Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru

When middle school kendo champion Ayumu Tanaka begins his first year in high school, he does not take the expected route of joining the Kendo Club; he signs up for the unofficial Shogi Club instead. His sole motive is falling in love at first sight with Urushi Yaotome—the club's president and only member—and will do anything to get closer to her. However, Ayumu decides not to confess to Urushi until he can beat her in a match of shogi fair and square.

Naturally, this self-imposed hurdle is a formidable challenge for Ayumu to overcome, as Urushi is far more experienced at the game and sees through his every strategy. Nevertheless, this does not stop him from praising her looks, her skill, or even her smile, which, coupled with Ayumu's expressionless face and direct approach, makes Urushi constantly blush beet red. Learning more about shogi and the charming player sitting across from him, Ayumu inches toward making his confession with each exciting round they play together—even if it is one pawn at a time!

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Yaotome, Urushi Main

Nakamura, Kanna Japanese

Tanaka, Ayumu Main

Azakami, Youhei Japanese

Mikage, Sakurako Supporting

Youmiya, Hina Japanese

Maki Supporting

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Kagawa, Rin Supporting

Mikawa, Haruna Japanese

Kakuryuu, Takeru Supporting

Gouden, Tsubasa Japanese

Urushi's Mother Supporting

Ohara, Sayaka Japanese

Urushi's Grandfather Supporting

Ihara, Masaaki Japanese

Urushi's Father Supporting

Tachiki, Fumihiko Japanese

Hinano Supporting

Kudou, Yuuki Japanese

Nakamura, Shinichi Producer

Kaneko, Hayato Producer, Planning

Shioya, Yoshiyuki Producer

Itou, Masahiko Producer

Reviews

Jul 31, 2024

AnimeExplorer21

Recommended

This anime has stolen my heart with its lighthearted humor, relatable characters, and authentic portrayal of high school life.

The story follows Ayumu, a shogi club member who's head over heels for his senpai, Urushi, but struggles to express his feelings. What I love most about this series is how it masterfully balances humor and heartwarming moments, making it impossible not to root for Ayumu.

The characters are well-developed and likable, with Ayumu's internal monologues providing hilarious insights into his awkward yet endearing personality. Urushi, on the other hand, is more than just a pretty face – her character has depth and complexity, making their interactions all ... the more engaging.

What sets this anime apart is its realistic approach to relationships and personal growth. Ayumu's journey is a reminder that vulnerability and honesty are essential in building meaningful connections.

Now that I've devoured the entire first season, I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment! Will Ayumu finally confess his feelings? How will Urushi respond? The suspense is killing me!

If you're looking for a feel-good anime with a healthy dose of humor, relatable characters, and a touch of romance, this anime is a must-watch. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Nov 19, 2022

BigTimeTalks

Mixed Feelings

+ The art and animation are cute!
+ Very catchy ending theme
~ It's severely lacking in novelty; the show needs a hook or selling point to separate it from other slice-of-life anime
~ The story has no real conflict; characters are in love but don't ask out their crush for artificial reasons
~ The show doesn't really go anywhere and ends on a cop-out

= It's a mediocre, run-of-the-mill high school rom-com with a tiny bit of shogi sprinkled in. It's not awful, but it is unoriginal, even by slice-of-life standards. Cuteness factor aside, the anime isn't very dramatic or absorbing. By Episode 7, I found it hard to ... sit through more episodes.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Oct 28, 2022

DmAnimeguy

Not Recommended

Informative

This anime was good but it was a let down when it came to the end of the series.... I thought the story was progressing really beautifully there were many moments that both characters were developing and trying to be better versions of them selves but when it came to the end of the series it felt like a let down.

I really am not a big fan of anime that really end on a cliff hanger like that. A season should be contained and while its fine to have unanswered questions, i am not ok with a story reaching its climax and never getting ... there at all...

This was a let down for me because unless we have a season 2 we dont know if this will end or start something new.... For that reason I will have to say that I do not recommend this anime to anyone who is looking for a story that has a start middle and end.

(Yes I know there is a manga and i can get all my answers there but i dont base any anime on how good the manga is or how the manga story ark plays out).

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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	Poll: Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jul 7, 2022	115 replies	by AldoArcadia »» Aug 14, 2:07 AM
	Can i ask something..... SakurakoMikage - May 22	6 replies	by SakurakoMikage »» May 23, 11:13 PM
	Poll: Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Sep 22, 2022	97 replies	by oooo3333 »» Mar 20, 6:46 PM
	Poll: Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru Episode 8 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Aug 25, 2022	66 replies	by oooo3333 »» Mar 19, 6:42 PM
	we have the 2 main couples, but who shoud Rin be paired up with? weeaboo5008 - Dec 28, 2023	6 replies	by Sakura_2345 »» Dec 30, 2023 8:56 PM