School Days 02-03 - Walking the Line

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I'm doing something wrong here. I must be missing something here.

Somehow, I'm lacking that bloody hatred for Makoto, everyone's "favorite harem lead that needs to die". Somehow, I'm feeling that he's salvageable.

Although, he is rather annoying. Perhaps it'd be better to break him up and sell him for scrap parts instead of refurbishing him, but he definitely doesn't need to be sent to the crusher, just yet. (Controversial statement! Hit jump! Mwahaha.)

What is annoying about Makoto, though, is the blatantly stupid (some might say suicidal) things he does with Kotonoha, and to a lesser degree Sekai. He does do, in my opinion, so much work towards improving himself, getting up to the standard of a Nice Guy harem lead, only to undo it in a few words. Or maybe a grope. Or a funny stare. Or that damned kissy face of his.

But, I think, somewhere down there, there are good intentions. He makes valid mistakes that I think a lot of guys would make in his situation. He does apologize when he's done something wrong, and seems to be on course to correct his ways. Yes, it's true that a lot of this is done at the prodding of Sekai, but still, it takes something to go out and do it on his own (in typical He and His Girl Are The Only Ones In The Entire Scene style).

Maybe this is the Sekai trap I'm falling into, into thinking Makoto is workable.

But, it's not like the two girls themselves are any less troubled than Makoto... School Days is actually filled with a bunch of vaguely real characters; there are no Sayuris here, as everyone seems to have very real issues...

Sekai is still acting rather strangely, pretending to others and maybe to herself that she absolutely completely no way uh-uh is completely head over heels for Makoto. Really, the latter is the only sensible way to explain why she's trying to hard to make Makoto x Kotonoha work. I could have understood if she set them up and then sort of backed off and let the love train crash and burn, but no, two episodes into their romance she's still guiding Makoto by the hand.

I mean, unless she thinks that Makoto doesn't have a shot in hell in staying with Kotonoha, long-term, Sekai's pretty off in the head. But then again, two girls blushing all over Makoto might be too much.

Sekai also has lots of fun by getting toyed with by Makoto, especially near the later part of episode 3. When her love interest (believe it or not, Sekai) calls and says he's getting bored with his current girlfriend, yeah, that's going to set off a chain reaction.

Kotonoha doesn't have it off easy either, actually being with Makoto as he fumbles his way (hard) through the first date, and thus subject to the Damned Kissy Face, among other date evils. I'm not sure how the relations between Sekai and Kotonoha are; they seem to be pretty good friends, but I'm not sure how things will work out once Makoto starts to get involved with Sekai (which is likely to happen). Kotonoha seems to be a little bit too shy for a Kaede-fest, but Sekai certainly could have a snapping point if Makoto gets too intimate with Kotonoha.

Not to mention the side characters playing a larger role in really stressing both of the harem girls. Kotonoha really seems to be almost shunned by the rest of the Student Council - note the scenes where they walk off to go chat in a corner while Kotonoha does all the work, while Sekai is constantly getting hammered with the "Hey, you actually do like Makoto, huh?" Of the two I think Kotonoha is in the harder situation, especially considering how submissive she is. She soaks up too much abuse, as opposed to Sekai, who I imagine would stand up for herself.

In the end the Kotonoha x Makoto train makes subtle progress as the two of them seem to be getting along better, but with Makoto's admission of boredom to Sekai, things are quickly heading for a derailing.

Especially since I've seen screencap of the episode 4 raws, and what the crap. Makoto certainly isn't using the second chance I'm giving him very wisely...

-CCY