[apr]

Originally Posted by roan

Spoiler:

Hm? I agree with everything else, but I'd always been interpreting that いつかの姿 as referring to something a bit more specific, but kept purposefully unspecific. Like....that blank look Taiga gave in volume 4.

Same.

Spoiler:

I can't find a reference to いつかの meaning "usual", but this can certainly be my lack of experience and understanding. I interpreted it as "the reaction of that hateful person some time earlier", although I'm still not sure who the hell this hateful person is (Taiga is a strong contender, obviously).

I'd also like to note that after 9 books (and rereading the playground scene)

Spoiler:

I'm convinced Ami's hot for Ryuuji. Screw you guys, people just don't act like she does "out of friendship". There's the way she startles whenever he does something unexpected (baseball machine sequence, etc) and the way she's been probing his interest ever since the beginning. To me it's clear she's in love and is disgusted at herself for falling for an oaf like him. Trying to rationalize it away as omg friendship!! is only going to leave her miserable.

I haven't actually been following the anime, just talking to friends who do, and this episode makes it apparent that the anime studio has simply failed. Everywhere I look (here, blogs, even 2ch) people are asking "what guilt?" and the novel readers have to come out and fill in the gaps. I think they've stuffed the show too full of pop culture jokes while skimping on important plot bits.