氷の城壁

Minato and Koyuki are like unstoppable force meets immovable object, and the dude's been pushing all the wrong buttons, I wonder if there's a point where she just snaps at him for being annoying. I feel like Koyuki's inevitable (and unwanted) reunion with Igarashi via Minato is going to be a turning point because I don't think Minato is really cognizant of how much Koyuki wants to avoid Igarashi and, by extension, Minato. Miki crush on Minato seems like a red herring, I think its about her wanting to protect Koyuki since she's aware of his saviour complex. Yeah, I don't think it's a crush, I think she just genuinely doesn't want to see Koyuki go through what she did when she realized a friendship she treasured was built on Minato pitying her.

It was definitely ugly if we were to look at the flashbacks in episode 1, there was blood spilled and a broken window involved. Atagawa, the black haired girl in the flash back, also seemed to cause that whole scene seeing when she whispered into Koyuki’s ear about “Don’t even think about it” pursuing Igarashi or the blonde hair dude. That incident and that scene of her sitting with her parents implying that her dad and mom are getting a divorce since Koyuki’s dad is apologizing to her, stacks on top of the event with Atagawa. And as we seen with Miki, that she deeply cares about her friends, she doesn’t want Koyuki to experience that again with Minato after recalling Yota saying how Minato can’t help but pity people who are “lonely”. Although I would say through Koyuki, Minato will learn overtime how to express himself better and have a conversation on a deeper level

Yeah. Maybe it’s because I’m a pretty guarded introvert myself but a lot of the time when he’s approaching Koyuki, I just keep thinking, “Just leave her alone!” in my head. I kind of doubt he has bad intentions but it feels super uncomfortable, even if he hadn’t mentioned Igarashi. (Also, like…..how does he not clock that she started acting really different as soon as he mentioned Igarashi? Even her immediate response to him asking if she knew Igarashi seemed a bit less like her saying she genuinely didn’t know him and more like she was saying “don’t mention him around me.”

Idk if its because its the same author but it felt like the Suzuki being "Jealous" of Nishi scene in You and I are Polar opposites lol Then again even without that context from a different series, when Yota said to Miki that he approaches lonely people i figured it might be about calling Minato out about it. She is angry about it for Koyuki's sake but probably a little bit for herself. Since i think when Yota told her that she must have been insulted but since they were kinda vibing great already, it would be like weird to confront him like what was the point if she does so

Based on their work in Polar Opposites and what we've seen so far in Rampart's, I doubt it. Love triangle drama/love square drama is extremely surface level drama which realistically in highschool never really gets pushed as far as it does in anime. It's why I generally really hate it's over usage in romance anime. The author however has a real knack for understanding human psychology and interpersonal relationships, and thus is capable of pulling of drama that's far deeper seated and more realistic for a highschooler to have to deal with. And based what we're learning of each person's personality, it's more likely that any drama is based on their own deep seated issues, not something that could be solved with a singular conversation

It depends imo. It can be simple but you love who you love and that can be something that affects other relationships as well. It's not like you can "solve" being in a one-sided love by talking to someone else. Especially if that person is involved as well because they are being loved by the person you love. I was also not saying that this would be the major focus of the show. That is clearly their own struggles. But I am not sure I see Miki just being cautious about Minato for Koyun's sake either. Because as you said, that can just be solved by a simple conversation.

Yeah, it is very much possible that you're correct. I doubt too that if it were the case of a love triangle that it would be a major focus of the show, more just another facet to the complex interpersonal relationships. I do think it's a strength of the character writing that nothing so far is clear cut and a lot of things are still open to interpretation because the characters are so guarded, not just to others, but also to the audience. It does seem that next episode we'll get that conversation that will clear at least some of the air. My personal read on Miki's and Minato's relationship is that of just friends, but with some distance between the 2. The feeling I get is that Miki deep down holds some resentment towards Minato for only approaching her because she seemed lonely, out of some self serving need to save those he pities. Like he did with all those countless ex girlfriends who eventually dumped him for being too distant. And she doesn't want him to do the same thing to Koyyun. Probably because it would likely mentally destroy Koyun if she were to lower her Rampart's of Ice only the ve met with distance. I personally get the feeling that if it weren't for the fact that Yota sand Minato were friends, she might have already stoped hanging out with Minato all together, as it seems like she excludes him a lot. She didn't invite him to the study session and often only addresses Koyun and Yota for example. Another part is that her reaction to him breaking up was the same as that of his male friends, without a hint of hopefulness or bittersweet happiness. But that's just my read on their relationship based on what I can personally gleam from their behaviour. But I could very well be wrong as it's all written very realistically and I'm not a psychologist

I think those are some interesting observations and I agree that a certain resentment could still swing with it when she learned that he was just talking to her out of pity (though, I don't think they were in a relationship yet). But I also think that could be part of her mixed feelings towards him. When he did approach her, it was something that Miki liked and it could have lead to some romantic feelings as well meaning that she is not sure how she exactly feels about him. After all, when she grabbed him, she didn't look like she was cautious for Koyun but she was pouting like she wanted him to talk to her. But you made some good points. At the end, it could even be both at the same time. Also for the part about people talking. I think, we shouldn't compare it too much to Polar Opposites, because Ramparts of Ice has shown that its characters keep a lot of things to themselves. Koyun is easy, but for example why Yota applied to their school (his crush on Miki) and even Miki who told Koyun she was only playing the class idol because it accidently happened. When we now know that there is a bit more reason behind it.

Minato is unusual because while he has a tendency to approach "lonely" people, he seems to only connect with them on the surface level because once he breaks the ice and tries to get to know them better, his preloaded conversation prompts fail and he doesn't know how to proceed further. This probably also explains why his past relationships have ended. And as we see in the conversation with Koyuki, Minato also seems oblivious to what actually "triggers" the other person, with the "trigger" possibily being the reason the other person ended up adopting a more closed off persona.

My read on Minato is that he’s terrified of being lonely, which is why he’s so “desperate” to always make friends. And who’s better than someone who’s already lonely? They’ll be grateful. Because he doesn’t want to be lonely himself, he assumes no one else would want that either (and he’s not entirely wrong). That’s why he comes off as overbearing but also shallow, he can’t really show his "real, weak self".

Nope, it’s pure deduction. The dude has many “friends,” yet he still fails to read the room with the MC. His girlfriends leave him all the time, but he doesn’t really care. Preying on loners, yet I don’t get a “fuckboy/I want power over others” vibe from him (also, his core friend group would probably know by now). Also direction in the second episode in the “locksmith” segment didn’t feel very joyful, on the contrary, almost ike a burden to him. And since Polar Opposites showed that the author is very good with believable psychology, making him a “villain” without understandable motivation would feel cheap. (I’m also currently reading through Dostoevsky’s books, so character psychology is something I’m extremely tuned into.)

I hate when this happens, but nah mate. There are some very good signs that potentially point this way. It's certainly where my brain was thinking. On that note, I'm really impressed with the mangaka in how they've presented these characters in such an empathetic and human way. Not everyone is going to come to the same conclusions when watching though and that's ok, it's an interpretation of the characters' feelings/actions that they themselves haven't figured out yet.

He seems to have some sort of issue connecting with the intrinsic value of people and not just the good feeling he gets from getting them to open up to him. That was the problem with his girlfriend's, he never really connected with them emotionally. That's why even though he said that he was upset about the breakup, it didn't really bother him at all. He was just using it as a prop to get sympathy out of people. Koyuki clocks the inauthenticity of his behavior even if she doesn't really understand herself how people are supposed to behave in that situation.

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The flashback scenes make me think about how you get used to unique hair colors in anime being all natural, to the point that it stands out in a funny way whenever the characters dye their hair instead. Just like in Polar Opposites. And to me, it's even funnier there cause of the sillier, more lighthearted tone. But sheesh... in-between his connection to Igarashi and his overall behavior, Minato is unknowingly treating Koyun's landmines like a bridge. The awkwardness between them can not be more painful even without the added factor of her not wanting to make Miki sad. That said, I love the delivery of Koyun's VA. Especially in that scene where she started panicking after getting noticed by Minato's buddies. And I just now found out that she also voiced Ushio from Summertime Rendering which is awesome.

Nah with Yota's reveal of how Minato approaches lonely people acting like some sort of savior, i think she will call him out about that as he now do it with Koyun. A part of her must have been angry back then but just let it go since they were already good friends at thst time but seeing him in acting thst again with her other friend triggered her. I bet we'll see more on how Miki and Koyun be friends and why she needs to confront Minato Or she might be simply is jealous lmao. Cant wait for more

I honestly don't think Miki is into Minato. Case and point that she reacted exactly the same as his male friends when she learned about his breakup, without a single hint of hopefulness or bittersweet happiness. I actually get the feeling that deep down she holds some resentment towards Minato for only approaching her because he pitied her, and is worried that he's doing the same with Koyuki. I honestly think that if Minato wasn't friends with Yota she might have stopped hanging out with him already. It feels like she excludes Minato a lot, and not in the "I'm embarrassed to be around him because of my crush" kind of way

Koyuki going from teacher to teacher during the lunch break to stay warm and have an excuse not to interact with her classmates felt very ... real. Matsumoto-sensei's explanation, that Koyuki prefers the formal distance between classmate and teacher was perceptive, and his advice to Suwa-sensei about being careful about trying to "help" her students was excellent (although probably, as Suwa suggested, rooted in a tough high school experience). Minato and Suwa are both looking at Koyuki likes she's broken because of her isolation, and neither of them realize (yet) that what she's doing is completely rational given that her #1 priority is not to end up hurt and confused like she was in middle school. She can change, as she has with Youta, but the impetus for change has to come from within. Youta isn't pulling on Koyuki to be friendly and social - instead he's giving her a safe space to do that.

It was an interesting episode considering that there was a lot of monologue from Koyun going on. But I think it kind of worked here to show how she views interactions. For example, I don't think Minato had any ill intention when he brought up her middle school classmate. It was literally him trying to break the ice. He didn't know what happened, so he thought bringing up knowing about someone from her middle school would open up a conversation. When it did the opposite. In general though, that seems to be his greatest problem so far. He tries to "break the ice" by finding common ground. This can be manga or anime as shown which opens up a conversational topic. But that is where his social skills end. His main problem also seems to be that he rarely lets anyone see what he likes or what he feels. People don't believe him that the breakup affected him because he is using jokes to obfuscate his true feelings. Which might also why Koyun has such a problem reading him. After all, we barely know anything about him aside being an extrovert. Which brings me to my weekly question which is about Yota. Considering everyone has some form of "hidden personality" (not meaning those have to be bad or anything) I still have no idea what his could be about. He seems to be rather "normal" in the sense that there isn't anything standing out. Though, maybe that is the "twist". That he is just like that and you don't always have to dig deeper. I do wonder what the romantic endgame is going to be here. The show so far wasn't too much about romantic relationships, but it seems it goes in the direction of a love square. Where literally everyone loves someone else (Miki -> Minato -> Koyun -> Yota -> Miki). However, it could also be that some of those are me reading a bit too deeply into it. It could still be that Miki is just trying to protect Koyun from Minato, but then the question would also be: from what? As far as I can tell, Minato's relationships might not last long, but he also didn't seem to be doing anything bad in the first place. So I do think this is more about her wanting to be with him. And getting slightly jealous because she is not the loner character that Minato seems to be interested in.

Minato may not have had any ill intent when mentioning Igarashi, but he totally missed all the cues given by her response. While he is outgoing, he does not seem to me to be acutely sensitive to subtler social cues -- unlike Yuta (who strikes me as above average in his perceptiveness). I don't think Miki has to worry about Koyun falling for Minato any time soon. He clearly is incapable of not ruffling her feathers (and not in a potentially good way).

Tbh I think Minato is still pretty perceptive. If he wasnt observant he wouldnt notice how differently koyun treats him from the others and also how comfortable koyun is with youta. He clearly noticed the shift in the vibe as they were nearing school and coming towards the end of the convo. The only thing is that he realised pretty late. He is perceptive but he cant read her again because of poker face which is interesting cause its the same for koyun, she cant read minato cause hes so friendly and extroverted with everyone so she cant understand his deal either. They both basically have the same problem. And to be fair Minato couldnt even know that Igarashi was a touchy subject cause he doesnt know anything about Koyun's past yet. Im excited about a lot of things now!!!Its gonna be more fun to watch.

I agree and I wasn't trying to say there was no mistake made by him. However, I am not sure if I would agree that Yota is above average when it comes to perceptiveness. Episode 2 had some of those moments, for example when he didn't quite realize what Koyun even wanted his help for or when he gave his first name to her when she asked for it. His actions are just more "laid back", meaning compared to Minato he doesn't feel forced to say things he thinks. Which ultimately makes him a better conversational partner for Koyun because she doesn't have to try and read into what he could mean. What he says is what he means. I also agree that it's unlikely for now that Koyun falls for Minato, but that doesn't really solve the potential issue with them feeling attracted towards a person that is attracted towards a different one.

Great episode again. So Koyun recognizes a connection between Miki and Yota. Every time he gets flustered and drops things is when Miki is near. Her giggling after seeing it is very relatable. We also have Minato warning against having a crush on Yota. Then Koyun wondering about Miki's potential feelings for Minato and we have Minato wondering about Koyun. Finally Miki has some of her own suspicions. It's all piling up in a fun way without anyone really doing anything bad. The only things we can be mostly sure of for now is Koyun isn't viewing Yota romantically since she seemed super happy and unbothered seeing Yota and Miki together (she's also made this connection in a previous episode); and we know Minato has a fascination with Koyun, though why is up in the air. Everything else is still in major flux. We also got to see some more interactions between Koyun and Minato and it seems Koyun is racking up the (potentially wrong) assumptions about Minato just as he is about her. Koyun and Minato have similar faults in that way. Very quick to decide who people are.

Too long so breaking up: Also, notice the ice wall animations have also only shown up around Minato, so that being the name of the series, it seems their relationship is the focus so far. Minato wants to scale the walls and Koyun is trying to reinforce them. Neither reasoning seems perfectly healthy at the moment though (both being based on making quick assumptions about other people) but I enjoy the dynamics of watching them both squirm around each other. They're similar in how they both prejudge people, putting people into categories like what Minato mentioned this episode when he realized Koyun basically immediately put him in the "everyone else" group. As always, I love the way this author handles character and character interactions. There is an effortlessly natural quality to them that feels distinct compared to other series. This series showcases that even better than Polar Opposites did.

I like a good slow burn, low stake personal drama story. They are 4 teens struggling with social interactions and they don't necessarily fit together, but no one is really an asshole or a jerk. Things will almost assuredly take a bad turn in the next few episodes but I'm sure they'll grow from it. I continue to like Minato, but I feel like next episode we need to see more of what Yota is struggling with, it's his turn now.

Mmm now I wonder if Miki even really likes Minato as a friend? Or if she just gets along and is friendly towards him because of his connection and friendship with Yota. I thought her little digs and not wanting him to join the three of them studying at first was just them playing around. Hearing that he probably approached her initially because he might've pitied her since she was sitting alone at cram school must've stung. Might explain why she seems disapproving of Minato moving in on Koyuki. She doesn't want her shy friend being looked down on.

The interesting thing to me, though, is that Miki seems to have taken a decent amount of his persona into her own school persona. The whole bubbly, shallow-ish way she goes about with all her classmates vs the "real Miki" that she shows to Koyuki and Yota has been implied to have only recently become a thing and it's similar to Minato's outgoingness. If she's somewhat imitating him, she can't dislike him all that much... I do wonder whether we'll get some insight into the "real Minato" soon. We have glimpses, but not too much more

I think Minatos lonely himself and ts is some kinda coping mechanism. Cuz like his inner dialogue is so much colder than what he portrays. His becoming friends with loners can be seen as rude but i think it plays into his idea of saviour complex as well as satiating his loneliness, or emptiness. Like it just feels like theres something integral missing inside him. Defo my fav character so far all of em are pretty goated and i lowk might just binge read the manga

This felt like a set up episode for something bigger. Man can't wait for the confrontation that is about to happen between Minato and Miki.. I think Miki is genuinely worried about Koyun her friend and there is no crush there.. And this is where the love polygon misunderstanding begins lol.. Koyun thinks Miki likes Minato, Minato thinks Koyun likes Yota, Koyun might have also guessed Yota likes Miki, and Minato is of course interested in Koyun... But while on the surface the group dynamic is fun, there is an underlying tension especially because of Minato and the two girl's complicated reactions to him.. I am still very interested how the story will break the walls between Minato and Koyouki, because I think it has to happen or is being set up.. So all round the episode felt too short and just when we were getting to the juicy bit it was all over 😭... I personally like a little bit of drama so I am liking the story so far and can't wait for more lol.. I like the author is creating these kinds of tension between characters who haven't exactly done anything wrong but more because their personalities and thought processes clash. It makes for some interesting dynamics in the show..

Ooo is this a love square ?? Miki seems to like Minato. Minato is interested in Koyun. Koyun seems comfortable with Yota. I don’t think there’s much indicating Yota likes Miki but Minato did warn Koyun not to go for Yota so maybe there’s something there. Tbh I don’t mind whether this is more drama heavy or if it’s lighthearted. I feel the foundation is there and I generally don’t mind either in the first place. But I am curious where this is headed. But Minato and Koyun really are polar opposites (lol). Minato’s an out and out extrovert while Koyun’s a “my alone time is sacred” introvert. Although the energy that Minato brings also plays a part I think. Cos Yota wasn’t exactly passive either but because he has a bit more of a soft and gentle vibe, it’s easier for Koyun to let him in. At least that’s what I think if me and Koyun work the same way

Wow, middle-school Miki was quite a contrast to how she looks now! Especially as she struggled with feeling lonely and feeling the pressure of making friends who wouldn't badmouth her behind her back. Female friendships are hard! But just when she felt stressed about her inability to put herself out there...who else should sit next to her but Minato? Koyun is now stuck in a four-man study session where she clearly feels out of place because of the established dynamic Miki/Yota/Minato have with each other because of their history, and Minato's attention towards her is not helping. Unleash the vice grip, Miki! Although the way Minato talks about his breakup, it's hard for him NOT to come off like a player. Is he REALLY heartbroken? Because it doesn't feel like it. Well, I'm glad Yota and Miki's antics are amusing Koyuki, and it's enough to make her make her genuinely laugh. Not something she really needs Minato to make her give out. Why would Minato advice against pursuing Yota? Not that I'm 100% sure Koyuki feels that way...is it because of his family? His personality? Or Miki? Oof. Koyuki getting bad middle school flashbacks when Miki starts questioning her about Minato. She didn't need that unsettling feeling in her stomach again. Minato can try as he likes to get along with Koyuki, but their conversations don't really go anywhere, she's clearly uncomfortable with his attention, she would rather walk to school all by her lonesome if she had a choice...and he had to drop the Igarashi bomb on her which COMPLETELY raises her ramparts around him. I guess at least now she's aware that Igarashi will be at the school so she can avoid him, but now she's ultra conscious around Minato BECAUSE of Igarashi. Not to mention Miki. Koyuki now has every reason to avoid Minato. Suwa-sensei is a beautie of a teacher, and she genuinely seems to want Koyuki to branch out and socialize with the other kids instead of hanging out with the teachers or nurse all the time. But Matsumoto can tell it's because she feels more comfortable around adults than her own peers. He might even be able to relate to what she's going through. Koyuki's biggest mistake was taking the slowest time possible to peel back before Minato saw her. And then clearly she can't find it in her to properly converse with him and will find the most convenient excuse to bail. Welcome to being Everyone Else when it comes to Miki, Minato. Minato just keeps popping landmines around Koyuki. The last thing she wants to talk about is dating or relationships, least of all with him or anyone she now associates with Igarashi. Papa Yota, protect your daughter! Ah, there's the rub. It's not that Miki is jealous of Minato, it's that there was a critical point in their friendship when Miki realized that Minato, who acts like everyones' friend, tends to interact most with those who are alone. Meaning that Minato quite possibly only sat next to her and became her friend because he pitied her. And it's very likely he's doing the same thing to Koyuki, which as her best friend, Miki isn't happy about.

Minato might want to rethink his approach. Yuta’s chill and he doesn’t try to force interactions. I feel like that’s why Koyun is ok around him. Minato seems to be trying too hard. Trying to befriend her because she seems “lonely” kinda feels a little rude. She ain’t a charity case. I had originally thought Miki was being overprotective of Koyun but maybe she really does like Minato? Curious to see what his answer to her question is gonna be.

It's interesting to get some background information on how Miki was in middle school. She is a huge contrast to how her fake personality is now. As of now, she is labeled as the school idol of sorts. Minato was her first connection, and from this episode we can tell she has feelings for her. For Minato he is quite the extrovert. He really seems to interact with people that isolate themselves, which is why Koyun is on his mind a lot. However, unlike other girls, Koyun really has her defenses down, and how Minato acts does not help matters one bit. Given how things are low-key between Minato and Miki it really gives the feeling that once Minato makes a connection with someone, he loses interest in them. Outside of hanging out as friends. The comment that Minato pities them could be a self-reflection of his loneliness. He puts up a wall like with his ex-girlfriend, and such, he tries to help people who seem isolated. Of course this leads to many unhealthy relationships, which is why Koyun feels very uncomfortable around him. Unlike Youta, Minato doesn't feel genuine. Though Miki's feelings are showing up increasingly throughout the episode. Matsumoto-sensei offered some great words on why Koyun is always around teachers more than kids her age: because a teacher and student relationship is one with boundaries that are pretty well defined. While with students, it is more vague. For Koyun, who pushes people away, speaking to teachers is easier for her. It is understandable to be concerned why Koyun isn't around other students, but at the same time there has to be a reason for it. Adults need to guide students and help them tackle the problems of why they do certain actions rather than telling them they should be doing this instead.

am i the only one here who's actually hoping koyun x minato will be endgame? it may sound controversial but i personally think koyuki and minato will be good for each other's development... and could make a very interesting pairing. but then again maybe that's just cuz i'm a sucker for happy endings HAHAHA like some others have said, i don't see koyun x yota rly pushing koyuki to grow and develop as a person. he definitely provides her with a safe space to open up a little more, but i doubt that's going to be enough to make her truly step out of her comfort zone + grow. plus, they seem to have a healthy platonic friendship based on genuine mutual care for each other. i like it as it is tbh, and i feel like romantic development might ruin that. on the other hand, we see minato clearly doing things that make koyuki uncomfortable and surprised. likewise, koyuki's resistance to minato takes him by surprise and kind of dampens his ego/throws him off balance. i'm curious to see how things will unfold between them, especially with minato's initial desire to "befriend" koyuki not rly being genuine but rather seemingly driven by frustration/dissatisfaction at her unwillingness to open up (unlike everyone else he's introduced himself to). i wonder if his intentions + feelings towards her will change over the course of the series.

No you are not the only one. I started the anime and one of my main draws that makes this the number 1 show for me every week is that I am so excited for how Minato and Koyouki will rub off on each other and their dynamic which is by far the most interesting thing currently. Like ppl can be angry or dislike Minato all they want but can't deny that the current discourse, why is Miki angry? Does Minato like Koyouki, is he using ppl or does he have a savior complex? Does he really feel nothing or is he very good at hiding emotions? The tension in this show all comes from the character that is Minato. He is pushing Kyouki's boundaries, having Miki upset, has a connection to Igarashi who is a sore point. He is driving the story and the way the viewers feel. So yes I am all aboard this interesting drama and pair..

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Based on how romance tropes work, based on their first interaction that was the most likely case for endgame. Not to mention Yota and Koyuki get along very platonicly right now, while in order for Koyuki and Minato to get together both of them would need to grow a lot as people, which makes for a great narrative. Miki and Yota also seem to be a feelsgood side couple to follow but gotta learn more about Yota to judge really

After Koyun and Minato flashbacks, we get Miki's past this time and see why she changed her personality when she entered high school. We also see how she, Minato and Yota became friends in cram school. And it's pretty much confirmed now that Yota likes her and Minato knows about it (hence his comment that Koyun should give it up if she's falling for him). But while Minato thinks she might be crushing on Yota, Koyun's actually caught on to the real situation. Though she seems to think Miki's got a thing for Minato. Nice set up with a whole bunch of crossed signals. Should be fun seeing all of this play out.

I’m really glad the story so far is filtering out the people who are here for romance alone, this one seems very much character focused and i think the author is intentionally doing this whole “who is going to end with who” on purpose so people who are only here for those will fuck off. The amount of people in the comments complaining about Minato is just bizarre can we chill out for a second and have some media literacy?

Ohh, gotcha. I don’t necessarily think it’s wrong for a viewer to prefer one aspect of a show over another, or to stick around for a specific character/plotline, but I do understand what you mean. If one aspect dominates the general conversation, it can be bothersome for those who want to see more discussion about other elements. I think this can partly be attributed to coming hot off the heels of Polar Opposites, which is a more standard rom-com compared to this, so people may be viewing it through a similar lens as they did that one. Maybe as the show goes on, we can get more discussions of psychology, à la Journal With Witch threads.

I might have come out more harsh than I intended and you’re right I’m just absolutely annoyed at the discussion that is happening here, we have so many romance anime with barely any character writing that when we got characters that are flawed we cannot for the love god engage with the story with fruitful discussion instead we go back to basics instinct of just hating it and just dropping a great story

I understand! I’m a fan of many things that a lot of people don’t really seem to engage with on their own terms. For what it’s worth, I’m seeing some good discussions here, and while they can be negative toward Minato, I don’t see many that are going out of their way to criticize the story itself for it. I hope that, as the show goes on, more conversations to your taste pop up, we have around 11 episodes left, so there’s still plenty of time. I appreciate your passion!

Was originally gonna reply to your original comment but— Hmm I mean—I guess you’re talking about the more shallow complaints about him?? I’m all for the ride and the character development but it doesn’t really change the fact that Minato is pretty annoying and “unlikable” rn to many people Especially for people that can relate to characters like Koyun where we can completely understand that feeling of awkwardness and discomfort of people like Minato that are overbearing, pushing buttons and/or invading our personal space. Even though it’s merely a show on a screen, I can feel the secondhand awkwardness and discomfort with Koyun lol Anyway I’m sure that some of the aforementioned “complaint” comments are “surface level” or whatever you wanna call it, but it doesn’t mean they’re all like that…. Nor does it mean said people “complaining” or criticizing his character/personality don’t care about the character driven plot or character development. (Some maybe but not everyone) If an anime can start off making a character easy to hate or dislike and then flip the script and get you to root for them—I love to see it!

To add to that err… I guess it depends on what comments you happen to come across? I already saw some decent discussion within this thread that weren’t just about hating on characters but exploring and analyzing what they might actually be feeling and that it might not just be a matter of “romance” and whatnot And most of the complaints and criticisms about Minato I came across (at least the ones I actually paid attention to); were more in line about what makes a character like Minato so annoying and easy to dislike. Especially when you consider the character is someone that gets uncomfortable when people are constantly invading their space/not leaving them alone, pushing buttons etc. He is very overbearing for people like that so it’s a turnoff. On the other hand Yota doesn’t constantly push boundaries and invade personal space so I think it’s just easier for her to talk to him and get along. On surface level I suppose onlookers including Minato, assume it’s “romantic reasons” but it’s not really—the contrast of how she acts with Yota vs him is just because of how he acts and handles things regarding her lol. Although there’s still some “opposites attract/push & pull” opportunities for both characters to grow with this.

See I have a problem with the compliant that he is annoying or overbearing, or is invading anyone space, simply asking a question to a friend of your friend shouldn’t be hated this much?? Like he is trying to get to know her how else is he going to do that other than asking her questions? The main character is uncomfortable with his presence so far but she’s not hating him or calling him annoying it’s a defensive mindset on her part to just not talk with him, but here on the comments all I see is how he is annoying or that he is ruining the anime for them?? Why? If it’s really you just relates to MC she’s not that annoyed with his presence or hating him, I know I fumbled all over the place it’s hard to get my point exactly across, but I truly do not understand the hate that his character is getting, the only reason I think they hate him(most people not all) is because their self insert(Yota) so far doesn’t seem to be the main love interest and people do not like that, criticism towards his motives and why he makes friends with people or his mindset is understandable even if you hate him for that I also understand but I do not understand the hate for simply talking to the MC

I uhh For starters I never said that Koyun herself hates him etc but he definitely acts in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable around him and Yota is a far contrast to him so it’s naturally just easier for her to be more casual with him. Also I’m not sure why you are zeroing in about “asking a question” (presumably the boyfriend thing??) I’m not talking about one single thing. I’m talking about the way he interacts with her as a whole. As for the romance mention—in that scene he straight up asks her but before that there’s also his observations and inner monologue specifically about how she acts so much more comfortable and casual with Yota. Both in that study classroom scene and before when he “spots them walking home together”. He is assuming that “something” is going on like a crush or whatever. Also I don’t really know what else you want me to say??? Based on your comment it doesn’t really feel like you have had similar relatable experiences like Koyun. Minato is very much an overbearing, invades personal space and etc character so far… There’s a number of factors for those kinds of things, for her the story so far seems to imply the negative experiences in middle school (which caused her to put many walls up) is the reason she became this way. But of course I’d imagine that some of the stuff is also just how she is as person even before all that crap went down. For someone like me, I didn’t experience anything particularly major bullying wise or anything. But I still dealt with people making fun of me/talking behind my back etc (often about being too quiet/not talking, being a loner etc) I have always been socially awkward and shy around people I’m not legitimately familiar with. I also do not excel in making friends and whatnot. I am very introverted as well (introvert doesn’t automatically mean shy or socially awkward though), being around people or social interaction too much is draining for me. Now cue someone like Minato suddenly bugging you and getting in your personal space etc and you’d rather just keep to yourself. Even Miki and Yota acknowledge that Minato can be too much sometimes, especially for someone like Koyun. And again, you’re talking about complaining about this and that. I’m saying that I don’t think every comment complaining/criticizing his character is the type that “thinks his character ruins the anime” like yeah I’m sure some people are like that. But people can still dislike a character and find their actions annoying and complain about “why” without doing something like claiming that it ruins their experience 😅 And when I see comments in a similar vein to my views, especially if they’re focusing on the way Minato acts that makes Koyun uncomfortable, it’s something that we can both understand and relate with…It’s kinda like light hearted venting about how someone like him would make us uncomfortable and awkward(and we can understand why Koyun acts the way she does and feels uncomfortable around him). Some of the comments are maybe more critical and the “this ruins my anime experience” types but there’s also just people expressing why characters like Minato would make them uncomfortable and drive them crazy. It’s easy to be annoyed by his character so far…😅

Miki treated the past paper as if it was the divine scroll lmao. Having said that, I get her feeling especially if the course’s exams don’t vary much between editions. Both Miki & Yota cautioned Minato against pursuing Koyuki. Given both have known him for quite some time, they knew his character well. Sure he might mean well, but he’d more than likely end up hurting her, even if inadvertently. Chances are it’s exactly how it went with his previous relationships – and they wouldn’t want Koyuki to be in that situation.

Miki 🥺 Miki looked like Nishi there. I want Yamada and Nishi. Koyun is adorable! Minato: She laughs, so she’s human after all. I’m about to identify as a fucking problem 🤗 Miki is giving 2002 James Gunn Scooby Doo!Daphne. That’s a compliment. I love SMG’s Daphne. Koyun, go hide, run away 😭 I wonder if Minato is also ND? Oh baby girl nooo 🫢 Minato is a teenager, he didn’t say that to Koyun’s face, he isn’t intentionally being mean—I know this. But oooooooooh that line gave me such a flashback to how many times I’ve heard that before. “She smiles! She must be human after all!” The quickest way for someone to stop doing the thing of which you’re delighted they’re slinging is to make a comment like that. Giving the ye ole “Well, look who finally came out of their room! Haha!” ass nonsense that always made me go straight back upstairs 😭 But I have undoubtably seen people with Minato’s mentality—good-natured, have their biases, always targeting lonely people for interactions, trying and failing by not seeing the faults in their attempts, and losing interest when that “lonely person” no longer is interesting or guarded. It’s really unfortunate. At least here Minato might not be cognizant of his actions. There’s some unsavory people who have a bit of a pride to “befriending” those who are lonely and being the person that lonely person can unwind for…and then ditching that person when it no longer interests them. They’re weird as hell people. I feel like this happens within the ND community to a staggering degree. Miki is a good egg though. I’m sure she’s wanting to make sure Koyun doesn’t have to deal with the same situation she (Miki) has dealt with.

I thought Minato was supposed to be a good reader of people, but he couldn't tell how much Koyuki froze up at his question about Igarashi. The way he forces himself into Koyuki's space isn't making me warm up to his character though, and I figured he treats seemingly lonely people like projects so I'm not surprised Youta said he pities them.  Not enough Koyuki x Youta scenes though, and I'm concerned about Miki and how she'll handle Minato's interest in Koyuki.

Minato reminds me of Hayato (from *OreGairu*) but with Hachiman’s self-criticism. He’s smart enough to know what his problem is, human enough to judge and criticize himself for it, but not brave enough to do anything about it. And I get it—it’s terrifying and depressing to admit you have a problem you can’t solve, so you avoid thinking about it and working on it by trying to solve other people’s problems instead. It’s not self-indulgence; it’s how Minato manages to survive his reality. Honestly, I don’t blame him; in fact, I’d say I empathize a little with the character, since at one point I acted just like him. And obviously, given Minato’s reputation and knowing him so well, Miki fears he’ll end up using and hurting her best friend. And that’s something I also understand and agree with her on. Koyuki already has too many problems to deal with Minato’s issues as well. Although, looking at it from another perspective, maybe Minato needs a no-filter talk with Koyuki, and Koyuki needs to see Minato beneath all that servility so that both of them can learn whatever it is they need to learn.

Damn so we got a love triangle or something maybe? or maybe rather than love she's trying to protect Koyuki? Also curious about what Minato said about Yota? Why bad idea to go for him? He already has a GF or something else? Seeing the sides of the others right now the only one we don't really know is Yota who just seems like a good guy. I hope everything remains good but I could also see it all crash somehow.

It’s a little anxiety-inducing just how much Minato does not understand boundaries. I really wonder what he meant by advising against crushing on Yota. Perhaps Yota is nice, but can’t really handle a romantic relationship due to not being very outwardly passionate about any of it? He acts in the same kind of friendly way with everyone, maybe his flaw is that's basically the general peak of him? I can quite relate to how instantaneously Koyuki puts up walls simply by identifying and associating someone’s personality type with something negative, or by feeling put off because a person is seemingly friends with someone you really don’t like. A lot of that can be my OCD, but I also have some trauma from my pre-high school life that kinda fucked me up. Mann, the buildup to the ED never gets old. So fun.

After reading this thread I realized how different my perception is to everyone else here. I'll still put it below if anyone wants to entertain a different perspective on things 😊 -- The dynamics at play here is really interesting. It's basically a love rectangle of sorts. It'd be easier to understand by visualizing it but I suck at drawing so words it is. Basically, Minato is interested in Koyun but not in a romantic sense. He wants to unlock who she truly is on the inside and his tried and true formula is to make the girl fall in love with him. Yota realizes this and is willing to defend Koyun as a friend. I don't think he has feelings for her *yet*, he just doesn't want her to get hurt by Minato because he knows what Minato is truly like. Miki likes Minato in a romantic sense but Minato isn't interested because he's already "unlocked" her in a sense. Minato is definitely an interesting character. A lot of people probably don't like him but I find him to be the most interesting (and defective) out of everyone. He has this itch to want to get to know someone at their core and he will do anything to see that. He's willing to put on a mask and alter his personality to get that certain person to completely open up to him. With guys it's easy because he just needs to befriend them and talk about similar hobbies. With girls, he works his charm and makes them fall for him. This intimacy is definitely the quickest way into a girls heart but after he finds out, he quickly loses interest so the girls almost always ends up breaking up with him. His next target that he's set his eyes on is Koyun but it's not going to be that simple. For one, Koyun is highly wary of people and I'm sure she's going to realize what his true goals are. Two, Yota isn't going to let him keep doing what he's doing to a precious friend. Yota is also most likely going to stop Minato because it would only hurt Miki. Three, Miki will probably end up confessing her feelings to him which then leads to a catch 22. If he rejects Miki, then Koyun will end up hating him and he can forget about unlocking her true personality. If he goes out with Miki, that closes the path of getting Koyun to fall in love with him. This is a very selfish move by Minato because if things keep going down this path then this group of friends will most likely end up splitting apart. There's going to be tension and rifts created from this if he keeps pursuing this path. So the question is *how much* does he value these group of people over his curiosity? Well, in theory, that's only one possibility of many but I'm excited to see where we go from here. Minato is making his move so what is everyone else's move going to be? Is Koyun going to preemptively leave this friend group to not cause more damage? Is Yota going to confront Minato and tell him to not go through with things? Is Miki going to take the leap and confess? There's so many possibilities and each decision unlocks another branch of possibilities. I'm very excited to see the upcoming episodes.

Communication is hard! People are hard! I sympathize with Koyun. Especially when a wild extrovert appears and you can't run away. We're getting some good swirls of jealousy going, so that's gonna be juicy. I wonder what Minato meant about not falling for Yota. He's probably laughing off any frustration he actually feels. It sucks for Miki feeling like his pity case, especially since Minato clearly meant more to her than she did to him. Hopefully Koyun doesn't run into Igarashi again (she will). I wonder when Yamada Alter will show up.

The thing about koyun and yota pair is that it's pretty easy. Koyun feels comfortable with yota cause they have similar personalities, the point of the ice wall is that she needs to overcome her past and barriers and its often noticeable that minato reminds her of people in her past which she needs to move on from. In a way Minato is more challenging cause his personality reminds koyun time and time again that she cannot run away from her past and that she needs to face it. Sometimes the people who we feel are completely different from us also challenges us to become a better version of ourselves and I feel like that's what minato does to koyun.