I took me a couple of episodes to really get the feel of the relationship, so you're not alone on that part. But it eventually settled in nicely, and the series became that much more enjoyable to watch(well, not exactly "enjoyable" as in "happy", haha). Another minor quibble I had was with the character designs. They looked a tad odd, and it threw me off for the first couple of episodes. But my attention to it soon faded because of the strong story, thankfully.

I've actually always been interested in Saikano, so perhaps now (after your adamant recommendation) I shall try it out.

Of course what most people hear about Saikano is "It's depressing." I like how you said, "Well yeah, but there's a reason for it."
I myself don't like unnecessarily depressing anime, but if there's a purpose or some message behind it then I'll give it a shot.