Oregairu Musings

With the final of Oregairu Zoku only a few days away and Volume 11 of the light novel on the verge of release I decided to share some of my musings on the main characters of Oregairu. Oregairu is a series about the relationships between people and these relationships are dependent on 3 factors. Understanding of self, understanding others and being understood. Each of the main characters in Oregairu exemplifies one of these themes, and struggles in the others.

 Hikigaya's strength is his sense of self. Hikigaya is very sure of who he is and what he wants. This attitude was probably formed in response to his various rejections in middle school as a kind of defense and was cultivated as a result of  his isolation during his hospitalization in his first year of high school. As Hikigaya says himself he really wants to understand others. He is constantly observing people and looking for the meaning behind their words. However as Hiratsuka-sensei points out he is unable to read what is in peoples hearts. Where Hiki really fails is being understood  by others. People often think Hikki is an uncaring and rotten individual. He is actually quite considerate of other people, even willingly sacrificing himself to spare others.    

Yui's greatest trait is her ability to be understood and accepted by others. Yui has always been a popular girl and she has continued to be so by going along with group. This however has lead to Yui lacking a strong personality of her own. In order to maintain peace she forfeited her own desires. After meeting Yukino Yui has decided to start paying attention to her own needs. Yui only has a very surface level relationship with her "friends" in class and doesn't truly understand them. She is trying to change this with her new friends Hikki and Yukino. 

Yukino is great at understanding other people, she has spent most her life living up to the exceptions of those people. Yukino's ability to read people, as well as her belief that people should confront their own weakness has lead to people believing her to cold.  The one thing that Yukino truly desires is to be accepted by others, as herself. Not as Haruno's sister and not as a daughter of the Yukinoshita family, simply as Yukino. Yukino's weakness, is her lack of her own identity. Yukino is caught within shadow cast by her family, particularly her sister. She cannot make a choice without being compared to her sister or being accused of trying to differ from her. She wishes to be accepted for herself but she is not even sure who that is.


The members of the Service Club each have their strengths and weaknesses, and the compliment each other perfectly. Hopefully they will continue to support one and other and grow as individuals as they try to forge something genuine.

Oregairu Zoku Episode 13 airs Friday June 26 2015.
Oregairu Volume 11 releases on Wednesday June 24 2015.