Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai - Episode 8 Discussion / Poll

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by Rozen Van Kaizer

Am I the only person who really felt sorry for Yozora and Rika in this episode? Some people defend them but that's it.

I love Sena more but seriously I felt Yozora's pain when she looked away in that bus. Most people who bash on Yozora or Rika probably don't know how serious this Disorder is. I really hope the club understands their situation.

The thing is, Yozora and Rika are both sort of underdeveloped characters. Rika leaving is somewhat understandable, though, as it's been mentioned she's a hikkomori who really isn't good around people. I know what agoraphobia is like-- a couple of my friends really suffer from it. My one friend was going insane at the NYCC... literally had to leave an area one day because he couldn't take the shoulder to shoulder issues. That I understand.

There's been no real mention that Yozora has a problem with crowds until this episode-- just that she couldn't make friends. Which is a HUGE problem with her character. We have no idea what caused her problems, whether there was a tragedy in her past, a mental disorder, or whatever. With no insight into her character, combined with her normal attitude of bullying everyone, and it's hard to really feel sorry for her.

It's also why people tend to blame Yozora and forget about Rika. Yozora's personality of trolling people, with zero insight as to why she does the things she does, makes a lot of people not like her... so she takes the brunt of the impact. Rika is fairly well-liked because she does get along well with everyone normally, so people are willing to forgive her more.

[Eisdrache]

Originally Posted by Nochgo

And unless your mom is a MILF, people would generally be grossed out to see your mom naked, and vice versa.

I am still undecided if I should massively facepalm or laugh like crazy at this >_>

[VVolf]

Originally Posted by Rozen Van Kaizer

Am I the only person who really felt sorry for Yozora and Rika in this episode? Some people defend them but that's it.

I love Sena more but seriously I felt Yozora's pain when she looked away in that bus. Most people who bash on Yozora or Rika probably don't know how serious this Disorder is. I really hope the club understands their situation.

Nope, you're not alone. It's obvious from the bus scene that Yozora was sorry that she had to leave like that. Had it been a smirking Yozora then yes, I would've agreed that Yozora did it on purpose to spoil everyone's fun.

As for the club's reaction,

Spoiler for Club reaction:

It was not mentioned much. At least, they didn't go all "it's your fault we didn't get to have a good time". More like "it was a shame", that's all.

Originally Posted by Malkuth

I found her quite fitting from the beginning (being exposed only to plot synopsis, a few chapters, and a lot of art before the anime).

Exactly my thoughts. I found Inoue's voice perfect for Yozora right from the start too. Her normal deep voice fits the tsun/kuu theme, as well as the sadistic or manipulative feel Yozora frequently emits. But by gods, it sounds absolutely heavenly when she goes into dere dere mode.

So yeah...perfect.

Originally Posted by Eisdrache

I am still undecided if I should massively facepalm or laugh like crazy at this >_>

Why not both? BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ha...ha...aha...*facepalm*

[Shimapan]

Originally Posted by Malkuth

I really can not get some people, what is the problem with undressing and/or being seen naked by people who are not interested in using your body for their satisfaction? Is it a problem to see your mother/father naked? Your team-mates in the showers? Why would it be a problem for your sister, especially when she behaves so childish?

Good point there. Yes, there shouldn't be any problem. Nudity *isn't* evil, even if you frequently hear Christian puritans ranting that it is.

Originally Posted by Malkuth

Unless you equate Kodaka with some serial rapist or puritan bigot, Kobato should feel very comfortable and secure undressing in front of him, only the above two categories pose any real danger.

Indeed, that she feels comfortable around Kodaka just shows that they have a good relationship. If she wouldn't feel comfortable around Kodaka and would behave differently, *that* would be a reason to be concerned.

Originally Posted by Malkuth

Nah, I don't buy it, should she be her usual self, she would have had a blast ruining everyone's fun and games...

Exactly. Yozora attempting to ruin everyone's fun (especially Sena's fun, who wanted the pool visit the most) would be the most likely explanation.

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

Rika leaving is somewhat understandable, though, as it's been mentioned she's a hikkomori who really isn't good around people. I know what agoraphobia is like-- a couple of my friends really suffer from it. My one friend was going insane at the NYCC... literally had to leave an area one day because he couldn't take the shoulder to shoulder issues. That I understand.

There's been no real mention that Yozora has a problem with crowds until this episode-- just that she couldn't make friends. Which is a HUGE problem with her character. We have no idea what caused her problems, whether there was a tragedy in her past, a mental disorder, or whatever. With no insight into her character, combined with her normal attitude of bullying everyone, and it's hard to really feel sorry for her.

It's also why people tend to blame Yozora and forget about Rika. Yozora's personality of trolling people, with zero insight as to why she does the things she does, makes a lot of people not like her... so she takes the brunt of the impact. Rika is fairly well-liked because she does get along well with everyone normally, so people are willing to forgive her more.

Rika is understandable because she never was among people at all, and even never was among classmates as she never took part in regular classes. Her visits to the classroom are the first time that's she's not all by herself all the time. Plus, she gets along nicely with other people.

With Yozora it was never mentioned that she has problems being among other people, and it seems very unlikely, because she's regularly among other people during class etc.
That together with her inclination to bully and troll everyone and try to ruin others (esp. Sena's) fun makes it much more likely that she was just simulating being sick, just to ruin the other's fun at the pool, especially Sena's fun, as Sena wanted the pool visit the most.

Originally Posted by VVolf

Nope, you're not alone. It's obvious from the bus scene that Yozora was sorry that she had to leave like that. Had it been a smirking Yozora then yes, I would've agreed that Yozora did it on purpose to spoil everyone's fun.

No, that doesn't prove at all that Yozora didn't do it on purpose to ruin the other's fun.
When the others come out of the pool and Yozora sees them, she quickly turns her head away, and the bus departs.
She could've been suppressing her smirk just for the short moment they saw her and turned her head away quickly when she saw them just in case she couldn't suppress it. She could've sent Sena the message solely to have them come running out and see the disappointed look on their faces.

[Brimstone]

Originally Posted by Shimapan

With Yozora it was never mentioned that she has problems being among other people, and it seems very unlikely, because she's regularly among other people during class etc.

It's not just being around people, it's being around ALOT of people.

That's like calling a person out on being claustrophobic just because they live indoors- It's not the same thing.

Originally Posted by Shimapan

No, that doesn't prove at all that Yozora didn't do it on purpose to ruin the other's fun.
When the others come out of the pool and Yozora sees them, she quickly turns her head away, and the bus departs.
She could've been suppressing her smirk just for the short moment they saw her and turned her head away quickly when she saw them just in case she couldn't suppress it. She could've sent Sena the message solely to have them come running out and see the disappointed look on their faces.

That's alot of maybes, perhaps you want to try something more concrete?

[FlareKnight]

Kind of felt bad for Rika in the sense that they kind of forgot about her. It was all about Yozora leaving. Still suppose this couldn't be helped in Yozora's case. Clear she was pushing it just on the bus trip and would have to think just going out there would have been too much. Not too surprising if there isn't that much sympathy for Yozora. Is such a polarizing character to begin with. The whole thing is a bit surprising since we haven't seen much of her reactions to people and crowds (due to the majority of time spent with the small group). Anyways rough day for the duo of Yozora and Rika. Feel bad for them.

On a lighter note never thought I'd see a mail from Yozora to Sena that wasn't containing insults . Suppose you could say that's evidence it wasn't a faked reaction. Doubt she could suppress her desires to be rude that long. Plus hasn't done anything to Kobato as of yet and think she could find ways to harass Sena than ruining her visit to the pool.

Kobato was definitely cute though. Good thing for her the series gave her an out on wearing that outfit . Though that wasn't the smoothest transformation sequence ever . Sena now looking for the way onto the Kobato route .

Speaking of Sena another little scene focusing on her feelings towards Kodaka. Couldn't outright say anything, but some cute reactions there.

[Rethice]

Liked the episode, but I was thoroughly confused as to the incredibly melodramatic ending of the episode. The insert song made it sound like somebody had died or something...

However, as much as I am a Sena fan, I have to empathise with Rika and Yozora a bit here.

Can everyone here honestly say they've never done that before? Surely there's at least a few people here who get anxious and want to just run away? There's a few possible reasons to look at Yozora and Rika's exit, all of which are understandable in one way or another.

Firstly, they could have simply been feeling ill from the anxiety of large crowds, which considering how strongly they were reacting to the bus ride there, is very likely. This is less realistic, but understandable.

The other possibility is one I have been in myself, and actually comes down to realistic characterisation. Have you noticed how all these characters so far seem to be perfectly socially capable despite being introduced as not? (albeit a bit too rude and self-absorbed to make friends). If they were more realistic in their portrayal of being socially inept and unlikable the viewers would hate them, as we can see from people's reaction to Yozora's actions in this episode. None of them have had any emotional spurts that reflect their social incapabilities up until now, and I think it's just a matter of Yozora having an anxiety attack and just running away from all the overwhelming changes, a realistic reaction for the kind of character she's meant to be presented as.

As for Rika, it's possibly the same case, but I think knowing her character type she just went along with Yozora's lead, obviously feeling a bit ill herself from the social anxiety.

Though I may be giving the psychological knowledge of the writer a bit too much credit, and we'll just find out next episode it was the first option (she was just feeling sick from the crowd), but I really hope it is a little deeper than that.

[Nochgo]

Originally Posted by Eisdrache

I am still undecided if I should massively facepalm or laugh like crazy at this >_>

You can laugh like crazy, as that was my intention.

[Malkuth]

Originally Posted by Shimapan

Yozora attempting to ruin everyone's fun (especially Sena's fun, who wanted the pool visit the most) would be the most likely explanation.

Ruin is a little bit misleading. From my PoV, Yozora behaves like a bitch, and trolls only those that she feels close to. One point somewhat raised is that all members of the club had no problem befriending each other without even trying, they were just themselves around people that did exactly the same, but are still stuck to what normal people expect that friends should be like.

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

Kind of felt bad for Rika in the sense that they kind of forgot about her...

Well, she can have Yozora all by herself for the rest of the day; therefore everyone feels sorry for Yozora, rather than Rika who will enjoy herself

[Zeromaster]

i think this episode was a good mix of comedy and drama


Does anyone know the name of the sad piano song that plays when yozora and Rika went home from the pool?
please help me. i love that melody sooooo much ^_____^