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This is basically a copy/paste when I replied to another user regarding Ichigo, so please don't take my seriousness seriously. :)

My take on the story
I really enjoy the story, it’s very unique and all the characters (side as well) were develop well. The characters I like in this series would be Nishino and Junpei. Nishino was even development more than Junpei through the series, the change wasn't rushed, everything was subtle and this includes her interactions with Junpei during the middle arc and up. Junpei (like all harem protagonist) is very dense, couldn't figure what "like" and "love" is

Aya wasn't perfect for Junpei at all, in a way, they’re a close reflection of each other, but that doesn’t mean they’re compatible. First the two don’t communicate very well outside of the topics of movies and novels. There were many misunderstanding between the two of them, Aya never clear up the problems until it escalated, like for example; her little brother going out with her to the festival and Amachi being around her. Junpei true attraction to her was the interest they shared, which is a good starting point for any relationship, but it never escalated further. She never pries more into his life and to understand him better outside of school related activities. She had 3 years to confess, but expected Junpei to confess to her like he did to Nishino (my speculation).
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Junpei like all harem protagonists, have a few common bad traits. There was insecurity and inferiority complex, which is displayed majority around Nishino. Like Aya, he doesn’t take the lead in his relationships with all the heroines. The subtle changes in his development were revolves around Nishino interactions with him. Example: First the break-up in 10th grade, when he couldn’t response to her feeling like proper boyfriend (had 2 other girls on his mind). The positive side of the break-up for Nishino/Junpei was a learning experience. Junpei kindness in the story overshadowed his greed for stringing all 3 girls along, he could not make up his mind, for who he love. This hold true, when he told Satsuki he had a girlfriend and only wanted Satsuki to still shower him in love, because she was the first to confess to him (he enjoyed that feeling).

Satsuki in realistic situation would have won over the majority of guys with her sex appeal. Her approaches toward Junpei were her downfall in their relationship. Why Junpei and Satsuki relationship wasn’t strong as the other girls; Like Aya, she didn’t understand Junpei feelings, her sexual approaches in their relationship made Junpei awkward, and she sometime vaguely hurt Junpei without intentionally knowing it. After all Junpei is a trouble teenager, who is trying to understand what “love” is and the differences between “like” is. Satsuki does have few good chemistry moments with Junpei, like talking casually with him on certain topics (TV, comedy etc...) and she did help and worsen his situation throughout the series. Indeed she got the short hand of the stick, without having a bias view on the matter, she has it worst because of her constant affection toward him and his unrequited response to her love (during the time Nishino become friends again and Aya was passive as always).

During middle school, Junpei/Nishino relationship was immature; he had someone else on his mind. After knowing that, she decided to still stay as his girlfriend, she only decided to attend another high school for few reasons: she couldn’t contend with Aya who had a stronger connection through her novel with Junpei, she didn’t have a dream of her own, and leaving a open space for either Junpei or Komiyama to get off the waitlist to enroll. Her break-up with Junpei, made him realize what he lost, which allow him to grow a little as a character and his interactions with Aya and Satsuki. With Nishino reintroduction back into the story, she and Junpei became friends again. From there on, all memorable, realistic, outside of school relationship began for them. She understood Junpei personality and reacted perfectly to them. Even when Junpei lied to the others, regarding her, she understood and played it out, even though it hurt her. Not stating she was going after him again like a mad girl, she was still reluctant on her relationship with him at first, but the protagonist always gets his girl back.
http://i22.mangareader.net/ichigo-100/66/ichigo-100-384038.jpg
http://i26.mangareader.net/ichigo-100/66/ichigo-100-384039.jpg

At first I thought Aya would win with “first girl” cliché rule. Reading this story overall as a series, instead of basing off each chapters, it was realistically that Nishino was perfect for him. For what Junpei missing in his life, she filled it and vice versa. She did what the other girls failed to do, she understood him. She tries to pry him to open up his feeling and problems instead of holding it all in. Taking him out on dates, clearing misunderstanding in her relationship w/ other guys (Higure and Okusa). She always made sure she to get the message across that she cares for him, but he was too dense to accepted this as anymore than friendship until she confess. Which clear all of Manaka insecurity about Nishino feelings towards him (ex. does she love him)? This was constant mind battle for the protagonist and the 3 girls in his life.

What many called sacrifice, on Aya's decision to go to Izumisaka, I see it as more for her own benefit and less for Junpei’s benefit. The reason for this is, Aya felt that if she went where Junpei was getting schooled, she would get to see more of the world Junpei dragged her in. I mean to say Junpei was her confidence, if Junpei wasn't there, she wouldn't have become popular or made so many friends. So Aya felt that if she got separated from Junpei, she was going to end up losing that confidence and revert back to being that same meek girl once again. This is evidenced when after Junpei rejected her Aya felt she couldn't even write her novels as she got her ideas thinking about Junpei and so they were narrowing down her ideas and this was pointed out by Amachi. Even, when people say that Junpei and Aya had the same dream, I don't think Aya had any dreams of her own, it was Junpei who pointed out her talents and then she started writing. If Junpei wasn't there, her writing talent would've most likely remained undiscovered. It was Junpei's dream to make movies and Aya just went along but it wasn’t her own dream.

Aya's writing for Junpei didn’t exactly help out Junpei in the long term and even Junpei realized it at the end that he was using Aya as a crutch that prevented him from walking upright. Nishino on the other hand always held out a hand of support to Manaka but wanted him to first try out things on his own just like how Nishino herself tried to be independent and at the same time wanted to be supported by Manaka and wanted to support Manaka but she didn’t allow herself to become dependent solely on Manaka and she didn’t like it when sometimes Manaka behaved like it was somebody else's problem and forced him to face reality or bitter truth or to be decisive but at the same time she did try to cheer him up and help him during his endeavors. She watched over him but didn’t interfere or help when Manaka seemed to be doing fine but did help when she felt it was needed. However Aya always got sucked into Junpei's depression and had almost no will of her own.

Junpei allowing Nishino to leave for France to accomplish her dreams is what a love one would do for the person you love. She always supported his dreams and now he can support hers. During their separation, he bettered himself, compared to before, to become a suitable lover for Nishino.

One moment I liked about Aya, it was during the end in high school graduation speech, she can finally move forward in life w/o depending on Junpei and his own ambitions. Even if Junpei film directing goal was a subplot to us readers, it was important to him in the story.

Hypothetically
I wonder how Junpei would of reacted if Aya confessed during the middle arc on parallel with Nishino.

In my opinion... Junpei would of lost his connection with Nishino, even though she establish her status as a "friend" during the beginning of the middle arc, Junpei at the time wanted to get back with her. Later in the arc, he was dense about Nishino feelings for him, because she mention, she will be going to France upcoming next year. After that scene, his relationship toward Nishino changed back to "friends", from there on, the author focus his attentions on Aya slightly more. Yes, so Nishino could of gotten with him again, but she was afraid of getting hurt again and wanted Junpei to confess with his true feeling (she mention it to Okusa). So this area might be contradictory to readers, when his attention switches from Aya (middle school) to Nishino (middle arc) and later (Aya/Nishino). Junpei might be dense, but he knows what happens, when he gets with Aya, he would lose Nishino, who had a stronger connection with him in the middle arc.

What up! I see your like Ichigo 100%, same here!

What your opinion on the series and the characters you like?

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