What happens when a young man suddenly finds out that the five sisters he grew up with aren’t actually blood-related? Since this is anime, you can guess. Let’s explore Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi (“The Shiunji Family Children“), a surprisingly good anime sister romance story.
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A Sister Romance Anime? The Shiunji Family Children is an Unexpected Harem Anime
Arata Shiunji lives with his brother and five sisters in a huge house staffed with servants. Although he should be happy to have been born into such a “high-spec” family, he’s down in the dumps because he can’t find a girlfriend. Then one day his father calls the family together for a special announcement: none of the Shiunji siblings are actually related, as they were all adopted into the family at a young age!
What would a young man do if he learned his five sisters weren’t related to him? Since this is anime, naturally there’s only one answer, right. Happily, this story is a bit more nuanced than that.
While everyone in the family is shocked to learn the truth about their relationship, they’ve all grown up alongside each other for 15 years, so everyone wants to be supportive of each other going forward. Everyone is especially concerned about the youngest sister Kotono, who is impressionable and doesn’t speak much. When Kotono confesses that she has romantic feelings for Arata, things get a lot more complex for everyone.
Can We Trust the Rent-a-Girlfriend Creator?
Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi is based on a manga by Reiji Miyajima, creator of the Rent-a-Girlfriend series. This fact might give some fans pause, considering what a divisive anime that can be. Can we trust the creator won’t jerk us around for years with no story progression? Can we believe that Arata won’t turn out to be another frustrating anime MC, like Kazuma from Rent-a-Girlfriend?
I’m cautiously optimistic, based on the first two episodes. The story is unfolding nicely and is focused on the characters and how they deal with the news that they’re not blood-related. And there are interesting mysteries that might be solved in future episodes. Like, what did oldest daughter Banri remember about a time before she was adopted into the Shiunji family?
Anime Sister Romance! Let’s Meet the Five Sisters of Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi!
Let’s check out the five girls in the Shiunji family and see which ones have the potential to break through with fans!
Banri Shiunji Is the Reliable Oneesan Type
Banri is the oldest daughter of the family, and she’s attending college hoping to become a nurse someday. She’s got the perfect personality for her role as a replacement mother for her brothers and sisters.
Ouka Shiunji Is a Fiery Tsundere
There has to be one in every group, and in this anime it’s Ouka. She grew up believing she was twins with Arata, and is deeply shocked to learn that she’s not even related to him by blood, let alone not his twin.
Seiha Is the Analytical Science Girl
You know I love perverted science girls in anime, and I became an instant fan of Seiha. When she learns that she isn’t related to Arata, she decides to test him with her body to see if he reacts inappropriately.
Minami Is a Genki Sports Musume
A genius at all sports, Minami brightens any room she enters. She’s on the school tennis team and is expected to become an Olympic athlete in the future.
Kotono Is the Shy Literature Girl
The youngest daughter of the Shiunji family is shy, quiet, and leans heavily on her big brother Arata for emotional support. When she makes the first move to express her romantic feelings for him, now that they’re not actually related, what will happen? I honestly found Kotono to be the most interesting daughter, who will probably move the story forward more than the other girls.
Thanks for reading this post about the Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi anime, a.k.a. The Shiunji Family Children. Are you going to give it a watch? Or are you turned off by the sister romance angle, or the anime being by the Rent-a-Girlfriend creator? Tell us in the comments below!
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Happy New Year from your Friend in Japan, J-List! We hope 2026 is a year of happiness and peace for you. To get things off right, we’re having a huge site-wide New Year’s Sale through Jan. 6, giving you $15 off all in-stock products. Start browsing now!
