DMM Pictures announced on 23 July that Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up — the popular romance manga by Mitsuki Mii — is getting a TV anime adaptation, with Passione and Hayabusa Film on animation. A teaser PV is already live on YouTube, and the timing could not be better: Volume 8 hits Japanese shelves on 28 July, just days after the announcement.
Two Reinventions, One Complicated Situation
The story centres on Keisuke Shizuki, who completely reinvented himself before starting high school — new look, new social circle, new confidence — after a rough middle school experience. His one remaining problem: he still freezes up around beautiful girls. Enter Shizuka Kusunoki, the school’s most striking student, who has pulled off an equally dramatic transformation but has no idea how to actually connect with people. She asks Keisuke for help fitting in. The two quietly bond over their shared history of reinvention, and what starts as an awkward favour slowly becomes something more.
Serialised on Pixiv Comic under Ichijinsha’s Comic Pool imprint since October 2022, the manga has gathered a solid readership over its eight volumes. The English edition from Kodansha USA is available through major online retailers, so SG readers chasing a romance manga with genuine heart and a self-improvement angle can already dig in ahead of the anime premiere.
The Studio and Creative Team
Passione — the studio behind Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf and High School DxD Hero — is co-producing with Hayabusa Film. Midori Yui directs and handles series composition. Character designs come from Kōji Haneda, who drew the expressive, character-driven visuals for The Faraway Paladin. Composing the score is Hyadain, known for the catchy, high-energy soundtrack work on Rent-a-Girlfriend.
Watch the Official Teaser PV
Lead Voice Cast
Yūto Uemura — familiar to fans as Fuutarou Uesugi in The Quintessential Quintuplets — takes on Keisuke Shizuki. Voicing Shizuka Kusunoki opposite him is Tomori Kusunoki, known as Shirokusa Kachi in Mix Ore. The casting is a neat touch: Tomori Kusunoki is playing a character who shares her surname, which should be a talking point among fans once the anime airs.
No premiere season or streaming platform has been confirmed yet. Watch the official anime site (Japanese) for updates, and check back on GameTrader’s anime coverage as more details land.