J.C. Staff’s newest romance anime tackles the age-old question: can guys and girls really be “just friends”? Following Yuu Natsume’s complicated relationships with Himari Inuzuka and childhood friend Rion Enomoto, this adaptation of Nana Nanana’s hit light novel premieres April 4, 2025, at 10:30 p.m. JST. With stellar voice talent and musical contributions from HoneyWorks and HaKoniwalily, you’ll find yourself questioning your own take on platonic boundaries.
While anime fans enthusiastically await new spring releases, one upcoming series has particularly caught everyone’s attention – though perhaps not for the reasons you’d expect. Danjo no Yūjō wa Seiritsu Suru? (Iya, Shinai!!) which roughly translates to “Can Men and Women Be Friends? (No, They Can’t!!)”, is set to premiere on April 4, 2025, bringing with it a storm of online debates about its provocative title and premise.
You’ll find J.C. Staff at the helm of this adaptation, with director Yōhei Suzuki bringing Nana Nanana’s light novel series to life. Natsuki Ouyama leads the character design in her first industry role. The story follows Yuu Natsume, a gardening club member with a green thumb and an eye for floral accessories, whose life gets complicated when fellow club member Himari Inuzuka develops feelings for him. Did we mention his childhood friend and first love, Rion Enomoto, is also in the picture? Talk about your classic romantic triangle – with a dash of plant fertilizer thrown in for good measure.
The source material has already proven its appeal, with over 200,000 copies in circulation and a successful manga adaptation under its belt. What’s particularly intriguing is how the series tackles the age-old question that’s sparked countless late-night dorm room debates: can guys and girls really be “just friends”?
And before you roll your eyes at another high school romance, this one’s got some serious depth to it. You’ll hear HoneyWorks and HaKoniwalily bringing the opening theme “Shitsumon, Koitte Nandeshō ka?” to life when the show debuts on Tokyo MX and AT-X at 10:30 p.m. JST.
The stellar cast includes Kikunosuke Toya voicing Yuu and Sayumi Suzushiro as Himari, promising to bring nuanced performances to these complex characters.
Whether you’re Team Friendship or Team Romance, this series is set to challenge your assumptions about relationships, loyalty, and the messy space between platonic and romantic love. Just don’t expect any easy answers – after all, the title itself seems pretty convinced about where it stands on the matter!
