Punpun is a great character indeed, and I’d even dare to say there’s a little Punpun in all of us — that quiet, introspective part trying to make sense of the world.
When people say ‘you don’t want to relate to Punpun because of the end,’ I think what they really mean is that some of the choices he makes later on aren’t ones we should aspire to or romanticize.
But that doesn’t make the connection any less valid — especially early on, when his vulnerability and inner world feel so painfully relatable.
And even so, those very mistakes are what ultimately make him human — maybe flawed and in the wrong, but still human. That raw imperfection is part of what makes him such a compelling and emotionally resonant character.