The setting is a high school with a class called "Marriage Practical," where students simulate married life. Jiro Yakuin, a gloomy otaku at the bottom of the class hierarchy, and Akari Watanabe, a flashy gyaru at the top — two people who should never mix — are paired as a mock married couple.
Jiro has a childhood-friend first love, Shiori, and Akari has a crush, Minami. To swap into pairs with their real crushes, the two decide to play a fake couple who rack up high scores (i.e. lovey-dovey points).
Airing from October 2022, produced by studio MOTHER. A sweet, tantalizing school rom-com in which the two opposites unexpectedly grow closer through a cohabitation that began with fake love. 💍
📝 Highlights & Appeal Light spoilers
01① A Classic Rom-Com Starting from a Fake Marriage
Two people with separate crushes act as a couple to score points. Watching the fake slowly turn real keeps you grinning nonstop.
02② The Perfect Chemistry of Gloomy Boy x Gyaru
The banter between opposites Jiro and Akari is a joy. The gyaru Akari is surprisingly innocent, and their tantalizing, cute distance is a treat.
03③ Heart-Pounding as Akari Pushes Forward
For the sake of points, Akari often makes the bold advances. It's a steady stream of sweet rom-com mishaps.
04④ You Can't Look Away from the Love Quadrangle
The romantic maneuvering involving Jiro's first love Shiori and Akari's crush Minami is a highlight. You can't stop wondering who ends up with whom.
05⑤ Character Names Themed on Fukuoka
Yakuin, Watanabe, Sakurazaka, Tenjin — the character names come from Fukuoka place names. A fun detail locals will grin at.
06⑥ The Thrills Only Cohabitation Brings
Living under one roof brings a flood of mishaps. The two's overly-close daily life makes your heart race.
07⑦ studio MOTHER's First Solo-Lead Production
This is studio MOTHER's first TV anime as sole lead producer. Expressive, cute art brings the story to life.
08⑧ Theme Songs by Liyuu & Nowlu
The OP "TRUE FOOL LOVE" (Liyuu) and ED "Stuck on you" (Nowlu) amplify the bittersweetness. Songs that fit the show perfectly.
💡 Key Points & Predictions Some spoilers
Ahead, Jiro and Akari's mock marriage, begun for the sake of points, gradually turns into something that can't be dismissed as "fake." A love quadrangle stirs, involving Jiro's first love Shiori and Akari's crush Minami, and everyone's true feelings begin to waver. Don't miss Akari — who was supposed to be advancing only for points — becoming aware of genuine feelings as she is touched by Jiro's kindness. You won't be able to look away from the thrills of cohabitation and the tantalizing, sweet push-and-pull of romance. 💍
🧾 Story So Far Contains spoilers
At a high school with a "Marriage Practical" class that simulates married life, two opposites — gloomy otaku Jiro Yakuin and flashy gyaru Akari Watanabe — end up paired as a mock married couple. Jiro has his childhood-friend first love Shiori, and Akari admires Minami, so the two decide to play a "fake couple" who rack up high scores in order to swap into pairs with their real crushes. Their cohabitation began from a coincidence of interests, but as they close the distance for the sake of points, the two who should have been complete opposites slowly start to become aware of each other. A sweet, tantalizing school rom-com begins, in which real love sprouts from fake love.
✅ Recommended Viewing Points
Highly recommended for fans of classic fake-couple and cohabitation rom-coms. With two people who have separate crushes going from scoring points to falling for real, the "fake to real" development is wonderfully bittersweet. You're sure to be hooked by the chemistry of the gloomy-boy x gyaru opposites, and by the cuteness of Akari, who is a gyaru yet surprisingly innocent. Fans of cohabitation rom-coms like TONIKAWA, or of slow-burn sweet push-and-pull, will be especially struck. Perfect for when you want to watch over the two while grinning. 💍
👀 Trivia & Fun Facts
💫 Unresolved Foreshadowing Contains spoilers
- The distance between Jiro and Akari, shifting from a fake couple for points to real love.
- Where the love quadrangle involving Jiro's first love Shiori and Akari's crush Minami will lead.
- The gyaru Akari's surprisingly innocent side and her true feelings.
- The outcome of the "Marriage Practical" scores and the swap into pairs with their crushes.
💌 Predicted Viral Quotes for Next Season
— Akari's brusque advance, a line where her supposedly fake love begins to waver.
"This is only the Marriage Practical, so..."
— A line symbolizing the two's relationship, repeated like an excuse as they grow closer.
"For real love, can you swear a fake love?"
— The very tagline of the show, a question that pierces its theme.