[amoirsp]

Originally Posted by Arya

So, two episode left ... I can't see Chisato problem being resolved in this short span of time. So the only solution I can see is that it has been already solved. Oojima slapped her, she forced herself eating chocolate, few days in hermitage in her room and ... et voilà. She will be back full force supporting Oojima on his will to add his "policy" to help the financial aid students. He will understand that she is ok and we will be back to square one.
With Oojima oversleeping and Chisato waking him up every morning, but with the new consciousness between each other, and far in the background President Shinonome would be organizing her policies aganist bullying with the help of her sister, bla, bla, bla.

Spoiler for my thoughts on the three themes:

Anyways, I can't stop thinking about the fact that the writers shaped this anime around its three themes.

Chocolate:
Chocolate came out a bit of late, but given its relevance it make (me) reevaluate the interactions between Chisato and Oojima into a different light, being related to the Chocolate theme more than a normal friendship. So even Chisato waking him up each day it is no more something to be taken easily, but has to be counted in as a ritual more than a routine, as the chocolate thing. Anyways, the main character of this subplot is surely Chisato.

Election:
The entire series has been driven by this theme, more or less each character has had a role, active or passive, in this, but the main character is surely Mouri, who guided Oojima through the entire process of the elections to the point of handcuffing him.

What these two themes have in common?
First, they have been driven by someone else, not directly by Oojima. We can debate as much as you like, but the episode showed that a young Oojima already tried to stop the Chocolate ritual, but he couldn't, given Chisato's over reaction. On the other hand I guess it is undeniable that Mouri guided the election thing.
Second, both themes, Chocolate and Election, blew up on his face. Chisato snapped on him, and Mouri imprisoned him and ordered literally to not do what he (Oojima) wanted to do, namely put his scholarship's issue countermeasures in his manifesto. Both had no ill intentions, but still they did it. And why did they do that? Because Oojima at a certain point decided to stand on his own feet.

Love:
What about the love theme? That should be the only one in which Oojima has a true chance to stand on his own feet from the start to the end. But still things didn't go that way. Michiru is a spy, ruled out; Mifuyu sacrificed herself for Chisato's sake, she kept trying to push Oojima to Chisato, rouled out; Hazuki ruled out herself for Chisato's sake too. But she decided to came back in the race once smelled that Oojima was derailing from the right path.
Satsuki on her part has never been forceful on him, she played her fair game and even in this episode with her three seconds appearance conveyed a feeling of normality. Isara too, but she had too little time so I ruled her out. So we can see that even the love theme has been forced into one direction. And I didn't count Chisato in this, who with her behavior tried to keep him "on track".

Basically two themes out of three blew out on Oojima face, and in the love theme Satsuki was showed as normality** instead, like a person that someone burdened as much as he is could find peace with.
**Even if for only three seconds


So, I can't stop thinking that all this direction of events and characters has been willingly intended by the writers, as much as Satsuki's role as counterpoint of the whole "forcing Oojima doing whatever he has to do despite of him".
So to me Satsuki should be the natural choice. And to be honest it's not like I dislike Chisato, on the contary I feel sympathy for her, the show has done quite a good job in portrait her so far (in the context I'm speaking about), but since they put her competing against Sutsuki I can't see Chisato win over her. Because of all the subtext exposure of the "forcing Oojima" thing I wrote above. Specifically, Chisato (and the club) forced him competing in the election, but Satsuki was who give him the will to do it. Chisato forced him even the motivations to compete; in that regard Satsuki showed him that there is more behind it, that there are even real issues. Never questioning about his platform. Chisato did it instead. I can't think it being meaningless in the end.

Simplifying, I see Oojima splitted by what's the right thing to do and what he really want to do. In the election race we see how these two things contrasted each other, as much as in the chocolate plot he had to do the right thing for such a long time, when it was clear that he didn't like the whole chocolate ritual (and his being a replacement).
To me Election and Chocolate, and even love, themes are pointing to one direction while Satsuki is pointing to the exact opposite one. Now it is unclear if this is the direction Oojima want too, but, hell, why the writers should have bothered with all this direction if in the end they discard it.
Unless all my previous points are living only in my head

I like the perspective you see this. However,

Spoiler:

I feel like your "natural choice Satsuki" seems to favor Isara in terms of explanation, as opposed to Satsuki. Actually, given your Hazuki pointer, I'd go as far as saying it favors Hazuki in that regard (as Hazuki is "all purpose" helping out on nearly everything but chocolate).

Even Satsuki has a slightly forced mechanism. Forcing the kiss information out of Yuuki. Or even that line where she literally talked about forcing a kiss on Yuuki. Basically when the conversation is about the election or "can you help resolve this situation about my sister", Yuuki is all ears, but he wasn't quite all ears on context of kissing or something more private.

Then I thought about character allocation. Satsuki has among the most, while Isara has among the least. But then I thought about it some more:

Satsuki's encounters were part necessary for either election progress, or the fact that that's literally the only way to encounter her privately. If you don't have all those Satsuki scenes, Yuuki basically doesn't encounter her at all.

Isara's non-encounters on the other hand can be attributed to being a different year as well as being a financial aid student. When you have a factory work contrast AND a club joining contrast in opposite fashion, it makes sense that you are not going to see this character in general.

Being in Satsuki's living quarters (given certain events) made some sense.
Being in Isara's living quarters make no sense unless like, they're hanging out a lot or dating, which they didn't.

Lol just like the Satsuki analogy of showing a different direction election-wise, there's even an appearance analogy.

Yes I'm fully aware that the anime could very easily, and most likely will simply not do much specifics on Isara if at all.

Yeah despite all the positive proof for certain characters, I will still vie for that 0% chance of Isara as end girl.

It also has to do with two simple patterns. We've already had sequences of episodes that featured specific girls for 0.5 - 2 episodes. The other pattern is that if there's an Isara "issue" to resolve, it'd be bullying, which is an end goal, and only Yuuki is in favor of that for the most part.

But yeah, everyone sees a big trend of "oh hey come to think of it, a lot of events that are going on in Koichoco don't actually have to do anything with Yuuki specifically". Yes Yuuki is involved or learned about it, but isn't the direct source of the problem nor the solution.
Like even if he wins the election, it might be himself that brings that extra kick to get over the hump, but for the most part it's his supporting cast that generated the momentum and possibility.


On a random episode 10 joke, I like how Satsuki referred to Yuuki as Oojima (kouhou?) when she came to the club room.

I'm looking at the current turn of events/routes as "route/scenario" resolution. A "base" or a "core problem resolution" that's also "independent of the election". It's occurred or is occurring for every girl but Isara (well I guess bullying is a "problem" so "election results" should "solve" it. Even if Yuuki wants it dealt with now, the strategy is to deal with it after. Either way, they're probably dealing with it eventually somehow).


So yeah I'm still picking Isara. Even if I'm being ... delusional