Again Takamatsu shows why S&L rises above in the genre.
There are a lot of character explorations being made and circumstances that are relatable, the cast isnt in an escapist adventure but in a trip in the formative years that will shape them into the adults they will be for the rest of their lives.
Mitzumi isnt a "self insert" MC, she has an earnest and nakedness in her emotions that reminds me of a shonen hero, what you see is what you get.
Yet for those of us that have spent precious little time in a limited project, or a trip abroad, that feeling of camaraderie that you form with people who share your woes and struggles, and you know its not gonna last forever but in those weeks and months you share a lifetime of intensity.
Also Shima is a joy, he is growing leaps and bounds and its a deliberate and hilarious comparison between the creep that wants the video and him wanting to get a hold of Mitzu´s misadventures.
Its easy to like and understand all these characters.