Watanare — Friendship, Love, Fanservice, and a Whole Lot of Yuri

The Summer 2025 anime season is one of the most stacked romance seasons in recent memory. But while shows like The Fragrant Flower Blooms and AoButa are taking the limelight, there are other shows you should be paying attention to. And of those shows, none deserves a watch as much as There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… Let me tell you why. Watanare may seem like an average yuri, so much so that at first glance it looks like an artistic copy of Whisper Me a Love Song. But, this show answered one of anime’s longest-standing questions: “What would happen if a romance MC had balls?”

Lord Gigguk once said that ‘sometimes it takes a real man to be best girl.” Most of us would agree. But did you know that sometimes it takes a real girl to show big balls? Watanare’s Mai Ozuka embodies that statement. Never before had I seen someone show such disregard for the world around them to pursue pleasure. As a proud hedonist, I approve! Even if you’re not a yuri enthusiast, you should give Watanare a try — let me tell you why.

But First, a Synopsis

Renako Amaori was what normies would call a “filthy loner.” Despite her adorable looks, Rena-chi has always struggled to fit in, and her awkwardness led to a lonely middle school life. Determined to make her high school years more enjoyable, Renako gaslit herself into becoming a normie. She changed her appearance, embraced her inner extrovert, and enrolled in a school far from home. There she even managed to become part of the popular girls’ clique!

When her loner ways reemerged and she panicked, rushing out of her classroom, the school’s idol, Mai Ouzuka, chased after her. But Mai couldn’t have imagined that her action would completely change their friendship dynamic. The short exchange that followed between Renako and Mai led to love and a deeper friendship. But while Renako is content over their closer bond, when Mai realizes that Renako now owns her heart, she relentlessly begins to chase after her. If Renako prefers to stay friends, how do the two reconcile with each other’s feelings? They shuffle through a romantic and platonic relationship!

Watanare — an Interesting Conundrum

What differentiates a supportive relationship from a loving friendship?

Most people would say that the defining difference is intimacy. But that’s not quite right. After all, there are plenty of romantic relationships that have one or two asexual partners in them. Likewise, there are plenty of long-lasting, non-romantic friendships where the people in them shag. When you consider that, the obvious answer becomes love. But if you remove intimacy from romantic love, how does it differ from platonic or familial love? That migraine-inducing question is what makes Watanare so special.

While its premise of a hot, popular girl trying to romance a loner is a well-trodden yuri plot, Watanare somehow never feels stale. Watanare uses that overused trope and rehashes it in a unique way. It does so by presenting a narrative in which Mai and Renako both generally want the same thing but approach it differently. They’re looking for someone who will accept them, love them, and share fun moments with them. But where one sees that as friendship, the other sees it as romance.

Of course, Mai also chases intimacy, and that’s where her feelings deviate from Renako’s. But with Mai’s persistent and overbearing chase, everyone watching knows Renako is going to fold.

Watanare Production Thoughts

I hadn’t checked Watanare‘s production details until I wrote this article, and its studio surprised me. This show’s animation style really reminded me of Whisper Me a Love Song, so much so that I thought that Yokohama Animation and Cloud Hearts were behind this anime. That’s not the case.

Studio Mother (Arifureta and More than a Married Couple, but Not Lovers) animated Watanare. That unexpected discovery lightened my mood. Lately, life has been taxing, but if the people who animated Arifureta can improve this much, then I can overcome my current struggles.

I’m not dissing Arifureta; I adore that show. But let’s be real, no one reading this is going to tell me that Arifureta’s animation was decent. But despite Studio Mother’s lackluster track record, Watanare is a pleasant watch. Its animation doesn’t compare to shows like Ruri Rocks or With You and the Rain, but it’s better than other offerings.

Watanare’s voice cast, especially Saori Oonishi (Mai Ouzuka) and Kanna Nakamura (Renako Amaori), were meant to voice their roles. Those two capture the absurdity of Renako and Mai’s conversations to the tiniest tone. No matter what feeling they’re conveying, you pick it up. The anime’s OST gets a standing ovation from me; every note was meticulously crafted to fit the accompanying scene. Despite a plot that’s similar to many others, There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… gets a full recommendation from me.

There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… Deets

Shueisha’s Dash X Bunko imprint publishes the WataNare light novel. The series, written by Teren Mikami and illustrated by Eku Takeshima, is published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. Seven volumes are currently available.

Shueisha’s Dash X Comic has serialized the manga adaptation with illustrations by Musshu on the Niconico Seiga website since May 2020. The manga currently boasts seven tankobon volumes. There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… is available on the It’s Anime YouTube channel and Anime Onegai.

© Teren Mikami / Eku Takeshima / Shueisha / Watanare Production Committee

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