Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru - 3

"Sometimes The God of Romcoms Does Nice Things"

Dammit Hachiman, get out of my head already!

While I think both girls in Yahari have a long way to go before they really strike a chord with me, I'm constantly astonished at just how similar Hachiman's snarky thoughts are to the sorts of things I mulled over at that age. He's certainly a bit more pathetic than I was (though not by much, I assure you) and quick to grovel (this I was not, pride is not something I give in easily), but in general his pessimistic outlook is just as matter-of-fact and self-important as what (I'm assuming) a good deal of teenage outcasts tend to have. Note that he rarely blames himself for not fitting in (which is somewhat admirable, since I rather loathe the idea of having to change yourself to be a part of something), but that he instead blames all his woes on society and the outright idiocy of what youth is supposed to look like. Though this scapegoat approach is a bit too extreme, it nevertheless does rightly criticize these conventions that assume everyone lives through those years in the same way.

As much as he likes to complain, however, Hikki isn't nearly as opposed to the idea of youth culture as he likes to pretend he is. For one thing, Totsuka Saika's (Komatsu Mikako) cuteness puts a dent in his facade, and even after he finds out that Saika is a boy, he continues to be thrown for a loop. It's ironic that this is the case, considering he constantly proclaims to be a loner and uninterested in social relationships of all types, but Yui makes a good point in that Hikki and Yukino create a sort of anti-in-group. Though they may hate other aspects of society, they find a sort of perverse balance between themselves and their pessimism serves as a way to hide their real desire for companionship. After all, few people take friendship as seriously as those who've always lacked it, and Yukino and Hachiman definitely take it more seriously than they're willing to admit to anyone.

Which is why when their more popular classmates threaten to come and "take all that [they] have" and kick them off the tennis courts, Hachiman and the other outcasts rise up to the challenge. It's somewhat amusing to me that Hikki would turn out to be decent at a sport, but it is true that when you spend most of your childhood alone, you pick certain things up differently than most. For Hachiman, appreciating the wind and learning to play against the wall turn out to be the decisive factor in the match, though ironically it means very little to the opponents, who presumably end up finding love in their defeat. Regardless, both Hikki and Yukino end up standing up for Saika and Yui, which says a lot more about their true feelings than their sarcastic remarks, and in the end, I suppose all that matters is that they have fun doing it.

N.B.: Due to delays I was unable to catch up this week, but assuming everything goes well, I should be able to do so in the coming week.