Hello and welcome to Project Nitsuj. As we start the second half of the Shonen Jump arc we switch over from the magazine to the mobile app. The Shonen Jump app or Shonen Jump+ launched in the fall of 2014. Serving as an alternative for fans to get their dose of Shonen Jump stories, the app had an uneventful run during its early years. However, things started to change in 2016 when the app started publishing its own manga which showed more explicit content the magazine wasn’t allowed to show. On top of that, it served as a good place for artists and writers to publish their work at their own pace. If they didn’t want to release a chapter weekly, they could now do it bi-weekly or monthly giving themselves more time to work on their story and pages without killing themselves producing a chapter each week. Since then, the app has become a home to some of Shonen Jump’s more popular mangas today such as SpyxFamily, Kaiju No.8, Oshi no Ko, and most recently Chainsaw Man Part 2. However, just like the magazine there have been a few series that have gotten lost in the shuffle and deserve some recognition like The 100 Girlfriends Who Really(x5) Love You. Released in 2019 and written by Rikito Nakamura, this series is a romcom that began in the pages of Weekly Young Jump a magazine that caters to the more seinen audience despite having young in the name. While the chapters are still published in the magazine to this day, the series managed to gain a following thanks to the app uploading their chapters. In 2023, the series got turned into an anime produced by Bibury Animation Studios. Best known for Azur Lane: The Animation and the second season of The Quintessential Quintuplets. Let’s enjoy some high school romance hijinks. This is The 100 Girlfriends Who Really(x5) Love You.
Opening and Ending Theme
Our opening is “Dai Dai Dai Dai Daisuki na Kimi e♡” by the VAs. One of my favorite openings from 2023. Like I said, I always like it when the VAs get a chance to sing the opening song to an anime. It adds a personal touch and makes the opening feel special. The melody is good and I like how each girl gets a part that matches the character they’ll be voicing. It’s enjoyable, and one I can only see fits this anime. If it was used in any other anime it would feel out of place.
The ending is “Sweet Sign” by Nako Misaki. This ending was a candidate for the Top 11 Endings of 2023 but fell short. Still, it’s a good and catchy ending. The visuals are cute and I can’t believe it’s only one singer. I honestly thought it was the VAs again.
Episodes 1-4
The anime starts with our main character Rentaro voiced by Wataru Katoh (one of the big selling points of this series is this guy as fans have called him the best protagonist in a harem setting). It’s graduation day from middle school and Rentaro confesses to his crush who brutally rejects him. While she admits he’s a nice guy and likes him the idea of dating him is so sickening that it makes her want to puke (stuck in the friend zone permanently). This is the 100th time Rentaro has been rejected by a girl he likes (well you won’t get a hit if you don’t swing). While praying at a shrine for romance, the god of love appears before him (breaking the 4th wall and everything) and tells Rentaro that he’ll find his soulmate in high school. Not only that but he’ll have a hundred girls who will be his potential soulmate that he can choose from (all hail the new harem king). A month passes and Rentaro begins high school where he already found his first two soulmates, Hakari voiced by Kaede Hondo and Karane voiced by Miyu Tomita (Rizu from We Never Learn. And ones a tsundere. Good on ya). After both girls confess their love to him he finds himself in a crisis as he doesn’t know who to choose (scene here: https://youtu.be/JalDkFBLyu8?si=Bv_pIPeIEw0eJjj_. (Baron): Go for the tsundere! Tsundere for the win! (Corbin): Go for the calculating dere girl. They’re usually the ones who are into perverted stuff). Desperate for answers, he goes to the god of love for help who tells him he made a mistake. Usually, there’s only one soulmate per person (then how do you explain second marriages?) but the god of love got distracted and accidentally put down 100 soulmates for Rentaro (his love life is just one big joke to the gods). Oh, but it gets worse. Rentaro has to return the feelings of his soulmates or they’ll die from disaster meaning he can’t just pick one girl and stick with them (alright. There’s a quick fix to this situation. Move to Utah and marry all your soulmates). At first, he plans to date each girl in secret but stops himself realizing that would be stupid (and you would be the biggest scumbag on Earth). So he decides to straight-up date both of them and against all logic they accept (scene here: https://youtu.be/Jdc_Ee3JaYU?si=_UWQNWcAR465A8i3, is this a hentai? Because this sounds like the plot of a hentai. I’m totally fine with this being a hentai).
In episode 2 Rentaro begins his double romance with Hakari and Karane (this is like School Days if it had a good ending and a likable MC). At lunch, they come across their first trial, who’s going to get the first kiss (put it to a poll online and see who wins). Rentaro tries to come up with a good plan where they don’t who got the first but they keep messing up so he goes for the next option, give his first kiss to the sexually frustrated vice-principal who tackles students who run in the hallways and forcefully kisses them (how are you not fired or locked in jail?). Thankfully, the girls save him and they settle on just doing a three-way kiss with each other (scene here: https://youtu.be/IHSffMY0cUY?si=kr7oXkVzZhgF9S2-. (Baron): Can’t wait until they start adding in the tongue). Near the end of the episode they go to the library (Corbin: Always a good spot to do adult things in school) as the girls want to look up cook books and Rentaro runs into his third soulmate.
Episode 3 introduces us to Shizuku voiced by Maria Naganawa, a small little girl who has trouble speaking to people (reminds me of Shiori from The World God Only Knows. Scene here: https://youtu.be/BmUU4xdAZzo?si=5SCP_SRzLYDDP939). There’s not much to say about this episode. We see Rentaro interact with Shizuku which is cute (and it’s here that he establishes just how much of a Chad he is). Through their interactions their feelings for each other grow and Rentaro sees that he’s not just spending time with her because they’re soulmates and out of necessity to save her but because he genuinely cares for her and wants to make her happy (scene here: https://youtu.be/6kVx5G6yc8k?si=E_JVpP-1pgsc8Rbf). He makes Shizuku his girlfriend with Hakari onboard with this (wow, you were right Corbin, she is into some freaky stuff) and Karane says his brain is loose (the sooner she lets go of common sense in this relationship the easier it’ll be for her. Scene here: https://youtu.be/K49vNxMhpBE?si=IFdqceCkMyw2KC7_).
Nothing much happens in episode 4. Rentaro helps the girls get more acquainted with each other and even kisses each of them.
Episodes 5-8
Episode 5 introduces us to Rentaro’s 4th girlfriend Eiai the smartest girl in class voiced by Asami Seto (Raphtalia from The Rising of the Shield Hero). Unlike the others who are cute and social butterflies, Eiai was beautiful (yes, there is a difference between cute and beautiful) and antisocial. She’s like a robot, she values efficiency over everything else (well at least we get her name now). This is the first time Rentaro questions if a girl is his soulmate and you kind of get where he’s coming from. They’re the complete opposites of each other. With the other girls he was able to form a connection with them immediately, but Eiai doesn’t want to form any connection with him (and in a relationship it has to be a group effort. It’s like paddling down a river. If one side is paddling and the other one isn’t it’s going to cause trouble). However, Eiai can’t stop thinking about Rentaro no matter how much she tries to stay focused (your in love and it’s a math problem nobody can solve). Realizing she’s in love she confesses to Rentaro the next day and he returns her feelings which she didn’t want him to do (scene here: https://youtu.be/HP5AGuM56wI?si=kMKBfu4ROJdXTELx, you robot). She finds romance meaningless but Rentaro says that’s not the case and invites her out on a date to prove it (you’re taking her on a date before your actual girlfriends? Now who’s being illogical?). They go to the amusement where Eiai finds everything meaningless but we do discover that she has a fear of heights (scene here: https://youtu.be/Teew2iHUm9E?si=T-NpLg5C2wApO7oL). In the end, she admits she had fun but gained nothing from this experience. Just when Rentaro is about to burn all the pictures, Eiai stops him because in truth this experience was valuable to her (you got to spend time with the boy you love. What better experience is there?). Eiai finally learns that you can’t put a numerical value on everything (we found the tin girl’s heart) and she officially becomes his girlfriend (scene here: https://youtu.be/7jwiWd3ya1k?si=Vv2oO-6f82T6Ogmv).
Episode 6 is our fanservice episode as Rentaro and his harem go to an indoor waterpark. Along with the fanservice we get some funny moments and Rentaro has a moment with each of his girlfriends perfectly balancing out everything and never putting one girl ahead of the other (scenes here: https://youtu.be/W6hcbNtfgEA?si=Xp5bvd2Jqgs2qOyT, https://youtu.be/XqbbikiOUW0?si=yE6-eM8I2SYZlWUK, https://youtu.be/raNNQs3PM1Y?si=OK8QpbVmffrH-y8z, https://youtu.be/PBrrWfI1t10?si=tSfpIdqGYPkPpHZj, and https://youtu.be/zM4F_Dpao-A?si=qM5uBHWtPZcu4gH-).
In episode 7 we meet girlfriend number five, Kusuri, another small girl voiced by Ayaka Asai (Mio from Shinmai Maou no Testament). Unlike Shizuku who is quiet and shy, Kusuri is more outgoing and eccentric. She’s also a member of the chemistry club (making it even stranger that a lot of her concoctions are more physics-based. Scene here: https://youtu.be/fR5JR0Ak2wI?si=FZdo5idlPFKZ3mHB). After a bit of comedy, she confesses her feelings to Rentaro and we find out that her small form isn’t her real form. In truth, she’s quite the beauty with an amazing body. Due to an experiment gone wrong her body got morphed into the body of a child and can only appear in her true form for an hour a day (make that hour count, boy. Scene here: https://youtu.be/p8q6CllabEs?si=H1XkYvWmaSp3aS8F). In the second half, Rentaro introduces Kusuri to the others. Kusuri makes everyone potions (scene here: https://youtu.be/bZtaW_cDSW8?si=JxlRFhQE86R2uIpX) and gives them a second potion which turns them into lust zombies who won’t stop until they kiss Rentaro (scene here: https://youtu.be/-xr5i849NfY?si=q0WeI1UuBB-5Didj, I see nothing wrong with this).
Not much happens in episode 8 Rentaro and Kusuri run from the kiss zombies. It’s a funny episode with some references and nothing more. Also, we see two girls making out (scenes here: https://youtu.be/c71USsxj2po?si=LTbVYTTRE1DncYqr, https://youtu.be/O75kq0-SJKE?si=c8_2V0OzcCOHEapK and https://youtu.be/o7kCLAWqtuc?si=NZYSAx_OAhEAGvpN).
Episodes 9-12
In episode 9 Hakari invites everyone to a bouquet tossing event. The winner will get to have a wedding picture taken with their special someone. Shizuka wins the event for the newly christened Rentaro Family (for the record I would have called them Rentaro’s Angels. (Baron): I was thinking Rentaro’s Weekday Delights. Scene here: https://youtu.be/S2v6TytFPs4?si=3UWTNQwzUndQ_2K3). Hakari wins the lottery to decide who wins the dress in the photoshoot (scene here: https://youtu.be/XUDSIOvwrB8?si=WFhNiv7Mm0yejuoD) and after it’s done Hakari asks Rentaro to break up with her (really? Miss Walking-lust wants to break up?). Hakari doesn’t give an explanation as to why they want to break up and she takes her leave with Rentaro chasing after her. When Rentaro arrives at her house we see that she comes from money (Corbin: See? I told you she was the best girl! Now all he has to do is marry her and he’ll be set for life). It gets revealed that Hakari’s mom has found out about Rentaro and doesn’t approve of their relationship (can’t imagine why). She plans on transferring Hakari to a different school and won’t let Rentaro see her anymore (now leave before we release the hounds). When the others find out about this they tell Rentaro not to give up and decide to break into the mansion to rescue Hakari.
Episode 10 sees the Rentaro family break into the mansion. After Shizuka takes out the guard dog (with cuteness and luck. Scene here: https://youtu.be/RS6oHPqbQfA?si=BbbNyqnEv0G84P1B) they then come to an infrared field where only Rentaro and Karane are able to make it across (scene here: https://youtu.be/RqGoO1fQI3k?si=3YFgTBs3yQ1ChEq7). The two make it to Hakari’s room only to trip the alarm and get caught (if this was Metal Gear Solid you would be dead). They get taken before Hakari mom’s, Hahari (well, I see where Hakari gets her looks from. (Baron): Yeah, that is a certified MILF). Rentaro tries to reason with her but she’s not hearing it. We find out that she gave birth to Hakari when she was only 13 years (https://youtu.be/xXtZwLYO-TY?si=2GCrmwMmijoL616H, okay this is taking young and reckless to a whole new level). The guy she was in loved with at the time had an illness and wasn’t going to live much longer. She needed a keepsake, something to remember him by (a picture would have sufficed). So she got herself artificially inseminated at the age of 13 and had his child (you’re crazy!). Hahari admits it was a dumb and reckless thing to do (I’ll say) but it’s in her blood. The women in her family become hopelessly blind when they fall in love and do reckless things. Hahari wants to protect Hakari from that fate and believes that Rentaro can never give her the life of joy she dreams of. While Rentaro understands where she’s coming from he refuses to give up on Hakari. Once he makes eye contact with Hahari he gets that familiar shock which can only mean one thing, Hahari is Rentaro’s sixth girlfriend (https://youtu.be/5XCtZmhWXLM?si=VkQZWilxYZ-GJIpU&t=10. Scene here: https://youtu.be/3Tic8RhFx54?si=Zb5nYUijCAHdSmu8).
At the start of episode 11 Hahari voiced by Sumire Uesaka (Shalltear from Overlord) regains her senses and subjects Rentaro to a lie-detector test to prove his unfaithfulness. After testing it on Karane (putting a tsundere in a lie detector. That thought alone makes me laugh), Rentaro takes a seat to prove his love for Hakari and wins. However, Hahari won’t accept this (scene here: https://youtu.be/ZLPyteTJ-Wk?si=Vxm_D–aTzc7dt8g, what more do you need? I get it, from the outside he’s a five-timing bastard, but he’s got some hentai protagonist power where he can cheat as much as he wants and all the girls will still love him and vice-versa). As this is going on Hakari decides to take drastic measures (https://youtu.be/IavUg17J2GU?si=aUWrAaVyqwbqODCB). Rentaro rushes to Hakari and talks her out of it but she loses her balance and falls with Rentaro diving to save and using his body to protect her. They fall in the fountain (thank God it was deep) and come out safely (scene here: https://youtu.be/vY-q7s_196E?si=LvnJenoQ6GhQAdNl). With this Hahari finally admits defeat and Rentaro has her blessing. Then Rentaro asks Hahari to be his girlfriend she accepts (okay, so is each girlfriend going to have a different trope? Because I don’t know if there are enough tropes for 100 girlfriends). With everything resolved they have a sleepover (scene here: https://youtu.be/-p4dkepzU6E?si=g1LSG6jbiJZNfFeo).
The final episode starts on a laugh with Hahari dressing up Rentaro as a girl and the girls loving it (scene here: https://youtu.be/sz3eFnAamvU?si=P0KCd2GfMapaonFk). After this, Rentaro goes to take a bath with the horny daughter and mother trying to peep (they’re definitely family). They all fail with Shizuka being the only one to see his manhood (it’s always the quiet ones. Scene here: https://youtu.be/v_9tS3Vr3Ns?si=ZzmB0NhSHW-FqsLZ). As everyone sleeps Rentaro walks the halls and sees Hakari’s dad who is shocked that Rentaro isn’t afraid of him (you have a gentle face and you’re 13 years old. You are the last thing anyone would be afraid of. You make Casper look scary by comparison). At first he was going to scare Rentaro into taking care of his daughter and wife but sees that won’t be necessary. In fact, Rentaro’s rizz is so high that it actually causes him to pass over into the next life. The season wraps up with Hahari buying the school and becoming the new chairwoman (can you please fire the vice principal, she is a lawsuit waiting to happen) and we end with the promise of a second season.
Final Thoughts
This was a crazy enjoyable series. It’s funny, clever, and sweet. You can tell everyone working on the anime was having a good time and enjoying themselves. The story doesn’t take itself too seriously and even breaks the 4th wall a number of times showing everyone that they’re in on the joke too. Rentaro might just be the best MC in a harem anime. When everyone was saying how much of a chad he was I didn’t believe it but no, he lives up to it. He’s so loving and caring. After being rejected so many times he finally has not one but a hundred girlfriends to love and he’s determined to love each and every one of them. You can tell his feelings are genuine and he’s determined to make this work no matter what he had to do. The girlfriends are all great. If I had to name my favorite it would be Karane. She’s the funniest and the one with the most common sense. She plays the perfect straight-woman to everything that’s happening while also getting some good laughs with her tsundere personality. The least favorite would have to be Eiai. She’s cute, her story was done excellently and not a bad character, her bit just doesn’t get a lot of laughs out of me. Hakari and Hahari being the horny daughter and mother is funny, Shizuka is cute and so is Kusuri with her eccentric personality and drugs. Outside of these characters the anime doesn’t really focus on any side characters. It’s instead focusing on Rentaro and his relationship with the girls and each one getting the appropriate time to develop a relationship with Rentaro that doesn’t feel forced or rushed. The animation is nice. It’s nothing special but it does a good job remaining faithful to the manga’s drawings. Music, is barely noticeable. Aside from the opening and ending theme the music really didn’t stick with me all that much.
Final Score
The final score for this anime is a 6.5/10. It’s fun and enjoyable anime worth checking out if you’re looking for a good romcom. Like I said a second season has been announced and they did give us a preview of the next girls to be added to the Rentaro Family so I’m excited for this story to continue. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.