Were you waiting until April to watch the premiere of Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction? Your wait is over! Kind of.
OceanVeil and AnimeFesta premiered the uncensored first episode of the series, and it’s absurd. The first episode included shooting stars, lithe waifus who look at you like you’re garbage but would still bang you, oppai, and even perverted fish! Any day that has those things is something to look forward to! But does that mean I’ll eagerly await every episode of Marika-chan no Koukando wa Bukkowareteiru? Let’s talk about that…
Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction — Synopsis
Most of us have been attracted to or fallen in love with someone we believed was out of our league. Everyone approaches this situation differently — some improve their appearance, others focus on their financial prospects. However, some realize that hard work doesn’t guarantee success and instead rely on luck. Kanata Kitami is one of those people. For years, he has been hopelessly in love with his childhood friend, Marika Chitose. Despite his feelings, Kanata has never confessed his love, convinced that she’s beyond his reach. One night, as a shooting star (actually a bolide) streaks across the sky above him and Chitose, Kanata makes a wish, hoping for help with his unrequited love.
While most of us would wish for our crush to love us back, Kanata, being an SRR-level dude, kept Chitose’s choice in the matter. He wished to see people’s affection levels as love meters, to help him win Chitose’s affection. His wish came true, but it didn’t make his life any easier. Chitose’s love meter is abysmally low. But what Kanata doesn’t know is that Chitose actually loves him. And her love for him is so extreme that it’s caused her love meter to malfunction!
A Dating Sim World
For a five-minute (four when you take away the OP) anime, Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction has its charms. There’s something whimsical about a protagonist being a filthy weeb and asking to see affection levels instead of outright asking for his love to be reciprocated. The dating-sim lover in me thinks that’s a kawaii scenario. The logical part of me sees it as torture. Imagine seeing your loved one’s meter slowly trickle down over months, and you can’t raise it back. Hypotheticals aside, if dating-sim aficionados were nekos, Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction would be catnip. They’re going to love it.
It’s common for anime to incorporate elements from dating sims and games. There are many otome isekai titles, like I’m in Love with the Villainess, where the protagonists are transported into a dating sim world. However, I believe that Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction is the first to bring those aspects directly into our reality. Someone’s going to send a snarky message saying, “Kashou, I don’t know why J-List keeps you around. This (insert obscure manga that sold ten copies) did it first.”
That said, I don’t understand why the dudes in this show lack love meters. Komugi-sensei (the manga’s author) can’t lie to me and say there are no gay dudes in Japan. To quote Robert Downey Jr. (as Kirk Lazarus), “Everyone’s gay once in a while.”
Kanata and Chitose’s interactions are on the kawaii side, so despite the short run time, the show is mildly entertaining. And I do mean “mildly.” Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction has enough novelty to stand out, but it’s filled with the same tropes and cliches that every other rom-com anime has.
But by far, the biggest thing working against this anime is who made it.
When You Wish Upon a Star
That Studio LEO (which is only known for mid-tier hentai like Ren Arisugawa Is Actually a Girl) is animating this will alienate watchers. Even someone like me who loves pervy titles will steer clear of an adaptation by a subpar studio.
You can’t pay me to watch whatever Blue Bread animates. Some people feel the same about Studio LEO and will avoid Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction. Honestly, that’s a shame. While I dislike Studio LEO’s hentai animation, Marika-chan no Koukando wa Bukkowareteiru was pleasant enough.
Unlike other work by Studio LEO, things seem more proportionally correct. But there are issues — some angles seem odd, and occasional scenes look stunted. And the budget limitations are visible. That said, Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction’s main voice acting duo, Kouhei Amasaki (Kanata Kitami) and Maaya Uchida (Marika Chitose), delivered a stellar performance in the show’s first episode.
Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction is paradoxical. If you’re pressed for time and want something enjoyable and quick, this anime is for you. But if you’re short on time and you’re only looking for the top rom-coms of the season, look elsewhere. But you can bet I’ll be excited for every following episode.
I’d give Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction a 3.5 out of 5.
Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction Deets
Rin Komugi writes and illustrates the Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction manga. Suiseisha serializes the manga through its Trahison label on multiple web services and has compiled the manga into 17 digital volumes. An English version of the manga is available on the MangaPlaza website.
Suiseisha Comic imprint will begin publishing Marika’s Love Meter Malfunction in print on April 17, 2026.
Marika-chan no Koukando wa Bukkowareteiru will begin broadcasting on April 6. OceanVeil is already streaming the first episode in the West. Future episodes will follow the broadcasting release.
© Rin Komugi / Suiseisha Inc
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