Kanojo, Okarishimasu 2nd Season

A year after they met, Kazuya Kinoshita and Chizuru Mizuhara still regularly see each other through the rental girlfriend app. However, Chizuru confesses that she is ready to quit her job to pursue her true passion—acting. Despite wishing to maintain the relationship they have, Kazuya decides to support her dream.

When Kazuya goes to watch Chizuru's anticipated first play, he is amazed by her talent and ability to captivate the audience. At the same time, he is saddened at the thought that she will undoubtedly be scouted by the famous director in attendance.

However, after the show, Chizuru explains that the director recruited another actress, lamenting her lack of talent. Frustrated on her behalf, Kazuya resolves to rent her every week to help her financially. But as Kazuya's ex-girlfriend Mami Nanami lingers around for unknown reasons, hesitance muddles his true feelings, and fulfilling his promise to Chizuru becomes uncertain.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Ichinose, Chizuru Main

Amamiya, Sora Japanese

Kinoshita, Kazuya Main

Horie, Shun Japanese

Sakurasawa, Sumi Supporting

Takahashi, Rie Japanese

Sarashina, Ruka Supporting

Touyama, Nao Japanese

Nanami, Mami Supporting

Yuuki, Aoi Japanese

Kibe, Yoshiaki Supporting

Akasaka, Masayuki Japanese

Kinoshita, Nagomi Supporting

Nozawa, Yukari Japanese

Ichinose, Sayuri Supporting

Sadaoka, Sayuri Japanese

Kuribayashi, Shun Supporting

Kajiwara, Gakuto Japanese

Nakano, Umi Supporting

Ishikawa, Kaito Japanese

Simone, Jamie Producer

Yamazaki, Hiroaki Producer

Tachibana, Kou Producer

Terao, Yuri Producer

Reviews

Mar 19, 2026

-Noidz-

Recommended

(Spoilers up to early Season 2, I put in a lot of context because I want to talk about everything to convey my review well. Since I already have so much to say, I chose to do it now.)

I love Rent-a-Girlfriend.

None of the girls exist just to fill out a harem — every character is thematically justified and purposeful.

Mami is Kazuya’s ex, someone who never truly loved him. She promised herself she’d never fall in love again and simply settled for the first person who came along — Kazuya. She's introduced as the villain (seeing her type hate messages on an anonymous twitter account was ... fun). At the end of the first season, you see her in a businessman's car. We also got a glimpse of her younger brother and I have to say her character is always interesting. That's clearly a broken character.

Ruka is introduced as Kazuya’s friend’s rental girlfriend. She discovers that Chizuru is also a rental, and after Kazuya follows her because of that, he ends up saving her after she falls down the stairs — just like he impulsively jumped into the water to save Chizuru, which Ruka already heard about. Ruka’s heart beats slower than average, and she’s lived her whole life feeling like an outcast — emotionally numb, unable to feel excitement or happiness like others do, so she tried to seek love. The only thing that ever made her heart race was Kazuya. Watching her stare at her BPM on her phone and break down crying was heartbreaking. She even resorts to blackmail just to stay close to him, because she’s desperate not to lose the one thing that made her feel alive. Her intensity and uniqueness are exactly why I love her character. Though later on Kazuya's friend becomes aware of Chizuru's status and Ruka won't go as far as to reveal her job at her college, Chizuru still changed her mind and told Kazuya to accept her request (he asked her first) as she was crying down the street begging for a simple trial.

Sumi is introduced as Chizuru’s extremely shy friend, also a rental girlfriend. Kazuya helps her grow and face her fears as a way of repaying Chizuru for helping his own friend earlier. That scene was very wholesome — seeing them fight, laugh together, and when Kazuya left running before Chizuru came back, his friend looked at him like a hero, thinking that he didn't have to do this for him. Sumi also has her own spin-off manga, Rent-a-(Really Shy)-Girlfriend.

Mini is introduced in Season 3, so I won’t say anything about her. But you can guess another rental girlfriend would be too much and it will be different for a change.

Kazuya simply fell in love with the "wrong" girl, the one he wasn't supposed to fall in love with, the one who lives in a different world than him (his words). People calling him the worst and reducing him to a pathetic guy is nothing but ridiculous, drawing nonsensical comparisons to other animes and "better" male characters. Even Chizuru’s grandmother, who thinks they're a couple, points out that Kazuya is actually the stronger one — and clearly big-hearted. A speech of him early in Season 2 alone made me cry. He wants to stand by her side, even if he can't have her. He wants to be there for her and help her reach her dream. He also wants to make his grandma happy, because she sincerely wants him to find a girl, but Mami (his first girlfriend) wouldn't let him present her.

Chizuru lives inside a fortress of emotional walls, hiding behind an iron mask. But on the inside, she also grows to want Kazuya's happiness with everything that happened between them, as shown as how she tried to find him someone and later confronted Mami (who became aware of their actual relationship) about Kazuya, taking his defense again like when she humiliated him at the beginning. I loved that scene because Kazuya hears her and breaks down crying while he's hiding, similarly to the scene where Kibe tells Chizuru about Kazuya.

Rent-a-Girlfriend is also a story about dreams—Kazuya’s dream being Chizuru herself, and Chizuru’s being to become an actress. It’s a messy, slow-burn story that constantly keeps you on edge and makes you cry, laugh, and smile in the same episode. Kanokari perfectly demonstrates what a youth story is thanks to the uncertainty and beauty of it all. I read that Season 1 pissed off a lot of people — wow, really? There was some slight embarassment at the beginning, but I expected that to be part of the experience. There were many awesome moments like the boat scene, Chizuru giving Kazuya a phone case with fish on it as a christmas gift as she felt bad for making him date Ruka, Kazuya crying because he never received a gift from a girl before, Chizuru confronting Mami and Kazuya almost confessing to Chizuru. Or at the beginning of Season 2, the way Kazuya admires Chizuru at the theater piece actually made me want to cry. When another girl was chosen because of connections, Kazuya's determination is what stopped her from crying alone when she saw the rental girlfriend app's notification and remembered his speech. He goes to great extents but their relationship is more complicated.

No other romance anime will ever top this for me, simply because of its authenticity, beautiful art and dialogue. Even the openings are perfect, especially Season 4’s with all the symbolism, Kazuya mustering up his courage, running and trying to reach Chizuru in every opening. I'm ashamed that I used to think the manga was kind of a joke too, but that one opening changed my mind.

It’s honestly frustrating how much nonsense spread on YouTube and Twitter and how many people blindly accepted it. The idea that the author is some kind of "degenerate" obsessed with his own character is ridiculous. His playful, self-aware humor — like the inspiration he takes from real-life locations (you can see Season 2's ending that shows the characters in real-life) and joking within the context of his own work — is just clever and charming marketing. Having a healthy, open relationship with fans isn’t a flaw, it’s endearing.

Too bad if Kazuya isn't the "cool guy" that most anime viewers want to see, and that this story won't end quickly. But he's the one who feels the most relatable, because he's real, imperfect and trying his best like all of us, impulsive, insecure, has unfiltered thoughts and strong emotions which don't need to be logical. Kazuya is actually a really cute and awesome protagonist; he’s not here to please a judgmental audience, and you can easily find yourself or people you know in him. Originally, I turned into a kdrama viewer when it comes to romance (which used to last 16+ hours), but Kanokari stood out. Speaking of, I loved the kdrama-like coincidences such as their grandmas, same college, neighbors next door. Those hating on his pervert side also make no sense, this is the way the character is introduced and it's very human. If anything he just likes girls a bit too much. When Mami humiliated him, he said he can't help and it's in his nature, but he's desperate for connection. Besides, have we suddenly forgotten about otaku culture with all the ecchi and fanservice? Kanokari is not shocking, I guarantee it. It's funny because it's a comedy and exaggerated because it's anime.

We already know the ending, so as long as it takes, I'm more than willing to appreciate the journey. In today's world, this story is important and helps many of us.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Sep 10, 2025

Zangrila

Mixed Feelings

I thought the premisse of the anime was good, but was the Call of Midnight, it just develops itself too slow for me, the progression of the Main character and the Chizuru happens, but it is too slow for me. He litterally rented her for one and a half year and only in the end she acts like he is more than a client, now their relationship was upgraded to the big and respectable NEIGHBORS STATUS. Also, Chizuru is a very respectable girl that has a great future as actress, she works, and has two courses, she has integrity and only thinks about to follow ... her dreams to realize her grandpa desires and has no space for any men in her heart while doing it. She is what any modern woman ideal model... and I just can't fall in love with her, she is respectable, but not lovable, she just trashes the protagonist too much and is always too cold. The main character deserves a more rapid recognition he is a looser, but he made more for her than her for him. He saved her life, he made her granny believe that her daughter has a man that will love and care for her when she passes alway (and he will really do it) and he batrle for her dreams more than herself, she makes her continue to battle. The end of the second season makes her life directly dependent on him, of his will, he leads her heart and soul to the tomorrow. And a Neighbor Status just don't buy me anymore. I just can't love her. My preference is that girl that can't even talk, but recognizes the MC qualities. HE IS a great man, he is not a desirable person but he is great.
Maybe in one moment Chizuru will recognize him with great affection he deserves, but I don't have patient anymore.
The other characters: his first girlfriend appears to be a trash wh0r3 that only cares about the boys she dismissed when they are with other girls, she is false as a 3 dollar bill, the girl with short hair has one of the poorest motivations to love a perdon I ever saw, she loves him because her heart beat was higher than 90 when he grabed her boobs, wow, really? When a man jumps onto yourself and grabs your boobs you heartbeat jumps and you think you love him?
The art is good, the girls are beautiful (the hair could be longer) but literally every episode looks like a showcase to her new outfits, the MC can only tell every episode how they look beautiful and S-tier and he can't tell anything more about them.
The best episode was the one telling about Chizuru past and what happened to her grandparent, I almost cried. Really good episode. But till this point another 20 episodes have past and I don't have any patient to wait. Sorry I dropped.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jul 6, 2025

ChaosV11

Not Recommended

Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 2 – How Could Things Get Worse?
After barely surviving Season 1, my brother and I figured we’d watch Season 2. We thought, “Surely, it can’t get worse than this.”
It did.
This season is somehow more infuriating than the first. The characters regress even further, the relationships become more toxic, and the plot? Nonexistent. If Season 1 was emotional torture, Season 2 is emotional Stockholm syndrome.

Kazuya – Rock Bottom Has a Basement

Kazuya somehow becomes even worse. He spends most of his time fantasizing about girls and quite literally pleasuring himself off-screen. There are always tissues on the floor in his room, and it’s played off ... as a “quirky” detail. It’s not. It’s gross.
I have nothing left to say except that I despise this man with all my heart. He’s pathetic, spineless, and lacks every quality a protagonist should have.

Mizuhara – Queen of Mixed Signals (Again)

Mizuhara continues to play emotional ping-pong. One moment she’s vulnerable, the next she’s emotionally detached. She still hides behind the rental girlfriend excuse, using it as a shield to avoid any real conversation or resolution.
She’s the same as Season 1—and that’s not a compliment.

Ruka – The Rebound That Just Won’t Leave

Ruka takes her obsession to a disturbing level this season. She literally tries to give up her virginity to Kazuya to “prove” her love. What is this writing? She actively tries to sabotage his relationships with other girls, despite the fact that he doesn’t even like her.
She’s not a love interest—she’s a delusional placeholder, written like a romantic cuckold with no self-respect.

Mami – Sociopathic and Proud

Mami is still the same manipulative, twisted ex. She torments Kazuya not because she wants him back—but because she enjoys the control. The only reason she’s mad is because she’s not getting the reaction she wants anymore.
She’s not a rival character. She’s a textbook emotional abuser.

Sumi – The Silent Add-On

Sumi is pointless. She barely talks, doesn’t develop, and exists purely as “the shy one” to pad out the love interest roster. She brings nothing new to the table and has no real presence in the story. Why is she even here?

Kazuya’s Grandma – Please Make Her Stop

I continue to loathe this woman. She is blindly obsessed with Mizuhara to the point of delusion. Mizuhara could commit a felony and this woman would call it “charming.”
Her entire personality is “praise Mizuhara,” and at this point, I’m convinced she was written solely to irritate me.

This Isn’t a Romance—It’s a Red Flag Parade

Season 2 doubles down on everything that made the first season terrible. The emotional manipulation, the meaningless drama, the complete lack of character growth—it’s all still here.
It’s not about love. It’s about obsession, control, and delusion. And the worst part? The show acts like that’s romantic.

Final Rating

I genuinely regret watching this season. If you're considering starting this series—don’t. It's not worth your time, your sanity, or your emotional energy.

Art: 6
Story: 2
Characters: 1
Overall: 2/10

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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	Poll: Kanojo, Okarishimasu 2nd Season Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Stark700 - Sep 9, 2022	161 replies	by ensraklcl »» Mar 5, 5:17 AM
	Poll: Kanojo, Okarishimasu 2nd Season Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) KANLen09 - Sep 16, 2022	261 replies	by Fabito2025 »» Aug 3, 2025 8:39 AM
	Poll: Kanojo, Okarishimasu 2nd Season Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Jul 1, 2022	258 replies	by Nicknich »» Jul 6, 2025 8:16 PM
	Is this show really that bad? ( 1 2 ) RobertBobert - Jul 23, 2022	79 replies	by sbyrstall2 »» Jul 6, 2025 2:17 PM
	Poll: Kanojo, Okarishimasu 2nd Season Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jul 15, 2022	135 replies	by sbyrstall2 »» Jul 6, 2025 2:16 PM