It seems almost ubiquitous for everyone who first reads Infinite Mage to hate her. And it's understandable to an extent, but it's really over-the-top. Amy is more than just the prideful tsundere archetype. She doesn't hide her feelings under a sheet of anger, like is common in the trope. She starts as one of Shirone's friends, one with pride, and with energy, but then develops into a love interest. And she is not s*upid--she understands how she feels, and never tries to push Shirone away. She's one of the most intelligent and prodigious characters in the novel, not some one-dimensional character archetype, even if it takes a while for the author to show that. I concede Amy is pretty annoying in the first few arcs, but is not the maniacal brat that people make her out to be. And even those annoying characteristics begin to disappear later on. Amy is very, very important to this novel, and is probably Shirone's biggest supporter. And she is probably one of the best-written, sympathetic female characters I have read. Someone once said that Amy and Shirone's romance is like a shoujo story within a shonen manga. This is a very apt description. Also, another reviewer brought up that Amy doesn't suffer for her wrongs. Sardonically I tell them, do not worry. Amy will suffer a lot. Way more that she deserves. (Shirone is kind of a bastard).

Shirone, throughout his time in the academy catches a lot of flak. For his commoner heritage, for his lacking skill in magic, etc. Shirone mostly ignores it, and rolls with the punches. Some people point to this as him being a pushover. That is totally untrue. Shirone doesn't react to the bullying of others because Shirone has a dream. He will be a mage, he will delve into the depths of magic and discover great things. The petty bullying of fellow students does not bother him. And through his pursuit of his dream, his detractors sometimes realize their wrongs. He easily forgives, because he sees them as fellow travelers on his path to better understanding magic. Shirone doesn't need anybody to like him--he is not insecure. His circle of friends is enough for him. And if someone really makes him angry, he is a monster. I think the best example of this is when he cripples a fellow student by nuking their mind, forcing them to drop out of class, because they took advantage of his kindness and destroyed his friends' confidence.

Didn't read to far but the principle was more reckless in his youth and did something he regretted or has doubts about. He sees himself in the MC and seeing his BS talent/potential he's super wary of him. Yet later he designed a test for the MC to advance his class which was a super dangerous teleportation race against students who have been studying for years. Something goes wrong and the students are in danger but he doesn't cancel the test. And among the students still competing he sees the MC and decides that if the MC loses he will end his career as a mage because he's dangerous for some reason. It makes no sense and it doesn't help that he doesn't go into detail as to why he has to be so extreme.

like he has a realization about life and spending time with people that youd usually only understand after youve lost someone very important to you in life. But for him it happens through something similar to an ego death through magic which is so fascinating)