History Manga / AoHaruRide

* DoggedNiceGuy: Touma is a type 2 for Futaba at first because he thought [[ShippingGoggles Kou and Futaba were dating]], but once Futaba [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend clarified]] that they were JustFriends, he becomes a type 1. Kominato is also a type 1 for Shuuko.

* OfficialCouple: Futaba and Kou get UnresolvedSexualTension until TheyDo get together three chapters before the ending. Also, [[spoiler:Shuuko and Kominato]] become a couple right before the final chapter.

* OffModel: Episode 5 of the anime got the worst of this. Almost every single frame was significantly off-model.

''Ao Haru Ride'', (shortened to ''[=AoHaRide=]'' in the original Japanese release; officially translated as ''Blue Spring Ride'' in some countries), is a [[ShoujoDemographic shoujo]] manga by Creator/IoSakisaka that was serialized in the magazine ''Bessatsu Margaret'' from 2011 to 2015, following the success of her previous work ''Manga/StrobeEdge''. It was compiled in twelve volumes along with five LightNovel adaptations. Both an {{Anime}} and a LiveActionAdaptation were announced and premiered in 2014, with Creator/ProductionIG producing the anime for the Summer2014Anime season (with two OriginalVideoAnimation episodes) and the live-action {{Film}} premiering in December 2014. [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/blue-spring-ride The anime is available on Crunchyroll]]

* SourSupporter: Whenever the group make their plans, GrumpyBear Kou is often the least reluctant to join.

* NiceGuy: Touma is respectful of others to the point that his friends accuse him of being a goody-goody. This doubles as a FanNickname, where fans have taken up referring him as "[=GG=]" before his name was officially revealed.

''Ao Haru Ride'', (shortened to ''[=AoHaRide=]'' in the original Japanese release; officially translated as ''Blue Spring Ride'' in some countries), is a [[ShoujoDemographic shoujo]] manga by Creator/IoSakisaka from 2011 to 2015, following the success of her previous work ''Manga/StrobeEdge''. It is serialized in the magazine ''Bessatsu Margaret'' and compiled in twelve volumes along with five LightNovel adaptations. Both an {{Anime}} and a LiveActionAdaptation were announced and premiered in 2014, with Creator/ProductionIG producing the anime for the Summer2014Anime season (with two OriginalVideoAnimation episodes) and the live-action {{Film}} premiering in December 2014. [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/blue-spring-ride The anime is available on Crunchyroll]]

* PowerTrio: Futaba, Shuuko, and Yuuri spend a lot of time together.

* ClingyJealousGirl: Yui tries to keep Kou with her by distracting him from going after Futaba.

* ManipulativeBitch: While "bitch" might be a bit strong to describe Yui, a good amount of the problems that develop between Kou and Futaba later in the story are caused by her manipulations.

* MasterOfTheMixedMessage: Kou sends a decent amount of mixed signals to Futaba, repeatedly initiating intimate moments with her, and then claiming he didn't mean anything romantic. This comes back to bite him in the ass later on, when he tries to [[UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo win Futaba back]] from Touma. Any time he actually tries to be romantic with Futaba, she assumes he's just playing games with her.

[[redirect:Manga/BlueSpringRide]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ao_haru_ride_tt_7826.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: ''The scent of air after the rain... I heard your pulse. I saw the light.''[[labelnote:note]]From left to right: [[RoseHairedSweetie Futaba]] and [[DeadpanSnarker Kou]][[/labelnote]]]]

''Ao Haru Ride'', (shortened to ''[=AoHaRide=]'' in the original Japanese release; officially translated as ''Blue Spring Ride'' in some countries), is a [[ShoujoDemographic shoujo]] manga by Creator/IoSakisaka from 2011 to 2015, following the success of her previous work ''Manga/StrobeEdge''. It is serialized in the magazine ''Bessatsu Margaret'' and compiled in twelve volumes along with five LightNovel adaptations. Both an {{Anime}} and a LiveActionAdaptation were announced and premiered in 2014, with Creator/ProductionIG producing the anime for the Summer2014Anime season (with two OriginalVideoAnimation episodes) and the live-action {{Film}} premiering in December 2014. [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/blue-spring-ride The anime is available on Crunchyroll under the title "Blue Spring Ride."]]

The story follows Futaba Yoshioka, previously a quiet and gentle girl who has changed her image to become approachable and confident, after her insecurity [[TheOneThatGotAway accidentally drove away]] her FirstLove Kou Tanaka and her popularity with the boys [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer caused her friends to leave her]]. Despite her newfound persona, she is anything but happy, and she only realizes this when Kou [[OldFlame re-enters her life]], now under the name Kou Mabuchi. In the two years they haven't seen each other, Futaba is shocked to realize that [[UsedToBeASweetKid Kou has changed so much]]. Despite what they felt for each other in the past, Kou informs her that they can no longer be what they used to be. However, Futaba's love for him reawakens and she is determined to unlock his past and heal his heart.

Joining the whirlwind of adolescence are Yuuri Makita, an unpopular but gentle {{Kawaiiko}}; Shuuko Murao, a lone SugarAndIceGirl with an [[TeacherStudentRomance attachment]] to Youichi Tanaka, a young teacher and Kou's estranged [[BigBrotherInstinct older brother]]; and Aya Kominato, an outgoing boy with his heart set on Shuuko and a rivalry set on Tanaka-sensei.

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!!This series contains examples of:

* ADayInTheLimelight: Shuuko gets her own side story in volume 3, an OriginsIssue that describes her life in middle school and first meeting with Tanaka-sensei.
* AccidentalKiss: [[spoiler:Futaba and Kou]] share one in chapter 20. [[spoiler:Kou]] later "makes up" the accident with a ForcefulKiss in the following chapter.
* AccidentalPervert: Futaba and Touma's official first encounter results in Futaba accidentally copping a feel on him. Thankfully averted in the live-action movie.
* AliceAllusion: The cover to chapter 35 features Futaba as Alice, Kou as the Cheshire Cat, and Touma as the White Rabbit.
* AlphaBitch: Asumi has verbal power over her female classmates, and [[{{Jerkass}} she's pretty much the reason why no one wants to befriend Yuuri]]. Futaba was initially part of her GirlPosse to get on her good side until Kou points out to her that they were all {{False Friend}}s.
* AlternateCharacterReading: The PunBasedTitle is based on switching the on-yomi word for youth (''seishun'', itself a Chinese loan word) to kun-yomi (''Ao Haru'').
* AngerBornOfWorry: Futaba throws her scarf violently at Kou for making her worry [[spoiler:after he got into a car accident.]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: Yui gives ''several'' to Kou over the course of the series, most of them consisting of convincing him that they understand each other better than everyone else, along with the StockPhrase, "PleaseDontLeaveMe." Kou gives one to Futaba in chapter 44.
* BeYourself: When Futaba tries to go through with an image change, Touma tells her [[UnnecessaryMakeover she's fine]] [[JustTheWayYouAre just the way she is]]. [[spoiler:It also becomes part of his LoveConfession!]]
* BeautifulDreamer: Futaba watches a sleeping Kou during a visit to his house when he gets sick. Later on in the story, Kou also watches Futaba sleep when they both ride the train back to their class at Nagasaki. In the movie, there's even a scene where Kou watches Futaba sleep when she stays up at night redoing their class report at the leadership camp.
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: Yuuri gives Futaba a [[MementoMacGuffin Lamune cell phone keychain]] as a token of friendship because Futaba was the only girl in their class who genuinely wasn't rude to her.
* BelligerentSexualTension: Kou and Futaba's relationship fluctuates between this and UnresolvedSexualTension. Half of the time, Futaba and Kou argue, mostly because Kou is exasperated by Futaba's actions and Futaba is annoyed by Kou's snarky behavior.
* BetaCouple: [[spoiler: Yuuri and Touma's friend Uchimiya eventually get together, and have an almost entirely drama-free relationship, especially compared to Kou and Futaba]]. Strangely, nobody other than the two leads end up together in the movie.
* BettyAndVeronica: Touma is the Betty and Kou is the Veronica to Futaba's Archie. At the same time, Kominato is the Betty and Tanaka-sensei is the Veronica to Shuuko's Archie. Later, Futaba becomes the Betty and Yui the Veronica to Kou's Archie.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Yuuri isn't particularly forgiving if you steal her cupcake, or if you mess with her friends.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Tanaka-sensei ''tries'' to take care of Kou, but it's too bad Kou keeps rebuffing his advances. [[spoiler: It's not because Kou hates him; Kou feels guilty for not taking better care of their late mother like his brother asked of him.]]
* BigEater: Justified in that Futaba purposely eats a lot (especially in public) to play down her InformedAttractiveness. This is only slightly alluded to early in the movie with Futaba seen carrying an armful of pastries in a couple of scenes.
* BigHeroicRun: Kou clearly remembers Futaba running to save him during their cops and robbers game in middle school. It's been such a fond memory for him that he thinks of this whenever he feels she is rescuing him.
* BlandNameProduct: In episode 8 of the anime, Kou buys a [[http://lamunetty.tumblr.com/post/95896281113/image-source-from-ao-haru-ride-episode-8-oh "Panta Zero" grape drink]] for Futaba.
** In episode 9, Futaba and the group bring "Kelbaa" potato chips to Kou's house, which is obviously based off of Calbee potato ships.
* BookEnds: The manga begins and ends at the shrine. Also, whereas in the prologue, Futaba cried because "nothing had started", at the end, she corrects herself, saying that something had started and would continue to start.
* BrilliantButLazy: Kou is capable of being TheAce at school, yet lacks the drive to do so [[spoiler:after his mother died]].
* BrokenBird: Poor, poor Kou.
* BroodingBoyGentleGirl: A lot of Kou's CharacterDevelopment comes from Futaba's persistence to help him get over his DarkAndTroubledPast.
* [[ParentsWalkInAtTheWorstTime Brother Walks In At the Worst Time]]: When Kou comforts Futaba intimately, there's a progression of what looks like an AlmostKiss... until [[MomentKiller Tanaka-sensei suddenly walks in]], clueless. Oops.
* BrutalHonesty: Both Kou and Shuuko don't hold back when it comes to expressing their opinions. In fact, it was because of this Shuuko was [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer ostracized]] by her so-called "friends."
* BunniesForCuteness: Lamune, the SeriesMascot, is an adorable lop-eared bunny.
* ButNotTooForeign: Kominato's character profile in vol. 3 states that he is a quarter French.
* TheCameo: Kou makes a cameo appearance in the crossover for ''Manga/DaytimeShootingStar'' and ''Manga/HeroineShikkaku'', drawn for ''Margaret's'' 50th anniversary.
* CaughtInTheRain: In a bittersweet moment, this is how Kou and Futaba come to bond with each other in middle school, and that very memory is how Futaba is able to identify Kou after the TimeSkip.
* ChekhovsGun: Tanaka-sensei discovers Kou's crush on Futaba when he circles her name in his notebook. [[spoiler:Kominato finds the same exact notebook four years later, and that's how he (and the audience) finds out that Kou still likes her.]]
* ClassRepresentative: The group become class representatives, though the most they have come to fulfilling the actual stereotypes of the trope itself was urging Kou to keep up his grades.
* ClingyJealousGirl: Yui tries to keep Kou with her by distracting him from going after Futaba.
* CoolTeacher: Tanaka-sensei gets along with his students very well to the point some students don't address him as a teacher.
* CovertPervert: Futaba tends to unconsciously sniff Kou's neck. Kominato also has some porno mags and he's willing to show you if you're his friend as long as you don't tell Shuuko, shhh!
* CrossOver: ''Ao Haru Ride'' constantly shared covers with ''Manga/MyLoveStory'' when they made front page of ''Bessatsu Margaret''. The authors of both manga collaborated on a one-shot crossover in honor of ''Bessatsu Margaret'''s 50th year anniversary.
* TheCynic: While Futaba is a WideEyedIdealist about reinventing her image, Kou is far more pessimistic about what he can change about himself.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Kou's change in behavior mostly stem from [[spoiler:ParentalAbandonment due to his parents' divorce and his mother's subsequent death]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Leave it to Kou to ruin your attempts at impressing girls, Kominato... not even, Futaba! On the other side of the spectrum, Shuuko snarks at Tanaka-sensei in her [[ADayInTheLimelight side story]] before falling in love with him.
* DebutQueue: The prologue of the manga detailed Futaba and Kou's lives in junior high.
* DefinitelyJustACold: Kou's mother coughs while in the hospital and remarks that she must be getting a cold, though it's actually [[IncurableCoughOfDeath lung cancer.]]
* DefrostingIceQueen: Shuuko has learned to tolerate Futaba and Yuuri just fine. She even initiates a hug with Yuuri!
** Kou is also a male version to Futaba, Kominato, and the rest of the group.
* [[DoNotCallMePaul Do Not Call Me Tanaka]]: It's Mabuchi, now, all right? [[spoiler:By the end of the series, Kou changes his last name back to Tanaka, so it's okay to call him Tanaka again!]]
* DoesNotLikeMen: Futaba in the prologue chapter, [[IfItsYouItsOkay except she warms up to Kou because he's "different."]]
* TheDogBitesBack: When Futaba finally tells Asumi and Chie to back off from Yuuri (which ends up with her losing their trust completely), Yuuri follows up by giving them their own verbal comeuppance ''in front of the entire class''.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Touma is a type 2 for Futaba at first because he thought [[ShippingGoggles Kou and Futaba were dating]], but once Futaba [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend clarified]] that they were JustFriends, he becomes a type 1. Kominato is also a type 1 for Shuuko.
* EatingLunchAlone: In the beginning, Yuuri always ate lunch alone after being shunned by the girls in the class.
* FalseDichotomy: Come the middle of the series, Kou is "forced" to choose between Futaba and Yui, and he indirectly chooses Yui on the basis that she needs his support to get through a tough spot in her life that has happened to him before. However, there was no reason why he couldn't pursue a relationship with Futaba while helping Yui out at the same time. [[spoiler:Then again, as Futaba represents moving on and Yui represents being in the past, he most likely stuck with Yui to have a reason for being reminded of his mom's death, and feels guilty about leaving behind those memories when it's obvious his mother was very important to him.]]
** Kominato figures out that part of the reason Kou rejected Futaba was because he knew that if they became an OfficialCouple, Futaba would be bothered by Yui being close friends with Kou. He tells Kou that he's being an idiot.
* FirstNameBasis: Futaba starts addressing Kou by his first name just a couple of days after they meet again in high school even though they've only talked to each other three times in middle school. The reason for this is that [[DoNotCallMePaul he doesn't want to be called "Tanaka-kun"]] and she feels that he would be a stranger to her if she calls him by his legal last name, Mabuchi. This leads a lot of people into thinking they're closer than they claim to be, like Tanaka-sensei, Kominato, Yuuri, Touma, and Yui. Kominato starts calling Kou by his first name in vol. 2 after becoming his friend during the events of the HorribleCampingTrip.
** Futaba gets jealous when she mistakenly believes that Kou calls Yui by her first name and later when she found out that Yui called Kou by his first name.
* FreakyFridayFlip: In the CrossOver special with ''Manga/MyLoveStory'', Kou switches bodies with Takeo, leading to a lot of hilarious OutOfCharacterAlert moments.
* FriendlessBackground: Futaba, Yuuri, and Shuuko all start out on this kind of footing.
* GeckoEnding: The film ends during the school trip to Nagasaki and opted for an original ending, mostly because the manga hadn't ended yet while the movie was still in production.
* GirlsLoveStuffedAnimals: Both Yuuri and Futaba have items of the SeriesMascot, Lamune the bunny.
* GreenEyedMonster: Kou becomes annoyed whenever he sees Touma and Futaba together, although he has yet to form a GreenEyedEpiphany about what is causing his bad mood.
* GreyAndGrayMorality: No one is truly a villain in the series. One of the taglines for the movie adaptation is "Youth is about always making mistakes", which is what the characters live by.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Futaba and Yuuri are close friends, even after falling in love with the same guy! Also, Kou and Kominato are turning out like this, too.
* HorribleCampingTrip: The group is required to go to a training camp to prepare for managing class activities, and things don't start out very well.
* IJustWantToBeLoved: Due to [[spoiler:ParentalAbandonment issues]], [[spoiler:Yui]] becomes insecure about who she can really rely on.
* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Futaba's image change in high school revolves around her desire to have TrueCompanions after being abandoned by her friends in middle school.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Yuuri stops chasing after Kou when he rejects her LoveConfession, but the person she's actually rooting for is Futaba, whose friendship means much more to her than her crush on Kou does.
** [[spoiler:Tanaka-sensei]] actually returns [[spoiler:Shuuko's]] feelings, but knows it's unrealistic for them to have a relationship at this point in time, so [[spoiler:he purposely tries to encourage Kominato to go after her instead]].
** Surprisingly, [[spoiler:Yui eventually pulls this as well. When Kou ends things with her to pursue Futaba, she initially lashes out in grief, but ultimately apologizes and lets him go with no hard feelings]].
* IWarnedYou: Time and time again, Kominato tells Kou about the dangers of his co-dependent relationship with Yui. [[spoiler:When Kou finally makes the break and realizes the reprecussions, he expects Kominato to tell him these exact words, but surprisingly Kominato doesn't and just tells him to move on.]]
* ImprovisedUmbrella: When Kou and Futaba take shelter at a shrine in the rain, Kou lets Futaba use his gym uniform as an umbrella.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Kou berates Futaba, but he's the one looking out for her most of the time.
* {{Kawaiiko}}: Poor Yuuri is just a natural {{Kawaiiko}} that Futaba's former friends, Asumi and Chie, accuse her of being TheFakeCutie just to attract guys.
* LonersAreFreaks: [[IJustWantToHaveFriends Futaba]], [[{{Kawaiiko}} Yuuri]], and [[BrutalHonesty Shuuko]] have all been ostracized by their female classmates at one point.
* LongLostRelative: Kou and Tanaka-sensei were separated from each other when their parents divorced, which led their relationship to be slightly strained. Tanaka-sensei still has a BigBrotherInstinct towards Kou, but Kou doesn't like confiding in him.
* LoveTriangle: Of note, there's Futaba/Kou/Yuuri and Kominato/Shuuko/Tanaka-sensei. Looks like we'll be seeing Touma/Futaba/Kou after Futaba/Kou/Yuuri was resolved.
** More like a LoveDodecahedron now with Touma/Futaba/Kou and Futaba/Kou/Narumi occurring concurrently!
* LuminescentBlush: Touma blushes easily, and when he does, he gets ''super'' red.
* ManipulativeBitch: While "bitch" might be a bit strong to describe Yui, a good amount of the problems that develop between Kou and Futaba later in the story are caused by her manipulations.
* MarsAndVenusGenderContrast: While Futaba, Yuuri, and Shuuko are confused about how boys think, Kou himself states that he doesn't understand women either.
* MasterOfTheMixedMessage: Kou sends a decent amount of mixed signals to Futaba, repeatedly initiating intimate moments with her, and then claiming he didn't mean anything romantic. This comes back to bite him in the ass later on, when he tries to [[UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo win Futaba back]] from Touma. Any time he actually tries to be romantic with Futaba, she assumes he's just playing games with her.
* MissingMom: Kou's mother [[spoiler:is dead]]. Yui was abandoned by her mother, since the mother's new husband didn't want to take care of her.
* MyGreatestFailure:
** Kou's is being unable to save his mother.
** Tanaka-sensei's is leaving Kou to deal with their mother's illness and death by himself. He was unable to visit often because he lived far away and just becoming a teacher, but it had more to do with being afraid of watching his mother die.
* NewTransferStudent: Kou's classmate from Nagasaki, Yui Narumi, is going to turn out like this soon.
* NiceGuy: Touma is respectful of others to the point that his friends accuse him of being a goody-goody. This doubles as a FanNickname, where fans have taken up referring him as "[=GG=]" before his name was officially revealed.
* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Futaba bases her judgment of reinventing her image on this, as her previous incidents of being more feminine caused her friends to ditch her because she caught the attention of the guys they had a crush on.
* NotWhatItLooksLike: When Futaba and Touma confront each other about Futaba's AccidentalPervert incident, Kou assumes that Touma's been doing something far worse to Futaba, causing Futaba to invoke this trope.
* ObliviousToLove: [[EveryoneCanSeeIt Everyone can see that Touma has a crush on Futaba]], or at least notices how he's always looking at her or talking to her... that is, unless the person is Futaba herself.
* OffModel: Episode 5 of the anime got the worst of this. Almost every single frame was significantly off-model.
* OfficialCouple: Futaba and Kou get UnresolvedSexualTension until TheyDo get together three chapters before the ending. Also, [[spoiler:Shuuko and Kominato]] become a couple right before the final chapter.
* TheOneThatGotAway: Averted. Kou was apparently this initially, but since he came back, he's an OldFlame.
* ParentalAbandonment: Slightly subverted in the fact that Kou spends more time on his studies than with his mother (which is made worse when [[spoiler:she dies]]) coupled with his parents' divorce, this is cited as one of the reasons for Kou's drastic shift into becoming a BrokenBird.
* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Futaba is usually depicted in pink clothing and backgrounds while her hair colors lean on the warm side. Kou, on the other hand, is often colored using cooler shades. Played straight in the fact that they're respectively the RedOniBlueOni of each other.
* PowerTrio: Futaba, Shuuko, and Yuuri spend a lot of time together.
* PragmaticAdaptation: The film not only heavily compressed the plot, but it also rearranged parts of the story. [[note]]For example, in the original story, Futaba immediately finds out Kou and Youichi Tanaka are related, but in the film, she doesn't find out until summer vacation. Furthermore, Touma was introduced way earlier in the film, during the leadership camp, when he made his first appearance at the end of Futaba's first conflict with Yuuri and didn't join leadership until finding out Futaba was part of it.[[/note]] The ending was also changed, partially because it OvertookTheManga during the time it was shot [[note]]The film was shot during the spring and summer of 2014, while the manga didn't end until 2015[[/note]]. In addition, Kou's background was changed so that he was in Nagasaki for four years instead of three.
* ProductPlacement: [[http://www.animate.tv/news/details.php?id=1403141298 Cosmetics brand ettusais had a deal]] with ''Ao Haru Ride'' and their lip gloss gleefully appeared in episodes 1 and [[http://lamunetty.tumblr.com/post/95896154243/image-source-from-ao-haru-ride-episode-8-cosme 8]] of the anime.
* ProductionThrowback: Ninako and Ren from ''Manga/StrobeEdge'' make a brief appearance in Page 25. Ninako is also mentioned briefly in the drama CD.
* ThePromise: Kou promised his brother that he would take care of their mother after the divorce, but [[MyGreatestFailure he was unable to keep it.]] It became an IronicEcho when their mother asked Kou's brother to take care of him shortly before her death. [[BigBrotherInstinct He tries, but Kou continues to push him away]].
* PunBasedTitle: WordOfGod explains the meaning behind the Japanese print title, ''Ao Haru Ride'': the characters for "ao" (blue) and "haru" (spring) make the word "seishun" (youth) when put together.
* RealMenWearPink: The colored version of chapter 20's cover depicts Kou wearing a pink shirt. Also, Kominato's favorite color is pink, as stated on his character profile.
* RedOniBlueOni: Futaba (and Kominato) is the Red to Kou's Blue.
* RunningGag: Tanaka-sensei's odd taste in clothing, which the characters {{Lampshade}} every so often.
* SecondLove: Touma tries very hard to establish himself as this for Futaba.
* SecondYearProtagonist: The first couple of chapters in the manga take place when the characters are in their first year of high school, but the main events begin after they move onto their second year.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Kou denies to his casual hang-out buddies that Futaba is his girlfriend. Futaba also has to pull a HeIsNotMyBoyfriend when describing her relationship with Kou to Yuuri and later Touma.
* ShipTease: Since Uchimiya became an AscendedExtra, he and Yuuri often get adorable moments together. [[spoiler:As of chapter 32, they have become a BetaCouple!]]
* ShipperOnDeck: Kominato is one for Kou and Futaba, though it's more because he wants to help Kou than it is because he thinks Kou and Futaba are a good match. Uchimiya, on the other hand, supports Touma and Futaba.
* ShoutOut: "I saw the light" from the {{Tagline}} was inspired by the song "I Saw the Light" by Music/ToddRundgren, according to an [[http://www.mdn.co.jp/di/articles/3183/?page=2 interview]] with the designer of the series' logo, Yasuhisa Kawatani.
** The CD Kou lent to Yuuri? In the manga, the cover wasn't drawn, but in the anime, [[http://lamunetty.tumblr.com/post/95897045548/image-source-from-ao-haru-ride-episode-8 the cover has the]] Music/DaveMatthewsBand on it. It fits, as Kou's character profile states that his favorite band is the Dave Matthews Band.
* SiblingYinYang: Tanaka-sensei is a NiceGuy, hard-working, and pretty much goofy. Kou is the opposite, as he's a BrilliantButLazy JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
* SoBeautifulItsACurse: Futaba spends a lot of time in the beginning of the manga trying to play down her InformedAttractiveness by becoming a BigEater and a slob just because she's afraid her friends will ditch her for being popular with the boys.
* SolomonDivorce: When Kou's family divorced, his older brother went to live with his father while he went to live with his mother.
* SourSupporter: Whenever the group make their plans, GrumpyBear Kou is often the least reluctant to join.
* StepfordSmiler: Kou acts more relaxed around his male peers, while he makes no effort to put up such a front around his friends and his family.
* TheStoic: Shuuko hardly ever shows emotion. Likewise, Kou is also an indicator of this, even when he's annoyed, which is why Futaba has trouble as to understanding what he is really thinking.
* {{Tagline}}: The above page quote, which is often written under the title on covers and magazine spreads: "The scent of air after the rain... I heard your pulse. I saw the light."
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Kou, hands down.
* TeacherStudentRomance: Shuuko has a crush on Tanaka-sensei, who is nine years older than Kou. [[spoiler: And he returns those feelings too but seeing as they're teacher/student, he pushes her away.]]
* ThatSoundsFamiliar: Futaba immediately thinks of Kou when she first sees Tanaka-sensei.
* ThematicThemeTune: The opening and ending theme songs both deal with being unable to express feelings clearly and how to BeYourself, a big theme in the series.
* ThoseTwoGirls: Futaba's former friends, Asumi and Chie, and...
** ThoseTwoGuys: Touma's best friends. As of chapter 24, Uchimiya has become an AscendedExtra while Kishun's just kind of there.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Futaba is the {{Tomboy}} to Yuuri's Girly Girl.
* TroubledButCute: Kou, hands down.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: When Futaba comes to the conclusion that Kou is too caught up with Yui to develop any sort of relationship with her, she decides to move on. This causes Kou to have an epiphany on what matters to him the most, and he begins pursuing her more aggressively.
* UsedToBeASweetKid: Kou is nothing like how Futaba remembered him in middle school.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Although they don't get along at first, Kominato and Kou befriend each other during the {{Class Representative}}s training camp, though Kou still has trouble thinking of Kominato as a friend.
* [[WatchingTheSunset Watching the Sunrise]]: To celebrate being TrueCompanions during the training camp, the group watch the sunrise. The movie ends this way, though Kominato, Shuuko and Yuuri intentionally set Futaba and Kou up so they can spend more time together, and choose a different place to do this instead.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: Futaba used to be friends with Yumi until Yumi thought she also liked her crush, Naito. Asumi and Chie were also friends with Futaba, though they were more like {{False Friend}}s.
* WhenHeSmiles: Futaba finds traces of Kou's TrueSelf only when he smiles. After the summer of their second year in high school, she starts noticing he might be a StepfordSmiler.
** She also seems to be able to differentiate his smiles over time, and correctly deduces something happens to Kou when she felt his smile change.
* WideEyedIdealist: After Kou re-enters Futaba's life, she becomes more encouraged to change herself in a way that makes her happy.
* YouAreNotAlone: Futaba repeatedly affirms Kou this. For Kou, he feels it's his responsibility to show Yui this.
* YouMustBeCold: Kou lends Futaba his hoodie when they watch the sunrise at the leadership camp.
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* TheCameo: Kou makes a cameo appearance in the crossover for ''Manga/HirunakaNoRyuusei'' and ''Manga/HeroineShikkaku'', drawn for ''Margaret's'' 50th anniversary.

* BeYourself: When Futaba tries to go through with an image change, Touma tells her [[UnnecessaryMakeover she's fine]] [[JustTheWayYouAre just the way she is]]. Doubles as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming when [[spoiler:it also becomes part of his LoveConfession!]]

* AccidentalPervert: Futaba and Touma's official first encounter results in Futaba accidentally copping a feel on him.

* BetaCouple: [[spoiler: Yuuri and Touma's friend Uchimiya eventually get together, and have an almost entirely drama-free relationship, especially compared to Kou and Futaba]].

* BigEater: Justified in that Futaba purposely eats a lot (especially in public) to play down her InformedAttractiveness.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Shuuko has learned to tolerate Futaba and Yuuri just fine.
** She even initiates a hug with Yuuri!

* GreenEyedMonster: Kou lately becomes annoyed whenever he sees Touma and Futaba together, although he has yet to form a GreenEyedEpiphany about what is causing his bad mood.

** Kou's is being unable to save his mother,

* [[WatchingTheSunset Watching the Sunrise]]: To celebrate being TrueCompanions during the training camp, the group watch the sunrise.

->"''The scent of air after the rain... I heard your pulse. I saw the light.''"

* PragmaticAdaptation: The film not only heavily compressed the plot, but it also rearranged parts of the story. [[note]]For example, in the original story, Futaba immediately finds out Kou and Youichi Tanaka are related, but in the film, she doesn't find out until summer vacation. Furthermore, Touma was introduced way earlier in the film, during the leadership camp, when he made his first appearance at the end of Futaba's first conflict with Yuuri and didn't join leadership until finding out Futaba was part of it.[[/note]] The ending was also changed, partially because it OvertookTheManga during the time it was shot [[note]]The film was shot during the spring and summer of 2014, while the manga didn't end until 2015[[/note]]. In addition, Kou's background was changed so that he was in Nagasaki for four years instead of two.

* PragmaticAdaptation: The film not only heavily compressed plot points, but it also changed the ending slightly, partially because it OvertookTheManga during the time it was shot [[note]]The film was shot during the spring and summer of 2014, while the manga didn't end until 2015[[/note]]. In addition, Kou's background was changed so that he was in Nagasaki for four years instead of two. Touma was also introduced early, when in the original comic, he wouldn't appear until after Futaba discovers Kou's past (near the end of volume 4).

* PragmaticAdaptation: The film not only heavily compressed plot points, but it also changed the ending slightly, partially because it OvertookTheManga during the time it was shot [[note]]The film was shot during the spring and summer of 2014, while the manga didn't end until 2015[[/note]]. Touma was also introduced early, when in the original comic, he wouldn't appear until after Futaba discovers Kou's past.

* PragmaticAdaptation: The film not only heavily compressed plot points, but also changed the ending slightly, partially because it OvertookTheManga during the time it was shot [[note]]The film was shot during the spring and summer of 2014, while the manga didn't end until 2015[[/note]].