Thoughts after giving it a few days: The love triangle was definitely forced. There is no on-screen chemistry between Mylene and Basara other than that of a cool older brother and a spunky little sister. Getting arbitrarily jealous of Basara hanging out with other women barely even counts.
Comments
Mylene's interest in Basara seems to come from her role as the audience's POV character. Like I think Japanese fans far prefer that pairing even if it seems like a lot of self-insertion on their part.
I just feel like with all the time they spent on padding episodes, they could've spent a minute or two having Basara do SOMETHING to present himself as a romantic candidate. A caring gesture? Literally anything.
Also it's amazing how this is ground zero for Nobutoshi Canna's pretty boy career. Sure beats saying "JACK ON" for 30-something episodes of Metal Jack.
Thinking about it, Basara has more on-screen chemistry with Gamlin than he does with Mylene. (I would have been fine with that as a triangle too, lol)
(Admittedly, as a love triangle, it starts late in the series and is definitely over about 3/4ths of the way through...)