There are very few anime tropes that truly grind my gears. Like, you can give me the most absurd collection of stereotypes in an anime, and if they are done well, I will eat them right up. But harem is always going to be a point of contention. I don’t mind them when they are well executed, but I can only handle so much simpering after a single character that doesn’t seem all that worth it. This is what I thought about the Ayanokōji x Hiyori Shiina coupling.

Of course, Hiyori Shiina does like Kiyotaka Ayanokōji, the protagonist of Classroom Of The Elite. Hell, I might even go as far and say that she’s in love with him, considering how hard she’s trying to get him to move from Class 1-D to Class 1-C. She was always a quiet girl, more of a loner than anything, but since meeting Ayanokoji, she’s opened up a lot more and actively pursued him.

Because, of course, she does. Look, I’m not saying it isn’t part of the plot for Classroom Of The Elite to have multiple love interests. It’s an Ecchi, so it kind of comes with the territory. But honestly, it’s kind of getting hard to keep up with all the waifus Ayanokōji has been collecting throughout the popular light novel.

Sure, there’s also the actual plot of the series, but at this point? It’s secondary to the battle of the babes that have been going on for as long as I can remember. But does the earnest Hiyori even have a chance? Let’s discuss this today in Waifu Wars – where we put the spotlight on some of the best girls in anime and manga to see if they end up being the waifu to end all others. Today, it’s the shy bookworm, Hiyori Shiina! 

Hiyori Shiina: Quiet, But Determined?

Hiyori starts fairly unassuming. She’s pretty but doesn’t call much attention to herself. At Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School, she studies in a class separate from Ayanokōji’s. But they had their first meaningful encounter at the school library, where she catches him reading a book that she likes.

From then onwards, they had a pretty natural progression to becoming friends. The two have a very pleasant relationship, with Ayanokōji’s wariness comfortably aligning with Hiyori’s reserved nature. The two love discussing politics and literature together, which honestly makes them more compatible than anyone else who Ayanokōji has been in the past.

Despite how aloof she remains to other people, Hiyori ends up trusting Ayanokōji a lot, even leaving her things in his care. She shows a genuine interest in their shared hobbies, going out of her way to recommend books she thinks he’ll like.

The two have open communication, to the point where they are on a first-name basis with each other, and Hiyori actively talks to him about what’s worrying her. People like Daichi even comment on the fact that two should start dating just because of how amicable the two are.

Hiyori Likes Ayanokōji (But It Isn’t Enough):

By the end of their first proper conversation, Hiyori is the closest thing to a best friend that Ayanokōji has. Again, this is the same person that has very bad people skills, despite being someone who can read through people’s intentions very easily.

For him to get close to Hiyori without there being an agenda is not like him. Ayanokōji genuinely seems to enjoy Hiyori’s company, and the two pretty much sound off of each other like equals. They are quiet but not pushovers. On Hiyori’s part, she has developed feelings for him not because he’s oh-so-cool or good-looking but because of how easy he is to converse with.

However, that’s the problem with Classroom Of The Elite; even when you think you have the perfect girl for Ayanokoji, something happens that she gets sidelined to being just another cog in the machine. At this point, he has way too many options, including an actual girlfriend. So, when he’d consider Hiyori to stand out? We won’t know.

You’d think there’d be a definitive best girl by now, but nope. Sadly, we must suffer the push and pull with our main lead and the multiple women he has attracted.