this is just my two cents but, i don’t really see the point in taking sides when the whole narrative takes its time to tell everyone’s side and explore everyone’s emotions in ways that don’t ultimately paint anyone as a good or bad guy. i’m someone who’s been in abusive relationships - mental and physical - and both of these characters are so believably sympathetic that i really think tanaka-sensei has experienced similar situations before. it’s hard to forgive yourself after a relationship like hayashida and yumi’s, no matter what side you’re on. for hayashida, it’s a bit more obvious. you feel like you can’t forgive yourself because you HURT someone you were supposed to love, and because you unfairly took out your personal issues out on others. for yumi, you can’t forgive yourself because you feel like you weren’t able to change someone for the better/couldn’t admit to yourself that both of you need to leave the relationship because you invested so much time in each other and it CAN’T end like this.
i think it’s totally valid to say you prefer one story/character to another, but to say that either one is irredeemable or stupid undermines the whole message that you can move on and be a better, healthier person for it.
disabled characters!! openly gay characters!! solid representation in both the main and supporting cast!!!