Haru and Yuujin- Meet Cute!
While usually under the radar, the one trait of the spin-off that surpasses all the previous installments in the franchise is the sheer dosage of Ho Yay.Pretty much any scene involving Haru Shinkai and Yuujin Oozora
- There is some even in the manga. But anime executes it better, especially with all those The Hero and Apocalypse Maiden dynamics.
- While Yuujin from the manga series doesn't become a Ho Yay fuel as much as his anime counterpart, he once says that he serves as the sword and shield for his Hero, Haru.
- They even have their own secret place at their school.
- They can sense whenever the other is in danger.
- The reason Yuujin is chosen by Minerva to be an Applidriver, is his strong feeling that wants to protect Haru even if it must cost his life.
- If Yuujin considers Haru as his hero, Yuujin himself turns out to be Haru's damsel, since him being trapped, kidnapped, brainwashed, or possessed is the catalyst that helps Haru grow into the real protagonist that he always admires.
- Whether it’s intentional or not, Yuujin often appears unexpectedly between Haru and Ai, whenever the two has nice moments. The first episode has Yuujin playing soccer, which one of his teammate accidentally hit Haru’s face with soccer ball, when the boy is talking with Ai. It's not like Yuujin who kicks the ball but...who knows....
- At the same episode, after Gatchmon mentions that Haru has a crush on Ai, he replies that he doesn't like her. Assuming he likes Yuujin more.
- Eri, Astra, and Rei all get partners that mirror themselves in Dokamon, Musimon, and Hackmon. Interestinly... Haru and Yuujin's Appmon partners seem to more mirror the other's human instead. Gatchmon is more outgoing and full of energy like Yuujin while Offmon is more docile and timid like Haru. In a couple cases Haru even has to help Yuujin take care of Offmon, which leads to Yuujin reminiscing of his and Haru's childhood.
- Considering that Haru never hides anything from Yuujin, it's highly possible that Yuujin knows about Haru's crush on Ai. And despite being programmed to be Haru's supportive and trusted friend, Yuujin acts like he never wants the love story between Haru and Ai bloom.
- The fact that Yuujin himself is a Clueless Chick-Magnet, who was programmed just to pleasure Haru while spying on him doesn't help anything either.
- Ai herself never seems to be bothered by Yuujin’s sudden interruption. Instead, she always points out how lovely that Haru and Yuujin always being so close to each other.
- According to one of Appmon's CGI staffs in their twitter
, Ai's voice actress, Mai Fuchigami, once said that it was kinda frustrating how Yuujin had stolen the Love Interest role from Ai, until the very last moment of the show. - In episode 13, Yuujin oddly puts a tiny red bow on top of Haru's ahoge and mentions that it tickles. What was Yuujin even thinking?
- Even Gatchmon comments in Episode 27, that they are like having a date.
- And the next episode has Eri pointing out about how happy Haru is when Yuujin finally becomes an Applidriver too.
- Yuujin once told Eri about how he ended up considering Haru as his hero. And Eri's reaction after hearing that was... not like she's moved or anything, despite the story was pretty much heartwarming. Instead, her facial expression was like an outsider who just realized that she would never be able to surpass Yuujin and his admiration for Haru. This explains why Eri is the one that feels most sorry for Haru and most upset about Yuujin being Leviathan’s tools to spy on them.
- Worth mentioned that the talk between Yuujin and Eri above, happens after they were both trapped in a Run Away Train. When Eri and Yuujin were struggled whether they could make it alive or not, Haru texted Yuujin (and only Yuujin) that he would do something to save them. Even though the text had helped Yuujin calm down, Yuujin only showed it to Eri after everything was over. This might hint that Yuujin considered Haru texting him to calm him down, was something special that he couldn't just show the text to other people.
- Even worse in episode 31, Haru and Yuujin are sitting together and smiling at each other while taking a bath in the hot spring.
- When Yuujin and Offmon are both kidnapped, Haru keeps saying about saving Yuujin, and mentions nothing about Offmon (except when he reads the summaries of the last episodes). It's Dokamon and Gatchmon who have ever mentioned about the poor, captured little Appmon.
- Knight/Cloud also seems to be aware how important Yuujin is to Haru. He keeps threatening Haru about killing Yuujin, without mentioning anything about Offmon, even though he actually has both as his captives.
- Episode 46's Appmon Data Lab has Offmon outright state that Yuujin loves Haru, with hearts over him. It only makes what follows all the more tragic.
- Haru outrightly says in Episode 49 and 50 that the fact that Yuujin is his beloved best friend will never change no matter what. He even admits that he's not fighting for defeating Leviathan, but for saving Yuujin from his control.
- In episode 47 Haru and Yuujin walk through their school together while discussing what their futures will be like, and that they hope they will still be together as adults. It has a bit of a romantic vibe to it especially as they make their way up to the school roof, and they just wordlessly stare at each other for a few seconds.
- Haru also states that his feeling (of loving Yuujin) note for Yuujin is his important treasure. Another one is "My Yuujin is never gone."
- In episode 48, Yuujin does the infamous "Kabe don" even topped with a little blush from Haru as he clutches his heart.
- In episode 49 after Yuujin betrays him, Haru loses his will to live. Even with his partner Gatchmon begging for him to keep fighting and trying to pull him out of the rubble, haru simply replies that without Yuujin he has no reason to go on. Poor Eri, Astra, Rei, even Haru's own mom all get the short end of the stick.
- In Episode 52, Leviathan possesses Yuujin and offers Haru with a Sadistic Choice between saving only Yuujin or saving all humanity. Haru, being a selfless person he is, can't bring himself to choose the first one. But he promises Yuujin that he will someday become an AI Scientist who's able to save him. Leviathan, feeling surprised by Haru's decision, finally releases Yuujin who then makes the choice instead of Haru.
- The next scenes have lots of body touch between Haru and Yuujin, like when Yuujin stops Haru's hand from choosing, and when Haru picks up Yuujin's limp wrist after having Yuujin dies in his arms.
- While in tears, Haru assertively gives the lifeless Yuujin an order to stay to be his kind-hearted friend, like Yuujin always was. Because Yuujin used to only act upon Leviathan's order, Haru decides to give him one too, to show that he has the same dominance (like Leviathan used to have) over Yuujin. After stating outrightly in the previous episode that Yuujin is his possession note , this sounds...a bit kinky, even if it comes out from a Nice Guy like Haru.
- The reason Leviathan takes refuge inside Yuujin's body is likely because he knows that Haru would never dare to let Yuujin be killed. Unfortunately, he is wrong.
- In the final episode when the characters are theorizing how the AI Yuujin had developed a split personality, it's theorized by Haru's grandfather that Yuujin must have grown a heart, due to his love for Haru.
Others
- Episode 27 shows a subliminal lesbian couple, acting as a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment; showing an Appter post saying "Happy to be with my partner in vacation now" and it was surrounded by a bunch of hearts.
- Haru fanboys over Knight during his debut episode's Appmon Data Lab, complete with pink hearts on the background.
