Koi to Yobu ni wa Kimochi Warui

People fall in love in the most mysterious of ways. This statement seems to be especially true for the affluent genius playboy Ryou Amakusa. When he nearly falls off the stairs one rainy morning, a girl named Ichika Arima saves him. As if by fate, Ryou encounters Ichika again later that night; she happens to be the best friend of his little sister, Rio.

Wanting to "thank" her, Ryou attempts to woo Ichika by employing his usual flirtatious tactics only to be immediately shot down, his target creeped out by his behavior. Rather than being discouraged, Ryou instead becomes more enthralled by her, and he begins to do everything he can to steal Ichika's heart despite receiving disgusted reactions each time. However, as time passes by, will Ichika remain repulsed by Ryou's creepy yet dedicated advances?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Amakusa, Ryou Main

Toyonaga, Toshiyuki Japanese

Arima, Ichika Main

Kozakai, Yurie Japanese

Amakusa, Rio Supporting

Hasegawa, Rena Japanese

Tamaru, Kai Supporting

Enoki, Junya Japanese

Masuda Supporting

Kimura, Ryouhei Japanese

Matsushima, Arie Supporting

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Bartender Supporting

Shimura, Takahiro Japanese

Amakusa, Zenji Supporting

Nakata, Jouji Japanese

Saitou, Shunsuke Producer

Nakayama, Naomi Director

Koizumi, Kisuke Sound Director

Nagai, Shinpei Episode Director, Assistant Director, Animation Director

Reviews

Jul 28, 2025

AnimeExplorer21

Recommended

You know, I did not expect much when I clicked play on Koikimo. I thought it would be just another light romantic comedy to kill time. But halfway through the first episode, I paused and thought to myself, "Wait… this feels kind of real." And by the time I finished the final episode, I was smiling like a fool and also feeling a little sad that it ended.

Yes, Koikimo is about a 27 year old man developing feelings for a 17 year old girl. And yeah, I get it, that is going to make a lot of people uncomfortable. But if you are someone who ... actually watched the series with an open mind instead of jumping to conclusions, you would know this anime is not about anything creepy. It is about growth. It is about change. It is about love blooming in the most unexpected of places.

Ryou, the main guy, starts off as a typical flirt. Smooth talker, popular, kind of a womanizer. He is not a bad person, just someone who has never taken love seriously. But when Ichika, a quiet and honest high school girl, shows him one simple act of kindness, something in him shifts. He becomes curious, then serious, and eventually sincere. He stops smoking. He starts respecting boundaries. He never once tries to pressure her. And most importantly, he works hard to become a better person.

What got me the most was how the anime treated this relationship with actual care and patience. There was no rush. No forced drama. Just slow, steady emotional connection. You could feel how Ryou started seeing the world differently because of Ichika. And you could see Ichika slowly lowering her guard too, which made every little moment between them feel special.

Shoutout to Ryou's sister, Rio. Honestly, she is the MVP of the show. Supportive, funny, and always there to bring balance whenever things got awkward. And I also have to mention Kai and Arie. Their side stories about unrequited love really hit home. I have been in their shoes before. Liking someone quietly, knowing they do not feel the same, and still choosing to support them from the sidelines. That kind of pain is real. But it also teaches you something important about acceptance and emotional maturity.

The animation is cute and soft. Not flashy, but it fits the story's tone perfectly. The way Ichika's expressions are drawn, the slight changes in her eyes or her smile, it all felt so human. And the soundtrack? Gentle and comforting. The ending song especially left me with a weird ache in my chest every time.

Yes, the age gap is there. But what matters is how it was handled. Ryou never once used his age or position to manipulate Ichika. He gave her space. He waited. He respected her feelings. He knew where the line was, and he never crossed it.

This anime is not about obsession. It is not about fantasy. It is about how one pure and sincere person can inspire another to change completely. And that message stayed with me long after the final episode.

Koikimo is not for everyone, and that is okay. But for me, it was genuine. It was honest. It made me smile, reflect, and even remember moments from my own past.

Ten out of ten. I would rewatch it without hesitation.

Sometimes, the heart just knows.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Aug 10, 2025

elumizu

Mixed Feelings

There’s something strangely watchable about Koikimo. It’s not terrible, but it’s not the kind of story I’d call “good” either. It exists in that odd middle ground, like a show convinced it’s a charming romance but blissfully unaware of how awkward its premise actually is. The setup: an adult man persistently flirting with a high school girl. Already a slippery slope. The anime tries to wrap it in comedy and lightheartedness, but more often than not, it tiptoes between “harmless banter” and “uncomfortable persistence.” It’s not malicious, but it is tone-deaf, and what’s meant to be sweet occasionally reads as one-sided and pushy, even without ... crossing any explicit boundaries. To its credit, the girl isn’t portrayed as fragile or naive. She holds her ground, pushes back when necessary, and that’s probably why the show remains watchable at all. The problem? Romantic development often feels rushed and unearned—like the story had already decided on the ending before it earned the right to get there. The setting itself is basic. Modern Japan, clean and functional, but it rarely uses the environment to enhance mood or meaning. Visually, the animation is smooth but forgettable; nothing lingers in your mind after the credits. The drinkable pastel palette and tidy backgrounds keep things pleasant enough, but this is not a series you watch for the art. The voice acting does help, though: the leads’ performances carry a certain playfulness that makes the awkwardness slightly easier to swallow. Music? Competent but unremarkable, like it was designed to disappear into the background without ever demanding attention. Enjoyment, for me, came in short bursts, occasional comedic beats that landed, moments where the banter actually felt organic, and the rare, quiet scenes where both leads seemed like actual people rather than archetypes in a controversial premise. Moral value is complicated. If the series is trying to say that love doesn’t always follow the rules, it skirts that message without fully confronting its ethical baggage. Maybe that’s intentional, maybe it’s just avoidance. Ether way, the blurred lines are still there. Would I rewatch it? No. Once was enough. But I can see how some might enjoy it as a quirky, “don’t think too hard” distraction. So no hate to Mogusu or their fans the idea was bold, I’ll give it that. I just wish it knew how to walk inits tightrope with a little more balance.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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May 19, 2024

brightdeadthings

Not Recommended

I still wonder why I watched it. I usually drop stuff I don’t like and this was quite bad. I suppose I had two unconscious reasons. The first one was that I hoped it would get better (though that was naive of me) and the second one was pure curiosity. I wanted to see how bad it could get. There were some things I enjoyed about it, and I liked some characters occasionally. However, I have a problem with the entire scope of the show. Some viewers might see grooming here and they won’t be wrong. Though love happens at all ages, it was creepy ... to watch an almost 30 year old falling in love with a 17 year old high school girl only because she told him he’s creepy. The entire plot was flawed and creepy, even for an anime. But it wasn’t just that. After all, it’s fiction, you take it or leave it, but it was also quite poorly executed. The characters were insufficiently portrayed and their motives were often under-explained (or shabbily done so, their credibility was close to zero). I didn’t enjoy watching it, I don’t think it gives a good example in many ways and it’s also rather unskillfully produced.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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