Tags: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Harem, Slice of Life, School Life

(This review will contain spoilers)

A tale of the Side Characters’ Romcom intensifies!

As Side Character reaches its third volume, Yuuji has finally entered a stage of becoming a so-called “normie.” Not only has he managed to make some new friends in the student council and Asakura, who aren’t afraid of him, but he’s also got two girls, Touka and Kana who are acting all lovey-dovey over him.

How can I be okay after you told me I was attractive?!

Hasaki Kana (Page 26)

Hey, guys! Is my boo here already? Yuuji-senpaaai!”

Ike Touka (Page 41)

Sugary scenes are rife within the beginning of this novel with both girls going out of their way in order to show affection to the one they love, much to the dismay of those looking in from the outside. This is paired greatly with the innate sense of comic undertone the series strives for. With two women vying for the same man, there is ultimately going to be a rivalry and jealousy felt between the pair, something that Yuuji has no interest in trying to stop whether it be on purpose or due to his at times dense nature. As a result, a lot of comedic bickering ensues whenever the two girls are together. Whilst on a friend meet up, they constantly try to get one up on each other whether it be trying to score the most strikes in bowling or who gets to sing the most songs with Yuuji at Karaoke. Their cries are usually ignored by Yuuji and he ends up just bro-ing it up with Haruma instead.

Alongside all the flirting, the author, gives us some development on the date front as well. Each of the two girls get their own date chapter. Touka’s development leads towards more opening up between the two as she learns about Yuuji’s past and his relationship with his father. They also end up on the council trip together leading to a wonderfully set scene as the two end up stargazing together. Kana’s date takes place at a tennis tournament and unlike in the previous volume, she’s able to overcome her past problems in order to win the competition. She’s the character that has developed the most from the previous two volumes, here we see her finally come to terms with her feelings and is actively pursuing what she wants from life, in this case it happens to be for Yuuji to return her feelings.

The main body of the story however, concerns the third and final possible love interest, Makiri-Sensei. Yuuji finds her drunk one evening and safely escorts her home. Whilst there he finds out that Sensei has been having trouble living up towards her father’s expectations. He’s recently been pressuring her to attend potential arranged marriage meetings in order so that he may see a grandchild. After hearing this, Yuuji is all too happy to lend her his ear so that she may talk about her troubles with him. This is almost as if he’s returning the trust that she had in him in the past back to her in kind – an especially poignant moment given that she was one of only a handful of people who went to bat for him after he was almost expelled. Makiri and Yuuji as a result of this, end up spending quite a bit of time together, whether it ends up being him looking after her when she gets drunk after an argument with her father or whether their trying to hide from people in a hot spring leading to her opening up about her past.

I wanted to please him, you see… wanted him to be proud of me

Makiri Chiaki (Page 157)

This all leads towards a good amount of incremental growth between the two, there is now a certain level of trust and intimate sharing that they can only do with each other, which is certainly a good place for potential romantic feelings to grow. I suspect, it is this that leads Sensei to the decision that Yuuji would be a good candidate as a fake boyfriend in order to get her father off her back.

It’s all a matter of perspective!

A matter of perspective and the weight of expectation are some of the main themes of the volume. Originally, I thought that maybe this volume would explore a theme of fatherhood, however as time went on through the novel I could see that it was more focused towards the different perspectives of certain events. When it comes to Yuuji and his father, after his mother left due to divorce there were a large number of tensions between the two that culminated in a fight, one that Yuuji thought had irrevocably destroyed their relationship. However, this fight brought perspective to both characters, unwilling to continue their rash behaviours they both decided to change in their own ways and as a result could come together and fix their relationship. I wonder whether in a future volume we don’t get to see Yuuji’s mother and perhaps even a reunification of both is mother and father’s relationship.

For Makiri-Sensei, it is clear in the “meet the parents” scene that her father loves her and is trying to do the best for her. However, it is evident that he’s been stuck in the past and has forgotten that his daughter is a fully grown woman. With Yuuji standing up for her and what she means to him as a teacher, she is finally able to move from underneath her father’s shadow and clearly define a path for herself, both as an adult and as a teacher.

That’s why, as a teacher, I can proudly proclaim that I don’t think I’m taking the wrong path in life. I want to continue doing what I do, and I want my students to respect me and my choices in life!

Makiri Chiaki (Page 191)

I feel as though this scene is very similar in a way to which the “time leapt” teacher romcom approaches this subject. Although, I believe that this version is much better done. There are a lot of better parallels between the two main characters here, their problems with their fathers and the ways in which both characters have risen to their expectations and managed to exceed it.

Sensei’s love is finally blossoming?

After Makiri’s father gives her his acceptance of her choices and permission to possibly find that one “true love,” they finally head back into town. Here we have both perspective of events with Makiri’s being a particular treat. It seems that through Yuuji persistence in trying to help her and his strong feelings for her as his teacher, she may finally have gotten her wish to fall in love for the first time. Now, with her feelings for Yuuji strong in her heart, I can only imagine the chaos that’ll ensue when the other two girls realise that they’ve only got more competition.

Generally, I think that this volume of Side Character is the strongest of the three so far. There’s a good balancing between the drama, comedy and lovey-dovey moments and I feel as though there is some really great chemistry between Yuuji and Makiri, although this may be because I have a bias towards romcoms with older love interests. From the small teaser of the fourth volume, it seems as though it’ll be very Touka focused, so I look forward to it.

Just as an aside, I have to talk about that one extra story “Generational Gap.” Oh boy is that something, I’m not sure whether I should love it or criticise it only I’m not sure how much I love the word “pogchamp” being used here.