A Shrine to Nozomi Tojo

Out of all of the Love Live! girls, Nozomi is my favorite. She's the kind of girl I aspire to be, a kind of femininity I resonate with very strongly.

She's kind, soft, and tender-hearted, and loves those close to her unreservedly. In her own words, those special people - µ's - are a "miracle" to her. She's very accepting of everybody and celebrates their differences and the way they come together despite those differences. She treats people with compassion and care and love. That softness extends to her own emotions - she's sensitive and feels things very strongly. For most of her life, she felt alone, and when she found those important people, those big emotions lead her to becoming the behind-the-scenes mastermind to bring all the girls together and achieve something special. We get to see that love returned to her, in the second-season episode "My Wish," which is up at the top of my all-time favorite Love Live episodes from any of the series.

And, of course, she has a mischievous and playful side. She's so gay and a noted girl appreciator, and with those she's close to, she can let her looser, weirder side out. She gets touchy-feely and likes to whip out a tarot deck or talk about spiritual power. She loves girls so clearly, and of course, especially loves a particular girl...

As a flagarant lesbian myself, I love Nozomi's sweet, beautiful relationship with Eli. They're so clearly in love with each other, and they have such a warm energy that makes me happy. Their dynamic reminds me a lot of my own wife and I, so it's unsurprising that I graviated toward them so quickly.

Nozomi is very dear to me, and helped me understand myself better. I hold her in a special place in my heart, and I hope I've gotten across why that is.