My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU S2

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Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

I guess I'm kind of confused about what Yukino meant in the last episode after the false confession. Specifically when she said that she hates that 'that' is the only way he knows how to fix things. I interpreted this as she's come around to liking him as she's learned more about his personality and the way he resolves things is to take the hits. It seems like she realizes he's actually a really, really kind person but because of how he's been hurt in the past the only way he knows how to show those traits is to continue hurting himself and that bothers her a lot? Even if you know it's not serious, getting rejected still hurts. And rewinding a bit to last season, he did the same thing when he gave Sasa-whatever the attention she so craved by becoming the devil himself in the eyes of his peers. I already didn't like him, but man after this episode I really hate Hayato. He's just the worst, he uses and uses Hikigaya and then has the gall to judge him all while benefiting as Hikigaya slowly destroys himself.

How wrong am I?

# ¿ Apr 14, 2015 16:58

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 03:42

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

Paracelsus posted:

I don't think he was happy with the situation or his role in it. I think his anger at Hikki is at how much Hikki lets himself be hurt, because Hayato recognizes that Hikki is trying to help others and he thinks Hikki deserves to not be hurt so much. He just couldn't see any other way out aside from letting things blow up, and was probably mad at himself as well.

If anything, I think one of the show's more interesting aspects is how he's shown as a decent but human guy who tries to do right by those around him.

That explanation does make a lot of sense actually. I guess I didn't really understand their exchange at the river.

And yeah, I totally agree with your last statement.

I constantly feel bad for Hikigaya and want him to yell at people, but that's part of what makes him so great-- he's really patient and not prone to tantrums

# ¿ Apr 14, 2015 20:04

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

Paracelsus posted:

Just to be clear, I was referring to Hayato there.

Yeah I know. I guess I wouldn't say that I /hate/ him so much as he's frustrating because he is the only guy who really kind of gets what kind of problems Hikigaya is dealing with but he hasn't done anything helpful yet despite having known about it since last season even.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2015 22:03

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

Kaelan Zero posted:

For me the most interesting thing about that scene: You get the impression that Hayato actually hurt a handful of people with it - bringing Yui and Yukino over in time to watch him do that and see how Hachiman responded. They get this glimpse into how bad he was being treated all day and simultaneously they're being used as props to stage this scene to make the lovely girls feel bad. That's the feeling I got from the way they were acting during that whole scene.

Meanwhile Hachiman is just profoundly uncomfortable. Up until that point he had been politely taking it all and interacting with the girls the minimum amount necessary; being nice. Suddenly the whole thing is a mess and his expression during the whole scene is this mixture of shock and dismay and confusion. The way he responds to Hayato afterwards is really awkward as a result. The way Yukino's older sister describes him kind of captures this: He sees malice everywhere, so his brain is literally unable to process what is going on here - not only is someone actively being kind but it's hard to read any malice into it, there's obviously nothing but benevolent intent. Simultaneously, Hayato is talking him up in a way that nobody else in the environment would - what he says about Hachiman's relationship with Yui & Yukino is fairly accurate but that seems like something he actively does not want to accept or acknowledge.

Yukino's sister is a real manipulative monster but most importantly, I don't quite have a read on what her goals were in this episode. She was obviously using Hachiman as a tool, but for what ends? She clearly likes messing with him and Hayato for entertainment, but it seemed like she knew that this would contribute to Yukino running for president (to avoid seeing Hachiman hurt again) and maybe there was some other objective as well? Her having the phone number of Hachiman's little sister is... deeply unsettling, somehow. Does she have every single person in her little sister's social graph on speed-dial?

I think this is one of the only episodes where we get a full, strong depiction of what Hachiman was probably like before the series starts: This extremely strong sense of learned helplessness, a defensive behavior where he just retreats and does the bare minimum necessary to endure things until they end. He was probably doing this for years and years.

That former classmate is interesting too. It's hard to figure out what her deal is. I imagine she has motives that would be clearer in the LNs.

The only thing I can think of regarding Yukino and her sister is:
I think Haruno is forcing Yukino to make a decision on whether or not she wants to take action in actively helping Hikigaya and bringing him around to a point where they can have a healthy relationship. Basically forcing her to act on her feelings instead of letting others resolve everything.

At the same time, Yukino taking action by running in the election has forced Yuigahama's hand too which is why she's now planning on running as well. Yuigahama almost straight out confessed again but she knows now that the early damage done to Hikigaya needs to be fixed before anything can happen on that front.

Also I enjoyed reading your analysis of that scene, it cleared a couple things up for me as well. Also it felt really good to see someone sticking up for Hikigaya (even if it wasn't necessarily the "right" way, it was *his* way)

e: Also god drat Hayato wasn't kidding when he said Haruno likes to thoroughly crush people she doesn't like. She basically took these two girls who were being lovely to Hikigaya and made their idol of affection tell them they are the worst and should shut up.

Razzled fucked around with this message at 14:31 on Apr 25, 2015

# ¿ Apr 25, 2015 14:26

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

Clarste posted:

I don't think Hayama is inherently wrong about Hikki, Hikki's defenses are just too strong. Trying to help him any way at all implies that he's weak in some way, and he can't afford to let himself believe that. His whole identity at this point is caught up in "they're not rejecting me, I'm rejecting them", so I don't think it's even possible for him to accept outside help.

I guess you could twist that into "Hayama's understanding of him was too shallow", but I don't think it really matters what Hayama did.

I think you hit the nail on the head about hikigaya. He's built up this very robust self assured solidarity to protect himself from being hurt again and that is now his biggest obstacle course in self growth. In order to move forward he has to bring down his defenses and leave himself vulnerable again and believe that his friends will be there to hold him up this time.

That's how I see it so far anyway

# ¿ Apr 27, 2015 14:17

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

I see that Orimoto is still a bitch.

Carry on Hikki, carry on. :japan:

# ¿ May 9, 2015 14:17

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

This is the worst 8man better not fall for Iroha

# ¿ May 16, 2015 13:28

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

I loved how Hikigaya caught the teacher off guards with that offhanded compliment. This episode is basically the breakthrough I was waiting for.

# ¿ May 23, 2015 13:35

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 03:42

Razzled: Feb 3, 2011; MY HARLEY IS COOL

Shere posted:

Every scene Haruno's in winds up feeling like a complete asspull to me because she as a character is almost too loving ridiculous to exist.

It might be a fault of the anime and not the source material, but in the show she just appears and says exactly the wrong thing to bump the plot along the most uncomfortable path, like a dramatic impetus engine.

She doesn't feel like an organic part of the plot at all. She might as well just teleport into and out of scenes with a dramatic flourish and maybe a mic drop at the end.

Stop lingering around your former high school you weirdo.

I agree completely

# ¿ Jun 30, 2015 21:14

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