My Little Monster - Episode 11

In this week's episode of All Men Are Horrible (If This Series Is To Be Believed), Yamaken continues to show more than a fleeting interest in Shizuku, even if he can't quite figure out why himself.

For all of his grandiose positioning of himself as some kind of elite who could get any woman he wants, there's no questioning where his true feelings lie, maybe for the exact reason that Shizuku is the one woman that he can't get.  Certainly, even his vaguest attempts to get closer to Shizuku are either cut off by the leading lady herself, or failing that quickly put paid to by Haru as he continues to stalk his sort-of girlfriend despite her repeated requests that he not do that.

As this scenario continues, we eventually reach an opportunity to delve into the past of both Yamaken and Haru from their childhoods, complete with some violent encounters and the revelation of some more light upon the relationship between Haru and his brother Yuzan, further explaining the former's insistence upon avoiding the latter.  With Shizuku turning up just as Haru is dwelling upon such things, it seems that this is the perfect time for him to spill out at least some of his feelings - the trouble is, it only serves to further baffle Shizuku as she realises just how "out of sync" she is with Haru.

If ever a series seemed to be trying really hard to make me feel bad for being a member of the male species, My Little Monster would surely be it - Haru is, in spite of the odd sensitive moment, an ever-more loathsome character as he ponders ripping off Shizuku's arms and legs to keep a hold of her (I kid you not) while generally continuing to act like a creepy stalker who won't take no for an answer, making him the kind of guy that would set alarm bells ringing in any normal person.  This makes Yamaken seem like a prince in comparison - just an egotistical one whose head probably wouldn't fit within the circumference of Saturn.  No matter how much I really enjoy the show's female characters, these kind of issues with the lead male cast are reaching the point where I'm not sure I can just ignore them or brush them aside any more - they're genuinely disturbing and just wrong, wrong, wrong in a romance-led series, shoujo or otherwise.