Really, it would be cool, except Shizuku stops being a teenage girl for the sake of the manga. To make this work Shizuku just puts on a smile and says ‘oh it’s cool I’ll make you love me’.

Shizuku

Who is

A girl

Who doesn’t

Understand

HER OWN FEELINGS

Suddenly puts on this YEAAAAH I’VE BEEN WORRYING ABOUT THIS ALL DAY BUT SUDDENLY I HAVE THE STAMINA AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH TO JUST ACCEPT THIS

She is a damn teenage girl. She should be upset, and crying. Instead she’s just like WHATEVER AND ISN’T EVEN MOVED BY THE REST OF HIS ACTIONS

HE COMES TO HER HOUSE, ALL SHE DOES IS BLUSH

SHE MAKES HIM DINNER AND HE TEASES HER, SHE DOESN’T EVEN BLUSH

SHE SEES HIM HALF NAKED, WHATEVER

If a guy essentially rejected me when I had no friends shortly before this and confused the hell out of me and then tried to sleep over at my house by grabbing my wrist I WOULD CRY. You can’t do that to someone man! You can’t just say I DUNNO MAN and then even come close to implying LET’S HAVE SEX! Or PHYSICAL CONTACT

Fuck this, you know what? If Haru is allowed to be a fickle bitch, so am I! Congratulations everyone, we have a new favorite guy.

~That hot blonde haired guy!~

Look at him. He is magnificent. He has blonde hair, and a cool way too big sweater, and also he is hot. I like him. He is also smarmy and points out that Haru is a weird person for Shizuku to love. I swear to God if I have to sit through one more emotionally constipated weird not sense making CHICKEN EPISODE I WILL CRY

SERIOUSLY WE GET IT HARU LOVES HIS ROOSTER OKAY

AND IS POSSESSIVE OF A GIRL HE HALF REJECTS WE GET IT

Please don’t suck, show. I like you and I will punch you if you suck and I can do that I HAVE A PRINTER AND I WILL PUNCH THROUGH PAPER OVER THIS

Oki