>>150083523
I actually found Lucy... not likeable, exactly, but certainly sympathetic. She examined the self-abusive, perfectionist anxiety at the root of tsundere-ism in a way that's surprisingly rare, considering the archetype was codified and popularized by Asuka "KinderUberSoldat" Langley. Like, yes, someone who's terrified of rejection, obsessed with how others see them, and has no-one they're willing to confide in WOULD spiral and implode once they encounter failure or setback. The fictional characters are exaggerated for dramatic effect, but the good ones have a relatable, tragic core of reality.
But then Lucy came back, and while she's still a mess of anxiety and misplaced aggression, she doesn't seem to experience any actual consequences for it. Even her suicide attempt left nary a scratch on her, and while we're TOLD that her family worries about her and won't let her be alone, she keeps going out alone. The subtext has shifted from "Lucy is emotionally unstable and it's damaging to her and her relationships", to "Lucy is emotionally unstable and it's Mike's fault and will all be fixed once she has the right boy".
I could go in to what nuances/realism the rest of the BCB cast had and how they lost them, but it's late and I'm tired. Suffice to say that it sucks to see a story flatten out and stop making sense.
