Who SHOULD have won? (spoiler alert)

VortexOfLight said:
Here's a fairly controversial opinion to have in these turbulent times: I honestly think that something special could have been done with the series if Ichika had won, even if temporarily. Quick disclaimer: I didn't consider her the "best girl" in the series, but there was something to be had there from a narrative standpoint.

What kept me engaged with her character was her fluctuating morality. It wasn't enough for me to like her more than at least half of the others, but it made her plot line interesting. We saw that she wasn't above playing dirty to achieve what she wants, and unlike some of the others, who often tripped themselves up by being too conscious or kind to their sisters, she seemed ready to go the extra mile, even if she did draw the line. But as the series progressed, there was a time when this line blurred, and she seemed to be getting more and more underhanded and aggressive in her approach, but this plot line ultimately went nowhere, because she just brushed off these tendencies and decided to get along with everyone.

This side of hers was basically Nino's assertive side, plus copious manipulation and ethics on a budget. There were some times I even thought that she was heading in a sociopathic direction, to be honest, and this was something I really would have liked to have explored. It doesn't mean she should have won, but it definitely should have had more significance leading up to the endgame.

Given the extremes she was willing to go, at least at one point, without much qualms, I'm surprised that she decided to play fair, since she never seemed like the type to be a graceful loser. I was of the opinion that Fuutarou would at least date one or two of the heroines before making a decision, so I expected something like that to be used as a catalyst to explore or resolve this element of Ichika's character. When it wasn't addressed to any satisfactory capacity and the ending seemed to be in sight, I couldn't take my eyes off of her because I frankly expected that it would be in line with her character to do something radical to succeed rather than to risk everything on the chance that she might win for who she is. Honestly, I wouldn't even have been surprised if she had entrapped or seduced Fuutarou outright.

These were interesting prospects and plot lines, encouraged in no small part because Ichika was the most open about flaunting her sexuality. I was expecting this direction more than ever when she aggressively stole Fuutarou's first kiss (I wouldn't have been surprised at all if she reached for his belt next), but then again, I didn't know back then that everyone would be getting one in...

My complaint on a larger scale is how the final decision was given to Fuutarou on a silver platter. Everyone up and put their grievances aside so that the escapist harem fantasy that Fuutarou represented could be given the power over the situation. Basically, the ending just treated Fuutarou as a self-insert, without any clear reason of doing so. Our main protagonist aside, the pull of the series was how there were five strong contenders, each with fleshed out characters and dynamics. These dynamics and personalities should've played a greater role in the ending, or at least in the later parts of the series. Instead, everyone just gave up without a fight, irrespective of the fact that their characters dictated otherwise. Fact holds that some of them were aggressive and obsessive enough to keep gunning for him even after he made a decision, and although I can't believe I'm saying this, the series should've gone on longer so we could see this—see these characters respond to the change in circumstances in a way that was appropriate for their personalities, as opposed to it just ending and letting us know that the time skip was basically inconsequential.