u/Nepo-Narcoleptic

I just think the idea of this manga being in the same universe as Homestar Runner is funny.

I love how Kinugawa still has the angry popping veins on his cheek, lol.

For a while now, it's bothered me exactly why Shikimi is so in love with Okaya. Considering how distrustful she is of other people, it baffles me how she could be so smitten with such an obvious psychopath.

Granted, you could claim she only liked him for his looks and wealth, but I disagree. When she looks at her text history with Okaya, and realizes how one-sided their text conversations are, she's genuinely crushed, and too scared to ask him for the truth. You gotta admit, that's a lot more than you'd expect from a typical gold-digger.

So I've actually come up with a theory that I think would explain why she likes him so much.

While browsing the Maria no Danzai wiki, I found a tweet made by Kazuki. In which he states that Shikimi sees herself as the protagonist of a Shojo manga.

https://x.com/kazuki_com_/status/1720379713108181005

Now, it's totally possible that Kazuki was simply joking around. But if we were to take this tweet at face-value, things start to fall into place.

One the most common traits among shojo heroines is their ability to inspire and redeem others. Specifically healing the troubled male lead through her love. I believe this is how Shikimi views her relationship with Okaya.

Shikimi thinks she's the only one who truly "gets" Okaya. She doesn't necessarily want to redeem or change him, but she thinks she's the only one who sees the "kind" man he is behind his cool, aloof exterior.

I also theorize that Okaya, manipulative creep that he is, would lean into that intentionally.

Okaya would make Shikimi think that she knows a side of him no one else does. A vulnerable side. If you want a comparison, think of how the Joker manipulated Harley Quinn into loving him by portraying himself as the victim. Telling her fake stories about how his father abused him and whatnot.

I wouldn't go as far as saying Okaya made himself look like a poor, innocent victim like Joker did. But he pretends to let his guard down around Shikimi. Tells her things that (as far as she knows) he's told no one else. Most of them either being exaggerated, or straight-up lies. He makes her feel special.

I think this would make Okaya look like even more of a despicable bastard (even if Shikimi isn't innocent herself).

I know he's a terrible person, but you got to admit that's pretty hardcore.

Let's say that he starts investigating her after Shikimi's disappearance. How long would it take Bruce to find Maria?

Follow up question, what would he do after discovering her motive?