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I LOVE THIS MANGA IDGAF! people always complain how “she’s still the same” or that “there’s no real chemistry" yet it been shown little by little. Her personality is still timid and she cries a lot but she strong in her own way. She explains this herself how although she’s empathetic and reserved, she can still stand her ground when it matters.
Somewhere along the way, we started hating FL characters like this because they don’t fit the “strong badass fl” which is a physically powerful, fearless, emotionally stoic heroine who never needs help. People claim they want a “strong FL,” yet bash anyone who isn’t bold and loud. But strength comes in many forms. There are countless traits that can define a strong female lead.
True diversity means representing all kinds of women: bold, timid, emotional, logical, nurturing, independent. Hating timid characters is basically gatekeeping what “acceptable” femininity looks like. You’re just creating another restrictive standard for how women should act. For example: “Women shouldn’t be weak or shy they should be bold and fearless.” That’s the same problem as before, limiting women to one personality type.
We as woman has so many conflict emotions and this manga portrays that beautifully. Not to mention they’re teenagers! Do you really expect teens to have perfect communication skills in a relationship? Especially Uka, who’s only just starting to come out of her shell. Kai isn’t perfect either as his past relationships weren’t great. The beauty of their relationship is that they’re trying. Their communication isn’t always verbal, but it’s there in their actions. And at the end of the day, they understand each other and that’s what matters
People saying this is “cringe” forget that it’s supposed to be like that, they’re in high school and still learning. Not to mention, this manga is old! All the characters are different, which is the point: people have different personalities and struggles. The doubts they feel because of outside opinions, and their effort to communicate despite insecurities, show how raw and imperfect they are and that’s what makes it real.
As a hardcore shoujo girly, this is one of my favorites bc it's so old school. It’s exactly what I used to read in middle school, daydreaming, “This will happen to me when I get to high school.” Shoujo was created to comfort young girls even if it’s a little cringe sometimes. It was specifically targeted at school aged girls and was never just about romance. It’s about personal growth, friendship, and hope. Despite the cringe factor, we loved it and that’s the magic of classic shoujo.
Sorry for this long rant but I absolutely adore my old cringe classic shoujo coming from a girl who just graduated!