Summary

  • Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 1 finale delivered drama and suspense but left unresolved conflicts and unanswered questions.
  • Mami Nanami's manipulation and leverage over Kazuya and Chizuru demonstrated her twisted motives and lack of genuine emotions.
  • Kazuya's fear of commitment led to missed opportunities and misleading confessions, but in Seasons 2 and 3, he made progress in pursuing a serious relationship with Chizuru, although doubts remain whether he will repeat past mistakes.

The highly anticipated finale of Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 1 delivered plenty of action, suspense and high drama... while resolving absolutely nothing. Confessions were made, only to be glossed over by the eternally spineless Kazuya Kinoshita. Meanwhile, Mami Nanami rented a date with Chizuru Mizuhara for her own twisted motivations. Worst of all, Ruka Sarashina's place as Kazuya's provisional girlfriend grew even cloudier than before. All these made for a season finale that was both enjoyable and frustrating, and it left more questions than answers.

Mami learning the truth about Kazuya and Chizuru's relationship—that she was Kazuya's rental girlfriend, not his real girlfriend—gave her some dangerous leverage over the pair, especially over the terminally dishonest Kazuya. Regardless of her actions, the events of Rent-A-Girlfriend Episode 12 further proved that Kazuya himself was still not ready for a serious relationship.

Updated on October 17, 2023 by Angelo Delos Trinos: A lot has happened to Kazuya after his big confession in Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 1's finale. Two seasons later, Kazuya surprised other characters and viewers with his newfound determination to pursue a real relationship. This article was updated to acknowledge the events of Seasons 2 and 3, and to explore what's next for Kazuya.

Check Out the New Music Video for Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 3

Mami Lacked the Motivation for Manipulation

Kazuya sees Mami and Chizuru leave in Rent-A-Girlfriend

After ignoring Ruka and treating her like a pest for most of Rent-A-Girlfriend's first season, Kazuya's desire to let Chizuru go once and for all led him to view Ruka in a different light. He realized that she was a sweet and honest girl who held strong, unrelenting feelings for him. He then figured that it was worth putting an honest effort into their relationship. The problem was, his decision was driven more by a perceived need to shelve his true feelings for Chizuru so that she can pursue her acting dream in peace, rather than any genuine feelings for Ruka.

Just as he was in the process of confessing to Ruka at the karaoke center where they both worked in, he was shocked to suddenly see Mami, his ex. Worse, Mami had a deeply uncomfortable Chizuru in tow. Mami's main motivation and purpose at this point in the Kazuomi Koga-directed Rent-A-Girlfriend was just manipulation for the sake of it. She wanted to control others while acting as the puppet master. It wasn't really clear what Mami got from this, although the first season finale offered a hint at an answer: nothing at all.

Mami was basically an empty shell without any real emotions. When Chizuru passionately pled with her regarding Kazuya's feelings, Mami dodged her questions without a care in the world. She had fun blackmailing Chizuru into a rental date at the karaoke bar, where she admitted that she couldn't stand Chizuru's "perfect girlfriend" act. She then told Chizuru to leave Kazuya alone. While they both made important points about what they thought of Kazuya and why they wanted to be close to him, their reasons for doing so were polar opposites. Mami simply hated Chizuru and wanted to toy with Kazuya, while Chizuru actually cared deeply about Kazuya's well-being and genuinely wanted him to be happy.

Mangaka Reiji Miyajima Based Rent-a-Girlfriend's Main Character on Himself

Kazuya Chickened Out When Confessing to Chizuru

Kazuya with his head down as he keeps to himself in Rent-a-Girlfriend

Spotting Mami and Chizuru leaving the karaoke bar, Kazuya faked feeling sick so that he could follow them. He did this with the intent to tell Mami the full truth and demand that she leave Chizuru alone. However, he stayed hidden as the two girls continued talking and arguing about him. He was then overwhelmed to the point of tears by Chizuru's passion on his behalf. It was only then that Kazuya realized that, beyond all reasonable doubt, Chizuru was the one he truly loved. Any possible feelings for Ruka or leftover feelings for Mami simply couldn't compare to what he felt for Chizuru in that moment.

Later that evening, he waited outside their apartment building for Chizuru to come home. At long last, it was time for the confession. In an incredibly poignant moment, Kazuya's words came from the deepest levels of his heart as he told Chizuru that she was the only one he wanted to be with. She just stood there, stunned... until Kazuya lost his nerve and amended his words by saying that he meant that she was special as a rental girlfriend. An exasperated Chizuru scolded him for being so misleading, after which Kazuya ran off to his apartment and cursed himself for being unable to follow through with his true intentions and feelings.

Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 1 was filled to the brim with many more frustrating scenes just like this. Viewers derisively labeled these as "Kazuya Moments," or times when Kazuya doubled down on how unlikable and pathetic he could be. However, his failure to properly admit his feelings to Chizuru may just be the worst of the lot. Rent-A-Girlfriend's ending in Season 1 perfectly encapsulated why Kazuya's love life remains in limbo, even after a full year's worth of life experiences as a college student and meeting more potential love interests than either he or audiences expected.

Kazuya started the last episode of Rent-A-Girlfriend's first season by nearly beginning a true relationship with Ruka, whom he had took for granted for so long. He then ended the first season by nearly confessing his love for Chizuru, who he had resolved to let go of before reneging his chance at true happiness in that moment. Kazuya's continued fear of commitment meant that he, and viewers, had to wait for even a hint of true love.

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Kazuya Seriously Pursued Chizuru in Rent-A-Girlfriend Seasons 2 & 3

Kazuya takes back his confession to Chizuru in Rent-A-Girlfriend

Luckily for fans who desperately needed the story to continue as soon as possible, Rent-A-Girlfriend Seasons 2 and 3 were quickly confirmed after the initial airing of the Season 1 finale in 2020. Everyone was surprised to see Kazuya actually make some genuine progress with Chizuru. Kazuya's and Chizuru's connection and feelings deepened as the episodes went along.

By Season 3's finale, Chizuru had all but fallen for Kazuya after he helped her make a special movie and screen it in theaters for her ailing grandmother. Despite being just as emotionally immature and indecisive as ever, Kazuya was clearly serious about Chizuru this time around. He even went as far as stepping up when the moment called for it. Season 3 ended with Kazuya and Chizuru basically becoming a couple, even though they have yet to make things official.

That being said, Rent-A-Girlfriend became notorious in the anime community because of its habit of making Kazuya fall back on his worst impulses, undo any prior progress he made, and reset its own status quo. It's because of this that viewers are now worried that Kazuya will repeat his mistakes in Season 1's finale at some point, only now with more devastating consequences. Kazuya has made some great personal strides over the course of the last two seasons. He even proved naysayers inside and outside Rent-A-Girlfriend wrong. It would be a shame if he suddenly doubted himself at the last second and messed things up with Chizuru again. Especially now that Kazuya seems to have grown a spine for the first time in his life, and is in the process of starting a true, honest relationship with Chizuru.

Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 2 Promotional Cover Art
Rent-A-Girlfriend

After being dumped by his girlfriend, a college student enlists a dating service to "rent" a girlfriend who, unbeknownst to him, happens to be both a fellow student and his neighbor.

First Episode Air Date
June 11, 2020
Latest Episode
2023-09-30
Where to watch
Crunchyroll
Created by
Reiji Miyajima