With Others

Sana and Hayama have gone a long way to share their current relationship, and both have had a few rivals of love along the way; most of who are now big supporters of their relationship :).

Sana and Fuuka met on their first day of junior high. Being so similar to each other, it's natural that the two would grow to become best friends. While Sana is a child actress and on TV all the time, I feel that she can't help but feel inferior to Fuuka; she's everyone's dream girl, being athletic, pretty, and very smart. And of course, it can be understood that Fuuka feels the same way at times. I'm not saying their friendship is only based on envy; it's more of a deep and mutual respect for each other. Their friendship is not one without arguments and disagreements, like all relationships in the world, theirs' go through the same ups and downs. Through all that, they still remained very close friends, and we know that their friendship means a lot to Sana.

Yes, they are indeed very similar - energetic, optimistic, hot-tempered, and they even had their first kiss stolen by the same guy! On top of it all, both grew to develop feelings for him as well.

Fuuka was a classmate of "Akki"'s in kindergarten; and their relationship wasn't a very smooth one, at that. The boys dared Hayama to kiss a girl in exchange for some pocket money, and he chooses to kiss Fuuka. Still a child back then, Fuuka didn't worry or think much of it; but years later, even after her move to Osaka, that same kiss came to trouble her relationship with Takaishi, her love interest back then. Fuuka was reunited with Hayama when she travels back to Japan in order to attend junior high - and her initial reaction was slapping him. Although she says she holds a grudge on him, Fuuka comes to find him "interesting" and "cool"; and after Takaishi pays her a visit, she asks him to become her pretend boyfriend for the day, bribing him with sushi (and we all know how much Hayama looooves sushi). Hayama agrees, and after hearing the scandal involving Sana and Naozumi (see below), Fuuka asks her to become her real boyfriend out of pity. He says yes, which leads to a big disruption in Sana and Akito's relationship.

It's rather clear that Akito doesn't care for Fuuka as a lover. I'm not saying that he hates her - in fact, I think it's safe to say that he considers her one of the most important women in his life right up there with Sana. But Hayama cares for Fuuka more like a brother does for his sister. Their dates are always rather awkward, and Hayama can never seem to forget Sana. Also, although she'll never admit it, Fuuka has never really gotten over Takaishi.

I've seen the majority of the Kodocha fandom list Fuuka as their most hated character; I don't agree with this. You've got to give her some credit! After all, Fuuka was the first person to realize the problems in her relationship with Akito, and also the first to break it off. At the end of the series, Hayama, Sana, and Fuuka remain close friends who trust and care for each other wholly.

Being a popular young actor, handsome Naozumi's a hit with girls all over the country. Unfortunately for his fangirls, he only has eyes for his co-star Sana-chan. And although Sana doesn't quite remember in the beginning, these two share quite the history; a fact that Hayama doesn't like one bit. Naozumi can be considered his greatest rival for Sana's affections. Akito very well knows that, which is why he considers Naozumi nothing but an enemy. When Naozumi discovers Hayama and his feelings for Sana, almost immediately he comes to try and take out the competition. Naozumi makes it clear to Akito that while he and Sana specialize in their acting careers, he has no special talents; therefore he isn't good enough for her. Hayama, determined to wrong him and feel equal to Sana, decides to take up karate.

Like I said before, Naozumi and Sana go way back; seeing her on TV since he was a child, Naozumi grew to have quite an infatuation with her that lasts even now. After all, Sana was the main reason he had pursued an acting career. Naozumi was also the one that cured her of her first case of mannequin disease; and because of this, he believes that there is something destined between him and Sana. He very well knows that his feelings are one-sided, however, and because Naozumi is a mature boy, he doesn't whine or bear a grudge against it. Instead, he wants Sana to be happy with the one she loves - and he acknowlodges Hayama as that "someone". He tells Hayama that Sana bears affections for him, and later on gives him ideas on how to cure her second and so far most deadliest case of mannequin disease.

At the end of the series, it's not made clear if Nao-chan still harbors feelings for Sana, but the two remain very close friends, whose trust in each other is truly amazing. Naozumi still isn't the best of friends with Hayama; but they aren't breathing down each other's necks like they used to as rivals. I think the two hold a hint hidden respect for each other, and it's clear that Sana and Akito would not be in their current relationship had it not been for Nao!

At the beginning of the series, Tsuyoshi had a big crush on Sana, because she had given him some chocolate on Valentine's Day (from Sana's point of view, she was just giving her leftover chocolates to some random stranger she passed by... poor Tsuyoshi!). It was obviously one-sided for Tsuyoshi, as Sana was still infatuated with Rei herself (see below). Although Sana had rejected him more than once, no one really got hurt; it turns out that his affection for Sana was only the typical child crush, as he found new love in Sugita Aya - Sana's classmate and close friend - rather quickly.

When you place Hayama and Tsuyoshi side-by-side, they seem like exact opposites. Hayama is this cool, reserved guy who doesn't really like authority, and Tsuyoshi's this somewhat awkward guy with big glasses and who's a stickler for the rules. They seem like exact opposites, but really, Tsuyoshi is one of the few people in this world who has gained Hayama's full trust. Although he is Hayama's best friend, he has never made him a second god like the goons who constantly follow him around. On the contrary, he kept asking him to stop the chaos they were causing. While some may may view Tsuyoshi as a nag, the truth is that he is simply concerned about Hayama, and cares for him like a brother. He is a big supporter of Sana and Akito's relationship, and you can always find him giving a clueless Akito or Sana advice on romance. Also throughout the story, the reader is able to hear Tsuyoshi's occasional, and rather accurate opinions and point of views on our golden pair.

Rei is Sana's boyfriend, manager, and so-called "pimp"; at the beginning of the series anyways. In my opinion, it was more of a one-sided relationship, as Rei was still head-over-heels over his high school sweetie, Kurumi Asako, who resurfaced as a beautiful actress co-starring with Sana in several projects. But then again, Sana was never truly in love with Rei in the first place - it was more like Sana treating him as her possession; someone she didn't want anyone else to touch. Nevertheless, Rei played along with her - even if their love was non-existent romantically, he cared for her very much, like a brother does for his sister. Rei also feels he owes a great deal to Sana. You see, after Asako had broken up with him in order to pursue an acting career, he started cutting class and becoming a delinquent. Eventually, he wound up on the streets. Sana rescued him from all that, and for that he gave Sana his full attention and devotion. Even after his break-up with Sana, his loyalty never wavers, and he never puts Asako in front of Sana (even after they patch up their romance). Sana is someone truly precious to him.

As for Hayama... Rei both dislikes and fears him because of his adult-like attitude and sarcasm that Hayama specifically points at him. This is only because Hayama feels that Rei was toying with Sana's feelings. After their separation, Hayama does not consider him a rival any longer, and pays him a bit more respect. Rei never really does approve of Hayama's character, but he accepts that Hayama is the only one that can make Sana truly happy, and acknowlodges their relationship.