Fans of romantic comedyanimelikely have heard ofRent-A-Girlfriend, perhaps one of the most popular series in the genre to date. It talks of the journey of Kazuya Kinoshita, who has just been dumped for his girlfriend of one month, and his adventures using a “rent a girlfriend” app. In here, he meets Chizuru Mizuhara, a rather attractive girl from the service, whom he originally dislikes. However, situations become more complicated as Kazuya and Chizuru start having to keep up appearances through their renting.
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Despite the hilarious setting and premise of the anime, there are a lot of delightful and heart-grabbing moments that romanceanimelovers would definitely appreciate. However, aside from Kazuya and Chizuru, just who else would join them in this crazy adventure?
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Kazuya Kinoshita
At first glance, there’s nothing that remotely appealing forRent-A-GirlfriendstarKazuya Kinoshita, which is unique for an anime protagonist. Currently a major in Business Administration at Nerima University, he currently resides alone in 203 Royal Hills Nerima and begins his rather crazy adventure after his then-girlfriend Mami Nanami broke up with him. It’s his encounter with the rent-a-girlfriend service of the Diamond App where he meets Chizuru.
His relationship with Chizuru is immediately chaotic at first aswith other romance anime, especially given Kazuya’s rather indecisive attitude. It’s due to this and his low self-esteem that he prefers lying out of convenience, and his emotionally-driven approach to life makes him rather irrational at most. The pinnacle of this behavior stems in his new predicament: having to keep up his facade of a relationship with Chizuru because his grandmother, Nagomi, absolutely adores her.
Chizuru Ichinose
ProtagonistChizuru IchinoseofRent-A-Girlfriendis everything an anime dream waifu embodies: diligence in study, kind, and considerate. However, nothing is ever as they seem, as with otherslice of life anime, and this is especially the case considering Chizuru’s nature as a “rental girlfriend.” She uses her earnings to fund her college education as a Literature major at Nerima University and ends up in 204 Royal Hills, just beside protagonist Kazuya.
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Chizuru initially meets Kazuya through the Diamond App, where he’s hired her as a girlfriend. They didn’t exactly hit it off, especially when Kazuya initially gave Chizuru a low rating due to her putting up a kind persona with all her clients. Chizuru can come off as brash and frank at times, and rather calculating. However, she genuinely cares for the people close to her, especially those in need.
Mami Nanami
The rather quiet and shyMami Nanamiis a freshman at Nerima University, and is the reason why the events of theRent-A-Girlfriendanime transpired in the first place. It’s her breaking up with Kazuya because she “met someone new” that convinced Kazuya to try the Diamond App in search for a new girlfriend. And during his developing relationship with Chizuru, Mami resurfaces as a friend that wants to keep in touch with Kazuya.
However, behind her kind and friendly demeanor is a rather contradictory personality, as though ananime character sporting glasses. She can become aggressive and scary at times, which can often scare suitors and people who flirt with her. It’s implied that she’s aware of her beauty, but may feel insecure in the presence of the likes of Chizuru. Throughout the course of the series, viewers may notice Mami rather paying close attention to Kazuya’s relationship with Chizuru.
Ruka Sarashina
Another “rental girlfriend” intheRent-A-Girlfriendseriescomes in the form ofRuka Sarashina, notable for her short hair, blue ribbon, and a rather brash personality. While she’s definitely one of the most attractive rental girlfriends out there, she’s not as “filled out” in form unlike Chizuru. It’s sometimes this frustration that makes Ruka rather competitive to the point of having tantrums.
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Throughout the anime series, Ruka demonstrates a cheerful and determined personality. At her worst, these can come off as being possessive and pushy, and sometimes stubbornness, something that puts her at odds with Kazuya. She also possesses a rather slower heartbeat than most people, with Ruka being convinced that meeting a boyfriend will finally make her heart race.
Sumi Sakurasawa
One of the newer characters introduced in theRent-A-Girlfriendseries,Sumi Sakurasawais a rather noticeably shy character, similarto most students in anime.Serving as a newcomer to the “rental girlfriend” industry, Sumi stars in theRent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriendspinoff, but also has an active role in the main series. She’s mainly noticeable for her pink-red hair, as well as her extremely softspoken appearance that sets her apart from the rest of the cast.
However, fans do love Sumi for her determination and willingness to improve despite her limitations. Unlike the other characters, Sumi ofRent-A-Girlfriendis seemingly always ahead of things due to planning, which at times could lead to overthinking.
Mini Yaemori
A popular supporting characterin theRent-A-Girlfriendseriescomes in the form ofMini Yaemori, known mainly for her tendency to cosplay. In the series, Mini is a rather popular streamer in various platforms, and is extremely dedicated to her craft. Throughout the series, appearances of her room are always filed with accessories and clothing, indicating the serious approach to her career.
Due to her dedication, Mini is characteristically curious to a fault, sometimes leading her to act on impulse much to her disadvantage. She tends to speak impulsively too, to the point of being considered rude and blunt. However, this shines in her public appearances as strokes of confidence, and making her one of the friendliest characters in the anime.
Rent-A-Girlfriendis an ongoing anime and manga series, with the latter beginning in 2017 and the series being on air since 2020.
