Wasn't really digging the direction the plot was going the past few chapters at first, but I think I've finally pieced together the running theme between the developments of each character:
The struggle between fitting in with others based on your outward appearances/behavior vs. staying true to whatever it is you want to be/do regardless of how others treat you. -- This applies to gyaru protag, cat cafe girl, and cosplay senpai thus far, while perfect oshi represents purity in being exactly who she is while learning to slowly grow into new experiences.
Our gyaru protag struggles deeply with low self confidence and had tried changing herself to a more outgoing appearance to make friends and cover up what she thought was the shame of her previous self - but this is really just a mask. We learn that she chose that path due to admiring her senpai gyaru who seemingly oozed confidence and was the only one who would be friends with her, even if the situation reeked a bit of bullying/power dynamic issues. After senpai gyaru returns years later it's pretty clear she's not the cool person she seemed like before and not worth admiring - and that she stuck around protag likely because she didn't have friends herself (hangs out with old uncles at the racetrack...) and secretly admired her romantically for her pure nerdy/socially awkward former self. At the same time, she was a bit distraught at her Oshi learning to change into accepting other people's perspectives/ideals since it broke the illusion of her unshakable self-righteousness, and in her disillusionment she decides to go on a "date" with gyaru senpai. She takes off the mask (gyaru appearance) and realizes during the date that even if she doesn't "match up" with her oshi she still admires her for who she is -- a juxtaposition/rejection of how she had previously tried to "match up" her appearance with gyaru senpai and now realizes she doesn't admire her at all. In the end, it looks like each character prefers each other for their real selves and gyaru senpai's situation is a cautionary example of how keeping the mask on doesn't lead to happiness or real connections.
Now we've reached a point where both protag & oshi are having character growth which allows the previous wall separating them to be breached: Protag is no longer putting up a fake version of herself that had kept them less able to understand each other - holding her up on an unreachable pedestal intentionally as an "oshi" and unable to express her true feelings about her outwardly (only managed a shallow "pale skin" compliment). And Oshi is more open to understanding others rather than stubbornly sticking to her own ideals & now acknowledges that there is more to protag than she had previously thought (before could only superficially "compliment" her outfit, but now sees she is capable of making logical plans unlike when she was an amoeba).
Thanks for reading my ted talk on silly drooling face yuri manga.
