That said one of the pairings is heavily implied throughout the story, and if you play the game normally (as a lot of the choices to alter relationships are optional and out of the way), it's heavily favored for them to go on the date.

Symphonia technically has a relationship mechanic where choices you make influence which characters (both male and female) like you or dislike you more, which determines who shows up for a late night date towards the end of the game which alters the story onwards.

Would the first Xenoblade count? Sure one of them isn't around for much of the first half (for reasons), but the plot is largely driven by their relationship, and they're together at the end.

Like how when Pokemon came on the scene in the late 90s, anime really started taking off, but there was a strong cultural backlash against it. Especially from those who were fans of American animation. lol

One thing to help give some American context is that during the 1970s and 80s, American politicians and media would talk about Japan like how they talk about China today (just without the communist red scare angle). Plus America also having an animation industry didn't help either.

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Love seeing them twist into knots to try and get out of actually giving people money without saying Trump's idea was bad.