My Awkward Senpai

不器用な先輩。、笨拙之极的前辈。、서투른 선배.、Bukiyou na Senpai.

Release date: Oct. 2, 2025
Episodes: 12
Work Categories: Anime
Country: No Set

My Awkward Senpai is a Japanese romantic comedy manga series by Makoto Kudo that began as short comics on the author’s Twitter account and later became a serialized work in the seinen magazine Young Gangan. It has been collected into ten tankobon volumes by Square Enix as of September 25, 2025, and received a 12-episode television anime adaptation broadcast from October to December 2025. ## Overview My Awkward Senpai is set in a contemporary office and follows the daily life and slow-burn romance between a strict-looking senior employee and her kind junior colleague. Each chapter is basically a self-contained romantic comedy episode, focusing on misunderstandings, awkward kindness, and workplace drama. The manga targets a seinen (young adult male) readership but has gained popularity among a wide range of readers online. By March 2025, the series had surpassed a cumulative 600,000 copies in circulation. The television anime adaptation was produced by Studio Elle and aired mainly on Tokyo MX and BS Nippon TV, among other stations. It keeps the office-romance tone of the manga, with a lighthearted, character-driven style. ## Plot The story centers on Azusa Kannawa, a 27-year-old office worker in the advertising department of a company. Because of her sharp gaze and harsh tone, coworkers often see her as scary and overly strict. In reality, Azusa is simply bad at socializing and painfully clumsy when it comes to expressing how much she cares about other people. She tries hard to be a good senior, but her efforts frequently backfire in wonderfully awkward ways. Azusa is assigned as the mentor to a new employee, 22-year-old Yū Kamegawa, who joins the same department. As she fusses over him and tries to guide him, her overly intense advice and care lead to a series of comedic situations. Yū gradually notices Azusa’s true nature: beneath the intimidating exterior, she is considerate, hardworking, and very kind. He starts to respect and admire her, and their relationship slowly shifts from a formal senior-junior dynamic toward something more romantic. The manga and anime follow their everyday office life, after-hours events like drinking parties and business trips, and moments with friends and family. Episodes highlight things like lunch invitations, work projects, company outings, festivals, and birthdays, all colored by Azusa’s awkward sincerity and Yū’s gentle reactions. ## Characters ### Main Characters #### Azusa Kannawa Azusa Kannawa is the main heroine and a 27-year-old office worker in the advertising department. She has a very serious attitude toward her job, taking every assignment to heart and often pushing herself too hard. Her eyes are sharp and her tone is blunt, which makes coworkers think she is cold and scary. In truth, she is simply awkward at communicating and is easily flustered, especially around people she trusts. Azusa tries to act like the perfect senior for her juniors, but her attempts tend to go off the rails or appear overly strict. Despite this, she is deeply caring, and those who get close to her discover her soft and considerate side. When Azusa gets nervous or panics around people she trusts, her regional dialect from Oita slips out, revealing an unexpectedly cute side. This contrast between her tough exterior and vulnerable core is one of the main charms of the series. She deeply respects her own former senior, Sayaka Kanzaki, and often remembers her advice when dealing with Yū. Those memories help Azusa figure out how to support her junior and how to face her own feelings. #### Yū Kamegawa Yū Kamegawa is a 22-year-old new employee assigned to the advertising department and placed directly under Azusa’s supervision. He is friendly, sociable, and gentle, quickly getting along with other coworkers. Yū initially sees Azusa as strict and a little frightening, but he soon notices the warmth behind her harsh words. He becomes grateful for her guidance and starts to care about her feelings. Where Azusa is stiff and awkward, Yū is relaxed and good at reading the room. This contrast creates many of the story’s comedic and romantic moments, especially when he sees through her tsundere-like behavior. Over time, Yū’s admiration for Azusa deepens into affection. The series explores his growing desire to support her not only as a subordinate but as someone special to him. ### Other Characters #### Miho Hotta Miho Hotta is a 22-year-old woman with short hair who works in the public relations department. She is one of Yū Kamegawa’s peers who joined the company at the same time as him. Miho is cheerful, social, and good at taking care of others, creating a light and friendly atmosphere around her. She often interacts with both Yū and Azusa, adding a lively presence to their office circle. #### Ritsu Kankaiji Ritsu Kankaiji is 27 years old and works in the planning department of the same company. She is Azusa’s colleague who entered the company at the same time and understands Azusa’s true personality. Ritsu speaks casually and has an easygoing attitude, but she genuinely worries about Azusa. She frequently nudges Azusa in social situations and encourages her to be more honest about her feelings. At work Ritsu dresses in a suit and maintains a masculine, boyish appearance, and she also prefers androgynous or “male” fashion in private. Despite her appearance, she is a woman. In the creator’s personal setting, Ritsu is the older sister of Subaru Kankaiji, a company president’s daughter who appears in Makoto Kudo’s other series, HG ni Koi Suru Futari (Two Girls in Love with Gunpla). This unofficial connection creates a loose shared universe between the two works. #### Kōsuke Hita Kōsuke Hita is a character who appears in the anime and manga as one of the office workers. He contributes to the workplace ensemble and interacts with the main cast, though details about his personality and department are not heavily emphasized. #### Minori Tamana Minori Tamana is another supporting character in the company. Her scenes add small comedic beats and everyday office flavor to the story. #### Rin Suzugaya Rin Suzugaya is a younger female character who appears around the main cast. Her presence expands the company’s social circle and offers additional viewpoints on Azusa and Yū. #### Sayaka Kanzaki Sayaka Kanzaki is an older senior whom Azusa deeply admires. Within the story, she appears mostly in flashbacks when Azusa remembers advice she received in the past. When Azusa struggles over how to support Yū or how to behave as a senior, she recalls Sayaka’s words. These recollections help Azusa resolve situations, whether at work or in her personal life. In the narrative, Sayaka is usually referred to simply as “Senpai” or “Kanzaki-senpai,” and her face is often obscured. Her identity is intentionally left vague in the story. However, the author has revealed that Sayaka Kanzaki is the same character as the protagonist of HG ni Koi Suru Futari (Two Girls in Love with Gunpla). This makes My Awkward Senpai subtly connected to that series. #### Kaoru Hisayama Kaoru Hisayama is a male colleague appearing in the office cast. He takes part in everyday scenes such as meetings, drinking parties, and group events. #### Eiji Kurokawa Eiji Kurokawa is another male employee. He rounds out the company’s cast of adults with different attitudes toward work and relationships. #### Akemi Hamawaki Akemi Hamawaki is a supporting female character in the company. Her interactions with other staff members add to the atmosphere of a busy office setting. #### Yuko Yamakaga Yuko Yamakaga appears as another office colleague. She supports minor storylines and offers additional reactions to Azusa and Yū’s behavior. #### Shun Tsukahara Shun Tsukahara is a male coworker who appears in group scenes. His presence helps flesh out the sense that the company is a real workplace with many employees. #### Sakura Kannawa Sakura Kannawa is Azusa’s mother. She looks so young that people often mistake her for Azusa’s older sister or cousin. Sakura’s youthful appearance and open personality contrast with Azusa’s stiff demeanor. When she visits, she tends to shake up Azusa’s composure and reveal more of Azusa’s shy, family-oriented side. #### Yuki Kamegawa Yuki Kamegawa is Yū’s younger sister. She cares for her brother and sometimes appears in episodes that focus on Yū’s private life. Her interactions with Azusa add a different kind of tension and sweetness, as Yuki observes how her brother and Azusa behave around each other. She often provides an “outsider” perspective on their slowly developing relationship. #### Nashiko Akizuki Nashiko Akizuki is a character who appears in the anime as herself, playing a role connected to the series. She is a collaboration guest linked to real-world promotions and gravure features tied to the franchise. ## Media ### Manga My Awkward Senpai is written and illustrated by Makoto Kudo. The series began after gaining popularity on the author’s Twitter account, where short comics featuring Azusa and Yū attracted large numbers of likes and shares. Thanks to this online success, the manga was picked up for serialization in Young Gangan, a manga magazine published by Square Enix. Serialization started in issue 24 of 2019 and has continued since then. The manga is published under the Young Gangan Comics label. As of September 25, 2025, ten volumes have been released. Volume 1 was released on March 25, 2020. This volume introduced the main cast and established the basic office-romance dynamic. Volume 2 was released on October 24, 2020. It continued to expand Azusa and Yū’s relationship and the workplace ensemble. Volume 3 was released on May 25, 2021. It further developed side characters and deepened the emotional beats behind the comedy. Volume 4 was released on December 25, 2021. The release was promoted with collaboration gravure photos featuring model Nashiko Momotsuki dressed as Azusa. Volume 5 was released on August 25, 2022. By this point, the office cast and family members like Sakura were increasingly involved in the story. Volume 6 was released on March 25, 2023. The volume included more episodes focusing on events like festivals and company outings. Volume 7 was released on October 25, 2023. It continued the slow but steady progress of Azusa and Yū’s romantic feelings. Volume 8 was released on August 23, 2024. The series by then had a strong online following and growing anticipation for an anime adaptation. Volume 9 was released on March 25, 2025. Around this time, cumulative circulation for the series surpassed 600,000 copies. Volume 10 was released on September 25, 2025. The series remained ongoing at that time. ### Television Anime An anime adaptation of My Awkward Senpai was announced in 2024. It was produced by Studio Elle, with Asmik Ace and other companies involved in production and distribution. The television anime aired from October 2 to December 18, 2025. Episodes were broadcast on Tokyo MX, BS Nippon TV, AT-X, and several regional stations. The anime consists of 12 episodes. It adapts major storylines from the manga, including Azusa and Yū’s early mentor-mentee period, company events, and key romantic milestones. #### Staff The anime’s original creator is Makoto Kudo, who wrote and drew the manga. The director is Ayumi Kotake, who oversees the overall vision and tone of the series. Series composition and scripts are handled by Mio Inoue, who structures the episodes and dialogue. Character designs for animation are by Kenro Tokuda, adapting Kudo’s art style for TV. Prop design is credited to Akira Ono and Nozomi Goto, with Reina Yamauchi also contributing. Art direction is by Hiroshi Goro and Kanade Sakaguchi, who manage backgrounds and environments. Art settings are created by Jun Kosano, Takashi Yamanaka, Shunya Nishihara, the team “Unit,” Noriko Tsutsui, and Hiroshi Izumi. Color design is by Yusuke Watanabe. 2D works are handled by Tetsuya Nishimura, Takashi Hatono, Hiroyuki Kodama, and Ritsu Takesaki. 3DCG work is done by Sho Yamada and Aaron “The Game” Pong. Special effects are supervised by Yoshiyuki Ota. Cinematography is directed by Yusaku Murakami. Editing is by Chinami Watanabe. Sound direction is by Daiki Yamaki, with sound effects by Yasuyuki Konno. Sound production is handled by Bit Groove Promotion. Music is composed by Koji Fujimoto. Music production is by King Records. Music producer Yutaka Suwa coordinates the music-related aspects of the project. The anime producers include Akihiro Hoshino, Naofumi Shioya, Yutaka Suwa, Hirotaka Kaneko, Nobu Nakamura, Sojiro Arimizu, Miho Kikuchi, and Kota Arai. The animation producer is Taku Shakagori. Animation is produced by Studio Elle. The overall production committee is credited as the My Awkward Senpai Production Committee. #### Voice Cast Azusa Kannawa is voiced by Lynn. Her performance captures Azusa’s sharp exterior and soft, flustered inner voice. Yū Kamegawa is voiced by Shogo Sakata. He portrays Yū’s gentle and straightforward personality. Miho Hotta is voiced by Ami Maeshima. She brings energy and friendliness to Miho’s character. Ritsu Kankaiji is voiced by Mitsuki Saiga. Her performance emphasizes Ritsu’s cool, androgynous vibe and caring nature. Kōsuke Hita is voiced by Hiromu Mineta. Minori Tamana is voiced by Saaya Hitomi. Rin Suzugaya is voiced by Nanami Yamashita. Sayaka Kanzaki is voiced by Ai Kayano, giving her a warm and reassuring presence in flashbacks. Kaoru Hisayama is voiced by Kentaro Kumagai. Eiji Kurokawa is voiced by Shinji Kawada. Akemi Hamawaki is voiced by Nanako Mori. Yuko Yamakaga is voiced by Yuka Nukui. Shun Tsukahara is voiced by Kento Shiraishi. Sakura Kannawa, Azusa’s mother, is voiced by M.A.O (Mao Ichimichi). Yuki Kamegawa, Yū’s sister, is voiced by Shino Shimoji. Nashiko Akizuki is voiced by Nashiko Momotsuki herself, tying into her real-life collaborations with the series. #### Theme Songs The opening theme of the anime is “My Awkward I love you” performed by angela. The lyrics are written by an uncredited lyricist, with composition by atsuko and KATSU, and arrangement by KATSU. The ending theme is “Awkwardly Beside You” performed by Ami Maeshima. Its lyrics are written by Shoko Fujibayashi, with composition and arrangement by YOSHIHIRO (KEYTONE). #### Episodes The anime is structured as 12 episodes, each focusing on a specific event or emotional beat in Azusa and Yū’s relationship. Many episode titles reflect Azusa’s strong, slightly dialect-colored way of speaking. Episode 1, “I’m the Mentor?!” introduces Azusa being assigned as Yū’s training supervisor. She struggles to balance strict guidance with her awkward kindness. Episode 2, “I Want to Invite My Junior to Lunch!” shows Azusa trying to casually invite Yū to lunch. Her nervousness makes everything more complicated than it needs to be. Episode 3, “I’ve Got to Support the Drinking Party Organizer!” follows a company drinking party where Yū is the organizer. Azusa tries to help from the shadows but ends up standing out anyway. Episode 4, “Seriously Intense! Okinawa Business Trip!” features a company trip to Okinawa. The change of scenery throws Azusa and Yū into new, slightly romantic situations. Episode 5, “It’s All the Typhoon’s Fault” revolves around a storm that disrupts plans. The situation forces the characters into unexpected closeness. Episode 6, “Fireworks Festival Means Yukata, Right?” covers a summer festival with fireworks and yukata outfits. This episode leans heavily into romantic atmosphere and visual charm. Episode 7, “My Mom Is Coming Over!” features Sakura Kannawa visiting. Azusa panics as her mother meets her junior and friends. Episode 8, “I’m Going to Be a Maid!” involves Azusa in a maid-related situation, possibly at an event or café. Her contrast between stern personality and maid costume fuels the comedy. Episode 9, “Why Do I Care This Much?” focuses on Azusa questioning her feelings. She begins to realize how deeply she cares for Yū. Episode 10, “I’m Visiting My Junior in the Hospital” has Yū falling ill or getting injured. Azusa visits him, showing an unusually open level of concern. Episode 11, “I’ll Really Celebrate Your Birthday!” centers on a birthday celebration. Azusa puts serious effort into making Yū’s day special. Episode 12, “I Thought About This Very Seriously!” serves as the season finale. Azusa confronts her feelings head-on, and her relationship with Yū reaches a new stage. #### Broadcast and Streaming In Japan, the anime was broadcast on Tokyo MX from October 2 to December 18, 2025, in a Thursday 22:00–22:30 slot. BS Nippon TV aired it on Thursdays from 23:00–23:30, including a BS4K broadcast as part of the “Anime ni Muchu” programming block. AT-X aired the series from October 3 to December 19, 2025, on Fridays from 21:30–22:00, with repeat broadcasts and closed captions. Mie Television also aired it from October 9 to December 25, 2025, in a late-night slot. Online, U-NEXT and Anime Hōdai carried early, unlimited streaming starting October 2, 2025, with weekly Thursday 22:30 updates. From October 6, 2025, various services including Amazon Prime Video, ABEMA, d Anime Store, DMM TV, J:COM STREAM, milplus, TELASA, Ponta Pass, Hulu, Lemino, Anime Times, FOD, and AnimeFesta began regular unlimited streaming. Pay-per-view streaming was provided by services such as Bandai Channel, Niconico Channel, Google TV, HAPPY! Douga, OnGen Movie, Movie Full, Movie Full Plus, Video Market, and several regional or carrier-based platforms. This broad distribution allowed fans to watch the series legally on many different devices. #### Blu-ray Releases The anime’s Blu-ray release is planned as three volumes. They are published by Asmik Ace and distributed in standard Blu-ray format. Volume 1 is scheduled for February 25, 2026, and includes episodes 1 through 4. Volume 2 is scheduled for March 25, 2026, containing episodes 5 through 8. Volume 3 is scheduled for April 22, 2026, and contains episodes 9 through 12. Retailers such as Animate offer special bonuses, including an acrylic block for customers who purchase all three volumes together. ## Reception My Awkward Senpai received strong support on social media during its early Twitter run. By June 2020, the series had accumulated 2.5 million likes across posts. By January 2021, the total reached around 3 million likes, demonstrating sustained online popularity. This buzz helped build momentum for print sales and later the anime adaptation. In August 2020, the series ranked fifth in the “Next Manga Award 2020” in the comics category. This ranking highlighted it as a notable up-and-coming manga among readers and industry watchers. By March 2025, total circulation for the manga had exceeded 600,000 copies. This number includes physical volumes in print and possibly digital sales equivalents. ## Collaborations and Promotions In January 2021, My Awkward Senpai collaborated with the retailer Village Vanguard. Limited-edition goods featuring Azusa and other characters were released in this campaign. On May 21, 2021, Young Gangan issue 11 included a special gravure feature with model Nashiko Momotsuki dressed as Azusa Kannawa in office and swimsuit styles. This collaboration helped promote the series and highlighted Azusa’s visual appeal. To celebrate the release of volume 4, another gravure collaboration with Nashiko Momotsuki appeared in Young Gangan’s January 2022 issue released on December 17, 2021. In that feature, she wore costumes such as a witch outfit and a school swimsuit inspired by Azusa. Ahead of the release of volume 9, Young Gangan issue 7 in 2025 once again featured a gravure collaboration with Nashiko Momotsuki. Through repeated tie-ins, she became strongly associated with Azusa’s live-action image in promotional materials. These collaborations, along with the anime adaptation and various store campaigns, helped My Awkward Senpai grow from a Twitter favorite into a recognized rom-com franchise.