@SmolBoiYazawa (I'm sorry for making you read something this long..)
I know that, but I have broader implications with my use of the term. What I exactly meant would be understood by many as “tr*p”/”reverse tr*p”, but I’m sure people here understand why I’m reluctant to use that term. So what I want to see out of Love Live is a female character who defies gender stereotypes (in this case, by acting primarily “masculine”) in personality, in appearance and (at least in a lesser extent) gender expression. That's the kind of tomboy I am referring to, which is not too uncommon in anime. And I wish this character would be one. BUT, at the end of the day, this is just what I want to see, and that doesn’t really have to do anything with the discussion. (TL;DR I want an androgynous tomboy in LL.)
Before going further, just gonna say that I agree with Sakura Cartelet that it’s highly unlikely that any ships will be canonically confirmed/denied and to keep the status quo.
With that out of the way, here’s a hot take: I want Love Live to keep being a yuri “bait”. This in huge part because I share the same sentiment with the yuri shippers/most of the LGBT fanbase around the franchise who are TIRED of what your suggestion implies, an old heteronormative bait-and-switch that have happened several instances in the past. To you, it may seem to be a simple solution and I understand. It might solve some problems but I think it would only worsen the situation (the whole shipping mess) and Sunshine had enough backlash as it is.
We don’t need another heteronormative bait-and-switch, especially in a franchise like Love Live. A franchise that undeniably has less subtle homoromantic themes throughout its different materials, and a franchise like that is already hard to come by (the only recent example I can think of is BanG Dream!). And this novelty that Love Live possess is what makes it important to certain people, especially to fans of yuri. Which is why pulling an H. bait-and-switch this late in the Sunshine anime will rightfully upset lots of people. You may disagree with them, but I hope that you at least understand why they would be upset over this. Remember, not everyone in what is grouped as shippers are toxic. Most yuri fans find comfort in the franchise which has been very friendly and generous with its sapphic undertones. And they– we hope it stays that way.
EDIT: But I’m not all doom and gloom. And here I suggest a less problematic solution to the same problem you try to solve. I just though that WHAT IF: the character is actually You’s new girlfriend and they actually took the romance seriously. This is pretty similar to what you are saying, but instead with Love Live taking risks with an actual romantic lesbian relationship. Finally settling the dispute between the second years shippers by bringing something new to the table: an actual lesbian relationship that isn’t pandering or bait.
This would prove that Love Live isn’t entirely yuri “bait”. It doesn’t have to be a man, and I think more people would agree that a female would be favorable and just as effective, if not more. I think more people here would rather see a lesbian relationship done right rather than another typical het.
Although I am impartial towards this and that it’s much less likely to actually happen than the character simply being an androgynous tomboy but without the romance (which is what I support more). Nonetheless, I am more open to this possibility and think that it would result in fewer cons than your suggestion.
last edited at Mar 28, 2019 9:17AM