Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai - Light Novel Discussion

[mironicus]

Kodaka to Sena in Vol. 6

"...A girlfriend, huh... I wonder. I don't not want one... I guess?"

"Well... That's because my goal right now is making friends, not getting a girlfriend... I doubt a boring guy without a single friend could get a girlfriend anyway."

As long he don't have a friend, he can't imagine having a girlfriend. Sena will remember that.

Spoiler:

Rika becomes his friend in Vol. 8. The first condition is complied. Sena proposes to him and he will reply in Vol. 9.

This line he said to Kobato in Vol. 7 is important about how he thinks what to do if you get a good chance in life.

"Kobato, you've got a chance to play a really important role. Go do it like you're supposed to."

"...You know, there are people in this world who don't get picked for anything, Kobato..."

So if someone asks Kodaka to date him, he probably won't say "Don't wanna", because he is not in a position where he has much choices anyway.

[evil|plushie]

...your opinion of kodaka is quite sad in the fact you think he's going to just out with anyone because he has no choices. Dude, wth

[mironicus]

He was a loner and had no friends for so many years after all (not socially accepted, supposed to be a delinquent, people avoid him all the time, low self-confidence). He also don't have the guts to confess to a girl himself. Everything that happens to him now is like a miracle from his point of view.

[evil|plushie]

that doesn't mean he has to take the first person who comes along. He's had plenty of chances to do that and he hasn't.

[mironicus]

He's had plenty of chances to do that and he hasn't.

Can you give me some examples? I don't remember that anyone confessed to him yet or asked him out for an officially date.

[evil|plushie]

Rika -_-

And I think vol.7 or 8 kinda indicates he does know what's going on

[mironicus]

Rika can't be taken serious with her perverted approaches.

And I think vol.7 or 8 kinda indicates he does know what's going on

Spoiler:

Kodaka knows the reason why Yozora founded the club. I checked the Chinese translation of Vol. 8 with Google Translator. He talks about that with Rika.

[evil|plushie]

Why can't she be taken seriously.

[Flere821]

Originally Posted by evil|plushie

Why can't she be taken seriously.

Are you seriously asking that? Rika goes off on a tangent about R18 doujins often and tends to go to the extremes at times with her verbal jokes. Take her seriously when she's just fooling around isn't a good idea.

[mironicus]

They all can't be taken seriously.

Rika: Be my sex-friend!
Yozora: Be my childhood-friend again!

Both girls want to lure Kodaka in their own world and definition of friendship where the role of the partner is somehow defined / reduced. Rika is influenced by reading all that perverted stuff, and Yozora had only this kind of relationship ever with a real human.

Sena is also influenced by playing Eroge and tries to step forward by trying out the right choices to become closer to a partner. The games she plays are directed to males and the destined partners are always cute girls.

And Kodaka doesn't seem to like to be forced into something, so all this cards from the past and those one-sided approaches don't work on him to get his affection.

[Flere821]

Originally Posted by mironicus

They all can't be taken seriously.

Rika: Be my sex-friend!
Yozora: Be my childhood-friend again!

I dunno, being a childhood friend seems more reasonable and/or not SoD breaking (from Kodaka's view) than Rika's claim of being her sex-friend

[mironicus]

Yozora's definition of childhood friend is that they only have themselves and Yozora don't tolerate any other around him - he also should not have any other friend besides her.

Her biggest enemy is Sena, and she constantly tries to isolate her from the group and bullies her out of the room (best example: Episode 6 of the Anime). Sena is the enemy, because Kodaka himself avoids Rika the whole time, but around Sena he is not so "defensive".

[evil|plushie]

Originally Posted by Flere821

Are you seriously asking that? Rika goes off on a tangent about R18 doujins often and tends to go to the extremes at times with her verbal jokes. Take her seriously when she's just fooling around isn't a good idea.

I don't think she's fooling around about wanting to go on a date with Kodaka -_-

[potchip]

But that doesn't save her from being interpreted as just joking. She is not confortable going straight up therefore resorts to outrageousness as a shield. Easy to back out and say 'just kidding' if rejected, at the same time not being taken seriously all the time. It also give Kodaka an excuse to play dumb even if he knows she's being serious.

[mironicus]

Yes! Yozora and Rika always had to point out if they actually made a joke. Kodaka can't interpret the girls every time because he don't know them so well - and of course as a loner he don't have achieved so much social skills with girls in his life yet. Sena makes him easy because she is honest for the most time and so... he begins to trust her more then the others. And that is the key to gain his affection.

[potchip]

Err...Kodaka knows Sena's serious - which is all the more disturbing given some of her actions for she doesn't even have benefit of the doubt. I don't know where you get the 'he's comfortable' from. Most of the time its either 'creeped out' or 'too bright' - due to the contrast of personalities.

[evil|plushie]

Originally Posted by mironicus

Yes! Yozora and Rika always had to point out if they actually made a joke. Kodaka can't interpret the girls every time because he don't know them so well - and of course as a loner he don't have achieved so much social skills with girls in his life yet. Sena makes him easy because she is honest for the most time and so... he begins to trust her more then the others. And that is the key to gain his affection.

For someone he trusts more than others, it's Rika he first becomes friends with -_-

[Johnny]

When Rika isn't in pervert mode she's probably the most level headed and perceptive of the girls. If she only acted the way she did on their date she'd be a shoe in. Then again that playful nature is what makes her character so great. Sadly, she's probably going to be shoved into the voice of reason and friend zoned role...

[darkvader68]

I think every girl there has a downfall on their personal side. Even though I do support Sena the most out of all the girls. I've come to the conclusion that the author seem that she/he doesn't want to have anyone end up with each other. Saying that I hope I'm wrong and its Sena.

[mironicus]

Originally Posted by evil|plushie

For someone he trusts more than others, it's Rika he first becomes friends with -_-

Rika pointed out his problems and they talked about it and they became best friends. He rejected her to become his girlfriend (sex-friend for Rika) the whole time.

The trust Kodaka shares with Sena is more positive/casual/comprehensive. With a girlfriend you don't want to talk mainly about your personal problems. Kodaka and Sena talk casually about family, personal interests etc.
She also adapts towards him (to his liking).

Kobato is an important link between them. If Kodaka would forbid Sena to have her way with his sister the relationship between them would suffer. So... he let her!

Yozora does not talk about her private life. She has secrets and don't open up. She makes it hard for others to come closer to her - even for Kodaka.

When Rika isn't in pervert mode she's probably the most level headed and perceptive of the girls. If she only acted the way she did on their date she'd be a shoe in.

She swings that way and she is proud of it. She won't change her behaviour even for Kodaka - so she has no chance to become his girlfriend.

That's of course my own opinion. To interpret the characters in a right way you always have to take into account that the author is a loner himself. So for Kodaka being overcritical and not accepting anyone that fits to his liking (Rika) is just normal. A person that takes interest into a loner has to adapt towards him to get accepted. And for a loner to accept another loner as a partner is nearly impossible (Kodaka does not give in to Rika and Rika does not give in to Kodaka - changing her pervert behaviour for example).

Just look at all the girls: Rika and Yozora with her own way of friendship want that Kodaka should adapt towards them to their liking: So he should accept being a sex-friend or a childhood-friend. Kodaka don't want to adapt towards them because he wants that a girl should adapt towards him instead... sounds weird? And Sena does it as the only girl - she is supposed to be the best in anything she does.

Two examples for Sena: During the swimming lesson she just copied Kodaka's moves and at the end she swam exactly like him. And while playing video games for hours (Vol. 4) Kodaka felt absolutely equal with her - she adapted towards him even while playing video games! And it's to his liking - she does not compete with him. She does not do it on purpose, it's happens just naturally on her side. Their are other examples during their shopping date but it is to much to point everything out. Sena transforms herself to become his perfect partner (she asked him many questions during the shopping date, and Kodaka gave her a clear feedback so she is able to adapt further).