I was worried the show might just drop this plotline or retcon it. I should have had more faith, because after that tiny scene in Episode 9 I can say Koito is/was definitely in love with Ai. And it was probably mutual. I’m not going to lead into this one much, but heres a list of the ‘evidence’ to convince you. Just going to go chronologically here. By the way, notice the constant push / assumption of heteronormativity by characters especially later on.
When Ai enters the school we immediately see white lilies. A funeral flower but also the symbol of yuri in Japan. Very subtle.
Kurumi asks Ai if she ever had a boyfriend, to no response. She says best friends are forever, but you can break up and end things with a boyfriend.
Koito is the one who got the closest to Ai, entering her bed (safe space and bubble) immediately. She compliments Ai on her heterochromia, which is the same thing this show uses to later indicate Sawaki’s interest in Ai.
This shot. And then the hug where I’ve seen multiple people think they were going to kiss. She asks to be ‘best friends’.
A tear drips down from Koito’s face and Ai swallows it.
Ai’s sandals in the opening theme.
People on Reddit were having fun with this one so I’ll include it; Ai being thrown into the closet by the Wonder Killer and Ai hiding in the closet while the girls are bullying Koito.
Their picture in the ED, which seems to be a reference to Ai-Ai Gasa (two people sharing an umbrella as a symbol of romance) - it’s red, too.
First time Ai is suggested to have a crush on the teacher, and thats why she’s a shut-in. Ai says no, it’s because of Koito. Rika then tries to say Ai only was friends with Koito for her beauty, which makes her mad. But she was pretty.
Ai says if Koito had only told her about her plans, she would have agreed to die with her. And earlier on she is horrified seeing them in the classroom together, though maybe anyone would be.
Just this shot with the billowing curtains and breeze.
In episode 5 girls for the second time gossiping that Koito has a crush on the teacher and was even dating him. This is their immediate assumption, of course - and this actually aligns them with the bullies way of thinking / assumption she was looking for ‘special treatment’.
The entire run of Punch Drunk Day (episode 6) being about Ai and the teacher, where the girls now suggest again that Ai is also in love with the teacher. They play with this the entire episode until the end where Ai finally declares – she’s going back to school.
Now this great scene. Ai again just assumes that her crush is on the teacher, of course. But this time it seems somewhat weird and hinting at something. They play what is effectively a ouija like game (don’t know the cultural context here sorry) asking if Koito’s crush likes her back. The coin says yes and it makes Koito happy. The entire time we don’t see her face, which makes me think she was looking at Ai smiling and not the coin.
Ai has likely never considered that Koito could have liked her, or she could have feelings for Koito. She has low self esteem in the first place, and with her idealized view of Koito probably felt lesser-than. There’s also this angle of heteronormativity here - there’s constant gossip about how they must love the teacher. He’s attractive and all the other girls at school like him so they must too. Ai has probably deeply internalized this. When characters insist so heavily on something being true yet there is a mystery going on - they’re probably wrong.
This interview with Wakabayashi after Episode 1.
Anemoneria (their music group) is said to be relevant with flower language on the website. The four meanings of Anemones are: 「はかない恋」「恋の苦しみ」「見捨てられた」「見放された」// “Fleeting love” “The pain of love” “Abandoned” “Forsaken”. I have my own small theory each of these correlates to a specific girl, and there’s two romantic meanings.
My favourite little pun is if you put their names together like this KoitoAi; it can be read as love and love. 恋と愛
2087
gummygunk
ellievsbear
andulkaphoto
snowghoul
jbbartram-illu
