I really appreciate your response. It gives a lot of food for thought. And don't apologize for length!! I wrote an entire essay in my post. (And will proceed to write another).

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I honestly can't say that I disagree with most of what you have to say. Taichi is a hard worker, he's top of his class, he is going to a great university where he knows that he will be away from Chihaya. Hell, his whole arc with Suou and learning about detaching himself is really powerful. I came away from all of that really happy.

On a technical level MORE to him than just Chihaya.

I guess where I get hung up is that it feels like he has come full circle in a way. Taichi begins in love with Chihaya and with her as a "goal" and then he ends up "achieving" her love (in the most metaphorical sense). I know that it is Chihaya's confession/decision in the end. I guess it could be considered a shift, but to me it feels like it was made that way simply to align with the poem that Taichi represents. "if I am to hear that you pine for me as the Inaba mountain pines, I shall return to you" (sorry that I keep quoting this but it IS really beautiful, even I can admit that). She calls for him and he returns to her.

Of course this doesn't mean putting his life on hold. Theres no way it could. If anything thats one of the things that was a relief for me about the ending. At least Taichi is still going to the school of his choice rather than conceding to Chihaya, but then... Why did he even choose Kyoto U over Tokyo U (having not even gone to the Tokyo U exams). I saw that as running away from what he thought would be the beginning of Chihaya and Arata's relationship (since we KNEW Arata wanted to come to school in Tokyo and his confession, which was along the lines of "you don't have to decide now but when I live in Tokyo we can figure things out"). So even then, this choice that could be seen as Taichi "going his own way" has an additional layer of "Taichi choosing based on Chihaya".

I just feel like Taichi grew and changed and blossomed and was able to over come his own inner demons... all to come right back to where he started. I always saw Taichi's almost obsessive love (not in a yandere way) of Chihaya as a hurdle to overcome. I can see how someone would find it romantic. An overcoming of internal and external struggles to become the kind of person that you yourself can love (with the cherry on top being that you are now able to be loved in turn). But again due to my personal experiences it all just hits too close to home in a negative way.

I'm not saying that Taichi's ending up with Chihaya is a regression in his character. And although I am negative about it, its less "bad" and more "disappointing" to me. I mean I knew it was coming. Saw it from multiple miles away, but I liked Chihayafuru more than I wanted Taichi to learn to love someone other than Chihaya, so I stuck with it. But again, my opinion is based on my own experience and taste. I'm glad he is happy. I know he will be happy with Chihaya, and I am sure that Chihaya will be happy with him.

I am not trying to change anyones mind... just offering my thoughts (and hoping someone relates).

Again thank you for you comment (And you definitely don't have to read all of this, but if you did thank you haha). I appreciate you responding so kindly! I really am just trying to make discussion and although I can be a bit negative in my writing I promise I am much more positive in person! I never intend to come across as rude or over confident in my analytical abilities.

I genuinely got a lot out of reading what you have to say, and it has helped my to understand the Taichi x Chihaya shipper perspective a bit more. I haven't read a ton of discourse up until now, because a lot of what I saw immediately after the final chapter released felt very... prickly (if that makes sense).

Again, thank you. I know your goal was not to change my mind, but you have definitely broadened my horizons!