My Girlfriend’s Friend (known in Japan as Kanojo no Tomodachi) is a new romance drama anime that begins its worldwide run this week. The series is based on Jura’s manga, which has been serialized on Kodansha’s YanMaga Web since May 2021 and has seven collected volumes in print. The story follows Takeru Hidaka, a high school student who finally gets his first girlfriend, Kaori Koga, only for her best friend, Tomoko Yoshioka, to actively pursue him. The anime is produced by Quad and directed by Takashi Andō, with WWWave Corporation’s Deregula label handling production and streaming. Episode 1 is the first episode of the series, so there is no previous episode to recap. A full breakdown of the story setup, cast, and worldwide streaming schedule is below.
Episode 1 Worldwide Release Date and Exact Streaming Times for Every Major Region
Episode 1 of My Girlfriend’s Friend releases on Sunday, October 4, 2026, with the Japanese television broadcast airing on Tokyo MX at 25:05 JST (effectively 1:05 AM JST on October 5). The international simulcast arrives on OceanVeil at 12:05 PM EDT on the same day. A censored television version also airs on BS11 on October 7, and the uncensored “Complete Deregula” version streams on AnimeFesta starting October 5 at 1:05 AM JST. The series is listed as an ONA on MyAnimeList and carries the Drama and Erotica genres.
Here are the exact release times for key regions, based on the OceanVeil simulcast at 12:05 PM EDT and the Tokyo MX broadcast at 1:05 AM JST:
- USA (Eastern Time): Sunday, October 4 at 12:05 PM EDT
- USA (Pacific Time): Sunday, October 4 at 9:05 AM PDT
- Canada (Eastern Time): Sunday, October 4 at 12:05 PM EDT
- United Kingdom (BST): Sunday, October 4 at 5:05 PM BST
- Ireland (IST): Sunday, October 4 at 5:05 PM IST
- Portugal (WEST): Sunday, October 4 at 5:05 PM WEST
- Ghana (GMT): Sunday, October 4 at 4:05 PM GMT
- Germany (CEST): Sunday, October 4 at 6:05 PM CEST
- France (CEST): Sunday, October 4 at 6:05 PM CEST
- Spain (CEST): Sunday, October 4 at 6:05 PM CEST
- Italy (CEST): Sunday, October 4 at 6:05 PM CEST
- Poland (CEST): Sunday, October 4 at 6:05 PM CEST
- India (IST): Sunday, October 4 at 9:35 PM IST
- Japan (JST): Monday, October 5 at 1:05 AM JST (Tokyo MX broadcast)
- South Korea (KST): Monday, October 5 at 1:05 AM KST
- Australia (AEST): Monday, October 5 at 2:05 AM AEST
- New Zealand (NZST): Monday, October 5 at 4:05 AM NZST
The OceanVeil simulcast time is confirmed at 12:05 PM EDT on October 4, and the Japanese broadcast time is confirmed at 25:05 JST on October 4.
Where to Watch My Girlfriends Friend Episode 1
OceanVeil is the international streaming home for the series, offering a same-day simulcast for viewers worldwide. In Japan, the censored television version airs on Tokyo MX and BS11, while the uncut “Complete Deregula” version streams exclusively on AnimeFesta. The series is produced under WWWave Corporation’s Deregula label, which handles both the production and the streaming distribution for the uncensored edition.
Episode 1 Story Setup and What Happens
My Girlfriend’s Friend begins with Takeru Hidaka, a high school student aiming for medical school. He has just started dating his first girlfriend, Kaori Koga, and their relationship appears harmonious to everyone around them. The peace is broken when Tomoko Yoshioka, Kaori’s best friend, begins to flirt with and pursue Takeru.
The core conflict is established early: Takeru is caught between his loyalty to Kaori and Tomoko’s direct advances. The manga’s story is described as an “immoral coming-of-age story” where Takeru falls into a double life and a complicated affair. The official OceanVeil description explains the setup:
Takeru Hidaka thought he had found simple happiness with his sweet, cheerful first girlfriend, Kaori. But his quiet high school life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Kaori’s glamorous best friend, Tomoko. Striking, enigmatic, and possessing an effortless allure, Tomoko begins pulling Takeru into her orbit through subtle glances and unexpected closeness.
The series is described as a story of forbidden romantic tension with a mature tone.
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Main Cast and Characters in Episode 1
The voice cast for the anime features:
- Ryūga Nagaike as Takeru Hidaka, the protagonist and high school student
- Sayaka Hashi as Kaori Koga, Takeru’s first girlfriend
- Miki Hase as Tomoko Yoshioka, Kaori’s best friend who pursues Takeru
- Riho Sugiyama as Miyuki, a junior member of the swimming club who looks up to Tomoko
- Ryōka Yuzuki as Kaori’s mother
The production team includes Takashi Andō as director, Gokō Shiraki handling series composition and scripts, and Ryūji Iwata as character designer and chief animation director. The opening theme “Gingira” is performed by Airots, and the ending theme “False Love” is performed by Ceui.
How the Story Connects to the Manga
The anime adapts Jura’s manga, which began serialization on YanMaga Web in May 2021. The series has seven collected volumes in print as of July 2026. The story is described as a romance drama centered on a high school boy who finally gets his first girlfriend, only for her friend to seduce him, drawing him into a morally complicated situation. The manga is also serialized on Comic DAYS.
For more anime release schedules, streaming guides, and episode breakdowns, keep checking VvipTimes for the latest entertainment updates.
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