The scene (THE scene) with the eyes. He is not only devastated at losing her, but he also feels betrayed. Betrayed that she left him. Betrayed that she didn’t tell him, of all people, anything about her leaving. After all that they’ve been through, how could she do this to him?
With the relationship that they had, he expected more.
And the fact that he called her “Gorilla Girl” at the end killed me. He misses her so much.
But you know what? Raku took their relationship for granted, and he has for such a long time. They’ve been acting like lovers, and at this point, their relationship is like that of lovers, without the acknowledgement that they actually have romantic feelings for one another. Raku has been receiving the benefits of being in a relationship with Chitoge without committing himself to her.
That’s why he expected more from her.
That’s why he feels betrayed.
Because now he realizes that Chitoge never owed him any of that.
And when you look at it that way, it’s not nearly as shocking when you realize that this scene looks like a boy crying over his girlfriend who broke it off with him. Because that is essentially what Chitoge has just done.
YO. Guys. Remember when I made this post about the electric pain I sometimes get when it comes to ships? And remember when I made this post and mentioned how I wanted more angsty love goodness??
WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOME THINGS.
In Nisekoi 211, after Chitoge overheard Onodera’s confession, I literally thought, “I’m okay with this. This kind of angst could work!” I could imagine all of the stuff that could happen as a result of Chitoge learning the truth.
But then Nisekoi 212 happened. And things were getting good, then things were getting “meh” when Chitoge said she would tell Onodera that she also liked Raku. Then she hEARD RAKU SAY HE LIKES ONODERA. MY OH MY. Then it got GOOOOOOOOD. My heart breaks for Chitoge. But this is the kinda angst I was hoping for. YES.
Guys. In chapter 212, I got that electric feeling again, in my chest. It wasn’t super strong, and it didn’t quite reach my fingertips, but it happened. And that was when I knew that this arc was going to be the angst that I was waiting for. And then CHITOGE DISAPPEARS. LIKE WHAT? I WAS LIKE YGG. SET THAT ANGST IN MOTION (although I did find it odd that she would have left school/Japan just because of Raku liking Onodera...like but ok it’s a story I’ll play along lol).
But BOY was I in for a shock when I read Chapter 213. (Spoilers ahead.)
Because when I first looked at the raws, and I got to THAT PAGE. You know the one. The one with the devastated expression on Raku’s face. The one where he’s on the verge of pain and tears. My gosh I have nEVER SEEN a face like that in Nisekoi before. Those eyes looked so pained it looked almost out of place in the manga entirely. I literally paused and gasped when I got to that page because I was so shocked and surprised by the amount of detail and emotion I was seeing.
And then I read spoilers. And then I read a translation. And then I read the translation inside the raws. And even though I knew what Raku was going to say and what he was going to look like, it was still painful and shocking. I still got that electrifying pain. In fact, I felt it in my chest, fingertips, and my toes. It was that intense, seeing it all together.
I am SO looking forward to this angst. To seeing Raku’s devastated state some more over Chitoge’s absence. I am so in. And so excited. And I just had to let you all know.
Raku has nearly the same reaction in both situations. lets compare the scenes/panels
83
175
Key differences
Raku pictures Kosaki marrying an attractive (and probably rich guy who is blond?) guy.
Raku can’t even picture who chitoge would like
Marriage to someone else vs just being with someone else
Raku’s reaction to Chitoge liking someone and being with someone else is actually stronger than the reaction in 83
hitting head on floor with no indent created in 83 when running a “what if Kosaki was marrying someone else” scenario
hitting head on the wall with such force that he leaves a large indent/crack in it in 175 when picturing Chitoge with someone else after hearing that she does like someone.
It’s been an entire nearly an entire year school term wise between these two panels.
The reaction in 83 is to a what if scenario of Raku asking himself what he would do if Kosaki was marrying someone else
The reaction in 175 is after Raku hears from Chitoge that she likes someone and pictures her with the mystery dude she likes
eyy, i read your analysis on nisekoi 174 so i was wondering do you think raku likes chitoge? i dont really think he feels that way for her just yet because he still likes kosaki, at the very best he has feelings for both but like i said i dont quite see it yet though there were some good indicators that he likes her before the whole ''best friend'' shit. because of that while i'm hyped by the chapter i dont see much coming out of it, so what do you think?
Hi there, she-was-abandoned!
Heads up because this gets kind of long. xD
When I first read your question, I immediately thought, “Of course Raku likes Chitoge!” But then I paused and thought about it some more, and I realized that it might be more complicated than that. Although, that might just be because I’m thinking too deeply about it.
When I say I’m thinking too deeply about it, I mean I start to think way too realistically and start contemplating “What is love?” baby don’t hurt me type of questions.
Is it possible to like someone without realizing it? I used to think so, at least when it comes to literature. This is what I thought was happening with Raku.
But we know that Raku says that he likes Onodera. Before I would have said that Raku’s feelings for Onodera weren’t…genuine (for lack of a better word). I would have said that he loved the image of her that he had in his head. I would have said that he didn’t really know her. I would have said that even as he started to get to know her, he was already attached to his feelings for her.
But because Raku says he likes Onodera, doesn’t that mean that he does? And he says he doesn’t like Chitoge in that way, so does that mean that he doesn’t?
What exactly is it like to “realize” you’re in love with someone? I’m a firm believer that your lover should also be your best friend. I suppose that’s why I’m not upset about the whole “best friend” thing. I actually see it as progress on Raku’s end.
Being someone’s best friend means you share the strongest platonic bond possible with them.
The fact that Raku recognizes this says a lot about him and Chitoge’s relationship, and it shows how much he actually cherishes her. Now, it’s possible that Raku just simply mischaracterized what he was feeling for Chitoge because all he can tell himself is “I like Onodera.”
But either way, things are looking good for Chitoge and Raku. Their relationship is strong enough to stand on its own without the “crutch” of romantic feelings. They can hang out and have fun as friends. The only thing left is to take that last step into a romantic relationship.
Now, you say that there were good indicators that Raku liked Chitoge before the “best friend” thing, but none of that has changed. Those indicators were not erased. They still exist/happened. The only thing that’s changed is that Raku isn’t consciously thinking about it anymore. Basically, I think that he labeled her his best friend so that he would stop worrying about it. I think it’s only a matter of time before that concern comes back.
With the recent developments in the chapter 174, it could happen soon. Raku might be concerned about who Chitoge likes, or if this would change things between them. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts over-analyzing everything she does and thinks, “Is this for the person she likes? Is she trying to impress him?” when actually she’ll probably be trying to impress him and he won’t even realize it. And then someone will probably say something to him that makes him think about what he feels about her…again.
So now I’m just going to forget about the philosophical stuff and I’m just going to spit out what I think about what’s happening in the story.
I do think that Raku likes Chitoge. He just doesn’t realize his feelings yet because he’s blinded by his “feelings” for Onodera. His feelings for Onodera began a long time ago…in middle school, I think?
Back then, he didn’t know her. He never really spent time with her. It was basically just a crush that he had on the pretty quiet girl in class. He built up this image of perfection for her and continued to crush on her. When you admire someone for so long, it’s easy to maintain those feelings of infatuation, especially if that person is in close proximity to you.
When Raku actually began spending time with Onodera, he learned more about her. He learned that she wasn’t perfect (mainly just the cooking thing to be honest), but he still idealized her and everything she did. He still saw her with the same lenses that he saw the Onodera that he never knew.
I think he’s a little better at not doing that now, but like I said, when you hold on to feelings of infatuation for so long, it almost becomes like a habit, and I think that Raku is afraid of letting go of those. Liking Onodera is comfortable and familiar to him.
But I think that we’ve seen time and time again that Raku’s feelings for Onodera may not be as true as he believes (such as when he has to remind himself that he likes Onodera when he’s with another girl).
Whereas when it comes to Chitoge, Raku seems to do things without thinking about them. He runs to her rescue whenever he thinks that she needs him, even if that means leaving behind Onodera (i.e., the test of courage, which in itself is symbolic). It’s like when it comes to Chitoge, Raku has tunnel vision without realizing it. He’ll do nearly anything for her, even working himself to the point of physical exhaustion just to see her smile with her mother. He isn’t concerned about anything else when it really comes down to it.
Yet, when the tables are turned and he’s with Onodera and not Chitoge, he finds himself thinking about Chitoge out of nowhere (i.e., the Romeo and Juliet play).
He likes being around her. He cares about her. He wants to see her happy and safe, and he’d risk himself to make sure that happens. He puts her own well-being above his own.
I think that the circumstances surrounding their current relationship is another wall that Raku is hiding behind. Similar to him holding on to his feelings for Onodera, he holds on to the fact that the romance between him and Chitoge is fake. It’s all for show, they’re just acting.
I think that what will happen next will help progress their relationship further, because it will leave create a gap in the walls that Raku’s hiding behind. Now that Raku knows that Chitoge like someone (he won’t think that it’s him at all), he will be forced to recognize Chitoge’s love as something other than fake.
He’ll see that she is capable of liking someone. He’ll actively realize that she is a girl. He’s acknowledged her beauty and femininity before, but it’s never lasting. (I think he buries it for the same reasons I mentioned above–it’s easier on his subconscious to think that he only likes Onodera.)
Hopefully this time, it’s something that he won’t push out of his consciousness so that he can actually face his feelings for her. Shuu, the most perceptive person in the series, already tried getting him to do that (and honestly, if Shuu thinks that Raku likes Chitoge, I’m going to believe that it’s true). Now that we’ve reached the “best friend” stage, though, there really is no where else to go except for “lovers.” So the next time Raku contemplates his feelings for Chitoge, I think we can expect it to be the real deal.
Sorry for the very long, rambling response…it’s probably more than what you asked for, sorry, lol. Also, it’s been a while since I last read the manga, so I could be remembering things differently (if so, feel free to let me know). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this, even if it is probably a mess. xD
