If you’ve ever watched a romantic comedy, you’ve probably rooted for an underdog heroine—those girls who fall short in love despite their best efforts, often leaving viewers with a bittersweet feeling.
‘Too Many Underdog Heroines!’ (abbreviated as “MakeHiro”) is a new TV anime that highlights these overlooked characters, presenting a heartfelt and humorous story of unfulfilled love and teenage drama. Since its premiere in July 2024, the series has quickly gained popularity, capturing the hearts of fans worldwide.
With every new episode, social media buzzes with related keywords, the original light novel experiences multiple reprints, Blu-ray and DVD pre-orders surge, and pilgrimage visits to the anime’s real-world settings increase. This is the phenomenon of “MakeHiro Fever.”
So, what makes this anime so popular? Here are six reasons why ‘Too Many Underdog Heroines!’ is taking the anime community by storm.
What is ‘Too Many Underdog Heroines!’?
‘Too Many Underdog Heroines!’ is an anime adaptation of the light novel written by Takibi Amamori, which won the Gagaga Award at the 15th Shogakukan Light Novel Awards. The novel series, illustrated by Imigimuru, known for ‘This Art Club Has a Problem!,’ began its publication under the Gagaga Bunko label in July 2021 and currently has seven volumes available as of September 2024. The manga adaptation, illustrated by Itachi, has three volumes out.
The anime adaptation premiered in July 2024, directed by Shotaro Kitamura, known for his work on storyboards and direction in the ‘Kaguya-sama: Love is War’ series. With series composition by Masahiro Yokotani (‘Rascal Does Not Dream’ series), character design by Tetsuya Kawakami (‘86 –Eighty-Six–’), and animation production by A-1 Pictures (‘Lycoris Recoil’), the anime boasts a powerhouse team.
Plot Overview
The story follows Kazuhiko Nukumizu, a first-year high school boy who is a loner and avid light novel reader. One day, he witnesses his popular classmate Anna Yanami’s unrequited love coming to an end. After being forced to cover her restaurant bill, Nukumizu agrees to let Yanami repay him with homemade lunches. The two start spending their afternoons together on an old school staircase, leading Nukumizu to meet and bond with various other underdog heroines.
The Rising Popularity of ‘Too Many Underdog Heroines!’
The anime’s popularity has grown with each episode, as seen from several indicators:
- The original light novel saw a full reprint after the anime’s premiere (announced on August 2, 2024).
- Blu-ray and DVD sales have ranked highly on various sites.
- Keywords related to the series trend on social media weekly. For instance, Episode 8, aired on August 31, 2024, saw hashtags like #MakeHiro (ranked 4th) and characters’ names trending.
- The series topped the dAnime Store’s daily rankings from September 3 to September 4, 2024.
- Pilgrimage visits to Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, the setting of the anime, have increased.
On August 26, 2024, even before the latest reprints were fully distributed, another reprint of all volumes was announced, underscoring the growing demand for the original story.
Why is the Series So Popular?
As the fanbase continues to expand across various platforms, the charm of ‘Too Many Underdog Heroines!’ is undeniable. But what exactly draws fans in? In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into the six reasons behind the anime’s meteoric rise.
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