About “Koikimo” in a few words:

Koikimo, short for “Koi to Yobu ni wa Kimochi Warui,” is a romantic comedy anime series based on the manga of the same name by Mogusu. The show follows the story of high school student Ichika Arima, who falls for a woman named Ryou Amakusa, who is nine years his senior. Despite Ryou’s initial rejection, Ichika continues to pursue her, leading to a complicated and entertaining love story. The anime explores themes of age gap romance, societal expectations, and self-discovery.

Meet the characters from Koikimo

Rio Amakusa

Okay, Rio is that impossibly cool, deadpan CEO type who will stare at you like he’s calculating the stock market and then hand you a ridiculously thoughtful gift (seriously, who does that?), and yes he’s low-key obsessive but in the very organized, playlist-for-every-mood kind of way. He’s bossy and possessive in the way a cat is possessive — aloof one second, curl-up-on-your-lap the next — and don’t be fooled by the calm suit: there’s a tornado of feelings underneath. He says very little but means everything; also he somehow collects tiny souvenir spoons? No? Maybe mugs. Anyway, impressive, slightly terrifying, and somehow always three steps ahead of everyone (including himself).

Ichika Arima

Ichika is sunshine with a side of stubbornness — bubbly, awkward, and honestly makes the rest of the cast look like drama magnets just by existing. She tries so hard to be mature (and sometimes fails spectacularly, in the best way), gets flustered over compliments, and will suddenly become terrifyingly direct when she needs to be — like a marshmallow who can bite. She’s sweet but not a pushover, loves little silly things (ramen experiments at midnight, anyone?), and has this weird habit of drawing hearts in the margins of everything — notes, receipts, you name it. She’s lovable and exasperating and very, very real-feeling; you want to hug her and also hand her a strategy guide.

Ryou Amakusa

Ryou is that sibling who’s equal parts protective and snarky — she’ll roll her eyes so hard you can hear it, but also quietly make sure everyone’s okay (and will lie about it and say she’s fine, classic). She’s sharp-tongued, quick-witted, and suspicious of anyone who smiles too much at Rio (jealous? maybe), yet she’ll bake questionable cookies at 2 a.m. when someone’s sad. She gives off “I have my life together” vibes but keeps a secret drawer full of glitter stickers and emergency snacks, so contradictory in the cutest way. Basically a walking, talking safety net with a killer side-eyeskill and very complicated feelings she’ll deny until proven wrong.

Kai Tamaru

Kai is the easygoing, jokey friend who knows everyone’s secrets (and will tease them loudly), and honestly he’s the emotional swiss army knife of the group — goofy, supportive, and endlessly baffling in a charming way. He makes everything lighter with his antics but then drops a surprisingly honest line when it matters, like a meme that suddenly turns profound. Loves to flirt with disaster (and people), plays guitar (I think? maybe he only air-guitars), and has this habit of stealing other people’s hoodies — perpetually warm, perpetually annoying. He’s the best friend you want around at 2 a.m. even though you’ll regret the karaoke tomorrow.

Masuda

Masuda is the loud, slightly unhinged coworker who acts like the office mascot and also the unofficial chaos coordinator — he’s brash, a little pervy (classic comic relief), but somehow deeply loyal when push comes to shove. He’ll make a dumb joke at the worst time but will also run in front of a metaphorical bus for friends, which is confusing but respectable. He’s into ramen, questionable fashion choices, and probably collects novelty keychains; also sometimes he’s suspiciously insightful, like he read a whole book on feelings overnight. A walking contradiction — abrasive and oddly tender — and honestly cannot be ignored.

Arie Matsushima

Arie is the stylish, sharp-tongued friend who acts like she’s seen everything and has a perfect comeback queued up, and yet she’s the one who secretly drafts motivational speeches for people at 3 a.m. (don’t tell). She’s level-headed, practical, and a little bit ruthless in the best way, but she’ll dissolve into goo over a romantic movie or a really good bento — subtle soft spots, yes. Sometimes she’s a living encyclopedia of fashion and etiquette, sometimes she’s the chaos enabler who texts “do it” at the worst possible moment (guilty pleasures!). She’s elegant and snarky and quietly soft where it counts; basically the kind of friend you want on your side and a very bad enemy.