The popular yuri manga series, “The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All,” is officially set to receive an anime adaptation. The news, which has generated excitement among fans, was revealed on February 19, 2025, on the obi of the manga’s third volume.
A Budding Success Story
Sumiko Arai writes and illustrates “The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All.” The series began as a short story on Arai’s Twitter account from July to September 2021. Due to its popularity, it began its current weekly run in April 2022 before being serialized on Pixiv Comic in April 2023. Kadokawa Shoten published the series in print in the same month. As of February 2024, the chapters have been collected into two tankobon volumes.
Awards and Recognition
The manga has garnered both critical and commercial acclaim. In 2023, it won the Next Manga Award in the web manga category. It was also ranked second in the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Top 20 manga series list in 2024.
Storyline
The story follows the budding relationship between Aya Oosawa and Mitsuki Koga. Aya develops a crush on a record store clerk, unaware that the clerk is her classmate, Mitsuki Koga. The manga explores their shared love for music as they navigate their daily high school life.
Key Characters
- Aya Oosawa: A fashionable and upbeat high schooler with a secret love for Western rock music.
- Mitsuki Koga: A quiet and stylish student who works at a CD shop and shares Aya’s passion for rock music.
- Narita: A male classmate who admires Mitsuki’s cool look and supports her friendship with Aya.
Manga Details
Yen Press licensed the manga for English publication. They describe the plot as:
Fashionable and upbeat high schooler Aya loves listening to rock, but no one else seems to share her interest…until she meets a cool, stylish employee at a CD shop. Dressed in black from head to toe, he has this air of mystery about him, and his taste in music is impeccable. Aya falls hard for him—not knowing her crush is actually her female classmate Mitsuki! For her part, Mitsuki generally keeps to herself and avoids standing out at school. But given that she sits right next to Aya, Mitsuki’s all too aware of the other girl’s feelings, and she’s afraid to reveal the truth. So why does she find herself talking with Aya more and more…?
Visual and Artistic Style
The manga’s visual style is detailed, with expressive characters and a grungy edge that complements the rock music theme. The physical copies of the manga are printed on unique paper, giving it a heavier feel and allowing for a distinctive color style. The use of green highlights in the background, resembling spray paint or graffiti, adds to the edgy atmosphere and brings the story to life. This creative addition by the mangaka makes the series stand out visually.
Other Media
Before the announcement of the anime adaptation, “The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All” was adapted into a drama CD, which was released in March 2024.
