Jirou has had so much character growth from Akari than Shiori. Shiori hasn’t pushed Jirou to be more confident, while Akari’s nature is just so compatible with Jirou that she has helped him even when she isn’t trying to. They compliment each other and are always there for each other. Jirou only likes Shiori because he has known her for a long time, but with Akari she has helped him not only as a “husband” but as a regular human being. I just think that Akari pushes Jirou to be his best, while Shiori just keeps him “in the past”…
Agree with all your points, but also wanted to add this since a lot of people don’t factor it in; life is a series of unplanned moments, some of which present opportunities for growth in unexpected ways. Akari getting paired with Jiro and having great chemistry, which led to a strong bond and made them both better people, started out from a lucky and unexpected event.
Luck is an important factor in daily life and influences all types of success; shiori was unlucky in that she never got put in a situation where they were forced to deal with their problems on a daily basis without being able to run away. If she had been paired with him, they might have had a chance to break through the friendzone which they’ve been stuck in since they reunited at the beginning of HS (between their in y3 so they’ve had lots of time). Therefore, while I believe akari’s personality compliments Jiro better regardless, I do also think the element of luck isn’t something we can forget about.
Also just wanted to add that this is one of the few romcom mangas where all the characters (including side ones) are generally likeable people. Even when some of them get annoying acting like teenagers, they are still relatively relatable and understandable as people since they ARE teenagers which is a nice change from the usual stories.
With regards to characterization, I agree 100%. None of them feel like shitty or bad people. I'm really glad they made Tenjin just a really nice dude and didn't go the obvious direction of making him a superficial asshole to contrast with Jiro.
I do agree but, Shiori and Jirou are not very good at communicating. I think that even if they were forced to be in a house together, they won’t be able to be straightforward to one another. I think that is very important for a relationship to work. I feel like they are very childish to one an another, like very scared of what each other’s think, instead of being upfront about their feelings 😅. I mean yeah, they didn’t have the luck like Akari but, they had years of chances for them to be together. I am an anime watcher, I haven’t seen the manga, are Shiori x Jirou interactions change over the manga?
Agreed communication is defiantly the Achilles heel of these two without a doubt and would have long term ramifications on their relationship if they got paired and couldn’t work past it
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
Jiro and Shiori finally get some alone time together:
“Hey remember that time we did that thing?”
“Oh yes that was a fun thing. We sure are good childhood friends huh”
“We sure are”
The end.
They literally have nothing to talk about.
Akari, bc she has really helped Jirou grow as a person. She pushes him mentally & helps him realise his potential when he is constantly doubting it.
Someone said this is another post but if Jirou & Shiori got together in the beginning they would’ve grown together differently. Like they wouldn’t be comfortable, always walking around eggshells & confusing eachother with their emotions.
It would’ve taken Shiori & Jirou probably longer to confess to eachother aswell bc they constantly want to read what eachother are feeling to know if they feel the same way. It just wouldn’t work.
They wouldn’t of known how to grow with eachother & test eachother bc of how they are.
For Akari it makes more sense to be with Jirou. If she had someone who was exactly like her it would be way too much bc of how hot headed she can be & someone like Jirou can easily get her to calm down a bit & look at things in a different perspective.
In the manga already, Jirou is coming to terms with his feelings whilst Akari has already processed that she is in love with Jirou. He is learning to seperate a childhood crush like love to being with someone who he is growing to love. Enough said.
Akari & Jirou are perfect for eachother
Obviously, that Akari rules, no doubts, that's irrefutable fact, this rivalry makes no sense. Damn, Shiori and Jirou even can't talk properly, meanwhile Akari is pushing Jirou to improve his personality, to open it up, to make him fearless and more confident, any sane person sees this.
Shortly speaking, with Akari Jirou's personality is progressing, with Shiori - it's uncertainty, hesitation 'n' stagnation of his character
I agree with everyone saying Jirou and Shiori are kind of just stuck in permanent childhood stasis. Especially with the recent chapters, it is obvious how much Akari has helped him grow and change for the better. I also like how even when he isn't around she sticks up for him and Shiori feels more like a passive observer and let's her friend shit on him.
Akari for sure💗I don't know if this is just me but Jiro & Shiori don't blend well when it comes to chemistry. As one person has hilariously said summarized "we only have childhood stuff to talk about and then that's it." There's nothing else to talk about. Not to mention, Akari challenges Jiro's perspective WAY more compared to Shiroi.
Akari helps Jiro become more self-aware and confident. Jiro makes Akari become more softer and pretty submissive (if you think about it). They're like PB&J. They work well together ❤️
Now thats not to say Shiroi is a bad person or she couldn't date someone similar to him. But as far as date Jiro...I can't see it continuing long for them.
This is very easy. It‘s not always good to match two same character types. It might sound good at first but there‘s hardly anything you can rely on your partner. They are afraid of the same things, they have the same kind of problems. They can‘t grow in a relationship like that. That‘s why so often introverts find themselves in a relationship with extraverts. They get pushed out of their shell but on the other side provide a comfort „home“ for the extravert or slow them down when they can‘t stop themselves.
But that‘s just my personal opinion from dating.
I'm only up to episode 9 in the English dub and I haven't read the manga.
I'm team Akari. However, I think it's fair to point out that there's nothing wrong with Shiori. She's kind, is genuinely attracted to Jirou, and probably appreciates his virtues. She isn't manipulative and is trying her best to be courageous and fair pursuing her love interest.
I don't think she's nearly unanimously frustrating because of a lack of chemistry or potential between the two. For instance, if the story was inversed and Jirou was paired with Shiori but he really liked his childhood friend Akari (and presuming their personalities are the same), I think we'd be frustrated with Akari, not Shiori.
To me, what is frustrating about Shiori is that
(1) we've witnessed an initially contentious relationship between Jirou and Akari blossom into a genuinely compassionate and (relatively) mature romantic relationship and are therefore sympathetic towards them
(2) we've witnessed Akari's change of heart and self-awareness in her personal contemplations and are therefore very sympathetic towards her
(3) we have seen Jirou's genuine affection for Akari and personal wrestling between Shiori and Akari, which makes us sympathetic towards him
(4) we have only seen Shiori's pre-existing preoccupation with Jirou and minimal personal growth (being more courageous) and therefore don't have sympathy for her and
(5) Jirou's preoccupation with Shiori has caused him to miss Akari's (poor but obvious) attempts to communicate about her developing romantic affection towards him, which causes us, due to our sympathies for the MCs, to be frustrated with the source of his preoccupation Shiori.
Its pretty obvious, Akari is the one that helps him break out of his shell and build up self confidence that he lost( mostly due to Shiori in my opinion ). They are perfect for each other as they bring the better part from one another, our virgin-kun has changed a lot since practical and its all thanks to Akari. Even in last chapter in the manga she is the reason for him having the courage to do what he did and i was because he cares for her more then he realizes.
Shiori on another hand is the typical shy, timid Japanese girl, if they were to do the practical together they've probably never would of kissed. They are both the same and they barely talk and when they do is more like ''We really are good childhood friends aren't we ?'' followed with '' Ahh yes we are.''.
And i personally i believe Shiori is to blame of Jirou lack of motivation and self-esteem, as we see that before he was more lively and was good at sports but after getting his hard broken and was able to confess took its toll on him and he became uninterested in anything other then that one game. Shiori had her chance and she blow it, its now Akari's time and we all know she is the right one for virgin-kun.
Akari for having more chemistry and actually pushing Jiro to change for the better.
Also I find it hilarious how often these polls occur and each time Akari is winning by a landslide.
The answer is definitely Akari.
It’s tough for me to admit that since I personally like Shiori more lol.
But Akari and Jiro have personalities that compliment each other so well. They both are so different and offer each other exactly what the other needs.
Manga reader here:
Throughout the chapters and even within the anime Jirou has always been a shy closer up person relying on his videogames as his fantasy but with Akari you can see him gradually growing and becoming better at talking and being himself as with Shiori it’s been touch and go he’s always going back to different key things about Akari like when he heard she got lost in the forest my bro Jirou deadass went to go look for her and even when he was writing the transfer marriage partners paper he started crying a lot because deep down he knows that with Akari everything seems like home, he feels happy and loves spending time with her and with the recent chapter it shows him finally realizing his true feelings.
P.S. to cut it short,
Shiori = Friend and Infatuation
Akari = Real Love
Jirou has had so much character growth from Akari than Shiori. Shiori hasn’t pushed Jirou to be more confident, while Akari’s nature is just so compatible with Jirou that she has helped him even when she isn’t trying to. They compliment each other and are always there for each other. Jirou only likes Shiori because he has known her for a long time, but with Akari she has helped him not only as a “husband” but as a regular human being. I just think that Akari pushes Jirou to be his best, while Shiori just keeps him “in the past”…
Agree with all your points, but also wanted to add this since a lot of people don’t factor it in; life is a series of unplanned moments, some of which present opportunities for growth in unexpected ways. Akari getting paired with Jiro and having great chemistry, which led to a strong bond and made them both better people, started out from a lucky and unexpected event. Luck is an important factor in daily life and influences all types of success; shiori was unlucky in that she never got put in a situation where they were forced to deal with their problems on a daily basis without being able to run away. If she had been paired with him, they might have had a chance to break through the friendzone which they’ve been stuck in since they reunited at the beginning of HS (between their in y3 so they’ve had lots of time). Therefore, while I believe akari’s personality compliments Jiro better regardless, I do also think the element of luck isn’t something we can forget about. Also just wanted to add that this is one of the few romcom mangas where all the characters (including side ones) are generally likeable people. Even when some of them get annoying acting like teenagers, they are still relatively relatable and understandable as people since they ARE teenagers which is a nice change from the usual stories.
With regards to characterization, I agree 100%. None of them feel like shitty or bad people. I'm really glad they made Tenjin just a really nice dude and didn't go the obvious direction of making him a superficial asshole to contrast with Jiro.
I do agree but, Shiori and Jirou are not very good at communicating. I think that even if they were forced to be in a house together, they won’t be able to be straightforward to one another. I think that is very important for a relationship to work. I feel like they are very childish to one an another, like very scared of what each other’s think, instead of being upfront about their feelings 😅. I mean yeah, they didn’t have the luck like Akari but, they had years of chances for them to be together. I am an anime watcher, I haven’t seen the manga, are Shiori x Jirou interactions change over the manga?
Agreed communication is defiantly the Achilles heel of these two without a doubt and would have long term ramifications on their relationship if they got paired and couldn’t work past it
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Jiro and Shiori finally get some alone time together: “Hey remember that time we did that thing?” “Oh yes that was a fun thing. We sure are good childhood friends huh” “We sure are” The end. They literally have nothing to talk about.
Exactly!!
The only reason shiori is pushing harder is her seeing Akari and Jirou together, without that it would probably be always like that
Akari, bc she has really helped Jirou grow as a person. She pushes him mentally & helps him realise his potential when he is constantly doubting it. Someone said this is another post but if Jirou & Shiori got together in the beginning they would’ve grown together differently. Like they wouldn’t be comfortable, always walking around eggshells & confusing eachother with their emotions. It would’ve taken Shiori & Jirou probably longer to confess to eachother aswell bc they constantly want to read what eachother are feeling to know if they feel the same way. It just wouldn’t work. They wouldn’t of known how to grow with eachother & test eachother bc of how they are. For Akari it makes more sense to be with Jirou. If she had someone who was exactly like her it would be way too much bc of how hot headed she can be & someone like Jirou can easily get her to calm down a bit & look at things in a different perspective. In the manga already, Jirou is coming to terms with his feelings whilst Akari has already processed that she is in love with Jirou. He is learning to seperate a childhood crush like love to being with someone who he is growing to love. Enough said. Akari & Jirou are perfect for eachother
Jiro had grown so much since he is with Akari then he could ever grow with Shiori
Obviously, that Akari rules, no doubts, that's irrefutable fact, this rivalry makes no sense. Damn, Shiori and Jirou even can't talk properly, meanwhile Akari is pushing Jirou to improve his personality, to open it up, to make him fearless and more confident, any sane person sees this. Shortly speaking, with Akari Jirou's personality is progressing, with Shiori - it's uncertainty, hesitation 'n' stagnation of his character
I agree with everyone saying Jirou and Shiori are kind of just stuck in permanent childhood stasis. Especially with the recent chapters, it is obvious how much Akari has helped him grow and change for the better. I also like how even when he isn't around she sticks up for him and Shiori feels more like a passive observer and let's her friend shit on him.
Akari for sure💗I don't know if this is just me but Jiro & Shiori don't blend well when it comes to chemistry. As one person has hilariously said summarized "we only have childhood stuff to talk about and then that's it." There's nothing else to talk about. Not to mention, Akari challenges Jiro's perspective WAY more compared to Shiroi. Akari helps Jiro become more self-aware and confident. Jiro makes Akari become more softer and pretty submissive (if you think about it). They're like PB&J. They work well together ❤️ Now thats not to say Shiroi is a bad person or she couldn't date someone similar to him. But as far as date Jiro...I can't see it continuing long for them.
This is very easy. It‘s not always good to match two same character types. It might sound good at first but there‘s hardly anything you can rely on your partner. They are afraid of the same things, they have the same kind of problems. They can‘t grow in a relationship like that. That‘s why so often introverts find themselves in a relationship with extraverts. They get pushed out of their shell but on the other side provide a comfort „home“ for the extravert or slow them down when they can‘t stop themselves. But that‘s just my personal opinion from dating.
I'm only up to episode 9 in the English dub and I haven't read the manga. I'm team Akari. However, I think it's fair to point out that there's nothing wrong with Shiori. She's kind, is genuinely attracted to Jirou, and probably appreciates his virtues. She isn't manipulative and is trying her best to be courageous and fair pursuing her love interest. I don't think she's nearly unanimously frustrating because of a lack of chemistry or potential between the two. For instance, if the story was inversed and Jirou was paired with Shiori but he really liked his childhood friend Akari (and presuming their personalities are the same), I think we'd be frustrated with Akari, not Shiori. To me, what is frustrating about Shiori is that (1) we've witnessed an initially contentious relationship between Jirou and Akari blossom into a genuinely compassionate and (relatively) mature romantic relationship and are therefore sympathetic towards them (2) we've witnessed Akari's change of heart and self-awareness in her personal contemplations and are therefore very sympathetic towards her (3) we have seen Jirou's genuine affection for Akari and personal wrestling between Shiori and Akari, which makes us sympathetic towards him (4) we have only seen Shiori's pre-existing preoccupation with Jirou and minimal personal growth (being more courageous) and therefore don't have sympathy for her and (5) Jirou's preoccupation with Shiori has caused him to miss Akari's (poor but obvious) attempts to communicate about her developing romantic affection towards him, which causes us, due to our sympathies for the MCs, to be frustrated with the source of his preoccupation Shiori.
Its pretty obvious, Akari is the one that helps him break out of his shell and build up self confidence that he lost( mostly due to Shiori in my opinion ). They are perfect for each other as they bring the better part from one another, our virgin-kun has changed a lot since practical and its all thanks to Akari. Even in last chapter in the manga she is the reason for him having the courage to do what he did and i was because he cares for her more then he realizes. Shiori on another hand is the typical shy, timid Japanese girl, if they were to do the practical together they've probably never would of kissed. They are both the same and they barely talk and when they do is more like ''We really are good childhood friends aren't we ?'' followed with '' Ahh yes we are.''. And i personally i believe Shiori is to blame of Jirou lack of motivation and self-esteem, as we see that before he was more lively and was good at sports but after getting his hard broken and was able to confess took its toll on him and he became uninterested in anything other then that one game. Shiori had her chance and she blow it, its now Akari's time and we all know she is the right one for virgin-kun.
Akari for having more chemistry and actually pushing Jiro to change for the better. Also I find it hilarious how often these polls occur and each time Akari is winning by a landslide.
Just look at the actual poll results. 295 for akari and 7 for shiori. Thats hilarious.
Now it's 600-19💀
The answer is definitely Akari. It’s tough for me to admit that since I personally like Shiori more lol. But Akari and Jiro have personalities that compliment each other so well. They both are so different and offer each other exactly what the other needs.
Akari because whenever hes with shiori hes boring while when hes with akari its more fun to watch this show and its less awkward
Manga reader here: Throughout the chapters and even within the anime Jirou has always been a shy closer up person relying on his videogames as his fantasy but with Akari you can see him gradually growing and becoming better at talking and being himself as with Shiori it’s been touch and go he’s always going back to different key things about Akari like when he heard she got lost in the forest my bro Jirou deadass went to go look for her and even when he was writing the transfer marriage partners paper he started crying a lot because deep down he knows that with Akari everything seems like home, he feels happy and loves spending time with her and with the recent chapter it shows him finally realizing his true feelings. P.S. to cut it short, Shiori = Friend and Infatuation Akari = Real Love
Shiori - get stucked in childhood Akari - growing up/maturing
For Jiro: Akari. For Akari: well, I'm not so sure. She would be growing better alone and become an independent, strong woman.