Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World's Greatest First Love

Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi follows several overlapping romances that unfold inside the manga publishing world. The series centers on editors, authors, and others whose professional ties lead to awkward meetings, rekindled feelings, and new attractions. Each couple faces the awkwardness of early romance alongside deadlines, editorial politics, and personal history, keeping the focus on dialogue and emotional beats rather than plot twists. The show mixes light comedy with dramatic moments, balancing workplace banter and intimate conversations as characters sort out what they want from love and career without resorting to melodrama.

Released in 2011, the TV adaptation was directed by Chiaki Kon and credits Rika Nakase as its creator. It adapts a popular manga concept into a short-run animated series aimed at fans of Boys' Love and romantic drama.

It didn't win major industry awards, but it carved out a steady fan following within niche anime circles. Fan events and online communities have kept interest alive, especially around character pairings and scene highlights.

Within the Boys' Love genre, Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi helped popularize workplace-set romances and the publishing-industry backdrop. Its scenes and character dynamics inspired fan art, fanfiction, and discussion threads, giving it a lasting presence among readers who like relationship-focused anime.

Viewer reception has been mixed, reflected in a modest average rating of 6.1/10 from 27 votes. Many viewers praise the series for its focus on character interaction, humor, and the chemistry between leads, while some note uneven pacing and a preference for character moments over plot development. Major themes include first love that resurfaces, professional identity, communication in relationships, and how past choices affect present feelings.