Jimoto no Ijimekko-tachi ni Shikaeshi Vol 03-04 - Sanae is just way too adorable!

Volumes 3 and 4 of Jimoto no Ijimekko-tachi ni Shikaeshi Shiyou to Shitara, Betsu no Tatakai ga Hajimatta. continue right where we left off, with Sanae becoming increasingly integral to the narrative, even if she is technically a secondary heroine in the grand scheme of things.

As mentioned previously, the reason for this is that Sanae is secretly the VTuber Kotarou adores, which inadvertently puts her at odds with the three main heroines vying to become his girlfriend. That conflict exists only in theory, however, because Sanae is one of the sweetest girls imaginable and would never actively compete with the others like that.

I wasn't expecting Kanae to be such a ponkotsu in certain things like skying. I had that image of the perfect girl.

Shigure instead continues to be exactly as we know her. Ecchi, but embarrassed of her own disposition.

I'm honestly a bit baffled by how Kotarou, despite being an obsessive fan of her channel, is still completely unable to recognize that Sanae shares the exact same voice. I suppose that, like most VTubers, Sanae puts on a distinct persona and pitch while streaming, but could it really be so different that he wouldn't notice? That seems especially implausible given how dedicated of a fan he is.

The other girls at least manage to pry the truth out of him: his mysterious "girlfriend" is merely a virtual idol. This reignites their romantic rivalry, as they now realize there is no real-life partner standing in their way. However, progress remains difficult because all of them are absolute masters of misunderstanding.

That moment where vtuber character and reality intertwine, but Kotarou is still oblivious to it.

One thing for sure, there's no flatness in this world. All four heroines are different grades of big. Maybe Shigure a bit smaller...

They constantly walk into a room, overhear half a sentence that sounds negative, and flee before anyone can clarify, triggering an absurd chain of miscommunications that neither Kotarou nor the girls know how to handle. For instance, Kotarou suspects Akira and Kanae might have feelings for him, but their clumsy phrasing leads to endless confusion. And come on, Sanae: confessing with "suki" (I love you) while the two of you are literally skiing?

Considering we've had spotlight moments for Akira and Sanae, Shigure will likely be next in line to deliver her own botched confession in the upcoming volume. I'm curious to see where the narrative heads from here. Sanae's storyline could culminate in her VTuber identity being exposed, but we might need an extra spark to keep things fresh. Perhaps another new character, or someone else from Kotarou's past?

Akira selfie was nice because it felt natural, even if I still can't get over those muscles. Sorry Akira...

Kanade instead was too complicated that it felt like a gravure photo and less sexy overall...

We did get the brief introduction of a fellow wrestler friend of Akira's near the end of the volume, but I doubt she will be anything more than comic relief. She showed up in a short gag and seems like the classic archetype who desperately wants to be seen as cute, yet never gets what she wants.