Lalafin is neurodivergent and I will die on this hill!!! I have yet to read the school focused stories but I can already see it tbh. Here's some stuff I've noticed thus far that I, an autistic person, can relate to.
- SpIns (Special Interests): Lalafin has a sort of obsession with children's anime! Most noteably, Masked Usafin! In the loading screen comic "100 More To Go" Lalafin decides to show off all the poses she's learned from the show, to which Shizuha ponders if Lalafin will be showing her EVERY pose in the show, the title of the comic shows that it's an "unrealistic" amount to have memorized. Someone who has a Special Interest in something would be willing to spend their time learning something others may consider useless or time wasting because they find legitimate joy from immersing themselves in their interest!
- Childish Nature: Despite being a 2nd Year, her underclassman can't help but see her as somehow younger than themselves! This is shown in one comic in which Misora compares Lalafin to her little sister. Lalafin is annoyed by this since she is older than Misora! As an autistic person it's common for people to assume you're younger than you are because of your immature actions, however this can be annoying to the person because it feels like you're being looked down on or underestimated! (Many autistic people are much more knowledgeable than neurotypical people give them credit for! This misconception usually comes from misunderstanding social cues but in Lalafin's case it's likely a mix of both this and her background as a child actress!)
- Stimming: Each stage girl has a present that they can receive that will make them super happy, giving them an increased amount of bond levels! In Lalafin's case this is a bottle of slime! When I first saw the slime item I assumed it would be for Ichie who could use it for pranks or something! Slime is frequently used as a stim item by neurodivergent people and became incredibly popular through internet "stim boards"!
- Animal Companions: For many autistic people it can be easier to empathize with animals as they work in predictable ways! Lalafin has very strong ties to rabbits as shown in her memoir "Bunnies Everywhere!" The card's explanation also displays her social skills with the rabbits! To better fit in with them and make them comfortable, she gets on their visual level and imitates them.
