Osananajimi o Miru Me ga Kawatte Shimatta - Ch. 5

[essensue]

It's just very pointed, seemingly, about repeating the extreme disparity between the both of them, especially as it was laid out in the opening chapter that he used to be like she is now, and then "discovered" video games and thus turned utterly lazy and unmotivated.

Like, "why call him out so overtly as a narrative beat, if nothing will be done about it" is where my brain's at. Because there's potential there, that would be shameful to simply leave on the table.

It has only been 5 chapters. Considering all the callback to how he used to be, it seems pretty clear Ayaka will be his motivation to start getting his shit together again.

It's so cute that you assume the work will ask anything of its MC other than he flail about like a netted fish at the prospect of girls his feelings simply existing. I love that for you.

It's a JP romcom that's used these facts to establish that the MC is a "Loser Like You, Dear Reader," that the love interest is an overachieving "perfect superhuman" with whom he shares a connection beyond his control, that maybe the only reason she's the overachiever that she is, is in order to be worthy of the boy he used to be, and that she loves him and is very much doing it all on purpose.

What's that mean? That it's the mid-2020s it'll be an excuse for him to feel not worthy of her and prolong the period wherein he makes excuses to not progress the story!
He'll probably get there eventually but you're leaving out the most important part <3

 

[KhotaSingh]

Man I'm not vibing with this MC at all. It's actually irritating me. Even though I have read enough romcom to get used to this tropes.

This MC is so much pathetic and worthless. While FMC somehow become best at everything.

Probably look out for 1 or 2 chapters more, if there's no progress then I'm dropping this.

 

[rabidporcupine]

It's just very pointed, seemingly, about repeating the extreme disparity between the both of them, especially as it was laid out in the opening chapter that he used to be like she is now, and then "discovered" video games and thus turned utterly lazy and unmotivated.

Like, "why call him out so overtly as a narrative beat, if nothing will be done about it" is where my brain's at. Because there's potential there, that would be shameful to simply leave on the table.

I mean, I’m pretty sure last chapter showed that he is actually a pretty genuinely decent, helpful guy when he’s given the opportunity to show it. To me it seems more like he’s just kinda average at worst, but because Sayaka’s so much more capable and reliable, he and his mum keep comparing him to her, which makes him seem unreliable and incapable.

I do still think the story will end up having him trying to improve himself, but I also wouldn’t mind if the story actually pivoted more towards the reality being that he just has a really negative self image, and it has him learning to accept that he just isn’t as bad as he seems to think he is.