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Rent-A-Girlfriend
Cover of the first tankōbon volume of Rent-A-Girlfriend, featuring Chizuru Mizuhara
彼女、お借りします
(Kanojo, Okarishimasu)
Genre
Manga
Written byReiji Miyajima
Published byKodansha
English publisher
ImprintShōnen Magazine Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runJuly 12, 2017 – present
Volumes27 (List of volumes)
Manga
Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend
Written byReiji Miyajima
Published byKodansha
English publisher
  • NA: Kodansha USA
MagazineMagazine Pocket
DemographicShōnen
Original runJune 21, 2020 – present
Volumes3 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byKazuomi Koga
Written byMitsutaka Hirota
Music byHyadain
StudioTMS Entertainment
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkJNN (MBS, TBS)
English network
Original run July 11, 2020 – present
Episodes19 (List of episodes)
Television drama
Directed byDaisuke Yamamoto
Written byKumiko Asō
Music byYuki Munakata
Original networkANN (ABC, TV Asahi)
Original run July 3, 2022 – present
Episodes4

Rent-A-Girlfriend (Japanese: 彼女、お借りします, Hepburn: Kanojo, Okarishimasu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Reiji Miyajima. It has been serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine since July 2017, and has been compiled into twenty-seven volumes as of July 2022. The series is licensed in North America by Kodansha USA, which released the first volume in English in June 2020. The series was targeted for adult audiences.

An anime television series adaptation by TMS Entertainment aired from July to September 2020 on MBS's Super Animeism block. A second season premiered in July 2022. A live-action television drama adaptation also premiered in July 2022.

Plot

A 20-year old man named Kazuya Kinoshita was dumped by his girlfriend Mami Nanami after dating for a month. Due to depression and desparation he experienced from the breakup, he use an online dating app Diamond to rent a girlfriend named Chizuru Mizuhara, a beautiful and attractive girl. However, because of the comments on her on the rental app that he read, Kazuya thinks that she was inauthentic so he gives her a low rating. When Chizuru berates him for that during their next meeting, he realizes she is meaner than he expected. Just then, Kazuya learns that his grandmother is hospitalized following a collapse. Chizuru comes along and his grandmother is smitten with how great she is. As such, Kazuya continues renting Chizuru in order to keep up appearances with his family and friends, but things get complicated when they discover they are next-door apartment neighbors and attend the same college.

Later another rental girlfriend named Ruka Sarashina which was rented by his friend Shun Kuribayashi wanted to become Kazuya's girlfriend even temporarily because he was the one who made Ruka's heartbeat increase due to having a heart ailment. Also Chizuru requested Kazuya to rent her co-worker Sumi Sakurasawa which was a very shy girl then she starting to have feelings on Kazuya afterwards. As Kazuya have already three girls involved and his ex Mami started to enter again on his life. Will Kazuya able to escape the mess that he made?

Characters

Main

Kazuya Kinoshita (木ノ下 和也, Kinoshita Kazuya)
Voiced by: Shun Horie[2][a] (Japanese); Aleks Le[5] (English)
Portrayed by: Ryūsei Ōnishi[6]
A 20-year-old college student who lives in Tokyo. Following a painful breakup with his girlfriend Mami Nanami, he decides to rent a girlfriend named Chizuru Mizuhara.Ch. 1 He soon finds himself in situations where he has to continue renting Chizuru to keep up appearances with his family and friends, which eventually leads to him developing legitimate romantic feelings towards her.Ch.2-3, 16 Later on, he begins working part-time at a karaoke bar to pay for his dates and other expenses.Ch. 32
Chizuru Mizuhara (水原 千鶴, Mizuhara Chizuru)
Voiced by: Sora Amamiya[2][b] (Japanese); Lizzie Freeman[5] (English)
Portrayed by: Hiyori Sakurada[6]
A college student who moonlights as a rental girlfriend for the Diamond company.Ch. 1-3 On campus, she goes under her real name Chizuru Ichinose (一ノ瀬 ちづる, Ichinose Chizuru), and utilizes a nerdy appearance with large dark-framed glasses and braided pigtails. It is later revealed that Chizuru and Kazuya are next-door neighbors in their apartment complex.Ch. 2 She continues to let Kazuya rent her services in order to help his grandmother Nagomi, and to help him get over his breakup with Mami.Ch. 3, 6
Mami Nanami (七海 麻美, Nanami Mami)
Voiced by: Aoi Yūki[2][c] (Japanese); Laura Stahl[5] (English)
Portrayed by: Shiori Akita[7]
Kazuya's former girlfriend. She has short blonde hair.Ch. 1 She appears to be friendly on the outside but harbors jealous and possessive feelings that scare her friends sometimes.Ch. 4, 7 She is shocked and suspicious that Kazuya has found another girlfriend immediately after she dumped him.Ch. 4-6
Ruka Sarashina (更科 瑠夏, Sarashina Ruka)
Voiced by: Nao Tōyama[2] (Japanese); Sarah Anne Williams[8] (English)
Portrayed by: Mio Kudo[9]
A girl who is introduced as Shun Kuribayashi's girlfriend. In actuality, she is also working as a rental girlfriend for another company.Ch. 20-25 She wants to date Kazuya for real after seeing how kindly and passionately he treats Chizuru and her.Ch. 20-25 She has a health condition where she has a low heart rate that she monitors, and Kazuya is the first guy who elevated it.Ch. 28
Sumi Sakurasawa (桜沢 墨, Sakurasawa Sumi)
Voiced by: Rie Takahashi[2] (Japanese); Suzie Yeung[10] (English)
Portrayed by: Aika Sawaguchi[11]
A girl with pink hair who also works as a rental girlfriend with Chizuru's company.Ch. 41-44 She is in her first year at college and is a newcomer to the industry.Ch. 41, 54 She has a shy personality and through Chizuru's urging, goes on dates with Kazuya in order to improve her skills as a rental girlfriend, later developing feelings for him.Ch. 41-44, 54 In her spin-off manga, Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend, it is revealed she decided to become a rental girlfriend due to a desire to pursue a career as an idol.Ch. 3

Supporting

Nagomi Kinoshita (木ノ下 和, Kinoshita Nagomi)
Voiced by: Yukari Nozawa[12] (Japanese); Alex Cazares[13] (English)
Portrayed by: Hana Kino[11]
Kazuya's paternal grandmother. She is thrilled to find out that Kazuya and Chizuru are a couple.Ch. 1 She operates a family-owned liquor store with Kazuya's parents and is friends with Chizuru's grandmother.Ch. 1-2
Kazuo Kinoshita (木ノ下 和男, Kinoshita Kazuo)
Voiced by: Yūki Sanpei[14] (Japanese); Chris Hackney[13] (English)
Portrayed by: Oideyasu Oda[15]
Kazuya's father. He operates a family-owned liquor store with his mother and wife.Ch. 1
Harumi Kinoshita (木ノ下 晴美, Kinoshita Harumi)
Voiced by: Miki Natsutani[14] (Japanese); Colleen O'Shaughnessey[13] (English)
Portrayed by: Kaoru Noguchi[11]
Kazuya's mother. She operates a family-owned liquor store with her husband and mother-in-law.Ch. 1
Yoshiaki Kibe (木部 芳秋, Kibe Yoshiaki)
Voiced by: Masayuki Akasaka[12] (Japanese); Nicolas Roye[13] (English)
Portrayed by: Shunya Kaneko[11]
Kazuya's childhood friend and college schoolmate.Ch. 1, 4 He occasionally gives Kazuya advice about how to deal with his relationships.Ch. 4, 7, 10, 12, 16 He also personally knows Kazuya's grandmother Nagomi, working part-time to help with her business.Ch. 4, 44
Shun Kuribayashi (栗林 駿, Kuribayashi Shun)
Voiced by: Gakuto Kajiwara[12] (Japanese); Landon McDonald[16] (English)
Portrayed by: Kōsuke Suzuki[11]
Kazuya's friend and college schoolmate. He has short light hair and wears glasses.Ch. 1 He often goes by "Kuri".Ch. 20
Sayuri Ichinose (一ノ瀬 小百合, Ichinose Sayuri)
Voiced by: Sayuri Sadaoka[14] (Japanese); Colleen O'Shaughnessey[13] (English)
Portrayed by: Mayumi Asaka[11]
Chizuru's grandmother.Ch. 2 In her heyday, Sayuri was an actress, inspiring Chizuru to become one herself.Ch.100 Sayuri and her late husband Katsuhito raised their granddaughter together after Chizuru's single mother died.Ch. 61
Umi Nakano (中野 海, Nakano Umi)
Voiced by: Kaito Ishikawa[14] (Japanese); Edward Bosco[13] (English)
Portrayed by: Ryōsuke Sato[17]
Chizuru's friend and classmate in acting school. Kazuya mistakenly believes Umi is Chizuru's real boyfriend at first.Ch. 29–31
Mini Yaemori (八重森 みに, Yaemori Mini)
A girl who is a neighbor to both Kazuya and Chizuru.Ch. 105 She is a social media influencer and into cosplay,Ch. 115 and provides insight on crowdfunding to Kazuya when he and Chizuru decide to make an independent film together.Ch. 118-119 She also encourages him to truly pursue Chizuru.Ch. 114-115, 133

Media

Manga

See also: List of Rent-A-Girlfriend chapters

Written and illustrated by Reiji Miyajima, the series began serialization in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine on July 12, 2017.[18] It has been compiled into twenty-seven volumes as of July 2022.[19] The series is licensed in North America by Kodansha USA, which released the first volume in English on June 2, 2020.[20] Kodansha published an anthology of the series on August 17, 2020.[21][22]

A spin-off manga series, titled Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend (彼女、人見知ります, Kanojo, Hitomishirimasu), also written and illustrated by Miyajima, has been serialized in Kodansha's Magazine Pocket app since June 21, 2020. The series focuses on the character Sumi Sakurasawa.[23] It has been compiled into three volumes as of May 2022.[24] The series is also published in North America by Kodansha USA.[25]

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced on December 15, 2019.[2] The series was animated by TMS Entertainment and directed by Kazuomi Koga, with Mitsutaka Hirota handling series composition, Kanna Hirayama designing the characters, and Hyadain composing the music.[2] The Peggies performed the opening theme "Centimeter" (センチメートル, Senchimētoru).[26] Halca performed the first ending theme "Kokuhaku Bungee Jump" (告白バンジージャンプ, "Confession Bungee Jump") starting from Episodes 2–6 and 8–11,[27][d] while Halca also performed the second ending theme "First Drop" for Episode 7,[28][e] and Sora Amamiya performed the third ending theme "Kimi wo Tousite" (君を通して, "Through You") for Episode 12.[29] It aired from July 11 to September 26, 2020 on the Super Animeism programming block on MBS and other networks.[30][31][f] Season 1 ran for 12 episodes.[30]

On September 25, 2020, shortly before the first season's finale was streamed internationally, it was announced that a second season had been greenlit for production.[32] The main cast and staff reprised their roles, with Studio Comet cooperating in the production. The second season premiered on July 2, 2022.[33][34][g] The opening theme is "Himitsu Koi-Gokoro" (ヒミツ恋ゴコロ, "Secret Love Heart") by CHiCO with HoneyWorks, while the ending theme is "Ienai" (言えない, "Unspeakable") by MIMiNARI featuring asmi.[36]

The series is licensed by Crunchyroll outside of Asia.[37] On August 11, 2020, Crunchyroll announced that the series would receive an English dub,[5] which premiered on August 28.[38] In Southeast Asia and South Asia, the series is licensed by Muse Communication and released on the streaming service iQIYI in Southeast Asia.[39] Animax later began airing the series.[40]

On May 18, 2021, it was announced Sentai Filmworks picked up the home video rights.[41]

Season 1

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [42][h]Directed byWritten byStoryboarded byOriginal air date [43][f]
11"Rent-a-Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Rentaru Kanojo" (Japanese: レンタル彼女)		Fumihiro UenoMitsutaka HirotaKazuomi KogaJuly 11, 2020 (2020-07-11)
Kazuya Kinoshita is a college student who is dumped by his girlfriend Mami Nanami after a month of dating. To cure his depression, he rents a girlfriend named Chizuru Mizuhara, but is dissatisfied by how inauthentic she acts. Their second date consists of him calling her out, which leads to her revealing her true colors. Kazuya is then called to the hospital due to his grandmother getting hospitalized once again, and Kazuya's family is shocked to see his new "girlfriend" with him upon visiting. When Kazuya's grandmother decides to go tell the other elder women, Chizuru panics as one of them is her own grandmother. After leaving the hospital, Kazuya is prepared to move on with his love life, but that is stopped short when he and Chizuru find out that they attend the same college.
22"Ex-Girlfriend and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Moto Kano to Kanojo" (Japanese: 元カノと彼女)		Takashi TanasawaMitsutaka HirotaMotoki NakanishiJuly 18, 2020 (2020-07-18)
Chizuru runs away after she and Kazuya encounter each other. Once the coast is clear, she tells him to not say anything. The next morning, they find out they live next door at their apartment. After Kazuya receives a call from his grandmother informing him that she is coming over to visit, he begs Chizuru to help him out, but she refuses. When Kazuya's grandmother comes over, she is disappointed Chizuru has not shown up. When Chizuru hears their conversation, she arrives at Kazuya's apartment with a cooked meal. Afterwards, Chizuru agrees to be Kazuya's "girlfriend" for one hour every Wednesday. A week later, Kazuya encounters Mami again for the first time since they broke up. Kazuya then goes with Chizuru to meet his grandmother. After visiting her, they are spotted by his friends. When he tells them that they are dating, they are invited over to a drinking party. At the party, Kazuya notices Mami is there too, and she proceeds to insult him. Chizuru angrily calls out Mami, but Kazuya stands up for Mami. Once the session is over, Kazuya is walking home alone, when Mami asks him if he wants to head to her place.
33"Beach and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Umi to Kanojo" (Japanese: 海と彼女)		Taku YamadaMitsutaka HirotaNaoyuki KatsutaniJuly 25, 2020 (2020-07-25)
When Kazuya asks Mami about her new boyfriend, she claims that she lied because he brought Chizuru with him. She then claims that her brother is at her place, so they cannot go there. However, when Mami insults Chizuru, Kazuya defends Chizuru before he runs off. When he arrives at his apartment, Kazuya apologizes to Chizuru for what happened earlier. She tells him that it is alright and if he needs her, she will be there for him. Sometime later, Kazuya and his friends head to the beach in the Izu Peninsula. While she is alone, Mami is shown to be very jealous of Kazuya and Chizuru's relationship. Later, Mami attempts to bring up all the good times she and Kazuya had when they were dating, when Chizuru shows up in her university guise. During a shopping trip, Kazuya and Chizuru get into an argument, which draws Mami's attention. Chizuru quickly changes and pretends she and Kazuya are on a date, much to Mami's surprise. Chizuru attempts to leave, but she is forced to stay, which causes Kazuya to brag to his friends about how they met. When he goes swimming, Mami kisses him.
44"Friends and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Tomodachi to Kanojo" (Japanese: 友達と彼女)		Akira YamadaMitsutaka HirotaTakahiro MizushimaAugust 1, 2020 (2020-08-01)
While Mami is kissing Kazuya, he remembers when they first met. When they return to the group, Kazuya receives a call from his grandmother informing him that she will be discharged from the hospital. After taking the call, Kazuya announces he and Chizuru are going to break up, which leads to a fight between him and Kibe. Kibe then calls out Mami for her behavior. Afterwards, Chizuru tells Kazuya that he did nothing wrong. Later, Kibe catches up with Chizuru and they have a conversation about Kazuya. He tells her that he has known Kazuya since they were little and despite his flaws, Kazuya is a good guy at heart. He then gives her a couple of ferry tickets he bought. On the ferry, Kazuya receives a call from Mami. While he is on the phone, a delirious Chizuru falls overboard. After he hears what happened from the other passengers, Kazuya immediately goes after her.
55"Hot Springs and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Onsen to Kanojo" (Japanese: 温泉と彼女)		Taku YamadaFumi TsubotaNaoyuki KatsutaniAugust 8, 2020 (2020-08-08)
While Kazuya is able to rescue Chizuru, he ends up in bad shape after they return to the surface. A distraught Chizuru then saves his life by performing CPR. When he is discharged from the hospital, his friends give him a ride home. At their apartment, Kazuya tells Chizuru that he already made an arrangement for next week and he will place the payment in her post box. He also apologizes to her once more for all that has happened. Inside his apartment, Kazuya realizes that he has developed romantic feelings towards Chizuru. Sometime later, Kazuya and his family head to a hot springs resort. Once they arrive there, Kazuya learns that Chizuru's grandmother is staying at the resort as well. Kazuya and Chizuru then find out they are sharing the same room thanks to their grandmothers. After they confront their grandmothers, Chizuru decides she might as well enjoy the situation. When she leaves to takes a bath, she runs into Kazuya's grandmother, who explains that it is the anniversary of her husband's passing. When she returns to her room, Chizuru enjoys herself and she allows Kazuya to stay with her.
66"Girlfriend and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Kanojo to Kanojo" (Japanese: 彼女と彼女)		Shinya UneRie UeharaTakahiro MizushimaAugust 15, 2020 (2020-08-15)
As they are laying down, Kazuya tells Chizuru that while he believes he is a problematic client, he wants to keep renting her. Chizuru responses that he can rent her for a little while longer. A few days later, Kazuya announces to his friends that he and Chizuru are still dating. After going out on a date, Kazuya and Chizuru run into Kuribayashi, who claims to have a girlfriend. He then sets up a double date. While he is alone, Kazuya runs into a girl. The following Saturday at a free climbing gym, Kuribayashi introduces his girlfriend named Ruka Sarashina, the same girl Kazuya previously ran into. Later, Ruka invites Chizuru upstairs. While they are alone, Ruka asks Chizuru if she is a rental girlfriend. When Kuribayashi goes to the bathroom, Ruka asks Kazuya and Chizuru to kiss. Chizuru pretends to kiss Kazuya, but Ruka is not convinced. Kazuya then pretends that Chizuru has to leave to visit her grandmother. Afterwards, Kazuya follows Kuribayashi and Ruka. When Kuribayashi drops Ruka off, Kazuya is still concerned she might reveal the truth to Kuribayashi, so he follows her inside the station. When he does, she confronts him.
77"Provisional Girlfriend and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Kari Kano to Kanojo" (Japanese: 仮カノと彼女)		Kazuomi KogaMitsutaka HirotaNaoyuki KatsutaniAugust 22, 2020 (2020-08-22)
After the confrontation, Kazuya continues to follow Ruka. Just as she is about to trip down a flight of stairs, Kazuya grabs her in order to break her fall. When he begs Ruka to not say anything, she reveals she is a rental girlfriend as well. Kazuya later tells Chizuru this, much to her annoyance. At the campus, Ruka shows up while Kazuya is waiting for Kuribayashi. As they are hiding, Ruka checks her phone. Once they are spotted by Kuribayashi, Ruka reveals the truth about their relationship, much to Kuribayashi's chagrin. When Kazuya tells Chizuru what happened, Ruka shows up. She promises she will not say anything as long as they go out. She then reveals that she likes him. A conflicted Kazuya gets Chizuru to distract Ruka so he can leave to tell Kuribayashi the truth about the situation. When Ruka catches up with him, she becomes despondent. Chizuru then tells Kazuya to go out with Ruka. It is revealed that Ruka has a low heart rate and Kazuya is the first person to elevate it. Kazuya agrees to go out with Ruka for a trial period.
88"Christmas and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Kurisumasu to Kanojo" (Japanese: クリスマスと彼女)		Hidehiko KadotaFumi TsubotaNaoyuki KatsutaniAugust 29, 2020 (2020-08-29)
Kazuya is exhausted due to Ruka's clinginess. He decides to book Chizuru for Christmas Eve, but her schedule is marked as busy. On Christmas Eve, he fortuitously sees her with an attractive guy named Umi, and stalks them while getting exponentially more upset. Later that night, Kazuya is finally spotted by Chizuru, who reveals she works as a rental girlfriend to practice acting and clears up the misconceptions he has about her and Umi. She then gives Kazuya a phone case as a Christmas present.
99"Lies and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Uso to Kanojo" (Japanese: 嘘と彼女)		Naoyuki KatsutaniMitsutaka HirotaTakahiro MizushimaSeptember 5, 2020 (2020-09-05)
Kazuya is working part-time at a karaoke bar. It is then revealed what happened after Christmas Eve. While on a date with Chizuru, she point blank asks him if he has feelings for her, which he reluctantly denies. Afterwards, they run into Ruka, who leaves with Kazuya. Noticing how distracted Kazuya is, Ruka takes him to a love hotel. Inside, he tells her the truth about the situation with Chizuru. When Ruka tries to seduce him, a flustered Kazuya goes the bathroom. Ruka looks at his phone while he is away. On New Year's Day, Kazuya and Chizuru are having an outing with his family when Ruka shows up. When his grandmother confronts him, he somehow convinces her that Ruka is a pathological liar. In a restaurant, Ruka notices the uneasiness at the table. At a shrine, Ruka attempts to reveal to truth about Chizuru to Kazuya's grandmother while they are alone, but she cannot do it. She then tells Kazuya she will not give up her attempt to be his girlfriend. Afterwards, it is revealed that Ruka will be working at the same karaoke bar as Kazuya.
1010"Friend's Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Tomodachi no Kanojo" (Japanese: 友達の彼女)		Takashi Tanasawa
Yoshitsugu Kimura		Rie UeharaNaoyuki KatsutaniSeptember 12, 2020 (2020-09-12)
At the karaoke bar, Ruka tells Kazuya how serious she is about wanting to be his girlfriend. Kibe then shows up and he tells Kazuya that Kuribayashi has been acting weird, posting things like he will "never fall in love again". Ruka does not give it much thought when Kazuya confronts her about it. Later that night, Kazuya asks Chizuru for a favor. A few day later, an embarrassed Kuribayashi is waiting at the station when Chizuru shows up. She reveals that she is a rental girlfriend, much to Kuribayashi's confusion. Once the date is over, Kuribayashi thanks her and Kazuya for cheering him up. Afterwards, Kazuya reveals the truth to Kuribayashi. Later, when Kuribayashi asks Chizuru if she would never fall for a client, she reminisces when Kazuya asked her to go out with Kuribayashi in order to cheer him up, answering vaguely. On the balcony, Chizuru asks Kazuya to help her by renting a shy girl she is mentoring named Sumi Sakurasawa. She then tells him that she is there for him until he forgets about Mami.
1111"Truth and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Shinjitsu to Kanojo" (Japanese: 真実と彼女)		Taku YamadaRie UeharaYamasaki OsamuSeptember 19, 2020 (2020-09-19)
Sumi introduces herself by explaining her daily routine. At the station, Kazuya meets Sumi. As they are walking, Mami spots them. Kazuya sees for himself just how shy Sumi truly is. When he questions why she is a rental girlfriend, she uses hand signals to reveal her answer. Sumi thanks Kazuya after he stopped her from getting harassed. It is then revealed that Mami was watching them. When Kazuya returns from the bathroom, he sees that Mami is sitting at their table. While they are alone, Mami tells him that he is a more of ladies' man than she thought. Once the date is over with, Kazuya praises Sumi. At her house, a jealous Mami finds out that Sumi is a rental girlfriend. Sometime later, Kazuya is hanging out with his friends when he spots Chizuru. That night, Kazuya and Chizuru have a conversation on the balcony where she thanks him for helping Sumi. She then reveals that she landed a role in a play. The next day, Chizuru is waiting for her client when Mami shows up.
1212"Confession and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Kokuhaku to Kanojo" (Japanese: 告白と彼女)		Kazuomi KogaMitsutaka HirotaKazuomi KogaSeptember 26, 2020 (2020-09-26)
Kazuya agrees to go a date with Ruka. Later at their job, just as he is about to ask her to be his girlfriend, he spots Mami and Chizuru heading into one of the rooms. Mami attempts to pay Chizuru, but she refuses. Mami then reveals how long she has known about Chizuru's occupation. When Chizuru wonders why Mami is doing this, she simply ignores her. Meanwhile, Kazuya finds out that Mami knows the true nature of his and Chizuru's relationship. Once they leave, he fakes an illness so he can follow them. When he finds them, Kazuya overhears Chizuru tell a skeptical Mami that he is her boyfriend. She then asks Mami if she has ever thought that he was truly the love of her life. However, Mami gives a vague answer. At night, Kazuya thanks Chizuru for speaking up for him. When she apologizes to him for not getting him a girlfriend, he confesses that he wants her. When questioned, he reluctantly says that he meant as a rental girlfriend. Inside her apartment, Chizuru becomes flustered. The next morning, everyone is out doing their own thing.

Season 2

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [44][h]Directed byWritten byStoryboarded byOriginal air date [45][g]
131"Dream and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Yume to Kanojo" (Japanese: 夢と彼女)		Kazuomi KogaMitsutaka HirotaKazuomi KogaJuly 2, 2022 (2022-07-02)
While in his apartment, Kazuya recalls Chizuru telling him a famous director will be scouting the upcoming play she is in. On the day of the play, Kazuya decides to watch it. Unbeknownst to him, Sumi is also watching it nearby. During the play, which is titled The Heron Princess, Chizuru plays the role of Nene, a kunoichi, and her performance is acclaimed by the audience. Once the play is over with, Sumi attempts to approach Kazuya, but she decides against it. Meanwhile, Chizuru is confident backstage until she learns that the director chose to recruit Shiori, who played the role of the princess, due to their long-term friendship. Later that day, Kazuya and Chizuru run in each other. When Chizuru criticizes herself for having a lack of talent, Kazuya tells her how amazing she is. In her apartment, Chizuru receives a call from Umi and Shiori, who praise her performance. She then becomes distraught until she sees Kazuya has set up a date request.
142"The Usual Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Itsumo no Kanojo" (Japanese: いつもの彼女)		Kyōhei SuzukiMitsutaka HirotaKyōhei SuzukiJuly 9, 2022 (2022-07-09)[i]
Kazuya hangs out with his friends before he heads to work, where he asks and receives advice from his boss. After work, Kazuya meets up with Chizuru. During their outing, Chizuru tells Kazuya that he has no obligation to keep paying her. She also expresses her concern towards Mami and Ruka. Meanwhile, Kazuya recalls making a promise with Ruka that he could continue dating Chizuru in exchange that he took her to see Chizuru's play. Once her shift is over with, Chizuru decides to take Kazuya to a batting cage. Later that night, they go to the hospital to visit Chizuru's grandmother. While they are alone, her grandmother reveals to Kazuya that despite Chizuru's strong demeanor, she is actually needy and lonely. As such, she asks that he will be there for Chizuru when the time comes. When they head home, Kazuya wonders how he can help Chizuru. Just then, she shows up at his door.
153"The Return of the Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Sairai no Kanojo" (Japanese: 再来の彼女)		Yoshitsugu KimuraRie UeharaNaoyuki KuzuyaJuly 16, 2022 (2022-07-16)[i]
Chizuru reveals she has lost her key before she walks inside Kazuya's apartment. Kazuya becomes flustered about the situation until he sees Chizuru go out onto the balcony to check her backdoor. However, this leads to an awkward moment between the two when he saves her from falling. Just then, Mami unexpectedly shows up, which causes them to hide. Once she finally leaves, Mami wonders where Kazuya was until she realizes she saw Chizuru's purse. Meanwhile, when Chizuru decides to head to the landlord's, Kazuya tells her that she can rely on him if she cannot turn to her parents or friends. This ultimately allows them to open up about their respective family situation and dreams. Sometime later, they briefly runs into each other on campus, much to Kazuya's delight. Afterwards, he is approached by Mami while he is alone.
164"Night and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Yoru to Kanojo" (Japanese: 夜と彼女)		Fumio MaezonoRie UeharaNaoyuki KuzuyaJuly 23, 2022 (2022-07-23)[j]
Mami asks Kazuya if she is responsible for him renting Chizuru, which he awkwardly denies. She then tells him that he should get a real girlfriend. Once they part ways, Mami insults Kazuya for lying to her before she approaches Kibe in the hallway. After work, Ruka decides to cook a meal for Kazuya at his apartment. Later on, they learn a typhoon has hit the area. Because of the weather, Ruka stays over for the rest of the night. While they are together, Kazuya notices how cute Ruka is until she inadvertently pulls out a condom. When he tries to go to sleep, she snuggles next to him. As Ruka criticizes herself for being a nuisance, Kazuya admits that while he is elated she told him she likes him, he declines having sex with her. The next morning, Ruka leaves Kazuya's apartment and loudly thanks him for last night. Kazuya is relieved when he believes Chizuru is still asleep. Unbeknownst to him, she heard the whole thing.
175"Birthday and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Tanjōbi to Kanojo" (Japanese: 誕生日と彼女)		Shinya UneRie UeharaShinya UneJuly 30, 2022 (2022-07-30)
Three days later, Kazuya and Chizuru run into each other outside where Kazuya notices Chizuru is acting distant. When he returns to his apartment, he learns that Chizuru's birthday is in four days. On Chizuru's birthday, Kazuya decides to rent Sumi. During the outing, he asks her advice in terms of what Chizuru would like for a birthday present. Sumi ultimately takes Kazuya to the roof of a department store. There, it is revealed Chizuru is performing in a hero show. Just before they part ways, Sumi asks Kazuya when is his birthday, which he tells her. Later that night, Chizuru returns home where she finds Kazuya's present, a box of umeboshi, which she enjoys. Meanwhile, Kazuya wonders if he made the right choice.
186"Booze and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Sake to Kanojo" (Japanese: 酒と彼女)		Yūki MoritaMitsutaka HirotaMasaki ŌzoraAugust 6, 2022 (2022-08-06)
Kazuya and Chizuru meet outside where Chizuru thanks Kazuya for the birthday present. When he attempts to rent her for the following week, she reveals she will be too busy hanging out with her friends. On campus, Kazuya's friends invite him to a drinking party. Later that night, Kazuya and Chizuru encounter each other at the party, much to their surprise. During the party, Chizuru's friends drunkenly tease her for being an introvert and remove her glasses. However, Kazuya's friends are too drunk to recognize who Chizuru really is. They then play a drinking game where Kazuya realizes that Chizuru will most likely blow her cover due to being a first time drinker. As such, he intentionally loses on her behalf. Once the party is over with, Kazuya is too drunk to move, which results in Chizuru escorting him home. There, she comforts him before he passes out.
197"Ex and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Moto Kano to Kanojo" (Japanese: 元カノとカノジョ)		Ken Andō
Fumio Maezono		Rie UeharaNaoyuki KuzuyaAugust 13, 2022 (2022-08-13)
The next morning, a hungover Kazuya cannot remember what happened the previous night. He then heads to school where he hangs out with the group from the drinking party. When he returns home, he discovers Chizuru was indeed in his apartment. At work, Ruka is disappointed to learn that Chizuru does not believe she and Kazuya had sex. Just then, Mami shows up, revealing Kibe told her about Kazuya's job. Once Ruka figures out who Mami is, she calls her out and claims she is Kazuya's girlfriend now. When a stunned Mami later wonders about the situation concerning Kazuya while she is on the train, Chizuru arrives inside. After a tense conversation, they part ways. That night, Mami decides to follow the Twitter account of Kazuya's grandmother.
208"Youth and Girlfriend"
Transliteration: "Seishun to Kanojo" (Japanese: 青春と彼女)		Mizuki IwadareRie UeharaKazuomi KogaAugust 20, 2022 (2022-08-20)

Video game

A crossover smartphone game titled Kanojo, Okarishimasu Heroine All-Stars was developed by Enish. It features Chizuru, Mami, Ruka, and Sumi along with female characters from other Weekly Shōnen Magazine manga series like Fairy Tail, The Seven Deadly Sins, Domestic Girlfriend, Girlfriend, Girlfriend, Fire Force, Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, and Negima! Magister Negi Magi. It was released in September 2021.[46][47]

Drama

A live-action television drama adaptation premiered on ABC and TV Asahi on July 3, 2022.[11] It stars Ryūsei Ōnishi and Hiyori Sakurada as Kazuya and Chizuru, respectively.[6]

Reception

The series has received mixed to positive reviews. Joe Ballard of Comic Book Resources (CBR) described the anime adaptation as a "hot mess" with sluggish pacing but also an "intriguing, action-packed rom-com and a semi-developing love story."[48] Meanwhile, Ethan Wescoatt of CBR praised the story, which he called "mature" for a harem anime, in addition to the male and female leads, noting that Chizuru is an intriguing character due to hiding her true, multidimensional personality behind her perfect girlfriend façade and that Kazuya's struggles are relatable to the audience.[1]

As of December 2021, the manga had over 10 million copies in circulation.[49]

Notes

  1. ^ Kazuya Kinoshita's voice was provided by Jun Fukushima for a commercial in 2017,[3] and by Haruki Ishiya for a commercial in 2018.[4]
  2. ^ Sora Amamiya also provided Chizuru Mizuhara's voice in the 2017 commercial,[3] but Aoi Yūki provided her voice in a commercial in 2018.[4]
  3. ^ Aoi Yūki also provided Mami's voice in a 2017 commercial.[4]
  4. ^ In Episode 12, "Kokuhaku Bungee Jump" was used as an insert song.
  5. ^ "First Drop" by Halca is heard during the end credits of Episode 7.
  6. ^ a b MBS listed the series premiere at 25:25 on July 10, 2020, which is effectively July 11 at 1:25 a.m.[30][31]
  7. ^ a b MBS listed the season premiere at 25:25 on July 1, 2022, which is effectively July 2 at 1:25 a.m.[35]
  8. ^ a b English translated titles are taken from Crunchyroll.
  9. ^ a b This episode aired at 1:45 a.m. JST, 20 minutes after the original air time.
  10. ^ This episode aired at 1:30 a.m. JST, 5 minutes after the original air time.

References

Works cited

  • ^ "Ch." is shortened form for chapter and refers to a chapter number of the Rent-A-Girlfriend manga as published by Kodansha USA.
  • ^ "Ep." is shortened form for episode and refers to an episode number of the Rent-A-Girlfriend anime as produced by TMS Entertainment.

Web sources

  1. ^ a b Wescoatt, Ethan (October 21, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Is the Most Refreshing Harem Series Yet". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Loo, Egan (December 15, 2019). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Manga Gets TV Anime in July". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Miyajima, Reiji [@Miyajimareiji] (October 29, 2017). "昨日夜よりYouTubeにて「彼女、お借りします」TVCM公開されてます！CVはなんと 和也:福島潤さん 千鶴:雨宮天さん です！ 自分が「このすば」ファンだと伝えたらこんな夢みたいなことに…！！是非ご覧になってください" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved December 11, 2019 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ a b c 彼女、お借りします【公式】 [@okarishimasu] (June 22, 2018). "【「歌い手は誰でしょう？」ＰＶ正解発表】 ↓前回の一人二役&超早口な、激ムズＰＶ↓" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved December 11, 2019 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ a b c d Luster, Joseph (August 11, 2020). "Crunchyroll Lines Up Dub Plans for The God of High School, Re:ZERO Season 2, and More". Crunchyroll. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Loo, Egan (May 12, 2022). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Manga Gets Live-Action Show Starring Naniwa Danshi Idol Ryūsei Ōnishi, Hiyori Sakurada". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  7. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 31, 2022). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Live-Action Series Casts Shiori Akita as Mami Nanami". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Williams, Sarah Anne [@SarahAnneWillia] (October 2, 2020). "New character I voice: Ruka Sarashina in the english dub of Rent-a-Girlfriend, currently streaming on @Crunchyroll! Episode 6 of the dub just went up today!" (Tweet). Retrieved October 3, 2020 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Loo, Egan (June 9, 2022). "Live-Action Rent-A-Girlfriend Series Casts Mio Kudō as Ruka Sarashina". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  10. ^ Yeung, Suzie [@SuzieYeung] (November 7, 2020). "I am super happy to announce that I am the voice of shy, sweet Sumi in the #RentAGirlfriend dub! 🥺💗 Super fun working with ya @LucienDodge and @the_lillz! 😄" (Tweet). Retrieved November 10, 2020 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Loo, Egan (June 16, 2022). "Live-Action Rent-A-Girlfriend Show Unveils More Cast, July 2 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Egan, Loo (June 26, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime's New Ad Unveils More Cast, July 10 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Rent-A-Girlfiend Blu-ray Collection (Blu-ray). Sentai Filmworks. December 14, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d "アニメ『彼女、お借りします』声優一覧　1・2期出演の豪華キャスト27人を網羅". Abema Times (in Japanese). August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  15. ^ Loo, Egan (June 27, 2022). "Live-Action Rent-A-Girlfriend Show Casts Comedian Oideyasu Oda as Kazuya's Father". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
  16. ^ McDonald, Landon [@McMovieMan] (August 28, 2020). "I play Kazuya's hapless buddy Shun Kuribayashi in the new rom-com anime #RentAGirlfriend, now streaming on @Crunchyroll! Thanks to my friends at Studiopolis for having me aboard and congrats to my incredible cast mates @AleksLeVO, @LizzieRFreeman and @laura_stahl!" (Tweet). Retrieved August 29, 2020 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 8, 2022). "Live-Action Rent-A-Girlfriend Show Casts Ryōsuke Sato as Umi Nakano". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  18. ^ 「AKB49」宮島礼吏が描く、“レンタル”から始まるラブコメディ始動. Natalie (in Japanese). July 12, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  19. ^ "「彼女、お借りします」既刊一覧 講談社コミックプラス" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  20. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 7, 2019). "Kodansha Licenses 6 New Manga, Acquires Saiyuki, Chobits, Clover". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  21. ^ Mateo, Alex (July 10, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Gets Manga Anthology on August 17". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  22. ^ "彼女、お借りします 公式アンソロジーコミック" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  23. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 15, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Manga Gets Spinoff About Sumi". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "「彼女、人見知ります」既刊一覧 講談社コミックプラス" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  25. ^ "Fall 2021 New Licensing Announcements". Kodansha USA. March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  26. ^ Loo, Egan (March 24, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime's New Ad Unveils More Cast, July 10 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "エンディングテーマ楽曲「告白バンジージャンプ」の情報が解禁！". kanokari-official.com (in Japanese). Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  28. ^ Harding, Daryl (August 23, 2020). "halca Gets Girlfriend Advice from Chizuru in Rent-a-Girlfriend TV Anime Chibi Short". Crunchyroll. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  29. ^ Komatsu, Mikikazu (September 26, 2020). "Sora Amamiya to Digitally Release Rent-A-Girlfriend Final Episode Insert Song Tomorrow". Crunchyroll. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  30. ^ a b c Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 15, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime Listed With 12 Episodes". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  31. ^ a b "ONAIR | TVアニメ「彼女、お借りします」公式サイト". kanokari-official.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  32. ^ Luster, Joseph (September 25, 2020). "Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 2 Announced!". Crunchyroll. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  33. ^ Harding, Daryl (January 14, 2022). "Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 2 Starts in July 2022, New Trailer, Visual Released". Crunchyroll. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  34. ^ Loo, Egan (May 14, 2022). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime Season 2's Chizuru Video Announces July 1 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  35. ^ "ONAIR | TVアニメ「彼女、お借りします」公式サイト". kanokari-official.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  36. ^ Loo, Egan (June 11, 2022). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime Season 2 Posts Full Promo Video, Theme Song Artists". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  37. ^ Mateo, Alex (June 10, 2020). "Crunchyroll to Stream Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  38. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (August 11, 2020). "Crunchyroll Announces English Dub Casts, August Premieres for Monster Girl Doctor, The God of High School, Rent-a-Girlfriend". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  39. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 27, 2020). "iQiyi Adds 7 Summer Anime for Southeast Asia". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  40. ^ Animax Asia TV [@animaxasiatv] (April 1, 2021). "This is not an April Fools' joke. We've got not one, not two, but THREE new shows coming your way this month!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 4, 2021 – via Twitter.
  41. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (May 18, 2021). "Crunchyroll & Sentai Set New Slate of Home Anime Releases". Animation Magazine. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  42. ^ "Story | TVアニメ「彼女、お借りします」公式サイト". kanokari-official.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  43. ^ "彼女、お借りします | MBS動画イズム". MBS (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  44. ^ "Story | STORY｜TVアニメ『彼女、お借りします』第2期公式サイト". kanokari-official.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  45. ^ "彼女、お借りします | スーパーアニメイズム | MBS 毎日放送". MBS (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  46. ^ Mateo, Alex (June 17, 2021). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Manga Gets Crossover Smartphone Game With Other Shonen Magazine Heroines". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  47. ^ Harding, Daryl (June 17, 2021). "Rent-a-Girlfriend to Launch Mobile Game With Weekly Shonen Magazine Heroines". Crunchyroll. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  48. ^ Ballard, Joe (August 22, 2020). "Rent-A-Girlfriend Is the Summer Anime Fans Love to Hate". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  49. ^ Harding, Daryl (December 7, 2021). "Rent-a-Girlfriend Manga Reaches Over 10 Million Copies Printed and Sold". Crunchyroll. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
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