Rent-A-Girlfriend
Japanese manga series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rent-A-Girlfriend (Japanese: 彼女、お借りします, Hepburn: Kanojo, Okarishimasu), abbreviated in Japan as Kanokari (かのかり), 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 forty-five tankōbon volumes as of April 2026. The series is licensed in North America by Kodansha USA, which released the first volume in English in June 2020.
| Rent-A-Girlfriend | |
First tankōbon volume cover of Rent-A-Girlfriend, featuring Chizuru Mizuhara | |
| 彼女、お借りします (Kanojo, Okarishimasu) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Reiji Miyajima |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Shōnen Magazine Comics |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Magazine |
| Original run | July 12, 2017 – present |
| Volumes | 45 |
| Manga | |
| Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend | |
| Written by | Reiji Miyajima |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Magazine Pocket |
| Original run | June 21, 2020 – present |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Television drama | |
| Rental A Girlfriend | |
| Directed by | Daisuke Yamamoto |
| Written by | Kumiko Asō |
| Music by | Yuki Munakata |
| Licensed by | Viki |
| Original network | ABC TV, TV Asahi |
| Original run | July 3, 2022 – September 25, 2022 |
| Episodes | 10 |
| Video game | |
| Rent-A-Girlfriend: The Horizon and the Girl in the Swimsuit | |
| Developer | Mages |
| Publisher | Mages |
| Genre | Visual novel |
| Platform | |
| Released |
|
| Anime television series | |
| |
The series follows a young college student living in Tokyo who decides to rent a girlfriend following a sudden and painful breakup with his ex-girlfriend. After a while, he legitimately falls in love with his rental girlfriend and is determined to turn their fake relationship into a real one.
An anime television series adaptation was produced by TMS Entertainment. Four seasons aired on MBS and its affiliates under the Super Animeism programming block from July 2020 to September 2025. A fifth season premiered in April 2026. A live-action television drama adaptation also aired from July to September 2022.
By January 2026, the manga had over 15 million copies in circulation.
Plot
Kazuya Kinoshita is dumped by his girlfriend Mami Nanami after dating for a month. He decides to rent a beautiful girlfriend named Chizuru Mizuhara. However, because he thinks she was inauthentic, he gives her a low rating. When Chizuru berates him for that during their next outing, he realizes she is more intense than he expected. Just then, Kazuya learns that his grandmother has been hospitalized following a collapse. Chizuru comes along and his grandmother is smitten by how great she is. 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, other girls from the rental girlfriend business also join in, along with Kazuya's ex-girlfriend, who seems intent on ending this fake relationship. However, as Kazuya falls in love with Chizuru, he becomes determined to do whatever he can to make their rental relationship into a real one.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Reiji Miyajima, the series began serialization in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine on July 12, 2017.[3] It has been compiled into forty-five volumes as of April 2026.[4] The series is licensed in North America by Kodansha USA, which released the first volume in English on June 2, 2020.[5] Kodansha published an anthology of the series on August 17, 2020.[6][7]
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.[8] It has been compiled into three volumes as of May 2022.[9] The series is also published in North America by Kodansha USA.[10]
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced in December 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).[11] 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,[12][a] while Halca also performed the second ending theme "First Drop" for Episode 7,[13][b] and Sora Amamiya performed the third ending theme "Kimi wo Tousite" (君を通して; "Through You") for Episode 12.[14] It aired from July 11 to September 26, 2020, on the Super Animeism programming block on MBS, TBS and their affiliates.[15][16][c] The first season ran for 12 episodes.[15]
Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Asia.[17] On August 11, 2020, Crunchyroll announced that the series would receive an English dub,[18] which premiered on August 28.[19] In Southeast Asia and South Asia, the series is licensed by Muse Communication and released on the streaming service iQIYI in Southeast Asia.[20] Animax Asia later began airing the series.[21]
In September 2020, shortly before the first season's finale was streamed internationally, it was announced that a second season had been greenlit for production.[22] The main cast and staff reprised their roles, with Studio Comet cooperating in the production. The second season aired from July 2 to September 17, 2022.[23][24][d] 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; "Can't Say") by MIMiNARI featuring asmi.[26]
On May 18, 2021, it was announced Sentai Filmworks picked up the home video rights.[27]
After the final episode of the second season, a third season was announced, with Shinya Une replacing Kazuomi Koga as director.[28][29] It aired from July 8 to September 30, 2023.[e] The opening theme is "Renai Miri Film" (恋愛ミリフィルム; "Love Millimeter Film") by Halca.[30][f] Amber's performed the first ending theme "End Roll" (エンドロール) from Episodes 25–31 and 34–36,[31] and the second ending theme "End Roll (Ballad Version)" (エンドロール (Ballad Version)) from Episodes 32–33.[g]
In July 2024, a fourth season was announced.[32] The staff and cast from the previous seasons once again reprised their roles, with Kazuomi Koga returning as director. Originally scheduled to be released in two split cours,[33][34] the fourth season ended up being released as a single cours, airing from July 5 to September 20, 2025, on the Animeism programming block on MBS, TBS, CBC Television as well as RKB, HBC, BS-TBS and AT-X.[35][h][i] The opening theme song is "Umitsuki" performed by ClariS, while the ending theme song is "Boku no Vega" (ぼくのベガ; "My Vega") performed by Regal Lily.[39]
A fifth season, which was originally intended to be the second cours of the previous season, premiered on April 11, 2026.[33][34][j][k] The opening theme song is "Non Scenario Etude" (ノンシナリオ・エチュード) performed by Sora Amamiya, while the ending theme song is "204-gōshitsu" (204号室; "Room 204") performed by Nakigoto.[42]
Video games
A crossover smartphone game titled Kanojo, Okarishimasu Heroine All-Stars (彼女、お借りしますヒロインオールスターズ) was developed by Enish. It featured 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 on September 2, 2021.[43][44][45] The game's service ended on January 25, 2023.[46][47][48]
A visual novel, titled Rent-A-Girlfriend: The Horizon and the Girl in the Swimsuit (彼女、お借りします ～水平線と水着の彼女～), developed by Mages, was announced in July 2024.[49] The game follows an original story, which is an alternate scenario set during the third season of the anime, and features all main characters. The main cast from the anime reprised their roles in the game. It was released in Japan for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on November 28, 2024. The limited edition of the game is bundled with a four-disc drama CD and an original soundtrack album, featuring over 30 tracks, including the game's theme song "Cider no Mukō" (サイダーの向こう; "Beyond the Cider") by Sora Amamiya, Aoi Yūki, Nao Tōyama, Rie Takahashi, and Yū Serizawa.[50]
Drama
A live-action television drama adaptation aired on ABC and TV Asahi from July 3 to September 25, 2022.[51] It stars Ryūsei Ōnishi and Hiyori Sakurada as Kazuya and Chizuru, respectively.[52] Viki began streaming the series on January 27, 2023, under the title Rental A Girlfriend.[53]
Reception
Popularity and sales
By July 2023, the manga had over 11 million copies in circulation;[54] it had 13 million copies in circulation by March 2024;[55] it had 13.5 million copies in circulation by April 2025;[56] it had 14 million copies in circulation by September 2025;[57] and it had 15 million copies in circulation by January 2026.[58]
In May 2024, K Manga announced on its first anniversary that the series was the best selling and fourth most read manga on the app.[59]
A collaboration between Rent-A-Girlfriend and Tokyo Dome City was held from June 25 to July 2, 2023.[60] A second collaboration was held from November 21 to December 28, 2025.[61]
On December 8, 2024, the city of Nakano, Reiji Miyajima's hometown, held the Nakano Kanokari Festival to promote the manga.[62][63] On May 30, 2025, the city of Nakano announced a collaboration for the Shinshu Nakano Rose Festival on June 15.[64] On October 30, the city of Nakano announced the second Nakano Kanokari Festival. It was held on November 9.[65] On December 18, the city of Nakano announced the official online store of the Reiji Miyajima Support Committee.[66]
On May 14, 2025, an X account was created for the character of Ruka Sarashina.[67] On May 29, a crowdfunding campaign was launched on Campfire for a project celebrating Ruka's birthday.[68] Once crowdfunding officially started on June 5,[69] it was announced that the project successfully reached its goal of 10,000,000 yen in 12 minutes and became number 1 in the Campfire rankings.[70] The project received a total of 29,265,498 yen once the campaign ended on July 31.[71] On December 19, the campaign won the Fan Community Award in the Pop Culture category for Best Project of the Second Half of the Year at the Campfire Crowdfunding Awards 2025.[72]
In August 2025, a collaboration between Rent-A-Girlfriend and Spa Resort Hawaiians was announced to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the resort, which ran from September 13 to November 30.[73] Sora Amamiya and Masayuki Akasaka, Kibe's Japanese voice actor, appeared at a special event to commemorate the collaboration on October 19.[73] On October 30, the resort announced that the collaboration had been extended due to popular demand.[74]
Notes
- "Kokuhaku Bungee Jump" is used as an insert song in episode 12.
- "First Drop" by Halca is heard during the end credits of Episode 7.
- "Renai Miri Film" is used as an insert song in episode 48.
- "End Roll (Ballad Version)" is heard during the end credits of Episodes 32 and 33.
- Episodes were released on DMM TV, D Anime Store, and Crunchyroll four days before their televised airings.[37][38]