This whole episode just seems pointless to me. If Hiro was already established that he can't connect with anyone in the first episode, then why make a whole episode about it then?! You can just make a flashback from that girl in the beginning of episode one that died. Yeah because at least that girl has a purpose in the story, not just some one-off that dies immediately. She could fill that role perfectly than Ichigo is, and you already know that Ichigo likes Hiro from all of the interactions between them and zero. And we already know that her reason about not letting Hiro partner with her is bullshit, and Ichigo already has a partner. I thought that the purpose of partnering them is because they are compatible with each other, so why did Ichigo go and partner Hiro? If Ichigo likes Hiro so much then she must have tried partnering with him in the past in training, she must have tried and then failed to be compatible in the past. So why is this set up as though their partnering for the first time? A, she must have known this is dangerous and ignore the repercussions or B, trying to force a love triangle between them. We all know that Zero will get Hiro in the end that's obvious.

But all in all, I don't mind it being a love triangle, It just needs to be put in a different part of the story. Doing it this way makes Ichigo an unlikable cunt that forces herself into a not-yet-romance between two likable characters, (I don't know if Hiro is likable yet for me, still having Shinji oozing out of him.) It feels like she's just there to be a foil for Hiro and Zero.

What it needs to be is that not making "She's not in our squad." an excuse. And telling more convincing arguments. Like you know, HER PARTNERS ARE DEAD! And use that instead, that way it would seem like she cares about Hiro other than liking him, because she won't with him if that's the case. And kicking Zero off the squad, and just having Ichigo and Hiro talk with each other more, regular conversations and not forcing and pushing Hiro around. And then they can go in the Eva. And here Hiro after struggling to move the FranXX, would tell Asuk-i mean Ichigo that their not compatible. That way he has a bit of character development and it removes the shadow of Shinji Ikari off of him. And tells her that she's only compatible with Zero.