Kimi Ni Todoke in my mind had always been the quintessential definition of the shoujo manga. I hadn’t actually read it, but based purely on vibes it looked like that. But once I started actually reading Kimi ni Todoke it was so much better than I expected. Once Kazehaya and Sawako are a couple, the manga turns into an excellent reflection on how uncertain the future can be. And it also made me love Pin so much more than I did.
Pin started Kimi ni Todoke as a side character who I thought was funny, but not much more. However, once the conversations of the future came into play he became a vital player. The main cast are all worrying about their futures and their relationships and as they go about it Pin is being nothing but supportive of them. He understands how important these moments are for the main cast, but he also is pushing them along. All the career meetings have an impact on the main cast, while also being just great moments in the story. Pin pushing Sawako to really ask herself what she wants to do without ever forcing her to go somewhere. He understands they are wavering in their feelings, but gives nothing but support to them. The little moments where Pin shows he truly cares about these kids made me love him so much.
This arc understands how fulfilling being a teacher or mentor to someone can be. Pin’s biggest reflection on being a teacher is when he says “You kids are so silly. You do weird stuff. It never gets old… over three years I see you change in what you think about and what conclusions you come to.” He enjoys teaching because he enjoys seeing these kids meander and question their futures. Between the moments of genuine interest in guiding the main cast towards the futures they desire, he always makes sure to make note of one specific thing. He always makes sure to remind the cast that it’s okay for them to make mistakes or to shoot for the moon. They’re still kids at the end of the day, so they can still be kids. And I think that’s a vital thing for him to mention. He wants the best for these kids, but he also wants them to come to the decisions of their own accord.
You can see this the most with Ayane who is really struggling with whether she takes the recommendation and stays with Kento or goes for broke and applies for a school in Tokyo. Ayane and Pin have always had the most interesting dynamic, but here it really shines. Ayane is lost among her thoughts and feelings, but Pin always shows up at just the right time to put her back on track. I love his rant at Ayane that ultimately culminates with the line “Make sure you regret a lot more.” It’s such a perfect encapsulation of how Pin navigates the world around these characters. He wants them to come to their own conclusions, but even if they go off and regret it then it’s fine. Life will still go on. Time will still flow for the world. Nothing in life will be without some hint of regret, but that’s okay.
I always come back to a line Naoko Yamada said about Tamako Love Story, a film that is functionally very similar to this arc. She describes the time of career paths and college choices as “Standing at the entrance to the universe” and it’s such an incredible summation of that time in life. There is a vast expanse in front of all the characters in Kimi Ni Todoke, but Pin is there to tell them it’s okay to just start walking in a direction. It’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s okay to go off on your own and seize your own fate. The whole universe is ahead of you, so why limit yourself to just one narrow path?
While reading this arc, Pin really began to encapsulate how I want to be as a teacher and how I somewhat am at my current job. I work with a lot of teenagers and I try to be the best I can at just letting them follow their passions. They’ll mess up or steer themselves wrong, but ultimately they are still moving. Pin cares about his students, but also makes sure to remind them that they are just kids. That even if they mess up it’s fine. That’s just a part of life. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing them going after their passions with their full power. Their immediate future may mean everything to them now, but it’s just a stop along the journey. Their lives won’t be ruined by shooting for the moon. They still have support around them to go for broke and reach for what they aspire to be. And I think that empowerment is incredibly necessary for lifting people up to be their best selves. 10 times out of 10 I’d rather someone follow their passions because it’s always such a marked difference in living when things feel important and have meaning. Writing this feels good to me because it’s something I care about and had a strong reaction to. I saw Pin guiding these kids along and was so happy to see it. It’s good drama for the story, but it’s also so important for people to read. Life isn’t broken by singular decisions, but by resigning yourself to an unfulfilling life.
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