Warning: The following contains minor spoilers for A Condition Called Love by Megumi Morino.
Joining Crunchyroll’s Spring 2024 lineup, the anime adaptation of Megumi Morino’s A Condition Called Love (Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai) was initially a very highly anticipated series, but since the release of the first episode, it seems as though the anime has been surrounded with nothing but controversy. While some are disappointed that the production value of the series isn’t higher, there is a far more vocal argument happening among fans right now surrounding Hananoi as a character, and whether his relationship with Hotaru perpetuates a toxic relationship.
While the first episode of A Condition Called Love doesn’t paint its male lead, Hananoi, in the best light, with his persistence to continue pursuing Hotaru after she gently let him down raising red flags in many fans’ heads, many are missing out on an important detail regarding the series’ plot, and the character arcs Hananoi and Hotaru must go through to be in a proper relationship.
While he initially seems a little pushy and misguided, the source material proves that Hananoi’s character arc focuses on unlearning toxic traits like love bombing, and much like Hotaru, must learn how to properly be in a relationship and love another person.
At a glance, it’s easy to write off Saki Hananoi as being too intense, and love bombing Hotaru into being in a relationship with him. However, this is actually a core part of Hananoi’s character arc, and something that the series gradually explores and challenges as the pair’s relationship develops. He’s intentionally set up to come across as being unrealistic, something that Hotaru also points out in the beginning of the series, way before agreeing to date him at the end of episode #1. While many seem concerned that Hananoi could potentially be a static character and never change, or that the series could potentially just use the standard trope of Hotaru “fixing” him, instead, Hananoi’s personal growth and development is sparked from within himself.
Hananoi learns, over time, that his feelings and intentions when pursuing Hotaru are rather selfish, and comes to understand what it really means to unconditionally love another person without expecting anything in return, romantic or otherwise. Something else that A Condition Called Love‘s manga beautifully illustrates is a lesson on how one shouldn’t use a relationship as a means to cure their own loneliness. As the series continues into later chapters, and Hotaru and Hananoi learn more about themselves and each other, they come to understand that while it is a wonderful thing that they feel as though they “complete” each other, as it were, that they should also continue to challenge one another, and to continue growing and changing as individuals.
Perhaps one of the most important key details when analyzing Hananoi as a character, though, is realizing that his attitude towards relationships and his anxious attachment towards Hotaru stems from a deep-rooted trauma that the manga handles extremely well. Hananoi’s past is a major catalyst for the way that he behaves early in the series, and while it isn’t explored until much later, it makes it clear that he’s an incredibly complex individual who’s treated as such by the story.
While episode #1 of A Condition Called Love may have caused a divide among fans of shojo romance, and left a bad taste in a few potential fan’s mouths; the series is filled with promise, and if the anime adaptation manages to properly handle Hananoi’s character arc, it could potentially be one of the best written romance series of the Spring 2024 season. Those interested in seeing more of Hananoi and Hotaru should also pick up the original manga, which is available in English through Kodansha.
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