Ooops I did it again... (Recovery of an MMO Junkie)

db0ssman

Spoilers for Recovery of an MMO Junkie Anime

I wrote another post about how when reading If It's for my Daughter I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord, that there was a scene that despite knowing what the author was trying to convey, I couldn't help but sympathize with Dale's perspective I might be too old for Light Novels... (If It's for My Daughter... Part 3 discussion)

I guess I did that again while watching the anime Recovery of an MMO Junkie. I could see the reasoning behind how the comedy of errors was set up. Moriko rejects going on a date with Sakurai because of her social anxiety and the fact that she would rather spend time with Lily (who is actually Sakurai). Then Koiwai decides to help set up Moriko and Sakurai by going on a date with her. Then the game and guild members are such a good influence on Moriko that she gets the bravery to not only go on the date, but also actually put in a lot of effort for it. It also gives Sakurai a chance to compliment Moriko in a deeply meaningful way. After the date, she that she confides in Lily her feelings about everything.

From Sakurai's perspective, though, it had to have been one emotionally devastating event after another.

After a chance encounter with his IRL crush, the incredibly introverted Sakurai finally gets up the courage to ask her out. Despite making himself emotionally vulnerable doing something he probably rarely does, she rejects him. Oof!
Next, he finds out that his friend who is popular, confident, extroverted, basically strong in all the ways that he lacks asks her on a date and she agrees. Oof Oof!
To take his mind off his insecurities and rejection, he goes online to spend time with his digital crush/friend but slowly comes to realize that the online friend is the IRL crush. So, he basically has actually been rejected by both his online and IRL crushes. Oof Oof Oof!
Through a series of coincidences, he realizes that Moriko made a mistake on the day for the date with Koiwai, and so he rushes off to see her, so she doesn't think she is being stood up. When he gets there, he finds that she went to the nines for her date. Went through a ton of effort. So not only was he rejected by both his IRL and digital crush, but she was so excited about seeing the guy who represents all the insecurities about himself that she spent a ton of time and effort for the date. Oof Oof Oof Oof Oof!
They go on a date on Kowoi's suggestion and as Lily, he gets to talk to his online crush about how it went. Her response is that she is super glad to have gone on a date with Sakurai because it will help her be a better date with Koiwai. KO!

No wonder Sakurai ended up so devastated afterward that he avoided going online to see her. I'm sure at that point he probably felt lower than mud. The story, though, tries to play it off like he just doesn't want to because it would be awkward since he knows her real identity. This does make me curious if the mangaka that made the series is a man or a woman, but I couldn't figure it out. I'm basically curious if this is a case where the author put in a lot of their insecurities about dating as a man or if it is a result of just wouldn't these coincidences show just how fated together they are (but no real thought as to how it would be terrible to be a guy in this situation).