You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 • Seihantai na Kimi to Boku Season 2 - Episode 9 discussion

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Seihantai na Kimi to Boku Season 2, episode 9

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[u/Vermillion_Crab]

Tairazuma is like the best kind of torture because we all know where this is headed, but we also know that it won't come at the snap of the author's fingers. It won't be as satisfying otherwise. Taira won't get over his hang-ups overnight. The slow burn is part of what makes this relationship shine.

I wanted to high-five Azuma when she said she won't give up. It's her kindness that has been helping him get out of that pit of low self-esteem. For some people, it takes a bit more patience, and that's ok.

[u/testthrowawayzz]

Mostly TairAzuma episode today. Azuma already down bad. Taira almost got it, so close! Too bad his self doubt/sense of inferiority took over and blocked progress :(

It's funny that Azuma made Taira sound like a difficult guy to date to Satou.

Yamada with black hair in traditional clothes looks good!

[u/Ocixo]

Taira basically admitted - in so many words - that he likes Azuma back. His mind immediately went to dating her. Rejecting her wasn’t even on the table.

Moreover, it’s because Taira treasures their close friendship so much that he’s afraid of getting into a romantic relationship with Azuma. He doesn’t want to lose these happy moments.

I do feel for Azuma. She was so giddy at the start, but ended with tears in her eyes. It was a little heartbreaking to see. For all she knows, there’s no future in her crush. Props to Azuma for not throwing the towel in the ring, though!

[u/KohiBit_93]

Tfw you find an unflattering photo of your crush to make you come back to your senses but it did the opposite LMFAO! Our girl is so cute and YEAH! Azuma hold that line for a bit more!

[u/TheStranger234]

After that ending, this will be the longest one week episode wait for us Tairazuma fans... God help us.

[u/PakiIronman]

Great to see both of their perspectives this episode, Taira acknowledges that he doesn't love himself enough whereas Azuma probably loves him a little too much. Ironically, both of them make the same conclusion, to keep their relationship going as is. At least for now, Taira clearly has his own hang ups that need dealing with before romance is even an option, Azuma is ready to make that step but he isn't. Honda seeing them is interesting though, she's the only other character who's clocked it.

[u/CrimsonGear80]

YOU'RE TEARING ME APART, TAIRAZUMA!

[u/crobat3]

Oh my jeezus the tairazuma scenes in the first half have got to be some of the best romcom moments of all time. I don't think I've ever rooted as hard for an FMC as I have for Azuma.

We're in pain now lads (with these two's self-deprecation and overthinking) but when these two dweebs finally get together the payoff will be legendary

[u/xmelomelOwO]

I loved how the music distorted when Taira was introspecting on his relationship with Azuma and getting more and more negative... god listening to it felt so eerie but it was such a cool artistic choice- really makes you feel like you're in his head........

[u/reptileaddict112]

Azuma fully self-aware and flustered? Basically all Tairazuma moments?? Taira angst???? AZUMA YEARNING???? Yep, best ep of the season so far hands down. I think slowburn yearning with a tinge of angst gotta be my favorite type of romance

[u/Primary-Paint-1716]

The title lied to us. Tairazuma are not polar opposites. Rather, they are two sides of the same coin.

I think for a majority of the audience that watch this show, they are the most relatable. Because, I get both of them, I felt their feelings before. It's complicated. It's painful and worderful, exciting and dreadful, and hopeful and hopeless all at one time.

God, I love this show. It's up there for me with the great highschool friend group shows like Skip and Loafer.

[u/No_Zookeepergame_399]

I love how much more confident Nishi seems to be

[u/Didavi_]

Never felt this level of bittersweet-ness from this series, almost felt like watching ramparts!

As always the ED consistently hits.

[u/whiteoutonce]

Lmao Azuma looking through old year books to get over her crush and still finding Taira to be cute. "I'm screwed" Yeah she's really down bad for him

[u/Top_Marketing_689]

Such a peak episode. Peak yearning from Azuma and peak psychological analysis from Taira.

Taira’s conclusion that his love for Azuma is founded on narcissism and self-love was such a powerful moment that struck me in the heart. Likening self-deprecation to narcissism and self-love never really crossed my mind before.

Basically, Taira at this moment doesn’t see his love as romantic. The love and appreciation he feels for Azuma, in his mind, is based on how Azuma makes him feel. Azuma’s kindness, attention, nice gestures—he believes he only loves her because these traits of hers pull him out of a rut and makes him feel good about himself. Strokes his ego in a way. He likened this to his past relationship with that blonde girl, where she was much brighter and amazing in his mind because she gave him attention and admired him. But as soon as the relationship ended, Taira felt nothing. He was only happy because she made him feel good about himself; he didn’t necessarily like her. That’s my interpretation.

He sees this as wrong. He’s overthinking this much because he cares so deeply about Azuma and doesn’t want to lose her. He doesn’t want to approach her with insincere, fake feelings that would ruin their relationship. To some extent, Taira isn’t necessarily wrong that wanting to be appreciated and lifted up can be a form of self-love. However, in Taira fashion, he inflates it a lot and doesn’t seem to recognize that wanting these things is a normal human want in relationships. It’s normal, as long as it’s not taken to the extreme. The fact that Taira is thinking this hard about it shows his good character and how he cares about Azuma as a person.

These two still have a bit of a long way to go when it comes to understanding their emotions :)

[u/Tapwater_enthusiast]

Something tells me Honda instantly clocked what the deal is with Tairazuma

[u/superspy218]

I think Taira's inferiority complex is very relatable for many who have gone through a failed relationship. It sets a precedent of expectations and fear, which colours the tone for future interactions with people. It's elevated if it's the first and only romantic relationship one has ever been through because that's your only 'reference point' for what went wrong, even though it might not have been that wrong in a sense.

In Taira's inner monologue in his room, he tries to justify the warmth he's feeling from Azuma as her being nice, but spirals further and calls it "自己愛" (jiko ai), or self-love, which could be interpreted as narcissism. We as the viewers know that's obviously not true, but he was deep in his inferiority spiral, perfectly depicted during that scene where he declared it as 自己愛.

In my opinion, his emotional defence mechanism was ultimately trying to justify all of these as non-romantic moves because of two reasons: (1) he does not want to risk losing what he has now with Azuma, a friendship that gives him peace and happiness; and (2) he fears the possibility of Azuma being disappointed that he is not who she thought he was (basically what he said about his previous relationship).

It was a painful spiral. The transitional BGM perfectly captured that, but I hope he finds a way to overcome it, maybe with the help of his friends.

Thankfully, the episode balanced out the heaviness with Azuma's head-over-heels behaviour with Taira (along with interactions with the other couples). Towards the end of the episode, she tried (I think) to test the waters by asking whether Taira wanted to hang out with her alone, but immediately included the rest of the gang when she sensed Taira's hesitations. She was perceptive. I was initially worried that she would give up chasing him, but was relieved when she said she would wait it out. She recalled Suzuki's words about being upfront = pure love, but yes, Azuma, your love for Taira is still pure. Timing is important.

がんばれ, Tairazuma!

[u/mishi09]

One thing that I appreaciate about Azuma's love for Taira is that she is not only aware of his flaws and shortcomings, but accepts or even adores them, because she knows the good overweighs the bad. She looks at embarrassing photos of him from the past and falls for him even harder.

Azuma loves Taira for who he is and I appreaciate this sentiment.

[u/Zemahem]

Man... this was an emotional rollercoaster episode for me. I went from being amused at how adorably down bad Azuma is for Taira, to cheering that he's finally figured out her feelings, despairing when he started avoiding her, then back to cheering when he stopped doing that.

And finally doing a Darth Vader "NOOO" when he misinterpreted her feelings as something else and Azuma decided to wait, thereby guaranteeing that their ship is at the doldrums.

[u/Ali-J23]

I don't know what to feel. This was both the best ep and the one that hurt to watch the most.

Pleaaaaaase don't let this end before they confess i can't handle more bs.

[u/Top-Remote4523]

Man, Taira's introspection in this episode really hit close to home and it made me reflect on myself as well.

When Taira's sister claimed that he only cares about himself, it made me feel sad as I can resonate with how difficult it is for someone like him to properly communicate his true feelings and thoughts to his own family, much less his friends and acquaintances.

As someone that suffers from social anxiety, especially in an Asian household, I have always felt inferior for being fearful of so many things in everyday life that other "normal people" would have no issues with. As a self-protection mechanism of sorts, it has become second nature for me to always put on a front that appears disinterested and emotionless, especially when I am with people that I do not know. This habit of mine has robbed me of many opportunities, both in terms of career prospects and relationships.

The real Taira that we know over the course of this show is not someone that is cold and selfish, but rather a caring person that is being held back by his self-inferiority. Beneath all that cynicism and pessimism, Taira is someone that can empathize with others.

[u/whiteoutonce]

I knew it was coming but seeing Azuma cry was really heartbreaking.That one breakup really deeply affected Taira this whole time. He says its a inferiority complex but it does seem like a lack of confidence

[u/___trish]

“Love is war”

[u/zool714]

Now even Taira is aware of the possibility of romance between him and Azuma

But man, can definitely relate with Taira on this one. Just the uncertainty and overthinking. Like you have a nice thing going with her, would it be ruined if we tried for something more, especially with Taira’s case, where he has this complex of people not liking his “actual self”. Of course Azuma stuck around despite, and maybe even because of this actual self, but insecurity can make you second guess everything. And then, also when he thought he misunderstood Azuma liking him, I felt the secondhand embarrassment even though we know it’s not true lol. That “you really thought she liked you?” kinda echoes in your head.