(L) Sukitte Ii na yo

[Eclipze]

By convincing Yamato to continue the job, Megu has already started to create a rift between the couple. There is a reason why long distance relationships generally don't last: you don't get to spend time with each other often, and the loneliness can really get to some. Yet despite being near each other, Mei and Yamato's time together has been reduced to that of a long distance relationship.

Now add to that we have Megu initiating a regular invitation to her place for dinner after work, Yamato being unaware of the implication of accepting this (even if Megu is just lonely and wants company). It would've been easier to sympathize with her if she had not mentioned the whole "I want to be with you even if you have a girlfriend already" statement to Yamato on their first meeting. As it is, there is little doubt that if given the chance, she would "steal" yamato for herself.

[Nickymanga]

i think the only reason why megu can be seen as more genuine in the anime is because of the way she is potrayed although she is still conniving she comes as slightly more likeable especially with whole pitiful sympatic back story.

Although I know the flow and certain events wouldnt match the manga entirely but I dont like how they tweaked megu character and also Yamatos character.

In manga when the megu/yamato/mei situation played out I personally think his character was more abrupt with Megu and it was always clear he wanted/love mei and wouldnt voluntarily let anything get in between that and all though in the manga he spent alot of time with Megu for the modeling job his character in the manga seemed more aware of Mei's feelings.
In the anime they made it look as if he was really cheating on Mei and that he even possibly liked Megu ( maybe out of pity and loneliness from mei not saying anything) which I didnt like, and depend how Kai's character is protrayed and brought into the story I might not like that either.
Although I dont know whats going to happen I personally wish they brought in Kai the same way they did in the manga and I wish they didnt soften megu's character because I think if she was potrayed more like she was in manga it could have more impact on stiory

[Guardian Enzo]

My issue is pretty simple – to me, Yamato doesn’t seem worth it. It doesn’t help that Sakurai Takahiro – who’s a very good seiyuu, although IMHO way too overexposed at the moment – sounds a bit ridiculous playing a 17 year-old romantic lead (or this one, at least). But beyond that, I don’t find him either particularly interesting or particularly likeable. He’s not a bad person but I don’t buy ignorance as an excuse for the cavalier way he’s dealt with relationships, and that pattern is repeating with Mei – I absolutely don’t buy for a minute that he doubted accepting an invitation to dinner at Megu’s house was wrong. Of course he knew – he did it anyway. He’s also generally a bit of a bore – it’s fitting that he’s modeling, because he comes off as more of a plastic model of an ideal boyfriend than a real guy.

But honestly, it’s the development of Mei’s friendships with Asami and Aiko that strikes me as more important and dramatically involving than her romance with Yamato – more than anything I see Sukitte as the story of Mei’s journey from a lonely outcast in self-exile to a socially functioning teenaged girl, and that’s more compelling at this point than the romance angle.

[Mura]

I don't know about him being overexposed as I would rather like to hear more of him personally. Funny enough my favorite role with him isn't in anime but in the game Tales of Graces doing Asbel Lhant. Gotta love how he yells out the Hi-Ougis.

I do agree that Yamato's relationship with Mei isn't too intriguing though. Her friend's development really gets my attention more than anything.

[Guardian Enzo]

More? It really seems as if the list of shows without him is shorter than the list with him.

[Haak]

Drama based on misunderstandings have rarely ever worked for me and I can't say Sukitte Ii na yo is an exception to that rule. I just really hope this arc is well and truly over. It's been so frustrating for me.

[ookamigirl]

That took guts! Good for Mei ^^
Things aren't going well with Yamato.
She was pretty much down about it.
The whole modeling and Megumi thing is really getting to her.
It was about time someone opened Yamato's eyes.
Kai suddenly entered Mei's life. Yamato may get some competition soon.
Maybe there is still hope for those two..

[Bern-san]

Now I've realized all material that has been changed or omitted (beach chapter, Hayakawa's story, Aiko's last part of her story) involved sex in a way or another.

By the way, I'm really mad that Chiharu (Mei's coworker) didn't appear during Kai's debut. I like Mei's friendship with Chiharu. Or Mei's violent response to Kai. Or Aiko and Yamato arguing

Will the anime manage to close the whole Megu problem? (even the English translation still hasn't finished this arc though the translation is quite behind from Japan)

[D-KLAC]

ep.8
after mei did tie-pull kiss yamato goes what so mei yamato have some alone time in park give mei still bitt on worried mood til mention megumi's magazine interview whole yamato with megumi.

cue mei on bordering might crash & burn at anytime that aiko call out yamato the "what were doing/thinking" speech that mei feel hurt whole yamato hanging with megumi.

so mei at bread area then meet person who want mei's key but no yet mention will go mei's school & with name is kai.

after bread work mei walking the bracelet break then yamato found & very sorry for mei for all on it.

[germanturkey]

the angst.. overbearing! but the final scene was worth it. not too many of those in anime these days.

[PreSage]

The Megu situation shows Aiko's quite a nice girl. Mei and Yamato should be thankful that their relationship is saved by her help, especially with her confrontation of Yamato in ep 8.

Yamato going to Megu's house for dinner was really foolish of him, especially when he keeps quiet about it (whether intentional or unintentional is still a very poor judgement). Any sensible boyfriend would know that that would give the wrong impression and worries the girlfriend (or boyfriend, if it was the girl doing this - just as Aiko pointed out).

And, is it just me or does Yamato come off as being insensible to Mei at times? I mean there are plenty of times when we see him sit and chat with his friends (or with Mei's friends) and leave Mei sitting, nearby, all alone. Aiko is right about Yamato getting too cocky about the fact that Mei will always endure and stick with him. This makes me want to see Yamato feel anxious (or unconfident) about his position with Mei sometimes - hope Kai will be the mechanism for this.

Mei has her faults, too, but I just find myself sympathizing with her more than with him most of the time.

[Malkuth]

Originally Posted by Haak

Drama based on misunderstandings have rarely ever worked for me and I can't say Sukitte Ii na yo is an exception to that rule. I just really hope this arc is well and truly over. It's been so frustrating for me.

Misunderstandings? From my perspective everything would have worked out fine if Ken Yamato, was not self-centered, possessive, lecherous, overbearing, cowardly and he could also use a few grammars of brain matter, since his nervous system doesn't really extend above his mouth... At least, he will get some competition now, NTR always helps

On the other hand, I still have no bloody clue, why Mei is still with him... except of course being her first love, which for inexperienced teenagers seems impossible to reinvest that much in a new relationship.

Now seeing Mei suffering aside, I wish they spent more time with the rest of the cast, particularly Asami

[Seihai]

The drama could be better but it's good enough imo. The actual problem I have is with a certain soundtrack that reeks of melodrama every time it starts playing. Otherwise no complaints, I in fact have grabbed my chest several times now and groaned like an idiot whenever I felt something was touching. Yeah, I'm not a pro at Shoujo.

[germanturkey]

well, i thought Megu had good intentions, but after seeing her grimaced face this ep, i'm not sure about that any more.

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by germanturkey

well, i thought Megu had good intentions, but after seeing her grimaced face this ep, i'm not sure about that any more.

Megu never had any good intentions. She's just slyly trying to woo Yamato away from Mei. Her strategy is to have him become more acquainted with her by monopolizing his time and preventing him from spending it with Mei; so that he and Mei will slowly drift apart, and he falls in love with her. This way, Yamato or Mei will break up with each other, he goes with her and no one can blame her for breaking them up because it will look like it's Yamato's decision. Sneaky, isn't it? And it probably would have worked if it weren't for Aiko's intervention.

I really like Aiko after this incident. She's proving herself to be a really good friend, despite how they (she and Mei) started off.

I'm actually liking the anime more than the manga (which is rare). The manga focuses a bit too much on sexuality that it really detracts from the story, I think. It feels like something the author added to attract attention to the manga but really doesn't add anything to the series itself and could have been (better) omitted.

[ookamigirl]

So Yamato picked Mei over modelling.
That was really sweet ^^
I'm glad Megumi's little plan failed miserably.
That Kai keeps popping up..
Yamato's gift was really nice.
Those two make a great couple.
OMG! Kai is the guy from Yamato's past, pretty awkward.
Seems like Kai's bullies changed a lot since he last saw them.
So Kai is the competition now. This will make things more interesting.

[Bern-san]

Spoiler for 9:

I really liked Yamato and Mei during this episode. They even made the scene where they nearly had sex (missed the comment regarding Mei's buzzer). They were really cute.

Megu's intentions have been pretty clear. She reminds me of certain girls I've met when I was in high school who really looked like good people but deep inside it's pretty obvious that the intentions are anything but good.
Anyway they focused on a girl (can't remember her name) so they'll rush things to conclude Megu's arc

Was pretty happy to see Aiko's boyfriend even if he was just there for show. Aiko really deserved someone like him.

What made me mad about this episode is Kai (but I'm a bit biased regarding Kai). He's supposed to be intimidating on the outside but really cute in terms of personality. In the anime I don't see him intimidating at all.
In the manga Kai knew that Mei was being bullied thanks to a really rude classmate and during that conversation with Mei he offered to beat up the people who bullied her. I know it isn't some great revelation but I love how Kai cares about Mei.

And to be quite honest, though I know that Mei was right about what she told him, I think he should have punched that guy.
He and his friends stripped him, laughed at his girly body and his penis and made him some ugly scars with the cigarette.
I don't say that he should do the same thing but at least a punch he deserved. He was bullied so hard that he had to transfer.
I don't like how that guy got away after all the things he made to Kai.

And Kai's confession to Yamato was so fast. I know the anime doesn't have time but they should at least warped up Kai and Yamato's relationship before Kai's confession about Mei to Yamato.
Here Kai seems pretty hostile to Yamato in that sense.

@PreSage I know that the sex sometimes does seem a bit excessive in the manga and I like how the anime focuses more on the romance side but I still prefer the manga, especially the secondary characters' stories like the tragic story from latest chapters (most emotional one so far)

[ars89]

Oh man Mei and Yamato were so cute this ep. Lol the mom came in at the perfect por not so perfect time. I wonder why they focused on those girls that were following Megu, hope nothing else comes up. Had a hunch Kai would like Mei, but didn't think it would be so fast that he declared it to Yamato.

[D-KLAC]

ep.9
so yamato don't want anymore model works cause more into mei with cause megumi slowly feel bit jealous side coming?

mei & yamato alone time with rings til yamato meet mei's mom had some talks all good.

days in usual til yamato meet kai again give now all taller & working-out cause want to get revenge but mei said that not right cause time changes indeed.

& seeing how kai notice person who try to get even just run away so move now get mei from yamato.

[NoemiChan]

God.. another problem.. Kai..