Noriko Irie Is Toxic - Here's Why

This was originally a post on Reddit, elaborated on Tumblr.

Do you mind if I go on a rant about how much of a bitch Noriko Irie is?
That’s right - I said bitch.

Normally, I wouldn’t go that far, but the most infuriating element regarding Noriko’s character is the way she’s portrayed is supposed to be cute and supportive (and to some extent it is) but it doesn’t erase just how damn problematic she is. While she is the ultimate shipper of Naoki and Kotoko, right up to 11 out of 10 (arguably 15 out of 10), her reasons for forcing her son into the arms of the only girl who would ever want to have him are extremely selfish.

Yes, she admits in the manga that she finds Naoki and Kotoko to be a good match on the account of how much of opposites they are of each other (chapter 8)...

but here’s another reason at play that is presented, but not addressed: Noriko wants a girl in the family.

At face value, you might think that is a sweet sentiment and that it’s fine to want things.  The problem is that her handling of Naoki and Kotoko’s relationship isn’t the only time she goes up to 11.  On top of being the top person to insist that Naoki and Kotoko should hook up, she’s also responsible for Naoki’s childhood - dressing him up in girl’s clothes until he realized what was going on and finally protest.

 It would be easier to tolerate if this was something Naoki actually wanted, but this detail about his past is so embarrassing for him, it becomes something Kotoko uses later to blackmail him with into helping her study.

Why didn’t she just get him boy clothes? 

Because she didn’t want to throw out all the clothes she bought. 

She admits to all of this in chapter 2!

 It’s no wonder why Naoki has so much trouble opening up to people: the woman who was supposed to take care of him disregarded his emotional needs on multiple occasions (even when he says “no”) all for the sake of wanting a girl. To add insult to injury, she admits to this as well as if it isn’t her problem. 

And the dad? He’s sweet, but a doormat when it comes to his wife.

Upon reflection, Noriko is being extremely sexist here, but it’s supposed to be fine for some reason, because not only is the one she’s being sexist against is a man, but it’s pushing Naoki and Kotoko to spend more time together, so it’s totally fine, right?

As the leading couple, the ends justify the means, no matter how problematic you are in getting there… not.

I don’t think I’ve ever met such a toxic wing-woman for the leading female of a romcom like this before. Somebody should have sat her down and told her “no” and tell her she’s going too far over something Naoki clearly doesn’t want. That way, when Naoki and Kotoko’s relationship grows, it’s not because of environmental pressure, but rather them as characters.