The connection between To Heart and IM@S anime was evident to me even without the help of Evirus making it, but for a slightly different reason: Shiho.

If I did not remember her, it was documented:

P.S. [...] I should note, Shiho is not my “favourite”. I cannot stand girls with show business inclinations. It’s a nasty, dog eat dog environment.

Never liked Miki too much either. Parallels are very strong, only Miki was actually ruthless while Shino was all bluster. In the final showdown (the existence of which Evirus denied -- the one when Akari was ill), she backed down. Miki would not.