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Originally Posted by KaoruAoiShiho

Saki is changing because of Kousaka but Kousaka is not changing because of Saki. Saki is replaceable for him.

Originally Posted by KaoruAoiShiho

Basically, I'm saying Koi has been very careful to leave out anything that might give us the impression that Kousaka thinks of Saki as anything other than a long-term fuck buddy. It's a very one-sided relationship, and the reason why Koi set up their relationship that way is because Koi wants them to break up down the line.

Just because Kousaka isn't drastically changing for Saki in no way means she's replaceable to him. Basically, that's just his personality; I think you're reading too much into his actions as a way to state he doesn't care for her, which is certainly not true.

These problems are portrayed as insignificant because they are in love with one another. They don't have to be shown as a couple that is all over each other for that to remain the case. Basically, Saki, although she certainly gets annoyed at times, is ultimately accepting of the flaws she perceives in him, or else she would have left him a long time ago. They have their problems, of course, but they've all been shown as ultimately insignificant. Plus, you're really focusing on the negative traits of their relationship without seeing the positive ones. Simply put, it was a great relationship in early Genshiken, and I wouldn't want to see it unnecessarily tossed aside just to satisfy the ever-hopeful Madarame x Saki shippers. Honestly, I see a Kousaka x Saki marriage happening towards the end of the story. It would be an excellent way to conclude the written portion of their relationship.

Originally Posted by KaoruAoiShiho

See here's the 2 alternatives (to SakixMada) we could be getting.

1. Genshiken turns into a fujoshi story with the new freshmen as the focus and talking about their problems until the end.
2. Genshiken will turn into a Mada harem story with Mada eventually paired off with one of the new girls.

Number 2 is really also unlikely because of the simple lack of foreshadowing. The only serious romantic interest we've seen for Mada are Hato and Angela. Hato won't work for obvious reasons, and Angela won't either for even more obvious reasons. There's really not much to talk about there in terms of MadaxGirl. Going too deeply into either of the two aforementioned scenarios will repulse fans, since most fans already expect and are fine with, option 2 occurring.

There's a plethora of directions the story, and, by extension, Madarame's character, could take that doesn't involve any of these alternatives. I agree with you in thinking that the first option is considerably unlikely, and yet it's still more possible and realistic than a Saki x Madarame ending. On the other hand, I think option two is quite likely, and I feel, adequately foreshadowed so far. I think an Angela ending could work if Kio decides to develop her much more. Sue could also work, I feel. Or it could be an entirely separate girl that hasn't even been introduced. If the manga continues for as long as you're implying (I don't think it will; possibly another 20 chapters or so), there's plenty of time for that to happen. Not to mention, a Saki x Madarame ending would probably repulse just as many, if not more, fans than the first option, and it would certainly repulse far more fans than the completely reasonable and decently foreshadowed second option, which most readers have expected to be the eventual direction that this would take for a very long time. They seem perfectly fine with it as well.

What about Saki not working for obvious reasons? You consistently fail to mention her perspective in this situation, and, the simple fact is that she has no romantic feelings for him. If there was even a possibility of those two getting together, shouldn't Saki, over the previous 80 chapters, have shown the slightest bit of attraction towards him. But, through it all, she hasn't, even though she knew perfectly well of his feelings for her. For Madarame, it would obviously be great if she would miraculously stop loving Kousaka to eventually fall for him, but that's never going to happen, and it shouldn't if Kio wants to keep this story realistic and believable.

Originally Posted by KaoruAoiShiho

No. What Koi will bring us is a conclusion to the Hato/Freshmen arc and restart SakixMada. Saki will run into problems with Kousaka. He will find another girl, find a job that takes him away, something. But Saki will eventually realize that she doesn't mean anything to Kousaka and give him up.

If Saki were to run into problems with Kousaka, it would have happened a long time ago. If it were to happen now, it would be completely unrealistic, and, as a result, it would cheaply throw away so much significant development from early Genshiken solely in order to come up with an ending that deters from all that came before. Once again, despite his personal faults, your view that he doesn't love her, much less care for her, is more than a little biased, since the reason Saki's ultimately accepting of these traits is because she knows that Kousaka loves her and is always there for her.

Originally Posted by KaoruAoiShiho

This could be the case, but I think it's more likely that this just sets up a later "twist", but really, a foreshadowed ending. A lot of the power of drama comes from leading you to expect one thing but then turning in another direction.

In this case though, it wouldn't be a dramatic twist; it would just be contrived as hell.

Originally Posted by KaoruAoiShiho

Drama, obviously. It was an entertaining chapter.

For all the instances of foreshadowing you've detailed, this is the largest one by a mile, yet you dismiss it as ultimately irrelevant. This chapter not only foreshadows him finally moving on for good, but states it in such a straightforward fashion, it's really rather ridiculous to not expect this to leave a permanent impression on the direction this will take for the remainder of the story.

Above all though, Madarame, despite how great of a character he is, doesn't deserve to have the unrequited love for his best friend's girlfriend rewarded, and the latest chapter illustrates that point thoroughly. A Saki x Madarame ending, aside from coming out of nowhere, would also retroactively ruin one of the first meaningful chapters of Nidaime and turn it into something completely meaningless, since it would effectively undercut Madarame's extremely significant choice to finally move on.

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I can definitely see his point about Kousaka, though. But I make something else of it: everything about Kousaka is absurd. His relationship with Saki's just one more element. No reason it won't go on that way.

Originally Posted by aohige

Precisely.

He's basically a representation, a walking symbol.
The perfect otaku no one can be. It's both a running gag and a concept representation.
In a way, Ohno started out as one as well.

There's no character depth, because he doesn't need one.
In a sense, he's not supposed to be a representation of a human being.
He's more of an anti-thesis to the human characters... a neighbor Wilson.

All of this, in regards to Kousaka's character. Spot on.