personally, i think koitsumo's strength lies in its characters -- especially the leads. both rou & yoshino are grounded characters who have very human flaws n concerns. i'm especially drawn to yoshino bc i think a lot (like A Lot) of gay ppl can relate to his thoughts n turmoils.

yoshino is a working-class, closeted gay man who is pushing thirty. he struggles to find the time n courage for romantic relationships. as a result, he resorts to wanting to experience the intimacy of s**. this need is met by rou, who at first glance seems like a very put-together, out-and-proud young bi man. i really, really love how at the end of the story, rou's perfectly curated persona falls apart from the weight of his own feelings towards yoshino. i think it's lovely that yoshino, despite being timid n inexperienced in the realms of romance, manages to undo rou so completely just by sheer magnitude of his earnestness n honest persistence. it sends a hopeful n positive message that they become honest w/ themselves n each other at the end of the story❤️