If I were to search for a series to compare Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi to, it might not be the most obvious one.  That would be Working!, and in fact I have compared the two – and I still think there’s common ground.  But even more, I think there’s quite a lot of Wotakoi in Senpai ga Uzai.  Most pointedly, in the relationships featured.  The details are quite different, but the dynamic is similar – the “B” couple is the much more natural fit.  And the more romantically accomplished.

I’d argue that this series is actually less conflict-driven and more overtly positive than either of those others, though it doesn’t ignore the challenges faced by the lead couple.  I had only one real complaint with Wotakoi, which is that for a romcom it had very little actual romance between the main pair.  The same can certainly be said here – so far at least.  But for whatever reason it doesn’t bother me as much.  Maybe it’s because in Wotakoi Hirotaka and Marumi officially became a couple relatively quickly, but rarely proceeded to act like one.  Futaba and Harumi (Narumi, Harumi – hmm…) are nothing like a formal couple yet, so their lack of pair-bonding tropes is more natural.

With Souta and Touko that’s not as issue.  They’re taking their time, but progress is pretty linear.  These two are one of those couples that look like siblings (she looks more like him than like Yuuto) – peas in a pod.  Her turning down a fancy dinner invitation to go slurp ramen with him is just another indication that it’s everything but in name at this point.  Souta is getting the hint that inaction on his part is a dangerous course, though, and invites Touko to the aquarium (the Japanese seem to consider aquariums and theme parks the ultimate romantic date locales).

As for Igarashi and Takeda, what we’re seeing is much more like an evolving friendship.  That feels fine for them – maybe because their absurdly mismatched statures make imagining them as a couple kind of difficult.  He’s such an amiable doof, with nothing better planned for Golden Week than staying home and working out.  Her plan isn’t that much better really – cleaning house and doing yoga – but that gets waylaid anyway when she gets freaked out by a (yoga-themed) horror movie.  She calls Harumi just to hear his voice?  Yeah, that’s pretty telling.

This whole thing is a bit tropey – which is a danger for this series – but I did like the fact that after hearing how Igarashi sounded on the phone, Harumi rushes right over.  He’s gallant, to use an old-fashioned term – he always defaults to doing the right thing whenever anything unexpected occurs.  I don’t know if what follows counts as romantic – it honestly doesn’t feel romantic.  It feels more warm and safe, two people slowly becoming pals who feel most at ease in each other’s company.  Romances – and long-term relationships – have been built on far shakier ground, to be sure, but I’d forgive you if you’re not seeing fireworks.

Another kinda tropey thing is Touko basically getting nampa’d every time she’s left alone in public – sure she’s cute as hell, but it’s sort of ridiculous at this point.  But it’s another nudge to Souta (the dude, not the dolphin) to formalize things, and Touko is never shy about dropping anvil-sized hints.  The couples ticket thing and “she’s mine” are just ambiguous enough to be- well, ambiguous.  But these two feel like a couple in every way whatever they’re calling it, and the next step always feels like a matter of when, not if…