The series premiere introduces three 17-year-old best friends—, Tsumugi , and Yuna —each representing a different perspective on love and sexuality.
IMDb users rate Episode 1 at , with one reviewer writing: "I wish I had this when I was 17.3." 17.3 About Love Ep 1 Eng Sub
Tsumugi stares at a pair of angelfish. She lectures Sakurai about how fish don't need romance to be happy. This is visual metaphor: Tsumugi will later discover she is on the asexual/aromantic spectrum. This is visual metaphor: Tsumugi will later discover
: To prepare, she turns to her friends for advice. Yuna is more experienced and has already been in relationships with multiple partners, while Tsumugi is asexual and remains indifferent to romantic or sexual pursuits. The arrival of the male lead, Ryu (Ryuya
The arrival of the male lead, Ryu (Ryuya Nakanishi), provides the counter-narrative. Ryu is the school's "playboy," but unlike the toxic masculinity displayed by Saeko's crush, Ryu offers a non-judgmental, scientifically grounded perspective. He challenges the notion that a person’s worth is tied to their sexual history, effectively dismantling the "second-hand goods" metaphor that haunts Saeko.
After leaving Sota’s house, Sakurai runs into Tsumugi. Devastated, she asks: “What’s wrong with me?” Tsumugi pulls out her phone and shows her the data: 17.3 is an average. Some are younger. Many are older. The relief on Sakurai’s face is one of the most powerful moments in teen cinema.
First, let’s decode the title. The show revolves around three high school girls, and the number refers to the that people around the world are said to lose their virginity (17.3 years old). For a 17-year-old protagonist who has never even held hands with a boy, this statistic is terrifying.