Rent-a-Girlfriend

After a humiliating breakup, Kazuya Kinoshita, a 20-year-old college student, decides to buy a girlfriend for a day to cope with his loneliness. He encounters Mizuhara Chizuru, a charming and photogenic stranger who agrees to pose as his girlfriend for a fee. What starts as a practical, one time favor soon spirals into a web of misunderstandings, staged dates, and social fallout as the two juggle their own agendas and the pressure to maintain appearances. The situation grows messier as friends, rivals, and the threat of real feelings collide with the idea of a perfect romance. The rom com pulses with rapid banter, awkward misreads, and a lot of heart.

Released in 2020 as an anime adaptation of Reiji Miyajimas Kanojo Okarishimasu. It was directed by Kazuomi Koga with Mitsutaka Hirota handling series composition, and stars Shun Horie as Kazuya and Sora Amamiya as Chizuru.

The show helped popularize a rental romance premise within anime culture and sparked a wave of memes and discussions about dating modern relationships. Its bold setup and lively character comedy left a lasting impression in the spring 2020 season, fueling fan debates about romance.

Critics often describe it as a breezy rom com built on snappy banter and relatable awkwardness. It explores themes of self worth, trust, and the pressure to present a perfect image, while balancing humor with genuine moments of vulnerability.