[hyperborealis]

The manga is irrelevant to the anime. The anime stands on its own. The responsibility of the anime scriptwriters is not to reproduce the manga, but to use it as a basis to create a complete, self-sustaining story. To that end, we have already seen the anime diverge in significant ways from the manga: in the form of retelling the elementary school days as a flashback, and in completely rewriting the process by which Nishida joins the karuta club. Given the limited amount of time the animators still have to work with, the anime might even conclude with an anime-specific ending. That is not illegitimate--that is just the prerogative of the anime creators to tell a complete story, which is finally their own story.

So, to interpret the anime in terms of the manga is a misinterpretation of the anime. It is an assumption that the anime has to follow, in detail, in theme, in concept, in plot the model of the manga. This assumption is false.

The reason there are separate threads for the manga and the anime is not simply to prevent spoilers. It is also to prevent just this kind of misinterpretation.

To be specific: Kazu-kun, you are flat-out wrong to interpret Shinobu's reaction as "comedy effects." This is not a matter of my opinion versus your opinion. There is no evidence within the anime itself that this moment is to be understood comically. Your only evidence is something you read further on in the manga, and not anything at all within the anime itself. Consequently, that material is irrelevant to the anime. It will only ever become relevant should the anime choose to incorporate it, and then that will be since the anime made that decision, and not due to any extrinsic authority or standing the manga has in relation to the anime. At this point the anime has not brought that later material in (and I strongly doubt it will, given the care and detail and focus given to the animation of Shinobu's distress). So that later material from the manga is at this point absolutely irrelevant.

Now, it is interesting to compare the anime and the manga. You can learn more about each of them if you do so. But that is only to bring out each of the version's own distinct character and qualities, which includes even the degree the one follows the other. The two remain distinct.

To repeat: the manga is irrelevant to the anime. The anime stands on its own.

I urge everyone to watch the anime for its own sake, and in its own terms.