Makeine
“When Friendship Trumps Romance”
Was there ever a point in your life where everyone around you was in romantic relationships, but you were just standing idly by, single? I certainly have, and it wasn’t the most fun experience, but as time passed, I got over that feeling of being left out and just accepted things as they were; it simply wasn’t my time yet. I did not want to rush into such a hazardous, complex relationship and only regret it later. So, I watched the lovebirds from a safe distance and learned some valuable lessons, too. Real romance is complex and seldom easy; it requires active effort from both parties to reach a stable ground where you’re happy and at ease. Who knows? Maybe your ideal romance will befall you when you least expect it...
“Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!" also known as “Make Heroine ga Oosugiru!” or simply "Makeine," is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 14th of July till the 29th of September in Summer 2024. It was produced by Aniplex, Yomiuri Telecasting, Tokyo MX, Good Smile Company, BS11, Contents Seed, INSPION Edge, and JR Tokai Agency and brought to life by Studio A-1 Pictures. Its central staff included Oowada Tomoyuki, Jinguuji Manabu, Nagamine Rieko, and Inoue Megumi as producers. The 24-minute episodes featured comedy and romance genres alongside the school theme and earned a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older.
The anime is based on the light novel of the same title, also known as “Ore wa Hyottoshite, Saishuuwa de Make Heroine no Yokoni Iru Pottode no Mob Chara nano Darou ka." It began publication on the 21st of July 2021 and is still ongoing thanks to the work of author Amamori Takibi and artist Imigi Muru. It was awarded the Gagaga Award at the 15th Shogakukan Light Novel Award in 2021 and was published in English via Seven Seas Entertainment under the Airship imprint on the 13th of August, 2024. An Alternative Version exists in the form of the “Make Heroine ga Oosugiru! @comic” manga, which began publication on the 29th of April 2022 and is still ongoing. Itachi handles the manga artwork serialized in MangaONE. It was also published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment on the 20th of August, 2024.
The story focuses on protagonist Kazuhiko Nukumizu, a first-year high school student who does not understand much about fleeting teenage romances. Even as the series starts, he wonders how he will someday react when his life enters the romance chapter. As such, he self-proclaims to be a "background character" and is just fine spending his days as an introvert with a highly negligible social life. Naturally, he avoids the spotlight daily and has no issues until he witnesses his popular classmate Anna Yanami's rejection by her childhood friend in a family restaurant.
Despite being placed in this uncomfortable position, he simply wishes to forget what he saw and move on as if nothing happened. But his plans are foiled by Anna, who forcefully confides herself in Nukumizu! As she spends her days lamenting her cruel role as the “childhood friend destined to have her love stolen” around him, he gets more and more entangled in her situationship. In the meantime, he also gets caught up in the dramatic relationships of two more girls! Lemon Yakishio is an extroverted member of the track and field club, and Chika Komari is a member of the literature club. Still, our MC gets entangled with them as if destiny were at play. Thrown completely outside his introverted comfort zone, Nukumizu must now come to terms with the fact that he is a main character in the lives of these “losing heroines," and honestly, there are way too many of them around him!
Makeine is genuinely one of a kind; do not let its seemingly generic synopsis and overlook fool you into thinking it’s just “another one of those RomComs." From start to finish, this show is pure magical bliss that takes a refreshingly beautiful take on the oversaturated RomCom genre. It lures you in with the traditional Harem premise and spins you around to savor this unique tale of wholesome platonic relationships. Teenagers going through heartbreak is nothing new, but a story that portrays their battles to overcome said pain and then move forward with their heads held high is truly rare. As such, the plot here is splendidly mature and quite realistic; we don’t always get to be with the person of our dreams, and that’s okay. What’s important is learning to accept reality and move on healthily. The pacing is also perfect; we have some solid comedy in the form of snippets, plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, and a quick return to the chase when necessary.
The well-handled and written story and the lovable character dynamics made me love this show, particularly the connection between Nukumizu and Anna, the very foundation of this tale! With natural pacing and care, we see Nukumizu progressively help his classmate accept the rejection and move on to better things, and their friendship blossoms authentically. This is also a great reminder that girls and boys can have healthy platonic relationships, which are also very important in life. The duo have so much chemistry, which is apparent in every scene, and I honestly want them to remain soulbound friends rather than a couple.
The remaining two girls also get their hearts broken, and Nukumizu’s primary purpose in their lives is to support them and help them grow. What’s even more beautiful is that he also learns about himself and people in general in the process, and it never once felt repetitive, forced, tropey, or cringy. I must also commend the variety of personalities well-portrayed here; each feels unique, and we warm up to them naturally; some of their predicaments may even resonate with you! Love and romance are very complex topics, and the writer is VERY aware of that. People are attracted to different things; our thoughts needn’t always mirror the MC's. We can’t help who we are attracted to. Many things can go wrong, even if the duo seems perfect on paper.
All these girls go through that genuine pain but are determined to keep marching ahead and not regret their unrequited love because it is a part of life, and they come out stronger in the end. “You wouldn’t be who you are today if not for your past experiences” is driven home more organically and artistically! Stereotypes are at an all-time low here because even the supporting cast is unique and memorable. Take the President of the Literature Club as an example. He seems like your everyday handsome and dependable president, but he’s also a huge Anime/Manga fan and is not shy about it!
The art and animation departments are as stunning as the story and characters, giving me an Eighty-Six vibe. The character designs are simple yet memorable; you can tell certain things about their lives just by looking at them, but you can’t judge the books by the covers. The color palette is vibrant, accompanied by sharp line art that is oozing with quality. The animation is as fluid as it needs to be to enrich everything with life, and the backgrounds have equal care put into them: colorful, detailed, and soothing so that it feels like a documentary. Moreover, the sheer attention to detail in every frame is astounding… Kudos to A-1 Pictures!
The Sounds and Music department is just as serene and beautiful as the visuals. The OSTs used can only be described as angelic, suiting each moment perfectly and enhancing all the emotions conveyed without a hitch. If you could mute all the other sounds and just watch this show with the OSTs and background sounds playing alongside its stunning scenery, that's ASMR right there. The sound mixing is stellar, and I have nothing but praise for the voice actors.
All of them, especially the main four, poured so much life into their characters that I felt their emotions alongside them, which helped me relate to them more. The opening theme is "Tsuyogaru Girl" by Botchi Boromaru feat. Mossa (Necry Talkie), and the ending themes are "LOVE 2000" by Anna Yanami (CV: Hikaru Toono), "CRAZY FOR YOU" by Lemon Yakishio (CV: Shion Wakayama), and "feel my soul" by Chika Komari (CV: Momoka Terasawa). The sheer amount of creativity poured into these sequences mesmerized me; the opening is upbeat with the unforgettable tunes of bells and whistles, and the endings done by the three heroines during each of their storylines reflect much about their temperaments.
Overall, “Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines” is a beautiful and meaningful ride from start to finish. While it may seem like your typical rom-com at the beginning, it gradually shoves that idea out the window and gives you a novel experience to learn from. It’s so good that it doesn’t need any fanservice or similar bait to stand tall. I felt warm and fuzzy inside watching these characters interact and grow, which you will too, so I highly recommend this gem of an anime to everyone!
Please Like, Comment or Share, or if you wish to read another post, click one of the links below.
https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/random-thoughts-because-mondays-suck
https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/on-screen
https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/flashbacks
