Rich Girl Caretaker
Japanese light novel series
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Rich Girl Caretaker: I'm Secretly the Caregiver of the Most Popular Girl in This Rich Kid School (Japanese: 才女のお世話 高嶺の花だらけな名門校で、学院一のお嬢様（生活能力皆無）を陰ながらお世話することになりました, Hepburn: Saijo no Osewa: Takane no Hana-darake na Meimonkō de, Gakuin-ichi no Ojō-sama (Seikatsu Nōryoku Kai Mu) o Kage nagara Osewa suru Koto ni Narimashita) is a Japanese light novel series written by Yusaku Sakaishi and illustrated by Sakura Miwabe. It began as a web novel posted on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website between April 2020 and October 2021, before it was published by Hobby Japan under their HJ Bunko imprint in May 2021. A manga adaptation illustrated by Sorahiko Mizushima began serialization on Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website in July 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by Brain's Base premiered in July 2026.
| Rich Girl Caretaker: I'm Secretly the Caregiver of the Most Popular Girl in This Rich Kid School | |
First light novel volume cover, featuring Hinako Konohana | |
| 才女のお世話 高嶺の花だらけな名門校で、学院一のお嬢様（生活能力皆無）を陰ながらお世話することになりました (Saijo no Osewa: Takane no Hana-darake na Meimonkō de, Gakuin-ichi no Ojō-sama (Seikatsu Nōryoku Kai Mu) o Kage nagara Osewa suru Koto ni Narimashita) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Romantic comedy[1] |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Yusaku Sakaishi |
| Published by | Shōsetsuka ni Narō |
| Original run | April 2, 2020 – October 26, 2021 |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Yusaku Sakaishi |
| Illustrated by | Sakura Miwabe |
| Published by | Hobby Japan |
| English publisher | Monogatari Novels |
| Imprint | HJ Bunko |
| Original run | May 1, 2021 – present |
| Volumes | 12 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Yusaku Sakaishi |
| Illustrated by | Sorahiko Mizushima |
| Published by | Hobby Japan |
| Imprint | HJ Comics |
| Magazine | Comic Fire |
| Original run | July 2, 2021 – present |
| Volumes | 6 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Shūsei Morishita |
| Written by | Aya Yoshinaga |
| Music by |
|
| Studio | Brain's Base |
| Licensed by | Crunchyroll |
| Original network | MBS, TV Tokyo, BS Asahi |
| Original run | July 5, 2026 – present |
| Episodes | 4 |
Plot
Itsuki Tomonari, a high school student who comes from a poor family who is suddenly abandoned by his parents. He is faced with a difficult family situation and the possibility of being unable to go to school owing to his financial situation. He then meets Hinako Konohana, the scion of a wealthy family, when they are both kidnapped. During the encounter, Hinako quickly develops a liking towards Itsuki, leading to him living under the Konohana family and transferring to Hinako's school, now serving as Hinako's caretaker.
Characters
- Itsuki Tomonari (友成 伊月, Tomonari Itsuki)
- Voiced by: Yūto Uemura[2]
- A high school student who comes from a poor family and works part-time jobs in order to earn money. His parents are gambling addicts and suddenly left home one night, leaving him with barely any money. After being kidnapped together with Hinako, he transfers to Kiou Academy, an exclusive school for the rich and powerful, while also living with the Konohana family and working as a servant.
- Hinako Konohana (此花 雛子, Konohana Hinako)
- Voiced by: Moe Toyota (PV),[3] Konomi Kohara (anime)[2]
- A high school student who comes from the Konohana family, one of Japan's richest families. She acts as the perfect student in school, but in reality she is lazy and unable to do most tasks on her own. However, in order to protect her family's reputation, she has to keep the image of a rich lady. She develops feelings for Itsuki after they were kidnapped and pampers him.
- Shizune Tsurumi (鶴見 静音, Tsurumi Shizune)
- Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu[4]
- One of the Konohana family's maids. She has a cool and strict personality. She cares for Hinako while also training Itsuki to serve as Hinako's servant.
- Mirei Tennōji (天王寺 美麗, Ten'nōji Mirei)
- Voiced by: Saori Ōnishi[5]
- A Kiou Academy student who is the scion of the Tennōji Group. She considers herself to be Hinako's rival.
- Narika Miyakojima (都島 成香, Miyakojima Narika)
- Voiced by: Rio Tsuchiya[5]
- A Kiou Academy student whose family runs a company manufacturing sporting goods. She has a very shy personality and thus has difficulty communicating with others.
- Yuri Hirano (平野 百合, Hirano Yui)
- Itsuki's childhood friend, who is older than him. She refers to herself as Itsuki's "older sister".
- Karen Asahi (旭 可憐, Asahi Karen)
- Voiced by: Ami Maeshima[6]
- Itsuki and Hinako's classmate who initially introduces herself as a commoner student, but is actually from a family that owns one of Japan's biggest electronics companies.
- Katsuya Taishō (大正 克也, Taishō Katsuya)
- Voiced by: Kentarō Kumagai[7]
- Itsuki and Hinako's classmate who initially introduces himself as a commoner student, but is actually from a family that owns a large transportation company.
- Kagen Konohana (此花 華厳, Konohana Kagen)
- Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu[4]
- Hinako's father and the chairman of one of the Konohana Group's companies. He is in line to become the group's next leader.
Media
Light novel
Written by Yusaku Sakaishi and illustrated by Sakura Miwabe, Rich Girl Caretaker: I'm Secretly the Caregiver of the Most Popular Girl in This Rich Kid School began as a web novel posted on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website, with chapters being posted between April 2, 2020, and October 26, 2021.[8] Hobby Japan later began publishing the series as a light novel under their HJ Bunko imprint, with the first novel being released on May 1, 2021.[9] A promotional video with Moe Toyota voicing Hinako was posted on YouTube on September 20, 2021.[3] Twelve volumes have been released as of July 2026.[10] The series is licensed in English by Monogatari Novels.
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 1, 2021[9] | 978-4-7986-2491-4 | March 3, 2026[11] | 978-8-4127-2682-4 |
| 2 | December 1, 2021[12] | 978-4-7986-2677-2 | March 3, 2026[13] | 978-8-4100-2013-9 |
| 3 | April 30, 2022[14] | 978-4-7986-2823-3 | March 3, 2026[15] | 978-8-4100-2014-6 |
| 4 | September 1, 2022[16] | 978-4-7986-2916-2 | — | — |
| 5 | February 1, 2023[17] | 978-4-7986-3073-1 | — | — |
| 6 | June 30, 2023[18] | 978-4-7986-3220-9 | — | — |
| 7 | December 1, 2023[19] | 978-4-7986-3361-9 | — | — |
| 8 | May 1, 2024[20] | 978-4-7986-3530-9 | — | — |
| 9 | November 1, 2024[21] | 978-4-7986-3667-2 | — | — |
| 10 | May 30, 2025[22] | 978-4-7986-3859-1 | — | — |
| 11 | October 31, 2025[23] | 978-4-7986-3995-6 | — | — |
| 12 | July 1, 2026[10] | 978-4-7986-4211-6 | — | — |
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Sorahiko Mizushima began serialization on Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website on July 2, 2021, with the first volume being released on June 1, 2022.[1] Six tankōbon volumes have been released as of June 2026.[24]
| No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 1, 2022[25] | 978-4-7986-2647-5 |
| 2 | May 1, 2023[26] | 978-4-7986-3172-1 |
| 3 | October 1, 2024[27] | 978-4-7986-3172-1 |
| 4 | July 1, 2025[28] | 978-4-7986-3893-5 |
| 5 | December 1, 2025[29] | 978-4-7986-4021-1 |
| 6 | June 1, 2026[24] | 978-4-7986-4187-4 |
Anime
An anime adaptation was announced on October 30, 2025,[30] which was later confirmed to be a television series produced by Brain's Base and directed by Shūsei Morishita, with Aya Yoshinaga handling series composition, Nao Kawashima designing the characters, and Natsumi Tabuchi, Hanae Nakamura, and Mayo Kurihara composing the music. The series premiered on July 5, 2026, on MBS and other networks.[2][4][a] The opening theme song is "Sai Sai Saikōkyū no Osewa Shite" (最最最高級のお世話して; Top Top Top Grade Caretaking), is performed by Angela,[4] while the ending theme song is "Kanpeki Janai Watashi" (完璧じゃないわたし; I'm Not Perfect), performed by Ami Maeshima.[6] Crunchyroll is streaming the series.[31] Plus Media Networks Asia has licensed the series in Southeast Asia.[32]
Episodes
| No. | Title [33][34] | Directed by [b] | Written by [b] | Storyboarded by [b] | Original release date [35][a] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "A Perfect Young Lady" Transliteration: "Kanpeki na Ojōsama" (Japanese: 完璧なお嬢様) | Shūsei Morishita | Aya Yoshinaga | Shūsei Morishita | July 5, 2026 | |
|
Raised in poverty by gambling addict parents who eventually steal his money and skip town, Itsuki Tomonari wanders aimlessly until he gets caught up in the kidnapping of Hinako Konohana, a wealthy heiress. Itsuki realizes Hinako is completely absent-minded and lacks basic life skills. Hinako takes a liking to him just as soldiers from Konohana Conglomerate, led by her maid Shizune, rescue them. Learning Itsuki's financial circumstances, Hinako’s wealthy father, Kagen, explains the situation. Hinako can act like a perfect heiress in public, but reverts to a helpless lump when alone or tired. For the Conglomerate's future, Hinako must one day find an excellent husband, so her true nature must remain secret. As Hinako is now attached to Itsuki, Kagen offers him the role of Caretaker in exchange for free lodging, enrollment at Kiou Gakuin Academy with Hinako, and ¥20,000 a day. Shizune begins training Itsuki in etiquette, caretaking, and self-defense, but reminds him to keep his grades up as he will obviously lose the job if he is expelled. His first challenge arises when he finds Hinako sleeping in his bed, followed by her jealousy over texts from his childhood friend, Yuri. | ||||||
| 2 | "Caretaker Day 1" Transliteration: "Osewa Gakari Dai-ichi-Hi" (Japanese: お世話係 第一日) | Haruka Kanbara | Aya Yoshinaga | Shūsei Morishita | July 12, 2026[c] | |
|
At Kiou, Itsuki struggles with advanced subjects meant for elite students. Classmates Katsuya and Karen assume he is a fellow new-money commoner, which aligns with his fake backstory as a new CEO's son. As they are interested in why he walked Hinako to school, Itsuki claims their parents are acquainted. Later, Hinako reveals her past caretakers quit quickly and asks Itsuki to stay long-term in case she decides to marry him, shocking him. Shizune calls, warning him not to underestimate Katsuya and Karen, whose families own powerful corporations. Itsuki meets Tennoji Mirei, who is insulted he doesn't know her Tennoji Mining Conglomerate and blames Hinako for overshadowing her. After school, Hinako almost becomes a useless lump on school grounds, so he bribes her into moving with potato chips. Shizune reveals past caretakers failed because they were too strict, making Itsuki their first commoner caretaker. Later, Hinako makes Itsuki share her pool-sized bath while wearing swimsuits. To distract himself from her almost-nudity, he asks about her friends. Hinako refers to them as "fans," stating Itsuki is her only real friend. Itsuki is traumatized when Shizune, who had been watching them bathe, pranks him by threatening him with castration if anything sexual happens between them. Back at school, a girl from Itsuki's past reunites with him. | ||||||
| 3 | "Reunion" Transliteration: "Saikai" (Japanese: 再会) | Haruka Kanbara | Aya Yoshinaga | Shūsei Morishita | July 19, 2026 | |
|
The girl Narika Miyakojima, a famous athlete with no friends due to rumours she is a Yakuza’s daughter, is actually Itsuki's distant relative. Accused of endangering her life by taking her out in public, Itsuki has not seen Narika since they were ten. Narika drops her tough façade, clings to Itsuki, and asks for his help making friends. Hinako catches them together and becomes jealous when Narika reveals they were childhood friends, so she reveals Itsuki is her employee, forgetting this is a strict secret. Shizune decides not to punish Itsuki since Hinako exposed the secret, but orders him to ensure Narika keeps it quiet. Katsuya and Karen plan a welcome party for Itsuki and Hinako insists on going. Itsuki claims to Narika he is a live-in business apprentice of the Konohana's, so she agrees not to talk about it. He invites her to the party to start making friends. He also invites Mirei. Narika panics to meet everyone, but Itsuki is able to clearly explain she is just socially awkward and has no connection to the Yakuza; her family actually own a sporting goods company. The party is a success but Narika still resents Hinako for taking Itsuki, and demands he come to her house once his apprenticeship is over. | ||||||
| 4 | "Lies and Secrets" Transliteration: "Uso to Himitsu" (Japanese: 嘘と秘密) | TBA | TBA | TBA | July 26, 2026[d] | |
|
When Itsuki masters noble table manners, Shizune increases his responsibilities and entrusts him with waking Hinako each morning, an arduous, unpredictable task with the risk of occasional nudity. Shortly after, Hinako faints in the shower. Shizune explains that the pressure of playing the perfect heiress frequently triggers fevers in Hinako. Disappointed that her father, Kagen, neglects to visit during these illnesses and noting her mother has passed away, Itsuki decides to care for Hinako himself so she does not feel alone. Shizune then reveals a family secret: Hinako’s older brother, Takuma, was deemed unfit to inherit the family conglomerate, meaning Hinako’s future husband will inherit instead, hence why it is vital Hinako find a good husband. As midterms approach, top-ranked Hinako offers Itsuki private tutoring. However, Katsuya and Karen reunite the tea party group for a joint study session, frustrating Hinako, who punishes Itsuki for losing their one-on-one time by deliberately stepping on his foot. Mirei, the school's second-highest scorer, tutors Itsuki in math, further upsetting Hinako. Mirei suspects Itsuki is not actually a real CEO's heir but chooses to keep her suspicions to herself. Hinako invites the whole group to the Konohana Spring Social Event. | ||||||
| 5 | "Kidnap Me" | TBA | TBA | TBA | August 2, 2026 | |
|
Hinako ruins a formal dinner with an airline CEO by applying Itsuki’s "three-second rule" to her dropped dessert, breaching noble etiquette and ruining Kagen's business negotiations. Furious, Kagen refuses to indulge Hinako's true personality anymore, fires Itsuki and orders Hinako to act as a perfect heiress 24 hours a day, even in private. Traumatized by Itsuki's absence, Hinako tries to escape her room. On the street Itsuki encounters Narika, who listens to his explanation and insists he did nothing wrong. Itsuki uses Shizune's martial arts to infiltrate the mansion in time to catch Hinako falling from her bedroom window. Itsuki decides to confront Kagen but Shizune stops him, secretly revealing she is on Hinako’s side and has a plan. She shows Kagen letters from Katsuya, Karen, Narika and Mirei's CEO parents, who thanks to their friendships with Hinako, want to meet Kagen at his Spring Social Event. Forced to admit Itsuki's influence on Hinako has actually benefitted the family business, Kagen rehires Itsuki. He also reveals that Hinako's genius means she was always going to be running the company one day and only needs a respectable husband for appearances. Later, Hinako blushes when asking Itsuki for head pats, realizing her feelings for him have changed. | ||||||
See also
- I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness, another light novel series illustrated by Sakura Miwabe
- Isshō Hatarakitakunai Ore ga, Classmate no Daininki Idol ni Natsukaretara, another light novel series illustrated by Sakura Miwabe
Notes
- Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.
- Due to the broadcast of the 2026 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League, this episode aired at 2:05 a.m. JST, 33 minutes before the regular air time on MBS.[36]