[bloppyblue]

Totally valid points, man. I'd be totally interested in seeing how this conversation would develop, unfortunately, I'm just not the person to do it xD (I can't argue via text, verbal debating is my thing). Also, I'm not incredibly bright, so this is kind of one-sided.

Although, since I'm such a Ritsu fan, and because this is doubling for a general character discussion board so just why not, let me take a stab at a few points...

Her maturity...

1. her preference to play before practice, especially emphasized in Ep 4, Camp

I find myself a mature person and I tend to goof off a lot. Yeah, she was messing around with Yui a lot and kind of put practice next, but when it comes down to it, she KNOWS when practice needs to be done. She has an immature attitude but a mature state of control... Or something, lol. Such as that time when they were all praying on New Years, she was the one who brought up the sake of the club, taking it more seriously than everybody else at that moment.

5. her jealousy for Mio's company with Nodoka (you could say that S1/E11 was completely 'ooc' for Ritsu, but I could say the same for the entire S2 that was a big chunk of filler in Mio's regards)

Totally agree with this. That WAS a very immature thing to do. But then again, if that situation is reversed, I will not be surprised if Mio had done the same thing (which she does, in that certain manga chapter when Mio gets obsessive). That's one thing I found really strange about her character. Ritsu is a very... I don't know how you'd say it... Perceptive? Character. She knows when someone has an issue or something that's irking them. Mio and Ritsu have developed this sort of relationship in which Ritsu has had a set line in which not to cross. She is aware of this. Until those episodes when Mio started to grow as a character and that line was shortened. All of a sudden, everything Ritsu did pissed Mio off. Unaware of this change (to distressed from the fear that her friend was leaving, she ignored any sort of logic or maturity to dealing with the situation) Ritsu just flat out dug herself into a hole by being more of an idiot (which I can sympathize with... But that's another story)

Ritsu blatantly had at a lesser amount than Mio in Season One

My god, I'm writing a lot of text. So I'll keep it short.
Ritsu doesn't have a lot of external maturity (I'm totally making this up... But keep with me for a sec). She doesn't exhibit the same sort of maturity Mio has. Mio is mature in the way she thinks an adult should act (keeping it cool in all scenarios, etc.) Ritsu is mature in the sense of knowing how to handle things (well, at least in my view). Mio tends to drop her maturity when something sensitive happens (creepy things, Ritsu's teasing, etc.) She is putting this image up of a 100% confident and collected person. Ritsu is the complete opposite where, although she messes around a lot, inside, she is usually alert to everything that's going on and how to deal with it. The only time I remember this crumbling apart is during the whole jealousy-episode. She exhibits the type of maturity that, say, in a state of emergency, would be the one to deal with the situation with utmost pro-ness and seriousness. I can imagine everybody else freaking out and her going "Everybody, shut up and help! You do this, that, and that" which I think is more mature than "Can't panic, remain composed." I'm not saying Mio isn't mature, she just isn't as mature as she lets others believe she is. Slowly, thank god, due to some character development, she does grow more mature as the series progresses.
I lied. I didn't keep it short.

'24/7' excuse is getting kind of old

Yeah, my bad lol. Just throwing it out there cause, why not.

Okay, that's it. *pushes up sleeves* Come on. Just you and me. Mano-a-mano.

Oh, gawd. Months of repetitions on how Mio supports the other members of the band and we are reduced to 'Mio is just for jokes'. My head aches at the short-sightedness.

Let me repeat this one, f**king, last time: MIO. SAVED. YUI'S. ASS. TWICE.

Haha, my bad man. Hope you didn't take that one too personally. I tend to exaggerate my comments and I usually swing my sentences to one extreme or the other. Well, don't pin down anybody else for that XD
No explanation for this one. Just a slip up on my part.

And yeah, she did save Yui's ass twice. It's kind of like an older sister bailing a naive younger one out of trouble. Yeah, she does support the others in the band, but you know what, everybody kind of supports one another here. They've all been there for another at one point in the story. It just so happens that Mio is in the best position out of the rest of the girls to save her ass. (I'm not implying that's the only reason, so please don't go bat-crazy lol)

Anyways, this was just a reply to WBoon. So everybody else just go hopping on along if you don't care. lol. Probably way too much to read for anybody who doesn't, haha.

Oh my god, huge wall of text. Sorry fellow board-followers @_@ And sorry WBoon, gotta deal with my horrible grammar and not-up-to-your-par arguments xD