Too Many Losing Heroines! (Japanese: 負けヒロインが多すぎる！, Hepburn: Make Hiroin ga Ōsugiru!), also known as Makeine (マケイン), is a Japanese light novel series written by Takibi Amamori and illustrated by Imigimuru. The story takes place in Toyohashi, Aichi, where Amamori comes from. It follows a boy in high school interacting with several girls who got heartbroken after being rejected by their respective love interests.[2] It began publication under Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint in July 2021. A manga adaptation illustrated by Itachi began serialization on Shogakukan's Ura Sunday [ja] website and MangaOne [ja] app in April 2022. An anime television series adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures premiered in July 2024.
Plot
Self-proclaimed "background character" Kazuhiko Nukumizu accidentally witnesses Anna Yanami, a popular girl in his class, being rejected by her childhood friend. He labels her a "losing heroine", and soon finds himself getting involved with Anna and other similar girls.
Characters
Main characters
Kazuhiko Nukumizu (温水 和彦, Nukumizu Kazuhiko)
Voiced by: Shōtarō Uzawa[3] (audiobook), Shūichirō Umeda[4] (anime) (Japanese); Kevin D. Thelwell[5] (English)
The protagonist of the series. He is a first-year high school student who is a loner with a philosophical personality and an otaku fond of reading light novels. He witnesses the girls being rejected by their crushes and decides to emotionally support them and help them move on, though at times, their antics tend to annoy him beyond belief.
One of the loser heroines. She is the popular girl in Kazuhiko's class with a bright and charming personality. Though she's often the target of many other boys' affections, she's had a long-lasting crush on her childhood friend Sōsuke Hakamada, who never reciprocated her feelings at all and instead started dating her rival Karen Himemiya, much to her frustration and inner jealousy.
One of the loser heroines and another classmate of Kazuhiko. She is the ace of the track and field club, and like Yanami, is also popular. She's also in love with her childhood friend Mitsuki Ayano, who already has a girlfriend.
Chika Komari (小鞠 知花, Chika Komari)
Voiced by: Mei Shibata[3] (audiobook), Momoka Terasawa[4] (anime) (Japanese); Morgan Lea[5] (English)
One of the loser heroines and another classmate of Kazuhiko. A member of the literature club, she is shy and has a hard time talking to others. She's had a long-lasting crush on Shintarō Tamaki, who has remained completely oblivious due to her not being able to confess sooner.
Another classmate of Kazuhiko who is Lemon’s childhood friend and crush. He doesn't reciprocate Lemon's feelings as he already has a girlfriend and has always thought he wouldn't be right for her.
A second-year middle school student who is Kazuhiko's little sister and makes fun of her older brother's lack of friends.
Media
Light novel
Written by Takibi Amamori and illustrated by Imigimuru, Too Many Losing Heroines! began publication under Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint on July 21, 2021.[10] Seven volumes and a short story volume have been released as of July 18, 2024.[11]
In July 2023, the official Twitter account of the light novel announced that the series had been licensed in English without revealing a publisher.[12] In February 2024, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they had licensed the series.[13]
An audiobook version of the series began on September 20, 2023, featuring the voices of Shōtarō Uzawa, Rina Honnizumi, Maki Yamaichi, Mei Shibata, Chihiro Shirata, Keaki Watanabe, Shuma Konoe, Yurie Igoma, Kiri Kamasawa, and Taira Yamauchi, all of whom are from 81 Produce.[3][14] It has been released up to the second volume of the series.[15][16]
A manga adaptation illustrated by Itachi began serialization on Shogakukan's Ura Sunday [ja] website and MangaOne [ja] app on April 29, 2022.[1] The manga's chapters have been collected in three tankōbon volumes as of July 18, 2024.[25]
In February 2024, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they also licensed the manga adaptation.[13]
An anime television series adaptation was announced in December 2023.[30][31] The series is produced by Aniplex,[32] animated by A-1 Pictures and directed by Shōtarō Kitamura, with scripts written by Masahiro Yokotani, characters designed by Tetsuya Kawakami, and music composed by Kana Utatane. It premiered on July 14, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[a] The opening theme song is "Tsuyogaru Girl" (つよがるガール, lit.'Tough-Acting Girl') performed by BotchiBoromaru feat. Mossa of Necry Talkie,[6] while the multiple ending theme songs are performed in the following: the first is a cover of Hitomi's "Love 2000" performed by Hikaru Tono as her character Anna Yanami.[4]Crunchyroll licensed the series.[33]Plus Media Networks Asia has licensed the series in Southeast Asia and aired it on Aniplus Asia.[34]
According to the editor-in-charge of the light novel series, Iwaasa, the discussion about the anime adaptation started before the publication of the first volume of the series.[35]
Kazuhiko Nukumizu is a high school student who has not experienced being in a relationship and spends his time reading light novels. While at a restaurant, he witnesses a quarrel between his classmates Anna Yanami and Sōsuke Hakamada on the latter's relationship with Karen Himemiya as Anna confesses her feelings to Sōsuke before he runs off to see Karen, leaving Anna dejected. Kazuhiko attempts to feign ignorance until he is noticed by Anna and she sits beside him, telling him she was Sōsuke's childhood friend and expresses jealousy for him and Karen. At school, Kazuhiko and Anna hang out during lunch where Anna shares her displeasures with joining Sōsuke and Karen on their trips as she gradually pays back Kazuhiko the restaurant bill by making him bentos amounting to the bills. Kazuhiko also meets Chika Komari upon joining the school's literature club alongside its vice president Koto Tsukinoki and Lemon Yakishio attempting to hang out with Mitsuki Ayano to no avail. One day later, Kazuhiko meets with Anna, who has tearfully come to realize Sōsuke broke up with her for Karen. Anna assures him he would understand when he gets into a relationship, which Kazuhiko replies having never gotten into one, leaving Anna charmed.
2
"The Promised Failure for You" Transliteration: "Yakusoku Sareta Haiboku o Kimi ni" (Japanese: 約束された敗北を君に)
Yuki Watanabe
Masahiro Yokotani
Shōtarō Kitamura
July 21, 2024 (2024-07-21)
While cleaning sports equipment at the school's storage room, Kazuhiko is found by Lemon as she asks for advice on how she can hang out with Mitsuki, to which Kazuhiko answers on joining Mitsuki as he borrows books from the literature club. Thanking him, Lemon proceeds to head out until realizing they are locked from the outside, where they nearly suffer from heatstroke and are only saved by their homeroom teacher. They are later visited by Anna, as the school doctor Sayo Konuki takes note of their banter. Kazuhiko heads to the literature club room the following day to help Lemon with her predicament, with Anna coming along as assistance. When Koto assumes Lemon and Mitsuki are dating, Mitsuki clears up the confusion by elaborating he is in a relationship with fellow classmate Chihaya Asagumo, breaking Lemon's heart and leading Kazuhiko and Anna to cheer her up by letting her join the club and treating her for dinner. Later that evening, as Sayo tries to make sense with the relationship dynamics surrounding Kazuhiko, she sees Lemon practicing passionately and saying she is getting somewhere.
3
"Losing the Battle Before it is Ever Fought" Transliteration: "Tatakau Mae Kara Maketeiru" (Japanese: 戦う前から負けている)
Komao Yukihiro
Masahiro Yokotani
Shin'ichirō Ushijima
July 28, 2024 (2024-07-28)
Kazuhiko encounters Chika while drinking water as the literature club president Shintarō Tamaki instructs them to head to the club room, where Koto announces the club will be holding a training camp in the weekend to write novels. Kazuhiko later tells Anna their plans and Anna begs to join the club to avoid a gathering with her and Sōsuke's families upon searching there is a beach near the training camp. The club arrives at the beach and proceeds to enjoy their time as Chika passes despite Kazuhiko's offer to use it to spend time with Shintarō. While Kazuhiko and Lemon head out to buy food for the club, Lemon expresses her disappointment of Mitsuki not seeing her in the same way as Chihaya, so Kazuhiko reassures her to not mope and have fun. Shintarō reads Chika's novel and is impressed with her writing, flustering Chika. As the day goes on through the night, Chika lights up a sparkler and is narrowly saved by Shintarō after directing it to her face and almost scarring herself; feeling grateful that Shintarō cares for her wellbeing, Chika confesses her feelings to him and asks him out on a date, leaving him and the others completely shocked and stunned.
Other
The series had an illustration collaboration with the second volume of the manga series Starting Today, We're Childhood Friends by Midori Obiya.[39] It also had multiple collaborations with Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park and JR Tōkai.[40][41][42][43]
