Neku, Beat, & Josh were all bitter towards the world because they felt like they couldn't be understood. Shiki stood out from them in that she outright wanted people to perceive her in a different way than she actually was.
It's interestingly ironic since she's the most accepting & empathetic out of the whole group. She's more than willing to encourage others to open up so she may understand them, & yet, she's very unwilling to show her "true self" out of fear that she's not good enough to be cared about in return. It shows how unworthy she feels in comparison to those around her. She even puts herself down at several points, subtly or not.
She was patient with Neku, gentle with Beat, & she'd likely be kind with Joshua. But she believes she's not like them. She shouldn't be herself. If she were, it'd expose just how unimpressive she truly is. Nobody would like her & her friendships would fall apart.
However, as good as her intuition is, she's very incorrect about that. Eri, who's apparently a large source of her self-hatred, adores Shiki. Claims to be nothing without her. Neku, a guy who hated humanity & pushed everyone away, warmed up to Shiki in a matter of days because of the cracks in her façade revealing someone he could have better respect for. He outright says he likes her as she is & to discard the notion that she has to be like Eri.
Shiki - insecure lil Shiki - caused a domino effect that led to the city she dreamed of basing her future in being preserved. It was Neku who proved Joshua wrong in the end, but it was Shiki's influence that inspired Neku to become better to begin with. She's simply that amazing.
Sadly, being able to change & befriend the previously uncaring Neku didn't fully clear her doubts. This led to the telling question, "Once you see the real me, will we still be friends?"
"Count on it. You'll always be Shiki," wasn't something she expected to hear in return.
I theorize that during the ending, she was only mostly shown & not completely because her arc wasn't finished. It symbolizes that her journey towards self-love has not yet reached its conclusion. We can't see Shiki at her (literal) fullest until she's ready to accept herself.
NEO is where that changes. She's living out her dream, being herself down to a fashion sense that might seem tacky to others, but feels cozy to her. It's what she feels about herself that matters, after all, & she's finally acknowledging it. This is why I like her new design.
Shiki used to base too many of her feelings on how others may or may not feel about her, but now that she knows she's good enough, she can be confident in whatever she does. Wear sneakers with a dress & oversized cardigan, then top it off with large, nerdy glasses? Sure, why not! She even succeeded in starting her fashion brand with flying colors. Now she can simultaneously make herself & others happy! Sad as it is that Eri didn't show up alongside Shiki, it goes to show that the seamstress can be iconic even if her bestie('s appearance) isn't involved.
Also, contrary to popular belief, Shiki's not shy. She was awkward when it came to herself & her needs, but was loudly eager to befriend & aid others. She was mostly super capable of putting her foot down when she felt disrespected. That strength can't be faked. It's no persona.
Shiki Misaki's bountiful optimism & compassion already helped her stand out. She never needed to be someone else to shine bright.
When we finally get to see her eyes, we note that they're big, beautiful, & brown like Eri's, but with a different hue. Shiki's hue. 💚
I hated Neku for choking Shiki tbh. Shiki should've forced Neku to take his underwear off as well as his shorts as revenge.
Very random thing to drop in my inbox, but I understand the distaste for Neku after that. The situation wasn't exactly black and white, however, and I'll dump an analysis you didn't ask for under the cut (since the writing is so good and deep, I can't resist not keeping it brief).
What I will say in Neku's defense is that while he didn't know Shiki very well, he knew the Reapers were out to get him and she could've been luring him to his demise in secret (Uzuki did the same, didn't she?). It's easy to manipulate others when you paint yourself as someone who only wants to help while staying quiet about your own thoughts and motives. You can give others a false sense of trust, which was later shown with Joshua. Didn't do Shiki any favors that, as she herself acknowledged, she wasn't open about why she kept using her phone despite them being unable to contact anybody / only being able to receive messages from the Reapers. Neku was aware that she was being a hypocrite by hiding something before Uzuki said a word, hence why he blurts, "And you yell at me for keeping secrets!" and thinks, 'She's covering? What else does she have to hide?' later down the line. Shiki also knew far more about the Game than Neku when they started, which could've raised suspicion that it was something she'd been part of for a while.
While the underwear thing could've been funny to some, I'm glad Shiki didn't do all that. Not only would that kinda be sexual harassment (which is wildly out of character for someone as polite and modest as Shiki), but it'd show that she's the type to hold grudges (which goes against the fact that she's super forgiving - sometimes naively so). It'd paint her flaws in more of an ambiguous light, and the fandom already tends to mischaracterize her.
All in all, Neku's not a bad guy, but one who struggles with letting people get close to him out of a deep fear of it harming him later, which is amplified by both his amnesia and remembering the vague feeling of having a close friend suddenly die. Shiki's not a petty gal, but one who struggles with miscommunication that ends in situations not getting any better, which is proven by how she's outwardly fond of Eri even if she's inwardly hurting after their "falling out." Both characters are deeply troubled, but those problems didn't prevent them from improving and befriending each other. That's amazing.
This ship was once my favorite in the world. Due to the age discourse, I kinda fell out of it for a while, but then I embraced the mindset of, 'Joshua's age is not concrete and totally up to interpretation.' For that reason, I don't mind who he's shipped with. In the end, I still have a soft spot for it.
Neku and Joshua are undeniably an interesting pair. Yes, their relationship starts off as toxic, but Neku subtly inspired Josh to change for the better in the same way that Shiki previously did for him. Even after everything was said and done, Neku remained believing in Josh. Remained trusting in him, and still liked him enough to extend an invitation for him to hang out casually. That's more than anyone can say about someone who put them through hell. Then in NEO (after Josh's "I don't need him" line in A New Day, no less), Joshua's quick to rush in and help his city specifically because he saw Neku struggling. He cares about his world because of Neku - the boy he once saw as the embodiment of every flaw in Shibuya.
Neku is everything Joshua needs in a friend. He's got faith, mental strength, and can also challenge Josh's "don't give a crap" attitude and push him to do good. On the other hand, Neku has a friend he can relate to deeply for the first time since the traumatizing death of his previous best friend.
They are the lonely god and the healing mortal. The message behind this ship is so powerful once you take the time to analyze it, and that's part of the reason I've loved it ever since completing the first game.
Currently my favorite ship of all time!!! I adore this pairing so much. I always compare it to candy - cutesy and sweet; almost sickeningly so. I feel like it's pretty heavily implied to be canon (though I know canon doesn't really matter when it comes to enjoying ships).
This ship encapsulates doomed yuri to the letter. I mean, think about it. The amount of potential for angst and then comfort later down the line is insane. Coco very clearly adores Tsugumi ("darlingest, dearest" ... "my dear, sweet Tsugumi" ... I know what you are) to the point where the fairy princess would more than willingly play knight in shining armor to her princess, even if that involved murder. She spent literal years trying to find a way to set her bestie's Soul free, and when she finally found a solution, she didn't let the nigh impossibility of pulling it off deter her. That's some crazy dedication, especially when you consider Coco doesn't seem to really like anyone. She's... well, a bitch but she's Tsugumi's bitch.
The two girls heavily contrast each other. Tsugumi is softspoken. Coco is loud. Tsugumi speaks in a proper manner. Coco speaks like a valley girl. Tsugumi is polite. Coco is feisty. Tsugumi dresses casually. Coco dresses in clothing that forces her to stand out. And yet, for all their differences, they're confirmed to get along very well. Tsugumi is even able to bring a softer side out of Coco, which nobody else can do nearly as easily. Not to mention, both of them went through traumatic things that led them both to stain their hands with blood (consciously or otherwise). They can heal past the dark times together while still remaining lively and fun.
They frequent Hot Topic and Claire's. Shopping is easily their favorite past time. They have a huuuge collection of plushies that they make kiss from time to time. I imagine they care for a garden as well, treating the flowers as their babies. They bake many sweets together because it relaxes Tsugumi and Coco's sweet tooth is massive. Also, almost every night for them is like a sleepover - pillow fights, makeovers, dress-ups, cheesy movies, the whole shebang. The party never dies with these two.
It's definitely cute, don't get me wrong. I could picture Beat developing a crush on Neku even if he doesn't fully realize he has one. However, I think I lean more on the "they're brotherly" side. Not that a romantic relationship wouldn't be the most precious thing!
Given Beat seemingly grew a quick fondness of Neku during the week they were partnered, even going so far as to express his deep insecurities to the guy (who was an absolute prick not too long ago, mind you), I think it's safe to say Beat considers Neku something of a safe space. I can guarantee there are things he expresses to Neku that even Rhyme doesn't know about. The fact that Beat is immensely devastated after the events of A New Day, subconsciously dresses like Neku to the point where he's mistaken for him, shows awe and utter joy at Neku's return, and is ready to rock Coco's shit immediately upon seeing her again for Neku's sake, all after only spending a few weeks around Neku at most? That's strong love, platonic or otherwise.
I could see the two of them introducing each other to new music (courtesy of Neku) and new food (courtesy of Beat). Neku never stops being amused by Beat's "idiotic" antics - in fact, he finds them kinda charming. He and Rhyme come up with so many inside jokes over them, not that Beat's all too aware that they're teasing him.
If they do develop into something romantic, I could see it being very "no homo, bro" in the beginning. But it's totally homo and everyone knows it, especially Shiki and Rhyme. The girls know even before the boys do. The boys are absolute dorks when it comes to one another. It's almost cringey, but an endearing cringey.
My partner's actually the reason I started liking the pair! I can definitely see where it comes from, seeing as Beat also looks like a character in EleStra and he's way more likely to show interest in Nagi than Minamimoto.
True, Nagi thinks Beat's a bit of an idiot at first given he's similar to the goofy Fret. However, unlike Fret, Beat is honest with his emotions and has no trouble expressing them, which Nagi has deep respect for. Also, the fact that Nagi doesn't mind Beat calling her nicknames despite her disliking them in general is cute.
I could totally see these two being a gamer couple. Beat introduces Nagi to more action-filled games whereas Nagi introduces Beat to sims. They go to conventions in EleStra cosplay and nerd out over things together. Nagi also helps Beat work out and Beat tries to help build up Nagi's noodle arms (so she can hold swords comfortably, of course). It's a work in progress.
Given Nagi's strong sense of emotional intelligence and empathy, I imagine she can help Beat overcome his moments of weakness. She's there to lift him up when she knows his parents are making him down. In turn, Beat helps Nagi let loose and embrace a sillier side. Rhyme is very grateful Beat met her and will occasionally hack EleStra in secret to ensure Nagi gets good gacha pulls to show it.
