if it makes you feel better, i also thought a home far away kind of sucked. and it came with such high recommendations!

i'm so glad you read it! there are so many interesting aspects to kyouichi and imagase, esp. considering that they're expanded versions of side characters in a much older manga of hers. she really put a ton of thought into them

popping up with my barely used bluesky account to say, yes, the cornered mouse dreams of cheese! one of my favorite manga ever

sorry, random passerby! but i am doing a rewatch of this show, and i cannot believe how much of a quality gap there is between s (the third season) and like...everything else.
if you do ever check it out (or the r movie), you might be pleasantly surprised. otherwise, i agree with you totally.