As of Episode 3 of My Candy Love University Life I’ve noticed something. Something that I don’t think most fans have either.
Candy, the supposed naive and stupid character we control, who as of UL is apparently being petty, immature, rude, and a horrible person because of some of her actions and lines in the game...
During the games, High school season Candy goes through a lot of things, from the school turning on her during Castiel's arc, to trying to save Nathaniel from his toxic family, to Lysanders amnesia, Iris blackmail, Armin and Alexy’s family, Kentins rebelling, and even Amber.
She’s the one having to help these people, she’s the one who gets snapped at for caring and at least trying to do something about the issues. Yet the game never ever really shows the effect this had on her, sure she cries when Castiel and Nathaniel snap at her during their arc, but where were the permanent repercussions afterward. Where was her not fully being comfortable with Melody, Kim, Peggy, Iris, and Violette after they all but turned on her, they only apologized because Lysander gathers them to do so. Castiel being forgiven I can at least understand since he suffered from the events in many ways like Candy.
Nathaniel also apologizes like Castiel over the manner and while it may be the players choice to forgive him, where was the scenes of candy hesitating over certain actions or dialogue with Nathaniel because of his actions prior.
Armin and Alexy place Candy in the middle of their family drama and Kentin even snaps and can break up with candy over his rebellious arc during this time.
Candy can comfort Rosa, Iris, the boys, Lucy, Peggy, even frickin Capuchine but it’s almost non-exsistant for candy, it happens, but it rarely does and is hardly ever the focal point when it does.
As of UL though Candy to me as seemed off...
More short-tempered, more depressed, hell more tired really.
Everyone blames her for the lost of contact, yet she even states Rosa forgot to return contact with her, Communication is a two-way streak it doesn’t solely fall on her to try and maintain it.
Everyone seems to be trying to push her to be romantically interested in Hyun or Rayan, and i mean everyone even when in the event Candy had an ex, it’s obvious that she still cares and pines for them.
Nathaniel oh god Nathaniel, i never romanced him, I was and still am a Castiel girl. But he was one of my candy’s friends, she cared about him. His change of persona obviously hurts candy, especially when she is his ex. It really hurts and bothers her, she still loves and cares for him it’s obvious on his route ending in episode 3.
Rosa and Alexy’s brushing off of Armin and Lysanders past relationship with candy, also bad, it demeans what candy had with those boys, even though they should note that she obviously is still pining and cares for them.
Clemence is her boss now yet she has been nothing but horrible to Candy and implies things about her that just demean candy as if she has no opinion over the matter, as if she can’t be friends with Hyun or that she is no more then a bother because of Hyun trying to train her.
Yeleen, oh god I do not like her. I like her design, I thought she could be interesting, hell I want to try and befriend her.
But she’s a total bitch. Yes, Candy isn’t being kind towards her but even when candy tries, it makes yeleen’s LOM goes down. She literally does not care for candy, and that fine... But when the girl claims to not judge, I call bull!
She judges Chani, she judges Candy, if you have candy tell her to return the Castiel poster she’ll condescendingly state that she doesn’t care about the poster because she already got one from Castiel prior, and that candy doesn't know the real Castiel even though she went to school with him. Do you know how that must hurt Candy, who’s seen Castiel at his worst, who possibly romanced him even and got to see almost all sides of him.
At the end of the night if you stayed at the part she gets all surprised and if you ask me, her line feels judgemental but that could just be my bias i will admit, should candy admit to being attracted to the same gender. As well as bringing back up the bed sheet issue that occurred back at episode 2, even though it is established to be accidental she brings it up implies in front of rosa that it was on purpose and tries to start an argument over the subject leading to Rosa stating she rather not deal with the matter.
That whole skit with the dumpling is what really made me realize what was happening though, you have the option to make candy feel depressed and lost after coming in to see her friends laughing joking and smiling with one another and the one girl who has been nothing but rude and angry towards candy. Yes I know and even I would hope candy would know that the world doesnt revolve around her, but when it seems everyones just mad at you, or even against you and you’re just trying to find comfort in others can you really feel that when it seems no one is there to notice that. Rosa does, but while she comforts and tries to reassure candy should candy snap at yeleen she and everyone will stare at her as if she’s done something wrong, sure she snapped that can be mad, they ask whats wrong but does anyone actually try to talk it out, talk it over see what made candy snap, no... they brush it off to party and candy is left to muel over it in her mind.
The alcohol issue to me now feels more like an escape tactic... Candy being shamed for not partaking, or even seeming to be forced by the game to drink feels like it a way for candy to numb herself.
Maybe im over thinking it, maybe im trying to find reason behind a game and character that everyone wants to be mad and hate on right now...
But i honestly feel candy is depressed, that she’s breaking, she’s trying to be the character we’ve always seen and played yet the more the story has gone the more and more cracks seem to appear... and i honestly feel bad for her if that is the case. And hope we can have an arc to help her through it, have characters actually help candy over her feelings, over her issues, over her support instead of just watching this girl be picked on, and other opinions and perspectives over her be shoved upon her.
But... what do I know... I just hope this can get the fandom to better evaluate the series and candy...
Because she may not be perfect, but at least in some ways she’s human... she’s not just some doll for us to control and project ourselves on, because she obviously is flawed in many ways just as we are.
But this is just my opinion, and it doesn’t need to be right, it just... needs to be expressed.
