A Girl & Her Guard Dog

Isaku wants a quiet, ordinary high school life, but her family background turns that wish into a problem. As the granddaughter of a yakuza boss she has been shut out by classmates and struggled with relationships. Hoping distance will change things, she transfers to a school far from home to start anew. Her plan gets complicated when Keiya, a loyal yakuza member worried about her safety, enrolls at the same school to keep an eye on her. The series follows the awkward balance between school routines and underground loyalties, the odd protector-protected dynamic, and how everyday moments are colored by Isaku's family ties, without revealing how their relationship develops.

A Girl & Her Guard Dog premiered in 2023, created by Aya Satsuki and Hatsuharu. The anime uses a Japanese voice cast led by Akari Kito as Isaku and Yuuichirou Umehara as Keiya, with Junya Enoki, Mai Nakahara, and Yoshino Aoyama in supporting roles.

The show did not secure major industry awards or high-profile nominations after its release. It received modest attention within seasonal anime coverage, but there are no records of significant prize wins or placements in major award ceremonies.

The series sparked modest online interest, especially among fans who enjoy mismatched pairings and school-set comedies with a twist. Clips highlighting the contrast between mundane school life and yakuza etiquette circulated on social platforms, and character art and short memes helped it find a small but engaged fan community.

Critical and audience reaction was mixed, reflected in an average user score of 5.2/10 from 21 votes. Viewers often praised the chemistry between the leads and the light-hearted moments that undercut the yakuza premise, while criticism focused on tonal shifts and uneven pacing. Key themes include identity, the pull of family obligations, and what it takes to be accepted as ordinary when your past keeps intruding.