You Can't Be in a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends!

High school freshman Sakai Yonosuke, who goes by Eiyu, is obsessed with rom coms about childhood friends. He spends his days convinced that real romance is out of reach, even as he keeps close to two people who could change that belief. Shio Minamo and Akari Hiodoshi are more than just classmates to him; they share inside jokes, study sessions, and the kind of easy rapport that makes a group feel like home. Then the trio discovers that both Shio and Akari secretly like him, turning friendship into a spark that refuses to stay quiet. What follows is a light hearted, funny look at crushes, loyalty, and growing up without spoilers.

Produced as an animated comedy by Mitsutaka Hirota, the series features Rin Kusumi as Shio Minamo, Yu Serizawa as Akari Hiodoshi, and Sae Hiratsuka as Runa Tsukimi. It released in 2026, with a bright palette and snappy timing.

Reception and themes center on the tension between idealized rom com fantasies and the messier reality of friendship. The show leans into quick banter and awkward misreads, treating adolescence with warmth while examining how crushes can reshape the bonds that already feel like family, not caricatures.

Visually bright and character driven, this title has the potential to become a favorite for fans of slice of life comedies. It could spark conversations about friendship, growing up together, and the hope that a long term bond might shift into something more, inspiring fan art and playful memes.