Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo - 15

"Where is My Usual Self?"

Well, that went a bit more pleasantly than I expected, considering Yuuko was involved.

There was a lot of focus on Nanami this week, which feels somewhat unnatural; it's pretty obvious by now that Mashiro has very little competition when it comes to Sorata, so why bring the spotlight on Nanami now? It seems like an unsound decision on the part of the author, but I suppose letting Nanami drop out of the race early would be boring, considering that SorataxMashiro hasn't made too much progress. While Mashiro is obviously in love with Sorata now, her own eccentricity is acting as a barrier against addressing her feelings properly, and Sorata himself is being very dense in not realizing that he's starting to fall in love with her as well. Whether or not Sorata is being a standard romcom hero is subject to interpretation, but I think he is, for the most part.

The thing is, Jin and Misaki's dilemma makes a bit more sense this time around, and Mashiro and Sorata's relationship is starting to look a bit like theirs. I'm not sure if this is meant to be intentional, but Jin and Sorata mirror each other somewhat, and Misaki and Mashiro aren't as unlike as they seem at first glance. Both boys are hard workers, admirers of the geniuses they've come to love, but also disappointed in themselves because their own attempts to catch up always fall short. Jin has developed an inferiority complex toward Misaki, and according to his own rationale, he's undeserving of her until he is able to achieve his own dreams. I think this is a bit of an excuse on his part due to his own insecurity, but at the same time he does make a little sense.

I've always believed that young people should focus on finding themselves while they can; it's easy to place your dreams on the back-burner when you're still impressionable, but it's a sad truth that growing up only makes it less likely that you will get back to them. It's also a hugely bad idea to quit your dreams for love, because you will always resent your loved one if they were the reason you quit. Keeping that in mind, Jin's resolution to do his best and become a writer worthy of Misaki's anime isn't as high-strung as it comes off, but at the same time, it's a bit silly to stave off one's personal happiness for that sort of reason (it's not as if he can't work hard and date Misaki at the same time). The whole thing reminds me of Bakuman's Mashiro and Azuki, though less romanticized and more selfish, and even then I wasn't always happy with the way that relationship (or Takagi and Kaya's) was portrayed. I still get a sexist feeling off what Jin is doing; he expects Misaki to stay the way she is and wait for him patiently while he goes out and boosts his own ego, and that doesn't sit all that well with me. If he wants to pursue his dream, he should either include Misaki in it, or let her go. It's cruel to keep her waiting that way and it's selfish of him to chain her down with his confession; nothing grabs hold of a teenage heart like hope and far-off possibilities, and that's exactly what Jin's done to keep Misaki to himself while he's away fulfilling his own hopes.

Regardless, Sorata's own focus on his dream seems to be as single-minded as Jin's, and while he may not consciously be putting his love life on hold, he's certainly letting his feelings stay beneath the surface while he works on his game. That's a bit unfair to Mashiro, who has done her best to express her feelings and has been contented with vague expressions like "I love the you who works hard". Again, people should do the utmost for their dreams, but not at the expense of their own happiness. As Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun's Shizuku discovered, it doesn't have to be "all or nothing" when it comes to love and ambition, and both Sorata and Jin would do well to understand that. Hard work pays off, but so does sincerity and empathy, and neither of these two has really considered that they're being one-sided toward the girls they love, even if those girls support them in return.

As it is, I'm not really too disappointed by the turn Sakurasou has taken lately; a romcom is a romcom, and Sorata's behavior is easiest explained through romcom ideals. Still, had Sorata not been hesitating about his feelings, and had the issue of "dreams vs. relationships" been approached a little differently, I think the series would have amassed more potential than it currently has for being a great series, rather than just a good one.