Manbagi's not okay.
While Komi Can't Communicate is generally comedic and lighthearted, it also shows that her journey to make 100 friends isn't one without a few sad moments.
- While often a source of comedy, there are multiple instances where it is shown just how badly Komi's inability to communicate has affected her. Suffice to say, those with social anxiety could find her painfully relatable.
- Chapters 12 and 13/Episode 2 has Najimi sending Komi to get a complicated order or else they'll stop being her friend. They claim it's to train her to be able to talk to people and tells Tadano to discreetly follow her. Despite several attempts, Komi gets the wrong order but is too nervous to correct it. When returning to Najimi and being told that she got the wrong order, poor Komi breaks down crying. Tadano and Najimi hurriedly apologize to her.
- Rewatching this after finishing the "First Year" arc can be even worse. Unlike most other times where Komi starts to get teary-eyed, this one isn't Played for Laughs, but quite the contrary.
- In a moment of Alternative Character Interpretation, this can be seen as either Komi breaking under the amount of pressure put into her of doing something that by all means would be very hard, or Komi being downright scared she disappointed Najimi and thought the latter would genuinely stop being her friend. Or it can be both.
- Chapter 35/Episode 6 has Komi unable to sleep due to her overthinking about all the conversations she had that day. Had she not remembered that Tadano was there to help her out, she would've likely suffered a panic attack.
- Chapter 51/Episode 9 once again has Najimi send Komi to pick up another ridiculous order, this time at the Subway Expy. This time, she does order the general sandwich but when asked about the specifics by the cashier, Komi freezes up and is unable to tell her. In the end, Komi returns to Najimi with the wrong order and in tears.
- Chapter 103/episode 19 uses a flashback to showcase how crippling an effect Komi's issues have had on her in the past. Namely the prelude to her middle school class trip wherein she was so detached from the people around her that she couldn't look at their faces, couldn't tell if they even were happy or annoyed, and the admission that even now she sees herself as a poor friend compared to more outwardly cheerful, talkative people.
- Episode 24 has Komi finding Tadano and her father in her room. After kicking the latter out, she realizes that not only is Tadano there, but her room is also in a mess. This causes her to hastily clean her room. She is then shown panicking and having trouble catching her breath.
- Chapters 12 and 13/Episode 2 has Najimi sending Komi to get a complicated order or else they'll stop being her friend. They claim it's to train her to be able to talk to people and tells Tadano to discreetly follow her. Despite several attempts, Komi gets the wrong order but is too nervous to correct it. When returning to Najimi and being told that she got the wrong order, poor Komi breaks down crying. Tadano and Najimi hurriedly apologize to her.
- Najimi looking at the photobooks in Komi's room, and Tadano realizing that Komi is alone in every photo.
- Komi blaming herself for Tadano getting kidnapped by Yamai to the point she's willing to give up her friendship with him in order to keep him safe.
- The ending card of Episode 12:This is dedicated to everyone who felt their chest tighten when trying to communicate
- Chapter 168 introduces Natsukido Rei, the young daughter of Shuuko's friend in highschool who stays with the Komi household for a week. It's quickly shown that despite her aloof, distant façade, she's very lonely and her stoic demeanour is her way of preventing having to say goodbye to people she grew attached to. Komi's nervous attempts to care for her eventually gets through, and she tearfully admits in Chapter 172 that she does want to get along with other people.
- Chapter 223: Despite how Komi indirectly confessing her feelings towards Tadano may count as a heartwarming moment for them, this is not the case for Manbagi, who silently sheds a tear upon realizing who her close friend has fallen in love with.Manbagi: ... Oh... so that's how it is.
- It gets even worse in the following chapters, Manbagi is clearly holding back tears from this realization and is doing her best to act normally around Shouko and Tadano. It's only when the two ask her if she's okay that she can't bottle up her emotions anymore and runs off to cry. Then when Komi tries to comfort her, Manbagi ends up tearfully lashing out at her before swiftly apologizing.
- It's never addressed of how others never thought even once of how their interaction with Komi was bothering them, but seeing Rumiko endlessly ranting about her frustration with never knowing what the former is thinking is definitely something which builds sympathy with Rumiko.
- During the school trip to New York, Manbagi decides she's going to confess her love to Tadano and asks Komi if she'll be okay with it. Komi, despite being very conflicted on the matter, ultimately can't bring herself to say no and accepts, even though the thought of losing Tadano is clearly eating her up inside. Manbagi finally gets her chance when their group stop inside a cathedral, and Komi and Komitani both shoo away the rest of their friends to give her and Tadano some space. While Ase and Isagi hide nearby to see how it goes, Komi can't watch and waits outside the building amid the snow in a Troubled Fetal Position. However, Manbagi isn't able to muster up the courage to admit her feelings. Instead, she can only tell him she's in love with a boy, but hasn't confessed to him yet because she has a friend who she thinks would be a better fit for him and is also worried that if he says no, then the two of them would never be able to go back to the way they were before. Though Tadano encourages her to go through with her confession, reassuring her that her crush would understand her feelings, she's still unable to and leaves before she can tell him. When she runs into Komi outside, she throws herself into her arms, tearfully telling her she couldn't do it and apologising for everything she's put her through.
- She finally gets her chance in Chapter 300. And Tadano says yes. But Rumiko realizes Tadano is just going along with her because he's nice, and asks if he has anyone he likes. Tadano himself is confronted with the fact that he does love Komi, even though Rumiko just confessed to him. Rumiko ultimately encourages Tadano to go confess to Komi knowing they would be happy together, then sits down and starts crying as she comes to term with letting go the one person she truly loved.
- There's also Tadano himself starting to cry, seemingly because he doesn't think he's good enough for Manbagi when she initially confesses; despite the fact he seems to have taken it in his stride and gotten by thanks to his various friendships, remember the sheer amount of abuse Tadano had taken across the series - especially in the first year - and it's little wonder he's insecure and thinks so little of himself at that point.
