WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Adachi & Shimamura, streaming now on Funimation.
Season 1 of Adachi & Shimamura brought two teenage girls together as close friends, with Adachi, in particular, developing strong romantic feelings for Shimamura. From lighthearted hangouts at the mall to karaoke to holiday get-togethers on Christmas and Valentine's, they shared many adventures together and even met a little blue-haired alien girl who flies.
But for all viewers learned about Adachi, Shimamura and the rest of the colorful cast, the Season 1 finale concluded with more questions than answers. Where is Adachi's father? Why does Yashiro hang around with Shimamura's family so often? Will Hino, who isn't fond of her wealthy family's lifestyle, ever be free to live the life she wants? These are just a few questions the series leaves for fans.
Let's take a look at Season 1's most burning questions that will hopefully be answered in Season 2.
What Are Shimamura's Feelings Toward Adachi?
Shimamura is a deceptively complex character. She nearly always goes along with Adachi's whims, quietly appreciating Adachi's role in making her life more colorful. But she also doubts her ability to be what Adachi wants most, and views herself as a somewhat cold-hearted person who simply fades out of friends' lives over time. Whereas Adachi is in no doubt about her romantic feelings, which lead her to take increasingly intimate risks with Shimamura, it remains unclear how exactly Shimamura feels about Adachi in return.
Despite all of Adachi's obvious overtures -- Valentine's Day get-together, her desire to be Shimamura's most important person, the constant staring at her in class -- Shimamura remains vague on what Adachi is to her. She certainly values their friendship, but her internal self-doubt means she may not be ready to acknowledge her feelings toward someone else yet. For now, she's happy to go with the flow, enjoying Adachi's warmth and comforting presence.
Will Tarumi Become Adachi's Rival For Shimamura?
Characters in Adachi & Shimamura are often more defined by their actions than their words. Direct thoughts and statements can be vague or even go unspoken. Tarumi is a case in point. Though like Adachi, she doesn't confess her feelings outright, she's infatuated with Shimamura. Tarumi and Shimamura were childhood best friends who drifted apart over time, but a chance reunion brought them back together in Episode 7.
In Episode 11, Adachi wanders around town doing some soul-searching and accidentally bumps into Tarumi in a pet store. The two haven't formally met and don't know each other yet, but it was almost certainly a symbolic representation of a clash to come later with both girls having strong feelings for Shimamura. Shimamura clearly values Adachi's friendship and time above the other friends in her life, but Tarumi has made thinly veiled compliments to Shimamura that suggest something more than friendship is on her mind. Adachi's biggest challenger in Season 1 was her own fear and self-doubt, but she may see a physical rival emerge in Season 2.
Will Nagafuji Confess Her Feelings To Hino?
It's pretty clear that Nagafuji has strong romantic feelings for Hino, her best friend since their early childhood. Despite their differing personalities -- Hino's brash straightforwardness and Nagafuji's gentle, flighty nature -- the two are lovable oddballs who complement each other perfectly. But Season 1 put Hino through some awkward moments as Nagafuji randomly kissed her on the forehead, lifted her off the ground just to hold her, and even shared a bath where Nagafuji guides Hino's hand to her chest. Again, Nagafuji never says it outright, but her actions and growing possessiveness make it clear that she's in love with her best friend.
As they sometimes get together with Shimamura and Adachi, it's easy to note the similarities and differences between the two relationships and how they've progressed. Both have one person with a desire for more than friendship (Nagafuji and Adachi), while the other keeps it vague when confronting her own feelings (Hino and Shimamura). Though in different ways, the latter two both have their own internal issues to deal with first. Shimamura is guarded about getting too attached to other people, while Hino wishes to be free of her familial obligations. Currently, Hino and Nagafuji's relationship is moving a bit faster due to their knowing each other much longer than Adachi and Shimamura.
Season 1 was filled with slow, steady progress with hints at future romance and much still open to interpretation. Season 2 should bring more concrete answers -- hopefully on Yashiro's fantastical story as well -- as all of these girls navigate their feelings and emotions one step at a time.
