Shipping Thread!

[keemew2]

Oh, believe me, I don't expect anyone new like that showing up anytime soon. And if someone new did show up early, like say....in the next few chapters, I would suspect her as being a double agent for the badguys trying to get to Yukio for their own purposes. As Rin's brother he could be viewed as key to getting to Rin, or possible the weak link they need or something. I'm actually worried about that happening. I've been worried about it for about two weeks now when it first occured to me.

[NeeNee]

I wonder if we'll really see Rin and Shiemi on a date. If we do, I guess that pretty much settles it.

Unless Kazue is planning to surprise us.

[Wikkelsoee]

^ Or maybe Shiemi'll just see it as a friendship date?

[Paradox]

^ I would bet on it. I think, we will see a lot of funny misunderstandings.
I'm surprised that I'm looking foward to seeing Shiemi in a dress at the festival. Rin in a suit is hot anyway, but Shiemi in a dress is unusual. In case there is a dress code of course.

[NeeNee]

^ Or maybe Shiemi'll just see it as a friendship date?

She would, but it still tells us something about the writer's intentions.

[NeeNee]

Okay, so Kazue did surprise us. Shiemi asked Yukio for the dance, but he refused.

I suppose this is a sign that the love triangle thing won't get resolved any time soon. Or should we take it to mean that romance will be playing a bigger role from now on?

[Anya]

I think that shipping-wise it was a red herring. Shiemi invited Yukio for the dance but the truth is, it wasn't romantic at all.

[NeeNee]

Even if it wasn't romantic, it does show that Shiemi doesn't care all that much about Rin. Or rather, she does care, but she's not really thinking about him. Last time in the Impure King arc, she was beating herself up because she hadn't noticed Rin's depression, but now she's doing the same thing again: not thinking about his feelings. It's not even that she's purposefully ignoring them, the question just never enters her mind. I mean, did she consider he might want to go to the party too? She must know he doesn't have many female friends. Did she even wonder what he wanted to ask her (you know, when he came running to her table all out of breath) at all?

[earthforge]

Agreeing with Anya here. As usual, Shiemi makes her decisions based on helping her friends - not out of romantic desire.

Even if it wasn't romantic, it does show that Shiemi doesn't care all that much about Rin. Or rather, she does care, but she's not really thinking about him. Last time in the Impure King arc, she was beating herself up because she hadn't noticed Rin's depression, but now she's doing the same thing again: not thinking about his feelings. It's not even that she's purposefully ignoring them, the question just never enters her mind. I mean, did she consider he might want to go to the party too? She must know he doesn't have many female friends. Did she even wonder what he wanted to ask her (you know, when he came running to her table all out of breath) at all?

I think she just doesn't notice romantic shit. Hell, she doesn't even notice when someone is insulting her.

Shiemi only invited Yukio for one reason - because Yukio has been acting tremendously out of character. She notices this because she's been around Yukio for several years. She wanted to use the concert to make him feel better. Nothing romantic about that.

She's only known Rin for half a year. She's never dealt with any other guys. Of course she doesn't notice the signs that he likes her.

Once she does know about it, she'd probably feel very upset. But up to that point, she's simply oblivious and is imposing her skewed views on the situation. I can't blame her for that since none of the other characters has sat her down and had a talk about this.

And case comparison: to someone oblivious to interpersonal relationships, a total meltdown of a friend is far more obvious than amorous advances of an associate.

[NeeNee]

^ I'm not even talking about romantic implications. If she wants to go with Yukio just for fun, it's not such a stretch to consider that other people might want to go for fun, too.

[Anya]

I think she just doesn't notice romantic shit. Hell, she doesn't even notice when someone is insulting her.

Yup, that's Shiemi.

And case comparison: to someone oblivious to interpersonal relationships, a total meltdown of a friend is far more obvious than amorous advances of an associate.

Well said.

^ I'm not even talking about romantic implications. If she wants to go with Yukio just for fun, it's not such a stretch to consider that other people might want to go for fun, too.

It's not Shiemi's job to give people fun time. There's something wrong with Yukio and she wanted to cheer him up whereas Rin looked cheerful until she told him about Yukio.

[NeeNee]

^ It's not Shiemi's job to give people fun time, but if she's calling Rin her friend, it wouldn't hurt to consider his feelings once in a while.

Instead, she hurt him. Again. I know she doesn't have much experience, but she better learn fast if she doesn't want to lose the few friends she has, because right now she's making Rin suffer more than anything.

[Anya]

^ She's a very good and caring friend, just a horrible girlfriend material, for now.

It's not like she doesn't care for Rin's feelings, she is not aware of them.

[keemew2]

That's one of the problems with typical Shounen female characters. They don't go into a lot of thought about everyone. There purpose is to suit the authors needs at the time, and if it muddles their character a bit, so what? That's one of the reasons I like a good book more often. People think more clearly and the author (usually) sticks with strict guidelines to keep all characters within the realm of plausibility. Shiemi's obliviousness to others feelings on some occasions, as apposed to others, is continually changing.

[Grieves]

I'm surprised to not see Rin/Yukio in the poll, I was under the impression it was the most popular ship by far.