To make an analogy, something like My Dress Up Darling clearly has a main couple that will get together by the end of the story, which is why it's often labeled a romcom/romance even though the two leads aren't dating yet after several volumes.
To be clear, I'd personally consider this romance but the Dress Up Darling example doesn't work as well. That series very clearly had Marin think of Gojo in obvious and directly romantic ways. She thought about the potential of dating him, and crushed over him, wanted to kiss him. They were in undeniably romantic scenes, the bed scene etc. So while it was a slow burn, the audience knew early on what her sexuality was and that she viewed him specifically as a romantic partner and not just a very close friend.
The issue some have with this is they feel there is still wiggle room. These folks are looking for more concrete pinning (a toned down version of Marin's, for example) that signals clear, and obvious romantic interest that can't be second guessed as a close female bond or explained as admiration for an oshi. So there's a bit of difference between how the two series present their slow burn. Personally I think it's been direct enough and is clearly moving at its own pace.
last edited at Oct 13, 2023 2:38PM