The wait is almost over for fans of the popular romantic comedy light novel series. I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class now has a concrete release date. The anime will officially begin airing in Japan on April 7, 2026.
ASMIK Ace, the company behind the production, dropped the big news on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Along with the premiere date, they released a second promotional video and a fresh key visual. They also announced additional cast members and the artist for the ending theme song. This spring anime is shaping up to be one of the most relatable school-life stories of the season.
A Story About an Unexpected Friendship
The plot feels very real and down-to-earth. Maki Maehara is a boy who keeps to himself at school. He does not have any close friends or hobbies that connect him with his classmates. He expects another year of the same lonely routine. But everything changes one day when he runs into his popular classmate, Umi Asanagi, at a video rental store.
Umi is the girl the boys call the “second prettiest” in the class. She is always surrounded by people and lives in a completely different social world. However, they discover they share a love for B-grade movies. This common interest sparks a conversation. Then, Umi asks Maki the simple but life-changing question: “Can we be friends?”
Yen Press, which publishes the manga in English, describes this as a story about two people from different worlds connecting over the most unexpected thing. It is a simple, sweet setup that many people can relate to.
Main Cast and Characters Confirmed
The voice cast brings these school life characters to life. The four main leads had already been announced, but the new promo confirms their roles even further.
- Haruki Ishiya voices Maki Maehara, the quiet protagonist who prefers being alone.
- Manaka Iwami voices Umi Asanagi, the friendly and popular girl who seeks out Maki’s friendship.
- Sayumi Suzushiro voices Yū Amami. She is Umi’s best friend and is known as the “prettiest girl in class.”
- Ikumi Hasegawa voices Nina Nitta, another friend in their close circle.
In the latest update, two more voice actors joined the team. Yuuko Kaida will voice Masaki Maehara. Shizuka Itou will voice Sora Asanagi . These actresses bring a lot of experience to the parental roles.
New Cast Members and Theme Song Details
The second promotional video did more than just show new footage. It confirmed the ending theme song. Singer-songwriter Koresawa will perform the ending theme titled “Zutto Ichiban ni Shitene” . The opening theme, “Submarine Youth,” will be performed by the band reGretGirl .
The new cast announcement also included Minami Tsuda, who will play the character Miki Yagisawa . With the voice cast now complete, the production team is moving full speed ahead toward the April premiere.
The Creative Team Behind the Anime
This anime is in very capable hands. Hideki Tachibana is directing the series at the animation studio CONNECT. He is known for his work on major franchises like Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? and Armed Girl’s Machiavellism .
Keiichirō Ōchi is handling the series composition and writing the scripts. He has a strong track record with romantic comedies. He previously worked on The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten and The Quintessential Quintuplets . This means the dialogue and character interactions are likely to be top-notch.
Shoko Takimoto is designing the characters, bringing the look of the light novel illustrations to the screen. The team also includes Takumi Shibata as assistant director and a full staff of animation, art, and sound experts .
Where and When to Watch
The anime will have its broadcast premiere in Japan on Tokyo MX on April 7, 2026, at 11:30 p.m. JST . It will air later that same evening on Kansai TV. The network BS Asahi will begin showing the series on April 10 .
For international viewers, a global streaming partner has not been announced yet. However, given the popularity of the light novel and manga, it is likely that major platforms like Crunchyroll or Netflix will pick it up for streaming in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and worldwide. Fans outside Japan should expect simulcast announcements very soon, likely just before the April 7 premiere.
The Popular Source Material
The story originally began as a web novel on Kadokawa’s Kakuyomu website in November 2020 . It won a special prize in the romantic comedy division of the 6th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest. The light novel series, written by Takata, started print publication under the Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko imprint in December 2021 .
The series has been a hit with readers. It currently has over 900,000 copies in circulation . It ranked high in the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guidebook and won the Next Light Novel Award 2023 in the bunkobon category . Seven volumes of the light novel are available now, with a new volume (7.5) scheduled for May 2025 .
A manga adaptation illustrated by Rin Ono began in 2022. Five volumes are out in Japan, and Yen Press is releasing it in English . The first English volume is set for release on June 24, 2025.
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What to Expect from the Anime
Based on the second promotional video, the animation from Studio CONNECT looks smooth and bright. The character designs stay true to the original illustrations. The vibe is light, funny, and warm.
The story focuses on the slow build of a friendship. It is not just about romance. It is about two people who find comfort in each other’s company. Maki Maehara and Umi Asanagi come from different social circles, but their connection feels genuine. With Yū Amami and Nina Nitta in the mix, there will likely be plenty of fun group dynamics as well.
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This new anime brings a fresh, easy-to-enjoy story about friendship that starts in the most ordinary way. Mark your calendars for April 7, 2026, to catch the premiere of I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class and see if Maki and Umi’s unique friendship changes their school life forever.
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