The anime adaptation of Reiji Miyajima’s popular romantic comedy series Rent-A-Girlfriend has recently been green-lighted for a second season, which is currently set to premiere in July 2022. So for those who need a refresher on this lighthearted rom-com or are just getting into the business of rental dating apps, here’s where newcomers and veterans alike can read the Rent-A-Girlfriend manga and watch the anime.
The Plot of Rent-A-Girlfriend
After getting dumped by his girlfriend Mami Nanami, Kazuya Kinoshita decides to go on a rental dating app to mend his broken heart. He rents a girl named Chizuru Mizuhara, and they go on a lovely date. Soon after, however, Kazuya gives Chizuru a low rating on her rental dating profile because of her disingenuous persona.
An upset Chizuru confronts Kazuya about the poor rating. Yet, the two end up visiting Kazuya’s grandmother at the hospital after she collapses. The elderly woman enjoyed seeing Chizuru so much, it results in Kazuya frequently renting Chizuru so they can maintain a "fake" relationship in front of his friends and family. Together, Kazuya and Chizuru try to keep their fake relationship a secret from everyone, but other girls from the rental dating app soon get involved.
Where To Read The Rent-A-Girlfriend Manga
There are currently 24 volumes of the Rent-A-Girlfriend manga, with Kodansha USA publishing the first ten in English. Printed volumes of the English translated series can be found and bought at varying prices: Amazon ($10.99-$12.99), Barnes & Noble ($12.99), and RightStufAnime ($10.39). Readers who prefer to consume their manga digitally can purchase the volumes for $5.99 on Barnes & Noble or ComiXology.
In addition, creator Reiji Miyajima wrote a spin-off romantic comedy series entitled Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend. The story focuses on one of the side characters of the main Rent-A-Girlfriend series, Sumi Sakurasawa. Sumi is an extremely shy girl who uses the rental dating app to improve her social skills.
There are currently two volumes of the spin-off series, which also received an English release by Kodansha USA. Print copies of Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend can be found on multiple websites with varying price ranges: Amazon ($11.69), Barnes & Noble ($12.99), and RightStuf ($10.39). Digital copies of the spin-off manga are available on Barnes & Noble and ComiXology for $5.99.
Where To Watch The Rent-A-Girlfriend Anime
Season 1 of the Rent-A-Girlfriend anime can be streamed in full, subbed and dubbed, on Crunchyroll. Sentai Filmworks also licensed the series for home video, with the first season available on Blu-ray for the retail price of $69.98 on Crunchyroll's website. However, other retailers sell the series at a cheaper price: Sentai Filmworks ($48.99), Amazon ($49.96) and RightStuf ($52.49).
