Over the years, Japanese animation has created a wide range of romantic stories, from funny and light-hearted to deep and emotional. My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999 has one of the best takes on a slow-burn romance that uniquely blends gaming culture to its storyline. Indeed, My Love Story‘s success is truly remarkable, as it has garnered a huge following thanks to its comedic characters.
With only 13 episodes, the absence of unnecessary drama and filler characters has contributed to the anime’s reputation as one of the top rom-coms. My Love Story strikes a perfect balance of romance and comedy, delivering a standout confession scene and captivating several fans to the series.
In addition to the memorable characters and fan-favorite couple, the mangaka envisioned and designed our male lead character, Yamada, with a different approach compared to other rom-com anime, and ended up becoming an inspiration for any upcoming shojo series.
My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999: How the Author Crafted the Perfect Shojo Male Lead
With just its debut season, My Love Story took the entire internet by storm, captivating several rom-com enthusiasts with the series. Not to mention, the season finale of My Love Story has left fans unsatisfied and craving more.
Unlike many iconic shoujo anime, My Love Story strikes a perfect balance of romance and comedy. The anime follows the story of Akane Kinoshita, a female college student, who faces the absolute worst situation when she learns about her boyfriend’s affair and decides to break up with him.
Luckily, she soon encounters Yamada, an emotionless yet handsome pro gamer. However, she quickly comes to understand her grim fate after discovering Yamada’s true nature. Yamada is a man of few words and isn’t particularly moved by Akane’s sob story at first.
The power couple quickly gains fans’ approval with their wholesome personalities and comedic charm. Although the duo quickly captured the hearts of many fans, Mashiro aimed to avoid portraying Yamada as just another typical cool guy found in every rom-com series.
In an interview, Mashiro disclosed his opinion on what makes a guy cool and how he incorporated that idea into his manga series and behind Yamada’s character. He said:
In my mind, Yamada has always been the template of a “cool guy” that has been passed down since long ago. I added a part where he excels in one area. I think male characters who have something special that they excel in, or something that they don’t lose to others, are cool. It could be that they’re good at drawing, good at their job, or good at anything. As I mentioned earlier, since I had knowledge about games, I gave him the setting of a professional gamer.
By the end, Yamada and Akana’s love story seems very natural and effortless, captivating several fans; with the famous confession scene remaining dear to many fans’ hearts.
Season 1 ends with Yamada and Akane officially ending up together as a couple. Although there’s no official confirmation of Season 2, fans remain hopeful for a prequel, even with the manga’s extended hiatus.
How a Wrong Turn Nearly Derailed a Fan-Favorite Character
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 is an anime adaptation of a manga series written and illustrated by Mashiro. The anime delivered a delightful and smooth journey that captivated countless fans with its blend of heartwarming moments, humor, and adorable characters.
Surprisingly, Mashiro revealed the anime’s biggest mistake that, if left unaddressed, could have jeopardized a fan-favorite character. The mangaka mentioned that his team faced significant challenges at the start before finalizing the story.
He shares how they were unsure about Runa’s character and her role as a love rival or a mascot character. Furthermore, Akane and Yamada weren’t envisioned as the ideal couple from the start, resulting in Akane often being cast in clown roles that, while entertaining for readers, posed a challenge for the creator.
Regardless, the season finale helped the anime to quickly itself as a comfort anime and one of the best romantic comedy series.
My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999 is available to watch on Crunchyroll
