Kei and Hikari
2 April 09
S.A.
Special A, I’ve discovered this anime series quite late on tv5. I wasn’t able to start the series; I think the episode I first saw was episode 16 or something. It’s almost nearing the end of the series. However, I immediately fell in love with the series despite not being able to watch the first episodes. The series is so wacky, funny, and romantic all at the same time. And I really like the characters especially Kei Takishima, one of the main protagonists in the series. I can really relate to him, we’re alike in almost all possible ways. He’s cold, quiet, stoic, mysterious, confident and devoted independent teen who sneers a lot, and can be a bully. I on the other hand, also quite cold, mysterious, stoic, devoted but I don’t sneer and I’m not a bully. Well he’s actually the bully.
It’s a story of rivalry and how you find love in it. Hikari is a daughter of a chief carpenter who’s been brought up to be almost good at anything she gets into. From sports to academics and anything she could want to be involved with. Her father is an avid wrestling fan who’s friends with Satoro Takishima, the Chairman of the Takishima Group who is also Kei’s father. Satoro introduced Kei to Hikari and thus began the rivalry between Kei and Hikari. Hikari challenged Kei to a wrestling match only to be beaten up badly by Kei. Since then, Hikari had sworn to herself that she will never give up until she beats Kei. She even enrolled at Hakusen Academy, the most prestigious school in Japan just to tail Kei.
In Hakusen, Kei is the top student in the whole school and Hikari is second. Kei loves to call her Miss Rank Two. The top seven students are called S.A. However, unknown to Hikari, Kei has been in love with her since they were kids. A known fact that Kei doesn’t deny and that six of the other S.A. members are aware of. Hikari, being the dense that she is, couldn’t even notice Kei’s feelings towards her despite his cool and cold bullying manner to her at times. He never did try to confess to Hikari because he knows she won’t understand it.
I did have almost the same experience in high school. We didn’t have an S.A. class with only the top seven students, but we did have a star section wherein I and this boy were members. There’s this boy who’s not from my neighborhood but became my enemy or rival in academics, sports and extracurricular. We weren’t the first and second in the whole school respectively. During freshman year, he was actually ahead of me. He was fourth while I finished sixth during the end of the school year. But it wasn’t until we were in our sophomore year that things started to heat up between us. He became really talkative and annoying. He’s bursting with confidence like he’s the most handsome and most intelligent teen around in school. During sophomore year, things turned around in favor of my side. That’s when I started to beat him in academics, sports and extracurricular activities. I finished fifth and he was eight I guess. We were like cats and dogs. Always barking at each other every time we cross paths. I don’t know what’s wrong with him but it’s me who he teases a lot and bullies if you might call that bullying. He really was getting to my nerves then and I almost hated him for that.
While Kei and Hikari were childhood friends, I and that boy weren’t. The foundation of Kei and Hikari’s relationship friendly or romantic is so well cultivated, that they came to know and trust each other really well. Unlike us, we just met on our freshman year and we didn’t actually become close or become friends for that matter. But like Kei, I sadly ended up developing feelings for that boy. And like Kei, I’m devoted to him to the point that when he needs help I’m there always. Like Kei, I never got the nerves to confess because I’m sure the feelings not the same. But unlike Kei, Hikari loves him but she just doesn’t know how to deal with it. Like Kei, the girl he loves is so dense that she notices the unimportant things and not the important things. Like Kei, I was and am a martyr. Like Kei, I become extremely happy when he shows even the most minor kindness.
I’m Kei you see and he is Hikari. He didn’t actually challenged me to contests then, but we constantly argue as to who is better and more clever. He kept on insisting that he’s better than me at anything. He pisses me off almost everyday of our high school life as classmates. Like Hikari said to Kei, Kei was the most irritating but the most intelligent person she ever met. I must admit, that boy was and is way better than me in numbers or in Chemistry and Physics. But I am and I was way better in others. And it’s a fact that he’s the most irritating person I’ve ever met, but not exactly the most intelligent until now. Although, he did have some similarities to Kei when it comes to being proud, bossy and loves to annoy me.
In the end, Hikari sees Kei as not only a rival but a special friend and the person that she loves. And that she will also protect him at all costs. Kei on the other hand, has long been in love with Hikari. And that he will stop at nothing just to protect and help her. Me, I’ve been truthful and helpful to him. I have always regarded him as someone special since junior year. However, he doesn’t see me the way like Hikari regards Kei. Unlike Kei and Hikari who treats each other in a special romantic way, we don’t. So we’re not going to end up like Kei and Hikari who found love along the way of their rivalry.
Even though how much hope I have, it’s never going to be like it. We’re never going that way, not like Kei and Hikari.
