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BWTraveller · 2017-06-10, 16:09

I'm going to be picky on this one since its motivation is strange. I've been thinking up a story for some time now. Probably won't ever make anything of it besides a fun imaginary novel to think about on my own, but I still want to flesh it out.

What I'm looking for as sort of reference is stories in which a girl starts out really serious about one guy. Maybe they're dating, maybe they've gone out a couple times and are likely to become a couple, maybe she's super-serious and trying to find a chance to confess. Whatever the case, there's another boy who's incredibly important to her, even while she's pursuing/dating the first guy. Eventually she dumps the first guy or quits pursuing him and either falls in love with the main guy or realizes that she's been in love (or it's even left unclear which). One of the big things though is that this switch happens in a way where either the main hero has trouble believing her feelings or he has trouble trusting her, so that he continues to have a strained relationship with her.

Note: I'm only looking for a story with ONE shift like this. I'm looking for a girl who starts with a shallow girlhood crush (see smitten teenage girl on TV Tropes) and realizes something different. In series I've seen where a character starts with one lover then ends with a second, the portrayal often gives the image of someone who started out with a slightly-superficial romance or not really understanding what they wanted before finding their true love; in series I've seen where a character jumps from love to love they appear shallow and fickle and flighty, not the sort of character I'm looking for.
The closest I can think of to this is Guyver, but in that one the girl made it quite clear how her feelings were changing, especially after her first love vaporized half a town of innocent people.

Since I'm looking for a little help figuring out how this sort of thing might work, manga beats anime and light novel beats manga, but only translated LNs.

AnimeFangirl · 2017-06-11, 19:07

Off the top of my head I can only think of Maison Ikkoku, where the heroine is

Spoiler:

Much of the drama on her part is about her

Spoiler:

Haak · 2017-06-12, 09:10

Toradora fits the bill though the main male character is also in the same boat.

Glexygoddness · 2017-06-21, 14:10

Golden time seems to fit very well with the description, I think you would enjoy it

Sackett · 2017-06-29, 12:06

The concept of "second love" is actually a very common one in Japanese literature and song.

Toradora and Golden Time are the obvious ones.

It's also a theme in Takahashi stories, like Maison Ikkoku and Ranma 1/2 (Akane's shift of interest from Tofu to Ranma).

Maybe Adachi's manga H2 would be a good reference as well? And Cross Game has this with the boy developing a second love.

Actually, Touch, while not an actual case of this has a perspective that might be useful. Since everyone thinks the girl should like one guy, while she prefers his brother.

Bakamonogatari has this for the guy as well, though I suppose it's not the main focus.

2017-06-10, 16:09	Link #1
BWTraveller Born to ship Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Texas	A girl moves from serious about one guy to the main boy I'm going to be picky on this one since its motivation is strange. I've been thinking up a story for some time now. Probably won't ever make anything of it besides a fun imaginary novel to think about on my own, but I still want to flesh it out. What I'm looking for as sort of reference is stories in which a girl starts out really serious about one guy. Maybe they're dating, maybe they've gone out a couple times and are likely to become a couple, maybe she's super-serious and trying to find a chance to confess. Whatever the case, there's another boy who's incredibly important to her, even while she's pursuing/dating the first guy. Eventually she dumps the first guy or quits pursuing him and either falls in love with the main guy or realizes that she's been in love (or it's even left unclear which). One of the big things though is that this switch happens in a way where either the main hero has trouble believing her feelings or he has trouble trusting her, so that he continues to have a strained relationship with her. Note: I'm only looking for a story with ONE shift like this. I'm looking for a girl who starts with a shallow girlhood crush (see smitten teenage girl on TV Tropes) and realizes something different. In series I've seen where a character starts with one lover then ends with a second, the portrayal often gives the image of someone who started out with a slightly-superficial romance or not really understanding what they wanted before finding their true love; in series I've seen where a character jumps from love to love they appear shallow and fickle and flighty, not the sort of character I'm looking for. The closest I can think of to this is Guyver, but in that one the girl made it quite clear how her feelings were changing, especially after her first love vaporized half a town of innocent people. Since I'm looking for a little help figuring out how this sort of thing might work, manga beats anime and light novel beats manga, but only translated LNs.

2017-06-11, 19:07	Link #2
AnimeFangirl Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The dog gossips too much.	Off the top of my head I can only think of Maison Ikkoku, where the heroine is Spoiler: a widow who is still not over her late husband. Much of the drama on her part is about her Spoiler: learning to let go and not feel guilty about falling in love with another guy. __________________

2017-06-12, 09:10	Link #3
Haak Me, An Intellectual Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Age: 33	Toradora fits the bill though the main male character is also in the same boat. __________________ MAL \| AnimeSuki Choice Awards 2020 Winners

2017-06-21, 14:10	Link #4
Glexygoddness Goddess of uselessness Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Mexico	Golden time seems to fit very well with the description, I think you would enjoy it __________________

2017-06-29, 12:06	Link #5
Sackett Cross Game - I need more Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: I've moved around the American West. I've lived in Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Oklahoma Age: 44	The concept of "second love" is actually a very common one in Japanese literature and song. *Toradora* and *Golden Time* are the obvious ones. It's also a theme in Takahashi stories, like *Maison Ikkoku* and *Ranma 1/2* (Akane's shift of interest from Tofu to Ranma). Maybe Adachi's manga H2 would be a good reference as well? And *Cross Game* has this with the boy developing a second love. Actually, *Touch, while not an actual case of this has a perspective that might be useful. Since everyone thinks the girl should like one guy, while she prefers his brother. Bakamonogatari* has this for the guy as well, though I suppose it's not the main focus. __________________ Cross Game - A Story of Love, Life, Death - and Baseball. What more could you want?