Note: I know I'm late to the discussion, but I just marathoned 10 episodes in 2 days...
GaussAlgorithmus wrote:Passing an awesome job offer just because of beinge somewhat in love with one person is totally bonkers. She doesn't know himn for long, she doesn't really know him personally, she doesn't know how he feels about her and he didn't even show any signs of "really" liking her. Still she gave up this probably once in a lifetime chance.
Did Natsui only do it because she was in love with Hyuga? No, I don't think so. Love might have played a part, but I think there's a lot more under the surface.
Is it really a once-in-a-lifetime chance? No, I don't think so. She has more confidence in herself and probably believed working with Hyuga was the once-in-a-lifetime chance. It wasn't even her only job offer because Asahina offered her a job too. She kept saying she wanted to work by Hyuga's side. She only considered S-tel's offer because she thought Hyuga didn't need her, it was her best prospect, and she would be unemployed.
Not only for love, I think she was motivated by her convictions and principles. She did what she thought was right and just. She saw her hero fallen and abandoned by everyone he believed in. He was in the right and did nothing wrong, but he lost everything. Standing up for someone and showing solidarity can be considered noble, not just lovesickness.
GaussAlgorithmus wrote:He is totally broke, he literally hasn't much more then the clothes he is wearing...but wants to start a new business.
You are rationalizing with the benefit of hindsight. She might have acted rashly, but she believed in him. She had no reason to question his financial situation or management. Why would she know a guy who was worth millions is suddenly broke? I'm sure she thought his millions would trump her salary working as a reseacher. Most people wouldn't know without seeing Asahina's press conference or Hyuga's reckless spending and bank book.
Also her actions were further justified when she came to realize that Hyuga is immature and lacks the skills to manage a business or handle administative tasks. She stepped in to perform Asahina's grounded role, so Hyuga could play his brilliant, visionary role. Who else was going to do it while she was working as a researcher to pay for the business expenses?
GaussAlgorithmus wrote:I simply can't imagine a student from Todai (which is still THE elite university in Japan) behaving as stupid as she always does.
Yes, she's from an elite school. However, her self-confidence was shattered after 8 months of rejections. At the beginning, she was going through the motions and showing up, but she didn't believe in herself anymore. Hyuga, a charismatic leader with an aspirational message, pulled her from her dejection. Maybe it is far-fetched that a Todai student would be in such a rut?
Then, the guy who gave her hope voiced what she was already thinking: everything she was told to do was wrong and worthless. She found herself again when she realized her lack of job offers doesn't mean that she's worthless. He taught her that she needed to think for herself and not just do what everyone else told her.
Enticed by a sweet deal, she was lured into working for Next. At first, I think she did it for the money, but over time, she enjoyed it because of the way it made her feel. She was gaining confidence in herself, and she felt like what she did mattered.
She might have had a crush on him, but she never showed any intention of trying to get him or hoping that she could. I got more of a sense that she admired him and his work. Slowly, she probably realized that she was in love with him, and that might be why she decided to distance herself, especially since she thought her feelings were not reciprocated and he did not need her.
In episode 10,
GaussAlgorithmus wrote:She is blindly following him like a cute puppy. Seriously, how more cliché can it get?
Except she is not doing this only out of love for the man. You can see that she has also fallen in love with his message and cause. She believes in what he stands for and that he is going to make the world a better place.
For that purpose, she's doing what she thinks will help make a better world as well. Some people might think she is stupidly in love. However, how about the fact that she is also a loyal, hardworking, passionate employee with initiative? While she was fired, humiliated, and bullied, she persevered and triumphed for a greater good.
I got the sense that she is an independent, free-thinking woman, not a school girl puppy hoping to win love and validation from her crush. They balance and complement each other. Their chemistry seems to be developing as mutual admiration and realization they are kindred spirits...which is much deeper than a shared appreciaton for the same kinds of dining tables or happening to ride on the same trains.