The romantic comedy manga series “I Want to End This Love Game” (Aishiteru Game o Owarasetai) by Yuki Domoto is officially receiving a television anime adaptation, slated to premiere in April 2026. The announcement on Saturday unveiled the main cast, key staff, and a teaser visual for the upcoming series.
The anime promises to bring the unique “love game” between childhood friends Yukiya Asagi and Miku Sakura to the screen, as they navigate their burgeoning feelings while trying to win a long-standing competition of confessions.
Meet the Main Cast
Two prominent voice actors have been announced to lead the series, bringing the central characters to life:
- Kaito Ishikawa as Yukiya Asagi: Ishikawa, known for roles such as Jin in DAN DA DAN, will lend his voice to Yukiya Asagi, the male protagonist. Yukiya is characterized by his efforts to shed a quiet nerd image and win over his best friend.
- Miku Itō as Miku Sakura: Miku Itō, recognized for her portrayal of Miku in The Quintessential Quintuplets, will voice Miku Sakura, the female lead. Miku is Yukiya’s childhood friend and the other participant in their “love game”.
The Creative Team Behind the Adaptation
A seasoned team of animation professionals has been assembled to produce “I Want to End This Love Game” at Felix Film.
Director and Studio
Azuma Tani is taking the helm as the director for the series at Felix Film. Tani’s past directorial works include Thermae Romae and Waka Okami wa Shōgakusei! TV, indicating experience with diverse storytelling. Felix Film is the animation studio responsible for the adaptation.
Series Composition and Screenplay
Keiichirō Ōchi is in charge of both writing and overseeing the series scripts. Ōchi’s extensive background in romantic comedies, including both seasons of Girlfriend, Girlfriend, suggests a strong understanding of the genre.
Character Design
Yūki Fukuchi is handling the character designs for the anime. Fukuchi’s previous work includes designing characters for Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement and Plunderer.
Music Composition
The musical score for the series will be composed by Akito Matsuda. Matsuda is known for his contributions to popular franchises such as Sound! Euphonium and Non Non Biyori.
Plot Overview and Manga Background
“I Want to End This Love Game” originates from a Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Domoto. It began serialization on Shogakukan’s online platform Sunday Webry in December 2021. Viz Media has licensed the manga for an English release in North America.
The story revolves around Yukiya Asagi and Miku Sakura, childhood friends who, in the sixth grade, started a “love game.” The rules are simple: they both say “I love you” to each other, and the first one to get flustered loses. Four years later, the game continues into high school. Despite their playful confessions, both Yukiya and Miku have secretly developed genuine feelings for each other, yet they fear it might be too late to confess their true emotions. The manga explores their evolving relationship as they try to outmaneuver each other in the game while grappling with their unspoken mutual feelings.
