It's been a while since I watched this anime, and today I suddenly realized that the four ladies on the cover of Zetsubou Restaurant aren't all doing the heart hand gesture, but in fact have 4 different gestures:
The four characters are, in order:
- Abiru Kobushi
- Matoi Tsunetsuki
- Harumi Fujiyoshi
- Kiri Komori
Maybe it's been only an aesthetic choice, but given all the hidden messages in SZS, that's probably not the case.
Fujiyoshi's heart might signify romantic (yaoi?) love. Tsunetsuki's hands instead seem to be in a Yoni Mudra pose, maybe symbolizing lust? (since she was the stalker in the series)
Are the other 2 gestures also some kind of Mudra (yoga gestures)?
Maybe Kobushi's doing an Hasta Mudra (apparently it's supposed to reduce anxiety)? I'm not sure what would be the relationship with her character.
And what about Komori? Is there some meaning behind this?