I'm just glad that someone is even misidentifying others as lesbians. We've seen a similar gag before with Shino's kohai but a fakeout at least gives the illusion that Kuzushiro isn't 100% messing with us. It would be nice to have another queer side-character or anyone making Shino be introspective about her relationships.
Right now, what even is the main plot? Shino will study for sports medicine, and make peace with no longer being in high school and becoming independent. Nozomi will learn to feel slightly less empty and lonely, and to share her pain and anxiety. Eventually they stay apart or have a just-roommates ending. There's more to explore about Shino and Nozomi's mindsets but the human drama of coping with Taishi's death and post-traumatic growth has lessened over time. The story isn't stale but the long-term conflict is much weaker than earlier, unless the subtext is foreshadowing (hope). It's the same problem as some romances where the getting-together part has conflict and drama but the author loses momentum in the being-together part. I love this story regardless, I just no longer understand what it's aiming for if "that's the full story" as Shino's narration said at the start. Either we're in the wind-down after the main conflict or the wind-up to gay chaos.
last edited at Sep 11, 2022 6:23PM