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Sōhei Sasahara (佐々原 宗平, lit. Sasahara Sōhei?) is one of the protagonists of the story. He is a second year student at Syoyo High School and an active member of the baseball team.

Appearance[]

Sasahara

Sasahara's full appearance.

He has dark brown messy hair and dark green eyes. He normally wears Secondary Syoyo his uniform jacket unbuttoned and he has relatively average in stature, which Iyo refers to as "small", standing at 164 cm (5’5 feet tall). He usually has a cheerful and happy expression and is shown with a baseball cap being a member of the baseball team. He also makes expressions like cat sometimes.

Personality[]

Sasahara is a cheerful and outgoing person, encouraging others to refer to him as "Sasayan" (ササヤン?, Sasayan). He is noted to be gentle and kind to everyone[1] and is well liked at Syoyo High. Despite this, he mainly hangs out with Haru, Natsume and Shizuku, leaving Natsume to believe that he actually looks down on her and Haru[2]. Sasahara himself remarks that, unlike what others like Natsume think, he is not someone who sees everything clearly[3]. He is especially concerned about Haru, having attended the same middle school as him, and wants to avoid the same scenario where Haru stopped coming to school completely.

More than often Sasahara tried to encourage happiness for others rather than himself, as when Natsume pursued Mitsuyoshi and when he rejected her, and also when helping Shimoyanagi persuade Natsume, all while being romantically infatuated with Natsume himself. He is kind and very considerate. Though he has a very happy and kind personality, he can also be very serious. 

History[]

Sasahara expressions

Sasahara's facial expressions.

Sasahara went to the same middle school as Haru did, where he was also part of the baseball team[4]. During that time, he had a girlfriend named Yamase[5] who he asked out after a rumour that she liked him, but he was dumped immediately after a short while[6]. Sasahara publicly voices that he owes Haru because of what Haru did in the past. Haru saved Shinjou, a person Sasahara hated from his past, while Sasahara could only watch from distance.

Plot[]

Sasahara made his debut anime appearance in episode one when Haru asked Asako Natsume where Shizuku was. Sasahara told Haru that he had "seen Shizuku just a few seconds ago."

Sasahara unconsciously became close with Asako, Yoshida, and Shizuku at the beginning of Haru's return to high school. He was open and usually recalled vague memories of the Haru's past that revealed why Haru is the way that he is. He often tells people to call him Sasayan upon introductions.

Sasahara is on the baseball team of Syoyo High School and practises with baseball at the batting centre or with his teammates when he is not hanging out with the trio. Although he's not always involved in serious situations much like Natsume, Shizuku, Haru and Chizuru are, Sasayan is often attempting to include everyone in group activities keeping the peace levelled.

He develops feelings for Natsume, but was already discouraged before his confession when he notices the way that she looks and admires Mitsuyoshi. He is not bothered by it, since he'd rather play baseball than worry about these kinds of situations.

Relationships[]

Shizuku Mizutani[]

SasaharaShizuku

Sasahara and Shizuku's first encounter

Tnkk-ep-43-4

Shizuku trusting Sasayan's words

Being put in the same class during their first year, Sasahara approached Shizuku while she was studying in the library, saying he was interested in her because she was able to get Haru to attend school.

[7] She then asked him if he wanted to take care of Nagoya, which he accepted. However, he had to return the rooster because his cat was afraid of him and would refuse to get down from the dresser.[8]

They display a warm and comfortable relationship, to a point where Shizuku made him valentine's day chocolates and told about him to her mother[9].

In general, they are on very friendly terms, often hanging out together with the group.

Haru Yoshida[]

Sasahara and Haru shared the same middle school, even though Haru remembers none of it. Yoshida and Sasahara seem to be very good friends as the anime progresses. Sasahara also helps Haru to get together with Shizuku. He also talks to Haru about how to treat ladies right, and he's always giving him advice about romance. When Shizuku inquired Sasahara about why he he was so worried about Haru, seeing how they had only recently began talking with each other, Sasahara stated that he is in debt to Haru.[10]

Asako Natsume[]

Confession

Sasayan's admitting his feelings to Natsume

From the start, Sasahara and Natsume shared a great friendship, Natsume even considering Sasahara one of the few boys she could act normal around[11]. Sasahara also actively helped her in her pursuit of Mitsuyoshi Misawa, (even though he had claimed that he felt that he lost to Mitsuyoshi when he realized Natsume had fallen for him) going as far as apologizing to her when he learned about her rejection, apologetically saying how he did not support her enough.[12]  

WOOO ANG SWEET! (12)

Sasahara comforting Natsume.

Later, when Natsume manages to deliver the souvenir she bought to Mitsuyoshi, he is seen waiting for her at the exit, expressing his concern for her.[13] Although Natsume exclaims that she is alright, she soon bursts into tears causing Sasahara to grab her hand and saying it will be alright, since he, Haru and Shizuku are there for her.[14]

Following this incident, Natsume becomes convinced that Sasahara is in love with her, even expressing these worries to Shizuku.[15] She ignores his messages during summer break and tells him that "the answer is no" when school resumes, despite Sasahara not having even said anything to her.[16]

Sasahara takes offense to this claim, deeming that the thought of holding hands made him fall in love with her is ridiculous, and says that he has been questioning if Natsume is too full of herself.[17] Their friendship becomes bitter and Sasahara becomes convinced that Natsume thinks of him only as another "male enemy" while Natsume thinks he sees her as a "useless person who can't do anything well".[18]

Later, Natsume recognizes her mistakes and thanks Sasahara for comforting her. She also admits that she was actually quite happy because there had never been a boy before who got mad or didn't go easy on her like Sasahara had done.[19] They decided

Sasasaas (4)

Sasahara confessing to Natsume.

to forgive each other and become friends again.

This leads Sasahara to cheerfully exclaim that there was no misunderstanding, seeing how he actually does like her.[20] Natsume views this as betrayal and rejects him again, but Sasahara says that he's fine with being friends for now. After this, Natsume begins to act awkwardly around Sasahara, although he encourages her to do as she always does.[21]

After graduation, Sasahara notices Natsume crying alone in a room. When he enters and asks why she's crying, she says that she's sad that everyone is moving on with their lives after this and they might not be able to meet again. Sasahara ensures her that they can still remain friends and he'll come to visit once in awhile

F018 (1)

Natsume blushing...

Before Natsume leaves the room, she blushes and says that the universities they're going to are relatively close. 

On Natsume's work desk in the manga series credits, there is a picture (with heart framed) of her smiling and hugging a guy with a very similar hair-style to Sasahara's (the picture is actually the same on the back cover of the volume 13, which confirmed that the guy with her is really Sasayan). This suggests that they developed a further relationship after high school. 

Capture

By the last chapter, it's not confirmed that they are a couple, although they are always seen together. 

Shinjō[]

When Sasahara's middle school baseball team came to visit him during the Syoyo High School Festival, they asked him if he had met "that person" yet, which is referring to this Shinjō. He went to find him, after encountering with him, Shinjo said he quits playing baseball and gave him a ticket. Who he is remains unknown, but Sasahara was visibly shocked when his name was dropped[22] and secluded himself with visible worry for the rest of the day.[23]

Trivia[]

  • His name Sōhei means "family" (宗) and "flat" (平).
  • Sōhei's surname Sasahara means "to aid" (佐) and "filed" (原).
  • Sōhei blood type is A.
  • Sōhei was the one who gave Haru's chicken the name Nagoya.
  • Sōhei still does not have Asako Natsume's "Secret Number".
  • When Shizuku Mizutani asked Sōhei why he was caught up with Haru Yoshida, Sōhei stated that he "owed" him.
  • Sōhei has liked Natsume for a very long time now.
  • Sōhei's horoscope is Libra.

Quotes[]

  • "Sure, I'll take care of him. I like fried chicken."
  • "Haru... you tense up every time the camera turns on you. It's kind of scary."
  • "I'm interested in you. (...) You could tell that I'm lying? Man."
  • "I love mountain fishing!" (After seeing Asako in a bikini.)
  • "Yikes! I barely passed."
  • "By pushing the problem aside with the condition of fulfilling a request... Isn't Mizutani-san doing what a gigolo does?"
  • "Hey, could you help me add more chest hair?"

References[]

  1. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 13
  2. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 12
  3. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 33
  4. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 38, page 20
  5. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 13, page 16
  6. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun anime; Episode 9
  7. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 3, pages 23
  8. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 4, pages 6-7
  9. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga: Chapter 24, Page 41
  10. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 5, page 29
  11. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 16, page 3
  12. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 34, page 35
  13. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 34, page 39
  14. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 34, page 40
  15. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 9
  16. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 38, page 10
  17. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 38, pages 11-12
  18. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 22
  19. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 34
  20. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 36
  21. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 35, page 40
  22. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 38, page 21
  23. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun manga; Chapter 38, page 34

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