[ani_d]

Originally Posted by CrowKenobi

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a big, HONKING difference between close personal friends and the fans?

"Close friends who love Sheryl are more valuable than a random person who loves Sheryl just as much."

Is that what you mean? =/ No matter how you look at it, affection IS affection. If it's genuine then it would be wrong to discriminate.

On another note, I may be a Ranka fan, but what else am I to point about her shortcomings here when every little thing has been nitpicked by everyone already---except for Sheryl who was even praised for her arrogance in episode 1. Gee...Must be a really nice alibi to leave her own fans' destiny to someone. She doesn't want leaving her destiny to someone else's hands yet she has no qualms when it comes to her fans leaving their own destiny to the military's hands lol

Originally Posted by Westlo

When they start flying around for Sheryl's performance Michael says don't fall in love with her while she singing. Alto immediately goes only you would do that.. 2 panels later.. "But... he isn't actually wrong... well me to". Combine that with him thinking "She handles the unexpected well" and than telling her "you're pretty incredible". ("Of course just who do you think I am" she replies) and his first impressions of Sheryl are great compared to the anime.

Are you sure there are no Ranka undertones here? The manga sounds like Alto and Sheryl already have a thing and then Ranka meets Alto afterwards and becomes this annoying third wheel. I'm going to read the whole thing. I can't trust you lol j/k

And Sheryl's action in the manga when the Vajra attacked is definitely more acceptable than in the anime. I can't see why people would appreciate her nonchalant behavior more than what Alto did in all honesty.

Originally Posted by justinstrife

That makes complete sense then why she can't understand Alto(or us guys in general) then.

I have a brother, I wonder if that counts

Anyway, Alto is an anime person. He's not as complex as a real life person who has more sides than what he lets people in on. If he's this kind of complex guy, we certainly would know since Kawamori would want his own characters to be understood by everyone following his story--not just guys. What is so undefinable about Alto's dishonest expression when he lied to Ranka? He simply didn't want Ranka to know he was with Sheryl. The point still stands that he and Ranka are just friends, yet he couldn't lie with a straight face even if he has no reason to feel guilty in the first place.

We all can see if Alto is genuinely happy or pissed or bothered or bored--most especially if he's in denial. I don't need to relate to him and put my feet on a guys' perspective because Kawamori already made him like an open book.

Originally Posted by Tak

Yep, and as I said earlier, I just don't see anything romantic happening anytime soon between Alto and Ranka (maybe by episode 12 ~ 14, I dunno).

This is the funniest line. Weren't you considering of driving a Molotov cocktail into Kawamori's office when you heard about episode 13?

Originally Posted by Tak

Alto is a simple man-creature, he may not be the worst of his kind, but surely not as sophisticated as what ani_d is willing to give him credit for. His mind is not so intertwined as to realize the emotions of others. What ani_d is craving for is a sensitive man, which at this time, Alto is anything but.

And Alto's brotherly treatment of Ranka is not sensitivity?

Originally Posted by Justinstrife

I'm not saying he's madly in love with her. You're putting words into my mouth. What I am saying, is he has done things for her, that so far he hasn't shown to do towards anyone else.

I think this is more applicable to Ranka. Romantic or not, Alto's soft side always always comes out whenever Ranka's alone with him. He comes to her on his own free will even if all Ranka does is whine to him lol I really wouldn't see Alto's treatment of Sheryl any different than Mikhail's if the latter became a girl.

Originally Posted by Slick_rick

We'll ignoring the audience point of view is kinda of silly IMO. The director obviously makes those with romantic tones on to push couples because even if the couples aren't completely aware of the romantic nature of the scene doesn't mean that they don't affect the characters future development.

Yes, thank you. Just the fact that the director wasted screentime animating two people bonding is already telling us about a romantic undertone whether the characters are aware or not. I'm not that biased to exclude the romantic undertones between Sheryl and Alto's because there are, however, ignoring Ranka and Alto's is unreasonable especially if the two were purposely shown to form a bond--romantic or not--before Sheryl came into the mix.

***edit

I'm disappointed at the tags. And I'm biased? LOL