This manga confirmed once again, that Shinobu is a great character. Even though her story is incomplete here, obviously, and in some cases it was not as impactful as anime was, but still. There really are not that many characters as complex in modern media, or at least once that also feel natural, even when they act like a total doofus.
Hanekawa's story is probably just a little bit less compelling, although, in a way, it's more... "Realistic". If that word can even be used for such a story in the first place. Or maybe just more relatable to me personally. I think her story is, essentially, about an autistic starting to unmask. Some of the elements of the story feel close to what I have personally experienced (in real-time or retrospectively after "I may be autistic" realization hit me). Like the strive to look "perfect", hiding what's going on inside, and that causing a "split" and, practically, another personality being born. Or how attempts to unmask and accept "not being normal" cause physical pain.
In general, these are just good stories. Yes, the lewd stuff is often unnecessary (and even forced), but on the other hand, if it was not there, it probably would have become too serious. And I guess it would be more difficult to adapt to a manga, because then there would be less round forms around. But then there would be less pages?.. Anyway, the characters evolve through their stories, they feel real enough, and it's nice how things seem to have been through-through beforehand (most of the time).
Special praise to the art in the manga. It is... Oh... Great. Take a cookie if you got the pun.
