Even a little girl can transform! Tsurumi Rumi (鶴見 留美), an elementary school girl who Hikigaya Hachiman (比企谷 八幡) and co. save her from bullying by her clique during Summer camp at Chiba village. However, they don’t expect she transforms in front of them! For some people, it is changing. For me, it is the change, “The Transformation”.
Actually, this is Oregairu analysis focused on a certain girl, but I included how a certain character will transform too. For how Yukino will transform and the reasons why she will change, I wrote in after Rumi’s phrase. So you can find it so easily by Ctrl+F and keyword [New].
I strongly recommend you to read LN v4-12 before proceed.
Updates
4 April 2019: I added “Related Topics” in this post. It is about what Rumi might not know. You can click Ctrl+F and find this keyword 1. The truth Rumi may not know.
ps.
- Please read Attention page first, to let you understand that my all analyses are not 100% right.
- Spoilers up ahead.
- I recommend you to read/watch
- Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. (やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。), Oregairu (俺ガイル) LN, manga Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabu Kome wa Machigatteiru. -Monologue- (やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。-妄言録-)
- Fate/Apocrypha (フェイト/アポクリファ)
- before proceed. This is really important because the detail below is so sensitive.
Begin with Rumi Rumi first.
To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect myself to write a post about her before. However, after I read LN v4 again & again, I found out that her actions and her thought are very interesting. You might wonder why I think like that?
Reasons why I Wrote About Rumi.
When I read LN v4 when Hachiman and co. are trying to solve Rumi’s problem. If you read this v4 or watch anime ss1 ep8, you would see she decides to save all girls and they run away from Hayama Hayato (葉山 隼人) and co. during the test of courage in the forest. I am interested to find out why she does something like that. Why does she save friends who always bully her? How is she feeling before and when she uses her digital camera?
Collecting Data
Before I start to analyze the transformation of Rumi, let me explain two events first.
- The event after splashing water.
- The event during Hayato’s clique pressures Rumi’s clique.
1) The event after splashing water.
After finish from splashing water, Yukinoshita Yukino (雪ノ下 雪乃) and Yuigahama Yui (由比ヶ浜 結衣) come to Hachiman and Rumi. She hears Yuigahama is concerned about her so she says she didn’t want anyone thinks she is pathetic. However, she said to all of them she gave up.
When Hachiman hears that and sees her crying, he decides to solve her problem so he tells her that he hopes she will be fun in the test of courage.
OOT
I notice that Rumi’s words make Hachiman is upset with the world (people) around her who forces her to fall into despair. But I think his anger comes from his own direct experience in the past that is not different from Rumi’s situation. That’s why he decides to change the situation for revenge the society as the first priority, but I didn’t say he doesn’t intend to help her, but what he does is to destroy bad people who make him recall his own bad memories.
This is the first time for Hachiman’s revenge. You can see him destroy society/bad people again during the school cultural festival many times. I notice that he doesn’t feel well to do that, but his anger drives him to sacrifice himself and destroy bad people in return. If you want to read his thoughts and feelings that time, you can explore at Oregairu Analysis – “After” Yukinoshita Haruno Decides to Help Yukino. (The Last Part)
2) The event during Hayato’s Clique pressures Rumi’s Clique.
We see Hachiman, Yukino and Yui are observing Hayato and co. are talking with Rumi’s clique, right? We will sit near them too.
- Tobe Kakeru (戸部 翔) and Miura Yumiko (三浦 優美子) (friends in Hayato’s clique) start to threaten Rumi’s clique.
Say what you like. Your nightmare will begin soon.
2nd delinquent, Yumiko-dono
3rd delinquent, Hayama-donoAfter that, Hayato ordered Rumi and co. that half of them can run but another half will stay here, he lets them choose who will stay.
- All girls choose a certain girl you know who. Rumi is forced to stay. Hachiman feels depressed by the scenes in front of them. Hachiman discusses to 2YY that if all girls are true friends, their group would not be crushed. However, he doesn’t expect that in this group.
- Hayato forces all girls to choose two more. They vote a girl named Yuka to be next one. Yuka protects herself by charging Hitomi, Hitomi does the same to Mori, Mori charges both of them. 4th girl, Yokko, cries.
By temping them,
They will change suddenly,
& become flamingos!! - Hayato sets the time limit to hurry them up. They decide Yuka and force her to stay. Hachiman and Yui think the same that it’s no choice. He thinks no one can’t overturn everyone’s vote even if it is against your feelings. So he despises it.
Congratulations, you are chosen. - Countdown remains 10 seconds. Rumi closes her eyes, she holds her digital camera tightly as if it’s a protective charm. As if she is praying.
- Rumi uses her camera to make Hayato and co. blind and let all girls escape together. Hachiman and others are surprised.
The time has come!
Transformation!
To save you! - Yuigahama thinks they really are good friends but her optimistic opinion is rejected by Hachiman because those girls look down on Rumi. He thinks she would be genuine because she intends to save people who looked down on her. However, he’s not sure yet and gives Natsume Souseki’s quote. He can’t tell if someone is genuine or not, it is like “In a Grove” by Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. Yukino starts to sigh, Yui is confused. So he decides to read up on Souseki properly.
The rise of Tsurumi Rumi
This section I will analyze the transformation of Rumi by picking 2 events above. Interpreting her intention is difficult and I have no solid evidence to prove my assumption. But I believe she did a good thing because it is necessary to do. Save everyone (not her friends only but Hachiman’s group too) is what she needs to do. But the question, if she wants to save her friends truly, is an interesting question but another question is what she was thinking before saves everyone is the challenge. I think interpreting her thoughts step by step might be a good idea.
Before her rising
Rumi thought she can’t do anything and gives up. Before the test of courage starts, her condition is worse, and Hachiman realized that she gave up already, to herself and people around her. She didn’t know what to do and no one tells her what to do. It’s like she’s lost by ill-willed people.
I notice when Yui was concerned about Rumi, the little girl felt like she was pathetic and didn’t want anyone thinks she is. It’s normal when we is in bad condition (eg. sick/fail/bankrupt/etc.) and if good or kind people know about this, they will be concerning or feel sorry for her. However, when other people felt like that to Rumi, she would feel more depressed, because she interpreted that they feel pity for her.
However, with this perceptive and pride, she will use them to transform and find her own path later.
Transformation mode activate!
The awareness of Rumi would happen while Hayato and co. are threatening her clique and she watches the result. In LN v4, Hachiman picks Natsume Souseki’s quote to explain during explaining his plan. I think Watari-sensei intends to use Souseki’s quote to focus on Rumi too. We know that Rumi gave up about her problem already but when she goes to the forest with her clique, if I think she is a smart girl and if she still remembers what he tells her, she would be aware that Hachiman (who said the test of courage will be fun to her) would be the one who plans this.
After Rumi was sacrificed, she watches other girls blame each other. They end up crying for this nightmare. She would connect things and find the truth that Hachiman and co. are helping her from this bullying by pressuring her friends. However, I notice she closes her eyes and be quiet for some reason.
Maybe she realizes all of these happens because of her. Because she gave up, because she was pathetic. Hachiman and others try to solve her problem by themselves because they want to help her. I think she would feel good when she realized they intend to save her but at the same time, bullying her friends will cause them huge trouble (if this event is known by teachers/parents). That’s why I think Rumi’s happiness and worry toward their help and that unpleasant future are the factors that make her save people she doesn’t like.
The hint that is the sign that Rumi would be worried like that because she hears one of the girls speak her idea to tell their teacher. If her friends do that, Hachiman and others will get big trouble! And if that happens, it is normal for Rumi to think it is her fault.
Finally, With her good will toward people who save her and the necessity to prevent no laughing matter, you can see how Rumi saves everyone. Personally, I never believe she is a good person who saves everyone truly but saving her friends is necessary to do in order to save people who saved her. Saving people who we hate is not easy to do because this action goes against our negative emotions but if we have the powerful motivation, we can do things that go against our will. As Natsume Souseki’s quote Hachiman said earlier.
Under normal conditions, everybody is more or less good, or, at least, ordinary. But tempt them, and they may suddenly change.
With the pressure toward the situation in front of her, she transforms like she is new Rumi. Before, she accepted her own fate and gave up. But right now, she decides to act like the hero who saves her friend by using her camera. What I want to present is… although I titled this post, The Transformation, I don’t think there is something super powerful in her mind that drives her to do that. It is not heroic power but what I don’t present yet is her attitude changes. This change is the most important thing behind her development that is difficult to notice because it is the abstract, not like her action that is easier to see.
Personally, I don’t think she wants to be a hero or something, or she cares for her friends like Yuigahama thinks (they are good kids). Yuigahama interprets Rumi’s actions only, so she understands that she wants to save her friends. Her thought is the same as most people like to do, judge Rumi by her actions. Maybe she is right, but I consider the truths that Rumi is aware of many things before gathering the courage to change the situation…
So it means that helping her friends is just a fake thing. Her action connects with Hachiman’s word that
“even if we know this is fake thing (save her bad friends), if we still want to help people (Hachiman’s group), it can be called the genuine.”
I think she pulls them and runs away together so Hayato and co. can stop acting like delinquents to solve her problem. Other assumptions that she doesn’t want to be this weak or she wants to show them she will not be weak like she was are things I can’t prove if they are true. However, what I can tell you that she decides to change things so they will not force themselves to save her anymore.
Firework time!
And that’s the analysis about the rise of a little girl who is aware of goodwill of others and improves herself so she will not let them get more trouble and realizes that she can overcome her own despair. I know Hachiman and co. don’t expect that Rumi will change but the reality they save her is true. This is how Rumi does the fake thing to save people, that we might consider that is genuine.
Rumi’s transformation should end at this point, but after LN v12 descended from heaven, I …feel that WW creates Rumi’s incident to describe someone or something in the future.
But if WW tries to present Rumi’s arc, her reappearance again in anime Zoku ep10, and the genuine, I believe what Hachiman and Yuigahama will produce the goodwill to help Yukino truly as Hiratsuka Shizuka (平塚 静) expects from him and Yuigahama. Can both of them save Yukino? Will she be aware in herself and others’ intentions? I am looking forward to what WW will present in the future.
The Benefit From The Genuine
When they can change their previous perspectives and save people with goodwill, we should not forget the change within them. I think the goodwill is the main and the most important factor of this genuine issue and the self is the result of it that both of them are equally important. If they have no these, even if their words and actions are right, an intellect told me that the good will might or might not be pure. The will of people are not something we can read just because of their words, their actions. So I will be looking forward to see how things will end in this story, especially, these characters who introspect “genuine” to be changed to the better persons.
So the genuine thing WW tries to present would mean that doing something genuine will develop themselves to be the better persons, the one who has goodwill can save people they care for sincerely, and their relationship will be …true relationship. The true friend is not the friend status we generally know. True relationships can be family, friendship, lover or even acquaintances who wish your suffering will end or/and you will find true happiness.
Personally, I have no faith in “doing fake thing to save others” will be the good thing. Why do they not choose to do the true thing to save others? Misunderstanding the feeling of other people can lead to the negative emotion and the shattering of the relationship.
Related Topic(s)
1. The truth Rumi may not know.
It is normal to think Rumi believes Hachiman (and co.) are good people (especially, Hachiman) since his group saved her. But I think the normal circle is happening in her mind. The normal circle I mentioned is… she thinks he is a good guy that is correct because the truth he intended to save her is true but what I want to say is he didn’t save her because of that reason only. I suspect that she doesn’t know another motivation of him that drove him to crush her friends. He has his own bitter story because of people around him in the past. So another reason behind his help is he delivers his hatred/anger to bad girls who are the sign of people he hates in the past.
So thinking he is the good guy will be the misunderstanding as of the result (although it is one of the truths) because she might do as other characters do to Hachiman, season their thoughts by using this understanding (Hachiman is the good guy) as the base. This process might lead to misunderstanding because we can see he is not 100% good guy, he is the normal person. Oregairu shows us many times how people hurt because they witnessed the change of other people they believe, believe that person must be good/ not boring but the truth is not like they believe. People are good or bad, can be judged at that moment only. Their misunderstanding is their own fault, most people have good and bad sides. And if Rumi doesn’t know that motivation of him, it is possible that normal circle will happen to her.
But of course, this is just a notice only. I didn’t write this topic to carp her but analyzing characters in Oregairu about this issue makes me introspect myself. The solution to this problem is stopping thought’s seasoning. If seasoning them about other people will make us misunderstand, the correct thing is just sense that thought and make it end.
Related Oregairu analyses you should not miss!
This analysis concentrates who conquers Hayama’s heart, that this event happens at the same time as Rumi’s problem during the summer camp. This Oregairu analysis concentrates an event in v3. (before the summer camp.) This is the first time Hachiman’s revenge destroyed the society he hates. But you can see him cast Meg@nte again during the school cultural festival. But if you want to know what he is feeling and thinking before he decided to do that…
Yahari Bento 
What a magnificent point of view, I didn’t even expect that to be the case
awesome read!
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thanks for your comment, @Mystesyuji. I didn’t expect about her too before, but when I realize her doing, I decided to provide a post for her, especially.
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This is so detailed and worth reading. When I’ve read LN 4, I’ve felt that Rumi’s arc is missing something. I’ve felt that there is something missing, something that I don’t understand. Something that annoys me so much, that I jumped and read LN 5 right away after reading LN 4. Rumi’s arc is one of the best arc on Oregairu. And after months of being done on reading the light novels I’ve seen myself in Rumi. And grew to like her more than before. Now, I love her(it just made my heart more warm) because of what you analyzed! All I could say, is just. “Yeah, Sore Aru!(Preach it!)” 🙂
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Thanks for sharing your feeling about Rumi, I want to know what people think about her too.
Rumi’s arc is not period I am interested in the first place, so I kinda understand why you skip. In my brain, it’s like ?? after finish reading but still read next vol.
However, I wonder many things in this arc. (such as “Y”) When I started to explore in LN & anime to analyze “Y” of Hayama, I found Hachiman’s quote is not just to explain “bad girls” during test of courage, but “Rumi’s changing so suddenly” as well.
That’s why when I started to understand why Rumi saved her friends a bit, I started to think she’s another honorable character worth for me to want to write about her.
I’m glad you like this interesting character, Rumi Rumi! and thanks again for your praising in my work. I don’t know we will see her in LN next vol but I hope Watari will write her role again. :3
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Well, I look forward on the next volume a lot. As far as I know Watari said that the series near to the ending and would hope that if LN 12 is the ending(Considering the time that he is taking to finish this and taking another novel in speakeasy). I want some revisits to other characters to end the story well. Especially Rumi, Saika, Zaimokuza, Ebina and Meguri(I really love Meguri that’s why). And this may seem redundant but , thanks for the hard work. I will be looking forward to your analysis! 🙂
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Hey !
This is a great analysis, thank you !
Actually, I think Rumi’s arc is one of the most important arc in Oregairu. I see it as a turning point, or a trigger.
Firstly, this Hachiman’s first “social suicide”, as he takes the role of the bad man, and all. This is the first time we see him using this kind of methods.
But most importantly, I think Rumi and Hachiman are really similar. They are both loners, but there’s more than that. Just like Hachiman, Rumi doesn’t want to be pitied, and prefer not to rely on others. That’s what Hachiman calls “loner’s pride”. They don’t want to be looked down by others (and that’s also why I don’t think Hachiman pitied Rumi, he genuinely wanted to do something because she was suffering). But also because they don’t want to be involved in others’ lifes, and thus don’t want to hurt anyone (that’s important).
At that moment, when Hayato & co. threatened the group, Rumi saw the other girls crying, and panicking. She didn’t like that, because just like Hachiman, she thinks that she is used to pain, so it shouldn’t be others that aren’t used to that kind of pain that must be hurt. Moreover, she maybe thought it was her fault, and I think she understood Hachiman’s plan. So, she “saved” the girl because she didn’t want them to be hurt, and especially not because of her.
This action surprised Hachiman, who tried to rationalize this behaviour. But that was not that logical, but more based on Rumi’s feelings. And I think it’s important to note the fact that Hachiman said that Rumi is genuine. I think this is the first time he saw something”genuine” – Rumi’s feelings -, and that’s since then he is starting to yearn for something genuine himself. And that’s why, way after all of that, he tried to “protect” the club (student council elections), because this is thanks to this club he saw something that was close to his ideal of “genuine”.
That’s why I think Rumi’s arc is really important, even though we don’t realize it at first.
Anyway, I may be over thinking that haha, but I think every character has its importance in Oregairu. Wataru is a genius.
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Hachiman and Yukino are direct victims. Yuigahama and Hayato are indirect victims. Loners will be targets. Nice people will watch only. However, all of them can’t do anything to change this cruel world. Loners will admit their defeat. Nice people can’t stop the situation because they don’t want to be victims, if they went against bad people, people might change target to them instead. That’s not what they want so they ended up didn’t do anything. That’s nice people ending.
That’s why we saw Yukino, Hayato, Yuigahama are suffer just watched Rumi’s situation. It’s like they watch their own past again. And I include Hachiman too. They can’t do anything about their own americano past. So that’s why they think the same they can do something for Rumi, but that’s not because they are good people, they want to help because they want to see better ending and use that to heal their own pain a bit. And this time, their fear are not much like in the past, they are not involved in Rumi’s situation in a single bit, because they are not kids in the same environment like Rumi’s.
So that’s why I think Rumi is more or less good but she is ordinary who has her own pride. Hachiman thought this is genuine because this is the first time he saw different ending. He can’t understand why she did that so that’s his assumption. But I remember in LN, he is not sure what Rumi did is genuine 100% either (that’s why Yuigahama
barkis angry to him again because he can’t give her solid answer).I too, agree Rumi’s arc is very important in Oregairu. We can’t realize its importance when read/watch just few times. And I don’t think you are over thinking about this at all (if you are, I am too 😉 ). Watari is genius and focused in every single detail.
And firework ending during summer camp told me this time is Mocha ending. Sweetness and bitterness are mixed in this ending. They can’t do anything about the past, but they use Rumi’s case to heal their own pain but the result made Rumi grew and becomes better person a bit. It’s like Rumi is the one who heal their pain, not perfectly but surely.
For Hachiman’s case, after his plan finished, he is worried a bit alone because he is the director and used Rumi for his own revenge to this cruel world. I’m glad when Watari wrote Hiratsuka sensei’role to tell Hachiman’s plan is not good. I like when author never fail to write even something very small but important.
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Oh wow. Another in-depth character analysis. I haven’t watched this series yet, nor read the light novel, so I can’t really comment much about Tsurumi. But well done. And of course, thank you very much for submitting this to my blog carnival. Keep up the great work. Cheers!
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I’m the one who give you my thanks since your blog carnival is one of fun event. 😀
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