I LOVE KANESHIMA!!! i must admit i was fairly recently introduced to the idea by my dear friend erin egaoshira... i completely agree — kanechika is very much shima's foil, someone who never gave up on his dream and relentlessly pursued it, even with the possibility of it never amounting to much. i believe it's around the culture festival arc (upcoming for the anime-onlys reading!) that shima both thinks of mitsumi AND kanechika when he feels envious of those who can pursue their ambitions without fear. in some ways, kanechika and mitsumi have very similar personalities — determined, optimistic, somewhat socially oblivious at times... it makes sense for shima to admire kanechika the way he admires mitsumi!

i love the added element that kanechika and shima have very similar dreams, directing and acting respectively, it adds more to shima's complicated feelings towards kanechika. with kanechika always being so mercilessly supportive of shima's acting, i really think there's so much you can interpret and impose upon their dynamic. to be so envious of someone who so easily gives you their admiration and support........ who never seems to second guess himself and puts his all into his craft........ I TRULY GET IT..........

added note — WOAH! the yuripoll and yaoipoll feel like a lifetime ago now..... if you voted in them, thank you so much! that was such a blast, i've been pondering on a new poll we could do just for fun, i haven't come up with anything just yet...

thank you so much for submitting your question! i find very rare moments to talk about kanechika and shima's relationship....... i stared so hard during last week's episode whenever there was a shot of shima watching kanechika's film........ perhaps we can have skip to yaoi. as a little treat.