My thoughts on tsunderes like Nico are best summarized as such:
Imagine Eli and Nico are both after Nozomi, and it's valentines day. Eli and Nico both spend all night making chocolate, working up courage, and delivering the present. The difference is that when Eli does it, she emphasizes that Nozomi is important to her, that she appreciates Nozomi and wanted to show it.
When Nico does it, she stresses that Nozomi is getting her practice chocolate, because other people are more important, that Nozomi is just a side thought in her life, and not to read into anything, because it's not like she matters to Nico or anything.
Both have the same efforts, and the same feelings, but Nico's pride and fear of rejection demands she make others feel like shit, and why should I sympathize with someone whose ego is still more important to them than the person they care most about?
Eli shows far greater courage in being honest and thoughtful, where Nico only thinks about how other people might perceive her. Tsunderes get a pass for their actions, but as far as I'm concerned, if you treasured the people you say you do, you don't go out of your way to hurt, demean and humiliate them.
In this doujin, Nico literally interrupts Maki with 'don't defend yourself, you're being childish' and chastises Maki for hurting her, but doesn't make the effort to see Maki's side of it. Maki might struggle to be honest, that's fine, but Nico isn't just dishonest, she's thoughtless.
I... I really dislike tsunderes. Looking at you, every harem comedy ever!
last edited at Sep 5, 2015 10:48AM